Van Essen Ventures

MissionFest
We, together with Donna Kovacs, our newest committee member, attended MissionFest in Toronto from March 1-3. Donna’s talents were greatly appreciated.
Special guests included the African Children’s Choir and speakers Ravi Zacharias and Franklin Graham. In spite of bad weather, huge crowds attended. Marilyn and Donna had planned to share with the school children on Friday, but the event was cancelled due to an ice storm.
The three busy days were very fruitful, and we thank the Lord for the many people with whom we had contact. (Marilyn saw friends she met in the 1980s!) Pray that in the coming year we may be able to find people whom God has given an interest in helping us in this ministry.

The following two items were submitted by Donna Kovacs, John and Marilyn’s helper at these events:
Biker Day
Port Dover, Ontario: 150, 000 people visited Port Dover on Friday, July 13, for Biker Day. A record number of bikers converged on this small community on that day.
And we were there as well! We handed out approximately 160 New Testaments for bikers in three hours and then helped the various Christian Biker Associations hand out their Scriptures, tracts and magnets for another hour. We experienced many blessings in serving the Lord in this way.
One woman, known for her adulterous lifestyle, received a New Testament and gratefully said, “Heaven, help me!” That was not an empty plea!
As we attempted to hand another woman a NT, she said she needed “hope.” We told her that this NT would bring hope, and she gratefully accepted it.

Friendship Festival
Friendship Festival, Simcoe: The Friendship Festival is a civic holiday in Simcoe. We entered a float in the parade and handed out 430 goodie bags. Each one included a LifeLight Ministries newsletter, a story about Jesus, and some candy. Our float featured the Great Commission verse, … go and make disciples of all nations…, and the LifeLight banner was carried in front of the float. In this way we reached out to all who were there, not just those who received the goodie bags.
Praise God for the many other ministries represented in the parade and for the positive reaction from the crowd—clapping, cheering and some positive comments! There seemed to be a sense of gratitude at seeing the Gospel being shared so publicly.

Future Events
Pray for us as we participate this fall in the Norfolk County Fair here in Simcoe, a mission conference in the People’s Church in Toronto, and the annual Pumpkin Fest in Waterford. There will be a LifeLight table or booth at each of these events.
John and Marilyn Van Essen are the LifeLight Ministries reps in Ontario. They make their home in Simcoe.

The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change the people of God.

Berge Lake Bible Camp

Teens Camp took place at Berge Lake Bible Camp in Lynn Lake, Manitoba, from August 31 to September 3. The teens received The LifeLight New Testaments.

Camp Memories
● Camp was awesome! Next summer I’m going to bring some friends who have never been to camp.
● I’ve been going to camp ever since I was old enough, and this year I decided to change my life by being saved.
● One of my best experiences was the devotions under the stars, in God’s creation.
● There is no place on this earth where I feel as close to heaven.
● I loved it so much I didn’t want to go home on Saturday. Whenever I’m at camp I feel so close to God.
● I made many Christian friends who had a positive influence on my life.
● I really liked the singing and playing with all the lovely bugs and listening to the birds singing in the morning.

Penners give LifeLight NT at Midway Bible Camp

Bill and Anna Penner, missionaries with Continental Mission in northern Manitoba, have many opportunities to distribute Bibles. This summer they gave Bibles to campers at Midway Bible Camp. The children were so grateful for Bibles written in a language they could understand.

Dauphin Bible Camp - Campers Treasure Bibles

In one of our cabins we had a group of girls from a variety of backgrounds—broken homes, hopelessness, lack of self-respect, culturally saturated, and a general lack of knowledge of God’s Word. One girl, in particular, came from a rough home and had experienced continuous spiritual warfare. The cabin leader provided her with a Bible. She began to study it with the leader and then took it home.
Another group of girls came with translations that were hard to understand and to memorize. Thankfully, we had easy-to-read Bibles from LifeLight Ministries which enabled the campers to easily read and begin to understand God’s love for them. A Bible is truly the most important gift that anyone can ever receive, and it is a blessing to see campers treasure them.
Richard Bankert
Dauphin Bible Camp is situated on the northern edge of Riding Mountain National Park, ten kilometres south of Dauphin, Manitoba.

