OVERSEAS PartnersHIPS

We are excited about joining with what God is doing around the world, and about building partnerships with other churches and individuals who are making a difference overseas. We see these partnerships as a key way for us to contribute towards God’s Kingdom work in other countries, and we believe that we learn and benefit from them too. 

 

India partnership

Over the last few years we have built a great relationship with a church in India which was planted out of a Vineyard church, and had the joy of sending a small team over to visit them in 2018. We are committed to praying for them, cheering them on and visiting again in the near future! 

If you are interested in finding out more about this, or any of our other international partnerships, please contact David Jennings.

 
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Iain & Sheila Crofton Briggs, Mexico

Iain & Sheila Crofton Briggs were sent out from Severn Vineyard in 2015, with a view to exploring what God was calling them to in Mexico. After some years helping to lead Casa de Esperanza, a home for young men who are suffering from drug and / or alcohol addiction, they are now working with an orphanage called Casa Hogar Los Angelitos (CHLA) in Manzanillo.

The children and young people of Manzanillo are statistically the most at risk in Mexico for getting involved in crime and cartel activity and so a limited life expectancy. Iain and Sheila are aiming to do anything they can to reduce this risk through a protective environment and education. The CHLA orphanage has been doing this for over 30 years for between 60 to 90 children. They have a track record of helping these children who normally have had very traumatic histories. The orphanage provides the children with love and support as well as education, often to university level. They have an amazing cultural dance group who perform all over the world.

Iain and Sheila are now supporting them in 6 ways.

  1. CHLA has a performance area called CLA. Iain and Sheila are helping them to create part of this into a cafe and a cyber cafe. This is to run two courses, for children from CHLA and from the community.

  2. A HCBT course which is a 'Healthy thinking course' called “Free to be me”. This is run by a psychologist and has been shown to change addictive or unhelpful thinking.

  3. A robotics course. This teaches basic programming and encourages creativity as well as getting people ready for an AI world and to take part in international competitions.

  4. Iain and Sheila are hosting teams from the USA and Canada in their home, which they describe as beautiful, with many bedrooms.

  5. There is a second house (Casa 2) for teenage boys, and Iain and Sheila are building relationships with them by doing fun activities most months.

  6. Iain and Sheila are supporting CHLA’s renovation plans and working on reducing their ongoing costs by installing solar panels and tankless boilers.

Finally, Iain and Sheila are encouraging all the kind donors that have supported them to support this wonderful orphanage. Find out more at this website.

 

Hong Kong

Before returning to the UK in 2023, David Jennings worked for the St Stephen's Society in Hong Kong, an organisation founded by Jackie Pullinger, helping people to overcome addictions and deal with underlying problems. Here, Dan Green interviews David to find out about his life and work in Hong Kong.