As an orphan in a remote village on the border of Haiti,
Robert appeared destined to live an insignificant life, constricted by poverty,
isolation, lack of education and family support. He heard about Jesus through children’s Bible
classes and became a disciple, a learner, of Jesus’ ways. Dominicans and Americans invested in him
through children’s Bible classes, medical clinics and construction projects. Soon, he was chosen by a Houston family for a
Samuel’s Fund sponsorship. In addition
to repeated visits with him while on mission trips, they encouraged Robert
through facetime and emails while STCH Ministries’ staff also discipled him. After
graduating high school, he moved to the capital city, Santo Domingo, for
University, where he joined Iglesia Bautista Quisqueyana (IBQ). His sponsors continued to invest in Robert’s
life through a CLEP scholarship (Christian Leadership and Educational
Program). Soon, Robert
fell in love with a beautiful Christian girl.
As an orphan in that culture, moving in together seemed a normal next
step. The discipling process (learning
of Jesus’ ways) continued as staff and Robert’s sponsors intervened to
encourage pre-marital counseling with IBQ’s Pastor, Pastor Rudy. Soon, a wedding
was planned, complete with a borrowed wedding dress and a traditional marriage
supper prepared by STCH Ministries International’s cooks. Although Robert had no family or resources,
over thirty-five Christian brothers and sisters from the church witnessed and
celebrated this marriage.
Numerous individuals, both Americans and Dominicans,
invested in Robert; changing his destiny. The Apostle Paul wrote that one plants,
while others water, but God gives the increase. Today Robert is educated, married to a
Christian wife and shares his faith with others through his life and his
church. His future children will have
the opportunity to grow while learning about Jesus, with the potential to
impact countless others for Christ.
Salvation is first, a personal relationship with God through
faith in Christ. However, we are not only saved FROM the penalty of sin but
also to BECOME disciples, lifelong learners of Jesus. Jesus’ last words reveal his priorities, “Go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus
spent three years, approximately 1056 days, focused on teaching twelve disciples. In our numbers-focused American culture, the
method that Jesus employed would not have earned Him recognition or promotion
in any business that we know of. It’s
all about mathematics; how much money did it cost, and how many numbers,
clients, projects were accomplished? Were
Jesus’ methods a failure?
Today, we know that through those disciples, Jesus changed
the world. When the disciples heard Jesus say, “Go and make disciples,” they
had a clear picture of what to do. Jesus
invested His time training and teaching the twelve disciples. Compassion for the least of these was His
trademark; feeding the hungry, healing the sick,
blessing children. He spent His time
with tax collectors, lepers, prostitutes and many more. These activities did not distract from His
mission, they were the means by which He accomplished His mission. He wedded the Gospel message to loving your
neighbor, feeding the hungry and meeting needs.
There are many creative ways in which mission trip participants
use their talents in this process. Sometimes
they present seminars for school teachers and share school supplies to
under-resourced teachers. Many of the
public-school teachers must manage up to fifty students in a classroom without
any helpers. One might ask how teaching classroom management, or creative
teaching methods for math can be effective methods of sharing the Gospel? These teaching seminars inspired our Dominican
staff to meet with Christian principals in an effort to encourage and support them. They have a two-fold goal; communicate to the
community a better understanding of the purpose of the Christian school, and
help teachers apply Biblical integration in the classroom. Samuel’s Fund Director, Rebeca Dinzey, wrote,
“This is a great opportunity to bring the gospel to our communities.”
Small actions can encourage the discipleship process in the
life of a child. One sponsor purchased a
guitar for a young student. As he learned to play, he began to lead
worship in the youth services. Alex Castillo
will soon become Dr. Castillo when he graduates from medical school. Uncounted numbers of American mission trip
participants, as well as the IBQ church, have invested in Alex’s life. He has been counseled through difficulties by
the STCH Ministries staff, both Americans and Dominicans. His sponsors paid for his education all the
way through medical school. As a
Christian Leadership and Educational Program (CLEP) scholarship recipient, he disciples
younger Samuel’s Fund children, through Bible studies and teaching English.
Recently, he presented a study to Samuel’s Fund boys on the human brain and the
Creator God who designed it.
Construction projects provide another opportunity to meet
needs and intentionally invest in the discipleship process. The Berroa twins, hyperactive, incorrigible
little boys, accepted Christ at a children’s camp. Adult believers needed a lot of patience and
perseverance to continue to work with these boys since learning about the Bible
was not high on their list of priorities.
As they grew, they became interested in construction projects because
they wanted to learn English from Americans. They were discipled as they experienced
a Christian testimony lived out through hammers, saws and paint by Americans
and their Dominican peers. Today they
share with others while they attend college.
