IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD'S PERFECT TIMING!
Before God brought Eric into my life one of the greatest desires I had was to have a husband that I could minister with. When I attended Children's Ministry Institute in MO, I began to specifically pray that God would give me a man after God's own heart. While I attended the Institute, I met an African lady from Ghana. She was only attending the school for a few weeks of class and was partnered with me. During her stay I found out that her husband and her had started a school over in africa. God layed it on my heart to buy crafts for her students and print out pictures of her school for her.
Anyways before we departed ways she prophesied over me. She did not know that my greatest desire was to have a husband after God's own heart- when she prophesied over me she said that God was going to give me a husband after God's heart and that we were going to do ministry in many wonderful ways!!! This had been a long time pray of mine.
At this time, I didn't know Eric. A few years passed and God did bring her first prophesy to pass, by bringing Eric into my life. Eric and I were engaged. I was so excited that I wanted to tell her, but there was no way of getting in contact with her in Africa. At this time I was in full time ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship and we had an international conference in North Carolina we had to attend. Only God could do this!!! In the midst of the conference guess who was there? Yes Florence was there!!!! The african lady!!!!
We got to call Eric on the phone and she got to pray over us together. As I spent time with her that week I learned more about her school and God began to put a desire in my heart to help their school expenses, She said she would pray until we came over to Africa.
Time passed, I got married, had children and lost contact with Florence again. However, a few months ago I sent word to Children's Ministry Institute that I was looking for Florence and Today I got word that I found her!!!!!! I'm going to email our testimony to her and tell her, her full prophesy is going to come to pass very shortly!!
OUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO OUR PASTOR AND HIS WIFE
Dear Pastor Baker and Sister Brenda,
Beth and I want to take a few minutes to say thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you to Sheppard the flock at Faith Assembly of God. God is truly using you in a mighty way.
I want to share our testimony with you and tell you what our wonderful Lord and Savior is doing in our lives. When Beth and I met, we decided to look for a home church together. After visiting 27 churches in the local area, the Holy Spirit brought us to Faith Assembly of God. This was the only church, out of the 27 visited, that we felt led to attend. We have been attending Faith Assembly for a little over 3 years now.
We have met many wonderful people since then, but one couple that hasmade an impact on our lives is Bill and Theresa Bennet. When we firstmet Bill and Theresa, Beth and I were searching for biblical truth. We were both raised in churches that taught against Pentecostal doctrine (Spiritual gifts are not for today, etc). I was also raised believing that the church started in Acts 13 (not Acts 2), the church is NOT the bride of Christ (Israel is), rightly dividing the Word of Truth meant that the Pauline Epistles are for us today and not the rest of the Bible, water baptism was not for today (only one baptismand that is being baptized into the body of Christ), and the list goes on.
After attending Faith Assembly for 6 months, Beth and I both lost our jobs. And to be honest with you, that was the best two and a half months of my life. It was a time that Beth and I consciously set aside what we thought we knew about Spiritual things and studied everything out for ourselves. We asked the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us, and He did. As we studied, we started asking Bill and Theresa questions about what we were learning and understanding. They
were a tremendous help to us. Coming to the conclusion that a lot of what I was taught against is in fact applicable to our lives today,I was water baptized. Also, the Holy Spirit revealed to us that Spiritual gifts are for today, so Beth and I started to pray and ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He answered our prayers and filled us with His precious Spirit. He filled Beth during the revival services that Carl Harris was here for, and He filled me a few weeks after that.
The Holy Spirit has used you, Pastor Baker, over that last few years to teach us and to confirm to us what our true purpose is here on earth. Over the past few weeks, your messages, along with Joey Hipp's messages, have spoken directly to our Spirits and have confirmed some things.
Before I left my last job from NPC, Inc, God was placing a desire in my heart to quit working for earthly things and start working for eternal things. At that time, I was not sure what that meant or what He wanted me to do, but I wanted to help people in some way. I thought and prayed about being a biblical counselor, but the doors were never opened.
Beth worked for Child Evangelism Fellowship in some way since she's been 15 years old. Her mom and sisters were involved over the years as well. She was used to working for eternal things and always prayed that her and her husband would minister together somewhere someday.
I met Beth around the time God was burdening me with working for eternal things instead of earthly things. And since she worked for CEF, I assumed I was going to be the local Director (they were looking for a director at this time as well). However, God closed that door and told us that Beth was to resign from her position with them as well. A month later, I lost my job.
The Lord provided me with another secular job, working for Smith Transport. It was great for a while, but the longer I was here, the more I didn't want to be. The organization and most people who work here are all about money and what they can get for themselves. I know God has me here for a reason, but the reason is unclear and still is unclear.
The Initial Call
It was the summer of 2007 when God started placing a burden for orphans and needy people on our hearts. In fact, I came home from work one day and said, “I am getting sick of this greedy, selfish, busy culture that we live in. I want to sell everything we have and move overseas to start an orphanage. Get out of this Godless society and start doing things that will matter for eternity.” Obviously, we didn’t do that, yet!
However, we had the opportunity to have dinner with my Uncle Tom and Aunt Marilynn, who are missionaries in South Africa, during Christmas of 2007. We discussed our desires to sell everything and start an orphanage overseas, when they asked us if we knew anything about the
Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA (http://www.mhs-pa.org). Until that time, we didn’t know anything about it.
The Milton Hershey School is a cost-free, private, co-educational home and school for children from families of low income, limited resources, and social need. The School is funded by a trust established by Milton S. Hershey and his wife Catherine. Milton Hershey School offers a positive, structured home life year-round and an excellent pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education. Their vision focuses on building character and providing children with the skills necessary to be successful in all aspects of life.
Their students live on campus and are on a year-round program. So the student home and house parents, married couples, are at the core of each child's stability and safety while they are there. The house parents provide guidance, support, and discipline while encouraging contact with the children’s parents/sponsors through phone calls, e-mail, and visits.
