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SPECIAL PAGE
PASTORS' VISION TRIP to SOUTH AFRICA
This page will journal developments that are relevant to February's VISION TRIP (see right column).
 

December 22, 2004
Seven pastors head for Africa
to help with HIV/AIDS
International outreach program

By Teresa Pearson
Staff Writer
- Seven Galt pastors are taking a trip to Lesotho, South Africa to join a Vision Trip to observe HIV/AIDS ministries in action and personally connect with local pastors and congregations.

While in Africa, they will also establish local connections to help provide the local people with the donations given by parishioners of their churches to educate, medicate and supply families with bedding materials.

Seven Galt Pastors will soon take off for Lesotho, South Africa to help those who can't help themselves. From left: pastors Rob Patterson of First Baptist Church of Galt,
Tim Stevenson of Horizon Community Church, Mary Sanders of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church,
Kevin Brown of Horizon Community Church, Frank Mack and Rick Keiser  of Family Life Christian Church; not shown is Elder Randy Holtz of Horizon Community Church.

The seven local pastors who are able to go to Lesotho, South Africa are Kevin Brown, Randy Holtz and Tim Stevenson from Horizon Community Church, Frank Mack and Rick Keiser II from Family Life Christian Church, Rob Patterson from First Baptist Church of Galt and Mary Sanders from Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Also helping with the trip are pastors Craig Dale from Galt United Methodist, Larry Brand from River of Life, Dave Ross from New Hope Assembly of God and Roger Wilkowski from St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

"We were praying for a way to help those in need, to make a difference in the world," said Stevenson. "At just the right moment, we received a video and information on the World Vision's Hope Initiative. We all felt it was meant for us to show our congregations and see if they also felt the same way."

After receiving an overwhelming response from the members of each congregation, the seven pastors from several different churches decided to make the trip and start the process of giving to those who can't help themselves.

The group will leave the United States Africa-bound immediately after the holiday season on Jan 30. The pastors are scheduled to leave from Sacramento Airport for a 22-hour flight to South Africa.

At a cost of thousands of dollars, the group raised more than $28,000 through congregational donations and support to fund the international outreach program.

"We have families who have given up presents for Christmas to help with this trip," said Pastor Kevin Brown of Horizon Community Church.

The seven pastors will be joined in Southern Africa by 40 other pastors from all over the United States who are on the same quest. The group will be in Africa for 10 days and travel back home on Feb 10.

The pastors have many different goals for when they get home. Soon after arrival, they will have an assembly of all the church congregations involved at the Galt High School auditorium where they will discuss the trip and the ways the congregations can help with sponsoring a child or donating funds to help with the area of Africa they have adopted; Lesotho.

"In announcing to the congregation what was being planned, I explained," said Pastor Frank Mack, "we all live in this bubble; we're safe here working, not having to worry about food or clothing. But the children there worry about those things and need those things."

For more information or to donate to the trip to Africa, contact the Horizon Community Church World Vision Trip at (209) 745-0700.

December 22, 2004
This morning I've received three emails regarding the Vision Trip. The three letters are copied below:

Dear Pastors in Galt:

I stumbled across a document earlier today and was reminded once again about what a great and significant adventure we are embarking upon.

It was a Barna Research Group study (click to read) that World Vision commissioned back in 2002 which said that evangelical Christians were the LEAST LIKELY group to help children impacted by HIVAIDS.

We were just beginning our C2C initiative to connect US congregations to African children, churches & communities to help turn the tide on HIVAIDS and Barna's results were like a bucket of cold water on our brand new initiative.

But we forged ahead and the US church IS "stepping up to the plate" - on our first 4 Pastor's Vision Trips (Oct03,Feb04,Apr04,Nov04): 50 out of the 67 participating churches deciding to partner with the communities they visited to sponsor 3100 vulnerable kids while generating over $6.1 million to fight the HIVAIDS epidemic in Southern & Eastern Africa.

The Lord is at work as we walk alongside of our African brothers & sisters on the "front lines" of this battle.  Thanks for being in the "foxhole" with us.

Best wishes & Merry Christmas,

John Thompson
Director C2C
jthompso@worldvision.org
 

Tuesday, December 13, 2004 Today, the pastors who are going on the Vision Trip met at Horizon Church to discuss details of the trip. Teresa Pearson, a reporter from the Galt Herald was there to begin her feature story on this momentous endeavor.

I have grown to love the individuals God has called to shepherd His Church in Galt. I am in my eighth year here; from the beginning I have enjoyed a wonderful interactivity with different pastors from these specific churches:

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church;
Galt United Methodist Church;
Horizon Community Church;
Family Life Community Church;
New Hope Assembly of God;
River of Life Foursquare;
St. Luke's Episcopal Church;

I view the aforementioned churches as different sections of God's Garden here in Galt. Only time will tell if how each of our churches (including First Baptist Church of Galt) will be represented in the overflow of our trip to Southern Africa. Key leaders and core members will have to make the informed, intentional decision to transcend certain historical, doctrinal, and other significant differences in order to work together for a greater cause.