Francisco lived in a two-room home on dirt floors when he
came to know Jesus and was discipled through Bible classes, VBS, mission teams and
the church. Today he ministers as Dr. Francisco Paredes with STCH Ministries
International in the Dominican Republic.
He leads and organizes medical mission trips in collaboration with small
chapels, Christian ministries and schools.
Patients hear the Gospel and experience the love of God while their
desperate physical needs are met. Countless
dozens have come to faith and been discipled by the local ministries where the
clinics are held.
To be effective, the primary goal of all mission trips must
follow Jesus’ recipe for success: “Go and make disciples…teaching them to
observe all I have commanded.” Matthew 28:19-20. Short-term mission trips must be more than
entertaining, sight-seeing, painting or constructing buildings for schools and
orphanages. They must be more than
delivering food to a hungry family, coloring a craft project in a VBS class or
sewing a dress. They also need to be more than sharing the Four Spiritual Laws or
other soul-winning formulas.
The Dominican Republic is a small country, only one of 195
countries. What is the most effective way to
evangelize the Dominican Republic, or any other country? On a short-term
mission trip, can individuals coming from a
different culture and speaking a different language effectively evangelize
through a narrow focus on sharing the Gospel? Is it possible to weld the Gospel
message to discipleship, relationship-building and teaching? Working in
partnership with local ministries, can we empower local individuals to
evangelize, disciple and build Jesus’ kingdom in their own neighborhoods?
A personal relationship with God through faith in Christ is a
priority. STCH Ministries
International’s mission trips integrate sharing the Gospel in partnership with
local ministries while teaching and meeting needs in creative ways. These collaborative partnerships with national
churches and individuals ensure that the seeds sown in an admittedly short
mission trip week will be watered and cultivated. STCH Ministries International’s short-term
mission trips are not about a one-time event, but a part of a long-term process
of investing in qualified Dominican leadership so that the work of discipleship
can be accomplished.
Jesus said, “GO!” STCH Ministries invites you to “COME”, and invest
your life and resources with local ministries in making disciples.
The Trunk of a Tree
/in Joanna's Journal/by Joanna Berry“Thank you for being the trunk of a tree that sustains so many branches—being mindful of needs in so many different places,” wrote Ruth from the Dominican Republic, mother of five and Director of the school in the village of Hatillo.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shattered life in the Dominican Republic. Abruptly, quarantine was strictly enforced with jail time, as 90% of individuals lost their jobs. Although Americans have experienced anxiety and loss due to the pandemic, it doesn’t compare with the terror of impending starvation.
How do we minister to 299 sponsored children who are quarantined in their homes, disbursed throughout the island? STCH Ministries swiftly mobilized to address their emotional and spiritual needs, as well as the interrupted education of the children. The Dominican team, led by Rebeca Dinzey, began an innovative approach to meet this need. As a condition of their scholarship, our 25 CLEP college students “give back” 10 hours per month in support of younger Samuel’s Fund kids. Promptly, each college student was assigned 2-3 Samuel’s Fund children. They now call them once a week, ask about their individual situations, pray and share a scripture with them and help them with homework received over the internet or the WhatsApp platform. When one CLEP student, Vladimir, discovered a family who couldn’t afford internet, he began paying for this service himself! CLEP students send weekly reports:
“We have begun reading a chapter each week of James, and I call them the next week and quiz them. They enjoy our visits.”
“I video chat with my students. We talk about their homework. I encourage their mother because she is very overwhelmed.”
“My student says she is not a Christian because she is afraid of God. I am helping her understand how to have a relationship with Him.”
Through the generous support from many individuals to date, we have received $16,710. STCH Ministries also began to meet the physical needs of food for the children and their families. Our concern also included the ladies who cook and care for our mission teams, the teachers in our Christian schools and the orphanages. We quickly contacted the Bravo grocery chain and purchased palettes of 9 basic food items—milk, rice, beans, sugar, oatmeal and spaghetti, oil, cornmeal and tomato paste.
Russell has directed the team in the logistics of this effort. He hired 2 trucks. He re-purposed our team lodging, Koinonia house to store the food, and organize into smaller packets for each family. Dr. Francisco supervised and guided the delivery process to ensure safety and health for everyone. Rebeca, Valentina and Maria identified and called the neediest families, “We have a packet of food for you!” Assigned a date and time, they came for pick up at the IBQ compound. As the packets of food are delivered, time is spent with each one, reflecting on God’s promises, and praying for their families. We anticipate we will deplete this food in 4-5 weeks.
Ruth’s reference of a tree with branches was a beautiful analogy of STCH Ministries. Rooted in God’s promises to supply ALL of our needs, our “branches” continue to support children and families–providing Christian counseling, homes for children and families, pastoral ministry, classes on the impact of faith on finances and work, in addition to the work in the Dominican Republic. During this pandemic, the ministry continues.
