SMP Photo of the Day--Puppets!

Some fun scenes from the "SMP Mexico 2007 Players" during an outreach.



Statistics tell us that childhood is the most
essential time to reach people with the
Gospel, yet many missionary endeavors are
geared towards reaching adults. SMP participants have an opportunity to reach out to people of all ages through a variety of activities.



So how about you . . . when did you first learn of Jesus' love?

--lorraine woodward

SMP Photo of the Day-Sent by the CRC, part 1

SMP participants are the "goers", heading out to all corners of the earth, but supported with prayer and finances by many people within the CRCNA. One highlight of the pre-field orientation is the commissioning service, where the SMP participants are celebrated, prayed over, and sent out with the blessing of a local congregation and the larger CRC.

SMP Photo of the Day-Sent by the CRC, part 2

In 2007, the SMP pre-field orientation coincided with the 150th anniversary celebration of the CRCNA, which was a wonderful complement to the commissioning service.

SMP Photo of the Day--Laura having fun

Laura spends time playing with the kids of CRWM missionaries Ben and Amy Meyer, as well as another local child.

SMP participants live and work among CRWM career missionaries, getting a day-to-day view of what missionary life is really like.

SMP Photo of the Day--Karlynn's storm

During pre-field orientation, SMP participants participated in a variety of activities to help them prepare for their time overseas. Here, Karlynn shares a picture she drew of a previous conflict she'd experienced. The participants were encouraged to draw this conflict in "weather language", one creative (and kind of fun!) way to describe feelings in a tense situation.

SMP Photo of the Day--puzzled

Prior to heading out across the world, SMP participants spend an intense week in Grand Rapids, Michigan, getting to know each other and participating in activities that will help them as they serve in a variety of contexts.

Here, Brittney, Jordan, Laura, Karlynn and Charlene work on a group exercise during a training on conflict resolution.

SMP Photo of the Day--telling the Story in Mexico

SMP Mexico participant Laura Vander Ploeg sharing a story with children in Guadalajara, Mexico.

SMP Photo of the Day-- "Behold, I stand at the door and knock"

Children in West Africa, like children all over the world, need to hear about the love of Jesus and the salvation He brings. SMP participants work alongside of CRWM missionaries who seek to share Jesus' love in a variety of ways.

SMP Photo of the Day--Have you seen these people?!

No, this isn't the wall of the post office . . . It's a poster (we think it's in a church) of SMP Japan 2007 participants. They look wholesome and innocent enough, don't they?

SMP Photo of the Day--Nice clothes!

Um, we are really not sure what Jordan, Matt, (and is that Karlynn?) are doing in this picture, but hey--when you go on SMP, you agree to serve the Lord in ANY capacity . . .

SMP Photo of the Day--Brittney sharing a meal

Brittney Salverda in West Africa.

SMP Photo of the Day--do the Funky Chicken!

Matt Burns in Eastern Europe. We're not quite sure what he's doing . . . racing the chickens? catching his dinner? Actually, we're not even sure he's in Eastern Europe in this picture. I stalked his Facebook for this picture . . . (this is what happens when you don't send in your SMP pictures in a timely fashion!)

Japan--a study in contrasts

Less than 2% of the people in Japan follow Jesus, whereas Buddhism and Shintoism are widely followed.

The SMP team in Japan is one way that Christian Reformed World Missions is reaching out to the youth of Japan who need to know the true God.

More from West Africa

a smiling Fulani child

The Baobob tree is a ubiquitous symbol throughout West Africa, and is often a neighborhood gathering place.

Romans 10:13 in Pular.

Brittney in West Africa

Brittney (Stelpstra) Salverda served alongside CRWM career missionaries, and worked in partnership with three Brazilian missionaries among an unreached people group in West Africa*.

Brittney with the three Brazilian missionaries. Partnerships are an important part of CRWM strategy.

CRWM career missionary G.* talks in the marketplace where he and his wife travel to sell books every day.

*wondering why we're not naming names? Send an e-mail with your favorite Heidelberg Catechism Q&A to Lorraine for more information.

SMP Japan 2007

Charles Hong (center, with guitar)
and Lloyd Kim lead worship

Eastern Europe--kids, kids, and more kids!

Below--Charlene with two of the participants
at an English camp in Gyanta, Romania.

Using popsicle sticks to show that we can accomplish so
much more together than we can on our own!

Jordan with a new friend
SMP participants live and work alongside of
CRWM career missionaries.
Here, Abigail, George, Sarah, (and Elizabeth--not born yet!),
and Matthew de Vuyst smile for the camera.
Karlynn working on crafts with a
group of kids at one of the camps.

Eastern Europe camp scenes

Another week, another camp. The SMP Eastern Europe team shows off its mad dancing skills.

There must be a story here somewhere . . .

Karlynn and Matt lead the group in singing.
Now if only they knew what they were saying!

On the road with SMP Eastern Europe

Places to go, people to see, things to do!

Below, (left to right) Karlynn, Jordan, and

Charlene on their way to Ukraine.

Below: CRWM missionary George de Vuyst consults
a map before heading out with the group.

The Eastern Europe team travelled to three
different countries and led English camps and
Bible camps in Ukraine, Hungary and Romania.

Below: Welcome to Ukraine!
It's probably safe to say that the team hadn't
experienced this type of traffic jam before . . .

Below: Charlene, Jordan, and Matt discover
that we weren't kidding when we said that
you need to be able to carry all of your own luggage--
all the time--everywhere you go!

SMP 2007 in Mexico

SMP participants partner with CRWM career missionaries and with other partners. Sara and Laura spent part of their summer with Calvin Seminary intern Sam Boldenow (second from left) and his wife Christina Ludema (at left)

Below, Laura VanderPloeg gives her testimony at a
bonfire on the team's last night in Tijuana

SMP Mexico 2007

Sara Orellana steps out of her comfort zone as she helps to paint a local mission.

Back on the ground, Sara teaches English to a group of kids in Guadalajara.

Laura Vander Ploeg reads as a group of kids looks on eagerly.

Sara prepares for a lesson.

Coming soon--Scenes from SMP 2007!

Above, Charlene Ouwerkerk of the Eastern Europe team

performs some impromptu foot surgery on
Matthew Burns, also of the Eastern Europe team.

Our favorite song is on YouTube!

good-bye, 2006 . . .

but say hello to our 2007 SMP participants!

and get to know them here.

wondering if God might be calling you to be a part of His story this summer?

Then check out www.crwm.org/smp to find out more about how you can spend your summer in Eastern Europe, Japan, Mali, or Mexico!
APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 9th!
The deadline for applications is February 9th. Don't miss it!

more about Mexico

We haven't posted much in a while . . . hopefully folks are still tuning in! but I realized that we don't have news from about half of the SMP teams, so I'm going to work on remedying that in the next few days/weeks. SMP teams usually come into the Grand Rapids offices to talk to us about their experiences. We sometimes refer to this as a "debriefing" (not as sinister as it sounds!) Our 2006 two-person Mexico team is coming in next week for their (belated) debriefing, so in advance of that, I'm going to post a few pictures here, with the hope that they will be able to fill in some of the details soon!

sharing God's Word


There are worse places to spend your summer . . .

Beow, Seth Kuiper with some kids in mexico (left) and in a church service.


Tracts being prepared for outreach


Mark Hofman with some of his new friends