NALC will be held here at Vernon Christian Fellowship
THURSDAY APRIL 23 – SUNDAY 26
Brochures Available Soon!

KIDS’ CAMP 2015

Sunday JULY 12 – 16th

Hello Parents!

How would you like to send your children to KIDS’ CAMP?!
At camp your children will have LOADS of FUN in a positive and loving environment.
There they will hear about the love and kindness of Jesus.

We charge much less than our actual costs in order that ALL kids will be able to experience
the excitement of Kids’ Camp.

Aaron French is our awesome Camp Coordinator, plus we have many experienced and gifted volunteers.

See Brochure link below! Summer is coming! Yipppppy!

Evie McMorran

Kids’ Camp Brochure 2015
(camp administrator)

NAJENGA ‘We are Building’
FUNDRAISER
Years of war and internal strife have left the eastern provinces of Congo in a desperate condition.

As with many conflicts, the majority of victims are women and children.  Food insecurity, access to medical aid and education are just a few of the challenges facing many in the area. The government of Congo has released land to help facilitate a new agriculture, feeding, education and training project.

Ray and Mary Anne Bale have lived in this area of Africa for eleven years and have been working with many Congolese nationals in embarking on a new venture.  They moved back to Vernon BC two years ago, while still overseeing the work there. They take several lengthy trips to Africa each year.  “Najenga Congo” is committed to seeing the ongoing development in the community, an area just outside of the city of Uvira in south Kivu province of Eastern Congo.

In response to the question “what are we doing?”  The answer in Swahili is “Najenga” “We are building.” Our greatest desire is to partner with others as we build Hope for the present and for the future for the Congolese people.

The next stage of the project is to build a Community Training Centre.  The centre will cost approximately $30,00 to build.

Najenga 2014 Poster PDF

You’re invited to…
a women’s breakfast

and devotional sharing

 “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)

What is Jesus saying to you out of the Bible these days? Come and enjoy a morning of friendship, food and sharing our stories from along the road!

When:   Sat. June 21    Time:  9-11am

Where: VCF 4506-29St.

RSVP + FOOD:
sign-up sheet @ back this Sunday or
judes.whitley@ gmail.com

MEN’S BREAKFAST
May 31st
8:30 – 11:00 AM
Sign up with Jeff Gelter or contact the church office

WHITE WATER RAFTING
July 5th 

Cost: $58.00

Come out for a GREAT adventure!

To guarantee your spot, sign up with Dave Brunelle with a $30.00 deposit by May 25th.

COMMUNITY LUNCHEON
Report by Kelly Klassen
Oct. 2013

I went to help feed lunch to the street people at the Anglican church yesterday. It was amazing. Everyone pulling together as a family to get the place ready. We had kids and adults all pitching together getting the tables in place and covered, getting the coffee started, preparing food in the kitchen, etc.  There were about a dozen of us. I stood outside with Betty for a while talking to those who came early. We were just loving on them telling them how loved they were and listening to their stories, offering prayer where we could. What we try to do is not to give them Jesus but to show them Jesus.

Inside the tables were set and the serving tables loaded with food. Baked potatoes and chili with the fixings and ice cream and cookies for dessert. (A meal put together by chef Lois) As the doors opened and the people filed in down the stairs, I thought I would play worship music as I usually do. Releasing the presence of Jesus through worship makes a huge difference in the atmosphere. It was great to see the Wilson kids serving food alongside Sterling. I played for maybe 20 minutes and seeing that Betty was upstairs by herself I decided to go up and join her. We offered to pray for people as they left and blessed them as came in and as they went on their way. Most of them got excited when we told them there was ice cream for desert.

Then a guy named Luke came in a wheel chair. There was no way to get him down the stairs so we made him a plate and brought it to him upstairs. I sat down with him while he ate lunch and we talked. He had lost 20 years of his memory with a brain injury in 06. He could process thought perfectly and was very bright but it put him in the wheel chair. I asked his story and told him how God loved him. Betty came back up with a couple who had finished lunch with their daughter and informed me that the father wanted prayer for his stomach because he had stomach cancer and was in a lot of pain. I prayed for him speaking affirmations over him that I was getting from Holy Spirit. One was that he had a very large heart of love for others and that he wasn’t able to love on others the way he wanted because the pain was hindering him. His wife confirmed that. I called for the pain to leave in Jesus name and asked him if he felt anything. About this time Betty and I both felt the presence of the Lord on him so strong and it was obvious that he was doing something in him. He said that the pain level was quite a bit better. As we were doing this their daughter (12 year old) went over and gave Luke a big hug. That was amazing because she didn’t even know him to my knowledge. I affirmed her and told her special she was. Her mother said the things we were speaking over the father and the daughter were correct, that he really did love others alot and that they had 7 kids and also fostered. The family then left and Betty went downstairs. Luke said he didn’t have proper function in his left hand and that it would be great to be able to use it so I prayed that the Lord would heal his hand and give him better use of it. I told him that there were many people getting healed by the Lord and that I would love to see him healed completely and that we were still learning and growing in what Jesus is doing. I sensed that the Lord was working in him to give him more mobility. Then Luke left and I went downstairs to get some lunch. I sat down at a table with a couple other guys and asked one guy about his story. We talked freely about God and his love. It seemed so natural to tell him that when we believe, Holy Spirit comes in and lives inside us and we are able to release his love to others. Thank you Lord for these great people and your love for them and for using us bring your kingdom to them.

