Venezuela: I am heading back to Venezuela this coming Monday (June 12th), intending to meet with members of the Board of our Venezuelan Prison Ministry. Some of the highlights of what is happening with this ministry: Prison Ministry has planted a vibrant church inside the highest secured Venezuelan prison. Our primary goal in prisons is to support the local church's leadership, which ministers to over fifteen thousand inmates. Over twenty acres of vegetable gardens have been planted in six penitentiaries, and we hope to expand this year to include two more penitentiaries. The gardening projects have been used for obtaining entry permits; nevertheless, we are amazed at this project's positive impact on the prisons and nearby communities. Two high-ranking gang leaders have joined our ministry and are abandoning their criminal lifestyle, including banning the sale of narcotics inside two of the penitentiaries. Honduras: Commencement Class at Walpayami Bible School in Puerto Lempira. After many long struggles and red tape, the Bible/Trade School Institute we started over twenty years ago amongst the Miskito first nation community (the most impoverished region of Central America) has formally obtained its accreditation. To celebrate this, we are planning an inaugural commencement class which will be given to twenty rural pastors and ten prison inmates. Besides a Bible class, we will teach carpentry skills. My home church in Costa Rica (IBC) is supporting this event, as well as two Canadians who have accompanied this ministry since its beginning. You are welcome to join this teaching mission trip starting July 28th. We can accommodate any skill or talent. If interested in participating in or supporting this event, please contact Nery Duarte in Costa Rica at 506-8870 0272 or John Steinmann in Canada at 905-889 6258. Costa Rica: Soon after my return from Ukraine, I received the good news that my son, Jonathan, was coming to spend two weeks vacationing in Costa Rica. It was inspiring to visit with my son and see how much he has matured as he has been given the responsibility of helping to lead one of the most successful outreach ministries in Canada. This ministry focuses on reaching young people through contemporary gospel music and inspirational teaching. While returning from Ukraine, I had the opportunity to be in Toronto and was able to attend the weekly outreach concert that Jonathan oversees in Whitby, Ontario. I was amazed and encouraged to encounter hundreds and hundreds of young people being ministered to at this weekly event. https://www.instagram.com/theriver.worship/ Ukraine: I plan to return to Ukraine this fall to continue teaching first aid and survival/rescue skills and help with emergency medical evacuations. I also have in my heart to support certain local Christian churches and charitable agencies by assisting them in maintaining or repairing their vehicle fleet. At the beginning of the war, several churches and local Christian agencies I am connected with in Kherson, Mikolaiv, and Lyviv received donations of vehicles intended to provide humanitarian assistance. However, little foresight was given to the cost of repairs and maintenance, which can be prohibitive in a war zone or challenging logistically since some maintenance parts would require someone to travel to Poland or Germany. Pray. I'm still working on how to go about this. I will let you know more as I mature this concept. Nery In Pictures:
Venezuela. Garden and Prison Ministry.
Honduras. Walpayami Bible/Trade Institute.
Canada. The River Worship.
Ukraine.
Watercolor painting. Artist: Andrea Duarte
