OUR
TEAMS
Guatemala - June, 2024
In July of 2024, Redeemer Church in Apple Valley, CA partnered with ConnecTree to bring a team of 12 to Buena Vista, Guatemala to work with DeepStream Ministries once again. ​​They enjoyed a wonderful time of ministry together, working alongside the staff at the school with several groups of the students. They had 2 mornings with pre-k and elementary age students, helped in the upper grade English classes, visited with some of the families in the village and did an afternoon of field games. They also helped with a small building project at the school and spent several mealtimes with various members of the staff.
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It was a blessing to deepen the relationship with this ministry and see the impact of the work that DeepStream ministries is accomplishing in Buena Vista.
Moldova - August, 2023
In August of 2023, we took a team of 4 to visit our missionary friends in Moldova after a 4 year absence due to covid and the war in Ukraine. Last year they resumed their normal weekly bible studies, Christmas and Easter outreaches and summer camps, following a busy year of Ukraine refugee relief. Last summer they tried a week-long day camp in a new village for the first time that went over really well and allowed about 60 additional youth to experience a version of camp and hear the gospel.
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This year, our team joined them for the week of day camp working with a group of about 40 kids who do not normally attend the weekly bible study and Taekwondo lessons. We had a wonderful time with the kids, doing music, devotionals, English lessons, and field games. Please pray for these kids, some of whom responded to the gospel, and for the ongoing ministry there.
Guatemala ~ July, 2023
In July of 2023, ConnecTree again had the joy of leading a team of people from Redeemer Church in Apple Valley, CA to work with DeepStream Ministries in Buena Vista, Guatemala. We also had a young couple join us from a church in Los Angeles.
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We had a wonderful time working with the students at the school, from the preschoolers to taking the high schoolers on a field trip to Lake Atitlan for a day on the water, to leading a morning of activities with the primary kids, and painting the administrative offices. We had dinner with some of the staffs' families and visited the homes of some Redeemer sponsored kids. We also had the privilege of meeting a local man who is bed-ridden, stricken with a disease that has stolen his health and independence. He moved us all with his testimony and his outlook on life and what serving the Lord with everything we have really looks like. What a blessing to sing songs of praise with him and share that amazing time together.
We were grateful to participate in this ministry and excited for the work that DeepStream ministries is doing in Buena Vista.
Mexico - June, 2023
In June of 2023, ConnecTree took a team of 5 to work with our missionary friends in Mexico City. We haven't taken a team there since 2017, so it was wonderful to reconnect with them in person. One of our board members joined the team, as well, giving him a chance to see first-hand what the Lord is doing there.
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We participated in one of their regular outreaches, spent a few days visiting families and sharing the gospel, and helping with their farming project that helps provide fresh produce for food packages they deliver to poor families. It was a blessed time with them, and we and they were mutually encouraged to carry on in the ministry God has set forth.
Guatemala ~ September, 2022
In September of 2022, ConnecTree enjoyed the blessing of leading a team of people from Redeemer Church in Apple Valley, CA to work with DeepStream Ministries in Buena Vista, Guatemala. Mark and Gina Schmidt started a wonderful work there in 2011 with a vision to provide a quality, Christ-centered education for pre-k through 11th grade, helping families take ownership of their kids' education, and with the help of sponsors from around the world. They hope to provide a vibrant, life-giving environment where preparation meets opportunity and young people can dream and pursue goals that lead them out of the generational cycles of poverty that have plagued their community.
We had a wonderful time getting to know their loving staff and the students that attend the school, with a special morning with the preschoolers, helping in ESL classes, worship with the MOPs group, gardening, painting, and a trip to the zoo with the 5th and 6th grade classes. We were blessed to participate in this ministry and excited for the work that Mark and Gina continue to pour their lives into.
Moldova ~ June, 2018 & July 2019
In the summer of 2018, we took a team to work with a mission pastor in Chisinau, Moldova assisting in his church planting efforts through Taekwondo classes, bible teaching, English classes and a family seminar. We had opportunities to share the gospel and our testimonies with people in some of the rural villages just outside of the capital city. The following summer, two of our teammates were able to return, to do much the same thing, fortifying relationships that were forged the year before.
