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Overview:
New Beginnings Made Possible By You!
2022 ICC Week of Prayer, January 24-48
Los Pinos Celebrates 42nd Anniversary
Fear no Weevil
Stephen's Story
Stephen and his four siblings were orphaned at a young age. No family members stepped up to take in the children. Would they survive? And would it be possible for them to stay together? Providentially, their story came to the attention of Michael, ICC’s director in Ghana. Michael contacted us, and arrangements were made to bring Stephen and his siblings into the care of the ICC family. That was in 2001.
Fast-forward 20 years and you’ll find those siblings growing up. And thanks to the support of ICC family members like you, Stephen, the eldest, has recently completed his degree in computer science.
Stephen is a loving, caring young man who stepped up to help provide leadership within the ICC family in Ghana when Michael suddenly passed away.
And now, a new chapter is starting for Stephen as he recently obtained his first job. He sent to Rick and Sharon Fleck a touching testimony that we wanted to share with you. Though Stephen calls Rick and Sharon “Mommy and Daddy,” they stand as representatives of all of the love and care he received from the ICC family. Here is his testimony —
Dear Mommy and Daddy,
I am writing this letter to you to express my deep gratitude to you for all the numerous good works you have done for me and still are doing for me. I am writing to inform you with joy in my heart that I have gained employment to work with a hospital here in Ghana to be part of their Information Technology Unit. This serves as another new chapter in my life, and I thank God for that…
I pray God will give me good health, more knowledge and continue to increase my faith in Him as I continue to move on in life. It is always my prayer that God should lead me in all my ways. I pray He should continue to help me define my purpose in life and continue to guide me to fulfil all His tasks assigned to me on my stay on earth.
I have trusted in the Lord through my basic education and at the university, and He never failed me even during my final year in the university where I had to complete deep computer programming projects.
I remember one evening I woke up and prayed on my bed telling Him to grant heavenly knowledge. After the prayer ended, I had several options in solving deep data analytics.
The following is one of the testimonies of what God has done for me during my final year presentation at the university. I was scheduled to be the third person to present out of 30. The first two students went, and they were all bounced to go and rework their project again, meaning they were not able to graduate.
Fear started falling on my heart and while standing at the door to the presentation room waiting for my name to be called, I said to the Lord, “Lord you know where I am coming from, a family of no hope, no life, no future. I know you have a plan for me while even I was a clot of blood in my late mother’s womb. You carried me on Your shoulders through ICC, and now I am here to do my final university project defense. Lord, I have studied hard, I worshipped you, Lord if you don’t help me graduate this year, I will be very sad. So, please let Your will be done. Amen.
This was the prayer I said before opening the door to enter the presentation room… I connected my laptop to the projector and started to explain my project thesis, continued to the mathematical module behind my project, continued to the business models and structure behind my work, and finally displayed the software I developed. The Dean of Computer Science opened an avenue to the other senior lecturers if there were any questions from them for me to answer. After he ended, one lecturer said, “Stephen knows what he is doing, and I am not sure I have any questions for him.”
The Dean of Computer Science looked straight into my eyes and said, “Stephen, Congratulations.”
The Lord has been very good to me, and He answers me. My main goal in life is to become one of Africa’s greatest Computer Scientists ever. I give all the credit to the Lord Almighty and ICC.
I always encourage my other siblings in the ICC home to continue trusting In the Lord in all matters of life, because He has a purpose for each one of us. That is why He miraculously made ICC come into the picture to assist us.
All my life has been kept in the arms of the Lord and I deeply believe He will protect me in all ways of life to fulfill His purpose for me on earth.
It has always been my dream to develop a comprehensive software solution for the Adventist Church in training the Adventist young adults to enhance the study of the Word of God in a more interactive way to win more souls for God.
This vision is what I look forward to doing, and I will give ICC the credit for sending me to a good school to get a quality education. While I am about to start my job, I pray that Almighty God protects me and guides me.
Thank you, Mommy and Daddy, Thank ICC. — Your son, Stephen.
Shortly after sharing his testimony, Stephen sent an update:
I have started working, and I am very happy. I just cannot believe the transformation ICC has helped me gain. From an orphan child to an educated young man.
I have started work as the General Information Technology Manager for Spinal Clinic Limited. I am the person supervising the information Technology Department for the two branches of the facility…
Yesterday after my first management meeting, I went to my office. I asked God for heavenly wisdom for my work…
Thank you, ICC. I love ICC.
Your son, Stephen
Because of people like you, Stephen is able to launch into a career he loves. He acknowledges God’s leading and is especially grateful for his ICC family. Thank you for blessing the lives of children like Stephen.
2022 Week of prayer, January 24-28
“Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” Psalm 82:3
Prayer support for the children of ICC is vital to their growth and holistic development. You have an opportunity to join other ICC family members from Monday, January 24 through Friday, January 28 for a special Week of Prayer focused on specific needs. During this week at 9:00 a.m. PST, ICC staff, volunteers, and supporters will be using the ZOOM platform to pray together in person. Please see the login information below to join this special live event. If you are unable to join us, you may wish to pray during a time that fits your needs and schedule.