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE at Teen Ranch

Bible Camp…
… Not just decisions, but disciples for Christ
… Win a child…win a life…
… Reaching and teaching youth for life in Christ
… Where Christ and a great time go together
… The Jesus they see is the Jesus in me
… Hearts are turned toward God…one heart at a time
So keep my words in your hearts and minds…. Teach them to your children... (Deuteronomy 11).

Changed Attitudes
In today’s society it is very common for people not to have their own Bible and not to have heard the message of Jesus. Our world has become so “correct” that many of the kids who come to Teen Ranch have no clue about the gospel.
The leader in the cabins talked to the campers all week in “Time Outs” about God. In one cabin, particularly, many of the girls had very little knowledge about Christianity and didn’t pay much attention. As the week unfolded, many of them started asking for Bibles, and the leader would find them sitting on their bunks and reading their very own Bibles. They were so excited about these Bibles and were intrigued by God’s Word. It was so encouraging for the leader and for the rest of us to see the how the attitudes of these girls changed. God works in mighty ways, changing people’s hearts and minds.
Many of the leaders wrote notes of encouragement in the Bibles, and it’s exciting to think that five to ten years down the line those kids will be grown up and, we pray, will still be reading them and will look back and remember the love that was put into them.
Thank you, LifeLight Ministries, for helping these kids know about Jesus and providing us with Bibles to help them in their spiritual growth. What a blessing!
Ashley Goldsmith
Teen Ranch is set in the beautiful Caledon Hills, one hour northwest of Toronto, Ontario.

Eagle Bay Camp's Message for Campers

Jesus, the Light of the World

Each summer a ministry provides us with pillows for every camper with a picture that relates to our theme and to the main Bible verse for the week. Our verse this year was John 8:12, When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Our theme was “Jesus is the Light of the World.” At the final chapel service each week we give the pillows, together with Bibles, to the campers. Each year we see the pillows come back, and the kids also bring their Bibles from the previous year.
It was a sunny fall day at Eagle Bay Camp, and I was walking the grounds in prayerful thought about the summer programs. I was praying that the children would remember the real meaning of camp—the message that Jesus is the light of the world!
Later that morning the phone rang in my office. It was the grandmother of one of the campers. Kokum (in the native culture grandmother is “Kokum”) asked me when she could come and pick up the unclaimed clothing from camp. Each year clothes are donated to Eagle Bay and all the unclaimed clothes are given to a local reserve. I told her she could come anytime and that we were looking forward to seeing her. Thoughts were still racing through my mind: Did the campers really understand the message? Do they know that Jesus is the light of the world?
That afternoon Kokum arrived with her two grandsons. As I opened the door, I noticed that one of the boys was reading the Bible he had received at camp. As we were loading the boxes of clothing I asked Kokum whether her grandson was reading the Bible regularly. She responded, “All the time!” This thrilled me because this boy didn’t seem to be listening or paying attention during camp. After they drove away I praised God for His Word and the message that really was made known in the hearts of the campers.
William Watson
Eagle Bay Camp is located 200 km northeast of Winnipeg, in close proximity to Lake St. Martin.

Beaver Creek Bible Camp Celebration!

In the summer of 2006 I was one of the assistant directors at Beaver Creek Bible Camp. This new position provided great opportunities, great challenges, great growth and great leadership experience. As much as I loved and enjoyed being a part of the director team, at times I missed being in the cabins, especially the evening devotions with the campers. One thing I had always loved as a counsellor was to see my girls reading their Bibles. Many campers come to camp without Bibles but get to go home with their own Bible at the end of the week!
During the summer I felt so blessed to have a few chances to go into the cabins and join them for their devotion times. On each of those evenings I was able to be in the cabins of campers who gave their lives to Christ!
On one of these nights, just before the evening staff meeting was to begin, one of the counsellors came to get me. She was absolutely stoked, saying that one of her girls had accepted Christ during devotions. She wanted me to come and help celebrate with her cabin and talk to our new sister in Christ! What a night! All the campers were excited but none as excited as the new Christian. After everyone settled down, she sat on her bunk, switching between reading her Bible and asking questions. Her counsellor and I took turns talking to her and to each of the girls one on one.
It was so exciting to see her delight both in her new relationship with the Lord and in reading His Word. The next week we heard that she had led her younger sister to the Lord on the way home from camp. She couldn’t keep her new peace and joy to herself. May we all learn a lesson from her!
Pray that all the kids who receive Bibles at camp will read them throughout the year and that they will grow closer to the Lord as a result! Some of them will only learn about Him at camp for one week, but as they take their new Bibles home, they can learn all year long.
Dayna Kroeker
Beaver Creek Bible Camp is located about 2½ hours north of Winnipeg.

