Missionary Blogs The latest Christian mission news from around the world 
Ezra on Silas's back (this picture is several months old, but you get the picture 
Ezra climbs on Silas and they start wrestling. Silas pushes back and the fun begins. Our boys are growing up. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category
Brothers
Posted by Delwyn and Arielle Griffith on Sunday, May 19th, 2013
PDF Graduation 2013
Posted by David and Kim Field on Saturday, May 18th, 2013
Our Seniors graduated today! It is sad to see them go after spending these past 2 years building friendships! This cycle of saying goodbyes takes some getting used to!
It is always wonderful seeing them grow and then leave here excited about walking with the Lord in whatever He has next for them! One thing that is a huge blessing for us, is that 75% of these graduates have plans to continue on in ministry serving the Lord!!! WOW!!!!
papers galore!
Posted by David and Kim Field on Saturday, May 18th, 2013
This time of year the papers and tests pour in!
It is such an encouraging time for Dave as he gets to read for hours what his students have been learning in his classes, and to see how God has been changing and growing them!
Little Steps
Posted by Abigail Snyder on Friday, May 17th, 2013I’ll admit, the closer June 24th gets, the more nervous I am about the next two years. There are a lot of questions. Will I be able to learn Swahili? Will I catch on to all of the cultural stuff so I don’t offend people? Will I be a good teacher? Will I make new friends? And so many more.
But God is moving me forward. Little steps. Some people might be able to run up a mountain, but most of us get there using hundreds, even thousands, of little steps.
Little step 5,401: Purchase plane tickets.
Little step 5,552: Receive full funding for the Swahili Language School
Little step 5,617: Arrange details for transporting bicycle
Little step 5,923: Wire funds to the Language School to reserve spot
Little step 5,924: Apply for residence permit
There are so many other little things that have fallen into place. And in each and every case, there are people surrounding me, helping me, and giving generously to make this possible. To those of you who prayed and gave for my language training–thank you! To the missionaries working in administrative roles who have guided me through the visa/teaching/residential permit process–thank you! To the co-workers, friends, and family who continually encourage me, even by asking me repeatedly to stay in the U.S. because you love me,–thank you! To everyone who lifts me up in their prayers–thank you!
I can’t do this alone. You, the friends and family and random acquaintances, are the people who have made this possible. Know that God is still moving. The process is still going forward. One step at a time.
And, among the nervous vibes, is this crazy excitement that in only a few more thousand steps, I will be stepping onto a plane to Dar es Salaam…I can’t wait! But until then, its time to keep on keeping on with the everyday details of life!
Thank you for being a part of my life and this journey!
-Abby
Living Without Hope
Posted by Rosie Cochran on Friday, May 17th, 2013
Remember the joy of holding your firstborn child? Feeling that soft, smooth skin. Looking into those innocent eyes. Marveling at a life formed by God in your womb. A miracle. The miracle of life. Remember the awe you felt. And the love for that child. Wondering if you could ever love another child as much as you love the child you were then holding.
Your life revolved around the needs of this infant. Feeding, bathing, and making sure the baby received proper medical care. You did all that was necessary to ensure that your child had the best chance possible at a good life.
Now try to imagine for a few minutes that you don’t live here, in a comfortable home with all the necessities for babies at hand, with the doctor only a phone call away.
Try to imagine that you are a Ye’cuana woman, a Ye’cuana mother of an adorable little baby boy. Being a Ye’cuana mother does not diminish your love for your child one iota. You still love your child as much as you did a minute ago. You still want the best for your child. You love this child with all your heart.
And then this chubby baby boy of yours suddenly becomes ill. You’re holding him in your arms when he stops breathing. There’s no hospital. No emergency room. No doctor. Your heart nearly dies within you. And then he starts breathing again and you sigh in relief.
However the relief is short-lived. … It happens again. … And again.
You’re scared. You could take your child to the missionaries but what good would it do? Your husband, the father of the child, claims he is NOT the father of the child. He has disowned the baby. He has gone off and made a boat. He knew that by making a boat while the child was still an infant that the child would get sick and die. But he did it anyway.
There’s no hope now. There’s no way the baby can live. The father has signed the child’s death warrant.
You’re scared. You’re without hope. You know your child will die.
This really happened. The adorable little baby boy did die. He was placed in a rough wooden box and laid in a grave. His mother was left with empty arms. Without hope.
Would you want to live that way? Would you want to live with such fears? Would you want to die that way?
We did not choose our place of birth. We did not choose the culture we were be raised in. That could have been me. That could have been you.
What are we willing to do, and where are we willing to go, to take the hope of the Gospel to those living and dying without hope?
What are we doing to make a difference?
FINDING JESUS!
Posted by Robert and Cirena Smith on Friday, May 17th, 2013
Robert, Cirena, & Sheila
When Finding Nemo first came out in film back in 2003 we totally missed it. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember one of our co-workers giving Sheila Marie a stuffed fish that same year for her second birthday. I was told the fish’s name was Nemo as evident by his ‘lucky’ fin. I however had no clue. This was our first year of ministry in the Philippines on Palawan and we were busy helping tribal people in the process of Finding Jesus.
