Chile Earthquake BookLink Malaysia Revival

INTERNATIONAL
2010 Issue No. 2
www.clcusa.org
Chile earthquake victim Gaspar Sanchez
Chile Earthquake
An update on CLC in Chile
pg. 3
BookLink
BookLink in action in Thailand
Malaysia Revival
pg. 12
Author John Kitchen visits Malaysia
pg. 22
1
I
Keith Beale
INTERNATIONAL
CLC World is published three
times per year by CLC Ministries
International, 701 Pennsylvania
Ave., Ft. Washington, PA 19034,
a non-profit organization meeting
literature needs around the world
since 1941. © 2010 CLC Ministries
International, Inc. No part of this
periodical may be reproduced
electronically or in print without
permission. We welcome your
comments. Email us at clcworld@
clcusa.org.
CLC U.S.A. is part of an
interdenominational faith mission
working in over 58 countries on
six continents and is a member of
The Mission Exchange (formerly
EFMA).
FINANCIAL POLICY
This multi-ethnic ministry involves
approximately 1000 people of
different nationalities who, by
faith, trust God to supply their
needs. Gifts received for projects
are used as designated. Gifts
given in excess of project funding
needs will be designated to similar
projects. Proceeds from book sales
are used in the extension of the
work worldwide—opening and
developing bookshops and mobile
ministries as well as publishing
and distributing literature in
many languages. Audited annual
financial reports are available
upon request from our office at
PO Box 1449, Ft. Washington,
PA 19034. Subscriptions to CLC
World are free. The average cost
for publication and mailing for one
year is $8.00.
CLC Ministries International
701 Pennsylvania Ave.
PO BOX 1449
Fort Washington, PA 19034
215-542-1242
2
www.clcusa.org
US Director of
Finance and Administration
Financially Speaking….
It is hard to go a day without hearing news about the
economy – prices going up, markets going down, who just
went out of business, or how many people are unemployed.
The lackluster economy has been felt by all, and certainly we
are no exception.
Whether due to the four large snow storms which temporarily
shut down our stores or just caution due to uncertain times,
our overall bookstore sales were down about 7% from the
previous year. Our publishing actually grew by 4%, praise
the Lord, but the overall drop meant we had to borrow
money to pay bills, leaving us with some debt.
Everyone worked hard to find creative ways to reduce
costs. We negotiated lower rents, reduced utility usage and
travelled less, just to name a few, bringing our expenses
down 11%. At the end of the fiscal year, we almost broke
even in net income. We have been trying to sell our Somers
Point, New Jersey missionary house to help pay bills, but
housing sales are still stagnant.
We covet your prayers for our ministry and our finances.
Any donations to help meet needs are greatly appreciated
and can be sent to the address shown below on the left or
can be donated online at www.clcusa.org. For any questions
about our finances, please call me at 215-542-1242.
In this issue...
3 .......... Cover Story – Chile Earthquake
6 .......... Church Bookstore Harvest
8 .......... New UK Bookstores
12 .......... BookLink – Thailand
14 .......... Reflections from Rebecca
16 .......... Where in the World is CLC?
17 .......... GodTunes
18 .......... CLC Book Reviews
20 .......... CLC Venezuela – Warehouse Opening
22 .......... Malaysia Revival
n February, images of the earthquake in Chile gained media
attention and swept around the world. Today, while the
Chilean tragedy is no longer in the news, the need for aid
has become more pressing than ever. The people in this
South American country have slowly begun the task of
rebuilding the country – a process which could take up
to ten years. The hope of a better future, however, is not
enough to overcome the current trauma that Chileans
are living through. The thousands of people who lost
loved ones or possessions as a result of the earthquake
and subsequent tsunami now seek not only material
help to rebuild their homes but also spiritual help to
regain hope and the desire to live.
After several days of complete chaos, CLC was able
to reopen the two hardest-hit bookstores in the cities of
Concepción and Talca with some degree of normalcy. Unable
to use the actual bookstore building in Talca due to the risk of
aftershocks, CLC quickly built a separate room of wood in the back
yard to serve the needs of the public. In Concepción, the second-most
affected city, CLC’s bookstore seems to be one of the few businesses
operating in the city center, with customers arriving constantly. Despite the
fact that both bookstores were closed for several days and that the economy
of the people in these cities has been seriously affected, the distribution of
books and other materials has actually shown some growth.
