In August we sent a team to La Macina, Guatemala to drill a well with Living Water International. The need for access to clean water in La Macina is huge. The community of 40 families was utilizing an open, contaminated shallow well as their primary water source. Because of this, residents were suffering from dysentery and other water-related illnesses. It was so awesome to have the community assist our team by providing some materials, labor, lunch each day, and security at the water project at night.

In addition to drilling a successful well 125 feet deep, we led Health and Hygiene classes every day. We were so excited to have 35 adults out of the 40 families in the village attend! It was an awesome experience of providing water for the thirsty in the name of Jesus Christ.

Our pastor, Patrick Kelley, often says “Go on a mission trip before you die.” Mission Week was a perfect opportunity for families to serve together without traveling far. It was a time we wanted to share with the community and build on the relationships we began almost a year ago when we entered the classrooms to tutor students.

For 5 nights in a row, RPC volunteers of all ages came out and gave their time and talents to love on our friends in North Richmond. We had an amazing Kid’s Camp and the Gospel was shared that week to 96 children through the daily teaching, music, arts, food and games led by a team of 85, including volunteers from Creative Dreams Outreach. Everyone had a blast, which was evident by all the smiles and hugs given each day.

We had a popular spot for the parents of

children attending Kid’s Camp. The table had posters that read “Free Hugs and Free Prayers.” Here volunteers shared scripture and the plan of salvation which led to 4 adults, and 2 children accepting Christ by week’s end!

Our construction crews worked at 7 different locations across North Richmond spreading God’s message of love through their labor and craftsmanship. Our teams do not see these homes as projects to complete, but instead as opportunities to

hear someone’s story, build relationships and plant seeds of God’s love and message.

While the home repairs improve a home owner’s quality of living, the prayer is that the relationships formed birth new hope. We couldn’t have done this without the 200 dedicated volunteers who participated in the 1st Mission Week Experience! Thanks so much to everyone who made this such a great success.

During Mission Week we had the privilege of working on Lucinda’s father’s house. This is an e-mail she sent us after the week. “Every time I see dad’s house transformed to such beauty and the hard work and sweat of the volunteers who give with such love (and their kids also) I don’t know what we did to deserve such love and gifts from River Pointe- but all I do is cry-- I can’t explain. What I feel inside when all the volunteers greet us as if they have known us for years- their love is just overflowing and I pray to God that their sweat and precious love of giving unconditionally be rewarded in His name. I know these few words will never take the place or come close to what you have done for dad and Roy. God Bless you and may God reward River Pointe Church triple the gifts they have given us.” Lucinda.

In July, Richard Logan led a team from River Pointe on mission for a week in Oaxaca, Mexico. This region of Mexico has the largest concentration of people in the western hemisphere who are still un-reached and primarily unengaged with the Gospel ofJesus Christ.

Our team served alongside Peter and Teresa Cawthon, missionaries that River Pointe supports on a monthly basis. The Cawthons have been serving in Oaxaca for over eighteen years! Peter took us into the mountains to the village of San Mateo Mixtepec. Living at an elevation of about 6000-feet is a people group of 1,000 Mixtepec Indians whose ancestors settled there in the 1500’s.

We had a great week of serving alongside the villagers and just engaging in their everyday activities. We helped with the daily chores that go along with subsistence farming, like helping them plant their corn and cut their wood. We also went on daily prayer walks through the village, prayed for the sick, improved their school buildings, and showed gospel films in the evening.

The most amazing part of the trip was seeing two women and their families come to Christ-despite the strong potential of being shunned by others in the village as a result of their decision. Pray for a spiritual harvest of the seeds planted in the hearts of the people of San Mateo Mixtepec!

Summer Mission Trip Highlights

La Macina, Guatemala

Village dedication ceremony of water well donated by River Pointe Church.

Before

After

Oaxaca Mission Team — July 2010

friends of north richmond.

Oaxaca, Mexico

Top: Kelly Brown painting a school with children from the village.

Middle: Daily chores — collecting firewood.

Bottom: Village woman creating a Comal (a cooking griddle)

Therefore go and makedisciples of all nations… Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

“ ”

TMISSIONS

Living a Life of Outward Focus | FALL 2010 Newsletter

Did you know?

We donated $5000 to sponsora new water well to be drilledin Guatemala this summer

This summer over 350 children, teenagers, and adults gaveaway their time to serve othersin North Richmond, Texas, Mexico and Guatemala

This December we will be collectinga special missions offering for Africa

Upcoming Mission Trips:

Cuba: November 2–6(This trip is full)

Haiti: January 29 – February 5, 2011 (This trip is full)

Uganda: March 29 – April 8, 2011

El Salvador: April 10 – 16, 2011

Oaxaca, Mexico: June 11 – 18, 2011

New York City: June 23 – 28, 2011 (Young Marrieds Only)

Nicaragua: August 13 – 20, 2011

www.riverpointe.org/missions for info on how to pray or how to go.

For more information on our upcoming trips, plan to attend the Go Global meeting on November 14 at 4pm in the Big Tent!

Mission Facts

The foundation of River Pointe’s Missions ministry

is community development. We define community

development as a long-term commitment to making

a community more livable through personal, spiritual,

physical and economic transformation.

