Wed. Bible Study

Each Wednesday night after the sun sets, we gather with a few people in our apartment building for a Bible study. The study starts at 8:30 pm, due to the fact that many (if not most) work until early evening. This is just one of the many adjustments our family needed to make in order to more effectively minister to others here in Antofagasta.

Our apartment building (the tall one just left of center) is centrally located and is easy to get to by city buses or taxis.

Dr. Daniel and I have been teaching from the Gospels, taking turns every other week. Daniel is teaching from Luke and I am teaching through John. Our goal is to introduce people to Jesus, His works, His teachings, and His plan for the world.

The format for our Bible studies is nothing profound. We read the passage out loud (each taking turns reading from their own Bible). We ask for their observations of the text. We ask leading or open-ended questions that point them back to the text for the answers. There is a time of application or meditation on what the text is teaching us, followed by a time of prayer. After the study, we have some cookies, coffee, and time for additional conversation over the lesson or about life.

Dr. Alvaro (seated on the right with his hand on his forehead) has been a faithful attender. He is a colleague of Dr. Daniel who wants to learn more about the Bible. He flies back to Santiago each weekend to visit his family, so our Wed. night study is currently the only time for him to meet with our group. Edgar and Anna are also faithful in their attendance. They have been enjoying learning more about Christ and the Word of God. Other attenders have been: Yaritza (college student, believer), Patricia (believer, friend of Yaritza), Catelin (unsaved college student, friend of Anna)

Please pray for our Wed night group as we read and study God's Word. It has been a privilege to witness God's working in the hearts and lives of those in our group...including ours.

Kid's Club in the Park

Back in June, we started a weekly Saturday afternoon Kid's Bible Club in Parque Brasíl (Brazil Park), which is several blocks away from our apartment building (see photo below).

Parque Brasíl is the MAIN park in Antofagasta, since it is the BIGGEST, definitely the greenest, and is conveniently centrally located. We have been very thankful that the Lord provided an apartment for our family in the middle of this strategic area of the city. It has proven to be a very furtile area to minister to young families.

Within a 10 block radius of the park there are at least 60 apartment buildings full of families with children. Every afternoon, the park is full of people. During the weekends, the park is totally packed with grandparents, parents, and children from all over the city.

A few weeks before we moved to Antofagasta, new playground equipment was installed. This has made the park even MORE POPULAR. Our children enjoy playing on the new playground equipment. There are three different sizes of playground equipment that cater to the different stages of child development and mobility. We set up our Kid's Club on a small patch of grass alongside the new playground. The close proximity to the playground has its pros and cons.

For example

Pro: Parents and children see our little group and come out of curiosity...plus, it's something free.

Con: The proximity to the playground can be a distraction to the children who are listening to the Bible story.

We are constantly ministering to different families and children each week, thus making our presence known and gaining contacts. There are several families who come on a weekly basis (i.e. Raúl and The Candy Man's daughter).

There ARE challenges to this type of ministry. We are constantly tweaking and evaluating what we do. In the Chilean culture, "the desire to be entertained" is the default attitude. Our desire is to teach the Bible and share the Gospel in ways that avoid the popular "Bait 'n Switch" or "Veggie Tales" methods. A chainsaw juggling clown that gives gifts and throws candy would be "entertaining" and would guarantee large crowds, but in the end, numbers do not equal ministry success or spiritual depth. We need wisdom as we desire to glorify God in our methods in this new ministry each Saturday.

The Kid's in the Park ministry is totally different from a controlled S.S. classroom ministry. Sometimes, families and children come and go "at will", which is very distracting to the teacher as well as to those listening. The general mentality of parents who walk by is "oh, look kids, someone is telling a story over there, why don't you go and sit down for a few minutes so I don't have to keep an eye on you."

Of course, the lack of attention span of the children (and parents) + the seemingly lack of candy + cell phones and blackberries going off + the "mama, could you go buy me some popcorn!" + the noise of the city buses and taxis speeding by = a mind draining exercise of trying to keep children's attention on the Bible lesson (without turning into a clown to do so). We would appreciate your prayers as we minister in this difficult context.

Kristi has been doing a wonderful job teaching each week, despite the distractions and challenges. Our confidence is in our powerful God, His powerful Word, and His powerful Holy Spirit to work in the hearts and minds of the children and parents who listen (even if it is sometimes a "drive-by-hearing").

Click to view photo albums of the Kid's Club in the Park Ministry Album #1 ; Album #2.

Follow the ministry by "Liking" our "Flincks in Chile" Facebook, where you can find daily updates, prayer items, photos, and videos.

People To Pray For

Growing up in a pastor's home and in the second pew of a Baptist church in MN, I remember reading prayer letters and viewing slide presentations (back when a double slide projector meant one was an up-to-date missionary). I remember the missionaries sharing names and asking us to pray for them. So many names. Names in different languages and different pronunciations. How could one remember them all? Let alone get their names right.

