Happy 100th Birthday George!

On Nov. 2nd our GMSA co-worker George Black will be 100 years old. He is still working in Northern Chile and there are no plans for retirement.



Happy 100th Birthday George!

May there be many more years of service in Chile.

Thank you for your testimony and heart for the Lord.

Prayer Items for Oct-Nov 07

Saturday, Oct 20th, we left for a 16 day road trip and I doubt I will be doing much posting on the blog for many days. So let me share some prayer items for you to dwell on during the next two weeks.

*To be a blessing to those we meet and minister to in the upcoming meetings.

*Personal Holiness

*Setting our focus and hope in God during this time of waiting.

*For added supporters (churches or individuals) to commit to partnering with us in Great Commission Living. Currently at 62%.

*For David's language school application paperwork to be approved quickly and that we would reserve an on-campus apartment that will meet our needs.

*Strength and Alertness as we travel many long days out to Colorado and back.

*Organization and Efficiency in the packing process (once we return from CO).

*For the Lord to provide a small trailer to haul some stuff down to Texas when we move.

*For David's upcoming language learning classes to be profitable and allow him to effectively share Biblical Truth, the Gospel, and Jesus Christ.

*For Kristi as she homeschools the boys while on the road (strength & time management).

Theology, Philosophy, & Methodology

Our Theology of Ministry is What We Believe
This is the Heart of our Work
This is Exegetically Determined

Our Philosophy of Ministry is What We Think
This is the Head of our Ministry
This is Exegetically Derived

Our Methodology of Ministry is What We Do
This is the Hands of our Ministry
This should be Exegetically Defensible

--taken from Pastor Bob Bixby's sermon/article "Qualifying Principles of the Great Commission"

A Profound Synergy

The following is a recent online article from Reuters.com:
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President Michelle Bachelet, on a visit to Italy, met with Pope Benedict XVI in his private study at the Vatican Thursday to talk about political and social issues.

The closed-door meeting lasted 40 minutes, during which time Bachelet and the Pope analyzed the socio-political situation in Chile and its role in Latin America. Discussion also touched on a variety of other topics, including “human life and the family, education, human rights, justice and peace and other important questions on the international agenda,” according to a Vatican statement.

Bachelet said she “found the Pope to be cordial, kind, genteel, very knowledgeable about Chile. Without doubt, it was a very emotional experience for me.”

Bachelet, a self-declared agnostic and divorced mother of three, had clashed with the Catholic Church earlier this year when she approved a law that allows girls over the age of 14 to get the “morning-after pill” free, without parental consent. It had previously been available only to those with a prescription who could afford it, and girls between 14 and 18 years old had been required to show parental consent.

There was no talk of disagreement following Thursday’s meeting.

“We agree with the Pope on many values, such as the defense of the family, which plays an important role,” said Bachelet.

The president said she found tremendous agreement between the ideas of the Pontificate and those supported by her government.

“I am deeply humanist, and so the Pope and I discussed how I, as a secular humanist, have a profound synergy and closeness with the Christian and Catholic humanists that are within the coalition or in our society,” said Bachelet.

She added that in this area she also agreed with the Pope that what are truly important are the values behind the beliefs. For these reasons, Bachelet said, “the relationship with the Catholic Church in Chile and of course here in the Vatican is excellent, it’s fluid and it has sufficient trust to bring up all the topics each side requires.”

Bachelet also said she extended an invitation to the Pope to visit Chile when he was able, noting the importance for Chile of Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1987.

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Implications for Ministry:

- The growing synergy between Catholic and Humanistic values deepen our desire to teach Biblical Truth, the Gospel, and Jesus Christ.

-Sexual promiscuity is growing at a rapid rate. Teaching purity and self control will fly in the face of the culture. Only Biblical Truth, the Gospel, and Jesus Christ can help.

-The Pope may be coming! The Pope may be coming! And if he does, it will be A BIG DEAL to the Chileans. It will also be an open door for conversations of Biblical Truth, the Gospel, and Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your praying for our family during these last stages of preparation to serve in Chile. After reading these articles, we are even more ready to go and share Christ. We trust in God to bring in the remaining support to allow us to go.

