Clean Drinking Water in Kenya - September 2021 Update

In 1994, Mzee Toronke came to know Jesus Christ through the teaching of two local pastors, Rev. Nakeel and Rev. Maina. Since that day, Mzee Toronke has slept with a Bible as his pillow; he literally rests on the promises of God.

Mzee Toronke was born in a remote area of Kajiado, Kenya in 1925. He spent his early years tending to livestock, walking hundreds of kilometers looking for water and fresh pasture. As he grew older, Mzee Toronke married and started a family. Eventually, he had six wives and twenty-one children.

Partnership, Projects, AfricaElizabeth CarterSeptember 29, 2021Clean Drinking Water in Kenya, Lauren Scharstein, PCEA

Haiti Outreach Ministries - September 2021 Update

First day of school in Haiti

September 21, 2021

Dear friends,

Today marks the first day of school in Haiti for the 2021-2022 academic year. After a tumultuous summer, our teachers and students are thrilled to be back in the classroom! You can feel the energy and excitement in the air in these photos taken just this morning.

Adding to the excitement today, we are welcoming the very first class of 13th graders at the Baryé Fè secondary school! Since the school opened in 2015, additional grades have been added each year, and it is a milestone for Baryé Fè to now host the full complement of grades required by the Haitian school system. From pre-kindergarten to grade 13, the four HOM-supported schools are serving over 1,900 students this school year.

Latin America, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenElizabeth CarterSeptember 27, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Together for the Family - September 2021 Update

The Family Oasis

Twelve years passed and I never gave up on this dream: Together for the Family needs a permanent center for its various activities after all our years of renting land and putting up temporary structures. Perhaps it was more wishful thinking than even a dream! Who could afford to pay for a property? With the global crisis that the world is facing, who would think to help us buy a piece of land in Lebanon? Those who know me well will understand that I do not easily give up my dreams!

I shared my dream with several friends and, in June, sent an appeal to all our partners after we found an appropriate piece of land for an exceptional deal. One of our partners is a dear sister, Dr. Sharon Ayabe, who visited us a couple of times, coming all the way from Hawaii. In June Sharon’s sister, Cheryl suddenly passed away. Cheryl loved Jesus and others - especially children and families. In life, she was gentle and generous. Sharon and her dad experienced unending sorrow until the Lord lifted their heads and dried their tears with the idea of the Family Oasis! It would be a place for the expanded and consolidated ministry of Together for the Family where everyone who enters it would surely find comfort, love, peace, and a better future. They began giving and raising funds to purchase the land. The major bulk of funding for the purchase was raised by Sharon and her dad and others joined in as well. In no time the long-awaited dream became a reality!

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsElizabeth CarterSeptember 22, 2021Together for the Family, Lebanon, Syria, Syria Lebanon Partnership

Syria Retreat Center - September 2021 Update

Najwah and Nahla are leaders in the Presbyterian Church in Homs, Syria. Like so many of our family-by-faith in Syria, they are eagerly anticipating the completion of their Retreat Center which will serve the Church to equip and encourage, provide rest and restoration, gather in for study and reflection, and send out for mission and ministry. Several years ago, The Outreach Foundation pledged to help the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon fulfill its vision to create, in Syria, what already existed in Lebanon at Dhour Schweir – a retreat and conference center that would not only serve their congregations but also the larger Christian community.

With 50 double rooms, each with a private bath, and a large conference hall, it will soon be filled with youth groups, families, women’s conferences, and much more. It will have stunning views of the peaceful, rolling hills which make up this “Christian Valley” not far from the border with Lebanon, and it will be part of the small town of Amar al-Husn with its own Presbyterian Church.

Middle East, Projects, PartnershipElizabeth CarterSeptember 20, 2021Syria Retreat Center, Syria

Rebuilding Hope in South Sudan - September 2021 Update

Dear friends,

Many members of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan (PCoSS), a partner of The Outreach Foundation, remain displaced as a result of the civil conflict which erupted in their homeland in 2013. Some are in camps for displaced people within the country, but many are in refugee camps in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda. You can imagine the despair and feelings of hopelessness many have experienced. On the premise that we “boast in the hope of the glory of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 5), The Outreach Foundation has tried to help rebuild hope among our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. They asked us to provide assistance in four priority areas: preschool education, trauma healing training, providing Bibles in the Nuer language, and scholarships for training leaders. The Presbyterian church has inspirationally and exponentially grown in the camps – in numbers and in faith, hope, and love for their neighbors. Congregations have become critical safety nets and “front-line responders” to hunger and ill health for many refugees. Providing scripture-based trauma healing training has been effective in relieving memories of the past and rebuilding hope for the future.

Bibles for New Christians - September 2021 Update

Nuer Bibles for Refugees

Dear friends,

Praise God!

