Preparing to go back to Canada!!!

  Where has the time gone. As I sit here today, I look at the calender and see there are 2 weeks till I move out of my apartment, lots of packing and cleaning up to do. In 5 weeks I will be on a plane heading home to Canada. There so many up and downs for me these days I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends back in Canada. Yet will miss so much of Belgium and the friends that I have got here. Yet I know this is what God is calling me to do is go home and share his amazing love to the Canadians around me.
  I fly home the 15th of December. I will spend most the the time in December with family and Christmas functions. I am looking forward to seeing each one of you. If you would like to see me please contact me at joanne.ynema@om.org Most of these appointments will happen in the new year, but if you are not form the Niagara Region and will be there during the holidays I would be very happy to see you during that time if you have time. Please contact me and I will try to arrange to see you during that time. Looking forward to hearing from you.
  Thanks so much for partnering with me during this time here in Belgium and looking forward to continuing this partnership during my next 2 years as I serve in Canada.

  "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all."  Philippians 1:3-4  

Vacation Fall 2011

Time away is always nice and usually to short, last week I had some time to go to the Netherlands. I went away to a little retreat spot. Real nice. Beautiful fall weather. Great for some nice walks, and just relaxing. I went away with a family who works here with OM Belgium. 

Here are a few pictures of my time away.  

August 2011

 Well August started off quite, which was nice sit back and get some rest. During the first few weeks of August I was able to prepare for the end of August and into the fall a bit.
  From Aug 21st till Sept 3rd I was in Holland. I went to the GO (Global Orientation) Conference which all OMer's attend before heading out to there service field. I was there as the Canadian rep. So every country who has someone go form or going too needs to have a rep form that country there. It was an amazing time and what a privilege I had to be part of the team that helps these new recruits get to there country of service. As I think about heading home to Canada, and knowing that I will be a part of seeing Canadians head out to serve our amazing and awesome God, it is such an amazing privilege to help them through this process.
   As I look to this next step as I work at the Canadian office seeing our God work through amazing ways through us. Please pray with me as I prepare to head home in the next few months. As I prepare to work at the Canadian office and my home church. I can not do this with out each one of you being there for me, through prayer and financial support, please prayerful consider joining or continuing on being part of this team. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about any of this, and I will do my best to answer. Thanks so much for being part of my team.

Looking towards the Future!

 Well if you get my newslettIer, you know I am coming home some time in the next 4 to 5 months. But for those who may have missed it I will continue on, sometime in late December or early new year, I should be home in Canada.
  You may wounder what I will be doing and well to tell you I know very little of what I am doing in some ways, but here is what I know. I am going to continue working with OM, I will be working in the office in Port Colborne, this is a way of serving that many times gets looked over as many people think that is not missions. Well if they were not there, their would be no one out doing ministry in other places of the world, the job of that office is to get people out. So please pray for the OM Canada team as well as the ones around the world, as they are all serving where God has called them to be. The other thing I will be doing is volunteering at my church as the Children's Pastor. I am committing to my home church and to OM that I will be there for the next 2 years. Will you pray and consider being part of my team. This is through prayer, financial and practical help that may be needed.
  I am looking forward to see what God has in store for me as I learn many new things in this time. So as I wind down my time here in Belgium and continue my ministry here for the next 4 months, there will be lots to think and pray about so please pray as I work towards coming home that I will not lose focus on what is here still and needs to be done. As I realize my 2 years are soon going to come to a close I sometime wounder where the time has gone. It has been amazing to me how God has used me to be part of this ministry here in Belgium. I thank each one of you for your love, prayers and support for me here in Belgium thank you for being part of my team I could not do this with out each one of you on my team, and look forward to continue working with you in the years to come.  
 

JULY 2011

 Well the month of July was a busy month, July 4-8 we had a kids club here in the Brussels which we went into the Jungle teaching the kids about the truths of the Bible. We gave the Salvation story using the Evangacube. We had anywhere form 20-30 kids that fist week.
From July 16-22 I was in France helping out in an outreach which we had a kids club and concert that was held. The church we went to help has about 30 people that go there and 15 of them are children. So it was great to be part of it.
 From July 25-29 I was back here in Brussels working at the second week of club, which this week we had anywhere form 40-60 kids each day. We played games and sports games. Did crafts and had story's about Paul. Some of these kids are starting to ask some deep questions. Please pray that God will work in there lives and that we will be able to answer these questions that come up.
   Now that August is here it is a quieter for a few weeks then I am off to Holland on the 21st  to help with a conference for new recruits.
  Thanks again for all your prayers, love and support of this ministry.

