The practical way NAYBA helps churches and communities

by

Nurden Cross

At the heart of NAYBA is the Church’s heart for its neighbours! But while it’s great to discuss what we can do for our communities, actions speak louder than words.

We have already helped churches in many nations across the globe. Here, we share a number of our stories that demonstrate how accessing our resources and experienced people can make a difference to your community.

The Resting Place

In the Netherlands city of Amersfoort, a growing need was identified to find shelter for people in crisis, particularly those with financial or relationships problems. Members of Amersfoort Baptist Church decided they should step in to help.

After discussions and working with NAYBA, the church launched The Resting Place. This programmes involves a number of host families who volunteer to offer a room in their homes for a number of weeks or months.

As a result, social professionals are given time to work with those people in need find a solution – something that would be difficult in their normal home situation.

The Resting Place is helping prevent problems in families and helps prevent people in need from slipping into homelessness.

Paradigm Shift

In South Africa, people who want to escape poverty are being helped by a NAYBA project called Paradigm Shift. By equipping entrepreneurial individuals with training, mentoring and discipleship, the programme has become a ‘birthing place of many new dreams’.

Churches that set up a Paradigm Shift project identify a lead volunteer – or Point Person – who is trained to recruit and train five volunteers. They then run an introductory one-day Business Experience Course before selecting the best entrepreneurs to take part in a nine-week journey of business training and discipleship.

A Point Person who is already helping people says, “It was God who placed the dream in my heart to see entrepreneurs in poor communities break free from poverty.

Commissioned by my church, I was just a Christian businessman with a burning dream in my heart. I started meeting entrepreneurs every Monday evening, although not really sure what we would be able to accomplish… I realise this was the birthing place of many new dreams.”