Thursday, November 09, 2006

November 2006

Just the beginning...
It really was a wild summer for the Dolores Nehemiah Team. God brought them through some intense storms... and really tested their faith. They were ready to follow God, even when the plans didn't make sense. Every aspect of them was stretched... physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But everyone stuck it out and continued in their tasks. 19 villages were reached... 114 Bible studies took place... and over 180 people indicated a decision for Christ. The Dolores team had a unique bond that enabled them to do quality house to house ministry and perform their presentation every other day. There is no doubt that God handpicked every team member to be a part of this summer... and each was a vital piece.

The verse, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord God has given me, the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace..." pretty much sums up the hearts of the Dolores team members. The team united as one, under God, worked extremely hard, and had a blast doing it!

One day, some of the team members were hiking far to reach some remote homes. When they came upon a house across the river that was unreachable, Cecil yelled across the water and invited them to come to the group's presentation the next day. A women came into the main village later on, saying she heard a yelled invitation. The woman participated in a Bible study, and received Christ that day.

Now that the team has completed their tasks, the real work is just beginning. The next step is intense prayer. So many people were touched along the Dolores River and they need spiritual support. Pray that others may follow the Dolores Nehemiah Team and help reap the seeds planted. Pray for future messengers to come to the Dolores River and help disciple the people who have made decisions to follow Christ. Pray for encouragement and understanding for those who made this choice to obey God despite social pressures.

Let all our work be for His glory...

-Emily Nash
Dolores Media Team

Future Nehemiah Teams members training
Sheets of plastic with duct tape + a curved row of folding chairs + a 4 foot wall + 20 boys ages 6 to 11 = future Nehemiah Team members in training!
The sheets of plastic turned into "tents" held down by "stakes" of duct tape... the folding chairs turned into a "commando crawl"... and the 4 foot wall stirred up images of a 12 foot wall in a field in the southern Philippines... at the end of their "orientation," the boys received their official future Nehemiah Teams member ID card.

It's been awesome to speak to many college students about being a part of Nehemiah Teams. But an even greater privilege was for us to conduct a mini-orientation for a group of RA's. In a one-hour session, these 20 boys...

  • set up their tents,
  • participated in a short Adventure Recreation course (spider web, commando crawl, & "wall")
  • had a short culture & language session... learning to say important words like: yes, no, and Jesus Christ, and
  • learned a way to share the Gospel by distributing tracts with the help of an interpreter.

Kids Korner
Youth group activities, soccer games, choir, birthday parties, music lessons, fall festivals & costumes, high school football games... whew! The days are full and fun!

  • Krysten's soccer team had a great season, finishing up with only one loss and capturing first place for their age division... Yeah! She was also honored to be chosen as a member of the All-Star team. Yeah again!! For Halloween, she showed her international bent as she dressed up as a Hindu Indian girl. Pray as Krysten celebrates her twelfth birthday this month... that she will continue to strive after God's heart.
  • It's great to be a Fort Payne Wildcat!!! This is the common cheer of David & his friends these days as FPHS had an undefeated football season and is headed for the state play-offs. David has enjoyed cheering them on to victory as he attends the games each week. He showed his Halloween spirit as he dressed up as one of the Three Musketeers for the church Fall Festival... complete with a long blonde wig... pretty tough looking! (see picture below) This weekend he will be participating in Youth Cue, a youth choir festival at Carson Newman College. Pray that David will finish well in his classes for this term and for his preparation to return to Faith Academy in January.
  • Two newspaper photos in one month... that's our Betsy! While dressed as "Dorothy" from Wizard of Oz, the local photographer captured her picture while exercising in PE one day. The honor of being chosen as the monthly class "Good Citizen" was the occasion for the second photo. She thoroughly enjoyed the October holidays at her school's Fall Festival and an evening of games, inflatable play things, candy, & pony rides while attending a "Trunk or Treat" with her cousin Tyler and her grandfather. This weekend brings another exciting event as Betsy & Krysten are members of the wedding party of co-worker Jim Walker. Pray that Betsy will continue to be open to learning about the Lord and having a relationship with Him.

