Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2008-06

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Dear Friends,

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

Last month's leadership seminar completed the workshops on puppet-making and puppet practice. Here you can see some of our new puppeteers pictured with their puppet "children" (see additional Seminar pictures in this month's photo album).

Early in May we held the KidsQuest Crusade in Santa Cruz, outside of Panama City. They had a really great team of volunteers. We pass on our thanks to host pastor Domitilo Gonzales and all of them. Even heavy downpours couldn't dampen their spirits and the many children they had brought to the crusade. Here you see the visitor campaign winners with our clowns Ding and Ling and Ninja tigre "CJ."

The most recent KidsQuest crusade was in Boquete, far western province. There were over 200 children for the first crusade presentation. That number grew to over 300, plus adults, for the final day. Many of the kids rallied to bring in visitors. In fact, we had two different ties between first and second places, so that we "had to" give prizes to five winners instead of the usual three. We invite you to see these five hard-working kids plus many others at the crusade in this month's photo album.

The terrific church in Boquete impressed us with their organization, preparation and fantastic decorations for the crusade. You can see part of those decorations here behind the sign up table at the entrance. Special thanks to our host pastor Ivan Rios, and his son Ivan, Jr., pictured here on the keyboard leading worship. Ivan is 23 years old, and an assistant pastor working with his dad. As a very young child he was saved, empowered by Holy Spirit baptism and was called by God to preach. He told me he heard God's voice very clearly in his head repeating, "You have to preach… you have to preach!" So at eight years of age he began preaching. Maybe you'll remember his name or face that we mentioned during our second itineration because fourteen years ago he was one of the speakers for the national children's retreat--at nine years of age! He's a great example of our ministry motto: "children reaching children."

The crusade in Boquete was extra special for our team since the town is situated in a high mountain valley, with deliciously cooler weather than most of Panama. We all enjoyed the hot chocolate and coffee amidst the clouds at this roadside chalet cafe (see additional KidsQuest Crusade pictures in this month's photo album).

Our next KidsQuest crusade will be in Pajonal, central zone, 14-15 of June. We welcome your prayers.

The construction project in Duima is now completed. Heriberto Perez is one of our AG pastors, and a construction foreman. You see him holding the backstop here while Pastor/Director Cesar Rivera welds the base in place. We invite you to see this new basketball-volleyball-soccer-school assembly court in action. There's a short video report up on our Media page. You can see additional Duima pictures in this month's photo album.

Gracie competed for her school in a track meet last weekend. Here you can see her fine form in the long jump. She also did the baseball throw (instead of shot put) for which she earned the gold medal. Last month Gracie also went on a weekend missions trip to an Embera village up the river. She shared her testimony, played with the local children, and slept in an open air "hotel" hut along with her fellow CrossWalk missionaries. She did have mosquito netting! The best part was she got to pray with a little boy the salvation prayer. (see additional track meet pictures in this month's photo album).

Celina and Tony and Chloe all went to the school spring banquet last month. Here Celina is pictured (second from right) with her small group girls all dressed up in their formals.

Tony competed in the school track meet along with Gracie, though high school was later in the day. Here you see him in the center finishing the 100m dash. He also ran 200m and the four x 100m relay. Their school came in second place overall.

Chloe has been busy wrapping up her senior year. There's been lots of farewell meals, banquets, ceremonies, and special times with friends. She even squeezed in her 18th birthday! Graduation takes place this Saturday, 7 June. We invite you to see the speech she gave at the Senior Gala dinner on YouTube. We are so very proud of her!

We welcome you to schedule a visit for our upcoming itineration July 08 - July 09 on our Itineration page. Or just give us a call! VOIP US phone #: 626-507-8044. FYI: we plan on keeping that number in the US during itineration ministry as well.

Thanks to Pastor Jared Hoover and our friends at First Assembly of God in Arroyo Grande our stateside address will be: 105 Pilgrim Way, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. You may remember we were blessed to be the first missionaries to live in their brand new missionary house. Now we'll be the first ones to come back. We'll let you know our new phone number once we get one.

Our Superintendent, Lowell David, recently preached a message on the following verse. When David and his band of 600 men lost their wives, children and goods to a horde of marauding Amalekites, David found himself in a very tough spot:

And it greatly distressed David, for the people spoke of stoning him,

because the soul of all the people was grieved, each one for his sons and for his daughters.

What stuck with me from this passage and gives me both comfort and challenge is the last part of the verse:

But David encouraged himself in Jehovah his God.

1^st Samuel 30:6, MKJV

Despite the great grief, desperation and external pressures, God gave David and his men a complete victory! I loved reading the text through to the end of the chapter. We're trusting God for that same kind of victory over the pressures and stresses during this upcoming year of itineration.

We fly from Panama to the US on 26 June. No, we're not all packed up yet, but we're working on it! Early July we are in Springfield for Missionary Renewal (used to be called "School of Missions") and then we drive across the country to hold services in Oregon before settling into Arroyo Grande mid August. We really would appreciate your prayers during this transition time for us and especially for our kids. Remember, they are leaving "home" to go to the US.

Thank you to all our friends, family and partners for your faithful prayers and financial support. It means so much and we trust the Lord will bless you for it!

Yours for Them,

Kirk for all