Beth and I had to see the school for ourselves, so we contacted Tom and Marilynn’s supporters, who are house parents at the school, and decided to go down and visit them. So we met John and Dorris Eisenhower and the girls in their student home. After the first visit, Beth and I felt like this was the place God wanted us to be. We kept looking on-line for an opening for house parents and in June of 2008 there was a job posting. We applied, excitedly, but were informed the following day that everything looked good, but our kids were too young. The school wants the oldest child to be 5 years old or older.
Confused and lost to why God had placed this burden on our hearts but did not allow us to do anything about it was getting frustrating for the both of us. A few months went by and in September of 2008, God began to open up other doors of opportunity. By this time, we were in full swing of looking for a different job for me.
Soon thereafter, a home based business opportunity came our way and I felt lead to accept. As we joined and explored the idea more, God began to show us that this was going to be one of the “how” or “means” He wanted us to use to fund things that He would place on our heart.
It was also at this time that God revealed the “what” to us. As we began to see the potential of making a significant income with this company, God began to place on Beth and my heart the desire to fund an orphanage. So we began to pray in this direction, and grew excited and wanted to share our desire with Christians who had the same passion and desire.
On February 6, 2009 God led Beth to create a facebook group called Build On The Rock Ministries to unite Christians that shared the same Godly vision and desire. That desire is to empower Christians to do humanly impossible things. Build and run Christian co-educational communities with a school, a health clinic, and housing for orphans. This would enable us to feed, house, educate, and spiritually feed these children.
Build On The Rock Ministries was set up for people of action. It is a safe place where they can share the dreams God has placed on their heart and have the opportunity to give financially or be the one we will be sending. It is a group that prays and encourages each other with scripture. This group also promotes this group to their friends that have the same desires and gives out information to all their friends and family that will enable us to construct and empower the “Build On The Rock Ministries” projects. As of today, July 1, 2009 we have 407 members and continue to add members daily.
On April 20, 2008 we appointed 6 administrative committee members to keep us accountable and to help give us ideas and wisdom on all our decisions. Since then, we have with God’s wisdom and guidance added 2 Sub-Committees. These committee members are as follows.
Build On The Rock Committee/Sub-Committees
Administrative Committee
Eric Shoop. He is the co-founder and President/Treasurer of Build on The Rock Ministries. He attended Penn State University in Altoona, PA and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business degree with a concentration in Finance. Currently working for a trucking company while trying to establish the ministry and internet based retail store.
Elizabeth Shoop. She is the founder and Vice President of Build On The Rock Ministries. In the past, she has evangelized and ministered to local children for 6 years in full-time ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship. She holds a diploma from Children's Ministry Institute in MO.
Sam Guvai. He is the secretary of Build On The Rock Ministries as well as a humanitarian journalist and an editorial assistant for 123jump.com. He is a board member of order of kush Eastern Africa -http://www.orderofkush.org/kenya/index.html . Sam counsels for the youth and pre-teens with more emphasis on HIV/AIDS counseling. He has worked in Uganda, South Africa, Ethiopia among other nations in that region.
Pastor D. Victor Samuel. He is the founder of El-Shaddai Ministries, a registered Christian Charitable Non-Profit Ministry located in Pithapuram in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. He has been ministering for thirteen years and has two churches. El-Shaddai Ministries aim is to proclaim the precious love of Jesus Christ and His salvation to the perishing souls through organizing childcare units for fatherless and orphans, conducting VBS, retreats and free schools, conducting medical camps and distributing free medicine as well artificial limbs to the needy disabled people. By implementing the above programs they preach the Gospel of Christ and win the souls, planting churches and evangelize to interior villages.
Julius Irungu. He was a street boy who was taken in by a lady that was a clothing designer by profession and had a prosperous boutique at Kariobangi Market Nairobi. She used the little money she received to purchase a plot of land in Kayole, a suburb in Nairobi that is now currently known as the Imani Rehabilition Agency. Over the years and with the support of well wishers, Imani Rehabilition Agency has expanded to cater for the needs of 350 children while having two locations in Kayole: Kayole A and Kayole B. Today Julius works with her to rehabilitate street children and children living under difficult circumstances.
Wendy Victorai Kathini. She is currently studying International Relations at USIU-Africa (United States International University).
Matthew Smith. God has called him to build an orphanage in the Philippines, Ukraine, and Africa. At the present, the Philippine orphanage is being constructed. He is planning to build the Ukraine orphanage in the next couple of months. He has no team members yet, but has a strong calling from God to fulfill these tasks.
Godfrey Tinka. He is the founder of Smile Africa Missions. He is partnered with One Accord Ministries that seeks to encourage the restoration of Christ centeredness throughout the Body of Christ via the prayer movement. They develop and then serve prayer support, web based ministries that encourage prayer-centric ministry activity. They also share tools and training that help create a firm ministry foundation as well as encourage ministries to implement simple yet effective prayer and testimony based communication strategies to exponentially expand their ministry efforts.
Alan Auclair. He has served twenty years as a missionary to America from 1989 to 2008. He has also served as the Associate National Director of Acts 29 USA from 2005-2008. He is a revival conference promoter and frequent speaker and a guest speaker on Daystar TV on the subject of revival. He founded the Houston Chapter of Acts 29 USA in 2005, a group of evangelists that travels throughout America taking the message of the Gospel to the streets where the Gospel is hardest to find.
Building Sub-Committee
George Juma Adongo. He is the founder of Teachers Together in Christ International. His organization's objectives are to meet the teachers' spiritual needs, counseling them and their families, advising teachers on investment opportunities, interacting with other teachers' groups world wide, working together with other Groups such as Gara To Combat The Ravaging Effects Of Aids Among Teahcers, seeking development partners to offer medical cover for teachers and their immediate family member.