Then it was time to clean up and as I was driving home I knew that I had just spent the whole morning with Jesus. That’s where his heart is.

Kelly Klassen

KAMLOOPS WELLNESS FAIR
Report by Jerry Lee
Oct. 2, 2013

Once again I was amazed at how much God wants to encounter people with His love.  There were so many divine appointments in which we saw lives being touched and people realizing that Jesus loves them and that He is the answer to the God shaped vacuum in their life.

One such encounter was with a lady who had been watching from a distance all weekend because she had a table and was selling a product at the fair. I saw her approach our area and stood there waiting for the opportunity to be invited in for a session.  The other people who were part of our team were on the outside of our tables talking and inviting others to participate did not notice her.  When one of the members of our prayer group invited her in, she was relieved and nervous at the same time.  We asked her what her desire was and she indicated that she was overwhelmed with life and high anxiety to the point she could hardly function.

Sally (not her real name) is an only child and she has a mother who is dying of some terminal illness.  Her mother lives by herself while Sally lives with her boyfriend who does not understand her emotional turmoil and, as a result, is verbally abusive to her.  Her mother’s needs are such that she demands attention from Sally constantly while Sally is not able to deliver.  Both Sally and her mother are also in financial need.

We discovered that she loves to sing and in her past life had even been part of a worship team at a young people gathering for about 3 years.  Her only contact now is with 2 friends, one goes to a Mormon church and the other a believer.

As we continued to listen and then prayed (she was comfortable to receive prayer in Jesus name), we encouraged her that God really cares for her, gave her some specific words to bless her and as she was ministered to, she wept and allowed us to love on her.  I believe that this encounter with the Holy Spirit comforting her will again draw her to back God, her Father, in a much more intimate relationship.

In another encounter, we had the opportunity to bless one of the volunteer organizers of this event.  She was curious at what we had to offer.  We told her that we would hear from Heaven and tell her what we saw.  Each one of us gave her words that were not only accurate but they all fitted together.  She was delighted and overwhelmed that the words came from different people but they were true. I believe there is a smile on God’s face when believers are united and work together to proclaim the Kingdom.

When we allow the Spirit of God to flow through us, it not only brings life and healing to people around us but life also flows into us as well.  I felt very much alive and blessed! The weekend provided an opportunity and privilege to be the church outside allowing love to flow to hearts that are hungry.

REPORT BY JOHN WIENS

Hi all

Bill, Jerry and I had an awesome time in Kamloops Wellness Fair.  In our group we saw a young girl from India come into relationship with Jesus and we also blessed her by praying for Holy Spirit filling.  We saw a lady who had rods in her back with pain level of 15 come down to less then 5, she was touched by Jesus, and the a lady who had a detached retina in her eye who couldn’t see our faces clearly before ministry and after she could read the board where the menu of things we offered from a good distance away, plus she had a infection in her chest that cleared up.  We also saw many others get visibly blessed and expressed their thanks for the insight we shared with them.  We help connect a few people with a body of believers in town as well.  It was a very rewarding day for all of us.  This is  a very great place to release the love Christ.

I sure Love Christ being my life living in and Thru me and I sure love living in and thru Him, this is a most fun life to live.

Love you all,
John Wiens

Written by Evie McMorran on Sept. 20, 2013
Recently we have been reminded in church how we need to reach out to the community. This is a testimony of a woman who is a prime example of this.

Mike and I have lived off of Lakeridge Drive for over 6 years now. While driving to work or the gym each morning (on Bella Vista Road), we see a woman that we guessed was in her 70’s walk at a very fast pace picking up garbage on the side of the street. Often he and I discuss where we had spotted her that morning and estimate that she walks approximately 7 – 10 KM per day. Some days when we don’t see her, we get concerned and hope she’s alright. It always warms my heart to start the day seeing this woman as she serves our community so graciously.

