The Dental/Construction Team served from October 3-10 in the Northern region of Nicaragua. The construction team, which consisted of people from Grace Covenant and New Hope Foursquare church in Concord, started the work on a church addition in Sebaco. Pastor Pedro’s passion for the lost is being seen in this rapidly expanding church. We had the pleasure of helping “make room for more.” Some of our construction efforts were hampered by the pouring and we mean pouring rains. The dental team served in multiple towns and villages and treated 168 patients. Again, a big thank you goes out to everyone at Grace Covenant who donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and other supplies for the trip. Everyone who came to the dental clinics were prayed for and had the Gospel presented to them. During the week, the whole team was enabled by the Holy Spirit to lead 103 individuals to accept Christ as their Savior. It was a special joy to deliver the school uniform offering given through VBS week. This offering is making it possible for 70 children to attend school who until October, could not afford a school uniform. Praise the Lord! Nicaragua is facing economic and political challenges, so we were blessed to be a team of encouragers bringing fresh hope and reminders of God’s promises to some weary leaders.
So ... WE DUG HOLES !!!! ... MANY HOLES ... BIG, DEEP HOLES ... 24 holes that were the foundation; the cornerstones of what will be a school and a place of knowledge, freedom and GOD'S TRUTH for generations to come. The people of our team had life-changing experiences serving HIM on the construction team ... men and women using their talents and gifts in a way that they never thought possible, and returning home with a renewed sense of purpose faith that only a short term mission trip can allow.
We left Pastor Caleb, after 6 incredible days, with a new foundation for the school. Through our faith and service, GOD was able to move this project forward in a supernatural way ... paving the way for the school to be built and operational by the Fall of 2008. So many of Gods people played a part in this, and I share Pastor Caleb's gratitude by saying "Thank You" for being a part of expanding HIS KINGDOM.
Mike Diefenbach Belize Team Leader 2008
Summer NicaraguaTeam
Quotes from the 2008 Nicaragua Summer Impact Team
“ During the week, I have seen the power that comes through relinquishment. I’m finding myself asking, “why do I try so hard at making things happen?”
While serving on this team, I’ve come to better understand the phrase, “let go and let God.”
“This experience has stretched me beyond the limits I thought I had. It has literally opened the eyes of my heart.”
“I’ve newly discovered, all things are possible when you keep your eyes on Christ.”
“It was through the lives of the Nicaraguan children, that God showed me the true definition of being grateful.”
During this trip, “I’ve found new courage and boldness to worship the Lord.”
“While serving on this team, I have been reminded that the best way to experience God’s love for me, is to extend love to someone else.”
“I’ve learned that it costs you something to step out of your comfort zone, but it’s worth the price.”
When serving on a missions trip, “love with everything you have and give it all.”
“I’ve seen God through the children’s smiles and hugs.”
Summer BelizeTeam (The girls on the team)
The ministry focus for the Belize Summer Impact Trip was to use skateboarding and sports as a vehicle to share the message of the Gospel with youth. The team had the pleasure of leading 61 people into a relationship with Christ. 258 youth attended the sports camp.
Quotes from the 2008 Belize Summer Impact Team
“We didn’t bring Jesus to them, Jesus was able to shine through us and four local gang members got saved.”
“On this trip, I learned to trust God more and discovered more of who I am in Christ.”
“God really spoke to me during this trip and I got to watch others experience the Glory of God.”
“I’ve learned that the Lord has a reason for everything, even if it breaks my original plan.”
“In interacting with the people of Belize, God showed me more of His plan for my life.”
“I was broken for the people of Belize as I became more of a servant.”
“Watching the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of some of the gang members, I learned I need to let go of my comfort and listen to God’s call to action.”
“My priorities have changed.”
“It was a blessing to teach a child from the evangicube bracelet and then hear him repeat the Gospel back to me.”
Nicaragua Fall 08 Team
The Dental/Construction Team served from October 3-10 in the Northern region of Nicaragua. The construction team, which consisted of people from Grace Covenant and New Hope Foursquare church in Concord, started the work on a church addition in Sebaco. Pastor Pedro’s passion for the lost is being seen in this rapidly expanding church. We had the pleasure of helping “make room for more.” Some of our construction efforts were hampered by the pouring and we mean pouring rains.