Then during my days in seminary, a single lady missionary was at our church on furlough sharing about the ministry in her country. She did something I will never forget. She brought a large sack full of medium size rocks up to the pulpit. Everyone was wondering what she was going to do? She then went on to share with us that each rock represented someone or something in her ministry that needed prayer. Pulling out one rock at a time, she then told a short vignette explaining in vivid color the who, how, where, and why we should pray for that person.

Morphing that missionary's example, the following post contains pictures, names, and a brief paragraph of people the Lord has brought across our path here in Antofagasta and a few prayer items for each.

Raúl - The Former Drug Addict

We met Raúl during our first "Kid's Club in the Park" ministry (more about that ministry in a future post). He was so pleased that we were at the park teaching the Bible and offering families something "for free". His background was full of the effects of sin and drugs, but recently has become "drug free". He has lost his wife, since she is in jail for the same struggles he faced. Saturdays are the only day he has visitation rights with his daughter.

Please pray for Raúl:

*For us as we follow up with him. Saturdays are the only day we could have contact with him.

*For his salvation.

*That his daughter, Martina, would be able to continue to attend our Bible Club. She lives in a foster home.

Edgar - The First Disciple

The Lord brought Edgar to us via West Virginia University (full story HERE). Edgar is a new Christian and has a desire to grow and learn that is contagious and convicting. His new life in Christ back here in Antofagasta these past two months have been full of blessings, trials, challenges, and temptations. I meet with him every Friday night going through a Bible study book, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.

Please pray for Edgar:

*For continued growth in Bible knowledge, spiritual maturity, discernment, and spiritual affections for the things of the Lord.

*For his conversations with his unsaved mom & dad, two younger brothers, and grandparents.

Susana - Edgar's mom

Edgar's mom noticed the changes in her son's life upon his arrival back to Antofagasta. She wanted to know why. Edgar has been faithfully talking to his mom and dad about the Lord, salvation in Christ alone, and the joy Christ gives to believers. His dad is skeptical about Edgar's recent "religious" changes, but Susana (the mom) has opened up to hear and learn more about the things of the Lord.

Please pray for Susana:

*That she would positively respond to the Gospel and have a personal relationship with Christ as her Lord and Savior.

*For her husband, Edgardo. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work on his hard heart.

Rodrigo & Noemí - The Neighboors

This family recently moved to Antofagasta from Temuco, so we "hit it off" right away. They live across the hall from our apartment. We see them everyday. They have three girls, who LOVE to play with our children, especially Kaylee and Lukas. The dad (seen below, top left hand side)is a banking executive and thus we don't see him very often (long work days and work trips out of town). Noemí says they are very Catholic, but admits to us often that she is clueless to Roman Catholic doctrine or practice.

Please pray for Rodrigo & Noemí's family:

*For additional opportunities to share what the Bible says about salvation in Christ alone.

*That they will allow their three girls to attend our Saturday Bible Club and Sunday school.

*For Kristi as she has opportunities to talk with Noemí on a daily basis.

Anna - The first believer

We got to meet and know Anna through Edgar. Originally from the Ukraine, Anna moved to northern Chile with her mom around 7-8 years ago. Her spiritual background is Orthodox and Catholic. Upon meeting her and inviting her to church and Bible studies these past two months, she has put her trust in what Christ did on the cross for her sins. She is a baby Christian and displays genuine fruit. She wants to serve her Savior and King and has been a huge encouragement to our family. Her mother is opposed to her recent "religious change" and is constantly looking for silly reasons to make Anna mad, frustrated, and stop meeting with our Bible study group.

Please pray for Anna:

*For her continued spiritual growth and Bible knowledge.

*For strength, courage, grace, and wisdom as she constantly deals with her mother's harassment.

There is one more person we would like you to remember in prayer...The Candy Man. I will introduce you to him and his story in a future post.

A Visit from Grandpa & Grandma Thompson

Kristi's parents, Terry and Carol Thompson, came to visit us for 5 days in June. It was a special time, because we usually only get to see them around once a year. After picking them up from the airport, we took them to the Portada.

Terry and Carol have been standing in for Kristi's brother, Dan & Liz Thompson, down at the Lican Ray Bible Camp during a short furlough. Since Terry is also the General Director of our mission, his visit helped inform him about the new ministry here in Antofagasta. We showed them around the city while explaining the opportunities and challenges of the ministry in Antofagasta.

The children sure enjoyed the short visit with grandpa and grandma. Come back again soon!!

Kid's Edition - April '11

Catching up on blog posts...here are a few pictures of the kids from a few months ago.

Settling into our new apartment in Antofagasta

Ben exhausted from the long trip up from Temuco and the unpacking process.

Lukas and his friend, Ricardo, just before we left Temuco.

Jordan, Ben, Kaylee, & Lukas visiting their friend, Rafaela, in Santiago.