Our order of 5,000 Bibles in the Nuer language which were printed in South Korea and delivered to Gambella, Ethiopia has now been distributed to South Sudanese refugees throughout the region. You may recall that an appeal was made in 2019 and 2020 to raise funds for this project as a priority of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan, an Outreach Foundation Partner. Despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, $35,000 was raised from faithful supporters on 3 continents to procure and ship the 5,000 Bibles in the Nuer Language for distribution among the 400,000+ refugees in camps in Ethiopia. And the Bible Society of Ethiopia gave a gift of an additional 600 Bibles. There were delays in the shipping process and travel that heightened the anticipation and excitement around the delivery. During my visit in June, I had the joy of celebrating the delivery in Presbyterian congregations in three refugee camps. The Christians were so thankful to all who gave to this project. This Nuer Bible appeal, together with an earlier distribution of 7,500 Nuer Bibles in 2017, is a blessing to so many. They are eager to receive more Bibles for new believers and The Outreach Foundation will maintain the account for contributions. The cost of one Bible (for orders of 5,000 or more), and distribution is approximately $7.50.

Frank Dimmock - September 2021 Update

Dear friends,

It is September, and I have been back from my trip to Kenya/Ethiopia/South Sudan since the middle of July! In that time, we have welcomed two new grandchildren and navigated through six family members getting the Coronavirus. Nancy was with them, to help out, and experienced a breakthrough COVID infection herself. She stayed in Illinois under quarantine. All are now out of quarantine, recovering and we are so thankful for God’s mercy. NOW, I am able to tell you about the trip, which you made possible through your prayers and support!

As you know, we were all concerned about the risks of travel this summer, but the Lord confirmed the “rightness” of the trip and the timing, over and over again. Yes, it was tricky and stressful, trying to time COVID tests (and their results) to meet various border crossing requirements. But, even so, I was able to navigate through (sometimes at the 11th hour, or through the grace of an airport manager) and keep to the closely timed schedule. Truly amazing!

Cuba Appeal - September 2021 Update

With gratitude for your generous response to our Cuba Emergency Appeal, we have been able to share more than $38,000 to meet the urgent needs of our partners at this critical time on the island, due to the pandemic and the collapse of the economy.

On June 21 at the Seminario Evangélico de Teologica (SET) in Matanzas, the school opened an annex ward of the local pediatric hospital which had been overrun with COVID cases. 120 patients and their accompanying relatives were received along with 20 medical personnel. For 47 days, ten SET employees and an onsite manager provided meals for 140 people. This included their daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as two snacks and food for babies under one year of age. Disinfecting cleaning, internet access and electricity had to be supplied by the seminary, along with the staffing of the kitchen and maintenance.

Gifts for the Presbyterian Reformed Synod of Cuba were sent with our wish that the funds be divided equally amongst the three Presbyteries who could then disburse resources, as needed, to their congregations which were in great need of assisting families to purchase food and medicine. Most of these congregations are found in small towns and villages and you can meet some of your Presbyterian family here, whom your gifts have both helped and encouraged…

Latin America, Projects, PartnershipElizabeth CarterSeptember 13, 2021Cuba Appeal, Cuba, Matanzas Evangelical Theological Seminary

Todd Luke - September 2021 Update

Dear friends,

The 2021 cistern building season is over. We thank God for working through our American and Mexican partners to bring year-round rainwater access to hundreds of families in our neck of the subtropical jungle. Thank you for your prayers, time, and support of all kinds. In 2022, we will build cisterns with as many new families as the generosity of our American partners will allow. $2,200 for one family-owned rainwater catchment tank which can collect, store, and distribute up to 15,000 gallons a year for decades is a solid, long-term investment. As a testament to that, I share with you the following:

36 Cisterns Built in 2021 – 609 Cisterns Built Since 2002

Thirty-six family-owned cisterns were built this year: 8 in Carmen Dos, 8 in Unidad y Trabajo, 8 in Caña Brava, and 12 in Quiché Las Pailas. That brings our grand total to 609. Our Mexican cistern-building partners continue to lead the way.

Global Workers, Missionaries, Latin AmericaThe Outreach FoundationSeptember 10, 2021Todd Luke, Todd and Maria Luke, Mexico

José Carlos Pezini - September 2021 Update

Dera brothers and sisters,

Greetings to all of you in the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus. Once again, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for participating in our ministry here in Brazil. We really appreciate your financial support and your prayers. Just like the apostle Paul's experience with the Philippians, Odete and I have also felt the bonding experience with you as our partners in the Kingdom of God: " And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19.

Despite living in a time of pandemic, our ministry must go on. In order to continue, we have been following the required sanitary protocols. Most of our meetings have been done through online services but whenever we find the opportunity to be among others, we gladly do it. In the city where we currently live, we have been going to a Presbyterian church and fellowshipping in person.

Dan and Elizabeth Turk - August 2021 Update

Dear friends,

Greetings from Orlando! We are still in the U.S. awaiting the time when we can return to Madagascar. Madagascar has a travel ban in place to keep the Delta variant out. Fortunately, new daily COVID-19 cases are currently very low, following a spike in cases this past April. We hope to be able to return to Madagascar in late September or early October.

While we are ready to return to Madagascar, we are grateful for the time with family. We have been able to celebrate Frances’ college graduation, Elizabeth’s parents' 60th wedding anniversary, and Dan’s mother’s 90th birthday as well as visiting Robert.

