Following the experience with Hurricane Katrina, the OPC recognized that the time had come to establish a permanent disaster response ministry, with a full-time coordinator at the ready, in order to be better prepared to demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ in tangible ways the next time disaster should strike . . . 

"We go in thinking that we have all of this knowledge and wisdom to share, but in the end, we are the ones who learn so much. This is what happened to me in Karamoja. It was me, the Christian girl who was going to teach the catechism to children in Africa, who was swept off my feet by the Lord’s grace and the strength of the bond of the church ... " 

Laura Dowds

"I absolutely LOVED the evangelism training that I received first hand from Pastor Bill ... "  Emily Parrish

"The evangelism at Mallory Square really took me out of my comfort zone, helping me to feel more comfortable talking to people about the good news of Jesus ..."      Will Lamm

"It was an amazingly impactful trip in which my heart was turned toward God in many ways ... "  Olivia Lamm

"In June of 2015, I retired after 47 years of being a music teacher .... Several days later I was packed and ready to travel to Saint Georges de Beauce, Quebec, with 7 wonderful teens from my church .... What an honor to be able to begin again with a job of such great importance to the Lord. Our mission: to spread the Gospel through teaching English ... " 

Sharon Knotts

"I could take comfort in the fact that what the Lord called me to was not to convince my student roommates of their need for him with my eloquence or winning personality – my call was to live in obedience and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to pray that as a result, this would lead many to question me in search of an answer for the hope that I have (1 Peter 3:15) ..."

Rachel Gaffin

"The staff at the chapel guided us, not only with their gifts, but also with their apparent fire and passion for serving the Lord . . . . God is active in our lives, He loves us, and at the Boardwalk Chapel I felt His love in ways that have changed me to the core. A week was too short a time to be at such a magical place ..."

Colin Burden

"Although the children of Quebec were not physically malnourished, they were, for the most part, theologically malnourished. Seeing their lack of gospel knowledge not only made me thankful that I was raised in the church, but also reinforced the importance of short-term missions such as English for Kids ... ”

Anna Ormsby

"I was deeply humbled not by the pressure to 'save the soul' of this or that child, but by the idea that God would be pleased to include me in His process of salvation at all ... "          Josh Bootsma

"The fellowship of the team is also a great encouragement to me. Coming from a smaller church, it is a great blessing to have befriended so many young people in the OPC over the last few years ... "               Alyssa Jackson

"Christianity is not limited to dry manuscripts as so many people believe it to be. God is alive and working in his people, no less than he was thousands of years ago. The ways he works now may be different than what we expect, but it is still just as real. And we are his tools in bringing people to Christ ..."

Tina Nakhla

Thank you, Pastor Bill:

"We are very thankful that you took the time each day to talk in depth with us as a group. Your explanation of why we witness and evangelize was refreshing .... 

"Putting what we learned into practice each day was a valuable experience and will serve each of us in our daily lives and in our walk with the Lord."

Jerry Lamm

"The congregation generously welcomed us .... Within a couple days the students were saying that the team felt like family .... Our construction experts Pete Onnink and Paul LeMahieu patiently guided the students through each task ..... 

"We wrapped up our work and headed down the coast for a visit to the OPC’s Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood ... "

Kelly Rose

Testimonial:

“A highlight of the experience for me was the opportunity to go serve the Lord with three of my children.  To hear their prayers and watch them take steps of faith was encouraging.  It was a good first exposure to service-related mission work for them and it’s with much joy and gratitude that I can call them my fellow brothers/sisters, workers, and soldiers in the Lord (ref. to Phil. 2:25).” 

Randy DeBoer

"I learned a lot from each team, and I am so thankful to be able to call them my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ ....

"My good friend, Suzy Djeki, was my partner in all of this. This was her third year being the camp manager. She is a wonderful godly woman who loves these kids and this ministry so much ....

"God answered our prayers and we had three successful camps. Please continue to pray for the kids that we taught ..."

Photo Gallery:
English Camp in Ukraine

OPC Short-Term Missions Coordinator David Nakhla and his wife, Faith, served as teachers at the annual Leopolis Green English Camp for university students, held in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine. OP Missionary to Ukraine, Rev. Heero Hacquebord, has long been involved in the organization of this popular camp.

Short-Term Teachers Needed Year-Round in South Korea

English as a Second Language (ESL):

• Some background in ESL helpful but not required
• Curriculum, meals, and housing provided
• Teach for one or more 10-week school terms

Specialty Teachers:

• Stay for 2-3 weeks within one of four school terms
• Meals and housing provided
• Experts in the following topics sought: Theology, Missiology, Missionary member-care, Writing, Speech

Contact:
Rev. Ben Westerveld
westerveld.2@opc.org

Year-Round Opportunities for Service in Uganda

Visit OPUM's excellent website for an application form and an extensive and carefully detailed visitor’s handbook which is must-reading for anyone interested in serving in this remote region of the world. 

Contact:
Mrs. Sunshine Okken
Karamoja, Uganda
dsokken@gmail.com

This opportunity is available year-round, and is made very affordable by Keys Evangelistic Ministries, which provides housing for up to 12 people in its four-bedroom dormitory, where teams are welcome to stay for a week at a time. 

Contact:
Rev. Bill Welzien
welzien.1@opc.org

Skilled Volunteers Still Needed

NEON, KENTUCKY
Reconstruction continues on the church/manse building of Neon Reformed Presbyterian Church in Neon, Kentucky. If you can help:

Contact:
Pastor M. Jay Bennett
bennett.1@opc.org

Read the latest newsletter:

 Be sure to get your travel insurance ... not "trip cancellation insurance" ... but medical/ emergency evacuation insurance.  Lots can go wrong ... and your U.S. health insurance most likely won't cover you!

Your short-term missions travel plans need to include acquiring International Travel Medical Insurance!

Click below to learn more:

PRINTABLE 

Bulletin Insert
or 8.5x11 Poster
of this
S.T.O.R.M. Report

Website:
www.OPCSTM.org

Facebook:
OPCShortTermMissions
OPCDisasterResponse

Questions and comments regarding the S.T.O.R.M. Report may also be directed to:

Janet L. Birkmann
Administrative Assistant
Short-Term Missions and Disaster Response
birkmann.1@opc.org