Over the last couple weeks we have a group from Gateway Bible Church in Scotts Valley, California working in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia on a missions project.
The project is to renovate a residence on the Colonia, Yap Evangelical Church property into a new Pacific Islands Bible College teaching facility. The old PIBC facility was damaged in a typhoon in 2004 and has been unusable ever since.
The renovation would include a classroom, office space, libary-computer lab and two restrooms. You can see from the pictures that a lot of renovation was needed. The center would serve as PIBC office, traditional classroom and distance learning center. It would also provide the Yap Church with a research center for sermon preparation, Bible study and other educational uses and provide our missionary in Yap, Asael Ruda (left) with some much needed resources.
The Gateway group includes Jim Bartell, John McCabe and Kerry Weitzel.
What I especially appreciate about this group is that instead of using up all the money on airfare etc for many people from the sending church they decided to train and employ locals to do most of the work. This way they leave a building in which the locals have ownership, the Yapese acquire or improve job skills, there are tremendous evangelism and discipleship opportunities and relationships are made and built. I am thankful for Gateway's commitment to use this model of short-term missions. As one Yapese project worker said, "You have given me hope and shown me that I can work again." We have also enjoyed getting to know John, Jim and Kerry as they came through Guam on their way to Yap.
In addition to leading the work crew the Gateway team was also involved in church work, Bible studies and outreach. Here John McCabe is preaching in the Yapese service.
He is being translated into Yapese by Vincent Parren our PIBC Board representative from the Yap Church. There was also a lot of opportunity for interaction between the Gateway team and the Yapese workers. Even the young kids were involved in the project.
I will be heading down to Yap next week to meet with the Yap church leadership and talk about how we can make the best use of the building. One of the big items for planning and prayer will be the means of funding the operation of teaching facility. We very much want to resume the offering of regular and distance education PIBC courses in Yap and we will be talking about how PIBC can better serve the needs of the Yapese Church and minister to the people of the Yap Outer Islands. I am looking forward to the trip.
Over the last couple weeks we have a group from Gateway Bible Church in Scotts Valley, California working in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia on a missions project. 
The project is to renovate a residence on the Colonia, Yap Evangelical Church property into a new Pacific Islands Bible College teaching facility. The old PIBC facility was damaged in a typhoon in 2004 and has been unusable ever since. 
The renovation would include a classroom, office space, libary-computer lab and two restrooms. You can see from the pictures that a lot of renovation was needed. The center would serve as PIBC office, traditional classroom and distance learning center. It would also provide the Yap Church with a research center for sermon preparation, Bible study and other educational uses and provide our missionary in Yap, Asael Ruda (left) with some much needed resources.
The Gateway group includes Jim Bartell, John McCabe and Kerry Weitzel. 
What I especially appreciate about this group is that instead of using up all the money on airfare etc for many people from the sending church they decided to train and employ locals to do most of the work. This way they leave a building in which the locals have ownership, the Yapese acquire or improve job skills, there are tremendous evangelism and discipleship opportunities and relationships are made and built. I am thankful for Gateway's commitment to use this model of short-term missions. As one Yapese project worker said, "You have given me hope and shown me that I can work again." We have also enjoyed getting to know John, Jim and Kerry as they came through Guam on their way to Yap.
In addition to leading the work crew the Gateway team was also involved in church work, Bible studies and outreach. Here John McCabe is preaching in the Yapese service. 
He is being translated into Yapese by Vincent Parren our PIBC Board representative from the Yap Church. There was also a lot of opportunity for interaction between the Gateway team and the Yapese workers. Even the young kids were involved in the project.
I will be heading down to Yap next week to meet with the Yap church leadership and talk about how we can make the best use of the building. One of the big items for planning and prayer will be the means of funding the operation of teaching facility. We very much want to resume the offering of regular and distance education PIBC courses in Yap and we will be talking about how PIBC can better serve the needs of the Yapese Church and minister to the people of the Yap Outer Islands. I am looking forward to the trip.
2 comments:
Dave, thanks for posting this blog. I was albe to pull it off my computer early Sundya monring and read it in our Sunday services. As I was sharing it in out later servcie, john McCabe came walking into the chapel. great report!
Fred
Thank you Fred. That was certainly great timing. We appreciate your partnership with us in this project and in our ministry for these many years.
Post a Comment