Ministry – Page 5

2020…To Latin America/Caribbean and Beyond!

Published on December 21, 2019December 21, 2019 by John And Deborah SimsLeave a comment

This coming year we will be working on these amazing projects!

The Bahamas

On September 1, Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 hurricane swept across the Bahamas smashing communities in Grand Bahama and Abaco with 12 hours of sustained, 185 mph winds and a storm surge of 23 feet that delivered 4 feet of water more than five miles inland.

There were five Assembly of God churches on Abaco Island and five on Grand Bahama that were heavily damaged or destroyed from the most powerful storm recorded in the history of the small island nation.

People are suffering from the devastation resulting from the unrelenting fury of Hurricane Dorian. For the most part, they are still in a state of survival. At a time when people need the church more than ever, rebuilding is vital to these island communities.

We at Builders International sent an assessment team to Grand Bahama and Abaco and now we stands ready to host construction teams in January 2020 to help rebuild churches throughout the islands.

1st Assembly of God, Marsh Harbour, Abaco

Hope For Uruguay 100

Hope for Uruguay 100 is an initiative to build 100 churches in 10 years throughout Uruguay, which is known as one of the most unevangelized nations in the Americas. This atheistic country has legalized prostitution, abortion, marijuana, and same-sex marriage! Hope for Uruguay 100 will bring hope to communities across this secular nation by providing permanent buildings for newly-planted churches.

The night lights of Monte Video, Uruguay.

Berea ChildHope School

Many children in Zacapa, Guatemala suffer from the effects of extreme poverty and do not have access to basic education. There is a great need to provide a Christian education for the children in this area in order to break the cycle of poverty.

Children who attend this school will learn about God’s love and will be given the opportunity to excel in life. These at-risk children will be the next generation of Christian leaders in Guatemala and beyond.

The construction of Berea ChildHope school will benefit more than 500 children, bringing transformation to Zacapa and hope to the entire region.

Berea ChildHope School
Zacapa, Guatemala

Building On A Firm Foundation

Published on November 25, 2018November 29, 2018 by John And Deborah SimsLeave a comment

In traveling with teams, I’ve had the privilege of helping rebuild churches in the country of Cuba. Every time I go my heart is moved to help support the construction needs connected with rapid church growth throughout the island. With the lack of resources, many of the buildings are crumbling. Along with old churches in need of repair, there are new pastors in training waiting for facilities.

As a builder, I recognize the importance of building a firm foundation. In the picture above, it is easy to see that the depth of this foundation being laid in Manzanillo is a clear reflection of another foundation spoken of by Christ.

Luke 6:47-48

⁴⁷As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.

At Builders International we believe every person deserves a place to find HOPE. Deborah and I have embraced this vision with a passion, working to help provide opportunities for people to receive that HOPE through the efforts of the construction ministry.

Old Church – New Church (Manzanillo, Cuba)

Ministry Time – James River Church Team

John and Deborah Sims

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Helping Hands In The Islands

Published on June 26, 2018July 20, 2018 by John And Deborah SimsLeave a comment

Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are two groups of islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, northwest of Puerto Rico and north of Haiti. They’re are eight main islands and 299 smaller islands. TCI is a part of the Commonwealth of England so, when you arrive you will find everyone driving on the wrong side of the road.😊 The extreme beauty of the islands has brought a rapid growth in tourism.

On the island of Providenciales, many migrant workers have come from the surrounding countries in the Caribbean in search of work. Many Haitian’s came at the time of the 2010 earthquake. Pastor Bradley of Community Fellowship Center had a vision and a plan to see the people coming to the shores of Turks and Caicos Islands reached for Christ.

The family roots of Pastor Bradley go back for generations in the TCI. If you travel with him, it’s not long before you realize everybody on the island knows him. His influence has helped establish the civil laws for the TCI and brought education opportunities. When you hear the testimony of how God moved in his father’s life, it’s evident God began something years ago to establish him in a key place of bringing hope to many nations in the islands.

The Sunday we shared with Community Fellow Center, thirteen countries were recognized and celebrated as a part of the church. We had the privilege of tasting authentic food from every nation so proudly represented! We were honored to pray with the first appointed female governess (Premier) over Turks and Caicos.

Monday morning the work began as the team laid block for the new bathrooms that will serve the 200 children in the elementary school and the Caribbean School of Theology.

Hurricane Harvey did its damage throughout the islands in August of 2017. We finished painting the main sanctuary ceiling of the new roof. Additional plans where then made to complete the new Creole church currently reaching out to 200 members. Many of these families arrived in Providenciales in search of relief and hope, leaving loved ones behind. I am grateful to have been a small part of this trip in helping further the work of Community Fellowship Center.

