Davis Family Missions

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Ellie Rodriguez

2012-02-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14 NKJV

Ellie has a heart big enough for every child she meets! And she sets up Bible studies with most of those. One of the big missionary skills that Ellie is mastering is that missionaries have to work through the hands of Christian adults in order for our works to be indigenous and sustainable. Add to this challenge the low level of literacy among our women of the Kaonde tribe, and one sees how difficult this task can be. A lack of literacy causes women to fear using the Bible; many would prefer Ellie to just teach the classes for the children. But Ellie has to use tough love to insist that the women of the church plants “stir up their gifts” and learn to teach their own children. Missionaries have to work ourselves out of a job. The gratifying aspect of this approach is twofold:

1. We will be able to reach another dark corner of the world with the light of the Gospel.

2. Long after we are gone, those we have trained will still be teaching the words of Jesus in their village!

Taking the long view,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Ellie teaching ladies how to teach their own children from the Bible.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Whitney Davis

2012-02-08T05:56:00.000-08:00

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." John 14:7 NASB

The first time I became aware of Whitney’s gifting in communication was with the myriad of communiqués that we had to process for the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia as he visited Mumena Christian Outreach Center. Among the Kaonde, communication hinges on relationships. As Christians, our communication with the Divine hinges on our covenant relationship with our Savior. It is always amazing to watch Whitney using her communication skills as she forms relationships with the lowliest to the greatest. Whitney has a gift for using those relationships for the missionary skill of introducing people to Jesus!

Building eternal relationships,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Whitney greeting the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Jeremy Davis

2012-02-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

“And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?” Luke 8:9 KJV

One of the skills of a missionary that must be taught to an apprentice is “how to ask the right questions”. Jeremy is certainly gifted with this quality. I don’t believe that I have ever had so many books open at the same time - in order to answer Jeremy’s questions - as I have had over the last 11 months. Come to think of it, I don’t think that I have ever had as many of the books in my library on loan at one time as I have this year with Jeremy around! This insatiable desire to “know” is only matched by Jeremy’s passion to teach. And because he asks the right questions of the people in the village, Jeremy is mastering the missionary skill of “contextualization”… the finding of the right words in the local language and culture to communicate the Biblical meaning of a passage of scripture.

“For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:10 NIV

Trying to keep up,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Jeremy teaching in our annual Bible college for church leaders.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Erin Davis

2012-01-11T05:47:00.001-08:00

“but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .” Joshua 24:15 KJV

In a land ruled by fear of the dead members of one’s own family, one of the first tasks of the missionary is to help establish Christian homes. Erin has a passion for helping families along the journey of becoming more Christ-like day by day. Conversion to the Lordship of Christ is just the first step. Letting Christ permeate our most private relationships and thoughts is a lifelong process. One of the missionary skills Erin has been studying is how to challenge a “pagan worldview” (how a culture in the world views reality) with the worldview of the culture of God. This is a particularly difficult skill to become comfortable with because we as missionaries have to hold up our own cultural worldview to God’s way of seeing reality in order to help another culture do the same. This skill is important because if a person isn’t thinking within the parameters of what God says is real, a person will be hard pressed to make a faith decision concerning those divine realities. What all missionaries ultimately discover is that it is just as painful for a missionary to go through this as it is for a lost person to go through it.

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32 NKJV

It is absolutely worth it, though!

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Erin teaching ladies about the first family.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Apprenticeship Team Work

2012-01-03T23:26:00.001-08:00

“… neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Leviticus 11:44 KJV

Our apprenticeship team work skills were put to the test recently when Whitney came from our boys room and mentioned that she had just seen the largest wall spider in her life. As the old missionary, I condescendingly told her that “wall spiders are our friends”. That is missionary speak for “Whitney, get a grip.” However, when Noah & Bryson began “ooing and ahing”, I thought that I had better check it out. To my surprise a King Baboon Tarantula was perched high up on the boys’ bathroom wall. Now we had a problem.

