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Issue 22 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: www.bfcbom.org look in “Mission Events” then Let’s Fish
170 Days till Urbana 70 Days till Short-term Missions Symposium see item #3 below
Greetings from Allentown!
4. Trips in the works (updated weekly) 5. Nelson's Short-Term Nuggets
If you are a regular reader of Let’s Fish, you know that I have been advocating journal writing while on a missions trip. God teaches you so many lessons, you see so much, you meet so many people, and you would never be able to keep all of this information in your memory. It is after you get home that your journal takes on a special significance as you reread all that you learned and saw. There is however a tremendous value in taking the time to process a day on paper prior to going to bed.
If you have a special journal entry from a recent trip, please share it with us. Here is a portion of an entry from a student working in Manila:
Manila Journal #1 11 pm (Manila time), Jess' house
It's our first day in the Philippines. Wow! What an adventure - everyone has their own story to tell, with many events packed into this one long airplane day. Caroline (the staff leader for my worksite) even got to witness to a lady from San Francisco State University! They prayed for her just as the plane landed. As for me, I felt overwhelmed by emotion and sensory experiences throughout the trip here. I enjoyed talking to other members of the team on the first leg of the flight (~11 hours). The airplanes were very high-tech and comfortable, yet even that was not enough to stifle the feelings of excitement, nervousness, fear, and joy that all of us felt. I personally started getting very tired on the 3-hour flight from Tokyo, Japan to Manila. I even had some bad dreams.
Also, when I went through customs and claimed my luggage I felt somewhat oppressed. I didn't know if it was because I was being super-sensitive or if the Evil One is already attacking, but I felt an odd hostility from the airport workers. I thought maybe this was because they saw that I was an American citizen and I was with a large group of Americans, or because they were just tired from a long, busy day. Either way, I found myself wishing they knew I was a Filipino and that I had family here - basically that I belonged here. Clearly, with all of my memories here and emotional jumble at returning here without my family, a lot is on my mind and heart. The Devil is telling me to leave or be depressed. At the same time, I hear God saying that I'm here for Him. He wants me here for His purposes, and that's all the belonging I need.
Manila Journal #2 4pm (Manila time), Jess' house I saw Jesus in the lady who lent me an umbrella when it was pouring and we were waiting for the rest of our team. I saw Him in the two beautiful little girls who waved at me in the park and called out "hi!" But most of all, I saw Him with the street children, the young kids squatting or running on the streets pooling their small coins to buy some food. He also walked with the one-legged man, who had a young girl alongside him, holding his arm. Jesus sat next to the old ladies who were weakly begging in the metro station and made way for the crippled man who used his arms to propel his wheeled platform through a crowd. I say I saw Jesus in these places, with these people, because I know He cares for the poor. He is the Savior of all, but He identifies Himself with the suffering. Now, I also saw the other side of what was beginning to grieve my heart. Many students also blasted American music as they drove by in sports cars. Every single advertisement I say (every one!) had either a white American or a light-skinned Filipino on it. Other advertisements showcased gourmet food or specialized clothing. These were the things the poor saw and knew they could never have. And somehow, I know they are made to think of themselves as less because of this. I pray that God show me what to do, or think, or feel, or pray as I encounter these things and my heart churns. I ask for His presence around and within me so that I may see with His eyes and gain His own heart. "Jesus, may I find my identity in You."
Dana,
Write me. I love e-mail! office@bfcbom.org
Short term Missions Symposium
Purpose: To gather the leadership from all short term efforts of local BF Churches over the past months to debrief and to plan for the future. Time: September 19th - 5:00 p.m. Place: Blandon Bible Fellowship Church
Cost: Nominal (about $8) to cover meal expense.
Format: Dinner and meeting on a Friday September 19.
Topics covered:
>My #1 “best idea” that I will use in every future trip. Round table. (Open mike during dinner includes introduction of the leader and an update on the trip). (30 min.) >My #1 “worst idea” that was a total flop never to be repeated. Round table. (open mike during desert.) (20 min.) >Partnership opportunities now available with BFC missionaries. >Craftsmen mobilized and ready when needed >Long term ministry partnerships. >Preparing for your trip part 1 Bonding and Training. >Preparing for your trip Part 2 Practical ideas >Fund raiser ideas and IRS issues >Church preparation for individuals going “solo”. >BOM resources >If you can’t debrief don’t go. Getting the long term advantage
Reply by September 10th office@bfcbom.orgor 610-398-8776
Don’t Miss It!!!
4. Trips in the works (updated weekly)
The Board of Missions is keeping statistics of all short term missionary trips (both by teams and individuals). Please let us know all the important information about your trip. WHO, WHAT, CHURCH, MISSIONARY, COUNTRY, and DATE. Contact: office@bfcbom.org
To Date the following ministries being done by BFC’ers have been registered with Let’s Fish.