By Gerardo Scalante
While our workers in these cities are actively involved
in distributing aid to those most affected, their own
houses have also been damaged. While resources permit,
CLC Chile will continue to help pastors and families who have
lost everything, and we are also distributing free literature to those
desperately seeking answers to their situations.
In the midst of so much tragedy, it is reassuring to hear of the miraculous ways
God has been taking care of His children and how this crisis has served to start
a spiritual awakening and a desperate search for God. There is openness in the
hearts of the people and opportunity to testify of the love of God such as we
never before had.
3
The streets in the commercial center were
blocked off
God miraculously spared the pastor
who sleeps in this bed
CLC Chile Director Isaac Zuniga
(green shirt) giving out literature
Gaspar Sanchez was grateful for
help after his house was destroyed
A village street on the coast
CLC staff delivering aid
Removing the rubble any way possible
This damaged church steeple by our
store means we are closed for now
The street is blocked in front of our bookstore
Totally destroyed
CLC member Sergio by the back gate of the
Talca bookstore
Aid for earthquake victims
Donate to Chile Relief fund online at www.clcdonations.org
4
5
Remarkable Results in Sharon Hill
By Shirley
Shirley Brockenborough
Brockenborough
By
n 2007, CLC opened its Word
and Ms. Haley was so impressed with the
of Life Bookstore at First African
bookstore staff that she surprised us and
Baptist Church of Sharon Hill,
returned for the discussion of her book!
Pennsylvania, a neighborhood of
Philadelphia. I was asked to manage
A second offshoot and perhaps the most
the new venture along with a team of
precious, is the Teen Girls Book Club.
dedicated volunteers, but did we know
It started out simply by asking one of
anything about running a bookstore?
our members to lead the girls through
NO! Could we select appropriate
reading and discussing a book called
materials to stock the shelves or even
Staying Pure. This book opened the door
operate a cash register? NO! It was all
for safe discussion of the problems and
brand new to us. It
situations our teen girls
is amazing to look
face each day. Our church
back now and see how Not only do they read, but they is in an area where teen
do service in and out of the
God put just the right
pregnancy and drop-out
church!
people in place and
statistics are alarming,
how He used CLC to
so the church becomes
lead us through the training period.
these girls’ oasis. Soon the girls told their
friends, and many of the young ladies
Listen to what has come out of this small from the neighborhood came for the
bookstore in the last three years!
discussions and eventually joined our
congregation, often bringing their entire
The first was the Women’s Book Club.
families with them! The single reading
The ladies have now read many helpful
selection turned into an ongoing event
books, but more importantly, have
and eventually from a “girls club” into
discussed how their lives often parallel
a “young ladies group.” They are now
the books. Through discussion, they have into their fifth book and loving every
found a greater understanding of their
moment. The best part for me has been
own lives and a realization that they aren’t seeing the transformation from girls
alone. This realization helps them gain
into young ladies. Their decorum is
self-confidence, and many have moved
remarkably different. Not only do they
into other ministries of our church. One
read, but they do service in and out of
of the most exciting experiences was
the church!
a women’s breakfast and book signing
with author Patricia Haley and her book
Another blessing has been to witness
Chosen. The ladies were so excited to have the transforming power of the written
a nationally known author in their midst, Word. Through CLC we are able to put
6
God’s Word in the hands of the
people at their different levels of
understanding. Our 16 bookstore
volunteers have become the go-to
people when it comes to finding
the right resource. We often sense
special needs and are able to
provide for that specific situation.
This always leads people back to
the Bible, often they just need
someone to guide them there.
Our little store has also become a
hub to meet the needs of smaller
churches in our area. Requests
for church supplies and books
continue to grow. We see this as an
effective way to spread God’s Word
and bring His church together in
ministry.