What excites us about development is that it is not

done to people, or for people, but with people. It’s a

process of ongoing change that moves all involved,

both the “helpers” and the “helped,” closer to being

in right relationship with God, self, others and the

rest of creation. In particular, as the materially poor

develop, they are better able to fulfill their calling of

glorifying God by working and supporting themselves

and their families.

We are currently doing this locally in North Richmond,

Texas with the Friends of North Richmond initiative

and have been asking God to show us where we

could be involved globally. As a result of our strong

relationship with Living Water International, Richard

Logan was introduced to Africa Renewal Ministries

(ARM). ARM is a respected ministry in Uganda, Africa,

that specializes in adopting needy communities in

Uganda for the purpose of spreading the gospel

through church planting and community development.

In February of 2010 Richard headed to Uganda and

discovered that River Pointe has the opportunity to

partner with ARM and be actively involved in a church-

planting movement in Uganda. We are adopting

a community called Rushere where we will help a

new church and address key development issues —

things like access to clean water, child sponsorships,

building schools and clinics, and helping launch micro-

finance enterprises. To date, no non-governmental

organizations (like UNICEF for example), have done

anything in Rushere! It is a frontier of unmet need

and ripe with potential for the Gospel to be shared

and the community to be transformed.

River Pointe is making a 4-year commitment to

Rushere, Uganda that we are calling Friends of

Uganda. Be a part of making a profound impact on

a life in Rushere by giving, by going, and by praying.

Plan now to contribute to the special Christmas

offering in December.

I want to start by thanking God for River Pointe Church and through them the opportunity that I’ve been afforded to volunteer at Pink Elementary in North Richmond. My life has been blessed recently to be able to work part-time thus enabling me to “give back” to the community. During one of the initial sermons we attended was a discussion about the challenges and the needs of many of the residents in north Richmond. One of the requirements that touched my heart was the need for volunteers in some of the schools. I knew right away that this was what I needed to be doing with my extra time.

…I can’t adequately express how much this opportunity has changed my life! These precious children are “little sponges” and so eager to learn. My heart breaks knowing the obstacles that they face each day in their lives. My heart melts each time I arrive in the class and hear the kids scream “Ms. T” and their want and desire to share any and every bit of their world they can with me! I LOVE IT — and love that they enjoy me! In life, we all have choices, and I could have easily volunteered my time at a school near my home where all the parents are active with their children — but to help in a district that TRULY needs me, where both parents usually must work to make ends meet — or even try to meet, I know that God has me where I am supposed to be! I will be coming back to Pink Elementary to volunteer as long as they will have me — and will enjoy seeing the children of this class grow to be responsible adults.

I would encourage anyone and everyone to volunteer in north Richmond — it will change their life, one child at a time! Thank YOU River Pointe for the opportunity that has changed my life forever!! :) Donna Terrizzi

StaffRichard LoganPastor of Missions and SinglesRichardl@riverpointe.org281.277.6767 x221Becky WattsFriends of North Richmond DirectorBeckyw@riverpointe.org281.277.6767 x228Carole AllenMissions Administrative AssistantCarolea@riverpointe.org281.277.6767 x104

Resourceswww.riverpointe.org/missionswww.friendsofnorthrichmond.orgwww.friendsofuganda.cc

General Information

5000 Ransom RoadRichmond, TX 77469

Dear River PointeDonna Terrizzi | River Pointe Church Member

One of the local ministries that we support is the Creative Dreams Outreach Center located at 2610 Ruth Street in Stafford, Texas. It is a non-profitafter-school arts and tutoring program for disadvantaged middle and high school students. They offer free art, dance and music lessons, as well as academic tutoring. If you would like to volunteer with this great ministry or donate supplies please contact Jackie Stouffer.281.261.0814 or jackies@creativedreams.org

November 2—6, the River Pointe Worship Team has been invited to lead a worship conference for pastors in Havana, Cuba. This is a great follow-up ministry to the 22,000 Bibles we sent to the island last year. Next month, over 250 Cuban church leaders will go to the capital city to learn from our team. They will be inspired to go back to their house churches to lead their people during one of the most difficult economic times in Cuba’s history. Even though you are not going on this trip you can still be a part.

Here are 3 ways to participate:Pray—for the team as they prepare, safe travel, and a favorable time of ministry Play—get a foursome together and play at the Fore Cuba Golf Tournament at Greatwood Golf Club on October 28 at 1pm. Register online. Give—online at www.riverpointe.org/cuba

CREATIVE DREAMSO U T R E A C H C E N T E R

Hut in the village of Rushere. Uganda, Africa.

The only water source in Rushere. Uganda, Africa.

Church built by the people of Rushere.

Uganda, Africa.

Global Missions $80,800

Local Missions $62,000

Global Mission Trips $17,200

Benevolence $15,000

Friends of North Richmond $109,000

Missions Giving | 2010 BudgetLOCAL PARTNERS:Creative Dreams, Job Ministry Southwest,Life Ministry, Women’s Pregnancy Center, Young Life, Young Lives, Benevolence Requests, Fort Bend Women’s Shelter,Friends of North Richmond

GLOBAL PARTNERS:India Harvest Mission, International-Mission Board, Liver Water International, Africa Outreach, Commission to Every Nation in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friends of Uganda, Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Columbia, Fenton Moorhead Global Mission Fund