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Giving Back

July 16, 2006 in Language, Ministry, Progress by Dave | Permalink

As language school students for the past year, we’ve had the benefit of taking a lot from the people around us. We’ve received 4 hours a day of lessons, we’ve stopped people along the street, in shopping malls, and in church in order to have conversations, and we’ve received advice and insight into the latin culture, but we’ve not often had the opportunity to give back. That’s why, when we have the opportunity to contribute, we feel that it is blogworthy.

This month Kelly headed up a program at CINCEL to help seniors in high school (colegio in Spanish) prepare for their math exit exams. She did interviews at the colegio in order to asses their areas of need and then was available for the past 4 weeks in order to give them the help that they needed. I also got a chance to contribute to the English program that fellow missionary Ron Marcotte has been offering to the community, I translated from English into Spanish for the beginning students during the teaching sessions and then helped as a conversation partner as each student worked on their alphabet, their numbers and various simple phrases.

I think that the most special opportunity that we had this past month was the birthday that we celebrated with our friend Mayra (pictured with the cake above). She was celebrating her 60th birthday, but with her children in Florida she was looking to spend her day completly alone. Kelly planned a small celebration with several students who knew Mayra, and Mayra was touched deeply.

It’s interesting. We’ve grown up in a consumer culture and have been bombarded with commercials about the things that we need to acquire, but the older I get (32 years and counting), the more I realize that we have been created to give. Nothing creates a better feeling of satisfaction, and nothing more positively reflects the image of Christ that so many others in our society need to see.

Technorati Tags: Kindness, Giving, Consumerism

Predique hermano, Predique.

June 21, 2006 in Mexico, Ministry, Progress by Dave | 2 comments

Preach Brother, Preach!

In order to keep a license to preach with the Assemblies of God, a minister needs to preach at least 10 times within a year’s time. Now while that wasn’t a challenge in the states where we preached over 150 times in the course of our itineration, we’ve had a more difficult time fulfilling that requirement here in Costa Rica, especially since we had to learn to preach in Spanish in order to secure a preaching date.

We’ll I’m happy to report that I got back on track in fulfilling my licensing requirements as I preached my first sermon in Spanish today before the professors and students of CINCEL. The sermon was on John 15, the passage in which Jesus talks about abiding in the vine. It is available here, for those of you who would like to read it in Spanish.

It’s hard to describe the significance that this event has for our lives. During our commissioning service, we were given a Spanish Bible with the admonishment to preach the Word in the language of the people to whom we have been called. I remember opening that Bible in the days after and finding it difficult to even understand a few words. Now to be able to not only read, but share the Word of God in Spanish is something of a dream come true. We are amazed at how far God has taken us, and reflecting on His faithfulness has increased our faith in God’s plan to use us to reach the people of Mexico.

Technorati Tags: Language, Language-Learning, CINCEL

Hands

March 12, 2006 in CostaRica, Ministry, Prayer by Dave | 1 comment

There is a song that says, “It is no secret, what God can do…,” but knowledge and expectations at times can be two totally different things. In the case of the Luis Palau Festival God blew away the expectations!

The students of CINCEL got a chance to be a part of the festival, as I had mentioned in this previous post, presenting a 15 minute “mini-show” to the children on Friday night. The picture above is of what had a chance to witness during the call for those who wanted to ask Christ into their hearts following the show. Dozens of children came to the Lord that night. More than that, the workers were able to collect information from over 4000 children who made a committment to the Lord during the two day event. Like I said, “It is no secret,” but at times it can be surprising what God can do.

Thanks to Renay West for the great photography. The photo album is posted here.

Casualties

March 11, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 2 comments

Irony of ironies! I had just read Amy Maxwell’s sad post on the loss of her Palm when I left for our Luis Palau drama team practice, as always with my Pocket PC in the left pocket of my cargo pants. In the drama, we needed to simulate a car crash. Of course, when there is a car crash, usually the occupants (especially if they are not wearing their seatbelts) don’t stay in a proper seated position. In this case, as we were standing, we needed to fall towards the audience, which was to my left. I performed a classic fall, rounding my body to absorb the impact in non-critical places. It was one for the movies. However, my Pocket PC just happened to be in one of those “non-critical” areas. I felt the impact when I fell, but since I had the PC in it’s case, I thought nothing of it, but when I powered it on again, “Alas! No screen, only lines!”

Fevershly, I pulled the PC out of the case, reseting the system thinking that I might just be a glitch. No luck. Perhaps a wire that needs reseated, I thought. But after two hours of talking with tech support, pulling out and reseating wires, I found that my efforts were of no avail. My electronic friend, my Bible, my itineration manager, my newspaper, and my Spanish translator were gone in the fraction of a second.

Fortunately for me, my wife, Kelly, who just so happens to be the most wonderful person in my life has let me use hers in the time being. Thank you honey! Of course, it was also a comfort to know that it died in the line of duty.

So long faithful worker. You will be missed!

