Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2016-10

jonesjournal.org > newsletters > e-Mailer for 10/2016

Dear Friends,

Warm tropical greetings from Panamá!

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.

When we first began working with kids ministry leaders here in Panamá, training materials and worksheets were black and white copies, which proved expensive for large quantities. I even remember preparing the tricky layers of old mimeograph sheets, and turning out the copies getting blue ink smeared everywhere. The digital revolution is wonderful—now most people have access to a connected small screen (smartphone) or bigger screen (laptop) for documents, music and video.

Training kids ministry leaders is expanding across these digital platforms, thanks to YouTube and Facebook. Recording live training seminars we later upload the video along with the handouts or PowerPoint slides for those who could not attend in person. We’re seeing more people access the MININFAD Facebook page and access these resources.

Another expansion took place last month, crossing the bridge over the canal to West Panamá, where a new group of about 40 kids ministry leaders held their first training seminar in Arraijan. We thank Leonel Steele for joining our volunteer team and `serving as director and organizing it. Topics included: Children & the Local Church, The Role of a Teacher, Structuring Your Kids Ministry. All three were uploaded and available the following week online.

Last issue we reported how the team from City View Church San Diego helped advance the construction of the Missionary Resource Center facility. Thanks to their generosity for materials the work is continuing with local pastors and laypeople volunteering labor to install floor and wall tiles and do wiring and electrical finishing work.

We invite your prayers for upcoming events:

· * Tomorrow in Arraijan is their second training seminar. We expect continued momentum and growth.

· * Also tomorrow in Colón will be the second annual Kids Missions Parade & Festival. You can see last year’s MININFAD Panama Children's Ministries video report on our media page.

Yvonne adds:

Over the past several months, Kirk and I have had the privilege of mentoring two girls from Metro Amigo orphanage. They are both 17 years old and will age out of the system in December. Neither of them know who their mom or dad are. I pick them up on Wednesdays, bring them to our house and they are learning how to cook a different meal each week. Over the dinner they prepared we talk about life, the Lord and their future. Then we go to church together. Both their lives, and our lives, have been changed by knowing each other.

My dream is for every child at Metro Amigo facility to have a family that can mentor them. It's a step toward a permanent living situation which unfortunately at this time is legally very difficult in Panama. Pray as we build awareness about the mentoring ministry in our churches so that kids’ lives would be changed for eternity.

Kirk’s devotional thought:

In Spanish there is one word (esperar) used for either “wait” or “hope” in English. Reading Psalm 40 during devotions this week I wondered if Hebrew might be the same. I stand to be corrected by my biblical language scholar friends, but my five-minute Google excursion into the original text indicates yes, it is. So after reading the passage below my hope for us is that God will put a new song in our hearts as we wait hoping in Him, knowing He’s listening!

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

Psalm 40:1-3 (ESV)

Yours for Them,

Kirk & Yvonne

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