The Deep Dive Journal has information about who we are as a community and resources for those looking to connect at Westside. It also lays out our teaching schedule for the coming year with space to takes notes each weekend.

That journal is now available free for the iPad. You can find it here in iTunes.

Erick with our team in May 2011

Erick is the director for all Hands at Work projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Westside has been supporting the projects he is running for several years now. He recently sent this update on the conditions in the DRC. Please pray for Erick and the DRC.

Hi friends,

I felt to update you on the current situation in the DRC during this time since I know you are earnestly praying for us daily.
A week before the elections the dollar rate dropped down from 900fc/$ to 750fc/$ making the situation in the country so complicated. No one knows the reason why and everyone has to wait till the announcement of the elections to see how far things will move.

We had our elections on the 28th of November but tensions were recorded everywhere in the country. And a rumour of fraud is making things worse and already a cold war is starting in the hearts of local people in Katanga region. This is reminding me of how the civil war broke in 1992 in this region again and lots of people were killed. The situation is not too well after all the things which happened during election day.A couple of days before the elections a vehicle was stopped on Kasumbalesa road,the way to the Zambian boarder. People with guns coming out from the big bush along the road were asking the passengers who they will have to vote. Those who said they would vote for Kabila were stripped, beaten to death and some killed. There are alots of scenarios happening here this time as you can get some news on Internet and radio broadcasting. No one feels secure to travel long distances or to walk in the night freely. The situation is not promising because people were firstly stressed because of the drop of dollars and now the tension of violence is bringing more stress. Soldiers are spread everywhere for security but people dread them the most because everyone is looking for a way to plunder his neighbour!

The election results will be announced on 6th. Who will win between Kabila and Tshisekedi? How will be the DRC situation after the proclamation of results? Already there are differents views of violence no matter who will win. This may bring a bloodshed chaos between people because of each one’s conviction. We dread the worse but we trust God to see us through in this kind of situation because our people have suffered alot and blood was shed many times in such periods! Please continue to pray for us and the children in DRC so that peace and justice may prevail no matter the outcome results of the elections.

Thanks and regards,
Erick

November 20 we have representatives from Asian Outreach, our Serve:Global partners working in Cambodia coming to share a bit about the projects we are supporting during the service and then to answer any questions you might have following the service in the Bistro. We will also be taking up a second offering this weekend to help support our Serve:Global fund that is used for projects in Mexico, Africa, Egypt, Cambodia and the Dominican Republic.

December 11 we will be taking up our annual Benevolence offering for our Serve:Local fund. This is a great time, as we enter into the Christmas season to support the various partners that we support here in Calgary such as the Calgary homeless foundation, the Pregnancy Care centre and internal benevolence and support programs for those in need at Westside.

To give you a small picture of what our Serve:Local fund helps to do take a look at this quick video below.

Please consider how you can participate.

An update from one of our Serve:Global partners, Sean Lambert from Home of Hope.

Our youth team recently travelled to work with Homes of Hope in the Dominican Republic and we have an adult and family team scheduled to travel to Mexico over the Christmas break to build a home for a family in need.

If you’re interested in more information about the upcoming trips email Launa Herman

If you’re looking for more information about our Serve initiative download our 2010-11 Serve:Report

Robert Rutherford spent 5 months in India. Chris Dittman spent 8 months in Africa. This is a part of their stories.

ZAMBIA, a completely landlocked country in southern Africa, is renowned for its kind-hearted people and welcoming culture. Though the country has experienced more peace than most African nations, it has not found economic prosperity, namely due to the mid-1990s market collapse of its major natural resource, copper. The people of Zambia suffer many economic hardships, which contribute to its having one of the world’s most devastating HIV/AIDS epidemics.

Zambia was the location of Hands at Work’s first expansion outside of South Africa. In 2001, Hands at Work entered the northern Copperbelt region of Luanshya and spread soon after to the Central region of Kabwe. Subsequently, the work has expanded to many communities surrounding Kabwe and Luanshya and plans are underway to move into the eastern region of Chipata and west into Mongu. Zambia is a geographically strategic location, from which expansion is happening into very poor communities in DRC, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

SNAPSHOT:

Total Population: 12 million
Number of Orpharns: 1.1 million
15.2% Adult HIV Prevalence
Life expectancy: 42 years

HANDS AT WORK IMPACT:

Number of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children Cared For:
2007: 3819
2008: 6016
2009: 6145

Number of Patients Cared For:
2007: 1272
2008: 1420
2009: 752

Number of Communities Impacted:
2007: 19
2008: 20
2009: 22

Some words directly from those we work with in Zambia.

A quick update from the team that left for Africa in late May.

Westside has been involved in Zambia since 2005.

Below is a video describing the tradition of Lent, what it means and how people have engaged with the season. I’d encourage you to give some thought to how you might like to make Lent a part of your journey towards Easter.

A Lenton Prayer for Reflection

God, heavenly Father,
look upon me and hear my prayer
during this holy Season of Lent.
By the good works You inspire,
help me to discipline my body
and to be renewed in spirit.

Without You I can do nothing.
By Your Spirit help me to know what is right
and to be eager in doing Your will.
Teach me to find new life through penance.
Keep me from sin, and help me live
by Your commandment of love.
God of love, bring me back to You.
Send Your Spirit to make me strong
in faith and active in good works.
May my acts of penance bring me Your forgiveness,
open my heart to Your love,
and prepare me for the coming feast
of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Lord, during this Lenten Season,
nourish me with Your Word of life
and make me one
with You in love and prayer.

Fill my heart with Your love
and keep me faithful to the Gospel of Christ.
Give me the grace to rise above my human weakness.
Give me new life by Your Sacraments, especially the eucharist.

Father, our source of life,
I reach out with joy to grasp Your hand;
let me walk more readily in Your ways.
Guide me in Your gentle mercy,
for left to myself I cannot do Your Will.

Father of love, source of all blessings,
help me to pass from my old life of sin
to the new life of grace.
Prepare me for the glory of Your Kingdom.
I ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever.

Amen.

If you think you could do it, we’re here to help. We’ve created a small package of materials including some thoughts to read and some questions to discuss. We even have bags of fresh, premium, seasonal, bolivian coffee from Phil and Sebastians to get you started. Download the materials package here and grab your bag of coffee at any of our Westside communities to get started.

Step 1: Invite 5 people to your home for at least three meetings over the next 5 weeks
Step 2: Download the discussion materials here
Step 3: Brew coffee
Step 4: Discuss

Discussion Material: Parables of the Kingdom

Below are three videos of groups of Westsiders talking about the experience in creating opportunities to connect.