jonesjournal.org > newsletters > e-Mailer for 12/07

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus! If you'd like to read past issues, click on Newsletters. This monthly e-Mailer includes updates on ministry, family, praise and prayer.

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS greeting in JESUS from the Joneses!

Our KidsQuest Crusade last month was held in Concepción, in the western province of Chiriquí, hosted by our zone Rep. Edilma de Villarreal with her husband Pastor Alfredo Villarreal. One of the highlights of this particular crusade is that it turned out to be a homecoming for part of our team. Homegrown talent Muriel and Zuleka took turns being our "Ling" clown and Eduardo filled the big paws of our tiger "CJ."

Just less than half of Sunday's attendance was new visitors and total attendance was over 200. These kids sure enjoyed trying to catch their chance to play the memory verse game.

On the first Saturday of December we held our fourth annual Christmas Crusade this time using the Yuyin Luzcando gym of Bethania. Our team presented the theme "Jesus, save my Panamanian People" with games, dramas, illusions, clowns "Ding" and "Ling" along with host "CJ" (stands for "Trust Jesus") the ninja-style Bengal tiger. We were also blessed to have seven local churches bring their children to minister in song, instruments, rap and typical folkloric dance. I invite you to take a look at the variety of gifts and talents of these children in this month's photo album and also see some of the 500+ children who attended.

In particular, this little blind girl, Cristal, played her air piano which hushed the crowd in admiration. It was the most solemn moment of the morning.

Thanks for praying for many kids to meet Jesus, the True Light of the World. The response at the altar call prayer was sincere, though unfortunately part of the crowd had already left the gym. Before leaving, however, each child received his or her own copy of the book Illustrated Adventures of Jesus, plus a juice box, thanks to sponsors Del Monte and Estrella Azul.

Yvonne and I held a special appreciation Christmas Banquet afterwards for our team members seen here.

We appreciate you joining us in prayer for these upcoming events:

* Fasting and Prayer Seminar 5 January to prepare and pray for the upcoming year.

* Panamá Assembly of God Annual Session 6-9 January where we'll hold classes with our minister's children.

FYI, our December newsletter is now online. Your copy should arrive any day in the mail! Let us know if you're not receiving the hard copy by mail and you would like to.

We invite you to read our 2007 Annual Ministry Report in English (Word / pdf) or Español (Word / pdf) which will be presented in the January Annual Business Session.

On the family front, Chloe and Yvonne absolutely "love" our little snowman decoration that we always set up in the entryway. The Jones family tradition is to set up Christmas decorations the Friday after Thanksgiving. You can see how much Gracie and Tony got into it as well :-)!

The Christian hard rock band, 220V, that Tony is in has their first concert, where he will get to play, this coming Sunday afternoon at the New Pact church. They've held extra practices crammed into everybody's already packed schedules of school finals, Christmas Cantata dance rehearsals, plus Tony has begun paddling cayuco. To say the least, he is very excited.

Celina missed out on the big Thanksgiving meal we enjoyed with the other missionary families because she had a bad eye infection. Unfortunately it kept getting worse until the eye doctor said it became an ulcer on the cornea. After much prayer and heavy-duty drops the infection is gone, but there is still scar tissue on her cornea. She can see fine with her glasses. It's just a little foggy in the bad eye. She won't be using contacts again for awhile.

We told Celina that this is an opportunity to strengthen our faith against the enemy's attacks, since her sight is such an important part of her gifts and talents in art, crafts, cooking, etc. We're trusting the Lord to complete the healing and would welcome your prayers.

Gracie and her classmates decided to start a Bible study. When they asked who should lead it, all her friends looked at Gracie. So she prepared her first lesson on 1^st Samuel, about Saul's jealousy of David. Her buddy Carlos will be the "disciplinarian" and lead the boys' small group discussion while Gracie leads the girls. They've even planned ahead in case there's more boys, since her class has a lot more boys than girls, so Jason will lead a second small group.

Yvonne directed the grade school Christmas program for Crossroads Christian Academy this past Thursday, December 13th. Gracie had a solo in the finale. Tony helped with sound effects during the "Keeping it a surprise" skit put on by the high schoolers. It came off terrific! They're all glad it's all over.

You can schedule a visit for our upcoming itineration July 08 - July 09 on our Itineration page. We'd love to see you again, or meet for the first time!

Thanksgiving may come only once a year on the US calendar, but we sure hope you know that we give thanks to the Lord for your support in prayer and finance all through the year. May God bless you this Holy-Day Season and all year round!

John the Baptist has jumped off the screen of my Palm recently while doing my daily Bible reading. I hope to take his example to heart as we announce Jesus to our world, the "Reason for the Season."

Thunder in the desert! "Prepare for GOD's arrival! Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God. Fill in the valleys, level off the hills, Smooth out the ruts, clear out the rocks. Then GOD's bright glory will shine and everyone will see it. Yes. Just as GOD has said."

Isaiah 40:3-5, The Message

The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, "Here he is, God's Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I've been talking about, 'the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.'

John 1:29-30, The Message

Yours for Them,

Kirk for all