International Teams

Jennifer Polanco joins International Teams as Member Care Coordinator

ITeams — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:13:51 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Polanco has joined International Teams in the role of Member Care Coordinator. Jennifer loves how this organization values working in teams and forming long-term partnerships on behalf of the poor, the slave, and the blind. She sees God’s hand clearly in preparing her for and leading her to this new role.

Jennifer received a degree in Youth Ministry from Judson College and a Masters Degree in Counseling from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. For the past nine years, Jennifer and her husband, Josh, served as pastors with the Salvation Army on the south side of Chicago. She loved utilizing her counseling and teaching gifts in that multi-cultural environment.

After sensing that God had something new in store, Jennifer and Josh began a faith journey that eventually led them to Elgin. Josh is now the pastor of Elgin Community Church, and they have moved, along with their three young children, to the area. While they have completely redefined their lives, they are both getting to use their gifts and passions to make a difference. In their experience, God’s timing and path has been perfect. “Everything I love has come together in one job!” said Jennifer.

“The valuable experience Jennifer brings, coupled with an energetic spirit, make her a natural fit for the member care position. I’m thankful to have her filling this vital role in the Human Resources department and am confident she will be of great benefit to ITeams people around the world,” states HR Director Suzie Inglis.

About International Teams
International Teams is a global, evangelical organization that brings people together to help the oppressed. We are committed to seeing lives and communities transformed by the power of God. ITeams USA works among the poor, the slave, and the blind to provide access to food, freedom, and forgiveness. Learn more about ITeams at www.iteams.us.

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

Rachel Fabian joins International Teams

ITeams — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:09:12 +0000

Rachel Fabian has joined International Teams as a Mobilizer. She is quite excited to use her skills and gifts to be a part of what God is doing around the world. Rachel appreciates the focus of this organization to bring hope to the oppressed by serving the poor, the slave, and the blind.

During high school, Rachel experienced her first short term ministry opportunity in Venezuela. This glimpse into another culture sparked her love of diverse cultures and ethnicities. She realized that ‘God is the God of the whole world’ in a very vivid way.

Rachel majored in Christian Education and Ministry at Wheaton College and continued to expand her love of the world through other global ministry experiences. John 15:5’s message about abiding in Christ rather than depending upon her own strength became quite very real during this season. Although she has often wondered if God would call her to serve in another country, she is eager to encourage others to be part of the teams serving throughout the world. She realizes that is a way her passion to serve the oppressed can actually be multiplied through the work of others.

“We are excited to have Rachel joining the Mobilization team on a more permanent basis. Her thoughtful diligence, gentle demeanor and passion to help people find the right place to serve is an asset to our team!” says Amy Rozko.

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

Sarah Miller named US Area Leader for International Teams USA

ITeams — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:20:37 +0000

International Teams is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Miller to the US Area Leader role. She will serve in this role under the leadership of Anthony Jones, Vice President of Ministry Development. As US Area Leader, Sarah will oversee current ministry teams based in the US as well as identify new ministry opportunities in the US context.

Sarah has served full-time with International Teams for over twenty years in various capacities; as team member, team leader, refugee global team member, and most recently as team leader for the Minneapolis Refugee Ministry Team.

Miller says, “I’ve often been challenged and encouraged by the passion and dedication of our US-based teams, so I’m excited about the opportunity to work with them in helping the marginalized and oppressed in our country. Together we can bring hope, dignity and wholeness to victims of economic, physical and spiritual oppression.”

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to have Sarah serving in this new role. She is a gifted leader with a great track record in a variety of ministry environments around the world. She is going to be a tremendous blessing to our teams that serve in the US,” states Scott Olson, President/CEO of International Teams USA.

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

Create your profile.

ITeams — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:49:09 +0000

In order to provide better communication with our partners and those interested in International Teams, we created an online profile system where users can change their contact information, communications preferences, and view and print giving information at their convenience.

Visitors to the ITeams site can create a profile quickly and tie it to their giving information using their unique account number. The website, located at profile.iteams.us, is a secure site designed to protect your information, while allowing you to interact with it.

