Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus! This monthly e-Mailer includes updates on ministry, family, praise and prayer.

To all our Fellow Citizens of the US of A: Happy Independence Day! I have to confess that I have a slight case of the 4th of July blues, but without the reds and the whites (OK, that's your cue to groan...). I miss seeing the big fireworks displays, lighting sparklers and Roman candles, and other things that go pop, whiz, bang. We are still doing our best to be patriotic: Celina encouraged us all to wear our red-white-and-blues today to church!

At yesterday's Children's Ministries Seminar, Fanny de Quinzada taught on "Campos Blancos" (outreach preaching points) and I shared on Leading Children to Christ. Both topics are featured in AGWM Resource and Development Ministry's (RDM) "Children's Ministry Manual," which we had just received the day before to be able to promote and sell. The "Explosion of Ideas" three-part series also sold like "hot cakes," or maybe I should say "hojaldres" (Panamanian fry bread).

Attendance has stayed strong among our leaders wanting to improve their ministry to kids in their communities. One aspect of the seminars that the people reallly appreciate is snack time. It provides brief fellowship, and in some cases, their only breakfast! Please continue to pray for these ladies pictured here (and more men are getting involved--PTL!--they were politely waiting in the back of the line).

At our Latin America Childcare school up in Duíma, the effect of the Riverside Family Praise Fellowship team is still being felt almost a year after their visit. With a love offering from the church, a fence is going up around the cultivated land so that outside "critters" won't steal the children's fresh produce. Thanks from Pastor César, his family and all the students, like "Grandpa" here (it really is Miguel's nickname!). If you would also like to help this ministry feel free to drop us a line for more information.

This month we welcome a youth choir of Ambassadors in Missions from Georgia. Please pray for their ministry and concerts, plus rather extensive travel across Panamá. Later in the month we welcome a team from Surprise AZ to minister to poor and underprivileged barrio communities. Please pray for lives to be touched by physical and spiritual healing.

A former Bible School student, Victor, invited me to minister at his church on Children's Ministries Day. We ministered with the children, and motivated the adults to continue this vital ministry of the church to reach, disciple and prepare children for their own ministry. The kids in the church put on their own version of Bible Stories. This portion of the "choir" sang about the little, lost sheep who the Good Shepherd found. And this handsome young man was waiting for his entrance as Pharoah in the Joseph story. I was impressed with the ingenuity of the teachers, turning construction paper into a very attractive costume.

Chloe is a translator for the Focus on the Family Brio magazine team that is here in Panamá this week. With the 50 or so translators from Panamá and the 875 that came down from the US, it's an impressive group. Chloe is so excited to make new friends and to help them minister in government orphanages, Latin America Childcare schools, and in the plazas and parks around the city.

Anthony will spend a week at a resort with his old buddy Luis (see him in e-Mailer 1/03) and another classmate, Fernando. They are looking forward to the beach, pool and buffet.

Celina is looking forward to her double-digit birthday and she wants to take things in two's: like two new pierced ears. She had gotten one pierced when she was six, but refused to do the second. And she wants to go see Spiderman 2. Yes, we get recent releases here in Panamá, but it may have voice-over in Spanish or be subtitled.

Gracie's kindergarten teacher, Miss Hefft, captured her persona beautifully in her year-end report card comments: "Gracie does a good job pulling off 'super-social-party-girl' and 'super-smart-student.' :-) " We totally agree.

If you are on our quarterly mail newsletter list, you should be receiving it shortly. We include some stories from previous e-Mailers, and some new material. This issue has an extended piece on Panamá's history, with a testimony of a lady who lost her husband at the Dictator Noriega's hands. You can read it online in Newsletter section. Please send us your mailing address if you would like to be added.

Thank you for your support in prayer and finance. I won't let it go without saying that this ministry that we're privileged to participate in would go nowhere if not for that spiritual and monetary support. Much appreciated.

Nuggets from Psalm 119 (The Message):
v. 11 I've banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won't sin myself bankrupt.
v. 105 By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
v. 125 I'm your servant--help me understand what that means, the inner meaning of your instructions.

Yours for Them,

Kirk for all

P. S. If you'd like to read this e-Mailer with photos, please wait a few days, then click on "Ministry" at www.jonesjournal.org. Travel plans interrupted me before I could get the website updated. I wanted to get this greeting out on the Fourth of July!