Harrison Makenga. He was brought up in Imani children's home in Nairobi kenya. Currenly he works for an insurance company called APA Insurance Company. He is also a member of Imani board that governs Imani children's home.
Kimani Haroun. He is an educationist in special needs education and has been dealing with vulnerable and orphaned children and other special needs children.
Sam Mwangi. He is a Kenyan citizen by birth. Sam has a passion for kids and has volunteered to spend a day with them in various places in Kenya. He has been involved in mission activities across East Africa and also visiting such homes. He also coordinated aid to a home in Mombasa Kenya. His joy is to see a smile on a child's face. His prayer is that we will do this and achieve a lot with Jesus help. He currently works for a traveling and sight seeing agency.
Alan Mwika. He lives in Ongata Rongai, Nairobi. He does programming websites for softzone that offers training, audio/visual production, hardware and software sales, promotion materials, content development for mass media and outsourcing services.
Michael Otechi. Michael Otechi is a CEO / Managing Director. With over eighteen years in construction and property maintenance, Mike has developed a record of experience with many projects and clients. Before founding Contract Service Associates Ltd, he last worked at National Social Security Fund as an Estates Officer in the Fund’s big portfolio of Real Estate. He also gained professional experience with Emms Architects and ITA Project Consultants where he progressively undertook responsibility from Architectural Assistant to Estates Officer. The experience gained has provided him with knowledge, skills and competence to execute construction, infrastructural maintenance, and architectural CAD assignments with a keen eye on cost control, co-ordination, quality and schedule.
Besides the work in Kenya, he has secured and handled jobs in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mundri Southern Sudan, Wilmington, Delaware and Washington D.C for diverse clients like Information Handling Services (I.H.S), ACORD Southern Sudan,Medical Missionaries of Mary amongst others. His skills are in Contract Administration & Project Management, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Drafting & Design. He studied Architecture at the Jomo Kenyatta University College of Agriculture & Technology and is an active member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (A.A.K) and the International Code Council (I.C.C). In community service, Mike is Honorary Clerk of Works for the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nairobi South C and is currently a co-opted member in the Church’s Development Committee.
School and Educational Sub-Committee
Kimani Haroun. See above.
George Juma Adongo. See above.
Mercy Wanjiku Gichohi. She is a Kenyan that holds a diploma in Science Laboratory Technology and a Higher National Diploma in Applied Biology. She has worked in Institutions of learning as a Laboratory Technician (ie Njiiris High School and Muranga' College of Technology). Currently, she teaches Biology at Marion Senior School and heads the Guidance and Counseling in the School as well as the Christian programs.
Antony Njoroge. He is the founder of a registered youth CBO called Tumaini African foundation and the founder of Blessed Outreach Revival Ministry for youth which is not yet registered. Their objective is to positively transform the society and that of the informal settlement youth and children through provision of Mentorship, community service, resource center, guidance, sports, talent and gifts nurture, spiritual nourishment among others. He holds a diploma in urban studies at Carlile College in Kenya and currently is a student at the University of South Africa where he is doing his first degree in urban missions. He pastors at Seekers After God Ministry (umoja 2) which is registered and also co-pastors free training for ministers in his area who do not have not the chance to go to Bible schools. He also serves as the head of channels of hope – a ministry in the church that engages in social ministry.
First Official Sub-Committee Meeting
June 7, 2009, we had our first official physical Sub-Committee meeting in Africa with 5 members attending and where the following project was discussed between them.
This project will nurture, house, feed, and educate 100 orphaned children between 4-18 years old at The Christ Centered Coeducational Community in Kenya, Africa. The project will construct 6 houses that will house 16 students each with a father/mother figure in each one, a school building, outside playground, library, offices and storage for school items. This facility will also include 6 houses, a school building, administrative building with storage for food and supplies, 4 apartments for guests/teachers, a structure to house livestock, a student recreation center with gym and lounge, and a clinic.
3 Houses for Boys and 3 Houses for girls:
The Student Homes. Our mission is to make each child feel like they belong to a real family. Therefore, each home will have 16 students and house parents. House parents are married couples that have a deep passion to fulfill Build On The Rock Ministries mission. They will promise to love and encourage each child that will live with them. The House parents will be responsible to teach their children spiritual and domestic living. They will distribute house chores, cooking, and planting crops.
During school hours the student will go to their own homes and makelunch with their house parents and siblings.
Room 1: A bedroom that holds 8 bunk beds for 16 children. 16 large
dresser drawers attached to the wall for their clothes.
Room 2: A bedroom with one bed for the house parents which includes a
closet and a dresser.
Room 3: Kitchen that has a stove, sink, refrigerator, and cup boards
(storage space) and counter space and table with chairs. Plates, cups,
bowls, eating utensils, pots, pans, dish towels, dish cloths etc.
Room 4: A bathroom with toilet, shower, mirror, storage space and
washing room (wash and dry/clothes). Towels, wash clothes, soap,
shampoo etc.
School Building: We would like to educate each child with 8yrs of primary education, 4yrs of secondary school. 2 primary classrooms, 8 primary classrooms, 5 secondary classrooms, a library, an outdoor playground, 2 toilet rooms one for boy and one for girls, 5 offices (School administrator, School Assistant administrator, 2 Counselors, secretary, and a room for storage)
About Education Curriculum: Other than the normal Kenyan education, we would like to add to their curriculum an international cultures class, a Bible Class/spiritual leadership class, and co-curricular activities.
Some of these co-curricular activities will be to develop leadership skills and other interests in tradition that include and are not limited to student publications, including a student newspaper and yearbook, student government associations, business, computer, environmental, photography, science, agriculture and math clubs.
With this said, we would like to encourage the secondary students to contribute their time to community service projects and would like to set up off-campus internships and work programs that are offered through business and community organizations.
Some of these community service projects could include helping widows in the outer community and befriending other children that only have one parent. The clinic and students who desire to study in the medical field could be available to the needs of the outer community.