Advantages for donors:

View and print annual giving records for tax purposes
View and print current giving records
Confirm financial transactions online
Improve the use of resources by electing to receive monthly reminders by email instead of printed statements by mail

Advantages for all users:

Update contact information
Select communications preferences, including subscribing and unsubscribing from select contact lists
Provide information about your interests and passions

Future releases will provide even more functionality and control for users to customize their experience with ITeams.

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

Lynda Goeringer returns to International Teams as Assistant to the President

ITeams — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:59:13 +0000

Lynda Goeringer has returned to International Teams as Administrative Assistant to President Scott Olson. Goeringer expresses excitement to rejoin the staff, and is overwhelmed at God’s perfect timing. She’s excited to connect with people whose lives and communities are being transformed by the power of God. Engaging her heart to minister to people, and the skills God gave her, she’s eager to have a role in bringing people together to help the oppressed.

Goeringer is a graduate of Judson University. She attends Calvary Chapel in Elk Grove Village, IL. She loves spending time with her family and playing with her two cats, Newman and Kramer. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the movies and reading. Her prayer and devotional life are foundational to her. She seeks to give everything over to the Lord and wants to see His will done in and through her. She’s excited to see how God will work through her in her new position.

“It is so great to have Lynda back ‘home’ at International Teams. She was a part of the ITeams family for nearly ten years and is loved by many people around the world. Her administrative abilities, people skills, and commitment to excellence are an incredible blessing. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her again,” states Scott Olson, president and CEO of International Teams USA.

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

Horn of Africa Update

Linda Bryant — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:56:58 +0000

Due to the famine and subsequent violence in the Horn of Africa, Kenya experienced a huge influx of Somali refugees in 2011. Over 400,000 refugees settled into the Dadaab Refugee Camp, the largest refugee camp in the world. This devastating crisis continues as we move into 2012 with an ongoing need to provide food, shelter, and safety for the refugees as they flee hunger and violence in their own country. Kenya has now closed its border to Somalia.

Our team in Kenya, led by Dotun and Ami Modupe, works holistically among African refugees and partners with other organizations in that area. Their mandate is to minister to their needs and, to a certain extent, the host population including the local drought victims in Northeastern Kenya. They recently provided an update on their work.

As 2011 drew to a close, al-Shabaab, a militant group, continued their terrorist activities throughout the region. The crisis recently escalated in Nairobi. Security has been increased in Kenyan government offices, public places, and major highways. Some members of the militant group were captured and killed. Casualties among Kenyan forces and civilians were also reported. The use of small arms, especially hand grenades and roadside bombs, claimed the lives of some military officials. More bombings took place recently in the refugee camp where Kenyan soldiers were killed. If these attacks continue, the Kenyan government is likely to crack down on Somali refugees, especially in the Dadaab Refugee Camp.

Additionally, recent torrential rains have somewhat eased Kenya’s long drought. These heavy rains caused flooding which damaged crops, took lives, destroyed property, and displaced hundreds of people. Because of the drought’s severity, it will take awhile before the affected regions can recover from the famine.

“We don’t know that we can solve the problems in the Horn of Africa,” admits our team on the ground. “What we do know is that we can help shape its future by educating the youth. In partnership with individuals and organizations, we’ve been able to send refugees to school. We complement their academic education with spiritual discipleship, not forgetting that our scholarship program was conceived primarily for the purpose of helping build up Christian faith while endeavoring to minister in a holistic way.”

Christmas provided our team with opportunities to celebrate through their ministry by providing food, games, and gifts. Imagine the joy on the faces of the people they serve when they could distribute bags of food containing rice, corn meal, flour, sugar, spaghetti and cooking oil to refugee families. This tangible outpouring of love was made possible because of financial partners who believe in the power of Christ to transform lives and communities.

“Please continue to intercede for peace and security in Kenya,” writes our team. “In spite of the many challenges we faced this year, God has sustained us. We can never thank you enough for your care, prayers, encouragement, and support. You have made a huge difference in our lives.”

LoS Partnership Summit 2012

dann — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:36:02 +0000

The past year has seen significant changes in the LoS. Political strife and social upheaval have created new challenges, and tremendous opportunities for the Gospel. Recently, new work was started in a new city, among a new unreached people group. Many opportunities exist for churches to impact this nation in the Middle East. The LoS Partnership began forming nearly four years ago, and this is now our third Summit.