I've made that decision. I will.

Monday, December 13, 2004 Last night, at the Epicenter, we watched a video sent to Galt pastors by World Vision. For ten days in February, Y2K5, eight local leaders (from different church backgrounds) will travel from our town to southern Africa for a Pastors' Vision Trip. During our ten days in Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, (or other nearby countries), we will visit sites where World Vision has addressed the needs of AIDS victims.
CLICK HERE for special VISION page

I am compelled to go to that region of Africa as a step of personal obedience to the Lord. I have not yet been up-close to AIDS but do believe this truth from God's Word:

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress . . ."   James 1:27

By 2010, an estimated 25 million children are projected to lose one or both parents from AIDS. World Vision (founded in 1950) is one channel for ministering to the needs of HIV/AIDS hotspots around the world (Africa, Asia, and Latin America).

Throughout my relationship with my wife, Cathy, I have learned that generosity and compassion are her most distinct attributes. Early on, I would try to offer counsel that she not 'give' so much to others. Funny... as I'd share the logical thoughts from my head, my heart would begin to be touched by the purity of hers.

Last February, when I came home from Liberia, I learned that Cathy had sponsored a little, Indonesian girl named Hany (this time through World Vision). We had already been providing sponsorship for a little, Tanzanian girl named Dorah (through Compassion International). Having just been confronted with all the needs I saw in Liberia (and knowing how 'stretched' we were already financially), I wasn't thrilled with the idea of another 'monthly' financial commitment. No, I wouldn't have chosen that obligation for myself...but I've yielded to Cathy's compassionate gesture and have made room in my heart for Hany as well.

Regarding AIDS, I wouldn't choose (for myself) to move from the statistics about suffering toward those who are actually suffering. I know that move will cost me! I'm asking you (the reader) to draw closer with me (and the other leaders from Galt) and help us be faithful to God in our generation.

Click here for a story in the Galt Herald
Click here for one in the Lodi News Sentinel
Click here for Journal Archives
        (40 Days of Focus: 16-57)

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August 27, 2003    AIDS CRISIS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Nearly 30 million people in Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS. Sub-Saharan Africa is by far the worst affected region; this past year, there were approximately 3.5 million new infections and
 2.4 million casualties as a result of the disease.

In four southern African countries–Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe–HIV/AIDS prevalence has exceeding 30 percent.

AIDS has orphaned more than 12 million children in Africa. If they are lucky, relatives take in these orphaned children, but frequently they are left to care for themselves and their siblings. These children often work long hours to grow food or earn a meager income, but lack the skills and training they need to succeed. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to having their family lands taken away from them. They often have to drop out of school.

More than 55 percent of the people infected with HIV/AIDS in Africa are women. For physiological and social reasons, women and girls are particularly susceptible to the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS. Often bound by cultural traditions where women hold lower social standings than men, women cannot control the sexual behavior (including adultery) of their husbands, and have no voice in contraceptive choices.

World Vision's Response
To fight this pandemic in regions like Africa, World Vision has launched the Hope Initiative–a long-term campaign to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS through innovative prevention efforts, compassionate care, and effective advocacy. The campaign focuses particularly on the needs of widows, orphans, and vulnerable children.

Prevention
World Vision is working in many African countries to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS to the next generation. We've created and supported church and community youth groups that share practical information on HIV/AIDS prevention through dramatic skits and songs. World Vision has encouraged chastity before, and fidelity after, marriage to prevent sexual transmission. In Uganda, this approach has helped reduce HIV/AIDS infections by two-thirds. In Africa, we've been addressing HIV/AIDS as part of a comprehensive program that also deals with poverty, promiscuity, warfare, lack of education, and other problems.

Care
World Vision staffs work closely with churches and community partners in Africa to ensure that orphans and widows receive agricultural and vocational training, supplemental food when needed, and access to adequate health care. We also work with communities to make sure educational fees are met so orphans can attend school.

World Vision volunteers personally visit widows and orphaned children to support their physical, emotional, and spiritual care. Volunteers also assist children in protecting their rights to family lands. When needed, volunteers help care for sick or dying parents, so children aren't forced to bear this burden alone. Our staff can help extend the lives of parents, enabling them to care for their children, and provide the assurance that their children will be cared for after their deaths.

Advocacy
In addition to lobbying for the rights of orphaned children and widows, we've been lobbying for full funding of the President Bush's five year, $15 billion program to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean. We've also been petitioning for the allocation of sufficient funds from the $15 billion to enable faith-based agencies to create and expand HIV/AIDS programs.