One of life’s oldest sayings is “a picture is worth a thousand words.” There is much truth in this, but in his recent experience ministering to people in Caracas, Venezuela, Dove Aviation Ministry’s Director, Carol Jackson, has come to believe that personal experience is worth a million words. The value of the souls touched for the Gospel of Christ cannot be numbered. Unless someone like you can take a few days to visit, or better, to serve as a missionary’s helper, the deep impressions and experiences to be had in such an old city of long history and great need can only come through pictures.

Most of us cannot imagine societies like those of Caracas. Some live well by U.S. standards, but most of Caracas lives in extreme poverty. This is not American ‘Census bureau poverty,’ but a palpable, grinding, endless idleness that crushes one’s self-worth and sense of society. the average Caracas wage is $200.00 a month, yet the sharp contrast of a few wealthy to majority poor means that many are homeless. They live in the streets or shelter in underpasses, often with nothing more than a threadbare cloth or plastic covering for comfort. Those so fortunate to live in barrios inhabit ramshackle homes of red brick and crumbling concrete, topped by leaking, rusting metal roofs. Barrios are cramped, dirty infestations lacking drainage and planning that underlie community health. Across the barrio, throughout the year, desperate parents abandon countless children at early ages, simply leaving them the streets to fend for themselves, some to die unseen.

Jackson’s compassion finds fertile ground in Caracas. “The people there are very loving and well mannered for being in such a state of poverty. They are open to the Gospel and to being loved on. I believe that through the Gospel, these people can find a new Hope and direction.” As director of Dove Aviation Ministry, Jackson seeks ways to focus the compassion of like-minded Christians into opportunities for better lives for those in Caracas who choose to accept the Gospel’s life-changing power.

Bringing The Grace of God . . .

Gary and Cindy Higgins of Convoy of Hope had sent a container to Caracas, Venezuela for distribution to one of the local schools and a church. The original plan was to have the mission in early October 2004, but with hurricane season in full force, the container was delayed in Jamaica. This delayed the mission until December. The container held school supplies and food to feed from four to six thousand people. Often, supplies needed to fulfill a mission are delayed due to routing problems, adverse weather, commercial airline cancellations and delays, as well as theft.

Dove Aviation members accompanied Convoy of Hope to evaluate the need and environment, to find out just how much we could help them to fulfill their mission. Delays can cause a cascade of problems for all involved, especially the recipients. As the recent Indian Ocean tsunamis have shown, delays cost lives and extend suffering. Dove Aviation’s goals are to expedite supplies and people to the mission field, and help disperse these supplies once there. Please continue to read to learn more about the need, the opportunity, and what you can do.

Our first stop will be a small school in a Barrio. Here, children get their meager school supplies at the beginning of the year. Usually, by the first quarter’s end they have exhausted their supplies, often reduced to writing on their hand or arms to take notes.

Personal Notes
Carol Jackson

Children get their school supplies as their school year begins. They each receive a small spiral notebook, a pencil pack and some crayons. When we say a ‘small’ spiral notebook, we mean just that, as they are filled, used up by the second quarter. At this point, the children are reduced to trying to remember everything presented in class, or trying to find something on which to write; often taking notes by writing on their hands and arms.

Venezuela’s children generally do not have breakfast. Because most families’ family incomes are far less than the nation’s average $200.00 a month, resources do not allow a day’s most important meal. Their main (and sometimes only) meal is at what Americans call lunch. Depending on their income, that meal could be a small sandwich, or just a piece of bread. Evening meals that do appear are usually light.

On this mission, Convoy Of Hope sent enough food to feed between four to six thousand people, depending on how it is distributed and used. They sent it in a carton along with school supplies via cargo ship. Having to use this method resulted in delaying the mission up more than 30 days, as hurricane season held the ship in Jamaica. Most of us in America would never stand for vital supplies being absent for a month! The gracious, wonderful souls of Venezuela, though, appreciate every item we can get to them.

Truly, thankful people are open to the Gospel and ready to receive it, and to receive Christ. As the Lord said, it is harvest Time!

The people of Inglesia Mounte Sinai Church all felt the Spirit of God’s presence as poor ministered to poor with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bags of food for several meals.