Camp Cherith gives out Pathlights to change Children's Lives

Their First Bibles
It was a privilege to give a Pathlight Bible to every camper who accepted the Lord at camp. This summer we gave away more than thirty Bibles. For most of the campers it was the first Bible they had ever owned. Following are comments from two of the parents of the campers:
●Thank you so much for everything! Another year of camp has come and gone, another year in which my son has come back singing the camp’s praises. I am a huge believer in your approach to making God the focus, while providing so much for the kids on so many levels. Having my son grow in the Lord is fantastic; he has come a long way since the time when he was ready to just walk away in his first year. (I still remember the phone call.) Thanks again, and may God richly bless you and continue to be present at the camp now and always.
● My daughter attended the first week of girls camp this summer and continues to rave about the experience. She is also doing jobs for neighbours and her grandmother so that I can register her for both weeks next year! You have made a profound difference in my daughter’s life. Her long-term goal (she’s only 10!) is to become a counsellor-in-training and then, of course, a counsellor at Camp Cherith.
Keith
Camp Cherith is located on the picturesque Saugeen River near Walkerton, Ontario.

Leaf Rapids Bible Camp Helps Kids to Grow in Love

Dustin
Dustin (age 11) came to camp craving love and affection and to have fun. He learned so much
about God through the Arts and Crafts and during group sessions and chapel time. Most importantly,
he learned a lot through the Scriptures. Our camp theme was taken from Matthew 22:37: Jesus said,
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love Him with all your mind.”
Dustin was able to quote this verse from memory.
He was interested in learning about the Bible and about who God is. He received a
LifeLight Bible, which he took home, and which will help him in his spiritual growth.
Rob Kostiuk
The Bible camp in Leaf Rapids is on Turnbull Lake in northern Manitoba.

2007 Golf Tournament a Success!

In spite of the cool, misty day, seventy-four enthusiastic golfers showed up for the 2007 LifeLight Ministries Golf Tournament in Steinbach on September 18. Inner City Youth Alive earned twenty-one Bibles with a special game at one of the holes, a Bible for each first shot that went onto the green. After a scrumptious meal, some ministry highlights were shared, followed by the distribution of prizes.
One lucky golfer received a certificate from Powerland Computers for a weekend at Wilderness Edge in Pinawa. Tower Engineering Group donated a registration prize—four box seats for the hockey game the next evening. All the participants had the opportunity to choose a prize from the wide selection available. Each one also received a copy of The Message LifeLight New Testament.
About $11,000 was raised, which will be used to get the Lion Graphic Bible to the people of Russia in their language. David Loewen of Kingdom Ventures, who spent several years in Russia, says, “A Russian Graphic Bible is important. It is in keeping with many Russian people’s visual approach to learning, as they read pictures like we read words.” Lena Hamm is working on the translation of this Bible and hopes to have it completed by the end of the year.
Thank you to all the sponsors, golfers and other contributors who helped make this event a success.

ANNOUNCING: New Arrival!

Caroline Loewen

The Message LifeLight, the Bible in contemporary language, is now here! LifeLight Ministries is delighted that their shipment of the long-awaited New Testament written in colloquial, contemporary language has arrived and will be going into hotels shortly.
The Message is copyrighted by Eugene Peterson, who did this translation as a working pastor. His earlier vocation was a seminary professor, so he is familiar with the Hebrew and Greek biblical languages. His aim was to “get the words of the Bible into heads and hearts, getting the message lived.” He has succeeded in “getting the language of the Bible into the language of today.”
Mr. Peterson wants us to consider The Message a reading Bible, written in words that we use “to gossip and tell stories, give directions, and do business, sing songs and talk to our children.” Here is an example from John 4:9, where Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink: Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans. Another quote from the last chapter in the Bible, reads, He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be here soon.” Yes! Come, Master Jesus (Revelation 22).
The Message LifeLight (#01LLM) is available from LifeLight Ministries for a donation of $5.00.