Bendiciones,
Joanna Berry
Vice President of Family and International Ministries
STCH Ministries
The Ministry Continues – More Good News!
/in Ministry Updates/by Kyle LukeAs we continue to adapt to the daily restrictions that COVID-19 has placed on our lives, we may feel we’re repeating the same day over and over again. We tend to ask ourselves: “What day is it?” “How many snacks have I eaten today?” “What should we binge watch next on Netflix?”
And although we are ready for our days not to feel like they’re on repeat, day after day – we must remember: God’s Word never changes. His Word remains the same day after day, year after year. And as followers of Jesus, we are to be a people of hope.
Therefore, we want to remind you, that though your day may feel the same, know that God remains the same. He is worthy of our trust and hope. “Be of good cheer,” our Lord said, “I have overcome the world” – John 16:33
And for that, we continue to have hope in our Lord; and we continue to be thankful for your continued commitment to STCH Ministries. God continues to work in mighty ways. He continues to open doors for our ministry so that our MINISTRY CONTINUES! We are GRATEFUL for you!
The Good News: We are continuing to help those we serve as they deal with life’s challenges.
Good Friday indeed…He is Risen, Risen indeed! Seek the Kingdom of God, and you will find Him.
HOMES FOR CHILDREN, on the Boothe Campus, is continuing to serve children. It’s a place to call home. Children live with houseparents, and each cottage functions much like a normal household, with meals in the home and the family enjoying activities together. Children attend public school and local churches and participate in sports and a variety of life-building activities. For more information about the ministry and admission requirements, please call 361.375.2101 or click to apply online.
HOMES FOR FAMILIES, on the Marshall Ranch Campus, is continuing to serve single moms and their children. It’s a place to be safe. Homes for Families is a resource for single mothers and their children who are facing a crisis and need help transitioning into independent living. Our Marshall Ranch Campus provides a safe, comfortable setting for mothers and their children to begin a new chapter, while our staff help address their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. For more information about the ministry and admission requirements, please call 361.645.3005 or click to apply online.
FAMILY COUNSELING provides care when individuals, couples and families need help sorting through the challenges of life. All our counselors are professionally trained and distinctively Christian. We are continuing to see current and new clients through virtual counseling. If you, or anyone you know, needs to speak with a counselor, please call 833.83STCHM or 833.837.8246
Please know we are continuing to pray for God’s sovereign protection to surround you and your family.
We are here to share hope and heal hearts, and we are grateful for your ongoing support. With sincere gratitude,
Kyle Luke
Vice President of Development and Communications
STCH Ministries
Women’s Work a Volunteer Spotlight on Kellie Williams
/in Ministry Updates/by Alisha HoltGod does not waste anything; not a moment, not a feeling, not a word and certainly not our obedience. Kellie Williams gives testimony to this truth. She has taught in STCH Ministries’ Faith & Work, formerly Jobs for Life, for six years and has seen God work in her life, the lives of her students and her family’s life without fail.
Kellie discovered a passion for working with women early in her marriage. Her husband, a merchant mariner, spent long stretches of time out at sea during which Kellie developed friendships with ladies from her church. Those friendships showed her the strength and beauty of bonds with Christ-like sisters. From them, she learned the advantage of helping other women as a way to help her deal with the loneliness while her husband was away.
Trained as a teacher, Kellie applied her skills in the church through the leading of Bible studies. Eventually, she followed God’s leading, quit teaching in the public-school arena and went back to school for a certificate of ministry which she put to work writing and teaching Bible studies for women at her church, Second Baptist of Corpus Christi.
Kellie knew about STCH Ministries Family Counseling through her mom, Dottie Chiles. Dottie worked as a counselor in the Corpus office after retiring from a career as a school counselor. In July of 2014, Kellie attended a luncheon where Jimmy Rodriguez, the director for STCH Ministries Jobs for Life | Faith & Finances, gave the keynote speech. As she listened to Jimmy’s explanation of STCH Ministries’ commitment to helping families learn the skills necessary to better their financial situations and provide stability, Kellie knew God wanted her to be a part of the process. “God clearly impressed me with the understanding that this was His next step for my life.” Her grand love for women and helping them compelled her to approach Jimmy with an offer to teach classes.
Teaching the concepts of Jobs for Life brought an unexpected benefit. Kellie’s daughter Maddie spiraled into a depression after bullied during her teenage years and Kellie realized that many of the topics presented in the curriculum applied to Maddie’s situation. The family connection to STCH Ministries led Maddie to counseling and on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic which God used to change Maddie’s life. “I did not know this in the beginning, as I volunteered, God blessed my family. I helped other women but God allowed me to also help my daughter through this program,” Kellie said.