 

Summer is here!!!

Well the calendar says it's summer but this week it is all rain here in Belgium but then again when it was spring on the calendar it was summer like!! But with summer here it means we go into a busy time. This July Le Havre has 2 weeks of clubs 1st one is just 2 weeks away  July 4-8 and the second one is form July 25-29 and as OM we are going to be part of an outreach in the city of Ghent while they have a festival in the city which runs form July 15-25, but as the second week of club starts the 25th I will be heading home to be part of the club a day or two early.
   Beginning of August I have some quite time, and than from Aug 22 to Sept 3 I will be in Holland at the GO (Global Orientation) Conference. This is a conference for new recruits joining OM I will be a staff there this year, helping out OM Canada.  
   This coming Saturday I will be leading a prayer walk and the theme I will be working with is the kids clubs that are coming up, as there is so much need of prayer for every thing we do here. Please also join us in prayer as we have a busy summer. Please pray for the impact that this time will be on the children, for safety and good weather.
 May you all be truly Blessed.  

LE HAVRE EASTER CLUB!!!

    Well what an amazing week we have had. Each day brought form 30-50 kids, ready to play games and have a good time. We toured the world in 5 days. Monday we were in Europe, Tuesday we were in Oceania , Wednesday we were in Asia, Thursday we were in the America’s and Friday we ended in Africa. Each day we took a piece of John 3:16 for the lesson.  Teaching these kids who are mainly Muslim about Jesus who is the Son of God. Challenging them with the fact that he is more than a prophet.

  Each day the kids great you as you get there, they are there waiting for us! They look so forward to the club and all there happy faces are so worth every moment of it.  

  The weather was great the whole week; it felt like summer … it was great. And it started to rain an hour after club was officially done on Friday.

  Thanks so much for all your prayers. Geneviève did great this week, she took Thursday off to rest, and you could tell she was tired at times but she managed just well and she was able to pace herself which was really good.  

 Please continue to pray for these kids as they think about all that they have heard this week.  As many of them will be challenged with this as many of them come from Muslim homes.

 We had a great group of volunteers who came to help each day. Who love these children which was great!  We had some kind of sport for the older boys each day and we had dance for the older girls while the younger children played a different game each day.

  It has truly been an amazing week, now if I could just speak French that the kids understand. J Many times when I tried to say something this week, well the kids just looked at me and I could tell that they did not understand what I was trying to say to them. But considering a year ago I understood nothing and could not speak really anything to them it is coming.  

  Thanks again for all your prayers, love and support.

  You are all such an important part of my team here.

 Have a great Easter weekend!!

  God Bless,

      Joanne Ynema

PS. There is one lady in the blocks of apartments where we do the club, which is on the street who complains about it many times. Please pray for her  that we can show here love and that she will see God’s love in us.  That we may be able to build a relationship with her.

  Also please pray the parents that we were able to speak briefly  with this week as well, that we can build relationships with them as well.

 

JO’s Journey March 2011

serving in Belgium with Operation Mobilization

One Year and Beyond!

It has been over a year since I left Canada and came over to Belgium. After attending  conference in Germany, I arrived in Belgium at the end of January 2010. I moved to Brussels in March 2010. I have had some ups and downs along the way but that was what I expected.

During this past year I have enjoyed getting to know the ministry of Le Havre and finding out how can I be of assistance in practical ways as I learn the language.

I have had moments where I wonder if I will understand the  language. Although I still have a long way to, I am very happy when I understand something now. I don’t always get the right meaning of it all, but I am starting oh so slowly to understand things. It is mainly just words that I’m getting right now; sentence/conversations still confuse me, but I have started to understand and that’s a good thing.

I started taking French classes in September, First term did not go well and I did not pass so in January I started the class again. I still struggle with some of the things in class but this time I am also doing what is called LAMP (Language Acquisition made Practical). That means I go out and talk to people. I have a phrase in French and I keep saying it to as many people as possible. Then I go back again in a week or two and say another phrase. Through this process I hope to find people who will become regular helpers for me un learning the language. This is definitely not easy. Please pray for me as I go out and try to talk to people this way: that I will find the people I need and that I can minister to them at the same time.

