I am so thankful that Joanne and I will be joining the Mission Impact Team going to Miguel Aleman. It is exciting to hear about the life-changing things that are already happening at Templo Belen and Eagle College because God has used people from VictoryPoint. Thank you for praying for us as we prepare to travel and serve in Mexico. We have a wonderful team and God is already working in our lives as we prepare to go.
Thank you for checking in on our web site. We invite you to check daily during our time in Miguel Aleman. Please leave prayer and encouragement comments on each of the team member pages. Your prayers are much appreciated. Thanks. Art
Dad, we are so excited for you and mom to experience this together! You and the team will be surrounded with prayer tomorrow as you begin this exciting adventure! We love you so much and can’t wait to see how God uses you and all your many gifts!
Take care and may God continue to bless you on your journey!
much love,
Kris
Well, we are on our way – sitting in Detroit looking at the snow outside and confident that the next time we step into th outside world will be in the sunshine.
The group is already bonding – kidding each other and focused on our mission. Thank you for your prayers for the whole team.
Saturday was a very good day. A lot happened and a lot got done. The team is blending together and working together well. It is interesting how God always places together the people he has in mind.
I enjoyed meeting all th new people at Templo Belen and some at the hotel we are staying in. Each person is a story of God’s plans and purposes. We can certainly tell that he has plans for us on this mission trip. It was so good to hear the stories of the team members who went to the families who are living in the old brick factory. I can tell that the team is very connected to these hungry and perhaps to be evicted people. They are people who Jesus Loves.
A lot of work got done at Eagle College. We cleared out the room where the libray will be. The hundreds of books we brought will be placed there after the shelves are built. I am working on the shelf project. As you can tell from the pictures good progress was made on building the new rooms for the school as well.
I am expexting God to change many lives during our visit here – people in Miguel Aleman and on our team. Thank you for praying. art
Hi Grandpa,
How are you doing? I want to see Archie when you get home! I don’t remember him! What are you doing today? I just got home from the Haans and I played and went shopping with their mom. It was fun!
Hi Dad,
I am so glad that the team is getting along so well! It is always so amazing to see how the team that God puts together, is exactly what is needed! You have been in our prayers and I can’t wait to hear more stories!!
Love you,
Kris
I can picture you with the majic and the dummy. I’m sure the kids love it. THe only thing I can’t picture is you speaking spanish:-) I doubt that makes much of a difference as the kids surely see your love no matter what you say. Keep making a difference for the Kingdom this week. I look forward to hearing more and seeing more pics. God bless!
Hi Art and Joan,
I am sitting at my computer on Monday morning reading about your trip. It sounds like things have gone well so far. The Sunday worship experience was a great one. Last night we prayed that your total experences on the trip would be powerful. We will continue to pray that wonderful and powerful and meaningful things happen to your group. That God will protect you and keep you safe. God’s blessing upon you all.
Tom and Vanna
Hi Art and Joanne
Glad to hear you are there safely and have begun to serve! Thanks for the reminder of worship in Mexico! I so wish we could leave behind our stiff Dutch/American way of worship to worship as they do. I miss not being there especially not seeing the kids and looking into their eyes and seeing so many things – excitment,wonder,apprehension and hunger, both physically and spritually. Give my best to the team and to our Mexican friends. May God bless your efforts beyond what we have dreamed!
Steve
Hi Art
I’ve been reading through all the updates and it sounds like you are all in for a truly awesome experience! I’m glad to hear the team arrived safely. It looks like you have already been an example of God’s love to his beautiful children in Miguel Aleman! I love the pictures! You will be in our prayers for continued safety and blessings.
I can’t wait to meet the dummy when you get back!
Amy Hart
Everyone, It certainly was a unique experience on Monday to bring food to the inmates in the small prison. I have visited in several prisons before, but never before have I seen something like this. We were in the courtyard with the inmates of this old rundown facility – giving them food, talking with them, and playing volleyball with them. It was also a privilege to bring them a short message on 2Cor 5 with Cesar doing the translating for us.
Cesar is from a small hispanic church in Holland. He has been so very helpful on this trip – translating and helping us communicate in so may ways. I know he is enjoying his time here emencely.
Thank you for your notes of encouragement and for your continued prayers. Art
How are things going today? I miss you! You look like you are having fun in the pictures. Have a great day tomorrow!
I love you MORE!!!!MORE!!!!MORE!!!MORE!!!!!