In 2018, STCH Ministries replaced the Jobs for Life program after creating their own curriculum called Faith & Work. Kellie taught one of the first classes of the new material. “Faith & Work puts work in a very positive light as something God means for us to do. It also emphasizes our uniqueness as people,” she explained. Kellie appreciated the emphasis on an individual’s inherent value as God created them and she enjoyed the process of helping women discover work that suits their concerns and skills through personality assessment and interest inventories.
Kellie believed the information about goals and plans and how to achieve them brought the first glimmer of hope to many women’s lives. Kellie described a common situation, “Too many women have these dreams but feel like there’s no way to get there and they give up.” The lessons taught them to make smart goals by breaking things down into achievable steps. This gave them skills applicable to the rest of their lives. Sometimes, merely reaching goals did not suffice to create lasting change, the ladies needed to learn how to overcome obstacles.
The material covering this topic explained forgiveness, once one accepted Jesus’s forgiveness they learned to extend forgiveness through what Jesus did for them. When people made peace with their past through Jesus and understood the power of forgiveness, they viewed their goals in a different light; “This is achievable! I do not have to be bound by labels others have given me in the past.”
After students realized their uniqueness they learned to set goals and overcome their past, the next section taught about working together. Kellie presented lessons on how to get along with others, be a leader, listen well and handle conflict. As she summed up the concepts presented in Faith & Work, Kellie declared, “It’s really taking work and flipping it over as to what society says it is versus what God says it is. That’s it in a nutshell. It ends on how to clearly shine at work so that you can keep moving up and reach your goals.”
Kellie looks forward to teaching her fifteenth class in the fall of 2020. Nearly twenty-five years after discovering her enthusiasm for women’s ministry, she knows God’s economy makes use of every part of her life. She realizes, “God sends people. The same way He sends me to help people through Faith & Work, He sends people to take care of my kids wherever they are.”
For information on Faith & Works classes near you, please visit our website to find email contact information for the office nearest you: click here
The Ministry Continues – How Staff are Coping
/in Ministry Updates/by Kyle LukeThe COVID-19 virus continues to create inconvenience, change and adjustment as we navigate these uncertain times.
The Ministry Continues
/in Ministry Updates/by Kyle LukeAs we begin this week leading up to Easter, we want to thank our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for His continued provisions over our ministry, with the good news that our MINISTRY CONTINUES!
We are continuing to help those who we serve as they deal with life challenges.
During times like these, our pastors and church leaders need even more prayer and continuous support. Our Pastor Care ministry has been helping churches facilitate digital worship services during the COVID-19 crisis. Tim Williams, Director of Church Relations, has been consulting with several churches and pastors as they prepare their first-ever video worship. He has also participated in leading online sermons for churches without pastors and has been asked to lead an Easter sermon online.
We are privileged to offer Pastor Care – especially in times of crisis.
“To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” – Ephesians 4:12
We are excited to provide this free resource which will provide ways to cope during this time. This group has been created to provide encouragement and hope through counseling resources. The resources shared will be from multiple sources, and will help with anxiety, depression, family issues and many other topics as it relates to coping with a crisis, such as COVID-19.
To join the Family Counseling Facebook Group, click here
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
In all times, we must pray, and pray together. Please know we are praying for you and your families. So many are facing uncertainty with jobs, financial instability, health, isolation, and much more.
We also ask you for your prayers as well. We specifically need prayers for those in our ministries: Our children and school work. This can be exhausting and challenging. Pray for our houseparents, single moms and staff who are assisting with our children’s schooling needs. Individuals in counseling. Many of us are facing more time with each other and for those which have challenged relationships – this situation can intensify emotions and reactions. Pray for our counselors working through distance video counseling to provide helpful and Biblical guidance. Our pastors. They are under new challenging circumstances as they navigate this season, and as they prepare for how to deliver their Easter Sunday sermon from a distance as they share the good news: Christ has Risen!
Click here for a great resource on ways to pray for your pastor during the COVID-19 crisis. PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR
We are here to share hope and heal hearts, and we are grateful for your ongoing support.
With sincere gratitude,
Kyle Luke
Vice President of Development and Communications
STCH Ministries
We Have Good News!
/in Ministry Updates/by Kyle LukeDear Friends, Like you, we have been watching how the COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertain times. We are waiting with faithful hope in the One we know and trust – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We want to remind you of the good that continues to remain as God is Good, and as supporters […]
The Beauty of Reunification
/in Print Edition, Vol. 68, Issue 1/by Ashley WolffIn June of 2018, two brothers were placed on the Boothe Campus because their grandmother, who was their caregiver, was experiencing some health issues. They said goodbye to their family, friends and the life they knew and moved to a place where they knew no one and had no expectations of what was to come. “They were quiet and a little uneasy,” their housemom shared. “You could tell they wanted to interact, but they were very cautious.” What the brothers did not know was that there were people praying for them, for their family and for restoration and healing to begin.
