Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2012-08

jonesjournal.org > newsletters > e-Mailer for 8/12

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus from the road! If you'd prefer you can read this e-Mailer online, or see past issues on "Newsletter" page at www.jonesjournal.org. This monthly e-Mailer includes updates on ministry, family, praise, and prayer.

Since we have recently transitioned to itineration ministry we are sending this month’s e-Mailer to a wider group of friends. If you prefer not to receive them, no worries. Just reply “remove” and we will! Otherwise, we’ll continue to send you one every month or so.

Some people have asked, “What do you do when you itinerate?” So I looked up the definition at Dictionary.com. “Itinerant” means: “traveling from place to place, especially on a circuit, as a minister, judge, or sales representative; itinerating; journeying.” That sounds about right, except for the part about being compared to a traveling salesman. It has been great reconnecting with supporting pastors and churches, thanking them for past prayer and financial support, and sharing reports of what God has done with Panamá’s children these past few years.

About a month into it our personal definition of itineration breaks down like this:

* 7000+ car miles through 13 states

* 13 churches visited

* 10 pastor appointments,

* 2 sectional/regional meetings with several pastors, missionaries, and leaders

* 1 Kids Camp

Let me start with the last first: we were privileged to be the missionary guests at the SoCal Kids Camp with dynamic director/speaker Robin Garvin at beautiful Pinecrest Campground. The “piratey” theme focused on setting our course on God’s mission to people. Our MKs served as team coaches on 3 of the 8 teams, pictured here before pizza dinner the first night. During the altar times scores of children were touched by the Lord and several children told us God called them to missionary service! We were blown away by the incredibly generous missions offering from the 400+ kids and the 35 churches represented!

In the last e-Mailer we shared that Tony was going to be a “chief” for elementary MKs for the new and veteran missionary families during the summer program in Springfield, MO. Well, Chief “Chill,” as he was called, had a terrific five weeks with a small group of energetic boys. They visited Silver Dollar City amusement park, a wildlife safari, swimming pool, Lambert’s famous restaurant “home of the throwed rolls,” plus had small group time in devotions, large group worship services, “Run and Roar” team games and time for bonding with other MKs. Celina and Gracie also got to enjoy the final week of that MK program with the other veterans. What a blessing to be part of the AGWM family that loves and supports our kids!

Celina’s transition to college life has begun in earnest. The whole family (except for Chloe) got to meet a group of other incoming freshman and families, including Celina's roommate, at a summer send off party. The Pepperdine University alumni host family opened with a very nice prayer and the coordinator closed with a special prayer of blessing. A few days later we got to tour the “country’s most beautiful campus” as it’s been called. We trust Celina will resist the call of the Malibu beach in order to study a little bit! No worries.

Gracie got to spend a day with a good friend from Panamá, also an MK. Her family and ours happened to be in Colorado the same day and our gracious hosts (thanks Blair & Kaye!) let us enjoy an awesome rib BBQ and fantastic fellowship together.

Chloe’s big news is she is now a Registered Nurse! It’s official. She passed her NCLEX nursing boards exam and can now proudly wear “R.N.” on her hospital ID. We are extremely proud of her (and happy it’s all over!).

The rest of our itineration story has been reconnecting with family and friends along the journey, attending a nephew’s wedding, and settling into a new place as our home for two years. If we are not yet scheduled to visit you feel free to call me for a coffee appointment, a Window on the World, or a full missionary service. Contact info is below.

If we ever start to feel sorry for ourselves, we’ll just remember Paul’s itineration ministry:

In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.

(2 Cor. 11:26-27 MSG)

Yours for them,

Kirk for all

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Kirk Antonio Jones and Yvonne Jones

Chloe (22), Tony (19), Celina (18), Gracie (13)

Assemblies of God Missionaries to the Children of Panama

Cell: +1 417.773.1427 * VoIP: +1 417.595.4697 * FAX: +1 866.520.3910

PO Box 6165, Springfield, MO 65801-6165

www.jonesjournal.org * kirk.jones@agmd.org

facebook: kirkajones * twitter: kirkajones