  With less than 10 months lift of my commitment here in Belgium I have started to think about the future and what God wants for me. There are many opportunities for me to be involved in  furthering the kingdom. Please pray with me as I seek what God wants for my future.

 

 

Addition and Subtraction

In February we had 2 girls join us. Joy form the USA, is here for 3 months. She is helping with the office and in the outside ministries. Her purpose here is to find out more about OM Belgium and see if this is where God is calling her. Anna is here for 18 months to help us start an arts ministry here in Belgium. Please pray for open doors as we look at ways to use are and ministry. Out bookkeeper ( Andrew Bridges) who has faithfully served OM Belgium for years is leaving this summer. Please pray that the right person for this job will come along and will fill this urgent need.

 

Le Havre

  We have kids clubs out on the street every other week.  Some weeks we have only a few kids, but other weeks we have almost too many to handle! Things like weather, holidays, and illness play a big role in determining attendance. At the same time we know that there are  more malevolent forces fighting against us as well.  I am reminded again and again, no matter how hard it is , to keep going. Ever if there are only 2 or 3 kids around we are to stay faithful to the calling of this ministry; each child matters to God. Each child should matter to us as well.

  Please also pray for more men to join us here in the Marolles. There is always a need for men to be interacting with the boys in the club.

Also pray for Genevieve, the founder of the ministry of Le Havre. Over the last year she has been ill. She is doing much better right now, but still having health issues.

 

Belgium

Belgium’s Christian population is about 0.5%. They need Christ in such a big way, yet it takes a lot of work for Christians and missionaries to gain the trust of the people. Please pray for open doors and that Beligians will see their need to know Christ.

Belgium has been without a government now since June last year, and there is still no resolution to the situation. Please pray for the king and everyone who is involved in the search for a solution.

 

Thanks so much for your prayer and support!

 

Much love,

 

  Joanne Ynema

Things to pray for:

- Language learning

- Language helpers

- For God to reveal His plans for my future

- staff openings at OM Belgium to be filled

- New OM Belgium Arts Ministry

- More men to volunteer with the kids

- Genevieve and her health

Prayer Walk!!!

  Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything on here!!!

 This past Saturday, we had a prayer walk with the ministry I Work of Le Havre. The forecast was for rain, but God was so good. It was over cast as we started our day, but that morning while we were praying the sun start to shine. God shining down on us as we walked around and prayed.

  I was not sure about this whole thing, as I was not sure how Belgians thought about prayer walks, although we only had like 5 Belgians there, they really seemed to enjoy it. We had 12 people there with us on Saturday form 7 different nationalities. Which was so nice as we are in Brussels one of the most if not the most international city in Belgium. And to have many nationalities come together and pray for an area that is in so much need of Christ's Love. I felt like God was just shining down on us on Saturday as we prayed.

  There are so many needs with so few people to shine God's love to these needy people, please pray for these people and that they will see God's Love through us as we work among them. Thanks.  







 

Christmas in Belgium!!

   Christmas, a time to remember Christs Birth, and celebrate. A time where we share where it can be so easy to share God's love yet do we. A time that we spend a great deal of time with family, and well what do you do when family isn't close by to go see?

    Well here is what my Christmas looked like this year.

      First I went to the Brussels Christmas Market, looked around and they even had a couple stands form Canada. With Quebec Maple syrup and things, although very costly it was neat to see something form Canada.

 It was a fun afternoon at the market.


    The week before Christmas, as OM Belgium we went out Caroling(although  I was not able to as I had a bad cold at the time) they handed out candles to the people they sang to.

  On Christmas Eve once again I could not sing, but Le Havre, in the ministry that I am working with we had a Christmas dinner for the people in the area well the group came along and sang at it and handed out candles as well there. I was able to hand out the candles, this time as it was inside, I just saved my voice and did not sing.

Christmas day was a great day, the sun was out, there was snow on the ground. Spent the day eating lots and enjoying the day. Along with 2 of the other single girls here we spent the day with the a family that are here with OM Belgium and they are form New Zealand with there 3 girls!!   This was my first Christmas away form home and it was different then I am use to but I can say I had a great time and enjoyed myself. A memory I will have for along time!!

 

     I hope each one of you had a great Christmas remembering Christ's birth and why he came, and spent time with people you love. Although a bit late, I wish each one of you a great year ahead and may you be richly blessed and be a blessing to those around you.