The dental team served in multiple towns and villages and treated 168 patients. Again, a big thank you goes out to everyone at Grace Covenant who donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and other supplies for the trip. Everyone who came to the dental clinics were prayed for and had the Gospel presented to them. During the week, the whole team was enabled by the Holy Spirit to lead 103 individuals to accept Christ as their Savior. It was a special joy to deliver the school uniform offering given through VBS week. This offering is making it possible for 70 children to attend school who until October, could not afford a school uniform. Praise the Lord! Nicaragua is facing economic and political challenges, so we were blessed to be a team of encouragers bringing fresh hope and reminders of God’s promises to some weary leaders.
Johannesburg, South Africa November 20-28, 2008
This team was the first mission team from Grace Covenant to minister in South Africa. One word to describe the trip – AMAZING. We constructed and erected three Gardens of Grace in three different townships: Soweto, Orange Farm and Bram Fisherville. These townships are outside of the city of Johannesburg and each have over 1 million people living in areas less than 13 miles by 13 miles. The poverty and unemployment is over 50% in all theses townships and 1 in 4 people are infected with HIV. The Gardens of Grace represent employment to three gardeners, food for 50 people a week who are affected by HIV/AIDS and have limited food supply, and will provide an evangelism tool for the local churches to go into these communities with a blessing. It was an overwhelming blessing to be bearers of hope by establishing these Gardens.
Evangelism and prayer were two of our other main focuses. We walked the streets in these townships, going door to door, offering to pray with people and asking if we could “tell them a story”, using faith bracelets to share the gospel. People were fascinated by the beads on the bracelets and many came to faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father, and many came to evening crusades as result of talking to them in the streets. During the trip, 171 people gave their hearts to Christ.
It seemed as though everyone wanted prayer. We know we laid hands on and prayed for 461 people individually. Many wanted prayer for healing from HIV and it’s effects. It broke our hearts to pray for grandmothers who had lost all their adult children to AIDS and now are raising their grandchildren, but because of a lack of education had not taken proper precautions with their infected grandchildren, and now they are living with HIV in their 70’s and 80’s concerned that their grandchildren will be orphaned a second time.
Here are some personal insights from the team:
“God enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and live for Him.
“We had nothing but prayer many times. I realized how many resources I rely on during my daily life and how I tend to do things in my own strength. During this trip, I had to rely on God through prayer in a way I know should live everyday.”
“I was amazed at the amount of people who ran to the altar for prayer everywhere we went.”
“I was amazed how much joy people had in the midst of overwhelming poverty.”
“Through the testimonies of other teams, I had always heard that you receive more of a blessing than you give. While serving on this team, my son, who had drifted from the Lord, attended a church that presented the exact same drama we used in South Africa at the crusades. The message of the drama pierced his heart and he came back to the Lord. Only God could have orchestrated that. I was blessed while being a blessing.”
“As we walked out into deep water, the Lord was our shepherd and led us through every situation. In the natural we could have drown the immensity of needs and hopelessness, but the Lord sustained us and filled us fresh with new joy everyday.”
“I grew in my prayer life, knowing I had to lean on God for wisdom, discernment, guidance and power.”
“We truly let Jesus live through us and it made a difference in hundreds of lives.”
All Ministries 
Reports 2008
The Dental/Construction Team served from October 3-10 in the Northern region of Nicaragua. The construction team, which consisted of people from Grace Covenant and New Hope Foursquare church in Concord, started the work on a church addition in Sebaco. Pastor Pedro’s passion for the lost is being seen in this rapidly expanding church. We had the pleasure of helping “make room for more.” Some of our construction efforts were hampered by the pouring and we mean pouring rains. 
The dental team served in multiple towns and villages and treated 168 patients. Again, a big thank you goes out to everyone at Grace Covenant who donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and other supplies for the trip. Everyone who came to the dental clinics were prayed for and had the Gospel presented to them. During the week, the whole team was enabled by the Holy Spirit to lead 103 individuals to accept Christ as their Savior. It was a special joy to deliver the school uniform offering given through VBS week. This offering is making it possible for 70 children to attend school who until October, could not afford a school uniform. Praise the Lord! Nicaragua is facing economic and political challenges, so we were blessed to be a team of encouragers bringing fresh hope and reminders of God’s promises to some weary leaders. 