Love
Katie
Grande Hola to Katie,
Yes, we are having lots of fun. It is so good to hear from you. There are lots of children here and they are so much fun to watch, to talk to, to read to, and to play with. You would enjoy them too. Katie, I love you mucho, mucho, MUCHO MORE!!!! Grandpa
ANOTHER GREAT DAY TODAY!
- The kids at the school are awesome. Their smiles and enthusiasm are great. Today they saw some of our team working on the books we brought for the library. One little girl picked up a book crawled on my lap an handed it to me to read. THEY ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THOSE BOOKS! Just think, these are “extra” books from all the people who donated them. We have so many books that we need to get rid of them. They treasure an opportunity to hold a book in their hands.
I am building the shelves for the library. They design keeps changing and getting bigger. I think tomorrow they will be ready for staining. This will be a great addition to the school.
Our team had many exciting new experiences again today. Make sure your read Joanne’s blog about their visit to the brickyard compound.
We are seeing God at work in so many ways.
Thank you again, for your continued prayers. Art
Hi Art,
Just want you to know that you are on my heart and in my prayers this week.
Sounds like a lot of great adventures happening over there already.
Continue to have fun, stay healthy, work hard and make lasting imprints in the lives of all those you touch!
Blessings,
Brenda De Jonge
Hey, it’s been a blast reading the stories and seeing the photos! Tell the team we are proud of them and that I celebrate the incredible impression of Jesus you all are leaving on the people down there – and that they are leaving on all of you.
Looking forward to hearing more when you get back!
Hi Dad,
It is so much fun reading and seeing the pictures of you and mom loving the people of the school! Thank you for keeping this part up. It feels like we can journey along with you. We will continue to pray for you as you head home and pray that you will have an uneventful trip this time.
We love you and can’t wait to hear more stories!
Love,
Kris
February 25, 2008 at 2:05 am
I am so thankful that Joanne and I will be joining the Mission Impact Team going to Miguel Aleman. It is exciting to hear about the life-changing things that are already happening at Templo Belen and Eagle College because God has used people from VictoryPoint. Thank you for praying for us as we prepare to travel and serve in Mexico. We have a wonderful team and God is already working in our lives as we prepare to go.
Thank you for checking in on our web site. We invite you to check daily during our time in Miguel Aleman. Please leave prayer and encouragement comments on each of the team member pages. Your prayers are much appreciated. Thanks. Art
February 29, 2008 at 2:30 am
Dad, we are so excited for you and mom to experience this together! You and the team will be surrounded with prayer tomorrow as you begin this exciting adventure! We love you so much and can’t wait to see how God uses you and all your many gifts!
Take care and may God continue to bless you on your journey!
much love,
Kris
February 29, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Well, we are on our way – sitting in Detroit looking at the snow outside and confident that the next time we step into th outside world will be in the sunshine.
The group is already bonding – kidding each other and focused on our mission. Thank you for your prayers for the whole team.
March 2, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Saturday was a very good day. A lot happened and a lot got done. The team is blending together and working together well. It is interesting how God always places together the people he has in mind.
I enjoyed meeting all th new people at Templo Belen and some at the hotel we are staying in. Each person is a story of God’s plans and purposes. We can certainly tell that he has plans for us on this mission trip. It was so good to hear the stories of the team members who went to the families who are living in the old brick factory. I can tell that the team is very connected to these hungry and perhaps to be evicted people. They are people who Jesus Loves.
A lot of work got done at Eagle College. We cleared out the room where the libray will be. The hundreds of books we brought will be placed there after the shelves are built. I am working on the shelf project. As you can tell from the pictures good progress was made on building the new rooms for the school as well.
I am expexting God to change many lives during our visit here – people in Miguel Aleman and on our team. Thank you for praying. art
March 2, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Hey Art,
A dummy? A real live pretend person? How cool. I would love to see that when you are back. Maybe you can come visit KidZone??
Mark and Donna Genzink
March 2, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Hi Grandpa,
How are you doing? I want to see Archie when you get home! I don’t remember him! What are you doing today? I just got home from the Haans and I played and went shopping with their mom. It was fun!
I love you Grandpa!
Love, Katie
March 2, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hi Dad,
I am so glad that the team is getting along so well! It is always so amazing to see how the team that God puts together, is exactly what is needed! You have been in our prayers and I can’t wait to hear more stories!!
