From the Desk of James W. Goll
Greetings to You in Jesus’ Great Name!
It’s a time of strategic transition at EN as we follow the Lamb’s leadership in this ministry. He is truly streamlining us into excellence and raising up powerful leaders to carry that which we are releasing. Last week we announced the transition of Prayer Storm into the hands of Jon and Jolene Hamill. This week I am thrilled to share that I am officially transitioning the stewardship of Compassion Acts into the capable hands of Mark Roye, its International Director.
Due to the detailed nature of today’s blast, here is a quick outline of what you will find below.
Article – “Compassion Acts – Steps in Moving Forward” – by James W. Goll- Original Audio Message – “This Is How Compassion Acts” – by Founder Michal Ann Goll
- Transition Video – highlighting history of Compassion Acts and announcing official transition
- Article – “Another Dreamer’s Park Built” – by Mark Roye
- Trip Video – showing time-lapse of latest Dreamer’s Park built in Cambodia
- Article – “Beautiful Dreamers” – by trip attendee Mike Paschal
You can still read my latest article on “I Urge You to Pray” with a corresponding a podcast on “Praying for Those in Authority.” All our messages are available at ENMedia.org or at James Goll on iTunes.
Remember, Together in Jesus, We Make a Great Team!
James W. Goll, Mark Roye
and the Ecounters Network • Prayer Storm • Compassion Acts Team
Compassion Acts – Steps in Moving Forward
by James W. Goll
Mark Roye is not new to you as the International Director of Compassion Acts. In partnering together, Mark Roye and Mike Lynch carry the mantle of compassion the way Michal Ann and team did 12 years ago. Just as “networking” was a major part of the original DNA of CA, in turn, Mark Roye has recently joined the Board of Directors of Freedom’s Promise based right in Nashville, TN.
On the heels of James empowering and releasing CA to Mark, Tiffany Atkinson of Freedom’s Promise extended the invitation for Compassion Acts to unite with their fantastic and effective ministry. Recently, the Board of Directors of both EN and FP have each unanimously approved these measures. So by September 2016 all the legal work, updated website and financial details will be complete! So the work of Compassion Act will goes on in strength!
At the present time, there are about 550 committed people who have signed up to receive the ongoing email updates from Compassion Acts – where love takes action. By September 1st, EN/CA will release these email addresses to the new umbrella organization of Freedom’s Promise. So if you would like to receive ongoing email Updates on Compassion Acts, then please sign up here.
A Message from the Founder
In light of all the transitions taking place with Compassion Acts and the new relationships being strengthened with Doug Stringer of Somebody Cares International and Tiffany Atkinson of Freedom’s Promise, we want you to hear the cornerstone message given by Michal Ann Goll many years ago on “This Is How Compassion Acts.”
James W. Goll with Mark Roye
Another Dreamer’s Park Built!
Cambodia – May 2016
By Mark Roye
This past May our team was so excited to head back to our beloved city of Poi Pet, Cambodia. Compassion Acts partnered with our dear friends at Freedom’s Promise to build a Dreamer’s Park playground on the campus of New Life of Hope School and Church. At this location there were 265 students enrolled in the school, but there was absolutely nothing on which the kids could play.
Our team was made up of 7 men from USA, 6 Cambodians, 1 Canadian and 1 Australian. It was great fun to build something together that the children will enjoy for years to come. Our lead carpenter, Larry Sargent from San Antonio, TX had a dream about a new design for a playground. We called it the “twin towers of fun.” On this trip we were able to build a playground with more apparatuses for kids to play on than any other park we have built before. In addition, we were able to cut cost by 30% and use a smaller footprint for the playground. How exciting!
Thank you to each of you who have partnered with us in building these wonderful places where children can play, imagine and dream of a better future. The first Dreamers Park was built in Pemba, Mozambique, to honor the life of our beloved, Michal Ann Goll, the founder of Compassion Acts. When we built the first park in June 2010 we never imagined it would grow into something we would continue to do all over the world.
This most recent trip was our 4th Dreamer’s Park – the 3rd built in the country of Cambodia. While in Cambodia we dedicated this park in memory of my dear mother who graduated to her heavenly reward this past year. We continue to show the world that compassion is not just an emotion, but rather an emotion that triggers an action. Yes, Compassion Acts!