Spanish Word for the Day

www.Dictionary.com has a email sign-up for receiving the Spanish Word for the Day.

I would encourage you to sign up and attempt to learn one word a day. This would be a great way for families, homeschoolers, or just anybody to make wise use of modern technology.
I have added this language chart (at no charge) just for fun, to show you the language origins of most of the world languages. Click for larger view.

My Wife, Her Absence, & My Gratitude

The last two days have been different here around the house.

Why?

Well, my wife is attending a ladies conference in a neighboring state.

In her absence, my gratitude has gone up several notches. She does so much for our family on a daily basis. Things that were unknown to me, until she is gone and I had to deal with them.

Her days are consumed with the little things. The little things that keep a home together and running. Her exhaustion around supper time is now understandable, since I have now experienced it firsthand.

Lessons learned the last few days:

-Homeschooling takes a lot of time.
-Preparing, serving, eating, cleaning up, washing & putting the dishes away takes a lot of time.
-Getting going in the morning takes a lot of time.
-Going anywhere with three kids takes a lot of time.
-Falling asleep after a long day doesn't take a lot of time.
-I now have a greater respect and understanding of what it must be like for single parent homes with small children.

So Kristi, I know you already know this, but I love you and missed you this past weekend. Hope you had a much deserved time away from us and with close friends. Sorry if things aren't put away in all the right places. Speaking of that...Ben wore his jeans on backwards all day yesterday. I noticed it finally late in the afternoon at the mall. No wonder all the moms were looking at me funny while the kids were playing at the play area. I probably had a sign around my neck that said, "My wife is away...please help".

I must run...the Chow Mein is burning on the stove!

Jumping Off the Deep End

When God told Abraham to leave his home in Ur, he didn't know the end destination. We are thankful that at least we know that language school in South Texas is our next destination.

Throughout this past week, it has seemed like we have officially jumped off the deep end of the pool. Even though It feels like we are treading water with clothes on, we are confident that the Lord will guide, direct, provide and enable.

Please continue to pray for our family as we wait on the Lord for the remaining support to come in and for direction in our next steps.

Speaking of jumping off the deep end of the pool...check out the largest outdoor pool located in Chile.



The San Alfonso del Mar resort is located just north of the coastal city of Algarrobo (northwest of Santiago)



The pool is called The Crystal Lagoon, and has just entered into the record books as the world's biggest swimming pool.


Above picture is from space (click for larger view)

-Filled with water from the Pacific Ocean that is treated and heated. (Chile's beaches are typically pretty cold due to the Humboldt Current.

-1,111 yards long (just over 11 football fields)

-Eight hectares in size (equivalent to 861,112 ft²

-Contains 250,000 cubic meters of water (equivalent in size to 6,000 standard domestic pools)

Recent Support Increases

Since we have communicated our plans for packing up and moving to Texas in January, two couples have contacted us with their verbal commitments of support.

We are very thankful for God's goodness and provision. Our faith is being stretched and tested.

-Our current support level is 62%


Prayer Items for this week:

-Strength in the packing process

-Kristi is in WI for the Ladies Heart Conf. (Thurs - Sat). Pray that she would be encouraged & refreshed in the Lord, and for an enjoyable time with several ladies from our home church.

-Pray for David as he will be stepping into a "Mr. Mom" role while Kristi is away.

-We are preparing to leave on Sat. night for 16 day road trip. (MN, SD, WY, & CO).

Thank you for your prayers for our family during this stage of deputation.

Translation of 1 Corinthians 13

A South African Missionary's Translation of 1 Corinthians 13

If I have the language perfectly and
speak like a native
and have not His love,
I am nothing.

If I have diplomas and degrees
and know all the up-to-date methods,
and have not His touch of understanding love,
I am nothing.

If I am able to argue successfully against
the religions of the people and make fools
of them and have not His wooing note of love,
I am nothing.