God's Word a Compass

Ian Croatto

When I started working at Teen Challenge, I heard about LifeLight Ministries through Greg Armstrong. I am also a board member at Charleswood Gospel Temple, where we use the New Believer’s Bible in the pews. The pastor will say, “If you don’t have a Bible, turn to page so and so in the Bible in front of you.” This makes it so simple for people to find the verses.

In 2 Kings 22, Josiah, at age eight, is asked to rule, and when he’s eighteen he sends men to the temple to collect money and make sure people pay. One of the men runs back and says, “They gave me the book of the law.” Josiah reads it, then tears his robes and falls down because he sees how far off course he and his people have gone. With the compass (God’s Word) in his hand, he was able to turn the nation around, and they became obedient to the Lord, destroyed all their idols and got back on track.

That is like the relationship Teen Challenge has with LifeLight. They allow us to put the compass in the hands of the men. God’s Word and His voice come alive, the men realize that they have been worshiping false gods, and slowly they are healed, bit by bit, as God speaks to them.

I have the best career in the world—I see God’s power and might as he works in the hearts of men!

Ian is the Director of Training Phase at Teen Challenge in Winnipeg.

Healing Through Counselling

Isabelle Fiola

I had a very abusive childhood, with constant criticism. I was sixteen when I heard the words “I love you” for the first time—from a street gang leader, whom I married. I was a battered wife, married to an addict, and soon became a binge drinker. Eventually I left, together with my two children.

It didn’t take long before I remarried, but because I didn’t know what love was and how to love, I soon faced another divorce. After some time I started to work at a shelter for battered women, and it was during my time there that the Lord called me into ministry. There was still so much I needed to overcome in my personality. The healing took a few years, but He put me to work immediately. I opened a safe house, Serenity House, in Winnipeg for people who are recovering from addictions and abuses of all type. After a few years we moved Serenity House to Grand Falls, where I conduct healing services and where people come for counselling and retreats.

During our services we use the Life Recovery and Serenity Bibles. The children like the Graphic Bible. A ten-year-old boy, with ADHD, was excited to be able to read this Bible because it created a movie in his mind and kept his interest.

Empowering Women

Shon McLaren works with Inner City Women’s Ministries (ICWM) in Winnipeg. Two of the ICWM volunteers shared at the brunch:

Marilyn: I worked with Shon for a while but then stepped down. In January I went back to help her out and realized I missed the women, so now I’m back working at the Remand Centre. Recently the women started asking for Bibles for their families. I hope to give them easy-to-read Bibles for their children.

Cheryl: The Lord caught me in a very bad situation, but He has changed me. I met Shon and Marilyn at the Remand Centre. I am an addict, and ICWM has helped me a lot with my addictions. I was an alcoholic, but the Lord set me free from that on January 28. He is still working on some other issues. If it weren’t for Shon and Marilyn I wouldn’t be here; the Lord brought them into my life for a reason. Free on the Inside is one of the Bibles Shon gave me at the Remand Centre, and I am now using it to minister to other women. Many women there don’t know how to read, so I’m helping them.

Thank You from CEF

Virginia Dyck

Thank you to everyone involved in LifeLight Ministries, making it possible for Child Evangelism Fellowship to receive Bibles. We use the Bibles in schools in the Discovery Time program, as well as in our five-day club programs and Good News clubs during the summer. We especially like to give them to young Christians who don’t have Bibles of their own.

Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to give a New Testament to a neighbour friend who did not have a Bible and wanted one. She insisted that she was going to pay for it! I accepted her donation because I felt she would value it more if she gave something.