Recreation Center: a big open room with stage and side room with kitchen, refrigerator, counter space and cupboards. This is where we would hold Universities fairs/expos and concerts and athletic events. This building would also include a lounge room with couches.
We would also like to set up a system that the children could earn money for universities if they desired to achieve higher education. Once a year we would like our school to host a university fair where representatives from all the surrounding universities could come together and share their schools with the children. Other public and private schools could be invited. We would use this building for that.
Administrative Building: with storage room for food and supplies, a conference room for meetings, a filing room with filing cabinets, and Administrator’s office.
4 Apartment For Guest/Teachers: Most teachers will live off campus, but few might not. We would like to have apartments available for teachers to rent or guests to use. Each room can have a bed, toilet, kitchen, stove, and refrigerator.
A Clinic: will foremost be responsible to take care of the students. However, we would like the clinic to be part of an outreach project to the outer community as well. The clinic will also be a place where students who want to study in the medical field will be able to exposed to the medical practices.
A Stable/ livestock
Student needs: clothes, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, etc.
About staff: 6 House parents, School Administrator, School Assistant administrator, 2 Counselors, Secretary, 2 Pre-primary Teachers, 8 Primary Teachers, 5 Secondary Teachers, Librarian, 5 offices (Principal, Vice Principal, Guidance counselor, Secretary, and a room for storage), Food/livestock care-taker,Nurse/doctor
Current News
Currently, God has led us to incorporate this ministry as a non-profit organization in the US and Africa. James Frederick, who is the accountant God led us to, is working through the paper work with us right now. Sam Guvia, our secretary, has talked to the NGO Council in Africa. The official African name proposed and that has just been approved today will be named Agape Hands International.
We also have set up a Build On The Rock Ministries fan page and spiritual intercessory page on facebook where we post current updates and prayer requests. We also keep our members informed by:
our website http://buildontherockministries.webs.com ,
a blog http://buildontherockministries.blogspot.com ,
and encourage them all to download our free toolbar at http://BuildOnTheRock.OurToolbar.com .
Build On The Rock’s official Mission statement is this: Whereas, it is the expressed by God in His Word, that "Pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress" James 1:27. In accordance to this, He commands and empowers us, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”Mark 16:15 and “To preach good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom to captives!” Isaiah 61:1
With this being our foundational motive, the members of Build On The Rock Ministries, are enjoined to assemble themselves together to globally empower Christians to construct and maintain Christian children’s homes and coeducational institutes that will spiritually nurture homeless children through the age of 18 years of age with the Word of God and educate these children in a social, mental, physical, and financial need so that they can lead a fulfilling and productive life. These projects will be funded by grants, fundraising projectsand personal donations.
Also we’ve recently established and entered into a partnership of ministries called United Vessels For Christ. UVFC is a partnership of ministries that have vowed to God and to each other to always seek God in all directions, to be held spiritually accountable with their thought, action, and words. They support each other in prayer, encouragement, and promotion. We as partners of Christ have committed these vows to God and to each other.
I promise to always seek God’s heart in all direction of my ministry and partnership with United Vessels For Christ for I know if I trust in Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding, and in all my ways acknowledge Him, He will direct my path. (Proverbs3:5,6) and if I seek His Kingdom first and His righteousness, all these things shall be added unto me (Matthew 6:33).
I promise to be a spiritual accountability partner in thought, action, and word to each partnership in this ring and in return expect my partners to keep me spiritually accountable in my thought, word, and action. I will also commit to pray, encourage, support, and promote each partner and ministry that belongs to this ring. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
I promise to love and show love to each person in this partnership the way that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 speaks of: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Our Hope and Calling
We have not seen much success in our home based business, BuiltOnTheRock, LLC. We have opened our first on-line kid’s furniture store http://firstkidsfurniture.com. We believe and pray that this will be one of the means that God will use to bring me home from Smith Transport so we can focus on funding building projects that God places on our heart.
In faith, we are believing and planning for the future events of this project and its funds. We plan to hire staff to help run the facility. We are thinking about getting each staff member to raise half of their salary themselves and then Build On The Rock Ministries would provide the other half. (we think it is important that churches and others be a part of this project-and they will stay more connected and up to date if they are financially and prayerfully helping to support a staff worker. Of course we will do all we can to help them get their full support.)
Also we plan to set up a committee, with a president, vice-president, secretary and treasury, grant writer/fundraiser specialist to be in charge of The Christ Centered Coeducational Community in Kenya, Africa. They will be in charge of maintaining the community and reporting to the Administrative Committee monthly.
Our goal is to have the first project complete within the next 3-5 years or as soon as the funds come in. I know a lot can happen between then, but we are praying and asking God to direct our every step. Our second proposed project will be similar to this one, but will be established in India.
Pastor Victor will be the one we will be helping in India. When Beth met Pastor Victor, he told her that he and his ministry team have been praying for 12 years that someone would come along side him and help him with reaching the Indian people. His ministry has NO financial
support at this time. Pastor Victor and his wife sold everything they owned and went into the ministry 12 years ago. Please pray that God would open the doors for El-Shaddai Ministries to get financial support from some churches and individuals.
Conclusion
Thank you both for your passion and desire to do what God has called you to do. Both of you are an inspiration to Beth and I. I believe that what God is doing in our lives is a direct response of what the men of Faith Assembly prayed for a few years ago. Bill Bennet was telling us about the men going to the top of the mountains and praying that God would bring people from the North, South, East and West into Faith Assembly, so they could be trained and then sent out to the world to win souls for Christ.
Without the Holy Spirit guiding us to Faith Assembly, and without you yielding to His direction, this would have never been possible. Beth and I needed the education, training we received from behind the pulpit and from our personal studies to be able to do what we are doing. The Holy Spirit has helped us realize that without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is no way any Christian can fulfill what He has called them to do.