“Reconciliation and reunification with family is the hope for all the children that come to STCH Ministries Homes for Children,” Greg Huskey, Vice President of Homes for Children stated. Specific prayers that God will provide healing, restoration and peace among their family or that God will open the door for them to become part of a new family are a part of everyday life. For the two brothers, C.J. who is 14 and Jonathan who is 9, it would take a year and a half for their family to be restored and for the boys to be reunited with their family.
Their story started four years before they came to Homes for Children, when their grandparents, Marsha and David, became caregivers for the boys, due to some unforeseen circumstances within their family. The grandparents were blessed to be able to take the boys in and to start caring for them. In 2016, Marsha experienced a severe car wreck that caused major medical issues. A few months later, David had surgery for his kidneys, and started dialysis treatments. Marsha and David prayed for a way to continue caring for the boys through this difficult time.
Marsha and David started attending a local church a few years before taking the boys into their care. They did not understand why God was calling them to be at that specific church, but they knew when they walked in that God wanted them there for a reason. As medical issues continued to worsen, members of the church shared with them about STCH Ministries Homes for Children. Marsha saw it as an answer to their prayers. “We didn’t know God’s plan when we started at the church, but He did,” Marsha recalled. “He knew we would need the support of the church, and STCH Ministries.”
For months, Marsha and David prayed about God’s plan for the boys. They felt God telling them that the Boothe Campus was where the boys were supposed to be, but that did not make the decision any easier. “When we took them there and left them there, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” David remembered. Tears filled both the grandparents’ eyes and the boys’ eyes as they hugged and said their goodbyes. This would be the start of restoration and healing for all of them.
As the boys settled into their new way of life they started to see the positives. They saw God moving in their lives as they interacted with the other children on campus and opened up to their new houseparents. Church is a major part of life at STCH Ministries and the boys enjoyed going to church with their houseparents. C.J. loved the youth group and started to see his relationship with God differently. “I have grown closer to God and seen Him move in many different ways,” C.J. stated.
As their time on the Boothe Campus continued, the relationship between the brothers grew as they remained each other’s constant. The boys also continued to strengthen their relationship with their houseparents and the other children in their cottage. Their houseparents, Sheila and Terry Backen, worked with the boys and helped in the healing process. “The Backens are angels!” Marsha exclaimed, “they were wonderful with the boys and we see such a difference in them.”
Becoming more independent is something that children on the Boothe Campus learn to do. They learn to take pride in their chores, to help with meal preparation, to take care of themselves and to be more respectful. The daily chores make them take ownership of the cottage they live in and teach them to be positive even when doing something they may not want to do.
Counseling is another huge aspect of the Homes for Children ministry. Many children come to the Boothe Campus in need of someone to help them and talk with them as healing begins. The child’s caseworker also plays a vital role in the healing process. While the brothers were healing on the campus their grandparents were healing at home. Marsha and David received the medical help they needed to better interact with the boys. At the same time communication began to improve within their family.
Marsha and David prayed when they placed the brothers that it would not be a permanent thing. They wanted the boys to be home with them when the timing was right. When approved, children in care are able to go on home visits throughout the year. C.J. and Jonathan were allowed to go home with their grandparents on some weekends and holidays. Every time they would return to campus Jonathan would ask his grandparents, “When will be the time that we get to stay at home with you?” This broke their grandparents’ hearts because they wanted that time to be every time.
They could feel God working and felt that Christmas of 2019 would be that time. Working with the caseworkers and other STCH Ministries’ staff, they prepared for the reunification of their family. The boys reacted to the news with both excitement and sadness. Going home meant leaving their friends and their houseparents on the Boothe Campus. “Children leaving is hard every time, but it is a little easier when you know it is in God’s timing,” their housemom shared. This was God’s timing.
A few days before Christmas, David came to Boothe Campus and helped pack the boy’s stuff up. They were going home and staying there. Since being home, Marsha and David have seen a difference in the way the boys interact, not just with them, but with other adults in their lives. They are more respectful and more willing to help out around the house. Marsha and David plan to lean on support from other family members. The family is currently looking for a church with a strong youth group to help C.J. and Jonathan continue to grow with God. The boys are also able to continue seeing a STCH Ministries’ counselor for help with the transition. God answered the prayers of many when He completed the reunification of this family.
For more information on STCH Ministries Homes for Children go to https://www.stchm.org/homes-for-children/.