Hope to see you soon!
As our time in the US draws quickly to a close, we look forward to our final opportunities to share with many of you. We'd love to see you while we're in your part of the country. Below is our schedule for November & December:
November
1 University of Colorado Christian Challenge, Boulder, CO
2 Western State College Christian Challenge, Gunnison, CO
3 Mesa State College Christian Challenge, Grand Junction, CO
5 North Side Baptist Church, Greenwood, SC (all AM services)
6 Louisiana Tech BSU Missions Banquet (7 PM)
8 Wayland Baptist University Chapel Service, Lubbock, TX
11 Wedding of Jim & Siony Walker!!! Yeah!!!
12 Minvale Baptist Church, Ft. Payne, AL (6 PM)
14 Global Christian Fellowship, Samford University, Birmingham, AL (5 PM)
19 FBC, Piedmont, AL (AM service)
21 South Highland Baptist Church Missions Banquet, Little Rock, AR
29 FBC Youth, Ft. Payne, AL
December
2 Hike 4 Missions, FBC RA's, Ft. Payne, AL
3 Nazareth Baptist Church, Rainsville, AL (AM service)
6 FBC Youth, Ft. Payne, AL
13 FBC GA's, Ft. Payne, AL

Summer 2007 Student Teams
June 7 - August 1, 2007

  • Agusan Ag/Low Elements Team (IMB Job #82559)
  • Building for Peace: Habitat for Humanity Partnership (IMB Job #82950)
  • Camotes Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82562)
  • Dinagat Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82560)
  • Siquijor Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82558)
  • Waray Riverboat Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82561)
  • Media Team Positions: Visayas (IMB Job #82563), Mindanao (IMB Job #82564), Waray (IMB Job #82565)

Pray for the areas where these teams will minister, for the softening of hearts who will come into contact with the Gospel. Pray for students as they respond to God's direction for this summer.
See website (www.nehemiahteams.com or www.thetask.org) for job descriptions and additional information about each team... or drop us an email at nehemiahteams@yahoo.com

Semester 2007 Teams
February 3 - August 1, 2007

  • Agusan Ag/Low Elements Team (IMB Job #82698)
  • Camotes Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82702)
  • Dinagat Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82700)
  • Siquijor Island Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82699)
  • Waray Riverboat Evangelism Team (IMB Job #82701)

See website (www.nehemiahteams.com or www.thetask.org) for job descriptions and additional information about each team... or drop us an email at nehemiahteams@yahoo.com

Mission Resources Available
Are you a World Christian? Not a "worldly" Christian.... but a world Christian. If you're interested in answering that question and learning more, go to our website and download a Bible study series to help you develop a Christian worldview. Other resources are also available. Go to our homepage (http://www.nehemiahteams.com/) and click on "Resources."

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and International Missions Emphasis Resources are now available online at http://www.ime.imb.org/. As a Southern Baptist Church, your church office should have received a promotional package. These are incredible materials available for your church to use in promoting and challenging your church to be involved in international missions. Video clips, power points, photos, banner & poster art, stories, bulletin inserts, clip art, drama & skits, and music, plus graded items for children and students... it's all available for you to use! Many items are ready for download from the website above, others can be ordered through the IMB Resource Center.

Unwrapping the Gift: Pacific Rim 2006 Advent Prayer Guide
Once again our regional office is making an advent prayer guide available to assist you in praying this Advent season. The daily stories and prayer requests from various people groups in Pacific Rim will bless your hearts and inspire your faith. Available for download at: http://www.go2pacrim.org/component/option,com_remository/Itemid,88/func,select/id,7/orderby,2/page,1/

Top Ten Reasons to Give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

  1. It makes gift giving easy. No shopping required and it lasts forever.
  2. In a slow economy or falling stock market, it's an investment that will pay lasting returns in God's kingdom.
  3. More than 5,000 Southern Baptist missionaries depend on you to keep them on the field.
  4. 100% of our offering supports missionaries and their ministries.
  5. Your gift can help send a God-called missionary who is ready to go.
  6. Your gift makes you part of God's work around the world.
  7. A world rocked with war, hatred, hunger, and greed desperately needs the loving touch of Jesus.
  8. You are blessed to be a blessing-- to all peoples. (Gen 12:2-3)
  9. Billions have little or no chance of hearing the gospel unless you give.
  10. You're giving Jesus something He really wants for His birthday.

May God bless you as you express your thanks to Him during this Thanksgiving season,

Jess & Wendy Jennings
David, Krysten, & Betsy

http://www.nehemiahteams.com/