MISSIONARY JOURNEY: Ellie Rodriguez

"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

“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

“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.