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Edition Issue 35 Let’s Fish Bible Fellowship Churches sharing resources to evangelize the world. A place for the exchange of ideas on short term missions projects and local outreach. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." All responses can be sent to office@bfcbom.org Current and past issues can be found on the web at: look in Let’s Fish, Archives Greetings from Allentown!
Take photos of your team and send them well in advance to your host missionary. Include with the photo information such as name, age, nick-name and short bio. This will help people in the field to better know you and be able to call you by name when you arrive but most importantly pray for you not solely as the team, but individually by name. Request photos of the missionary family, AND all who will have intimate contact with your team while you minister. This will have all of the above advantages as well as seeing a foreign name in print can be very beneficial.
With all that happens when a team arrives on the field, introductions are difficult and names are lost in the shuffle. Mastering names prior to the visit has many rewards!
I just went to WAWA for coffee. A simple “Hi, where are you from” opened the door for a short conversation with a young girl from Cambodia. “Welcome to America” was about all that I could offer since she was busy with her duties of working the coffee counter. Her genuine appreciative smile and Cambodian greeting gesture (which I was able to return) set the stage for possible future contacts.
What happened in those fifteen seconds?
Ø I became very conscious of the WORLD at our door! Ø I was prompted to pray for the Cambodian church and some missionaries I know working there. Ø Som (she had a name tag) became aware that there is someone in the USA that has an interest in her. (Most internationals that come to the USA will never meet anyone who shows any interest in them!) Ø That short event prompted me to write to you and encourage you to do the same!
Look for your own Som. Make it a point to talk to an international TODAY! Dear Dana:
Thanks for the prayer update on the Murrins. I would like to attend Friday night but I cannot do so at this time. Is there any way to get notes, etc. from the conference? We are gearing up to send two teams to Romania next year – a teaching/medical team and a youth/childrens team and work project so we need all the expertise we can get.
Thanks so much,
Brian (The Symposium format makes it hard to produce notes of its proceedings. There is however an alternative. The Board of Missions would love to introduce your church to Culture Link. This is a very practical workbook designed to develop a vision and ministry focus for your short-term teams.)
Hi Dana, Any leads on transportation to Urbana? I need a ride, and would like to know if there are any others going who I can team up with. I go to the Maple Glen BFC and don't have a problem with driving an hour or two to meet up with people and then head out from there. So, if anyone is planning on going, just let me know. My email address is messinger@characterlink.net Thanks! Caryn (Can you help? Let us know at the BOM of any transportation leads that would help other BFC’s attend Urbana.)
Write me. I love e-mail!
The Board of Missions is keeping statistics of all short term missionary trips (both by teams and individuals). As you can see the 2003 trips are quickly coming to an end (we have had nearly 50 ministries this year!). Please register your 2004 trips as soon as they materialize. WHO, WHAT, CHURCH, MISSIONARY, COUNTRY, and DATE.
Contact: office@bfcbom.org
The statistics for 2003 – There were 56 short term trips by 27 different BFC churches!
Aug. 30 - Dec. 1 Pastor Carl & Charlene Cassel in Kenya, Carl to teach at Moffat College of Bible and Charlene, hostess at Kijabe Motel. October 26-Nov. 5 Cedar Crest to Kosovo Work and ministry.
Trips highlighted need our prayer support RIGHT NOW!
November 12-29 Sandy Wolfinger and Nancy Lorusso to Tanzania
2004 June 12-18 Paris Prayer Conference all invited!
Don’t forget to register your 2004 trips!!! Missionary Craig Tress wrote the following:
What an exciting e-mail I am able to write to all of you today. After over a year of ups, downs, and other turns, the Lord has answered our prayers. We were informed by the Australian embassy in Washington that our permanent resident visas have been approved! This was so much quicker than we had anticipated; we did not expect a decision for at least another 3 months. God is so good.
We are now able to begin making definite plans for our return to Australia. At present, we anticipate a return just after Christmas, so that we will be in time for Summer camps. This will allow us to keep some commitments here, and continue our efforts to raise more funds for the car we need to purchase when we get back. Please pray about this for us. Right now, we still need another $7,000 or so. We are confident of the Lord's provision.
Thank you all for your long prayer efforts over this matter. We know that God moves through the prayers of His people. We will keep you up-to-date as things progress on our end.
In His Service,
Craig and Mary Rachel, C.J., & Nathan
November 14-16 BOM Missions RWR This annual work/study weekend sponsored by the BOM is for high school and post high school young people serious about knowing God’s will for their life and the possibility of career missions. This weekend fills up quickly so register early on line at:
Missionary Craig Tress from Australia will be with us for the entire weekend! Registrations are already coming in! Don’t miss out!
In connection with the entry of a float in 4 parades (Denver, Ephrata, New Holland, and Manheim) at which we were able to distribute a total of 17,300 tracts, the BFC of Ephrata is sponsoring a patriotic concert on Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11) at 7:00 p.m. The theme of the float was “Support Our Troops” and we were well received, getting two first place awards and one third Place.
Members of the Ephrata High School Marching Unit will provide the music and Pastor Dan will give an evangelistic appeal. We have reason to believe that a goodly number of unsaved people will be present.
Pray with us for God’s blessing on our outreach to the community, and if you are able to do so, plan to attend this concert. (Let us know what YOUR church is doing in your community. We would love to have all other fisher’s praying for you! This is also a way of sharing ministry ideas. Way to go Ephrata!)
If you need advice or ideas for host partnerships for a ministry next summer please contact Nelson Randolph: Kosovakid@hotmail.com. He will be back in the country 11/10. For work related trips, contact Chris Merrick: (610) 488-6085.
At the symposium last Friday, someone responded when asking for ideas; “have the new person take pictures”. What a perceptive thought! Rookies on their first missions trip see things differently than do you who have been on multiple trips.
After several of trips the sights, smells and sounds that excited us in the past no longer do so. For the brand new recruit EVERYTHING is new. Listen to him, watch him and value his perspective. Not only will his fresh approach make him the best photographer, but his unsullied outlook will enhance your team’s prayer life as well.
Of course a rookies enthusiasm may lead to some very interesting times. The old story of the new recruit on the NYPD demonstrates this well:
A rookie New York cop was on his first day in a patrol car. The sergeant had teamed him up with a more experienced partner. After a quiet hour, a call came through asking them to disperse a group of people loitering on the corner of 43rd Street.
"I'll handle this," said the rookie excitedly. So, when they got to 43rd Street and saw a small crowd on the corner, he leapt out of the car and yelled: "OK, move along now. Haven't you got homes to go to?" The crowd was reluctant to disperse, so he repeated the command: "Come on now, move on." Slowly they drifted off in different directions. The rookie was feeling pretty pleased with himself and said to his partner as he got back in the car. "Not bad, huh?" "Yeah, you did OK. Pity it was a bus stop..."
Tell us your most unusual short term missions rookie story. We can all learn AND if selected as the best, your will win a very rare BFC Board of Missions insolated soda can holder. This has a retail value of $140 IF it were filled with quarters. This particular holder is empty so its value is somewhat less! It does however have a reminder printed on it: “Look at the world through God’s eyes!” and the verse: I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Send your entry today!
Most of all, Keep Fishing!
Dana
A cooperative effort of the churches of the BFC to win the world for Christ Your response is always welcome at: office@bfcbom.org 610 398-8776
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