Today I decided to pullover and personally thank her. I got out of my car and walked towards her hoping I wouldn’t scare her. “I just want to personally thank you,” I said “for picking up our garbage! Thank you very much!”  She walked closer to me and hugged me. As I saw her up close, I was surprised to see all the beautiful wrinkles etched across her face. I spent at least 20 minutes with her at the side of the road as I listened to her story.

On Christmas Eve, Helen will be turning 91 years old! She was born on Dec. 24, 1922. As she spoke I was mesmerized by what came bubbling out of this vivacious woman.  I smirked to myself as I saw peeking from under her plastic rain bonnet a border of bright orange curls; a sign of true vanity even at 90. Helen still lives on her own. Every day she walks picking up garbage on each side of the street. She proudly opened her bags to show me what she had gathered so far this morning; a cigarette package, a Ziplock container… “I’m a Roman Catholic” she said, “God is with me and his Holy Spirit is with me. I pray while I do my walking.”

“I’m not Catholic, but I’m a believer too; a Christian! I attend Vernon Christian Fellowship,” I said.

“Oh that’s wonderful dear!  You don’t have to be Catholic to receive God’s blessing!” She responded.

Helen was a grade one school teacher in Armstrong from 1943 -1988. “Oh how I loved the children,” she said, “And the parents let me do anything with them you know! I was always picking out their baby teeth. And on their birthdays I always gave each one ‘the birthday spanks’. I made a big production of this! I set a chair at the front of the class and put the child across my lap and gave them SIX spanks and a PINCH to grow an inch! Oh how the children loved this. But I was always pulling out their little teeth. Oh I LOVED these children! After I retired I moved to Vernon to be closer to my dancing.

“I met my husband on the dance floor,” she continued “and he died on the dance floor in 1985. I still dance you know. I teach dancing too! I do square dancing, round dancing and pattern dancing. You know… ‘you put your right foot in…’” She started to sing and I sang along with her and giggled as she turned herself around.  “In the fall when dance starts up again, I dance about 8 -9 times a week. I sew too for people. I put in zippers and do all sorts of repairs. A man was having trouble with the tight button holes so I pulled off the buttons and pounded snaps right down his shirt!  A man recently asked me if I could press his pants for him. So the next time while I was at the Schubert Centre he gave me 5 pairs to take home!  That was a lot to carry home, five men’s pants is quite heavy you know!  Well I don’t know who pressed them before, but the seam was all wrong. It was a lot of work to put the seams in the right spot. I had to use a damp cloth, plus use my steaming iron.

“The secret to my health,” she said “is I walk, I dance and I pray. Many people complain about all sorts of things, but I never get into that. I don’t complain about anything, I am just very thankful to God. He has given me many gifts,” she said “I can walk, I can dance, I can sew and I can help people. And I will continue picking up garbage as long as God lets me.” She pointed her wrinkled finger close to my face and said, “And YOU have many gifts too!”

We hugged 4 or 5 times during our time together and as we said ‘goodbye’ she held my face, kissed me and told me she loved me. I drove off with eyes full of tears.

The NAJENGA CONGO PROJECT

Years of war and internal strife have left the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in a desperate condition. As with many conflicts, the majority of victims are women and children. Food insecurity, access to medical aid and education are just a few of the challenges the population in this area. Ongoing instability has only added to the problem but there is hope. Ray and Mary Anne Bale have lived the last ten years in this area of Africa and, working with many Congolese nationals, are embarking on a new venture. The government of Congo has released 25 acres of land to help facilitate a new agriculture, feeding, clinic, education and training project. “Najenga” Congo is committed to seeing the first phase of a school and feeding project in an area just outside the city of Uvira in South Kivu province of DRC. In response to the question “What are you doing?” the answer in Swahili is “Najenga” “We are building”. The main thing we are endeavouring to do is build HOPE, for the present and for the future. 

If you wish to donate to this project, you can do so through Vernon Christian Fellowship, CC4Africa or Hope for the Nations. Donations can also be received through E-transfer.  Child Sponsorship can also be made with a one time donation or monthly support with 100% of donations being given to the needs of the children. Your support provides each child with housing, food, clothing and education.

For further information contact us at najengacongo@gmail.com.
You can also contact the office of Vernon Christian Fellowship @ 250-545-2927 or email vcf@telus.net.

Visit us online at www.najenga.wordpress.com or www.hopeforthenations.com

All gifts are tax deductible.