Fulfilling the Great Commission
/in Print Edition, Vol. 68, Issue 1/by Joanna BerryAs an orphan in a remote village on the border of Haiti, Robert appeared destined to live an insignificant life, constricted by poverty, isolation, lack of education and family support. He heard about Jesus through children’s Bible classes and became a disciple, a learner, of Jesus’ ways. Dominicans and Americans invested in him through children’s Bible classes, medical clinics and construction projects. Soon, he was chosen by a Houston family for a Samuel’s Fund sponsorship. In addition to repeated visits with him while on mission trips, they encouraged Robert through facetime and emails while STCH Ministries’ staff also discipled him. After graduating high school, he moved to the capital city, Santo Domingo, for University, where he joined Iglesia Bautista Quisqueyana (IBQ). His sponsors continued to invest in Robert’s life through a CLEP scholarship (Christian Leadership and Educational Program). Soon, Robert fell in love with a beautiful Christian girl. As an orphan in that culture, moving in together seemed a normal next step. The discipling process (learning of Jesus’ ways) continued as staff and Robert’s sponsors intervened to encourage pre-marital counseling with IBQ’s Pastor, Pastor Rudy. Soon, a wedding was planned, complete with a borrowed wedding dress and a traditional marriage supper prepared by STCH Ministries International’s cooks. Although Robert had no family or resources, over thirty-five Christian brothers and sisters from the church witnessed and celebrated this marriage.
Numerous individuals, both Americans and Dominicans, invested in Robert; changing his destiny. The Apostle Paul wrote that one plants, while others water, but God gives the increase. Today Robert is educated, married to a Christian wife and shares his faith with others through his life and his church. His future children will have the opportunity to grow while learning about Jesus, with the potential to impact countless others for Christ.
Salvation is first, a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ. However, we are not only saved FROM the penalty of sin but also to BECOME disciples, lifelong learners of Jesus. Jesus’ last words reveal his priorities, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus spent three years, approximately 1056 days, focused on teaching twelve disciples. In our numbers-focused American culture, the method that Jesus employed would not have earned Him recognition or promotion in any business that we know of. It’s all about mathematics; how much money did it cost, and how many numbers, clients, projects were accomplished? Were Jesus’ methods a failure?
Today, we know that through those disciples, Jesus changed the world. When the disciples heard Jesus say, “Go and make disciples,” they had a clear picture of what to do. Jesus invested His time training and teaching the twelve disciples. Compassion for the least of these was His trademark; feeding the hungry, healing the sick, blessing children. He spent His time with tax collectors, lepers, prostitutes and many more. These activities did not distract from His mission, they were the means by which He accomplished His mission. He wedded the Gospel message to loving your neighbor, feeding the hungry and meeting needs.
There are many creative ways in which mission trip participants use their talents in this process. Sometimes they present seminars for school teachers and share school supplies to under-resourced teachers. Many of the public-school teachers must manage up to fifty students in a classroom without any helpers. One might ask how teaching classroom management, or creative teaching methods for math can be effective methods of sharing the Gospel? These teaching seminars inspired our Dominican staff to meet with Christian principals in an effort to encourage and support them. They have a two-fold goal; communicate to the community a better understanding of the purpose of the Christian school, and help teachers apply Biblical integration in the classroom. Samuel’s Fund Director, Rebeca Dinzey, wrote, “This is a great opportunity to bring the gospel to our communities.”
Small actions can encourage the discipleship process in the life of a child. One sponsor purchased a guitar for a young student. As he learned to play, he began to lead worship in the youth services. Alex Castillo will soon become Dr. Castillo when he graduates from medical school. Uncounted numbers of American mission trip participants, as well as the IBQ church, have invested in Alex’s life. He has been counseled through difficulties by the STCH Ministries staff, both Americans and Dominicans. His sponsors paid for his education all the way through medical school. As a Christian Leadership and Educational Program (CLEP) scholarship recipient, he disciples younger Samuel’s Fund children, through Bible studies and teaching English. Recently, he presented a study to Samuel’s Fund boys on the human brain and the Creator God who designed it.
Construction projects provide another opportunity to meet needs and intentionally invest in the discipleship process. The Berroa twins, hyperactive, incorrigible little boys, accepted Christ at a children’s camp. Adult believers needed a lot of patience and perseverance to continue to work with these boys since learning about the Bible was not high on their list of priorities. As they grew, they became interested in construction projects because they wanted to learn English from Americans. They were discipled as they experienced a Christian testimony lived out through hammers, saws and paint by Americans and their Dominican peers. Today they share with others while they attend college.