Thank you both again for all you do for your flock. May God richly
bless you and your family.
In Christ’s Love,
Eric and Beth Shoop
Before God brought Eric into my life one of the greatest desires I had was to have a husband that I could minister with. When I attended Children's Ministry Institute in MO, I began to specifically pray that God would give me a man after God's own heart. While I attended the Institute, I met an African lady from Ghana. She was only attending the school for a few weeks of class and was partnered with me. During her stay I found out that her husband and her had started a school over in africa. God layed it on my heart to buy crafts for her students and print out pictures of her school for her.
Anyways before we departed ways she prophesied over me. She did not know that my greatest desire was to have a husband after God's own heart- when she prophesied over me she said that God was going to give me a husband after God's heart and that we were going to do ministry in many wonderful ways!!! This had been a long time pray of mine.
At this time, I didn't know Eric. A few years passed and God did bring her first prophesy to pass, by bringing Eric into my life. Eric and I were engaged. I was so excited that I wanted to tell her, but there was no way of getting in contact with her in Africa. At this time I was in full time ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship and we had an international conference in North Carolina we had to attend. Only God could do this!!! In the midst of the conference guess who was there? Yes Florence was there!!!! The african lady!!!!
We got to call Eric on the phone and she got to pray over us together. As I spent time with her that week I learned more about her school and God began to put a desire in my heart to help their school expenses, She said she would pray until we came over to Africa.
Time passed, I got married, had children and lost contact with Florence again. However, a few months ago I sent word to Children's Ministry Institute that I was looking for Florence and Today I got word that I found her!!!!!! I'm going to email our testimony to her and tell her, her full prophesy is going to come to pass very shortly!!
OUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO OUR PASTOR AND HIS WIFE
Dear Pastor Baker and Sister Brenda,
Beth and I want to take a few minutes to say thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you to Sheppard the flock at Faith Assembly of God. God is truly using you in a mighty way.
I want to share our testimony with you and tell you what our wonderful Lord and Savior is doing in our lives. When Beth and I met, we decided to look for a home church together. After visiting 27 churches in the local area, the Holy Spirit brought us to Faith Assembly of God. This was the only church, out of the 27 visited, that we felt led to attend. We have been attending Faith Assembly for a little over 3 years now.
We have met many wonderful people since then, but one couple that hasmade an impact on our lives is Bill and Theresa Bennet. When we firstmet Bill and Theresa, Beth and I were searching for biblical truth. We were both raised in churches that taught against Pentecostal doctrine (Spiritual gifts are not for today, etc). I was also raised believing that the church started in Acts 13 (not Acts 2), the church is NOT the bride of Christ (Israel is), rightly dividing the Word of Truth meant that the Pauline Epistles are for us today and not the rest of the Bible, water baptism was not for today (only one baptismand that is being baptized into the body of Christ), and the list goes on.
After attending Faith Assembly for 6 months, Beth and I both lost our jobs. And to be honest with you, that was the best two and a half months of my life. It was a time that Beth and I consciously set aside what we thought we knew about Spiritual things and studied everything out for ourselves. We asked the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us, and He did. As we studied, we started asking Bill and Theresa questions about what we were learning and understanding. They
were a tremendous help to us. Coming to the conclusion that a lot of what I was taught against is in fact applicable to our lives today,I was water baptized. Also, the Holy Spirit revealed to us that Spiritual gifts are for today, so Beth and I started to pray and ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He answered our prayers and filled us with His precious Spirit. He filled Beth during the revival services that Carl Harris was here for, and He filled me a few weeks after that.
The Holy Spirit has used you, Pastor Baker, over that last few years to teach us and to confirm to us what our true purpose is here on earth. Over the past few weeks, your messages, along with Joey Hipp's messages, have spoken directly to our Spirits and have confirmed some things.
Before I left my last job from NPC, Inc, God was placing a desire in my heart to quit working for earthly things and start working for eternal things. At that time, I was not sure what that meant or what He wanted me to do, but I wanted to help people in some way. I thought and prayed about being a biblical counselor, but the doors were never opened.
Beth worked for Child Evangelism Fellowship in some way since she's been 15 years old. Her mom and sisters were involved over the years as well. She was used to working for eternal things and always prayed that her and her husband would minister together somewhere someday.
I met Beth around the time God was burdening me with working for eternal things instead of earthly things. And since she worked for CEF, I assumed I was going to be the local Director (they were looking for a director at this time as well). However, God closed that door and told us that Beth was to resign from her position with them as well. A month later, I lost my job.
The Lord provided me with another secular job, working for Smith Transport. It was great for a while, but the longer I was here, the more I didn't want to be. The organization and most people who work here are all about money and what they can get for themselves. I know God has me here for a reason, but the reason is unclear and still is unclear.
The Initial Call
It was the summer of 2007 when God started placing a burden for orphans and needy people on our hearts. In fact, I came home from work one day and said, “I am getting sick of this greedy, selfish, busy culture that we live in. I want to sell everything we have and move overseas to start an orphanage. Get out of this Godless society and start doing things that will matter for eternity.” Obviously, we didn’t do that, yet!
However, we had the opportunity to have dinner with my Uncle Tom and Aunt Marilynn, who are missionaries in South Africa, during Christmas of 2007. We discussed our desires to sell everything and start an orphanage overseas, when they asked us if we knew anything about the
Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA (http://www.mhs-pa.org). Until that time, we didn’t know anything about it.
The Milton Hershey School is a cost-free, private, co-educational home and school for children from families of low income, limited resources, and social need. The School is funded by a trust established by Milton S. Hershey and his wife Catherine. Milton Hershey School offers a positive, structured home life year-round and an excellent pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education. Their vision focuses on building character and providing children with the skills necessary to be successful in all aspects of life.
Their students live on campus and are on a year-round program. So the student home and house parents, married couples, are at the core of each child's stability and safety while they are there. The house parents provide guidance, support, and discipline while encouraging contact with the children’s parents/sponsors through phone calls, e-mail, and visits.