For our volunteers, the greatest
reward is the joy we receive from
serving in God’s garden. Thank
you, CLC, for accepting us as part
of the awesome challenge placed
upon you to take God’s Word into
a starving world. It is the seed
that can change lives and produce
remarkable results!
ofLife
Word
a
CLC Christian
Bookcenter
The Christian Bookstore with a Worldwide Mission
7
I
I
t was on November 16, 2009 that
the news broke about the financial
struggles of IBS-STL (UK) and Wesley
Owen, the UK’s largest chain of Christian
bookstores with 40 shops. Facing the
reality that many of the shops might have
to be closed, CLC began praying about
the situation and those affected by it. Our
leadership team asked what we could/
should do if we are serious about our
Purpose Statement. “I have never sensed
such a sense of peace in a CLC committee
meeting when what is on the table is so
huge and the challenges so great,” said
CLC UK Director Phil Burnham. CLC
made the decision to purchase six of the
shops, while another organization took
on eight more. Twenty-six shops closed
their doors while looking for a way to
keep going, and several have subsequently
reopened. “We have no doubt that we
have done the right thing before the Lord
and before His people in taking over
the bookshops in Bolton, Cambridge,
Coventry, Guildford, Kingston upon
Thames and also Stockport, where CLC
had a bookshop in our early days back
in the 1940’s,” says Burnham. “We have
taken on some excellent, capable and
experienced bookshop staff in these
shops. In the early days there were many
questions going back and forth as we
tried to integrate the two bookshop
systems. Our hope and prayer is that
the result is both a stronger and a more
versatile organization going forward.
We are thrilled that we are able to keep
these six places of witness and ministry
open, and wish it could have been more.
While we have suddenly gained quite
a few employees, as you will see below,
volunteers play a vital role in all these
shops.”
8
There are many personnel needs in our UK
ministry (bookshops, distribution, IT, finance,
HR, website, publicity…) and you might be
just the person to fill it! Please contact us at
[email protected].
CLC BoLton
Manager Julian Gittings
The CLC Bolton team is made up of
me and David who both work full time,
plus Peter and Joy who work part time.
We are helped immensely by up to nine
volunteers, some of whom do a whole
day, while others do partial days but are
regulars over the years. I am sure I can
speak for them all when I say our shop is a
friendly place with a good atmosphere. Yes,
we work hard, but we are also good friends
and get together socially.
Our priority has always been serving our
customers. This was quite a challenge
when we were having supply problems
with STL. We couldn’t operate as we
would have liked, and at times we were
very unsure of what was happening. We
praise God that CLC bought us and the
other five stores. We are now trying to
replenish our bookshelves so as to give the
excellent service that has made this store
a popular place to visit. This was the very
first STL shop many years ago, and it has a
rich heritage. We have always known it to
have a place in God’s plan.
The challenges of the Internet, store
closures and so on are going to mean that
we have to make our priority ongoing
customer care, and to this end we are
always seeking to improve in knowledge
and training. Please pray for us as we
adjust to be being part of the CLC family
and the challenges that this year will bring.
We aim to glorify God on the high street
and to be an ongoing Christian presence
and resource center for the local churches.
- Julian Gittings, CLC Bolton Manager
CLC CamBridge
Manager Sarah MacKenzie
We are quite a small team here in
Cambridge. Pamela Churchard, our
Senior Sales Assistant, and I work full
time. Lucinda Sparrow works four days
per week and Dominic Barton works three
days a week.
Our main focus in Cambridge is to serve
the Christians well and to see the gospel go
out through the books and other materials
we sell. Another specific goal is to sell at
least one Bible every day and in the future,
to do even more! This shop was remodeled
nearly five years ago which has made such
a huge difference. With the changeover
from Wesley Owen (STL) to CLC, we
9
may do some more rearranging to make
the shop look different and fresh!
am sure they already knew the answer.
They just needed to talk!
It has been great becoming a part of CLC
International! We have been made to feel
so welcome into the family. We would
appreciate your ongoing prayers for our
team and the work we do in here in
Cambridge.
We were honored to have worked with
STL in the past, and the experience with
CLC has been very good so far also. It is
great to be a part of this family.