Francisco lived in a two-room home on dirt floors when he came to know Jesus and was discipled through Bible classes, VBS, mission teams and the church. Today he ministers as Dr. Francisco Paredes with STCH Ministries International in the Dominican Republic. He leads and organizes medical mission trips in collaboration with small chapels, Christian ministries and schools. Patients hear the Gospel and experience the love of God while their desperate physical needs are met. Countless dozens have come to faith and been discipled by the local ministries where the clinics are held.
To be effective, the primary goal of all mission trips must follow Jesus’ recipe for success: “Go and make disciples…teaching them to observe all I have commanded.” Matthew 28:19-20. Short-term mission trips must be more than entertaining, sight-seeing, painting or constructing buildings for schools and orphanages. They must be more than delivering food to a hungry family, coloring a craft project in a VBS class or sewing a dress. They also need to be more than sharing the Four Spiritual Laws or other soul-winning formulas.
The Dominican Republic is a small country, only one of 195 countries. What is the most effective way to evangelize the Dominican Republic, or any other country? On a short-term mission trip, can individuals coming from a different culture and speaking a different language effectively evangelize through a narrow focus on sharing the Gospel? Is it possible to weld the Gospel message to discipleship, relationship-building and teaching? Working in partnership with local ministries, can we empower local individuals to evangelize, disciple and build Jesus’ kingdom in their own neighborhoods?
A personal relationship with God through faith in Christ is a priority. STCH Ministries International’s mission trips integrate sharing the Gospel in partnership with local ministries while teaching and meeting needs in creative ways. These collaborative partnerships with national churches and individuals ensure that the seeds sown in an admittedly short mission trip week will be watered and cultivated. STCH Ministries International’s short-term mission trips are not about a one-time event, but a part of a long-term process of investing in qualified Dominican leadership so that the work of discipleship can be accomplished. Jesus said, “GO!” STCH Ministries invites you to “COME”, and invest your life and resources with local ministries in making disciples.
Stronger Together
/in Print Edition, Vol. 68, Issue 1/by Eron GreenHappy New Year from the STCH Ministries family and thank you for taking a moment to read our Messenger! Here at STCH Ministries we love to partner with fellow believers to witness God at work. We partner together in a variety of ways with families, children, organizations, churches, hospitals, universities, orphanages, schools and the list goes on. The needs are so great!
As we partner, we start with prayer. It is our desire that we are 100% in the center of God’s will in all we do. We have a team that prays as we plan to take children into care. We pray for and over those that are seeing our counselors. As a ministry to children and families, we understand the need to join together in prayer for all those in which we serve and partner. As we pray together, we are laying the foundation for what God wants to do through us!
The apostle Paul references, in Colossians 2, the “whole body” and growth due to the support and unity provided by the “joints and ligaments”. Paul is referring to our head being Christ and how as believers we are a support system for one another by being the joints and ligaments. Just like Paul’s reference, we here at STCH Ministries are being the earthly joints and ligaments each and every day to children and families coming from places of great need.
It is so exciting to see these support systems forming for those that we care for and many times they are support systems for each other! We have young adults from our Homes for Children program that are roommates in college. We have mothers and their children from our Homes for Families program that have developed a loving and supportive community together. Once those we minister to begin to become the joints and ligaments for others, it is amazing to experience!
Early this year, I had the privilege of joining together with a group that attended one of our International Vision Trips. This Vision Trip was to the Dominican Republic where we have been ministering for over 10 years. The trip was attended by pastors and their wives, board members, donors, STCH Ministries staff, etc. One of the trip highlights was dedicating an orphanage in the small town of Higuey that we were instrumental in constructing. To hear the testimonies of their leaders and how they had labored, and prayed for over 20 years for this project to become a reality was tremendously inspiring. How blessed we were to be there for the dedication!
I also want to take a moment to thank you for your partnership. We are not able to do the work God has called us to do without your support. We are so blessed by you sharing your time, talents, treasures and prayers with us and for us. Together we are stronger! We stand together with those we serve, we stand together with our ministry partners and we stand together with those that give so generously to make our ministry possible. How Blessed we are to have one another.
Together for Him!
Better Together
/in Print Edition, Vol. 68, Issue 1/by Alisha HoltChris Harriman believed he had the world when he married Rachel in 2000. The two met online in 1999 and discovered they shared similar upbringings. What they did not see coming was that Chris’s fear-driven compulsion to work as many hours as possible and Rachel’s codependent impulses to please the people important to her would drive a wedge between them.
After the couple married, they lived a simple life in a small apartment in Victoria, Texas. Rachel enjoyed being a wife and worked hard to establish a home. The year 2003 brought a medical crisis, a brain tumor Chris had received treatment for returned and required surgery. With Rachel by his side, Chris made a full recovery and their family soon grew by two girls and a boy. Determined to provide well for his household, Chris found a new job at a nearby chemical plant. Like many young families, the Harrimans enjoyed successes and faced struggles as they settled into a routine.