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Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. Many teens leave hoping to find a better life, only to be trapped into human trafficking. Many parents are migrating to other parts of Europe and Russia to find jobs, leaving their children behind in impoverished situations with aging relatives. People are disenchanted with the Orthodox church that dominates the religious and even political landscape in Moldova, and are ripe for the message of grace and hope that is found in Christ. We were excited to come alongside our mission pastor there in the amazing work God is doing through his ministry!
Chiapas, Mexico ~ December 2017
In December of 2017 a group of 4 of us traveled to Mexico City to join 6 Mexican missionaries to travel to Chiapas, Mexico to work once again with Pastor Jaime among the persecuted believers that he ministers to. Please see below for more detailed information about his work. We were blessed to visit 5 communities, see the construction supplies our team sent funds for put to good use in helping to rebuild after the September, 2017 8.2 earthquake and hurricane Katya. We also brought blankets, clothing and food supplies for all of the families. The work continues there and they need all the prayer and support they can get!
Mexico ~ December 2015
In December of 2015, we traveled with a team to join 3 Mexican national mission workers who reach out to indigenous people in southern Mexico. Fernando and Isabel Garcia work among indigenous groups in Puebla doing evangelistic meetings and coming alongside local pastors to help with outreach and discipleship. Isabel's sister Feli Cisneros works with a mission pastor in Chiapas, Mexico reaching out to groups of persecuted Christians who have been ostracized for their refusal to renounce their faith in Christ and return to their tribal religions. Voice of the Martyrs considers this location to be hostile to Christians. Our team had the opportunity to travel to Chiapas with Fernando, Isabel and Feli and to work with Pastor Jaime bringing food, clothing, blankets, building materials and encouragement from fellow believers from Mexico and the US, something these folks get very little of. We were told repeatedly how much our willingness to leave our homes and families at Christmastime to spend time with them encouraged their hearts. We heard stories of tragedy, faith, courage and endurance, and above all we got to rejoice in God's love for His people together. We pray they will continue in their faith, and we look forward to future opportunities in Mexico.
France ~ July 2014
In July of 2014 we took a team of 4 to work with Doug and Krista Livie, workers with World Venture, in their village in Chevry Cossigny, France. Doug pastors a small but growing church, and he and Krista coordinate an annual summer English camp, in conjunction with the local community English association. We taught English to youth in the afternoons, and adults in the evenings. We had the privilege of staying in the homes of some people in the village, really getting to experience the French way of life first-hand. Our hosts, and the English association treated us to some amazing visits to some historical French sites, sharing their culture and history with us. It really was an amazing cultural exchange. We also got to experience the fellowship of the Livies' church that they are leading in their home. They have recently acquired a building and are starting to meet there, reaching out to the community.
Germany ~ June 2014
In June of 2014 we took a team of 8 ladies to minister with Cynthia Heflebower of Now Germany. We worked with women from the local churches doing some in-reach with encouragement from the Word of God, object lessons, worship through music and crafts. We visited Cynthia's various youth groups and fellowshiped with them. We helped a local Christian bookstore renovate a space to host a coffee shop and "rest stop" for people attending the annual Radeberg festival as an outreach. During the festival our worship team sang out front and handed out literature, and others sat inside on the rainy, chilly day drinking tea and coffee and talking with members of the community. It was a blessed time of fellowship with members of the local churches, and new connections were made in the community for future ministry. We also had a great time seeing how Cynthia has integrated into the fabric of Radeberg and the deep relationships she has with people there.
Tanzania ~ 2011
While ConnecTree wasn't officially incorporated until 2012, we consider our trip to Tanznia, Africa in 2011 our maiden voyage, so to speak, of the ministry that evolved into ConnecTree. Friends serving in Tanzania contacted Cheryl about bringing a team to serve for a week. We were able to pull together a multi-church team, with 3 of their supporting churches providing team members, supplies and finances to help make this trip possible. We were blessed to spend a week in the Datooga village where they lived. We met families around the fire at night for bible stories and conversation, we did programs with the school children, played games and shared gifts we brought with us. It was a sweet and eye-opening time meeting these people that our friends had been laboring to love and share the gospel with for 7 years. We then spent a week doing Vacation Bible School with the children of Africa Inland Mission's missionaries from Tanzania in the capitol. What a joy to fellowship with all the people on the front lines of tribal missions!