- Sarah MacKenzie, CLC Cambridge Manager
- Angela Adams, CLC Coventry Manager
CLC guiLdford
forward and see more people impacted
for the Lord. It is exciting to know we
have great events to look forward to and
to be able to build stronger relationships
with local churches. My experience with
CLC, if I were to sum it up in one word,
would be compassion. Compassion for
staff and compassion for the lost – and
that’s always a good thing.
- Phil Perello, CLC Guildford Manager
CLC Kingston
CLC Conventry
Manager Phil Perello
Claire (left) with Manager Angela Adams
We have a wonderful mix of staff and
volunteers here in Coventry! I work full
time, Anne works four days, and Claire
is in three days a week. Diane, Lydia and
Rachel work part time. Oliver and Ali are
our lovely volunteers.
Our vision for the bookshop is to make
it inviting and comfortable for everyone,
and to constantly evaluate what we do to
make sure that we are in line with God.
A young couple came into the shop a
couple of months ago because friends had
told them they could come here and ask
anything without feeling condemned.
They asked Lydia what the Bible’s view
on abortion was, and after a discussion
they went away not feeling condemned
but knowing what had to be done. We
haven’t seen them since, but I know they
felt at ease coming in and asking, and I
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The Guildford staff consists of me, three
part time workers (Lauren, Rhiannon
and Iris) and two volunteers (Barbara and
Peter). Barbara has given over ten years of
faithful service and is still an absolutely
integral part of the shop.
Our goal is to serve the local Christian
community and provide a place of prayer
and discipleship through our resources.
We have recently started an open prayer
ministry in the shop which has been very
successful with many people requesting
prayer. We also introduced rental
DVDs and CDs which have helped our
revenue and built people up in the Lord,
especially those on limited budgets. These
are just small changes but they give our
community another reason to stop in and
shop with us!
Going forward my expectations are high!
My team and I hope to drive the ministry
Manager Esther Domschitz (left) and Blodwen
There are three full time members of the
staff in Kingston – myself, Graham and
Blodwen. We also have Fiona who works
part time and Ann, our volunteer.
Our goal is to serve the Lord by helping
everyone who walks through our doors.
In the future, we hope to reach out more
to local churches and develop closer
relationships with them. We also hope for
more adequate staff levels, more training
and an improved computer system, so as
to better serve our customers.
CLC stoCKport
Manager John Watkins
CLC Stockport has a team of six staff and
two volunteers. I have been in Christian
bookselling since 1971, while the others
have been with us for about six years.
Our volunteers include Fiona, who gives
us one or two days a week, and Ken,
the former manager of a Wesley Owen
bookshop.
We aim to serve the local community,
churches and Christians with Bibles,
Christian literature and other related
products. We are the only Christian shop
in the area. In the summer, we supply the
books for a number of outreach camps.
My vision is to continue to do this work
effectively and to encourage the reading
of good Christian books.
We all are very delighted about the warm
welcome we have received from the CLC
family. Together, we look forward to
facing the many challenges in advancing
His kingdom through literature.
The demise of Wesley Owen (STL) was
very sad for all of us, and we feel for
colleagues who lost jobs or who face an
uncertain future. So far, CLC has been
very positive with a warm welcome. We
even got an email from Italy! We are
looking forward to shaping the shop
more to fit the local situation and are
already enjoying the greater measure of
freedom in stock purchasing which will
help us to achieve that.
- Esther Domschitz, CLC Kingston Manager
- John Watkins, CLC Stockport Manager
11
Thailand
I
c an’t even begin to tell you how
MANY PEOPLE have been
blessed over the last three years by
the container of donated literature you
sent. Your books and Bibles have gone
out into the surrounding countries of
Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos and
Vietnam among others.
About a year and a half ago, an
international cell church conference was
held here for about 300 participants
from 30 to 40 countries and all
denominations. We set up SIX long
tables on the first day of the conference.
The next morning I received word
that the tables had been cleared off
by the participants who were going
wild over the HUGE variety and
quality of materials being given away
freely. We were constantly asked, “Is
this really free?” We quickly brought
another truckload of materials to fill
the tables. By the end of that day, they
were cleared AGAIN! We filled them
the third day, and the tables were again
swarmed with people looking for
anything for church ministry, Sunday
school, age-appropriate children’s
materials, worship materials and church
growth materials.