As the years passed, the two continued the business of daily life: work, church, friends, children, even occasional date nights. The connection between them faded and resentment found a foothold. Chris’s absences from family events and church activities pushed Rachel to depend on friendships at church for companionship. Chris grew to resent the time Rachel spent with her friends and she came to resent the impossible drive to keep everyone happy. Arguments and bitter silences replaced the affectionate atmosphere of a once happy home.
An exceptionally bitter argument over Rachel’s plan to go on a cruise with friends and Chris’s adamant refusal to allow her to, delivered the final blow to Rachel’s tolerance. Exhausted from a lifetime trying to please everyone and attempting to live up to the image of the perfect wife, mother and friend, Rachel could not fight anymore. She asked Chris to move out. Scared and furious, yet committed to his marriage, Chris refused. Rachel did not want a divorce either, but she felt they had reached an impasse.
A friend recommended STCH Ministries Family Counseling to Rachel. Chris reluctantly agreed to go along to sessions; he worried about his family’s and friends’ response to seeking outside help. The two met with Vince Porter, STCH Ministries Counselor, in the Victoria office.
In the beginning, Chris’s attendance was sporadic – work being his main excuse for not attending. Rachel applied herself to the process and the truths she uncovered about herself. She grew up in a happy home, with four siblings and loving parents. She recognized having brothers with special needs made her family different from others, but she did not think about how that affected her outlook on life. As a young girl, she wanted to alleviate some of their struggles through not causing any more difficulties. Only after working with Vince did Rachel realize the coping skills she acquired as a child contributed to the problems she faced in her marriage.
Prior to therapy, Rachel had not heard the word codependency. Vince explained to her that it presented as an excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner; she recognized patterns in her own life. “I did not have a definition of who I was and what I liked and what I didn’t like. I thought it was rude to be direct or to have a decisive opinion about something.”
Rachel pieced together other aspects of her personality that led to the trouble in her relationship with Chris. While she often considered herself a victim of Chris’s overprotective nature, she understood that nature originally attracted her to him because it felt familiar. She grew up in a home where the idea “father knows best” governed the family. Therapy allowed her to examine her childhood, identify patterns she saw modeled there and identify things needing change as an adult. Rachel learned the importance of assessing her likes, dislikes and setting boundaries. She attended a Celebrate Recovery group, as well as Codependents Anonymous meetings. She found a sponsor who helped her to maintain the new margins she had created. As Rachel matured into the person that she believed God designed her to be, she found she did not want her marriage to end, yet worried Chris would not accept her changes. Encouraged by both Vince and her sponsor, Rachel prayed for Chris’s heart to soften.
Chris did notice the changes in his wife. That combined with the tensions exposed in the sessions with Vince, amplified the underlying dread which colored his world. The meetings intensified his desire to save his marriage; he knew to do so would mean he must dig deeper into his own issues. He agreed to meet with Vince. Intense conversations and a commitment to change helped Chris identify the fear that plagued him. The perpetual question, “what if” controlled his thoughts. “What if the tumor comes back? What if I lose my job? What if…”
Chris made plans, organized situations and micromanaged every aspect of life. He nearly lost his marriage and family and saw how his behaviors contributed to the troubles they experienced. Vince’s challenge to seek what he would change in himself opened the door to honest examination. “In the beginning, I went because I didn’t want to lose something. I know now there was a purpose to it.”
Chris learned from a young age that hard work and financial security measured a man’s success. This idea took root and a dangerous experience at work increased the worry he carried. Vince helped Chris to acquire new thought patterns and gave him tools to combat the fear. Chris learned to let go of his fear and trust God to be in control. One day at a time.
While accepting a difficult truth is the first step, both Chris and Rachel recognized that complete healing took time and continued effort. They each saw positive changes in the other and recognized the improvement God brought through counseling and commitment to their marriage vows. The couple now enjoys a deeper relationship, with openness and communication. Each confessed guilt and released shame that defined their lives before counseling, and both desired a closer relationship with God and one another.
Their new house, which is under construction, represents tangible evidence of the heart changes the couple experienced. A beautiful home on a country lot exemplified their dream come true for many years, yet, the “what ifs” kept them from taking the steps to turn dreams into reality. Chris gave God the glory for changing his heart; although the temptation to worry still exists, he chose to trust that God is faithful to complete the good works He began in those who love Him (Philippians 1:6).
Chris summed up their experience, “At first, I wished we hadn’t gone through that but now I see how it has made us who we are today. What the devil tried to make into a mess has helped us to become what God wanted us to be. I hope this is not just for us. I hope God uses it to encourage others.”