Haven Pregnancy Support Clinic

Haven Pregnancy Support Clinic offers a number of educational and practical services for their clients who face the many challenges that come with unexpected pregnancies. Their care towards people’s emotional, physical and spiritual needs makes all the difference for those who are looking for a safe place during this time of need. Their newly updated facility not only helps to provide this safe place, but it dignifies each individual as they receive care during the different stages of their pregnancy needs. For a full overview and peek into this beautiful space, they’ve shared this thank you video with us below!

War in Ukraine

On February 24, 2022 Russia invaded Ukraine and the resulting war has led to Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. Immediately, the churches in Ukraine and surrounding nations sprung into action and began to respond to the desperate situation all around them. 

Through our partners on the ground, Coastline Church was able to contribute over $100,000 to the relief efforts taking place in Ukraine and Poland. Through ERDO, we were able to distribute $40,000 of emergency shelter, water, food and medical supplies to displaced Ukrainians and those fleeing the country. We also responded swiftly to the bombing of the Children’s Hospital in Mariupol by providing $6000 of life saving medications for infants and children who were moved to a hospital in Lviv. That money was matched by Canadian donors to become $68,000 worth of medicine!

We always want to work through the local church and to support pastors on the ground and we have had the opportunity to support both Pastor Serge and his wife Katherine at the Assemblies of God Church in Lutsk as well as Pastor Roman in the city of Zaporazhye. We were able to purchase a new truck for Pastor Roman to help distribute supplies to remote areas and he is continuing to do great work in Jesus’ name. Pastor Serge and Katherine lead a church that is doing great relief work and they also run a childcare ministry. Through the funding from Kingdom Builders, they were able to evacuate children from a shelter in Lutsk and safely relocate them to Czech Republic. 

This is from Pastor Serge’s social media: “One day that changed the lives of many. People who were born and lived in peaceful Kharviv, Mykolaiv, Severodonetsk, Bakhmut, Izyum, Odessa were forced to leave their homes and cities, because many of them had been destroyed. And today they were waiting for help. Our church had the honor to serve with food kits, humanitarian aid, and most importantly the Word of God, support of prayer and hope. And just today more than 700 people received this help. May the Lord bless and comfort everyone.”

Our Kingdom Builders funding will continue to the Ukraine and Poland as the winter is long and cold and many are still in great need. Thank you for responding with great generosity to brothers and sisters who are suffering and need comfort and the hope of Jesus.

Coastline Hampers + Mini Market

As the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we looked at viruses and disease, it also helped us redirect our focus in outreach to those who were struggling to put food on their tables.  Food insecurity here in Victoria is a reality for many, and one way that Coastline Church has made an impact in our community is through helping families and individuals with this ever-increasing problem.  When the pandemic started back in the spring of 2020, Coastline began to share the love of Jesus through helping families in need with food hampers. As the number of hampers increased, the idea of a free food mini market was born through a partnership with the local Mustard Seed organization. These mini markets would allow for a greater choice of food and better use of time and volunteer effort.  The mini markets began at Quadra Village and the Market Street apartments, and has now grown to include the Cridge Centre and a more recent location in Sidney, BC.  We are so grateful for the partnership with The Mustard Seed for produce, dairy, canned and dry goods and meat products as well.  We are also thankful for the CoastlineIgnite community volunteers who help run most of the markets.
 
About a year into the pandemic, we discovered a farm that donates all its produce to charities committed to the problem of food insecurity. Jason Austin of Gatton Farm provides fresh, free produce to organizations around greater Victoria including our mini markets and hamper ministries. Gatton Farm also provides a great place for our outreach volunteers to step out and serve any day of the week. Since March 2021, Coastline has had a weekly presence at the farm to help with the planting, harvesting, and other general work put into growing fruits and vegetables. What a blessing it has been to harvest produce in the morning and see it pass into the hands of those who need it most that same day through the Coastline mini markets. Produce doesn’t get any fresher than that!

The mini markets provide practical support to families in need, but the greater goal of sharing the life-giving message of Jesus has been realized. We have now connected people to Bible studies, prayer times, kids’ camp ministry, and the hope of starting a new church community through this Kingdom Builders initiative. The impact of the Coastline mini markets goes much deeper than just providing food to families in need.  