12
Person after person came to us, some with
tears in their eyes, just thanking us for all
the free supply of things that they can’t
even find in their home countries. We had
to ship materials for some people as they
simply could not fit in their suitcases the
things they so desperately wanted. There
were Indians, Chinese, Singaporeans,
Pakistanis, Thais, Cambodians, Vietnamese,
Laotians, Burmese and many other people
from other countries! Some offered money
to help offset costs, which we quickly
declined. We shipped many boxes for
participants without pay, as we could see
just how much they needed the supplies.
That conference is just one example of the
many ways your literature has been used. I
want you to know your 40 foot container
was one of the biggest blessings that could
have come to this large missions center of
Chiang Mai which so many people pass
through on their way across Asia, taking
your books with them. I would like your
help in getting another container here with
the huge variety you gave us the first time,
to continue to be a blessing to thousands
of people who work in this region of 250
million people.
May the Lord continue to bless CLC
Christian BookLink as you have blessed
millions through this literature outreach.
Kendall Cobb
Chiang Mai, Thailand
For information on how to give books or
funds for BookLink go to www.clcusa.org
and click on BookLink
13
Reflections
from
Rebecca
By Rebecca Williams
Recent American college graduate spending
a year with CLC in Sheffield, England
t seems hard to believe that I have
already been in Sheffield for almost
five months! In a way I feel like I have
been here for ages – I can no longer
count the times I’ve walked down the
hills of my neighborhood, Crookes,
toward Sheffield’s city center for another
day in the bookshop.
It’s Sunday afternoon and I’ve just come
in from a walk in the rain with one of my
new friends. Annalena is from Germany,
and we hit it off well because we have one
thing in common: we aren’t English! As
we walked, we laughed together about
the people we saw fishing and playing
tennis in the rain. Rain sure doesn’t stop
the English, and apparently it’s rubbing
off on us! We
stopped by
Starbucks to
warm up with
a coffee, but
forgot that
the coffee
shops
around here close at 5:00 or 6:00.
Another cultural adjustment! We had a
lovely time together, regardless, and I am
thankful for Annalena’s friendship.
Work in the bookshop is going well. I
understand more and more how things
operate and am feeling comfortable
with my job. Even though I’m often
working behind the scenes, I also spend
a lot of time working with customers. It
sometimes seems like all of the people
looking for truth come in on the same
day. Or maybe it’s just that those are the
days when my heart and mind are most
open to it. Here is something from a
journal entry about one of those days:
A Muslim man came in, as they often
do, not knowing that CLC is a Christian
bookstore. As he stood at the counter
writing notes in the cards he’d bought,
I began to talk with him and was able
to give him an English-Arabic New
Testament to “help him study
Annalena and Rebecca at the park
14
English.” Another guy approached the
counter with a card, chuckling to himself.
He told me he was an atheist giving
the card to his friend as a joke. I don’t
know what the card said, but I knew it
contained God’s Word and silently prayed
that God would use it to touch the heart of
this guy or his friend.
One guy asked me to help him
pick out a Bible for his girlfriend.
He was not
religious at
all, he said,
but she was
attending an
Alpha course
(a course
which allows
people to
discuss and discover the truth of God – see
alphausa.org), and he wanted to support
her new interest.
God has been teaching me a lot about
Himself during my time here. The
Anglican-Baptist church I attend is
different from any church I’ve ever been
to in the States. I was first attracted to
St. Thomas Crookes because of its strong
emphasis on finding practical ways to
serve the people of Crookes and Sheffield
and tell them about God’s love. However,
their belief in asking God for physical
healing made me uncomfortable at first. I
came to realize, though, that they simply
believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I have been convicted that although I
believe in my head God can do anything,
I’ve always made sure not to ask too
much of Him.
I was afraid
to see God
fail. I thank
Him that He
is teaching me
to ask even for
what seems
impossible –
and to expect
it. He wants our involvement in
His work. What a wonderful thing
that we have direct access to His infinite
power through Christ!