As I made ready my day, I felt a peace come over me. I was determined to fulfill my purpose here: to show the compassion of Jesus Christ to these wonderful people. The people here are friendly and approachable, and loved getting their pictures taken.

The skyline consists of high-rise concrete buildings settled against a tropical background. Most other buildings are made of red brick and concrete. Houses in the barrios have tin roofs. Since heat and humidity overpower every moment, very few wooden structures exist because wood rots so quickly.

Poverty surrounded the school like a jungle reclaiming a campground. The building reminded me of a junior manager’s tiny office, its classrooms shoehorned into the desk drawers. Two sessions a day are teachers’ solution to accommodate all the children. Many of these children enjoyed taking pictures with us as we distributed their supplies. In a rare spirit of insistence, one young girl repeatedly asked that I take a picture with her alone. Another young girl expressed her deep appreciation by making a speech to her class and thanking us each individually; “Thank you so much for bringing these supplies, many of our mothers cannot afford these, this has been such a blessing”.

The school’s director, awash in thankful tears, repeatedly expressed her gratitude for us (perhaps you!) making available such life-enriching supplies to these neglected children and those who care for them in a place and time of such deep need.

Venezuela’s government of course supports Venezuelan schools, but the money given sometimes does not go far. Corruption also means that too often schools never see the funds. Within that society, teachers are looked down upon, as teaching is extremely poorly paid, so teachers hold a low social status position.

The children had a wish list for Santa Claus, but it did not consist of material things such as toys or games. In their language, it read:

Carta a papa noel

Te escribo esta carta para que esta Navidad, puedas entregarle estos regales a todos los ninos del mundo.

• Una familia irrompible
• Un robot que ayude a reflexionar
• Un jueguito de doctor para curar tristezas
• Una moneda que ne se gaste, para que todos tengan alimentos
• Un diccionario para ensenar palabras como: amor, gratitude, solidaridad, compania, paz, alegria, magia.

The English translation:

I write this letter for Christmas

I hope that you can give these presents to the children of the world

• A family unbreakable
• A robot that helps to reflect
• A toy doctor that cures sickness and disease
• A coin that never spends to buy food for everyone
• A dictionary to teach words like love, gratitude, solidarity, companion, peace, happiness, and magic (miracle).

Name of school:

Republica de Venezuela
Estado Mirada
Escuela Municipal
GRAL. Jose Antonio Paez

“THROUGH COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE”
A Time of Prayer and Food

I have seen many churches in my time, but none like the little church of Iglesia Moune Sinai. A congregation of 200+ had built this red brick and concrete sanctuary on the side of a hill. It is still under construction, with a rough floor and a simple dirt path leading one to the church through a gate about halfway down a hill. Each brick was laid lovingly by the congregations many hands: hands of strength, and trembling hands of age - hands of hope, and hands that prepare no supper – hands that caress each brick with equal love as when the same hands caress their children. Men, women, and children alike have mixed their prayers and perspiration with the mortar of faith to create not just a sanctuary, but a storehouse of dreams and energy for Venezuela’s bright future. We, from a nation whose sanctuaries enrapture the eyes with grand architecture, built by professional builders’ hands, machines, and skills, must expend the same financial love for our brethren in South America as we do for ourselves. Our mutual Master commanded that we love our neighbor as ourselves.

I could truly feel God’s presence. I felt so much a part of the church family, a family working together in love and hope, preparing to minister and distribute food to the 1,874 families outside the gate. As these families received that ministry with gladness, we prepared to give them each two bags containing corn meal, flour and canned good enough for several meals. For the Lord’s harvest, 243 people were saved, giving their lives to Christ. The pastor had arranged to disciple the newly born-again by making cookies and taking them to their homes, teaching the gospel throughout the entire time.

I was deeply moved, seeing people in true need giving to others in equal need. There is something special in the poor ministering to the poor . . . that something is nothing less than a tangible display of the love of God!!

As director of Dove Aviation Ministry, I wish to give all due thanks to the people whose grace allowed us to participate in ministering to Venezuela:

Gary & Cindy Higgins: Convoy of Hope
Peggy Horn: Convoy of Hope
Pastor Gary & Patty Heiney: Destiny Church International
Corina Pena: Destiny Church International
Pastor Rafael Avila: Inglesia Mounte Sinai

To view images from this mission, please click here.