Dear Friends,
Greetings in Jesus! If you'd like to read this e-Mailer, or see a past issue with photos, click on "Ministry" at www.jonesjournal.org. My purpose in writing this is to share updates on ministry, family, praise and prayer.
I'm going to change my usual order and begin with a Bible verse:
Psalm 126:3 The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad.
An example of classic understatement, that was my verse for our Celebration party last Monday Night. No, not for a football game (Yvonne made me turn it off!) Yes, our budget is raised! Praise the Lord!!! He truly has done great things for us, and we *are* glad.
We have received promises from churches and individuals that go past our minimum pledge goal of $9272 per month. We still need to see the paperwork through with AGWM HQ, but we're confident all you who promised are good to your word.
To date, we've held 140 services and had 76 appointments with pastors. Currently we have 153 supporters providing the following total pledges.
Pledges: $ 9272
Current: $9466
Cushion: $ 194 +
Cash: $46,401
Current: $44,062
Needed: $ 2339
Thank you to our faithful base of supporters who have given sacrificially for years. Thank you new friends who have joined our support team recently.
Now, to churches or individuals who are considering supporting us in the future, it is still needed! As you'll recall, we reduced our budget recently to insure our return to Panama by the 12/27/02 deadline. We sure would like to be able to add back in the support for the Duima school, plus readjust our children's schooling to the original budget. Plus, we might as well be frank here, over the course of four or five years a percentage of pledge support decays for various reasons. A little cushion helps protect against that.
I have a couple more deputation services, to which Yvonne says a hearty "Amen!" The rest of our time will be spent packing for storage, shipment, or air plane baggage. Plus do all the paperwork for an international move--I don't want to list it all, so my headache won't begin sooner than necessary ;-)
Prayer Requests:
I think listing Praise and Upcoming items would be redundant--you can figure it out.
One day in the car we were talking about school & history class. Chloe defined "pilgrim" as someone who travels for religious reasons and Celina immediately said, "Man, we are sooo pilgrims."
Speaking of Celina, if you missed our invitation in the Christmas newsletter take a look at her online art gallery linked from our home page, or go directly to this link.
I might as well warn you now, it's not likely I'll get our next e-Mailer out on January 1st. On that day we will be flying from Orlando back to Panama. Why Orlando? We'll be there a few days enjoying the biannual retreat with all of the AG missionaries serving in Latin America.
Before that we will be spending a week with family in Oregon for the Christmas holidays. And this Thanksgiving weekend that just passed we also got to spend time with family at our house.
We are rejoicing extra this holiday season and hope you will too.
John 1
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
God bless you. Yours for Them,
Kirk for all