Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2010-10

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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 KidsQuest Crusade was in La Arena, central zone. I’d like to share with you the testimony of César, the “adopted” son of our host pastor Ricardo DeLeon. Sorry, no pictures. When he introduced himself as “adopted,” I assumed it meant in a spiritual sense, like taking a zealous, new convert under his wing. No, César now lives with the pastor’s family and ministers in the community where he used to sell drugs and run with the gangs. His believing mother died when he was four. His father died when he was 15. Left on his own, he used drugs and violence to try and fill the pain he felt inside, until he met Jesus at age 17.

I got to hear his story as we drove through the muddy streets picking up kids from his cell group to bring them to the Crusade services Saturday and Sunday. César’s vision is to see Jesus give hope and victory to children who might be headed down the same path he had been on. Pray for this zealous and courageous young man.

Our volunteer leaders and I continue to train local church children’s ministries leaders in our monthly seminars. Topics have included gospel illusions by Carolina, effective teaching techniques by Juan Carlos, and preparing lesson plans by Kirk. The last seminar was sharing a short Christmas program entitled “Celebrate, the King is Born!” Yvonne put it all together and then taught the lyrics, motions and dramas. We uploaded a brief YouTube video report of the seminar available online from our website Media page.

As I’ve been updating you the past few months, I am teaching Missions on Mondays at the Bible School. We have covered Missiology, Postmodernism in past semesters and this semester is on Transcultural Missionary Preparation. One of the interesting facts we learned the first session is that the number of missionaries from the so-called Third World now outnumber missionaries sent from North America and Europe. That dramatic increase highlights the need for adequate training for these new missionaries.

Along those lines, just a couple days ago I got an invitation to preach for the Missions month emphasis at Pastor Euribiades Chen’s church on the outskirts of Panamá City. I only mention this as a follow up praise report to the International Missions Congress last April hosted here in Panamá. Our Panamanian churches are awakening to world missions.

In our last e-Mailer we thanked the awesome SoCal youth of the San Fernando section for providing our new Speed-The-Light Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. This issue we thank the Lord that Gracie and Kirk were not hurt in a minor accident and that two new doors later the car is back good as new.

Yvonne continues ministering with the babies now at two different orphanages on a weekly basis.

After her brief summer visit here, Chloe is back at Evangel U in her third year of nursing. She absolutely loves her new role of being an R.A. Early in the school year she gave us the exciting report that one day every single door in the hall was open! When we asked why that was so great, she said because the girls are getting to know each other and building community. That is so Chloe.

Anthony is playing power forward on the school’s sub 18 year old basketball team. Plus he and Celina continue leading Student Council activities and weekly meetings. Gracie has joined Student Council too as the 7^th grade representative.

Last issue we reported that Celina had an incredible ten days with the youth missions team in Máncora, Perú. In the meantime she has written a full report which you can read from our website’s Newsletter page.

Gracie is playing basketball this year. Since there were not enough girls to form a sub 12 team, she is playing point guard on the sub 16 team. Her coach says she has such a look of determination on her face while she’s playing.

We ask for your continued prayers for the following:

* Training leaders to reach children and teach children to reach their friends.

* Next KidsQuest Crusade in Villa Grecia, Panamá City.

* God’s provision for our generous and faithful supporters and also for our ministry needs. In last month’s financial statement, our work fund (00) just hit $0.

We rest in David’s words that remind us how great God is and how important we are to Him:

. God’s love is meteoric,

His loyalty astronomic,

His purpose titanic,

His verdicts oceanic.

Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost;

Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks.

Psalm 36:5-6, The Message

The print version of our newsletter will be mailed shortly. You can see the pdf version online. Thank you again for your prayers and support for our ministry and family!

Yours for Them,

Kirk for all