 

 

LifeLight strengthens partnership with IBS

STEINBACH, MB—Canadian LifeLight Ministries is strengthening its long-time working relationship with International Bible Society (IBS), based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The agreement signed in February firmly establishes LifeLight as the Canadian distribution agent for the large international Bible distributor. While LifeLight has had an ongoing association with IBS for ten years in a ministry capacity, the new agreement makes the relationship official, says LifeLight president Raymond Dueck. LifeLight already had access to the full catalogue offered by IBS but will now be ordering in larger volumes and at a lower price.

IBS is also pleased. “At the core of our ministries’ heart's is the desire to distribute God’s Word and Scripture tools to more people so that they might have the opportunity to become disciples of Jesus Christ— growing, maturing and sharing their faith with others,” says IBS director Robert Swales. “I am so pleased we have this special ministry relationship with LifeLight Ministries. May God’s kingdom grow and be enhanced through our combined efforts of Scripture distribution!”

Bolstered by the distribution agreement with IBS, LifeLight plans to set up more distribution centres across Canada. “We aim to have representation in every major city in Canada over the next five years,” says Dueck. Currently, LifeLight has representatives in Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes.

LifeLight is a not-for profit ministry, inspired by International Bible Givers in the U.S., which distributes free Bibles. “We give away Scriptures as God provides funds, “says Dueck. Specific Bible funds are set up to cater to particular areas of need or to provide ministries with a bank of Scriptures to draw on. Bibles are made available from the fund as donations enable their purchase from suppliers. LifeLight holds a number of ministry accounts, one of which is devoted to providing Scriptures for prisons.

In March 2007, the nearly 200-year-old IBS merged with Send the Light of England, one of the world’s largest distributors of Christian literature. This combination of organizations brings together “core competencies of Bible translation, Bible and Christian book publishing and global distribution into one of the largest and most far-reaching Christian literature agencies in the world.”

Men of Integrity Bible

T. B. accepted Christ as his personal Savior on August 29, 2005 at the Woodstock Chapel. At that time volunteer chaplain Doug gave him a "Men of Integrity" Bible. On December 12th, 2006 we received this e-mail from Tom.

 

God Bless and Hi!

A while ago I used to drive a truck for a long distance carrier. I once stopped by the chapel at the 230 exit. I am not sure if I remember his name correctly, but I think it was Gord (Doug) whom I met at that time. I got the "Men of Integrity" book. It is an Old and New Testament as well as a reading for each day of the year based on some real life situations reflecting life today. I really liked it. I was trying to make it a goal to keep reading from day to day until I read the entire Bible in the company truck, and the truck was stolen. So was my "Men of Integrity" Bible.

 

No.... Can you tell me how can I get it again? I really liked it because of the readings I mentioned, as well as I liked it because it is in English. English is my second language. Bottom line is I am not very happy to learn it was stolen along with my truck. My life I think is too busy to make a trip to Woodstock to get it. But I really would like to get the "Men of Integrity" Bible again.

 

Another Bible immediately was sent to Tom and this was his hand written response.

 

Len! Thank you for responding so quickly, and for sending me the "Men of Integrity" Bible.I am so happy to have it again. It is good to know that in this crazy world there are still people who care. For 6 months I used to drive long distance in Canada and the USA. It was a very lonely lifestyle and it is great to know that at the 230 Truck Plaza there is a chapel and good people who can give courage to someone like me. I would like to give some courage to you also (enclosed was a financial gift) so you know what you do for others is great. I appreciate what you do.

John VE

 

The Word walks down trapper’s trail

The Word walks down many of the trapper’s trails in Northern Manitoba thanks to the Lifelight Bibles that we handed out at the Trappers Fur Table 2006 in Thompson, Manitoba.  It was encouraging to see the hunger for the word as many of the trapper’s approached the table. Their desire to see the bibles go with them on their trap lines and into their homes was obviously God ordained as they helped themselves to the book table.

For my two helpers and I, it was a privilege to be able to interact with the trappers.  It wasn’t just giving out Bibles that was important but answering peoples  questions and also listening to their stories. Many of them shared their grief and hardships with us.  Some were searching for answers about sickness and death. One person came and told us his testimony about how Jesus healed him physically. He feels so much better now.  “There is lots of life in this body now”, he commented.  In all these circumstances, we could share Jesus Christ and his power to help us to overcome grief, sickness and death. 