As the work expands, so do the challenges and the opportunities. This Summit is intended to foster greater collaboration among all involved, the workers, partner churches, workers’ families and other potential partners. And our prayer is that through this Summit, God will call others to become involved in this God-sized vision to see a fully-developed church-planting movement among the four major people groups in the LoS by 2025. It’s time to come together again in order to pray and discover what God might do if we worked more closely together!

Join us for the 2012 LoS Partnership Summit!
April 20-21
International Teams’ Elgin Ministry Center
411 W River Rd
Elgin, IL 60123

You are among a select number of partners who are invited to participate in this timely event.

Meet workers and leaders from the LoS and hear first-hand what God is doing to build Jesus-movements there.
Pray, brainstorm and strategize about how you and your church can make a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God.
Build relationships with other key church leaders, mission leaders, potential workers and parents of workers who are all discovering next steps for working together.

WHO: Building on past Summits, the 2012 LoS Partnership Summit is designed to involve three important types of participants:

Church leaders, mission team members, and others who are interested in sending, supporting and partnering with workers in the LoS,
Potential new workers who are considering serving short or long term in the LoS, and
Parents of workers who are dedicated to supporting the work from a distance and encouraging others to do so.

WHEN: April 20-21, 2011. The Summit will begin at 6:15 pm on Friday, April 20, and will conclude at 4:45 pm on Saturday, April 21.

Note: In addition, we are again offering a pre-Summit “Encounter Islam” that begins at 1:00 pm on Friday, April 20.

WHERE: At International Teams’ Elgin Ministry Center, 411 W River Rd, Elgin, IL 60123–40 miles northwest of Chicago.

HOUSING: If you need overnight accommodations, we have very affordable housing ($40 per person, per night) available at our Ministry Center where individuals will share rooms in our spacious apartments. A continental breakfast is included. A specific roommate can be requested in the “Comments” section of our Registration page.

PROGRAM: The Summit begins with an optional session designed to be a first-hand encounter with Islam. By touring a local mosque, interacting with an imam, and debriefing the experience together, this exposure to Islam will provide a powerful introduction to how we can better relate to Muslims at home and abroad. Participation in this pre-Summit option costs $20 and will also include dinner. However, it is only available to those who did NOT participate last time. Space is limited.

Registration for the main LoS Partnership Summit will begin at 6:15 pm. The opening session, then, starts at 7:00 pm. The program will include an overview of the LoS vision and ministry, needs and opportunities, orientation to the LoS Partnership, networking and brainstorming times. For a look at the full program Click here.

COST: $85 per person if registered by February 3, 2012. $110 late registration before final deadline of March 20. Additionally, the optional pre-Summit “Encounter Islam” is $20.

Note: Additional members of your group will receive a $20 discount off their total registration cost if you register together! Be sure to include the name of your church/group on the Registration form. The first one to sign up from your church will be the full-paying member. Therefore, additional members of your group will pay $65 if registered by February 3 and $90 if registered by the March 20 final deadline!

Housing at our Ministry Center is an additional $40 per person, per night, while space is available.

WHAT IS INCLUDED: Registration fee includes Summit fees, materials and lunch on Saturday. For those who sign up for the pre-Summit option, dinner will also be included on Friday evening, as well as transportation to and from the mosque. For those who sign up for an overnight stay, a continental breakfast is also included.

REGISTRATION: Click here to register online or call Scott White at 864-905-5576. Early registration by February 3, 2012 will save you $25 per person! Final registration deadline is March 20, 2012. At the end of your online registration you will be directed to pay by MasterCard, Visa, or check. International Teams workers can request an account transfer from your support account.

MORE INFORMATION: Email or call Scott White: scott.white@iteams.org or 864-905-5576.

Lina Miller assumes new role in Ministry Development for International Teams

ITeams — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:33:23 +0000

After nine years serving in Member Care, Lina Miller is transitioning from Human Resources to Ministry Development. She has been an integral part of the HR team and has served with great dedication. Over the years, she has met with and encouraged many ITeams workers during training, at conferences, over Skype and via e-mail.

Lina joins the new Ministry Development department and the transition will be complete January 3. She will be working closely with Anthony Jones as his assistant. She will remain connected with our teams but from a different vantage point. Her new role will enable her to have closer contact with Area Leaders and Team Leaders, and her extensive experience of the field and various teams is a tremendous asset to Ministry Development.

