Dominican Republic Team - Students International (July 2023)
July 23–30, 2023
2023 Missions Team Opportunities
Local Mission Opportunities
Care & Connect (Foster our Community)
Second Thursday of Every Month from 7PM-9PM
a night of support, encouragement & connection for foster, adoptive and kinship moms.
Comfy Cozies
Comfy Cozies is a group that crochets, knits, and sews. Items are then given to many local and global organizations. To get involved contact info@ncchapel.com or call 330.494.3419
- Second Tuesday of the Month from 10-11:30AM
- Last Wednesday of the Month from 6-7:30PM
Local & National
Michael and Teresa Brown
Cru- BGSU, Ohio
Michael and Teresa minister at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) as a part of Cru (the campus ministry whose presence and proclamation connects with thousands of undergraduate and graduate students each year). They are also involved in Regional Foster Care Community, SEARCH Residential Community (spiritual residence hall at BGSU), Vanguard Men’s Organization, their Bowling Green Neighborhood Missional Community, the Campus Multifaith Alliance and BGSU Athletics.
Pray for:
- For relationships with these athletes to form.
- For safety in travel.
- For the Browns son Logan who has a collapsed lung. He will be having lung surgery.
Praises:
- The opportunity to travel with the athletes/team to football games.
Mike Hepler
Christ Led Communities (CLC), Ohio
Mike (from North Canton Chapel), travels to area churches in Ohio to help establish men’s ministries using the CLC material. He equips men to be leaders based on growing relationships with Christ developed through men studying God’s word together.
Prayer:
- That God would bring men across my path filled with the desire to disciple others.
- That God would reveal to the men starting groups, those men He has chosen for them.
- That God would prepare ahead, the hearts of the discipleship leaders/pastors as I seek audience with them to discuss coming alongside their discipleship efforts with CLC.
- That God would enable me to connect and come alongside other ministries in the community where discipleship might become a part.
- That God would make fruitful, the contacts I have made in recent days who are making decisions about the direction they will take for their men’s ministries.
- That God would give me wisdom and clarity of speech, as I make every effort to reach out to our community at large seeking to make followers of Jesus.
- That God would prepare ahead, the hearts of those I would ask for financial support in this season.
Richard and Sandy Lewis/
Lewis Cross Cultural Training, Inc., Arkansas & International
The Lewis’ lived in Kenya for 14 years, working among tribal groups. For the past 25 years, Richard has taken his wealth of pastoral and missions experience to teach and coach missionaries and spiritual leaders in over twenty countries. Although they live in the U.S., Richard is often in Kenya, India, Nepal, and many other parts of the world, teaching nationals to go cross culturally to share God’s word. He teaches sessions for Perspectives and an online course for a Bible College, and has a weekly podcast with interviews of missionaries around the world. He serves as a resource for churches, helping to establish mission focus.
Prayer:
- For Dr. Lewis teaching pastoral students in Cameroon.
- He will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday in Yaoundé, Cameroon eating the national dish consisting of stewed nuts, ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to West Africa) and either fish or beef.
- For strength, health and endurance in the hot and humid climate.
International
Christiana
Undisclosed Country in Northern Africa
Works with an organization within the country to establish relationships with nationals in order to share God’s word. She has a heart and passion for relational ministry to those who have suffered great loss in their lives, such as widows, orphans, refugees, etc., She speaks several languages and seizes every opportunity to share the gospel and disciple new believers.
Praises:
- Christiana is making new friends and connections since moving back to Sapphire
- Weekly rhythms of bible study with new believers
- The Lord using language fluency challenges to help Christiana engage more deeply in the Word with new believers
- Another has come to Christ!
Pray For:
- Encouragement for a newly baptized boy who is being persecuted by family members, and Grace & Forgiveness for those family members
- For opportunities to share the Gospel with someone this week
- For healing for Samantha (a new believer) – so others who have lost hope can see that it is the Lord who heals her
- For healing for the local church body, for forgiveness of each other and Grace.
Sid and Stephanie
Undisclosed Country in West Asia
Stephanie (originally from North Canton Chapel) and her husband “Z” (native to the region) have been living and working among the people for six years. They both work in translation for un-written and un-translated dialects and language groups. Their work includes training nationals in oral and written translation of the Word. They use and teach “storying” in a local dialect and context to share with people in a community; these people can then share these stories with others—a form of teaching that reaches far and produces growth. They also work with locals to train and prepare written translation for un-written and un-translated dialects and languages.
Pray for:
- For Stephanie as she continues to learn languages and cultures.
- For encouragement and endurance.
Praises:
- Thankful for new connections made with neighbors.