Please pray for me as I live, work and
learn here in Sheffield. Pray for my new
relationships to grow deeper and to be
glorifying to God. Pray for a love for our
customers that would cause me to be
sensitive to their needs. Pray that I would
continue to see what God wants to show
me, and for wisdom to understand.
Bookstore Team members - various locations in US and overseas
Duties include assisting in the day-to-day running of a CLC bookshop, processing sales, card and cash
handling, customer service and other associated tasks.
Wholesale Team member - various locations in US and overseas
Duties include order picking and shelf replenishment, preparing items
for delivery, stock control, handling telephone enquiries, plus various
administration work.
Also placements in IT, Design and Administration
CLC’s missionaries do not receive salaries. CLC does, however, cover
housing and utilities in some areas.
For more information on available opportunities, please contact:
Marge Almack - [email protected]
15
Unscramble each word to reveal a country where CLC is present.
ZWSLIADAN
N Z R AT W E D S I L
UASIRS
KTSPIANA
My co-pilot in this feature is Phil VanVeldhuizen, the music buyer for our USA
shops, while I (Amanda Lutes) edit the UK edition of this magazine and run a
shop there. Being involved in music buying, we are exposed to some amazing
stuff that we’d like to share with you, and you should find a little something for
everyone! So buckle up, friend, because we are going on a musical journey!
MIBALOCO
PIEIHPNSLPI
CLC has been operating as a Christian ministry since 1941, having started in
Colchester, England, during the World War II. Over the years, the work has extended
around the world, now operating in 58 countries with nearly 200 bookshops, 20
distribution warehouses and 20 publishing houses.
~YOUR PURCHASES MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!
Answers: 1. Swaziland
2. Switzerland
3. Russia
4. Pakistan
5. Colombia
6. Philippines
Want To Know More?
Discover more about each country we are in by emailing us at
[email protected] with ‘PF Subscribe’ as the subject heading.
We will send you our free bi-monthly publication, Prayer Fuel, which will bring you
up-to-date prayer & praise points from all around the CLC world.
THERE IS NO GOING “UNDERGROUND’’ WHEN THINGS GET DIFFICULT!
Please join us in prayer for the protection and ministry of our teams and shops.
16
Starting us off is the brand new album by rock/praise group Casting Crowns,
Until the Whole World Hears. The name alone should really give away the
theme of this album. The thing that I really love about CC is their way of totally
committing to creating music that everyone can say, “Yeah, I’ve been there” or
“I’ve felt that way.” Their music takes you to that place, but they don’t just leave
you there wallowing, they take you from there straight into a place of praise! If
you’ve never experienced Casting Crowns, then please take the time! Their multilead vocals, amazing harmonies and pure musical genius are not to be missed!
Alright, now this is for all you fun-loving pop fanatics who might not want to
admit it. Shhh . . . I won’t tell! Britt Nicole – check her out! Not only is she an
amazing vocalist with a really great vibe, but she also writes most of her own
stuff. Being as she is only in her early twenties, you really wouldn’t think that
she’d have much to write about, but boy, you’d be wrong. Her newest album,
Lost Get Found, is about not missing the opportunities that God gives us daily
for reaching out in love to those around us. Don’t settle for trying to get the
most from life when God offers you the best from life! Go on an adventure with
Him!
My final pick for this issue is a bit of ”Hip Hope” as I like to call it. Group
1 Crew = crazy rhythms, amazing vocals, plus lyrical genius when it comes
to praising God! If you are a fan of the “Black Eyed Peas” style, than this is
a group you should seriously consider adding to your collection. Their newest
album is called Ordinary Dreamers and it is truly fun listening. They are filled
with pure joy and love for our Savior and are really stressing in this album the
importance of spending time fellowshiping with Him!
17
BOOK REVIEWS - Available Now!
BOOK REVIEWS - Available Now!
