Testimonials

Thanks From The Hopps In Haiti

Published on April 19, 2013

The Hopp family rejoices in a full year of enjoying their home in Haiti in its newly refurbished condition, significantly enlarged in April 2012 through the efforts of several short-term construction teams. They were also particularly thankful for Mike Leep’s tireless efforts to coordinate the teams and for Lloyd Osterink’s coordination of the project. The majority of the work was completed in just 2 weeks time! Click to view the “Thank You” Flyer from the Hopps

Extreme Makeover: OPC Edition

Published on December 7, 2012

On July 9, 2012, a group of more than thirty people came from nine churches across the country to transform the inside, outside, and grounds of New Covenant OPC in South San Francisco. We bit off more than we could chew, but we had a great time doing what we could. The participants were a huge blessing to our small church, and their involvement stirred up our own members to increased unity, renewed vigor for Christ’s church, and deeper friendships. We are delighted with our new building, and our desire to spread the good news throughout our community is at an all-time high. Could your church benefit from such an event? If you would like to lead the next Extreme ... Continue

God is Blessing the Project in Ishinomaki

Published on November 20, 2012

With the close of the 4th week of the OPC Ishinomaki, Japan Project, Team #2 is now traveling home to those loved ones they cherish the most in this life. The team left Narita Japan Friday morning as Tim and John boarded a plane to Chicago; at the same time Dave and Steve boarded their plane for Dulles, Brian has now boarded a plane for San Francisco and Derek will be heading back to New Zealand later in the day. We left Jeff and Daniel at the Sendai airport as they intend to spend several days touring the country of Japan. Jimmy will remain in Japan and will be the transition man from Team #2 to Team #3. He will ... Continue

Fresh Light on Difficult Circumstances

Published on October 5, 2012

Our church has been hit hard in the past two years. We have endured a flood, multiple moves, family hardships of many kinds, economic difficulties, and much more. Discouragement had begun to show on people’s faces. Their steps were slower. Some came to worship less often. Others left. Then, we had a wind blow in from the North – our Spirit-filled short-term crew! Where there was mildew, they brought water and paint. Where there were holes in the walls, they sealed them. Where there was discouragement, the crew brought encouragement and fellowship (especially to the pastor and his family!) Where saints felt isolated and alone, the lingering impact of this crew’s presence brought an increase of traffic that made it ... Continue

Sorrow and Joy in Japan

Published on August 31, 2012

This past July, I was a member of one of the OPC Short Term Missions Disaster Response teams sent to Sendai, Japan, to assist with tsunami relief work. We 10 Americans, hailing from states coast to coast, stayed dormitory-style for two weeks at the recently-dedicated Nozomi (Hope) Center in Yamamoto Cho. Throughout our time in Sendai, God allowed us to see both deep sorrow and redeeming joy, emphasizing not only the area’s great need for His Word, but also the wonderful works He is doing there. A year and a half after the tsunami that devastated the northeastern coast of Japan, physical cleanup is progressing quickly. In the Fukoshima area, monumental piles of garbage line beachfront roads, awaiting disposal in ... Continue

No Boredom Witnessing on the Boardwalk

Published on August 16, 2012

The Bible tells us that, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Our God is a God of the unexpected. He is able and willing to do infinitely more than we can ever ask or hope. My wife and I had not expected to spend the summer in Wildwood, New Jersey at the Boardwalk Chapel. Neither of us had ever been to the Chapel or served on the Chapel staff and what little I knew came from a book I’d read in my Presbyterian History class. We had other plans for the summer – but God had one ... Continue

Things the LORD Taught Me in Japan

Published on April 17, 2012

He taught me a bit about his awesome power. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to look at all the devastation, but from Yamamoto all the way to Ishinomaki entire towns were leveled by the force of the tsunami. But as Cal put it, there is grace in the warning. The warning system prevented hundreds of thousands of lives lost. This is why the so called “health and wealth gospel” is so inadequate. If everyone trusted in their tsunami walls believing that their man-made walls could save them, so many more lives would have been lost. It was the warning system – and the people heeding that warning – that allowed their lives to be spared. We need ... Continue

Good Report from Japan Construction Team #4

Published on April 10, 2012

After a week and a day of working here at the Nozomi Center in Yamamota, Team #4 is beginning to see the end of the tunnel in several ways. Tonight, after a team dinner in Sendai, we bid farewell to Luke and Ruth Brown. They are now to embark on a 10 day holiday touring much of Japan, prior to returning home. They have work very hard spending several weeks with 3 different teams enduring many different abodes, living styles, and personalities. We bid them well on their journey. The team was able to have some down time on Saturday, by visiting the Sendai Castle, visiting downtown shops, and enjoying a meal with Cal and Edie at a local restaurant. ... Continue

From Steve and Linda Larson in Rivera, Uruguay

Published on January 25, 2012

After hosting a team of short-term missionaries in December 2011, we had the joy and sorrow of seeing our short-term missionaries, James Stafford, Vanessa Rubingh, and Rachel Knight, head back to the U.S. I say sorrow, because we hated to see such good helpers go, and joy, because of the work that they had done. The team not only invited many families to send their children to the VBS programs, but they taught VBS in two different locations during the week—in Mandubí in the morning and in Santa Isabel in the afternoon. They also made presentations to the young people of the central church and Santa Isabel, visited with families in the church, taught piano, and, when VBS was done, visited ... Continue

From Pastor Tom Trouwborst, Schenectady, NY

Published on October 12, 2011

“War zone” was certainly an apt description for Schoharie following the waters of Irene. To drive down Main Street brought tears to one’s eyes. Yes, the physical damage was overwhelming. House after house with water stained furniture and rotted sheet rock stacked shoulder high in the front of yard after yard. Oil storage tanks tumbled over. Baseball dugouts washed up to the side of the road. Corn fields flattened. Pews pushed around inside a church like they were pinballs in an arcade game. Overwhelming indeed. But I am not sure that these things are what brought tears to my eyes when I first drove through Schoharie. It was that but more. I think to see how Irene touched, affected and ... Continue