Heaven High

Case and Gremar Van Wyk

cgvanwyk5@gmail.com

www.heavenhigh.org

June 2011

Plant Churches at home (USA) and around the world.

As we reflect on the four months we have just completed in Niger State with Classis Niger of the *CRCN we are aware of God’s amazing grace and blessings. We appreciate the Bible School staff and also the students, it was a blessing to be part of the Bible School community.  Sometimes we forget the amount of encouragement *CRWM’s involvement gives to the staff and the students at the School. The Lansers are very much appreciated at the school   This is also true for the pastors, and the evangelists. Jeremiah Jongo said to me that since we have offered *TLT courses to his evangelists they have been encouraged in their work in Niger State to the point that they have recommitted to the work there.

Just to be there, working, giving advice, teaching, providing transportation and becoming part of the community is an encouragement we underestimate.

On that note, how is it that *“Water Wins” is able to dig a well relatively quickly but cannot get an evangelist to that same village as was pointed out by one of the village elders. We must reconsider our priorities as a mission in Niger State!  We need to get back to planting churches and helping Classis Niger to do that. Providing a teacher for the Bible School is just the beginning, we also need a missionary church planter to encourage the evangelists and pastors.  Twenty years of working in Taraba State has taught us that the evangelists and pastors are completely dedicated to the spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are we to be less dedicated? I think not! The Good News demands we go back to the basics of planting churches and move past the maintaining of our  comfortable fellowships that look like the  church but is not.

We cannot say enough good things about our missionaries in Jos! They did everything possible to make our stay easy and fruitful, we thank them. We would like to return in 2012 the Lord willing. We would like to return for four months to teach: “How to Prevent Violence in the Family” and “God’s Plan for Sustainable Development” to the pastors and evangelists and their wives as continuing education.   Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It is a blessing for us and for the people in Niger State. Praise God!

Submitted  by Rev. Case and Gremar Van Wyk

*The Christian Reformed Church

* Christian Reformed World Missions

* Timothy Leadership Training Institute

*Water Wins is a non-profit Organization drilling wells in Nigeria, Africa

Case and Gremar Van Wyk

cgvanwyk5@gmail.com

www.heavenhigh.org

The “Good News” and presenting the “Good News” is about relationships. “For you know that we dealt with you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live a life worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory..” I Thess. 2:11,12

June 2011,

Dear Everyone,

As we reflect on our four month stay with the people of Niger State, Nigeria we thank God for you. We thank you for praying for us and supporting us; this trip would not have been possible without your love. We had the privilege of encouraging the 25 families attending the Warari Bible School, the teachers, the pastors, evangelists and their wives working in churches and preaching centers. We encouraged them with medical help and training, with the TLTI * “Stewardship” and “Biblical Preaching” courses and for the male students a Sermon Delivery class. This time the pastors, evangelists and their wives came to us at the Warari Bible School one day a week from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM for the continuing education courses.  The rest of the four days we spent teaching the students at the school.

It was an amazing four months filled with building relationships, much work, hot weather, treating sick children some with complications of measles who did not recover, treating adults, teaching, and basic medical training; it all adds up to four months of God’s amazing grace and blessings to them and to us. We trust you had the opportunity to experience this trip with us at heavenhigh.org.

Classis Niger is the only place where CRWM is participating along with the *CRCN in grass roots evangelism in Nigeria. There is great potential for a vibrant church; three tribes comprising of about 500,000 people are now beginning to turn to Christ and there are great challenges. Areas of need are spiritual and church development, theological training, stewardship and educational opportunities.

Thank you again, we are counting on you for next year (2012) when we hope to develop the primary school for the Bible School student’s children, and teach “Gods Plan for Sustainable Development” and “Preventing Violence in the Family” as continuing education for pastors, evangelists and their wives.

Continue to pray for the people of Niger State and the emerging church.  God is Good!

Rev. Case and Gremar Van Wyk

*www.timothyleadershiptraining.org

*Christian Reformed Church in Nigeria

Sometimes we want to go back and start over but it seems that is not possible. We are not the same people at the end of something than we were at the beginning. Certainly the people of Niger State; their response to our sojourn among them, their acceptance and love, their optimism and their faith in difficult times have taught us that and so much more. No! spend time here and you are changed. Now it is time to say goodbye and start again at Heaven High, Newaygo MI. Much was started. The rains started, many of my Lacuern tree seeds started and were planted. We were able to start and finish two TLT Manuals; Stewardship, and Biblical Preaching in the Hausa language. I received my first sting from a scorpion. After her training Pauline started a first response clinic at the Water Wins staff compound. Gremar was able to start and finish her medical training sessions with the three pastor’s wives and the school’s first response team. I was able to start and finish up one of my classes at Warari Bible School and hand over two more. As missionaries we start again and again and it never gets easier. It was particularly hard this time because we had to let go of Daniel, the ten year old son of Ayuba, one of the Bible School students. Our only consolation is that he succumbed to his illness while praying to Jesus. He has started his new life. God wanted to confirm that for his parents and for all of us, praise the Lord! Starting again can be painful. We leave much behind and start again with the knowledge that Jesus goes with us and as the Spirit prepares the way we go forward in confidence!

The storms are violent at the beginning of the rainy season.

The Pastors and Evangelists

The whole TLT group, we are thankful to God, they came faithfully for four months.

Paulina opening up the first response station.

Everyone is happy.

Hard at work the first day.

The whole compound was there for the dedication prayer.

You do not want to get stung by one of these guys. The pain got steadily more intense and when it reached under my arms I decided to take shock treatment. How?  Start up the car, pull off a spark plug wire and start shocking at the spot of the bite (little finger) and go up the arm. At the time I thought to myself the treatment may be worse than the sting! An hour later I knew the shocking worked because it started to subside and gone completely in the morning, normally people are affected for three days.

The school hosted a send off party, we all had an opportunity to thank God for his blessings.

God is good, we have been blessed and are privileged to be able to contribute a little to the development of the CRCN Niger State. Thank you for supporting us, praying for us, and send us back next year.