Let’s Go! - Warren W. Wiersbe
The Beauty of God for a Broken World -
ISBN-13: 978-1-936143-07-8
Answering Moral Objections to the God of the Bible
John K. LaShell
The Epistle to the Hebrews for Twenty-first-Century Christians
$8.99
Warren Wiersbe unfolds principles from the book of
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Abraham, Sarah, Moses and Joseph
• Be warned about careless living
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Come along with Wiersbe and grow in your walk with
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Finding True Freedom - Ginny Dent Brant
From the White House to the World
ISBN-13: 978-1-936143-09-2
In the 1960s Harry Dent entered political service for love
of country and freedom. When the Watergate scandal
broke and Dent was accused, his efforts toward freedom
seemed wasted. But Dent was found to be “more of an
innocent victim than the perpetrator.” He could not deny
God’s grace as he and Henry Kissinger were the only two
of Nixon’s staff not given prison sentences.
In 1978 Harry Dent embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ
that his daughter Ginny had faithfully lived out before
him. Realizing that true freedom is found in Christ, Dent
entered full-time ministry. His subsequent work around
the world, especially in Romania, has resulted in blessing
for thousands.
18
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19
Until this point…God!
40 years in Venezuela
Friday, January 29, 2010, will go down
as a red-letter day in the history of CLC
Venezuela. A brand new CLC distribution
center was dedicated to the Lord so that
ever increasing volumes of Bibles and
Christian books can be sent around the
country. However, the prospects were not
always so bright . . .
By Neil Wardrope
CLC International Director
response of many publishers who both
exercised patience and gave assistance.
While that was encouraging, the need
to reduce expenses meant that painful
choices had to be made regarding team
members, and we had to say farewell to a
number of long-time CLCers.
In 2003, CLC Venezuela was in a
Another difficult decision was to relocate
desperate state. The national economy
our headquarters and distribution center
was held hostage, and our CLC team
from Barquisimeto to Valencia – a large
struggled to deal with
and more centrally located
the consequences.
city, with the added benefit
Debts to suppliers
of being close to a major
quickly mounted, and
port. Such decisions are
it looked certain that
always very emotional,
the whole operation
and Barquisimeto was
would go under.
where CLC started its first
An international
bookshop in Venezuela.
evaluation team
And so the “new” CLC Venezuela was born. Although the bookshop
was sent and then a
remains, the old headquarters
rescue plan was put into operation which
with all its memories had to be sold.
involved much change.
And so the “new” CLC Venezuela was
An immediate call went out to the CLC
born. The team, led by Gamaliel Padilla
world for significant emergency funds.
and Pablo Sanchez, was overseen by
The response was generous and uplifting
Regional Director Gerardo Scalante. The
– a clear demonstration of fellowship.
work and commitment of these men and
Some immediate debts were settled, and
their families cannot be overstated. When
a plan for repayment of our suppliers was
the headquarters was relocated to Valencia
put in place. It was wonderful to see the
in 2004, homes were sold, friends were
20
left behind and new schools were found
– all with the purpose of seeing this
essential literature ministry reborn.
From the beginning of this process, a
noteworthy decision was made. One
tenth of any profit made by CLC
Venezuela would be given away as a
thank offering to the Lord. That might
have seemed an easy decision when there
are only losses, but the Lord has
blessed this decision! We praise
God that there has been an
increasing amount to give away
each year!
As the work stabilized, the team
turned its thoughts to expansion.
In 2008, a bookshop was opened
in Merida and then another was opened
in 2009 in the eastern city of Puerto
Ordaz. At the same time, plans were
made to buy a property in Valencia for
the construction of a new distribution
warehouse and headquarters. Progress
at times seemed painfully slow, and the
keys were handed over just ten days
Gamaliel Padilla and Family
before the official opening. A booksellers
convention had been planned to coincide
with the opening, and so a week of
frenetic activity took place as floors were
laid, ceilings installed, paint applied and
furnishings moved in.
CLC celebrates 40 years of working in
Venezuela this year, and what better way
to start such an anniversary year than to
inaugurate a brand new headquarters!
The CLC Venezuela team was joined
by more than 40 independent
booksellers from across the country,
eight publishers from the United
States and representatives
from CLC Colombia and our
International Office in giving thanks to
the Lord for this wonderful provision.
