Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Back in 2002, I made my first mission trip to El Salvador simply to assist in affiliating a ministry that had been operating as a Calvary Chapel for a few years. Once there, it quickly became quite exciting as it became apparent I was there for much more. Not only were they ready to be affiliated, but they were already working on training pastors in their own school, planting churches and schools, and impacting their communities for Christ. The Lord used my time there to place a burden on my heart to assist them to expand their ministry which resulted in a major refocusing of my life and ministry for the future.
Upon returning to the states, the burden continued and I began looking to find ways to incorporate stateside churches, Calvary Chapels and other like-minded ministries, to come alongside and join the work in Central America. Not long after returning and drawing ministries to come and help in Salvador, I discovered that Michael and Pam Rozell of Potter’s Field Ministries had a deep burden for children around the world and had been supporting and gathering supporters for children for many years. Seeing what the Lord was doing through them in ministering to children, I took Michael to El Salvador. The Lord began working on Michael and Pam, as well as many of their supporters, directing them to take a leading role in the development of churches in foreign countries that would invest in children. We are not only burdened to introduce children to Jesus through sharing the gospel with them, which is our primary motivation, but we are also helping provide for their physical and education needs.
El Salvador has turned into a tremendous blessing for thousands of people. A great number of stateside churches have come alongside the local churches by sending mission teams, helping to purchase land and building churches and schools. There is an 11 acre facility leased by Potter’s Field Ministries on which has been built an orphanage, church, classrooms and bungalows for visiting mission teams. Today, the churches both in El Salvador and in the United States are blessed to have shared in this wonderful work of the Lord that has grown faster than any of us ever dreamed. With this blessing happening in El Salvador, a list of requests from other places in the world have come in, including the great need for help in Entebbe, Uganda. As a side note to this, as more kids ministries are being established and are growing, there is also a great need for sending more laborers into the Lord's harvest field. To address this specific need, I have the blessing of teaching monthly in the Global Impact Program, a missions training school at Potter's Field Ranch in Northwestern Montana, along with John Michaels who oversees the overall mission work of Potter's Field.
One of the most critical requirements for planting churches, schools and children’s ministries in a foreign land is the maturity, heart, and vision of the mission teams that are committed to pouring their lives into such a work. This has brought us to Craig and Loren Linquist, who were on staff at Calvary Chapel San Jose for a number of years with me. Going back further, Craig was born on the mission field in Africa where both his father and grandfather had committed their lives. After Craig's father was accidentally killed on the mission field, Craig's family returned to the states where he completed his college degree in agriculture before joining the staff of Calvary Chapel San Jose. Going back even further, Craig is the grandson of Alan Redpath who has been an incredible blessing to both Jean and I, as well as many of the pastors and churches throughout the world. Craig and his wonderful wife, Loren, seem to be both African and American. That is, Craig, growing up on the field in Africa and also serving in Calvary for many years, has a special comprehension of both worlds. All the Linquists - Craig, Loren and their three sons - are at home in Uganda. In the past few years, they purchased land on Lake Victoria (2 1/2 acres) and built a beautiful church facility. It has a sanctuary, school rooms, offices, and fully landscaped grounds for many children's activities. Presently, they are preparing to add more classrooms and related facilities. This is where Potter's Field Ministries comes in, working with the Linquists to minister to kids through children's outreaches, including the Potter's Kids Saturday Kids Club which ministers to up to 800 kids each week.
I spoke at the church in 2009 and again in 2010. By my second trip, the congregation had doubled in size and the facility was full. The need for those with a heart to help the African church continues to grow and the opportunities to be used are wide open. That said, Craig continues to be determined to see the local congregation ultimately become a self-sustaining fellowship. In addition to the property that houses the ministry, they also have a six acre parcel being used to teach the congregation to farm as well as a tailoring ministry that teaches women to sew, so that they can provide for their families.
This is one of the most exciting times of all my ministry life. As I see it, our part is to come alongside the Linquists as best we can to help build them up, along with their leaders, and the facilities. This coming November, we are returning to Uganda with a team of pastors who want to look into how they and their ministries can come alongside our African brothers and sisters to bless and encourage them, though each time I return I am sure that I am the one that was blessed the most.
The plan is for us to go to Uganda on November 15 – 22, 2010. We will be touring the ministry in Entebbe, along with sharing at the church, school and children’s outreach. We will also be holding a pastors conference while we are there, to encourage the African pastors in the community.
If you are interested in being a part of the work Potter's Field Ministries is doing in Entebbe, Uganda, or around the world, please feel free to contact me. I also encourage you to check out the Potter's Field Ministries website for more information on the ministry, as well as on their missions training school - the Global Impact Program. I believe, as the Lord leads, coming alongside us will truly be a “vision changer” for your missions ministry. Please join us!
Don McClure