Over the two days at the book table we met many people and even renewed some old acquaintances. In all it was a blessing to be there sharing in their lives. They commented that the Bibles were easy to understand, the price is right and some even asked if they could take two of them; one for themselves and one for a friend. We gladly encouraged them to do so and it wasn’t long before the boxes sat empty on the floor.  Let’s continue to pray that they will understand and receive for themselves the gift of eternal life as they read the Lifelight Bibles.  Thanks to Anne M for asking us to help out.  It was a privilege to do so.

Ron P

 

LifeLight in Kampala Uganda

you’re probably wondering about the bibles…I gave the bibles that you sent along to David, Maerg & Selam.  They are refugees from Eritrea, Africa.  They have been waiting in Kampala, Uganda for just over 2 years to come to Canada.  David & Maerg are brother and sister and Selam is their niece.  David & Maerg's older sister, Freiwini, attends our church.

They are very sincere christian people.  We were very fortunate to spend 2 meals with them.  They came to our hotel for one meal and then they invited us over to their place for a traditional Ethiopian meal.  It was amazing.  Before the meal started they came around to each of us with a basin & pitcher to wash our hands.  Then they served us Injera which is a kind of bread which they use to dip into a chicken/egg stew.  It was very tasty!!  After that they served us coffee.  They actually roasted the coffee beans right in front of us, ground them up and then made coffee which they served in small cups.  We had the traditional 3 "rounds" which kept us up most of the night!!

Maerg & Selam spoke to us a little bit about their escape to Uganda.  They had been captured in Eritrea and were being held in a truck box.  They were only allowed to get out of the box to go to the bathroom in the woods.  That's how both of them escaped.  They travelled through the desert in Somalia to Uganda.They dressed in muslim head coverings so that they wouldn't be discovered. 

They say that life in Kampala is still very difficult.  Because they are refugees, they are not allowed to work.  They depend completely on Freiwini (their sister in our church) to send them money for their food, clothing and shelter.  They have very very little.  Their faith in God and the fellowship they have with other christians in their church give them hope.  They told us about a revival meeting that their church held in a little village in the courtryside just outside of Kampala.  They preached the way to salvation to them and they said that just over 100 people came to know Jesus.  The villagers were very poor and so the church people gave them the clothing that they could spare.  This was just amazing to me.  These people who have so very little themselves still found something that they could give to those who had even less.  

They were very thrilled to get the bibles.  They were going to bring them to their church and then give them out to people that they were sharing the gospel with.  It's amazing how God brought you to my house just a few days before I was to leave for Africa.  I believe that this was part of God's plan to get those bibles into Africa.  We have an amazing God!

God bless you Uncle Pete & Aunt Caroline as you continue to distribute bibles with  Lifelight Ministries.  

Christa  

 

Spring Brunches - Mark your calendars - invite your contacts

April 14

Martha has booked SBC for the Steinbach brunch for April 14. Please call Martha to tell her you are coming and how you want to help

April 21

St Vital EMC Please call Marg at 339-3770 to tell her you are coming and how you want to help

April 22 1 pm

Albright Church Please call Marg at 339-3770 to tell her you are coming and how you want to help

April 28

Rosenort Heritage Place April 28. Please call Martha to tell her you are coming and how you want to help

May ???

Arborg - Bill?

May ???

Winkler Morden - we had a few people at Missionfest that volunteered to do the legwork - Martha can you check the entry forms and advise Marg?

Please call the people on your calling list to invite them and advise Marg or Martha of how many are coming. Marg will have invitations soon for hand out

Do you have suggestions for good speakers / singers for these brunches?

See you there!

Raymond
204-782-2112 cell
Canadian LifeLight Ministries Inc
"God's Word for this generation"
Box 4904
Steinbach MB R5G 1R5
204-320-9676
866-HIS-WORD (447-9673)
Raymond@TheLifeLight.com
www.TheLifeLight.com

Canadian LifeLight Ministries Winnipeg Office
330 - 1695 Henderson Hwy.
Winnipeg, MB           R2G 1P1
Ph. (204)339-3770
email: cllmwpg@mts.net

Check out our catalogue at www.LifeLightMinistries.org/catalogue/
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