Mark and Gina Schmidt / Educate BV
Guatemala
The Schmidt Family family serves the people of Buena Vista, Guatemala. They host an educational center, Centro Educativo DeepStream, which currently works within the daily routines of the public middle school, a private advanced study program for additional students in BV (grades 1st-12th), preschool program, medical clinic, and other health initiatives. Their vision is to train the future men and women who will lead Buena Vista – spiritually, mentally, and physically. Mark and Gina minister as a family as they work daily in Buena Vista.
Pray for:
- For their son at Cedarville who is recovering from a soccer injury.
- For sponsorships for the new kids coming into their school this year.
Praises:
- They got to visit us and their son this week.
- They have a path to US citizenship for their two adopted sons and they get to meet their extended family in the US in November.
New Pines Seminary / Bruce and Carol Bagley
Cuba
New Pines is a Cuban denomination that is based solidly on God’s Word. The seminary campus in Oliver is used for both training young men and women, denominational meetings, summer camps, and celebrations. The focus of the seminary is to train, disciple, and send leaders and pastors throughout Cuba and as missionaries to other countries. Their goal is to enable the formation and multiplication of reproductive healthy churches that impact society with the gospel.
Bruce and Carol (from North Canton Chapel) serve twice a year from one to three months with New Pines Seminary. They have made home visits to the students and they spend time interacting with them while on campus. Bruce performs work and maintenance projects on campus and Carol teaches ESL classes. In addition, they minister to the youth of a local church and share their testimony in area churches.
Pray for:
- Pray for wisdom for Pachy and the leadership of New Pines to make decisions that put God first.
- Pray for needed provisions for the seminary students and that they would be encouraged in the Lord.
- Pray for a food container (at sea now) to arrive safely and to be distributed fairly along with Gospel message.
Brett / Operation Mobilization
Undisclosed Country in the Middle East
Brett (originally from North Canton Chapel) serves with Operation Mobilization and works with a people group who have been unreached for the last 1400 years. He and his team are very proactive in sharing the good news face-to-face, through discipleship, and through media. He also reaches out to a wider audience online through a media project and podcasts. In addition to sharing his faith with students and leading studies in God’s Word, Brett acts as a team leader for younger men of various nationalities.
Pray for:
- For the roommate who has walked away from faith in Jesus.
- For Brett to have love, patience and humility with this roommate.
- That Brett would not have any bitterness or passive aggressive behavior toward him.
- That God would encourage, strengthen and grant Brett rest at this difficult time.
Dave and Anne / ABWE International
Undisclosed Country in the Mediterranean
Dave and Anne are involved in discipleship and church planting through methods including weekly home group meetings with gospel presentations for national believers and those that are not-yet believers; one-on-one discipleship meetings; mentoring new families serving in career overseas work; working alongside congregations to train nationals in leadership (B. study, sermon preparation, and worship leadership) and helping to identify leaders for various roles within those congregations.
Praises:
- The growth of the new congregation.
- Their children and grandchildren and Gods provision in their lives.
- Encouragement received from ministry partners.
Prayer:
- Permits needed to use the new building.
- The search for an affordable apartment closer to the church.
- They will continue to be a light for the gospel and an encouragement to those they lead and serve.
Makayla Stone/ Students International
Dominican Republic
Makayla (originally from North Canton Chapel) serves at the El Callejon Social Work location in Jarabacoa with children of all ages teaching Bible lessons and crafts and activities. She also works with young women and meeting their needs.
Pray for:
- Continued work and progress with the kids and adolescent girls groups; for guidance and wisdom in how to best serve and love the girls and families in the community during harder times.
- Language learning and encouragement
- For effectiveness of visiting teams
Nate and Rachael Stone / Love Restored
Dominican Republic
The Stones (originally from North Canton Chapel) created an organization named Love Restored which endeavors to create a bilingual rescue center for women caught in the sex trade. Their prayer is to build relationships with these women that display the gospel of Jesus Christ in everyday life. They seek to take an active role in their development as independent, self-supporting, Christ-following adults resulting in a Gospel movement throughout the Dominican Republic.
Pray for:
- English classes continue to thrive in this discipleship center• A multicultural service will be birthed from the revitalization of Iglesia Cristiana Emmanuel• God will continue to provide the resources needed to finish safe house construction, and those plans that He has for 2023• We’ll be able to rest and enjoy time with our families as we make a trip back to Ohio for Christmas.
Praise:
- The progress that has been made this year on the safe houses is absolutely amazing!
- About a month and a half ago, we were approached by a church in our neighborhood that was losing their place of worship. The landowner no longer wanted to rent his space to the church after 2022. We were asked if our discipleship center (where we teach English) would be an available option for them. God seems to have pushed a door wide open for the revitalization of Igelsia Cristiana Emmanuel right here at our ministry site.