Presently we are in the planning stages of building two more Dreamer’s Parks in Cambodia in May 2017. We have received other requests to build playgrounds in Katmandu, India and also in Uganda. So please continue to pray with us as we make plans. And we appreciate your ongoing support, whether a one-time gift or a monthly partner. You may donate by clicking here and selecting “Dreamers Park” from the drop down menu.
Thank You so much for your prayers and support to make this possible for hundreds of children to play and dream of a better life!
Mark Roye
International Director of Compassion Acts
Below is a touching and poignant blog posted by my good friend, Mike Paschall, who joined us for the trip to Cambodia in May. He has been a dear friend for over 20 years. He’ll help you to climb inside the journey and experience what it was like! You’ll also enjoy the time-lapse video of our most recent building of Dreamer’s Park. It is fantastic!
Beautiful Dreamers
by Mike Paschall
You knew it the second you crossed the border. No disrespect, but it’s like a dream-ish time warp. It’s not the slow boil of a frog in water analogy. It’s hot grease verses pinky flesh, in an instant, kicking and screaming different. “Hello Cambodia. So, this is how you roll? Oh my!”
We walked across the border from Thailand. The afternoon sun poached us up real nice (hundred plus with 95 percent humidity). Sweat was a full-body symphony. Order was out the window. Clean streets and evident prosperity were on the other side from where we came. This was very different. It required a different gear, another level of patience, and a different way of seeing things.
It was indeed a sensory overload moment that I’ll never forget, although I’d be remiss if I didn’t inject here that Cambodia is filled with the beautiful too. There are ugly things in just about every country on this planet. Trafficking, prostitution, and glue-sniffing kids are not just Asian issues. Cambodia does have its share of hurt, but to be fair, First World citizens are just better at hiding what’s not so beautiful. The poorer places aren’t as slick in what they’re able to hide.
It’s much easier to exploit in the Third World, and desperation camps out on the back porch constantly. So, there is no reason for us to ever be haughty. Should we be concerned and willing to help? Always. Offended and put off? Never.
The team of guys I was with are regular visitors to the country. They smoothed out most of the transitional edges, but you still felt the culture. It’s like walking into a spider’s web. It’s all over you before you even see it. As we were indoctrinated about the people, we were also exposed to a simple philosophy of planting seed for future change. People in Cambodia don’t dream for change. It’s too painful. They survive. So instead of pushing a major religious agenda, this little band of brothers cultivates dreams for change.
Oh yeah, it’s a Jesus thing that sits on the strong legs of compassion and the substance of Jesus’ love. But ultimately, their vision is for the most tender incubation of playing children. Science suggests that playing children are much more creative with their imaginations. This is the perfect environment for the natural and practical stimulation of creative change inside the minds and hearts of Cambodia’s most precious resource: CHILDREN.
Finding playgrounds in Cambodia is like looking for ice in the Gobi desert. It’s a non-existent thing. So, my friends Mark Roye and Mike Lynch with a boots on the ground ministry called Compassion Acts are doing their part to be agents of change. It was a privilege to witness their on going work.
I barely know which end of a hammer to grab, but I made a pretty good go-fer. In 31 years of ministry, I’ve never been a part of anything like this. It was beyond way kewl. Seven American gringos, one Canadian, one Australian, and four Cambodians built a quality playground. And strange as it may seem, the kids just knew what to do when the project was nearing completion. Like ducks to water, the waves of smiles, laughs and screams were instantaneous! It’s a costly roll of the dice, but Compassion Acts’ hope breeds the faith that the investment will produce great fruit.
Their dream is that Cambodian children will dream. Not like we dream, but as we dream. We dream about me. Where do I go? What do I do? How do I succeed? What’s my next adventure? Cambodia needs children who dream way beyond our norms. The hope is that Cambodian children will dream about their country, its people, and its future change. Here’s to the simple planted seeds of future dreamers.
Cheers Cambodia!
You Indeed are Filled with Beautiful Dreamers!
Grateful,
Mike Paschall
https://everytribeinternational.org/2016/05/31/beautiful-dreamers/
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