The Hart voor Bant evangelisation project has become an official pioneer site. In a festive congregational meeting on 27 November, a cooperation agreement was signed by the Hart voor Bant pioneer team, the sending congregation Urk Ichthus and CGK evangelisation deputies. The church council is grateful: "This is a milestone and an encouragement for missionary work in Bant.
Passing on blessing
As a project, there is Heart for Bant for some time now. It was started at the initiative of the Ichthus congregation. 'We have received so much from the Lord, we wanted to pass it on to people in the polder.' A project in Bant was chosen because many churches there are disappearing. 'As a church council, it is our desire that the inhabitants of Bant get to know the Lord God.'
Connecting with people
In recent years, the pioneer team in Bant has already made itself heard in a variety of ways. At Easter, volunteers brought bread baskets around and at Christmas a group toured the neighbourhoods to sing carols and handing out powdered milk and Christmas wafers.
Two team members visit elderly people in Bant every Thursday and this sometimes leads to valuable relationships. 'I recently visited a gentleman who did not have a Bible. He asked for it,' says Meindert Kramer. 'I installed a Bible app on his phone, so now he can listen to the Bible daily.' Alie de Boer told of an elderly lady who was very happy to be allowed to help deliver gift parcels to local residents. 'She said, "How much fun I have with you!" It's often the little things that do the trick and that make you bond with people.'
New start with new plans
Despite all efforts, Heart for Bant did not initially get off to a good start. With the collaboration concluded, a new start is being made. The team will become part of the pioneering learning community and receive three years of guidance and support from the Urk Ichthus church council and Rev Peter L.D. Visser, missionary consultant of the CGK. Plans for new activities in Bant are already ready: 'We want to organise meetings for the elderly and start a Bible study.'