Beth and I had to see the school for ourselves, so we contacted Tom and Marilynn’s supporters, who are house parents at the school, and decided to go down and visit them. So we met John and Dorris Eisenhower and the girls in their student home. After the first visit, Beth and I felt like this was the place God wanted us to be. We kept looking on-line for an opening for house parents and in June of 2008 there was a job posting. We applied, excitedly, but were informed the following day that everything looked good, but our kids were too young. The school wants the oldest child to be 5 years old or older.
Confused and lost to why God had placed this burden on our hearts but did not allow us to do anything about it was getting frustrating for the both of us. A few months went by and in September of 2008, God began to open up other doors of opportunity. By this time, we were in full swing of looking for a different job for me.
Soon thereafter, a home based business opportunity came our way and I felt lead to accept. As we joined and explored the idea more, God began to show us that this was going to be one of the “how” or “means” He wanted us to use to fund things that He would place on our heart.
It was also at this time that God revealed the “what” to us. As we began to see the potential of making a significant income with this company, God began to place on Beth and my heart the desire to fund an orphanage. So we began to pray in this direction, and grew excited and wanted to share our desire with Christians who had the same passion and desire.
On February 6, 2009 God led Beth to create a facebook group called Build On The Rock Ministries to unite Christians that shared the same Godly vision and desire. That desire is to empower Christians to do humanly impossible things. Build and run Christian co-educational communities with a school, a health clinic, and housing for orphans. This would enable us to feed, house, educate, and spiritually feed these children.
Build On The Rock Ministries was set up for people of action. It is a safe place where they can share the dreams God has placed on their heart and have the opportunity to give financially or be the one we will be sending. It is a group that prays and encourages each other with scripture. This group also promotes this group to their friends that have the same desires and gives out information to all their friends and family that will enable us to construct and empower the “Build On The Rock Ministries” projects. As of today, July 1, 2009 we have 407 members and continue to add members daily.
On April 20, 2008 we appointed 6 administrative committee members to keep us accountable and to help give us ideas and wisdom on all our decisions. Since then, we have with God’s wisdom and guidance added 2 Sub-Committees. These committee members are as follows.
Build On The Rock Committee/Sub-Committees
Administrative Committee
Eric Shoop. He is the co-founder and President/Treasurer of Build on The Rock Ministries. He attended Penn State University in Altoona, PA and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business degree with a concentration in Finance. Currently working for a trucking company while trying to establish the ministry and internet based retail store.
Elizabeth Shoop. She is the founder and Vice President of Build On The Rock Ministries. In the past, she has evangelized and ministered to local children for 6 years in full-time ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship. She holds a diploma from Children's Ministry Institute in MO.
Sam Guvai. He is the secretary of Build On The Rock Ministries as well as a humanitarian journalist and an editorial assistant for 123jump.com. He is a board member of order of kush Eastern Africa -http://www.orderofkush.org/
Pastor D. Victor Samuel. He is the founder of El-Shaddai Ministries, a registered Christian Charitable Non-Profit Ministry located in Pithapuram in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, South India. He has been ministering for thirteen years and has two churches. El-Shaddai Ministries aim is to proclaim the precious love of Jesus Christ and His salvation to the perishing souls through organizing childcare units for fatherless and orphans, conducting VBS, retreats and free schools, conducting medical camps and distributing free medicine as well artificial limbs to the needy disabled people. By implementing the above programs they preach the Gospel of Christ and win the souls, planting churches and evangelize to interior villages.
Julius Irungu. He was a street boy who was taken in by a lady that was a clothing designer by profession and had a prosperous boutique at Kariobangi Market Nairobi. She used the little money she received to purchase a plot of land in Kayole, a suburb in Nairobi that is now currently known as the Imani Rehabilition Agency. Over the years and with the support of well wishers, Imani Rehabilition Agency has expanded to cater for the needs of 350 children while having two locations in Kayole: Kayole A and Kayole B. Today Julius works with her to rehabilitate street children and children living under difficult circumstances.
Wendy Victorai Kathini. She is currently studying International Relations at USIU-Africa (United States International University).
Matthew Smith. God has called him to build an orphanage in the Philippines, Ukraine, and Africa. At the present, the Philippine orphanage is being constructed. He is planning to build the Ukraine orphanage in the next couple of months. He has no team members yet, but has a strong calling from God to fulfill these tasks.
Godfrey Tinka. He is the founder of Smile Africa Missions. He is partnered with One Accord Ministries that seeks to encourage the restoration of Christ centeredness throughout the Body of Christ via the prayer movement. They develop and then serve prayer support, web based ministries that encourage prayer-centric ministry activity. They also share tools and training that help create a firm ministry foundation as well as encourage ministries to implement simple yet effective prayer and testimony based communication strategies to exponentially expand their ministry efforts.
Alan Auclair. He has served twenty years as a missionary to America from 1989 to 2008. He has also served as the Associate National Director of Acts 29 USA from 2005-2008. He is a revival conference promoter and frequent speaker and a guest speaker on Daystar TV on the subject of revival. He founded the Houston Chapter of Acts 29 USA in 2005, a group of evangelists that travels throughout America taking the message of the Gospel to the streets where the Gospel is hardest to find.
Building Sub-Committee
George Juma Adongo. He is the founder of Teachers Together in Christ International. His organization's objectives are to meet the teachers' spiritual needs, counseling them and their families, advising teachers on investment opportunities, interacting with other teachers' groups world wide, working together with other Groups such as Gara To Combat The Ravaging Effects Of Aids Among Teahcers, seeking development partners to offer medical cover for teachers and their immediate family member.
Harrison Makenga. He was brought up in Imani children's home in Nairobi kenya. Currenly he works for an insurance company called APA Insurance Company. He is also a member of Imani board that governs Imani children's home.