San Pablo Presbyterian Theological Seminary - August 2021 Update

Despite the COVID-19, pandemic, we continue training leaders and pastors to fulfill the Great Commission.

We Were Impacted as a Seminary by COVID-19

· Although just three members of our personnel were affected by the coronavirus and are now well, some friends and pastors around us died.

· We had to change some things about the way we train our students. The most important change was to establish online courses. We will continue providing courses online until the COVID situation improves.

· In the midst of this situation, in October 2020, we suffered the onslaught of a tropical storm. There was extensive damage to our facilities. So far, we have repaired six classrooms and two bedrooms. Unfortunately, we have not been able to repaint the buildings of our facility due to high humidity levels.

Presbyterian Education Board - August 2021 Update

Zerafshan Yousaf: Bearing Christ’s light in Pakistan

Recently we heard from Zerafshan Yousaf. She is the Principal of Presbyterian Education Board’s Higher Secondary Girls’ School in Pasrur and is a great example of PEB’s vision to provide high-quality education that equips girls and boys to become leaders in Pakistan who are guided by Christian values.

Zerafshan’s journey as a student at the girls’ school in Pasrur began in 1997. It was there that she learned to face with courage the many challenges that meet every Christian girl and boy in Pakistan. She recalls how inspirational and meaningful her Christian teachers were and that because of her experience she was able to attend university, earning a degree in psychology and a master’s in political science. Now she is following her heart’s desire to give back to the Christian community by inspiring young girls just as her teachers inspired her.

Asia, Partnership, Projects, Theological EducationThe Outreach FoundationAugust 30, 2021Pakistan

Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province - August 2021 Update

Outreach trustee Berry Long recently shared the following update on the Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province, Mozambique partnership:

I want to give you an update on our Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province project. Project Director Sebber Banda is doing well. She lives in Blantyre, Malawi about an hour and a half from Tete Province, Mozambique. She moved to Blantyre years ago when her children were small so that they would go to school in an English-speaking country instead of Portuguese-speaking Mozambique. Her son Adam is at home doing online college classes. He had been in college in China but moved back home when the COVID-19 virus began to spread. Her daughter Nancy was accepted at a college in Lusaka, Zambia and Sebber just returned home from taking Nancy to college and getting her set up. They are excited that Nancy can begin her college studies, but they worry about the new wave of COVID cases in Lusaka. Please pray for Nancy and her friends to stay well.

Palestinian Bible Society - August 2021 Update

In a place where the Christian population has dwindled to only about 2%, the Palestinian Bible Society (PBS) is working diligently and faithfully to nurture the next generation of leaders who will stay in this fractured land to heal it and to be the light of Christ so that all may know the Good News and be saved by it.

Over the past few years, PBS has focused on the district of Jenin, which is located in the very northern part of the West Bank. It has an attractive history, beautiful nature, and numerous touristic sites. It is also home to the American Arab University, which is one of the major universities in Palestine. Around 7 years ago, PBS launched activities in this area through different projects, mainly in the village of Zababdeh---a largely Christian village.

Middle East, Projects, PartnershipThe Outreach FoundationAugust 25, 2021Palestinian Bible Society, Israel, Palestine

Matanzas Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) - August 2021 Update

Below are excerpts from a recent letter sent to us from one of our strategic partners in Cuba:

Dear sisters and brothers:

We greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time, we thank you for your prayers and your expressions of concern related to the current situation in our country. We are living in an acute economic crisis and a crisis of values since the “special period” (decade of the 1990s) when the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc collapsed; we have not yet recovered from those times. The crisis has become worse …

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought negative consequences: the sad death of loved ones, which has produced a great emotional impact on the people. Furthermore, the State lost millions of dollars due to the fall of tourism. Despite that, it invested millions of dollars to try to heal and save the people.

Europe Initiative: News from the European Diaspora

Many of us are reading despairing news out of Afghanistan and wondering how the Lord would have us respond. The Outreach Foundation has discovered that millions of people are fleeing their homes from places like Afghanistan, the Middle East, Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asia and converging in Europe. And they are discovering that God’s promise to Isaiah is for them. “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19).

Those who have left homes with little to nothing are encountering the gospel in Europe through the bold witness of evangelists, pastors, and house churches. And not just refugees. People in Europe are hearing the gospel alongside refugees such as the evangelistic outreach in Poland pictured here.

Europe, Important News, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 19, 2021Europe Initiative, Europe

Hope for Syrian Students - August 2021 Update

Where is God in the Midst of Suffering?

The question has been asked since the beginning of time. Theologians have been quick to write their responses. The Bible gives its “Emmanuel” answer. Still, the question announces itself seemingly not fully satisfied with our words or our thoughts.

The question was asked again of me as our team visited a refugee school operated by the Synod of Syria and Lebanon near the Syrian border, only two hours by car north of Beirut. Upon arriving at the school and hearing from its leadership that question announced itself loudly.

Where is God in the midst of this suffering?

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationAugust 19, 2021Hope for Syrian Students, Lebanon, Syria

Partner Updates

First day of school in Haiti

Nuer Bibles for Refugees