Month: November 2016

Nepal Recovery – Be Strong, Build Strong

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Jeff Leighton and I recently had the privilege to travel to Nepal to be with our Himalayan Region Vineyard family.  The purpose of my trip was twofold: 1) to report on the earthquake recovery and rebuilding efforts, and 2) to be together and celebrate God’s goodness and presence in a conference right at the epicentre of the first earthquake.

Here are two videos, that are well worth the watch.

The Himalayan Region Vineyards are just getting to the finishing stages of the main rebuilding and recovery effort.  The team has been tireless and has done an amazing job at responding to needs in appropriate ways.  It’s quite amazing what’s been accomplished in the past 18 months.  This video gives a brief overview of the work (also detailed below) and offers four 2 minute stories of recovery.

The village of Nareshwahr, in the District of Gorkha was host to two big events in the past 18 months – it was the epicentre of the first earthquake and it was the host to 500 guests from across the Himalayan Region Vineyards who converged to celebrate God’s goodness, and look to the future together.  It was a significant undertaking, many people travelling days and spending up to one month’s salary just to get there – just to be together.  It was also a significant in that it marked the end of the recovery phase right at the earthquake’s epicentre.  Mountains were moved once more.  You’ll get an inside look at some of the sights and sounds of our powerful time together in this video:

 

An overview of the Relief, Recovery and Rebuilding efforts since April 2015:

424 Homes Built or Subsidized.

  • 54 – Provided 100% material & construction.
  • 40 – Provided 100% of materials.
  • 150 – Subsidized 25 – 50% of materials.
  • 180 – Subsidized 5 – 15% of materials.
  • Subsidies were determined based on need.

Over 217 lots cleared

  • Cleared of rubble in preparation for rebuilding.

9 Church Buildings Constructed.

  • 2 other church buildings subsidized (providing building materials the congregation couldn’t afford – non-Vineyard friend communities).

Started or Upgraded 36 Businesses 

  • For the urban poor in Kathmandu.  This was the creative response to the housing crisis in central Kathmandu where there are no affordable safe houses.  These businesses will increase the capacity of our people there to secure more affordable housing for themselves.

Bikka Land Purchased

  • 11 families in a high mountain village now have land who were previously squatting on government land.  They are low caste, and didn’t have anywhere to rebuild their homes.

Kids Helping Kids

  • Completed one Children’s Playground, one more is planned.
  • Funded by some Canadian Vineyard Kids!

Supplies

  • Recently, distributed over 217 sleeping bags.  
  • Throughout the past 18 months over 7,400 rice bags delivered.  
  • 360 Tarps, 50 tents, 60 pots, pans and various and sundries numbering in the 100’s.
  • 600 Blankets.

Medical

  • Health and hygiene packets have been designed, packaged and delivered all over the region. Special attention has been given to packages designed specifically for women.
  • 5 medical outreaches including minor operations and treatment of illness’ to over 2,000 people.
  • 19 People provided with hospital care.

Road Built

  • 5 km (3 mile) road built to the epicentre village where we have a church.

Pastoral Care

  • Trauma counselling has been a huge part of the pastoral work across the region.  Our team has been nothing short of amazing in the amount of care and healing they have brought to body, soul, mind and spirit.  The toll on our care givers has been great, but the fruit is overwhelming.

Gathered 500 people from all over the Himalayas to celebrate the goodness of God at the Gorkha conference.

Over 35% of all funds used to date have gone to families and people outside of our church communities – to our “neighbours”.

44 People have been baptized in the earthquake zone.

Over 21,000 people impacted through the HRV efforts in over 30 Villages in 12 Districts.

 

There is one more major need – rebuilding the condemned buildings of the Kathmandu Vineyard – the main hub for the Himalayan Region Vineyard Churches.  Demolition will begin in January.  Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to be involved.

 

 

Christmas Market

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Make sure you come out and support the Himalayan Region Vineyard’s Women’s Co-op at the annual Third + Bird Craft Market.

Here’s Deb Kelly with an invitation:


Saturday 10am – 4pm

Sunday 11am – 4pm (don’t go during church!)

Please note that even though it’s open on Friday, their admissions have been sold out.

Transcona Country Club 2070 Dugald Rd, Winnipeg, MB
Admission $5 (unlimited)
Kids 12 and under FREE
FREE onsite parking & FREE over flow parking shuttle
**Sorry no strollers, we happily encourage baby wearing**

Advent & Christmas at the Vineyard

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This year our theme for Advent is “The Heart Has A Home” – a series based in viewing the Christmas story through the gospel of John.  Make sure you pick up a copy of the accompanying booklet from the Info Table so you can follow along with the weekly devotional thoughts and scripture.  In fact, why not take two copies and invite someone to church with you this season!  A little gift and a welcome might just be what someone in your life needs in order to take the next step in their faith journey – you never know what can happen.

As is our tradition, our Christmas Eve service is on December 24 😉 and this year is no different!  It is one hour of beautiful, sublime singing – it’s always a special time.  It is 6pm – 7pm.