Tim and Fern Talley / Gospel Seed Network
Thailand
Tim Talley, originally from North Canton Chapel, has the goal to move people in Southeast Asia towards maturity in Christ, seeing the expanse of His name, and helping kingdom minded men and women respond to the dreams and visions God is calling them towards.
Gospel Seed Network has partners which include churches, orphanages and government schools, and helps meet tangible needs of the people in multiple communities in Southeast Asia. They have a Bible Institute, English class, life skills class, music class, offer scholarships to underprivileged children who are at risk of being trafficked, plant organic churches, and coach people to become leaders within their families/communities so they can begin and continue the mission of God among their own people.
Pray for:
- He is still on orders to stay mostly at home and rest.
- The health system there has continued to push Tim’s follow up appointment further out, so the wait continues.
- He also had orders to wait for 4 months to get back to full time to his ministry, so conversations with partners are beginning again and that is a praise.
Local Partners
The Pregnancy and Parenting Center
In January, 2022, The Pregnancy & Parenting Center, formerly Pregnancy Choices, adopted a new name to more accurately describe the services taking place at our 22nd Street location. Here, moms and dads receive support, supplies and parenting education. TPAPC is a proud member of the Pregnancy Support Network consisting of The Pregnancy & Parenting Center, Akron Pregnancy Services, Eva Women’s Clinic—Canton and Akron, and Hope and Healing.
RAHAB Ministries
RAHAB is God’s continuing story of setting people free physically and spiritually. With an 18-year history of providing cutting-edge trauma informed services to survivors of and those vulnerable to human sex-trafficking, RAHAB Ministries is dedicated to offering hope and healing for broken and exploited women and children and filling gaps in service for the most vulnerable.
Their adult Drop-In Centers, intentionally right in the middle of the drug activity and street level trafficking in Akron and Canton, provide space that offers respite from factors that enslave. Women stop in for family-style meals, Bible Studies, encouragement and friendship. They shop the free clothes closet and receive donated hygiene items.
Praise:
- Praise God for the 20 years this ministry has been providing hope and healing to trafficking survivors of all ages.
Pray for:
- Pray that through the Minor Mentoring Program, young survivors would experience healthy relationships that would lead to healing and transformation through knowing about Jesus.
- Pray for the upcoming informational meeting about “The Willows” community-based minor program. Pray that people would be inspired to participate and get involved in the fostering, respite care, and mentoring this program provides
Refuge of Hope Canton
Refuge of Hope is a faith-based, non-profit, Christian rescue mission providing safe, sober, emergency transitional shelter for men and hot, nutritious meals for hungry men, women, and children in Stark County. Homeless men receive hot showers, clothing and access to counseling in a safe and clean dormitory-style shelter.
Praise:
- Praise God for Gemini Bicycle Center spearheading a Bike Ministry for the community at Refuge of Hope and beyond.
- Praise God for the Bike Ministry Shed located next to the Community Care Center. Thankful for the volunteers who set a big wooden cross at the Bike Ministry.
- Praise God for the volunteers who provide Biblical devotions at the start of the meal ministry.
Pray for:
- Please pray for all our residents as they seek to overcome the issues that caused them to become homeless.
- Please pray for Refuge of Hope as we head into the winter months feeding, clothing, and sheltering everyone needing assistance.
Hammer and Nails
Hammer & Nails grew out of a temporary ministry in North Industry Christian Church partnered with Group WorkCamps to host a week-long camp in both 1995 and 1998. The purpose of the camps was to assist disadvantaged Stark Count homeowners with home and property repairs and maintenance. As a result of these camps, over 400 youth nationwide assisted over 100 homeowners.
The success of the work-camps, along with encouragement from the community, led to the creation of Hammer & Nails, Inc. as an independent 501(c)3 organization. To date, over 1700 homeowners in Stark County have been helped, but the need for assistance is still great.
Prayer:
- Homeless of Canton.
- Safety for the widows.
- Materials for projects. (3 exterior doors)
- Submission to God will.
- That He becomes even greater and we smaller.
Ukraine
Learn
After eight years of ongoing conflict, tension continues to mount on the border between Ukraine and Russia. Imminent conflict between the two countries could spark a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, causing millions to be displaced from their homes.
Pray
Send Relief, a cooperative ministry between the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board, is working with local Baptist partners in Ukraine to care for displaced families in desperate need of help and hope.
You can help! There is extraordinary power in prayer. Here are ten ways you can pray for the Ukraine crisis:
GIVE
The Ukraine Crisis fund provides resources to Ukrainians, missionaries, and partners serving Ukrainian communities in a time of upheaval and unrest, compassionately sharing the gospel with hurting people.
Right now, the team is serving among Ukrainian refugees to meet physical needs and share Christ. Help us respond to this urgent situation with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Alex Cook
Group & Missions Pastor