John & Marilyn Van Essen

Email: j.m.vanessen@sympatico.ca

Or: vanessen@thelifelight.com

 Our action with CLLM began in November 2002 when we were accepted as the provincial reps for Ontario. Since the ‘Toronto MissionFest’ 2003, we have been working full-time in supplying Scriptures to those requesting it. Our aim is to minister to any individuals, organizations and churches.

John has worked previously with Bibles and books for 16 years as owner and manager of a Christian Bookstore in Trenton. Then he attended a Bible College for one year to prepare to serve the Lord in missions overseas. But God redirected him to work at the home office of a foreign mission, in the finance department because of his knowledge of computers and finance. He worked there for 12 years until the spring of 2003.

The bookstore and church work did help John to communicate on paper and in areas of community ministry for a number of years. Having the experience of contact with fellow churches to spread the Word then makes it so much easier to do so now.

Marilyn worked in retail for 14 years and in office work for two years. As well she was active in various avenues of ministry such as leading Christian Education in the public schools with ‘Key Bible Club’ and then program director of ‘NeighbourLink’ that is under the umbrella of ‘World Vision.’ This involved meeting the needs of the community through the churches. She also mentored young adults and single moms.

Her experiences can be widely used in the ministry through the focus of "Children’s Time" and Women’s lesson.

Even though we live in South-western Ontario, our work is to cover all of Ontario. For that reason do not hesitate, well in advance, to invite us from any corner of this province to come and share the ministry and material. We will tell you how God has and is using the Word in places all over Canada and overseas also.

We enjoy serving the Lord and will continue to serve Him in this ministry of Bible distribution.

Prayerfully consider supporting us as Ontario reps for CLLM.

"Dear friend, you are doing a good work for God when you take care of the traveling teachers who are passing through, even though they are strangers to you…. for they are traveling for the Lord and accept nothing from those who are not Christians. So we ourselves should support them so that we may become partners with them for the truth." (3 John vs. 5-8)

Sincerely yours,