MY TESTIMONY – It’d been some time sense I’d had the opportunity to travel on a work team with John. I wasn’t sure what I would be useful for. To my amazement the opportunities to serve were endless. Meal prep, painting, serving water, shoveling mortar, moving chairs, playing with children, praying with and encouraging ladies, and much more. But even in the midst of the sweet fellowship and team work, God lets you know He see the troubles you carry deep in your heart. One day I’d finished preparing the lunch with Pastor Rachael. I said good-bye and left, only to realize I’d left my backpack in the school lunch room. When I returned, Pastor Rachael responded with enthusiasm. She asked about my health and said God had told her to pray for me. We shared a great time of prayer and dreams. God always knows!

NORTH TEXAS TEAM – Three churches joined together to make up a team of four pastors and wives, a plumber, general contractor, two teachers and a military veteran.
THANKFUL – We are so thankful for everyone of them. They made a difference!
AND. . . one photographer/videographer!

The CHURCH in CUBA!

Published on November 21, 2017November 21, 2017 by John And Deborah SimsLeave a comment

It is always a joy to work and serve in the country of Cuba. I find over and over, whether on the coast or in the city with a project, the churches have a consistent passion for Christ.

On this recent trip to Cuba, I was privileged to host a team from James River Church. In the town of Yaguajay the JRC team worked together with the church to start the process of building a new dinning hall and dorm that will serve the churches in the area.

Together everyone worked hard. The daily work included demolitions, sanding, painting, digging footers, hauling materials, and mixing concrete, while working in the rain.

We had an unexpected awesome surprise when some members of the church provided antique Chevys as daily transportation to and from the project. There was a beautiful 1952 with original motor, a ’56, and my favorite year, a ’57 Chevy Belair. What a treat!

Escorted to church and the project in style!

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House church in Cuba!

Dinner is served!

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

John

Amazon 100

Published on October 10, 2017May 22, 2021 by John And Deborah SimsLeave a comment

AJR_8106 HOME OF THE LARGEST NUMBER OF UNCONTACTED TRIBES IN THE WORLD, Brazil’s remote and vast Amazon region has extremely limited contact with the outside world. They survive in nearly COMPLETE ISOLATION from the global industrial economy!

Many of the tribes in this part of the world are difficult to reach. The dense growth of trees, plants, and thick underbrush discourages passage by outsiders and affords strict territorial practices for villages that fear intrusion of any kind. In order to protect their borders, they go so far as to kill those who dare intrude. Because of the great number of settlements within these controlled boundaries, there are naturally many different languages, most having no written languages.

Even the government has laws restricting some areas, which prohibit missionaries from approaching the inhabitants of certain villages. BUT GOD IS MAKING A WAY for reaching this primitive society! “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” [Matthew 19:26]

Andy Raatz, Director of AGWM Communications, shared two dramatic cases in Worldview Magazine [Volume 2, June 2016]:

Raatz tells of Edgardo Chung, who had fallen gravely ill after working as a drug runner for Pablo Escobar’s drug cartel. Through divine intervention things began to happen. A witch doctor gave him a radio with ritual chants recorded on a cassette tape. Edgardo became frustrated when the tape player wouldn’t work, so he smacked it, causing it to switch to a Christian radio station. At that moment, the preacher said, “If anyone listening has a terminal illness, Jesus Christ can change your life and heal you!” Edgardo ultimately found an AG church, was saved, and was miraculously healed! Today, he pastors a church of nearly 100 families among one of those tribes!

Andy Raatz gave another wonderful example of how God opened doors to a village, in spite of cultural barriers and government laws, for a young Brazilian woman named Elizabeth Vencio. Because of the disturbing rate of suicides occurring among the young in their village, the leaders sought government help in establishing education for their children. Elizabeth had spent many years preparing to reach a hidden tribe for Christ, topping out with an advanced degree in linguistics. Sometime later, she would be a perfect match for that village’s need. According to Raatz, after only five years of Elizabeth’s ministry, over half of the previously unreached people group was saved!

Director Raatz’s accounts of Edgardo and Elizabeth are an encouraging part of the history of how God remembers the seemingly-forgotten people living in this largest river basin on earth.

Assemblies of God missionaries, Mark and Helba Lemos, have a vision for bringing these indigenous people the Gospel by building 100 churches (and beyond) along the rivers and tributaries.

So far, 81 churches have already been built! These buildings are prefabricated metal structures, with metal roof and adobe brick walls. They measure 26 X 56 feet, and will seat 150 people.

We at Builders International are helping with the logistics for team efforts to build churches in this part of the world. Team members who join this adventure will boat in and live on a riverboat for a week while doing construction!

From Builders International Direct Mailer

https://vimeo.com/313546141