Surrounded by able bodied apprentices, I felt a bit put upon when they looked to me, the mentor, for the proper response. Theologically believing that all arachnids are a direct result of the fall of man, I was none too happy about having to demonstrate my superior missionary skills in this particular situation. Add to this that our “Ag apprentice” (Jason) is also a firm believer in the un-holiness of all spiders, and my back-up troops were thinning. Taking my favorite fly swatter (steel reinforced with leather covering), Jason helped me up on to the bath room counter top… after which he promptly left the room. As Sondra mentored Erin on how to give lots of advice from the adjoining room, I approached within striking distance of the tarantula. Striking it with all of my force, I managed to send the thing flying across the room towards Sondra and Erin. (Enter Jeremy with his high school football ethic kicking-in.) Grabbing a 5 gallon bucket, Jeremy managed to catch the beast on the fly – and in one fluid movement, dumped it into the commode.

I don’t remember who flushed – God bless them – as I was struggling with a series of shiver spasms. Whitney, bless her heart, was desperately trying to suppress her gag reflex. And as Sondra and Erin struggled with their feelings of “If he had done it correctly, it would NOT have come flying towards us!”, I thought to myself, “What a team!”

- Brian

Pictured above: Citharischius crawshayi (bites cause sharp pain accompanied with hallucinations)

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Jason Davis, apprentice

2011-12-27T23:20:00.000-08:00

“and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.” Luke 21:38 NIV

An apprentice has to choose a mentor. (I am always humbled when someone puts that level of trust in my hands.) Apprentices also get to choose when they will accept mentoring. Jason has a habit of showing up early in the morning. This impresses me to no end! Not only does he understand the finer points of coffee consumption, but frankly, my mind works better in the morning these days. Some apprentices are more comfortable in the public meeting arena. But Jason specializes in the small group and one-on-one teaching experience. Jason’s efforts in Christian stewardship and development are greatly aided by this approach. One of the missionary skills enshrined in our team strategy is “The point of greatest transformational leverage is a transformed person.” Jason has witnessed the power of this principle and is building on it!

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 NIV

Humbled,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Jason interacting with one of God’s creatures.

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Mentoring

2011-12-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

“What you have heard me teach publicly you should teach to others. Share these teachings with people you can trust. Then they will be able to teach others these same things.” 2 Timothy 2:2 ERV

One of the great joys of missionary life is when one gets the opportunity to mentor an apprentice over a 2 year period. I was fortunate to have this experience in my formation as a young missionary and have endeavored to return the favor. Prior to this year, I have been privileged to mentor 10 amazing apprentices. I am currently mentoring 6 very special people here in Mumena. I want to devote the next few Journey’s to these couples as they are accepting the challenge to be entrusted with the building blocks of eternity!

Privileged,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

P.S. Happy Holidays!

Pictured above: Our missionary team (apprentices underlined). [from left to right] Sam & Ellie Rodriguez, Whitney & Jeremy Davis, Karen & Rick Love, Erin & Jason Davis, Brian & Sondra Davis

Missionary kids [from left to right]: Matthew Love, Emily Love, Lydia Love, Bryson Davis, Noah Davis, Caleb Love

MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Servant hood Leadership

2011-12-19T03:09:00.001-08:00

“…and whosoever would be first among you, shall be servant of all.” Mark 10:44 ASV

Every once in a while, a missionary gets to see the fruit. While at a women’s Bible school training seminar among the Congolese refugees, we witnessed Congolese church leaders cooking and preparing a meal for the ladies of the congregation. They had built their little grass kitchen, prepared a traditional meal, and even washed all of the dishes. After the seminar, I asked the women what they thought of the servant hood leadership of their church. To which they responded, “Well, they aren’t very good cooks… but we really enjoyed not having to wash the dishes!”

O.K. Next lesson series: gratitude.

Step by step,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Pictured above: Congolese church leaders serving a meal to the ladies of the congregation!