Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2016-08

jonesjournal.org > newsletters > e-Mailer for 8/2016

Dear Friends,

Rainy season summer greetings from Panamá! Summertime in North American is rainy season in the Tropics. Whoever coined the phrase “God’s green earth” must have seen Panamá’s vibrant plants and trees during this time of year!

If you'd prefer you can read this e-Mailer online, or see past issues on "Newsletter" page at jonesjournal.org. This monthly e-Mailer includes updates on our life, ministry, praise, and prayer.

Growth is happening in Kids Ministries here in Panamá—in local churches, with kids ministry leaders and from US teams. Even the Panamá Canal has grown.

On June 26 the new expanded set of locks opened for the Panamá Canal to be able to accommodate three times the cargo capacity of the previous locks. Heads of State and dignitaries from around the world celebrated this achievement with the proud Panamanian people. It is a really big deal here, to say the least.

On the local church level, our friend Pastor Alexis Esquivel from Oasis de Paz Church invited me to minister at their summer kids camp. The camp theme “I Also Serve Jesus” fits well with our ministry slogan, “Children Reaching Children.” Together we had fun learning from the gospel illusions, and the memory verse game. What touched my heart most was how these kids sincerely prayed, seeking God and spending extended time in God’s presence. Bodes well for this generation of world-changers!

Our kids ministry leaders continue to receive practical training for use in their local churches. Our team taught seminars including clown makeup along with puppet construction and usage. Hand-crafted puppets like these are a useful tool for most of our churches. Some larger churches may use video instruction, but the vast majority have limited resources, may have use of a classroom or may have to use an open space, and sometimes electricity goes out. What they might lack in stuff, they make up in passion and love for their kids!

Since the last e-Mailer we have hosted two US teams. The first is Calvary Church of Pacific Palisades where Celina volunteered with high schoolers while she was at Pepperdine U. Thanks to Coordinator Sarah Rodriguez and Pastor Shawn Gendall. They brought a youth team to Panamá and ministered during the mornings in the Las Mańanitas community doing assemblies both at the Latin America Childcare school and a nearby public school. The Panamanian youth crowded the altars to pray with the team, and then later hung out to talk and take selfies with them.

In the afternoons they loved on the children at the Metro Amigos home doing a fun club rotation of Bible, crafts, dance-exercise and sports. Plus they raised funds for a legacy gift of four laptop computers for a much-needed homework lab for the children. Later we were able to install free software in Spanish for students to research, write and present their homework.

One afternoon the team took a prayer walk through the Las Garzas shantytown with Pastora Adela de Giroldi (second from right) who I interviewed in a past newsletter. Many youth said that experience impacted them greatly. We often share during team orientation that what God does in them will probably be greater than what they do in Panamá. That is not to diminish the impact of their trip, but rather to expand their worldview so that missions becomes an integral part of their future. I trust it will.

The second terrific team is from City View Church San Diego, led by Pastor Tony Young. They shared testimonies, performed gospel illusion and preached in five different churches starting in Panamá City and into the central zone of the country. In addition they stayed at the national campground and helped advance the construction of the Missionary Resource Center facility on site.

After canvassing the surrounding neighborhoods inviting people to the special service, the church in Olá prepared a delicious meal for us. It made me laugh that before sitting down to eat, Pastor Israel Quiroz first had to capture the moment for his social media. New meets old as we used the “old-fashioned” method of street witnessing in the community of Guias Occidente. It bore fruit. We spoke with a husband and wife on their porch who later came and prayed to reconcile with the Lord!

We are thankful for God’s direction for each of our four kids in major transitions this summer: two international moves and two cross-country moves.

Gracie graduated from Crossroads Christian Academy, helped translate for Celina’s team, and then joined Chloe in the US before beginning her freshman year at Evangel University.

After a break here for Gracie’s graduation and church team, Celina road-tripped with Tony from LA to Houston and has begun a PhD in Biomedical Sciences: Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine.

Immediately after graduation, Tony worked the missionary summer program. Following the road trip with Celina, he flew from HOU to PTY. He is now the new fourth grade teacher at Crossroads Christian Academy, his alma mater.

Chloe road-tripped with Gracie from Springfield, MO to be a traveling nurse in Klamath Falls, OR, close to picturesque Crater Lake.

God said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end."

Moses said, "If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now.

How else will it be known that you're with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we're special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?"

God said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name."

Exodus 33:14-17 (MSG)

Yours for Them,

Kirk & Yvonne

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