Kimani Haroun. He is an educationist in special needs education and has been dealing with vulnerable and orphaned children and other special needs children.
Sam Mwangi. He is a Kenyan citizen by birth. Sam has a passion for kids and has volunteered to spend a day with them in various places in Kenya. He has been involved in mission activities across East Africa and also visiting such homes. He also coordinated aid to a home in Mombasa Kenya. His joy is to see a smile on a child's face. His prayer is that we will do this and achieve a lot with Jesus help. He currently works for a traveling and sight seeing agency.
Alan Mwika. He lives in Ongata Rongai, Nairobi. He does programming websites for softzone that offers training, audio/visual production, hardware and software sales, promotion materials, content development for mass media and outsourcing services.
Michael Otechi. Michael Otechi is a CEO / Managing Director. With over eighteen years in construction and property maintenance, Mike has developed a record of experience with many projects and clients. Before founding Contract Service Associates Ltd, he last worked at National Social Security Fund as an Estates Officer in the Fund’s big portfolio of Real Estate. He also gained professional experience with Emms Architects and ITA Project Consultants where he progressively undertook responsibility from Architectural Assistant to Estates Officer. The experience gained has provided him with knowledge, skills and competence to execute construction, infrastructural maintenance, and architectural CAD assignments with a keen eye on cost control, co-ordination, quality and schedule.
Besides the work in Kenya, he has secured and handled jobs in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mundri Southern Sudan, Wilmington, Delaware and Washington D.C for diverse clients like Information Handling Services (I.H.S), ACORD Southern Sudan,Medical Missionaries of Mary amongst others. His skills are in Contract Administration & Project Management, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Drafting & Design. He studied Architecture at the Jomo Kenyatta University College of Agriculture & Technology and is an active member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (A.A.K) and the International Code Council (I.C.C). In community service, Mike is Honorary Clerk of Works for the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nairobi South C and is currently a co-opted member in the Church’s Development Committee.
School and Educational Sub-Committee
Kimani Haroun. See above.
George Juma Adongo. See above.
Mercy Wanjiku Gichohi. She is a Kenyan that holds a diploma in Science Laboratory Technology and a Higher National Diploma in Applied Biology. She has worked in Institutions of learning as a Laboratory Technician (ie Njiiris High School and Muranga' College of Technology). Currently, she teaches Biology at Marion Senior School and heads the Guidance and Counseling in the School as well as the Christian programs.
Antony Njoroge. He is the founder of a registered youth CBO called Tumaini African foundation and the founder of Blessed Outreach Revival Ministry for youth which is not yet registered. Their objective is to positively transform the society and that of the informal settlement youth and children through provision of Mentorship, community service, resource center, guidance, sports, talent and gifts nurture, spiritual nourishment among others. He holds a diploma in urban studies at Carlile College in Kenya and currently is a student at the University of South Africa where he is doing his first degree in urban missions. He pastors at Seekers After God Ministry (umoja 2) which is registered and also co-pastors free training for ministers in his area who do not have not the chance to go to Bible schools. He also serves as the head of channels of hope – a ministry in the church that engages in social ministry.
First Official Sub-Committee Meeting
June 7, 2009, we had our first official physical Sub-Committee meeting in Africa with 5 members attending and where the following project was discussed between them.
Project Proposal For Build On The Rock Ministries
This project will nurture, house, feed, and educate 100 orphaned children between 4-18 years old at The Christ Centered Coeducational Community in Kenya, Africa. The project will construct 6 houses that will house 16 students each with a father/mother figure in each one, a school building, outside playground, library, offices and storage for school items. This facility will also include 6 houses, a school building, administrative building with storage for food and supplies, 4 apartments for guests/teachers, a structure to house livestock, a student recreation center with gym and lounge, and a clinic.
3 Houses for Boys and 3 Houses for girls:
The Student Homes. Our mission is to make each child feel like they belong to a real family. Therefore, each home will have 16 students and house parents. House parents are married couples that have a deep passion to fulfill Build On The Rock Ministries mission. They will promise to love and encourage each child that will live with them. The House parents will be responsible to teach their children spiritual and domestic living. They will distribute house chores, cooking, and planting crops.
During school hours the student will go to their own homes and makelunch with their house parents and siblings.
Room 1: A bedroom that holds 8 bunk beds for 16 children. 16 large
dresser drawers attached to the wall for their clothes.
Room 2: A bedroom with one bed for the house parents which includes a
closet and a dresser.
Room 3: Kitchen that has a stove, sink, refrigerator, and cup boards
(storage space) and counter space and table with chairs. Plates, cups,
bowls, eating utensils, pots, pans, dish towels, dish cloths etc.
Room 4: A bathroom with toilet, shower, mirror, storage space and
washing room (wash and dry/clothes). Towels, wash clothes, soap,
shampoo etc.
School Building: We would like to educate each child with 8yrs of primary education, 4yrs of secondary school. 2 primary classrooms, 8 primary classrooms, 5 secondary classrooms, a library, an outdoor playground, 2 toilet rooms one for boy and one for girls, 5 offices (School administrator, School Assistant administrator, 2 Counselors, secretary, and a room for storage)
About Education Curriculum: Other than the normal Kenyan education, we would like to add to their curriculum an international cultures class, a Bible Class/spiritual leadership class, and co-curricular activities.
Some of these co-curricular activities will be to develop leadership skills and other interests in tradition that include and are not limited to student publications, including a student newspaper and yearbook, student government associations, business, computer, environmental, photography, science, agriculture and math clubs.
With this said, we would like to encourage the secondary students to contribute their time to community service projects and would like to set up off-campus internships and work programs that are offered through business and community organizations.
Some of these community service projects could include helping widows in the outer community and befriending other children that only have one parent. The clinic and students who desire to study in the medical field could be available to the needs of the outer community.