If I have all faiths and great ideas
and magnificent plans
and not His love that sweats
and bleeds
and weeps
and prays
and pleads,
I am nothing.

If I give my clothes and money
to them and have not love for them,
I am nothing.

If I surrender all prospects.
Leave home and friends
and make the sacrifices
of a missionary career and then turn
sour and selfish amid the daily
annoyances and slights of the missionary life,
then I am nothing.

If I can heal all manner of sickness
and disease but wound hearts and hurt feelings
for want of His love that is kind,
I am nothing.

If I can write articles and publish books
that win applause but fail to transcribe
the word of the cross into the
language of His love,
I am nothing.

-taken from a sermon by Stephen Brown at Key Biscayne Presbyterian Church. Quoted on page 270 of Paul G. Hiebert's book "Anthropological Insights for Missionaries".

----------------------------------------

Please pray that our family would have
the correct view of man
and the correct view of God.
For then there will be no room for pride and selfishness.

Developments

In the last three days, the Lord has dropped some major developments into our laps.

Here's the summary:

-We will mail in David's language school application forms this week to reserve a spot on the housing list.

-We are stepping out in faith to see how the Lord will provide the remaining 19% support needed to go to the field.

-We will still be traveling the remaining of the fall for deputation meetings, BUT also switching into major packing mode while we are home.

-After David has been accepted by the language school, we will assess our support status again and make a final decision whether or not to move to Texas on Jan. 1st, 2008.

-Language school classes would start on Jan. 7th.

-Did I mention we have a lot of packing to do?

--------------------------------

Please pray for the following items:

-Wisdom in making these upcoming decisions.

-To seek God's strength even through the upcoming busyness of traveling, packing, communicating, and getting ready to move.

-To respond in a Christlike manner during these times of added stress.

-To continue to trust God for the remaining support needed.

-For David's language training to be effective and helpful in communicating the Gospel and Biblical truth.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions concerning these upcoming changes. We would love to talk to you. Thank you for your prayers and support during these days.

David & Kristi
Jordan, Ben, & Kaylee

I Feel A Little Better

We still have around 200 "first edition" prayer cards from our original order in 2004. It's the one without Kaylee in the picture. Although we have updated our prayer card with new digital prints several times, the question is...what do we do with the ones still remaining?

One thing is for sure...we will not do this:

"After 28 years of handing out the same prayer card, Jeanette and Richard Nusbaum, missionaries to Ghana, have finally updated their photo. "We overprinted," says Richard, recalling the day in 1979 when he mistakenly placed an order for 100,000 cards instead of 1,000. "Rather than waste the Lord’s money printing new ones, we decided to use them until they ran out." The cards officially ran out last Wednesday at a mid-week service in Kansas. The Nusbaums now hope their new photo, which shows them nearly three decades older, doesn’t shock and alienate long-time supporters. "Some people don’t even know that in the meantime, we had three children and seven grandchildren," he says." (HT: LarkNews.com)
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Just so everyone knows...

We have three children.



Our goal is to keep our supporters updated on our family and ministry.
Please don't let us go 30 years before our next photo update!

Chilean Cuisine - Cazuela

Cazuela is a Spanish-originated soup. It's a mid-thick rich flavored stock obtained from cooking several kinds of meats and vegetables mixed together. The most common types of Cazuelas in Chile are chicken or beef. It can also be made with Pork or Turkey.

The typical Cazuela in one dish contains:

• a piece of meat (a leg of chicken)
• a potato and a piece of pumpkin
  

Complementary to these components can be:

• cooked rice (in the stock)
• green beans
• sliced carrots
• baby onions
• garlic
• cabbage

In summer the cazuela is accompanied by a big yellow piece of sweetcorn, cooked apart or in the same stock.

The cazuela is typically eaten by consuming the liquid stock first, then eating the meat and larger vegetables (e.g. potatoes, large piece of squash or carrot) last.