In 1980 a small book was written about
the first ten years of CLC Venezuela. It
was titled Hasta Aqui…Dios meaning
“Until this point …God.” That sentiment
continues to echo 30 years later, as we trace
the hand of God in this thriving work.
Neil
Wardrope
Carlos
from Unilit
The Padillas
CLC Venezuela Staff
21
I
n 2007, CLC sent its book Revival
in the Rubble by John Kitchen to a
dynamic young publisher named
Lawrence James in the country of
Malaysia. Having read through the book
twice, he was so moved by the message
of biblical revival and so convinced of his
country’s need for this kind of move of
God that he contacted CLC to request
the rights to print and distribute the
book locally. This was key, as importing
books from overseas makes them too
costly for the average Malaysian. CLC
granted this permission, and in 2007
the Malaysian edition of Revival in the
Rubble was released.
Lawrence soon began
receiving calls from
pastors who reported
that when they read the
book they were moved
to tears, knowing that
the message of biblical
revival was needed in
their local church and
among the believers at
large. A pastor from China purchased a
copy of the book in Singapore, and then
reported its powerful impact upon his
life. On the Malaysian island of Penang,
a troubled young woman told her story
to Ming Su, the manager of a Christian
bookstore. Ming Su recommended
Revival in the Rubble. Months later, they
saw each other and the young woman
said, “You will never know what God did
for me through that book! My life was at
a crossroads when I came to see you, and
God has done a great work in my life.”
One day while in prayer, God implanted
in Lawrence’s heart the idea to invite
CLC author John Kitchen to come to
22
Malaysia and preach this message of
biblical revival personally. Follow John
as he tells how God worked through this
invitation:
This past year I went to Malaysia for nearly
a month, during which time I preached
twenty-eight times! I primarily preached
the message of revival that is outlined
in Revival in the Rubble and found in
the book of Nehemiah. In one four-day
stretch I preached eleven times, all different
messages and all required to be at least one
hour long.
special music. In time came my opportunity
to preach. When I was done, the pastor
asked any who wanted to respond to stand
and come forward. People began to almost
leap from their seats and stream to the
front of the room. The pastor looked a bit
shocked and asked, “How many of you are
coming to receive Christ for the first time?”
At least thirty-five hands shot into the air!
He led them through a prayer to receive
Christ as their Savior. Then he said to me
in English, “I had planned on having you
pray personally with each person who came
forward, but there are just too many of
them!” So I came and prayed for them as a
group, humbled by the opportunity.
Allan, from the Philippines. Soon after
we embarked, Daniel began asking me
questions regarding the Bible and theology.
For the next four-and-a-half hours he
fired one question after another at me. Just
as soon as I could answer a question, he
would follow it with another. Daniel has
been a Christian for over twenty-five years,
but he told me that he had only started
reading his Bible about three years ago.
He said repeatedly, “Pastor, people can’t
grow without reading their Bible! You can’t
be a growing Christian if you don’t read
the Bible!” Three years ago someone sent
him an NIV Study Bible. He now reads
order at www.clcpublications.com
One Sunday afternoon I had the honor
of speaking to a group of people who were
immigrants from the country of Nepal.
Their country has long been closed to
traditional missionaries and is under
great turmoil. But, I was told, these who
have come to Malaysia are open to the
gospel. I expected a few dozen people to
have gathered, but was shocked when we
entered the room and found it jammed to
overflowing with hundreds of young Nepali
people! The service unfolded before me,
complete with Nepali cultural dance and
Who knows what will come of these who
are finding new life in Christ? Some of
them may return to their native Nepal and
carry with them the eternal gospel of Jesus
Christ, capable now of evangelizing their
own people!
through it about every two months! Soon
Allan was jumping in with his questions as
well. As we neared our destination, Daniel
said, “Pastor, you have to understand. I
have been waiting for years to ask these
questions of someone!”
Some of my most significant ministry
happened informally. One such occasion
occurred while on a long car trip. I was
being driven by Lawrence and with
us were Daniel, an Indonesian, and
What a joy to find hearts so hungry after
the truth of the Word of God! Oh, that
more were so desirous of understanding and
applying the Scriptures to their lives!
23
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