Anthony Jones says, “I am excited to have Lina working with me to establish the newest department at ITeams USA which will provide leadership support to all the teams working with ITeams USA across the world — Lina’s long experience and relationship with each of our workers across the globe are very valuable.”

Contact
Jason Miller, Communications Director
International Teams USA / www.iteams.us
411 W. River Road, Elgin, IL 60123
847.429.0900 / communications@iteams.org

After Thanksgiving

ITeams — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:54:06 +0000

Whether you avoid the frenzy of after-Thanksgiving sales or enjoy it, you can make a difference in people’s lives and communities around the world. Every purchase of Songs for the Oppressed from Black Friday to Cyber Monday will result in 50% of the purchase price impacting ITeams ministries around the world and the other 50% focusing on our work in Bolivia among orphans like Viviana. If you haven’t read Viviana’s story, we think you’ll be inspired and want to pass it on.

Take me to the Songs for the Oppressed store!

Out of the fire

ITeams — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:23:55 +0000

Bonnie Timmer with Viviana (pictured) made a huge impact on one another.

A Christmas message from our team in Bolivia.

In an isolated village in the Amazon River rain basin, a little girl named Viviana became an orphan. Struggling to survive completely on her own, Viviana moved through her village from family to family requesting food. The villagers reluctantly shared what little they had, but the other children began to despise her. Over the next three years, that bitterness continued to grow.

What happened next would change Viviana’s life and community forever.

Village children gathered around a bonfire. Their lives were about to be marked by more than play. Finding Viviana, some of the children pushed her into the roaring fire. She quickly escaped the flames, but in that moment 60% of her body was severely burned. The villagers concluded that this was the end for her and laid her on a sheet to die.

The following day, they found her alive. The villagers continued to wait.

The next day, she was still alive.

On the third day, they decided to call for help. Thirty-six hours later a plane arrived to transport her to the hospital in the city of Cochabamba. Looking at her, the pilot was sure she would die before landing.

God had other plans for Viviana. Despite overwhelming odds, she survived the flight. After a week in the hospital she slowly began to heal. ITeams workers Mike and Bonnie Timmer were already working with orphans in Cochabamba. Mike was asked to consider taking Viviana into one of their orphanages. The obstacles to this seemed legitimate and insurmountable.

Despite not yet having the needed resources to care for her, Bonnie visited Viviana in the hospital daily.

Her daily visits with Viviana broke her heart as she began to understand the terrible atrocities that this little girl had experienced. When she was physically able,

she was welcomed into the Timmer household.

Not only had Viviana’s life changed, but the way the Timmers thought about ministry would change as a result.

When Viviana left the hospital, she entered an entirely new world. She still spoke the language of her village with a little bit of Spanish learned while in the hospital. She had never seen a car. When she saw her first traffic light with the reds, yellows, and greens, she thought it was the most beautiful thing in the entire world. While her body healed, she also needed to learn to live in a foreign place.

This reality opened Mike’s eyes to a stark truth. Viviana wasn’t the only orphan living in remote jungle villages. Until they met Viviana, the Timmer’s ministry model required removing the children to grow up in an unfamiliar culture in the city.

Even though significant challenges existed, the Timmer’s team began building orphanages in the communities where the children actually lived. This shift allows continued connections with extended families and leaves cultures and languages undisturbed after the tragic loss of parents. Children can stay in their schools and continue to embrace the culture and heritage where God placed them.

Viviana is now eleven years old and she still lives in the city of Cochabamba. She is too scared to go back to her village, but Mike

hopes that someday God might use her to reach back into the very village where people had once tried to kill her. Whatever the future holds, Mike and Bonnie are convinced God has plans for Viviana.

“She’s an amazing little girl. She’s a spitfire. I honestly can’t talk about her enough,” Mike reflects tenderly.

Viviana’s changed life changed the Timmer’s lives, their ministry model, and the lives of other orphans growing up in their own communities in Bolivia.

Viviana’s story represents beautifully the expanding power of a transformed life. A transformed life, like Viviana’s, can transform a community by the power of God. Eagerly, we look to what’s next because of this precious young girl.