Recreation Center: a big open room with stage and side room with kitchen, refrigerator, counter space and cupboards. This is where we would hold Universities fairs/expos and concerts and athletic events. This building would also include a lounge room with couches.
We would also like to set up a system that the children could earn money for universities if they desired to achieve higher education. Once a year we would like our school to host a university fair where representatives from all the surrounding universities could come together and share their schools with the children. Other public and private schools could be invited. We would use this building for that.
Administrative Building: with storage room for food and supplies, a conference room for meetings, a filing room with filing cabinets, and Administrator’s office.
4 Apartment For Guest/Teachers: Most teachers will live off campus, but few might not. We would like to have apartments available for teachers to rent or guests to use. Each room can have a bed, toilet, kitchen, stove, and refrigerator.
A Clinic: will foremost be responsible to take care of the students. However, we would like the clinic to be part of an outreach project to the outer community as well. The clinic will also be a place where students who want to study in the medical field will be able to exposed to the medical practices.
A Stable/ livestock
Student needs: clothes, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, etc.
About staff: 6 House parents, School Administrator, School Assistant administrator, 2 Counselors, Secretary, 2 Pre-primary Teachers, 8 Primary Teachers, 5 Secondary Teachers, Librarian, 5 offices (Principal, Vice Principal, Guidance counselor, Secretary, and a room for storage), Food/livestock care-taker,Nurse/doctor
Current News
Currently, God has led us to incorporate this ministry as a non-profit organization in the US and Africa. James Frederick, who is the accountant God led us to, is working through the paper work with us right now. Sam Guvia, our secretary, has talked to the NGO Council in Africa. The official African name proposed and that has just been approved today will be named Agape Hands International.
We also have set up a Build On The Rock Ministries fan page and spiritual intercessory page on facebook where we post current updates and prayer requests. We also keep our members informed by:
our website http://
a blog http://
and encourage them all to download our free toolbar at http://BuildOnTheRock.
Build On The Rock’s official Mission statement is this: Whereas, it is the expressed by God in His Word, that "Pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress" James 1:27. In accordance to this, He commands and empowers us, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”Mark 16:15 and “To preach good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom to captives!” Isaiah 61:1
With this being our foundational motive, the members of Build On The Rock Ministries, are enjoined to assemble themselves together to globally empower Christians to construct and maintain Christian children’s homes and coeducational institutes that will spiritually nurture homeless children through the age of 18 years of age with the Word of God and educate these children in a social, mental, physical, and financial need so that they can lead a fulfilling and productive life. These projects will be funded by grants, fundraising projectsand personal donations.
Also we’ve recently established and entered into a partnership of ministries called United Vessels For Christ. UVFC is a partnership of ministries that have vowed to God and to each other to always seek God in all directions, to be held spiritually accountable with their thought, action, and words. They support each other in prayer, encouragement, and promotion. We as partners of Christ have committed these vows to God and to each other.
Vows for United Vessels For Christ
I promise to always seek God’s heart in all direction of my ministry and partnership with United Vessels For Christ for I know if I trust in Lord with all my heart and lean not unto my own understanding, and in all my ways acknowledge Him, He will direct my path. (Proverbs3:5,6) and if I seek His Kingdom first and His righteousness, all these things shall be added unto me (Matthew 6:33).
I promise to be a spiritual accountability partner in thought, action, and word to each partnership in this ring and in return expect my partners to keep me spiritually accountable in my thought, word, and action. I will also commit to pray, encourage, support, and promote each partner and ministry that belongs to this ring. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
I promise to love and show love to each person in this partnership the way that 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 speaks of: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Our Hope and Calling
We have not seen much success in our home based business, BuiltOnTheRock, LLC. We have opened our first on-line kid’s furniture store http://firstkidsfurniture.com. We believe and pray that this will be one of the means that God will use to bring me home from Smith Transport so we can focus on funding building projects that God places on our heart.
In faith, we are believing and planning for the future events of this project and its funds. We plan to hire staff to help run the facility. We are thinking about getting each staff member to raise half of their salary themselves and then Build On The Rock Ministries would provide the other half. (we think it is important that churches and others be a part of this project-and they will stay more connected and up to date if they are financially and prayerfully helping to support a staff worker. Of course we will do all we can to help them get their full support.)
Also we plan to set up a committee, with a president, vice-president, secretary and treasury, grant writer/fundraiser specialist to be in charge of The Christ Centered Coeducational Community in Kenya, Africa. They will be in charge of maintaining the community and reporting to the Administrative Committee monthly.
Our goal is to have the first project complete within the next 3-5 years or as soon as the funds come in. I know a lot can happen between then, but we are praying and asking God to direct our every step. Our second proposed project will be similar to this one, but will be established in India.
Pastor Victor will be the one we will be helping in India. When Beth met Pastor Victor, he told her that he and his ministry team have been praying for 12 years that someone would come along side him and help him with reaching the Indian people. His ministry has NO financial
support at this time. Pastor Victor and his wife sold everything they owned and went into the ministry 12 years ago. Please pray that God would open the doors for El-Shaddai Ministries to get financial support from some churches and individuals.
Conclusion
Thank you both for your passion and desire to do what God has called you to do. Both of you are an inspiration to Beth and I. I believe that what God is doing in our lives is a direct response of what the men of Faith Assembly prayed for a few years ago. Bill Bennet was telling us about the men going to the top of the mountains and praying that God would bring people from the North, South, East and West into Faith Assembly, so they could be trained and then sent out to the world to win souls for Christ.
Without the Holy Spirit guiding us to Faith Assembly, and without you yielding to His direction, this would have never been possible. Beth and I needed the education, training we received from behind the pulpit and from our personal studies to be able to do what we are doing. The Holy Spirit has helped us realize that without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, there is no way any Christian can fulfill what He has called them to do.
Thank you both again for all you do for your flock. May God richly
bless you and your family.
In Christ’s Love,
Eric and Beth Shoop
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