Newsletter #2 Summer/Fall 2011

Summer/Fall 2011


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Spring 2011

Spring 2011


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Venezuela 2011 pt 1 The Excellence of Love

It has been quite a busy summer. I just returned to the states from a few weeks in Venezuela. I had the opportunity to go down with Chris Nelson to prepare for a team from North Carolina. Chris had not been back since his accident back in March. He had some personal matters to attend to as well as preparing for the team. I'm happy to report that he is recovering better than would be expected. Our God is a healer! Chris' vison is better than it was before the accident and no longer needs to wear glasses!

This trip was a great experience to prepare me for the field. I have gone on many short term missions trips in the past, but that does not really prepare you for the life you live as a foreign missionary. The pace that we kept for 8-11 days is not the same pace that you maintain when you are living in the country. There is much more time spent planning and building relationships.

Pastor Eliodoro Mora

My first few days were spent in Maricaibo. We then travelled to Baquisimeto and spent a week there without the team that was to be coming from North Carolina. While I was there I had time to work at the Global University Venezuela office. I was able to really begin seeing some of the technical work I will be doing while I am there. This time spent there is enabling me to better plan for the future. I also worked on a few computers during my week there and had the opportunity to meet with Pastor Eliodoro Mora, the district superintendant as well as others from the Lara district Asambleas de Dios. They all welcomed me with open arms. I love the relationship that Chris Nelson has with the local and national church. I'm looking forward to being a part of that family in a more personal way in the future.

Adding some gender balance!

There was a lot of bonding with the team from Global University Venezuela. It often didn't require words, but we had some fun with not understanding each other at times. (at least I think we did) Most of the staff there speak English in addition to Spanish. That made it a little easier at times but there was plenty of time where I had no clue what was happening around me. I was also able to visit with some friends from last year whom I have become very close with. I was also able to meet face to face with some friends who I have come to know through electronic means (e-mail, Facebook, Skype, etc.) Real hugs are so much better than this XOXOX, and real smiles are better than this :-)

In Springfield, they try to prepare you for "culture shock" (the feelings of isolation, rejection, ets, experienced when one culture is brought into sudden contact with another). There is no specific time frame that you have to start to experience it on the field and there is varying degrees to which each person will experience it. The one thing that is certain is that everyone experiences it to some degree. The good thing for me is that by being prepared for it at PFO allowed me to recognize the signs of it in myself, and by doing so, I could actively work toward how I would respond to it. There were times during a few of the days when I found myself being frustrated and wanting to be angry without reason. That was not the type of impression that I wanted anyone to have. Everyone that I was around was kind and did everything to make me feel welcome, it was just one of those things that I need to work through with God.

I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to experience the ups and downs of this time in country without a U.S. team around me. I do not believe that would not have experienced culture shock to the degree that I did with a group of North Americans speaking english around me. I'm sure that there will be other things to adjust to when I return, but for now, I am thankful for this experience and for my Venezuelan family who's love for me made this experience a much easier one. Thank you for loving me. I hope that I can show you my love for you.

This passage has been coming back to me everyday since returning. I may have to write about it later but here it is for you. We see it quoted many times but do we really think about what it really means?

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
 ⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Week two at CBC

Week two was better than week one. The relationships grew to a new level and the classes were less about administrative things (I know we need those classes but they are not my favorite).

By far, my favorite class (as far as information) was Missiology Theology with Prof. Paul York. He discussed the heart of God for missions throughout the bible. What has God said about missions throughout His word, His story for us. He in many ways reminds me of Pastor Chad Harvey of Raleigh First Assembly in Raleigh, NC. He has a way of taking a very complex subject and without reducing the depth of the information, he can make it so easy to understand. Both men could speak for hours and hours and I am captivated and hungry for every word.