Ministry starts here

March 8, 2006 in CostaRica, Ministry, Prayer by Dave | 1 comment

Now that we have about 6 months of Spanish under our belts, we feel fairly confident to travel in San José and to go about our daily activities. Still, expressing thoughts, wishes, and feelings can be a stretch for our minds and our mouths. So sharing about our relationship with Christ in Spanish has been a challenge to say the least. Still, we are aware that ministry is not just what is waiting for us in Mexico. Ministry starts here in language school as well.

That is why when the students from CINCEL had been given the opportunity to participate in the Luis Palau festival we felt lead to join the team. This weekend’s festival which features Luis Palau, considered to be the Latin Billy Graham, is expected to draw upwards of 100,000. We have been working on a 15 minute “mini-show” to present during the children’s portion of the program. During this show we will be presenting a clear message of the gospel in Spanish to which the children watching the program will be given an opportunity to respond.

Please pray for the following:

That all of the logistics of the campaign will move smoothly.
That God will prepare the hearts of those who will attend the festival to hear the message of the cross of Jesus.
That God would work through our “mini-show” as well as the other events in order to motivate children and adults to have a relationship with Him.
That God would help Luis Palau to communicate clearly the message of reconciliation with God through His Son Jesus Christ.
That the cooperation among the evangelical churches that this festival has provoked will continue.

Teaching Missions on the Mission Field

November 13, 2005 in Day2Day, Media, Ministry by Dave | Permalink

God has called us to go “into all the world,” and if we are to fulfill his mandate, we are certainly going to need some help. How will we get it? Teach missions!

We were blessed to be a part of a missions outreach in the countryside north of San Jose last weekend. Here, we were able, through songs, skits and puppets to teach missions to the next generation of Costa Ricans. We believe that you are never to young or too old to respond to God’s call. Click here or the picture to view our album of the event.

Can You Guess?

June 21, 2005 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 5 comments

They’re both Godzwas. They’re both missionaries, but can you guess which one is going to Mexico?

Dave got the chance to team up with his twin brother, Mike, when they had the opportunity to share about missions together in Mechanicsville, MD at Living Word Community Church. Mike shared about Chi Alpha at American University where he has served as campus pastor for 6 years. Dave had the opportunity to share about Mexico and our plan to follow Jesus’ commmand to make disciples there.

Following the preaching, they were able to minister together in music, as they lead an extended time around the altar. Even though it is almost 10 years since they graduated from CBC, this was the first time that they have been able to minster in the same service. Thank you, Pastor Wickham, for providing the opportunity!

Now about that lead question: If you said that Dave is the one on the left, then you guessed correctly!

Busy Weekend!

May 16, 2005 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | Permalink

We’ve had a busy weekend! We had planned to be in the Kansas City area for two services, one in the city and one in Blue Springs, just to the east, but our service inside KC had been cancelled. Fortunately, after a few phone calls, we were able to schedule a 10-minute window (that’s missionary speak for a short presentation within a service) with Pastor Ted and Fran Furry in Nevada, Missouri in the morning and then drive the rest of the way to Blue Springs for our service with Pastor John and Mary Ann Martz. Here is a picture of the kids in front of the church in Blue Springs.

We were thankful for the opportunity to share about Mexico in both services, but we were espcially grateful for the opportunity to pray for a team of students at Blue Springs that will be leaving for Reynosa, Mexico for an Ambassador in Mission (AIM) trip in June.

We believe in short-term missions trips. Our call to missions was cemented during an AIM trip to Dominican Republic, and a first hand experience of cross-cultural ministry will enable many in our fellowship to break away from everyday life and see, not only the needs of the countries they visit, but how God is moving all over our world. It births compassion, motivates prayer, and empowers service during the trip and after. So if you have the opportunity, as a youth or as an adult, to take part in a short-term missions trip, I encourage you to jump at the chance. Rick Warren says that this is one step to becoming a “World-Class Christian,” and I agree.

Where have we been?

May 2, 2005 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | Permalink

Well as the song goes, ?We?ve been everywhere man.? All over Missouri that is. I recently did some tabulation and realized that we have been in over 140 meetings and services over the past year, sharing with a number of our churches all over Southern Missouri.
More recently, we had chance to hold services on April 27th in Cuba, Missouri at Calvary Assembly, where we had a great time answering the congregation?s questions about Mexico.

This weekend, we were at Bethel Assembly in Springfield Missouri, where the congregation invited Dave to participate a celebration honoring the May birthdays in the church, even though his birthday is April 22nd. You can view the pictures included in this post. We also had the honor of being the very first world missionaries at a new church plant in Rogersville, MO, called Grace Church.

We appreciate the opportunity to share our burden with each congregation, and we are extremely grateful for each one who has committed to pray for us, and give sacrificially to see disciples made in Mexico.

Fellowshiping at Bethel Assembly

The entrance of Grace Church in Rogersville

Categories: Day2Day, Ministry

Sunday Travels

April 26, 2005 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | Permalink

Our travels took us to two excellent churches on Sunday: New Life Community Church in Chesterfield and First Assembly in Herculaneum. We were able to share about Mexico and meet some wonderful people. Thank you so much for your help as you have moved us closer to begining our work in Mexico! Here is a picture of the church in Herculaneum, sorry folks in Chesterfield, but I didn’t get a picture on Sunday morning! Please send me one, and I’ll be sure to post it.