Here are specific areas of focus for the week:
PRAY for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for the children. Even though the children’s basic needs are met within the ICC family, they still carry scars. Pray for healing for their broken lives.
PRAY for the children’s caregivers and support staff. ICC caregivers and support staff are the frontline missionaries for the children. Pray they will have the wisdom, strength, and patience to serve the children.
PRAY for ICC schools and churches. ICC schools and churches provide spaces for the children to learn about the world around them and their Heavenly Father. Pray that God will bless the children through the schools and churches, the teachers and pastors.
PRAY for ICC’s grown children. Grown children face many challenges as they prepare themselves to live independently or make the transition to living on their own. Pray that God will guide them and protect them and keep them faithful to Him.
PRAY for the worldwide ICC family of supporters. ICC’s family of volunteers, donors, sponsors, and prayer warriors make this mission for orphan and vulnerable children possible. Pray that God will bless and protect each of ICC’s family members as they help provide for the care of the children in 2022.
Join us in prayer
Join this event M–F at 9:00 A.M. PST
At ZOOM.com.
Meeting ID is 957 814 8727. Password: Prayer.
Los Pinos Celebrates 42nd Anniversary
The children and staff of the Los Pinos Children’s Village in Guatemala recently celebrated the 42nd anniversary of ICC’s first project.
The festivities began October 22 at 5:00 in the morning with the raising of the flags of Los Pinos, ICC, and Guatemala. Everyone sang the national anthem and then shared breakfast. This first day was concluded by welcoming the Sabbath with a special program.
The next day, special programs were held at the campus church. The speaker for the morning service was Pastor Munguía, President of the North Mission of the SDA church. There was an afternoon program as well as an evening of recreation and games for the children.
Caption: Raising the flags of Los Pinos, ICC, and Guatemala during anniversary events.
On Sunday, the local board of directors surprised the children by giving them new curtains and bedding for their homes. The children were very surprised, happy, and grateful for this kindness shown to them. The celebration ended on Sunday with a great picnic at the river.
Here is a special message of thanks to you —
“We are very grateful to all the donors who support us so we can carry out these spiritual, social, and recreational activities that are for the growth of the children and young people who are under the care of Hogar Los Pinos in Guatemala. God bless you for sharing your blessings with those who need it. Thank you so much!
Fear No Weevil — By William Hurtado
NEWSFLASH: EVERYONE’S CROPS BURNED DOWN — EXCEPT YOURS!
What if you were a farmer and your town’s agricultural co-op experienced devastation–but your crops didn’t? Would you thank God you were spared? Yes! But what if your town’s crops failed–and yours did too? Would you start looking around for someone to blame?
As the farm manager in the Mexico El Oasis Children’s Village, Raul protects the jalapeño crops every year, doing everything he can to make them successful. Like the children the El Oasis campus cares for, Raul and his staff carefully nurture the plants so they can yield an abundant harvest.
But when weevils came through their valley this August and destroyed their entire crop, and the crops of all the farmers in the area, devastating the town’s economy, they were left to wonder, what happened?
Why did God not protect our farm from this pestilence? If we become like Job’s friends, we might ask, “who wasn’t good enough for God to protect?”
Job 4:7.
When God’s people experience loss, are they necessarily to blame? Think of all the children who experience abuse and tragedy. When one of them is ransacked by the Enemy through neglect, parental loss, and brokenness, does our Heavenly Father point a finger, or does He feel deep sorrow for their loss?
God’s workers are grateful when God protects them from painful experiences. But when sin slaps them in the face, Jesus says;
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:1–3 NLT
When Jesus was pummeled in the face by Roman soldiers, He joined humanity in their sorrow. When God allows us to experience hurt and pain, we can empathize with others who have experienced loss, because we have been there — or are there — like all of the farmers in the valley right now.
For now, may ICC children, workers, and sponsors, all together hold on to God’s promise. God is Faithful. “No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others.
God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 Net Bible
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me…” (Psalm 23:4 KJV).
You Can Help!
The El Oasis Pepper Farm has been profitable and has helped to meet expenses at the children’s village for the last three years. This plague of weevils was highly unusual in that it came several months earlier than would be expected, and the weevils were much more abundant. Raul and all the other farmers worked together to put up a valiant fight to eradicate the weevils. But in the end, the pepper plants had to be plowed under. Everyone experienced devastating loss. We were relying on this crop to help provide funds for the El Oasis Children’s Village as well as provide for the preparations of next years’ crop. Please pray for the El Oasis farm.
If you would like to help financially, please consider sending an extra gift in support of the El Oasis project today.
Mark your gift, “El Oasis Emergency.” Thank you!