Thursday was the big day. We still has a few classes in the morning and we took a group MA picture. (for now, I am going to refrain from posting it due to some going to sensitive countries) It was a fun day. I was able to spend some time with the Nelsons. That night, we had our commissioning ceremony.   I am looking into getting the full audio or possibly even video. It was a special time for me to be there being commissioned with good friends and to also have both the Nelsons, who I will be serving under and the Penleys who have been incredible friends and spiritual mentors for me. That moment was a defining point in my life. The call to missions became a lot heavier. Not to say that the call wasn't weighty already, but something happened in the moments when John Bueno was giving the charge and it was like Paul was speaking to me. There is a greater level of fear and respect for what I have been called to do. I am excited about what the future holds for me.

Here is an edited version of the audio.

Week one at CBC

  So week one is complete. This has been an awesome week. We started the week with all of the missionary associates and candidates together for the first two days. The days started with worship together in the CBC Chapel, then general classes. We did group dynamics with other missionaries from our region of the world and budget and reporting classes. Those days were not my favorite because it was mostly administrative stuff but it was really good information. The group dynamics part was probably really good for most groups, but my group kept getting in trouble. It’s probably because it was me, the Penleys and the Smiths. If you didn’t already know, we have all served in ministry together and done multiple missions trips together. We wanted to get in groups with other people but they told us to open up to each other even more. To quote one of our members jokingly, “If we open up any more we might loose appointments or credentials”.

The last three days were spent with our regional directors. So far those were my favorite  classes. I first met them at a dinner on monday with just the Missionary Associates. We talked specifically about issues affecting our region as a whole and our specific areas. It was also a time where we found out about the needs of other areas of the world and what our role would be in assisting them. During these sessions we got to share our hearts and also see the hearts of the area directors. They are all amazing people and we have already been blessed incredibly by the time we spent with them. It is a great feeling to know that they are the people we will be relying on with any issues in country. The new missionaries of the LAC region have already bonded in a way that will produce life-long friendships.

I have also had the opportunity to meet many missionaries who have been and will be working with missionaries that I know from all over the world. It is such a small world here in Springfield.

In MO

 
 

So I arrived on Friday into Branson MO. I must stay that the Airport was quite interesting. You exit the plane onto the runway and walk into the airport through a makeshift tunnel. Once inside it looks like the type of places you would see at the beach. A tavern and gift shop and fake hotel. There was nothing about the inside that said "airport". There was a couple who were from Branson who told me a little about the town. When we got inside, she realized that I was clueless as to where to go and pointed me in the direction of baggage claim.  To get to the baggage claim you had to go to the hotel. That was the secured exit. The Smiths arrived while I was at baggage claim and the fun started. Doing anything with the Smith's is an adventure. We had lunch and drove into Springfield, and went to get our accounts set up. Then I got checked in to my hotel for the night. We took a trip a huge Bass Pro Shop. If that is your type of place, or even if it is not, I would suggest checking it out. There are plenty of fish and sea life to check out and even a couple ducks. Had dinner with a friend from Raleigh and her fiance. Then went back to the Hotel for the night. Our missionary friends to Ecuador showed up a little later. We haven't even started yet and it's already a blast!

PFO

Pre Field Orientation

The time has arrived. I’m writing this at 8 am from the terminal in Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The whole process of getting ready has been a familiar one. I found myself going through the same steps as when I am preparing for a missions trip; and in a lot of ways, this is. For anyone who is unfamiliar, PFO is Pre Field Orientation. It is a requirement for all AG missionaries and Missionary Associates. I have no idea what it will be like, but I anticipate that it will be fun. This year I will be there at the same time as newly appointed MA’s Scott and Charity smith, newly appointed Missionaries to Ecuador, Ashley and Meredith Penley, the missionaries I will be serving with, Chris and Angela Nelson, my adopted parents J. V. and hopefully T. V. (names protected because of sensitive location) as well as the possibility of seeing some other missionary friends from around the world. The bonus is my little sister Chelsea and her fiance Mark live and work there. Earlier I said that I anticipated that it would be fun. With this crew, I know it will be fun.

I hope to give you all a glimpse of what PFO looks like. Next stop is Branson MO to meet up with the Smiths and then on to Springfield. Hopefully I don’t make you too jealous.... On the other hand, if these posts compel you to answer the call...