Meeting basic needs, building new relationships, and sharing the love of Jesus has been such an exciting part of the Coastline hamper and mini market ministry. Special thanks to the Mustard Seed and Gatton Farm for helping us help those in need. 

-Will Wild, Director of Community Engagement and Missions

Back to School Event

Each year, as the summer begins to draw to a close in late August, the excitement begins to build for the Cridge Back-to-School BBQ Event.  Through this annual event, GT Church has been able to bless families from the Cridge Centre with backpacks full of school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students gearing up for the new school year. In the past, the Cridge Back-to-School event has included haircuts for the kids, children’s activities, and face painting to round out a fun afternoon of food and festivities for the families in transitional housing at the Cridge Centre.   

This year, with the help of Kingdom Builders, we were able to increase our backpack giveaway to include families from the Quadra Village Community and additional families that were receiving food hampers throughout the pandemic. In total for 2021, we were able to distribute 115 backpacks! What a way to connect with families and help their children with a positive start to the new school year.

-Will Wild, Director of Community Engagement and Missions

Sending Kids to Camp!

All throughout the month of August, kids from grades 2-12 experienced an incredible weekend at Nanoose Bay Camp with their camp leaders and friends. After taking the year off last year due to Covid, this year was both a reunion and celebration of the life-transformation that camp brings each year. We had 74 kids, 84 middleschoolers, and 158 highschool students attend. All Nanoose Bay Sponsorships funded by Kingdom Builders contributed to 11 students experiencing a weekend that will impact their lives forever, and was only made possible through your generosity.

Supporting Local Moms in Need

This month, we’re so thankful for the opportunity to partner again with the Cridge Centre for the Family to support local moms in need for Mother’s Day. Your Kingdom Builders giving has provided care packages for 40 local moms and families, including grocery and food gift cards, toys for kids, and a special keepsake gift for each mom to know she is valued and loved.

Humanitarian Crisis in Myanmar

The ongoing civil unrest in Myanmar is escalating and creating a humanitarian crisis that is in desperate need of foreign aid. The UN estimates that over 230,000 people have fled into the jungle with little food or shelter. In support of our Kingdom Builders partners Nation to Nation, we recently sent $5000 towards emergency relief kits for refugees living in the jungle as a result of the civil war. This contribution provides food aid, energy bars, portable clean water dispensers, and solar lights for those in hiding along with a gospel booklet. Our partners on the ground report that their efforts to set up a base of operations is going “amazingly well” so that they can provide ongoing assistance in humanitarian aid and sharing the gospel to those in crisis.

The Nation to Nation team focuses on vulnerable conflict-distressed communities in Myanmar. They offer a powerful Christian hope message along with vocational training & replicable, sustainable 'seed to market' solutions with coffee, soy, and clean water systems. Nation to Nation partners with nationals to make a lasting difference.

Thank you for partnering with projects like these to bring hope across the nations! https://www.nation-to-nation.com/

Covid Relief in Bangladesh

Covid Relief for Bi-Vocational Pastors of PAOB (Pentecostal Assemblies of Bangladesh)

Arjun Das (35) is working as a bi-vocational pastor of PAOB since 2014 and has planted 14 churches in his working area. He is a cobbler by profession, and his wife helps him with his work. They have two sons and a daughter. Arjun’s family depends on daily income. They need to work very hard and long to manage two meals for the entire family. But Arjun feels blessed thinking that he can serve the Lord, helping him manage his children’s education and one additional feed for the day as a blessing from the Heavenly Father. However, COVID-19 had a terrible impact on Arjun’s family. During the lockdown he was not allowed to go outside, he could not work. He could manage only 4 to 6 customers per day. There was no income from churches as members stopped to provide offerings due to not having jobs themselves. Managing even one meal had become very difficult. Arjun submitted all the pain and agony of his family to God to believe that He will take care of them. 

The Lord has shown His Mercy through showering blessings upon Arjun’s family. PAOB, as an angel of the Lord, has supported bi-vocational pastors of PAOB. Arjun and other pastors have received a precious gift of financial support that helped their families during this crisis period. Arjun is highly blessed to receive the gift of love. His happiness cannot be explained in words. He is so grateful to PAOB that he burst out into tears during the gift distribution. He brought plenty of food for his family. He is thankful to PAOB and praises the Lord, the father, to show them His presence in their everyday life.