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For those who are more curious about Chilean Cuisine, I would recommend "The Chilean Kitchen" by Ruth Van Waerebeek-Gonzales.

Here is the review of the book by Publishers Weekly:

Born in Belgium, Van Waerebeek-Gonzalez may at first seem an unlikely author for a book on Chilean cooking, yet the many asides that accompany her recipes leave no doubt that she fully understands, and enjoys, the country's culinary customs. Though the author and her husband own a restaurant in southern Chile, the dishes in her book focus on the simple foods that Chileans prepare at home....Van Waerebeek-Gonzalez explains each dish's provenance, and in her many sidebars, she introduces readers to typical Chilean customs, such as serving bread with a spread made of mashed avocado seasoned with salt and pepper instead of butter. Though the dishes may seem a bit bland to those used to spicier South American fare, gourmets who appreciate hearty combinations of simple flavors will be well rewarded.

-------------------
Ideas for using this book:

1. Make a special meal for your family and read about the customs that go with the meal.
2. Make special dishes for mission banquets or "pot lucks".
3. Flip through the book during family time and show your children the pictures of the food. This will expose them to different foods and tastes.

The sky is the limit...be creative!

Lessons from Lilly

After watching the video below ask yourself the following questions:



1. How many countries would you have answered (pointed to) correctly?

2. Do you know where your supported missionaries live and where their country is on a world map?

It remains to be seen if Lilly is a genius, but the lessons we can learn from Lilly are:

-Time and effort have been invested in Lilly to teach her about the world.

-Our families could greatly benefit from exercises like this to remind us of the opportunities to share Christ in every country of the world.

p.s. Notice she did get Chile right!!!

The Apple Dumpling Gang

While I was at a recent conference, "Auntie Judy" invited Kristi and the kids out to an apple orchard for some fun.

(click for larger view)

Despite a soaking rain, high winds, the hay ride trailer almost tipping over, and the umbrella turning inside out, they had a blast.

Our family has been very blessed to have Auntie Judy in our lives. She often helps our family in many practical ways (babysitting, outings, overnights for the kids, and random gifts). Her ministry to us (and others, by the way) is a great testimony of how God is working in her life.

Thank you Lord for Auntie Judy!

And thank you Judy (we know you will read this too) !

I'm Thinking Sushi -- NOT!

A friend of ours brought some sushi over today for us to try. I readily admit I am not the most daring when it comes to trying new foods, but I don't shy away from trying something once. So Kristi and I sat down for lunch and left some room (little as it may have been) for this new delicacy.

So there we sat, looking at each other.

"Go ahead, you try it first."

It felt like a scene from fear factor. We both ate one (or roughly one...if truth be told).



Now just to be clear, when you come to visit us in Chile, we will not serve you sushi. We will treat you to steak and potatoes.

Hey, that's what Chileans eat. So when in Chile...eat like Chileans.

Mission House Roof Job

(click on any picture for a larger view)


This past weekend, our house (Berean Baptist's Mission house) got an upgrade.
Above is the before picture.


Many thanks to those who came to help and labored.


Many hands made light work, even though we were all amateurs.


J, B, & K got a kick out of all the commotion.


The shingles came off relatively quickly on Friday and we all were thankful for nice weather.


This area above our bathroom was the trouble area.


You can see that the flashing didn't meet, thus causing water to go down into the roof and leaking into our bathroom.







The after picture. The house now has forest green shingles.

We praise the Lord for the following:

-All those who helped with the job.
-Protection over the workers.
-Great weather on Friday and holding off the hard rain until Saturday late afternoon.
-The mission house itself and the members of Berean. The house has been such a blessing to our family (and others) during this time of deputation.

Ben's 5th Birthday

Ben's 5th birthday was on Sept. 27th.
We are thankful to God for his life.


Ben spent some time talking to Grandma Thompson in Florida via Skype on the laptop.


Several friends came over to celebrate and eat some cake.


Ben's great grandma Leona was able to come. Time is winding down to make these memories with family members.


Ben's b-day gift from us was a Hot Wheels trike.