Since then we’ve had the opportunity to watch Finding Nemo a number of times and I would say this is arguably one of the greatest cartoon films ever created. After all, who can forget lines like, (insert surfer accent) “Taking on the jellieees! Dude, you’ve got some serious thrill issues.” Back in Palawan, currently the gospel is being preached among the Calamian Tagbanwa and when I stop and think of the work this takes, it makes me want to say to our co-workers as little squirt said to Marlin, “Dude, you totally rock!”
Our co-worker Nate recently wrote, “Teaching people who have never clearly understood God’s word is slow going… sometimes painfully slow, but taking the time to teach steadily from the beginning has been so worth it!” He went on to say, “As we teach about Jesus, people really connect the dots right away and He makes sense to them.”
In Finding Nemo, in order for Marlin to save his son Nemo, he had to venture off the reef into dangers unknown, cross the ocean and fight of some hungry sharks and other creatures of the deep. Despite the danger, Marlin’s love for Nemo compelled him to set out on this incredible journey. Along the way he found help from forgetful Dory, a 150 year old sea turtle named Crush and numerous others along the way.
So what’s the point? Whiling Finding Nemo is a cool cartoon, Finding Jesus is of far greater importance. Leaving “the reef” per se to travel across the ocean into challenges unknown so that we might teach people about Jesus is not always easy and fun but it is worth it. Why do we do it? It’s because His love compels us! As for these other fish in the ocean such as Dory & Crush, planting tribal churches doesn’t get done alone. It requires help along the way. To that extent, my wife and I might be nothing more than an old sea turtle and forgetful Dory (Shay for sure is our little Squirt), but coming alongside of our co-workers in this incredible journey is a privilege we wouldn’t change for the world.
Please pray for the continued teaching among the Calamian Tagbanwa as they are in the process of Finding Jesus. Blessings to each of you and thanks for your partnership in helping to see the gospel preached among the least reached people groups in the Philippines.
Preparations and a long-lead item
Posted by Keith and Holly Splawn on Friday, May 17th, 2013Currently it’s really hard to keep my part of the preparation ball rolling because I spend so much of each day schooling. I have one more week of school to finish up with the children. I’m thankful we homeschool and have flexibility in our schedule to finish up our year a little early. After that, it will be much easier for me to give our mission field preparations more of my focus, time, and energy.
I’m pretty sure I could go on and on if listed all the things that need to be done, taken care of, or figured out before we make it to the field. None of these jobs are in and of themselves huge, undoable tasks, but when I start thinking about all of them I tend to get very overwhelmed. I’m thankful to God (who is the best match-maker) for a husband that doesn’t get so easily overwhelmed, who keeps things all in perspective with a good outlook on them and keeps me focused on what needs to be done each day. He calls the day’s task “the long-lead item”. Today’s long-lead item is painting cabinet doors. I can do that.
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16
keeping those suitcases free of dust…
Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Thursday, May 16th, 2013
Yep, it’s time to get out our suitcases again. We are preparing for an important trip to Bolivia. We leave the end of this month for Bolivia. One project we’ve been working on is to update the literacy training that missionary candidates receive and then to train the trainers. This trip to Bolivia is a part of that process. We are so excited to work with about 15 students from Bolivia and Peru, as well as help train the literacy course teachers and field literacy consultants. And we have an added blessing of being able to visit our daughter and her family who are serving at a school for missionary children in Bolivia!
4-wheeling in May 2013
Posted by Theo and Martha Enns on Thursday, May 16th, 2013We drive to church in the mission’s “Big Red”.
Driving to a local Haitian church.
You can see a picture of us on our way to church by 4-wheel drive, on our NTM blog where we post a new picture each month (see our web address at the bottom.) The churches here in Haiti may read from a French Bible, but the preaching is done in the language of the people: Creole. Since Creole was developed as a language by freed slaves from West Africa during the colonization of Haiti by the French, there are certain similarities to the French language which help me follow along in the Creole services. But there are also significant differences that are not always obvious, (more…)
Begin at the beginning
Posted by Keith and Holly Splawn on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013After reading the book Radical by David Platt and having a conversation with a friend who suggested taking the whole family on a mission trip, we decided that “it would be good for the kids” to do so. A year later that dream was realized we went on a family mission trip to Brazil in the fall of 2012. We chose our destination as a New Tribes School for MKs. This particular place was dear to my husband’s heart. His roommate in college had grown up at the school. Keith had visited him there one summer during his college years and had always wanted to go back.
After the trip we talked about going to missions full-time, but the conversations were never serious. In February our pastor was preaching a series of sermons on Elijah. He got to the part where Elijah calls Elisha and during the sermon. Then I knew He was calling us to Brazil. During the sermon, I keep praying for my husband to be hearing the same thing. After the service, I asked him what he thought about the sermon. He said that he’d been hearing that call for a while and knew that God was calling us to Brazil.
Soon after we began the application process to become Associates with NTM. We were accepted about a month ago. We plan on going back to the school in the fall. Keith will work in maintenance (and that is quite a job there!) and teach and I’ll be a teacher’s assisstant in the elementary school. What a honor it will be to serve other missionaries! We are excited about our roles serving tribal and city missionaries by helping to provide a loving, safe and educational environment for their children. It’s an important investment in the future.
To be honest, we are scared and excited and feel like we’re on a roller coaster most days with all the things that have to be done before we go. But we are thankful that the One who’s calling us there is the One in charge of that ride.
Please pray and consider coming alongside us and being God’s means to providing the support we need to get there.
1Thessalonians 5:24 “The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”