This year Christmas Day is on Sunday – so we’ll have a shortened service from 10am – 11:15am.  It will be special, so if you’re not busy with family plans, make sure you join us!

And, lastly, I encourage us all to immerse ourselves in John’s book this season.  Even planning to read a chapter a day from now until Christmas will give you the weekends off.  It’s a unique lens through which to view the Christmas story, and I think it will give life and light to those who who dare to enter.

PS: Thanks, Jessica Williams, for the creative decoration (and creative expression) in the main gathering area.

Standing With Standing Rock

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by Jessica, Amanda & Chloe

Two weeks ago the three of us loaded up some camping gear and drove down to Standing Rock Sioux Nation. We went. Sixteen hours of driving (round-trip) provided ample time to talk about why. Why were we going? Why now? Why this?

Our church has recently journeyed through a sermon series on dreams and calling. I think it has challenged most of us to jump into the things we feel we were made for. This particular action felt like this to all of us. It came from within us. Though we each held different thoughts and motives, we all agreed that we were following our hearts, and it was beautiful to have the chance to affirm that in one another. The week prior to leaving, the topic of the sermon was discerning our dreams through asking three simple questions. Do I want it? Should I want it? And can I do it? This was a good metric for guiding our preparation.

The desire was there. We all wanted to go. As soon as one of us said, “Hey. . . want to go to Standing Rock?” the “yes” echoed.

But – should we? The Manitoba Energy and Justice Coalition held a meeting to discuss how Winnipeggers could support Standing Rock. We attended and found ourselves moved by so much of what we heard that night. We asked the question, “is it helpful for us to go?” and we were told yes. We were told to go, or to come, and to stand in prayer together, with the people of Standing Rock. This settled our spirits, aligned with our motives and gave practical information about what to expect.

And, finally, can we? Another yes. It worked for our families. They were willing to let us step into the unknown a bit because we all agreed that this was important and our hearts were moved to be a part of it. We were willing to take a risk. Usually standing up to power involves some kind of risk, and though we felt our risk was minimal, it was still a concern.

At the border we were met with a smile and asked why we were going to Standing Rock. Chloe answered brilliantly. “There are people crying out and we are going to listen.”

Yes. We were going to listen.

This idea was expounded on as we walked the ground, watched the people and participated in ceremony. During an impromptu interview with CBC, Amanda answered that question again by saying, “Sometimes we judge before we know. I want to know before I judge. I want to see with my eyes and to hear with my ears so I can speak what I’ve seen and heard at home.”

Jessica’s response was similar. “I am here to put my feet where my heart is. So often I care about a place. I talk about it, I pray about it, I learn about it. But it isn’t that often that I get to go.”

This time we did. We put our feet on the ground. We added our tobacco offerings to the fire, our voices to the song and our coats to the collection. We touched the elders. We listened to the youth. We passed the pipe. We bore witness. That is what we did.

And now we are home wondering what it means here.

We know that Indigenous people have been abused and oppressed throughout history.  It is our knowing that moved us to go. But knowing isn’t enough. Justice happens when wrongs are made right and we hope to be people who find ways to help that happen. At this moment in history, it seems that the call for us is to show up and to listen. The indigenous voice is rising. People are standing up, they are standing together, they are saying enough. We don’t want to miss it – or to get in the way of it.

We want to hear the rising.

So each of us in our own way will aim to show up, to quiet ourselves, to lean in and to listen. And when we can, we will do what is asked of us. That is what we did at Standing Rock and we can do that here, too.

 

An Advent Gift

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This Sunday, we’ll have a gift waiting for you! During this Advent and Christmas Season, we’re going to be looking to the Gospel of John for direction and inspiration. Admittedly, it’s an unusual choice, but as we’ll discover it contains one of the most epic Christmas stories every told! We’re going to be spending all four Sundays in Advent (starting Nov 27) as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (it’s a Sunday this year) in John. The series is called “The Heart Has A Home” and there is an accompanying devotional booklet that is our gift to you. Use it weekly by yourself, with friends or family to follow along with each Sunday’s scripture and teaching. Our prayer for the whole WCV community is that we’d all come closer to our heart’s true home this season.

Enjoy!

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Traveling to Standing Rock 

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by Chloe, Jessica, and Amanda

This coming weekend (November 10-13) we are traveling to Standing Rock Sioux Nation to join water protectors who are resisting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. We are going because we can feel that the Spirit is moving there, and we want to join in that movement. We are going because we want to acknowledge the humanity of the Oceti Sakowin (Sioux Nation) and their right to life. We are going because we want to honor treaties, in this case the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie. We are going because we want to stand against the continuing colonization that exploits Indigenous people and Creation. We are going because Indigenous leaders asked us to “come, with prayerful intention, rooted in love, for the sacredness of water and place.” We are going.

There are plenty of resources online for more information, one we recommend people check out is groundworkforchange.org.

Please support the people and the planet through prayer. You can also offer financial or material support by contacting us before November 10.  We are collecting high quality winter gear (sleeping bags, warm clothes, tents, etc.) and are happy to do pick-ups.  At any point you can contact Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition to get involved, offer support, or learn more.