The McCrea News - March 2012
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1) Darren and Patty McCrea have a heart for children and ministering to them. During a recent trip to Colombia, they encountered several young people they had previously ministered to who are now serving as missionaries. 2) These encounters included meeting former students of James' who are now doing missionary work, as well as young women Patty had previously helped who are now missionaries. 3) Darren reflects that who they are today and who their children are is the result of people investing in their lives, and they are privileged to now invest in others.
The McCrea News - March 2012
- 1. THE McCREA NEWS www.ourlovingfather.com March 2012 Once Upon a Child Dear Friends, From Humble Beginnings It’s no secret that Patty and I have a heart for children. Maybe it is the reflection of our own troubled childhoods, but I was born and grew up in a slum we cannot resist the allure of breaking through any barrier to community in Northeast Bogota. let a child know that they are treasured and valued by God There I lost my father to a stray their Father. bullet that took his life when I was only four years old. And so we have done that - loved kids; played with them, hugged them, turned My mother became a widow with two young girls. In them upside down and encouraged spite of working a job that only paid HALF of the others to do the same - never knowing minimum wage, she managed to provide for us and what kind of impact we were making.... impart Christian values to her daughters. She has always encouraged us to follow God’s dreams. In January, we travelled to Colombia for a month. This was a ministry trip, but it From the time I was little our family attended a was also the first time the boys had been Methodist church located in the same neighbourhood back to their native land since we moved At James’ old school. where we lived. It was in that church where so many to Canada. people invested in my life. I remember the teams that came from other countries to build our church; people For James, it was a time to reconnect with family and he that would take the time to play with us and do the even got to teach a class on Canada at his old school. He impossible - just to get us to smile. Through you I loved the attention and did very well as a guest speaker! learned about the Father heart of God and how He cares for his children. Daddy was also doing his share of speaking. Our home church in I want to thank each one who directly or indirectly Bogota is a congregation of some invested in my church and my life with their prayers, 3500 people with a heart for their times and their finances. It was that church missions and our Pastor had invited where my sister and I both received our call to ministry me to speak for three days: a and where I met Darren McCrea, who I would encounter financial seminar on Friday and once again many years later in Cartagena. Saturday, followed by FOUR, count them, FOUR! Sunday services - focussed on Missions. I am now 23 and for the last 7 years I have been working as a Missionary in Youth With A Mission. BUT, it was the time I spent teaching in Cartagena that Coming from such humble beginnings, it is hard to really caught our attention. When I first arrived in believe where God has taken me - travelling to places Colombia many years ago, I was involved in several that I had only seen on TV and ministering in more construction projects. One of those projects was working with that a dozen countries. I have learned English and seen teams from a US Methodist church to build a parsonage. God provide for my needs daily. We built a building, ministered, and loved on a lot of kids, but God chose me for big things and I am walking with Him when the pastor later fell into sin and the church didn’t grow, to fulfill His purpose in my life. we were left wondering - what did we really accomplish? In the following testimony lies the answer:
- 2. In Cartagena, I was teaching 17 dedicated Missionaries a five day Communications Seminar and it was a great time, but in the process I ran into FIVE different young ladies that Patty and I had ministered to in Bogota over the years! Our students pose in “The House of the Nations.” This is the new missions centre for YWAM Cartagena that is not yet completed, but already in use. Rudy & Diany Even as Patty and I pour into our own boys, we realize Beyond Jazmin and her sister Elizabeth, I was surprised to that who we are today and who our children are, is a encounter Diana Gordillo doing a school of missions (DTS) at result of the people that have poured into our lives. the base. Diana is a young lady from the street ministry where Patty and I once worked. Not only was Patty her school We are privileged to sow into others only because of teacher, but she also helped to take care of her. what was first sown into us; by so many spiritual fathers and mothers. The seed you sow today, however small, The same day I met Rudy and Diany, two young ladies that are the fruit of an outreach centre that we helped to build. The ministry “Faith and Hope” has been an ongoing project for us where we have provided logistical support, taken work teams and helped with various needs. It was a total surprise running into these young ladies serving in Missions. Like Jazmin, they come from humble circumstances and God has taken them to the nations. James teaching his former classmates! Until next time, hug some children and let them know that God loves them. You are His arms. Æ Darren, Patty , James & Darien Æ English For Missionaries - we taught a class! As full time volunteers we receive no salary. If you wish to be a part of our work in Colombia and the worldwide Christian community that we are called to serve, please consider partnering with us through your giving. To partner with us, make your cheque out to: “Youth With A Mission” and mail it to the address below. Due to Income Tax Legislation our names cannot appear ANYWHERE on the cheque. Please enclose a separate note specifying it for the work of Darren & Patricia McCrea. For gifts in Europe, please write to us for wire transfer information. PayPal is available on our web site. In Canada: YWAM - Project Funding In the USA: YWAM - Accounting Box 57100 , RPO East Hastings P.O. Box 3000 Vancouver, BC Garden Valley, TX Canada V5K 5G6 USA 75771-3000 International Phone Number (Miami Area Code) - 305 677 0100 E-Mail [email protected]