Love you,
Kris
March 3, 2008 at 3:00 am
Hey dad,
I can picture you with the majic and the dummy. I’m sure the kids love it. THe only thing I can’t picture is you speaking spanish:-) I doubt that makes much of a difference as the kids surely see your love no matter what you say. Keep making a difference for the Kingdom this week. I look forward to hearing more and seeing more pics. God bless!
Love Ya
Kev.
March 3, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Hi Art and Joan,
I am sitting at my computer on Monday morning reading about your trip. It sounds like things have gone well so far. The Sunday worship experience was a great one. Last night we prayed that your total experences on the trip would be powerful. We will continue to pray that wonderful and powerful and meaningful things happen to your group. That God will protect you and keep you safe. God’s blessing upon you all.
Tom and Vanna
March 3, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Hi Art and Joanne
Glad to hear you are there safely and have begun to serve! Thanks for the reminder of worship in Mexico! I so wish we could leave behind our stiff Dutch/American way of worship to worship as they do. I miss not being there especially not seeing the kids and looking into their eyes and seeing so many things – excitment,wonder,apprehension and hunger, both physically and spritually. Give my best to the team and to our Mexican friends. May God bless your efforts beyond what we have dreamed!
Steve
March 4, 2008 at 4:07 am
Hi Art
I’ve been reading through all the updates and it sounds like you are all in for a truly awesome experience! I’m glad to hear the team arrived safely. It looks like you have already been an example of God’s love to his beautiful children in Miguel Aleman! I love the pictures! You will be in our prayers for continued safety and blessings.
I can’t wait to meet the dummy when you get back!
Amy Hart
March 4, 2008 at 11:00 am
Everyone, It certainly was a unique experience on Monday to bring food to the inmates in the small prison. I have visited in several prisons before, but never before have I seen something like this. We were in the courtyard with the inmates of this old rundown facility – giving them food, talking with them, and playing volleyball with them. It was also a privilege to bring them a short message on 2Cor 5 with Cesar doing the translating for us.
Cesar is from a small hispanic church in Holland. He has been so very helpful on this trip – translating and helping us communicate in so may ways. I know he is enjoying his time here emencely.
Thank you for your notes of encouragement and for your continued prayers. Art
March 4, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Hola Grandpa!
How are things going today? I miss you! You look like you are having fun in the pictures. Have a great day tomorrow!
I love you MORE!!!!MORE!!!!MORE!!!MORE!!!!!
Love
Katie
March 5, 2008 at 12:05 am
Grande Hola to Katie,
Yes, we are having lots of fun. It is so good to hear from you. There are lots of children here and they are so much fun to watch, to talk to, to read to, and to play with. You would enjoy them too. Katie, I love you mucho, mucho, MUCHO MORE!!!! Grandpa
March 5, 2008 at 2:49 am
ANOTHER GREAT DAY TODAY!
- The kids at the school are awesome. Their smiles and enthusiasm are great. Today they saw some of our team working on the books we brought for the library. One little girl picked up a book crawled on my lap an handed it to me to read. THEY ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THOSE BOOKS! Just think, these are “extra” books from all the people who donated them. We have so many books that we need to get rid of them. They treasure an opportunity to hold a book in their hands.
I am building the shelves for the library. They design keeps changing and getting bigger. I think tomorrow they will be ready for staining. This will be a great addition to the school.
Our team had many exciting new experiences again today. Make sure your read Joanne’s blog about their visit to the brickyard compound.
We are seeing God at work in so many ways.
Thank you again, for your continued prayers. Art
March 5, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Hi Art,
Just want you to know that you are on my heart and in my prayers this week.
Sounds like a lot of great adventures happening over there already.
Continue to have fun, stay healthy, work hard and make lasting imprints in the lives of all those you touch!
Blessings,
Brenda De Jonge
March 6, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Hey Art!
This blog was a SWEET idea! So many hits!
Hey, it’s been a blast reading the stories and seeing the photos! Tell the team we are proud of them and that I celebrate the incredible impression of Jesus you all are leaving on the people down there – and that they are leaving on all of you.
Looking forward to hearing more when you get back!
Matt Yount
March 8, 2008 at 5:21 am
Hi Dad,
It is so much fun reading and seeing the pictures of you and mom loving the people of the school! Thank you for keeping this part up. It feels like we can journey along with you. We will continue to pray for you as you head home and pray that you will have an uneventful trip this time.
We love you and can’t wait to hear more stories!
Love,
Kris