May 26- Aug. 5 Alicia Billups Team Coordinator for RGBI June – August Rachel Bechtel CE summer missionary June 28 - July 6, 2003 Oley at Oaxaca Mexico 24 teens and 11 adults. July 2- August 1 Rebecca Zurbrick from Paradise BFC will be going to Panama July 4-18 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) July 5-12, Paradise team to Thompson, CT, to assist with VBS both at the church and at a nearby park. July 5-20 Elizabeth Studenroth and Clay Martin Moscow with the English Exchange July 6-August 10 Kara Lapp from Paradise BFC will be going to Wyoming to disciple youth and lead an outreach with YWAM July 10, 24, and 31 Reading Church Good News in the Park July 11-26 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) July 12-20 Sunbury to Haiti construction and ministry July 13-20 Royersford Youth Missions Trip to Delmarva to do a VBS July 16-20 Hatfield at Toms River with Chris Merrick Work and Ministry
Trips highlighted need our prayer support RIGHT NOW!
July 26- August 3 Q’town & Lehighton missions trip to Asheville, North Carolina. July 26-Aug 3 Harleysville Ixamal, Mexico August 1-6 Terre Hill at Spruce Lake VBS outreach August 2-18 - Emmaus Ukraine Trip doing puppet shows, drama, music and coffee house ministry as well as a morning camp program with Push-the-Rock each morning. August 8-21 Cedar Crest trip to Pollocks Team of 11 teens and 7 adults for day camp among Native Americans and work projects. Aug 14-17 Harleysville Wildwood Boardwalk Chapel Aug. 15-30 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) August 16-23 - Emmaus going to Wissinoming BFC for VBS and evangelistic puppet shows. August 20-24 Pastor Carl Cassel Canada with Rob Patterson August 20-28 Cedar Crest to Morocco Work team and ministry. August 22-24 - Walnutport BFC Weekend Block Party. Emmaus will be doing puppet shows and a Saturday block party. September 18- 29 Royersford Barnabas Team to visit with the Moyer's in France and with Rick Erb in the Ukraine. September 19- 29 Royersford Work Team to put roof on Church building in Palowice, Poland. Sep. 26-Oct. 11 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available) Oct. 9 - 17; work trip to Guatemala (Mi Refugio). Building skills sought. Several from the BFC mid-Hudson churches are planning to go -- elder Hans Waldvogel (Faith BFC, Holmes, NY) is the contact person hwaldvog@jhmc.org October date to be determined Cedar Crest to Kosovo Work and ministry. Nov. 7-22 Serbia Trip Reading (spaces available)
5. Nelson's Short-Term Nuggets
It has been about two months since I began my new role as Short-Term Partnership Coordinator. This week I will be at Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Nazareth to speak to the kids at their VBS program. Please pray that they will be receptive to short-term missions and that maybe some of them will eventually serve our Lord on the field full time.
I have received several calls and Emails regarding short-term trip preparation such as how to obtain a visa, where do I get vaccinations, packing regulations, etc. Please keep the calls and Emails coming.
Next week I will taking a truckload of aid to Kentucky to be shipped to Kosovo, this will be our second truckload this year. Please remember to pray for me and hopefully a friend (yet to be determined) for safety on this two day, very long trip.
Again, I look forward to meeting and working with many of you, maybe we can connect at Missions Week at Pinebrook!!!!!!!!!
As I write this e-mail, my exchange student “daughter” is somewhere in the air between Japan and Thailand on Northwest flight #1. In just four hours she will be hugging her father and mother with her feet firmly planted on her homeland’s soil. There is a real possibility that I will never see her again.
My emotions are a mixture of a sense of loss, depression, and an emptiness that I can best explain as a “hole” in my heart. This is a common emotion experienced by missionaries and missionary kids who are always saying goodbyes. It will also be an emotion that many of you will experience this summer. IT IS HARD TO SAY GOODBYE! Friendships can be firmly planted even on a short 10 day missions trip. Many tears are shed on that dreaded last day.
As many of you experience this dreaded feeling of loss this summer, allow the pain to take place. Don’t deny it. Spend time talking about it. You will find that after the pain comes a unique calm and peace - a sense of appreciation for God giving you the experience of friendship even if it is cut so short, even when it hurts so bad.
You will meet people who will make a lasting impression on you. Over the years I have gained such friends all over the world. A young girl in Morocco that I pray for each day; A pastor on the Caponaparo River in Venezuela; a family in the south of Mexico; a new believer and his two sons in France; an Indian mother and daughter in England; an evangelist in Tanzania, a shop keeper and her daughter and son in Venezuela; a puppet team from Rubio; and missionaries in many foreign nations . . .each one of these included tear shedding goodbyes. And now for me it is the tears of saying goodbye to Fon. She touches down in her country in a few hours but the bonds with me and my wife and our church cannot be broken by the separation of a half of world.
Cherish your friendships! Friendships are the best souvenirs of a missions trip!
Most of all, Keep Fishing!
Dana
Reminder
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 by e-mail to office@bfcbom.org. Name, age, church, e-mail and snail mail address, and phone # required.
Registrations are already coming in! Don’t miss out!
September September 19 Short Term Debriefing Round-up
December 27- January 1 Urbana
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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