| By Feona MorrisonToday marks 21 years since Dr.Ravindra Shiwnandand became leader of the Herstelling Assemblies of God (AOG). The church located at 350-351 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, now has over 200 members.Dr. Michelle Shiwnandand and Rev. Dr. Ravindra ShiwnandandIn observance of this milestone, Reverend Pastor Dr. Shiwnandand told Kaieteur News that his church has organized a series of activities.Last Saturday, the church held its Suicide Walk. Dr. Shiwnandand highlighted that Guyana’s high suicide rate his alarming and saw the need to raise awareness. He said that suicide affects persons of all religious backgrounds and race.He added that his church has outlined a number of strategies to assist youths with feeling wanted and to let them know how precious it is to be alive. The religious body has over the years served the community of Herstelling and its environs not only spiritually but socially and economically through its various ministries.MEDICAL MISSIONThis arm of the Church was founded in 1996 by Dr. Shiwnandand and his wife Dr. Michelle Shiwnandand. It aims at providing holistic care to needy communities in Guyana. However, its main focus is medical evangelism. The church strongly believes that Jesus’s main work on earth included teaching and healing.Herstelling AOG undertakes all medical missions by organizing teams of volunteers, ministers, health professionals and paraprofessionals to targeted areas to expand evangelism and health awareness.The Church hopes to one day develop partnerships with other churches and parachurch organizations. Establishing clinics and urgent care centres in small remote villages to enhance preventative care and treat illnesses and injuries is also another one of the church’s goals.The religious body is also optimistic about training young people to become Community Health Evangelists. Every year, the Church carries out two mission trips to remote areas.Herstelling AOG buildingOver the past five years, more than 3000 persons have benefited from outreaches at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara; Pomeroon River Villages, Yarowkabra,Cheap Jerseys China, Santa Mission and other rural areas. Sunday school training, youth seminars and open air meetings were also part of the medical missions.TRAINING FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUTHSHerstelling AOG identified that there were a high number of School dropouts in the community of Herstelling. Other problems detected among the young population were unemployment; hopelessness; low family income; low literacy level and self-esteem; teenage pregnancy among others.In 2008, the church embarked on a Community Bridge Evangelism Project that targeted youths through skill development. With assistance from the European Union (EU), Governments agencies,jerseys from china, local churches and communities many young people were afforded training in Information Technology; Office Procedure; radio and television repairs; cookery; cosmetology; welding and joinery; floral decoration and entrepreneurship.All courses are free, and students receive a certificate upon completion. Many graduates have gone on to either open their own small business or gain employment in both Public and Private Sector.CHURCH PLANTINGChurch Planting is a process that results in a new church being established. For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function independently under the umbrella of its parent church and wider denomination. In accordance with Matthew 28:18-20, Herstelling AOG Global Outreach Center is committed to the New Testament philosophy of indigenous church planting through soul-winning, discipleship, Bible study, and the organization of churches that govern, support,wholesale jerseys, and reproduce themselves.The Herstelling AOG has thus far established a number of outstations and operation throughout the country. These include Operation Diamond,Cheap Jerseys China, Operation Baramita Region One,Wholesale China Jerseys, Hutsonville Outstation and Yarowkabra Outstation.EARLY PREGNANCY ADVISORY SERVICESEarly Pregnancy Advice Services (EPAS) was co founded by Dr. Ravindra Shivnandand and Dr. Clarence Charles in 1995. The mission of the EPAS is to join forces with likeminded persons and groups to multiply Christ-centered,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, life giving ministries wherever abortions exists or the sanctity of human life is diminished. EPAS counsels mothers with unwanted pregnancies with the aim at preventing abortions. |
