MTW StreetChild Seminar

MTW StreetChild Seminar

Saturday January 9^th 9  11:30 A.M.

Fort Worth Presbyterian Church

6251 Oakmont Trail

Fort Worth, TX 76132

817-731-3300

Take advantage of this opportunity to meet Tom Stewart Director of MTW s StreetChild Ministry and Jamie and Monse Contreras National Directors of Sobre el Puente drop- in center in Acapulco, MX.

Special Guest Speaker:

MTW StreetChild Director: Tom Stewart

Tom will be giving an overview of StreetChild ministries around the world. In addition, he will share the vision for the future as we seek to minister to the least of these.

Special Guest Speakers:

Acapulco, MX

Sobre el Puente Ministry National Directors: Jamie and Monse Contreras

Jamie and Monse will speak specifically of the ministry at Sobre el Puente (Over the Bridge) in Acapulco. Their drop-in center has 10-15 children coming each day and 7 boys living at the home.

To register just send your reply to

cynthia@fortworthpca.org with your name, church and how many attending.

Map to Fort Worth Presbyterian:

http://fortworthpca.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=15

Update from Rick & Pam Box, MTW-Colombia

Dear Fellow Pilgrims,

Yes, it has been quite a while since you have heard from me. No, I don’t have any “real” excuses to offer other than succumbing to the tyranny of the urgent which isn’t a ”real” excuse in the purest sense of the term. Since I last wrote, my mom came for a month-long visit for the first time since we left for Colombia. That was in answer to years of prayers, so you can only imagine how excited I was that she was coming! Since returning to Texas, she has taken up an intensive study of Spanish in order to not have to have a translator (me) in tow on her next visit this coming spring!

After mom left, it was once again time for the revolving door syndrome at United Church. A few of our committed families had finished up their tour of service here in Colombia and were being sent off to other exotic locations around the world or were returning home. In any case, that is always a bittersweet time for all of us. Unfortunately for me, our music leader and his family were also leaving to vacation in the States for the summer, so he left me in charge of the music for the 8 weeks he was out! And that left me totally out of my comfort and skill zone, but as God is ALWAYS faithful, He saw me through and the 8 weeks are over and as far as I can tell, no one left the church as a result, so I count that quite a blessing!

Rick and I have recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Argentina and Chile. We were sent to Argentina to meet some pastors there who are interested in coming in under the Colombian presbytery until they can organize one of their own. We stayed in La Plata, which is about an hour and a half outside of Buenos Aires. Pastor Gabriel kept us running the entire three days we were there meeting various pastors and members of several different churches. The Argentineans are very warm and friendly folks, well, the ones we met anyway. Sunday, we drove to Platanos where we attended a worship service brimming with young people. It always encourages me to see that: gives me hope for a healthy future Church. After the lively service, we were invited for a traditional Argentinean cook-out called an asado. Everything we had heard about the meat there was absolutely true. Wow! How delicious! And all cooked over a wood-burning fire!

Monday morning, we flew on to Santiago, Chile where we met with the team of missionaries, since Rick has been asked to help with the leadership there until MTW finds someone to take it full-time. As usual, we had a wonderful time with the team. The highlight for me was the trip to Vina del Mar on the pacific coast. We drove down there to see the ministry that the Ruggs have started for the “differently abled”. John is blind and has been working in full-time ministry with MTW for many, many years in church planting. I remember the last time we were in Chile, visiting the Renaca church on a Sunday morning and there was John, leading worship in Braille! I am constantly amazed at how God equips each of us according to our needs! John and his wife, Cathy have recently started a church in Vina specifically targeting people with all kinds of disabilities; or “different abilities”, as they would say. While we were there a blind couple sang us several Chilean songs they had composed. How can I ever think that I “can’t” do anything God calls me to do? Below is a pic of the Ruggs (on the right), Rick in the middle and Sam and Lois Mateer (current country director,on the left) while we enjoyed a seafood lunch in Vina del Mar. There were also a group of pelicans roosting on the roof that I wish you could have seen. Pelicans are proof to me that God has a great sense of humor!

How thankful I am that God has called us to sojourn in such a marvelous place! I constantly find myself awed that He would be so good to me, when I fail Him so miserably on a daily basis. His grace still amazes me after all these years! I hope this much-delayed letter finds you all basking in His marvelous grace as well. Until we meet again on the road………

Blessed beyond words,

Pam

Update from Howard Shelden

Dear Friends,

Summer is a time for travel and, although we don’t plan any, once in a while we reminisce about the countries we’ve lived in. But it’s interesting that each person in our family tends to miss a different culture.

Deidre misses the people in Galela communities. She did most of the actual Bible translation and spent countless hundreds of hours immersed in discussing nuances of meaning with Galela friends. How are they doing? What happened to so-and-so?

Howard thinks of living out of Indonesian hotels for a week or two at a time. We didn’t do that very much, but that’s how we finished up during the last year or two. There had been religious civil war in the Galela area, so a large Christian city was about as close as we could get. Galela colleagues would meet us there, staying with their own shirt-tail relatives.

Robert thinks of Ambon, Indonesia, but has only vague memories. This provincial capital with Pattimura University, which sponsored our visas, was his most consistent “home” from age five through 10. He’d like to reconnect somehow someday, but the war changed it so much that none of us would recognize it.

Esther thinks of Manila and Davao in the Philippines. These were her pre-teen through mid-teen years. As she viewed American fads and pop culture from an international perspective, she saw through the shallowness and developed more altruistic values. She wouldn’t really fit into Philippine culture, though, so she’s what is called a third-culture kid.

Reminiscence wouldn’t be complete without recalling that our family was fully supported financially and in prayer. Since returning to the U.S., we have been below minimum support levels, even with the children grown and living on their own. Each of us continues to hold full-time assignments with Wycliffe Bible Translators, Howard as Corporate Communications Publicity Writer and Deidre as Strategic Training and Assignment Consultant.

Howard and Deidre Shelden

Howard_Shelden@WBT.org
Dee_Shelden@WBT.org

Preparation for Cambodia Update from Luke Smith

Dear friends,

This is my first update that I am sending to everyone. Since the time is getting closer for my departure to Cambodia, and I have a busy summer ahead, I'll plan on sending out updates once or twice a month. For the next two weeks, I'll be focusing on support raising and studying for ordination. Currently, I have 68% of my monthly ongoing support pledged, and 100% of my one-time support has been raised. Here are the places that I'll be traveling this summer:

-June 7-12 – I will be at Ridge Haven, North Carolina for Living in Grace. It is a "grace-based discipleship course that guides attendees in understanding and applying the gospel of grace to their own lives and ministries."

-June 12-14 – I will be at New Life Mission Church (Presbyterian Church in America) in Fullerton, CA. I will be speaking in their services about the mission work, and I will be meeting with their session (elders) and missions committee.

-July 1-31 – I will be at pre-field training in New York City. The time will be spent in the field and classroom studying language acquisition techniques, church planting and evangelism, and team building skills.

-July 31- August 3 – I am tentatively planning on being in Illinois and seeing my family and possibly speaking at their church.

Reflections on graduating from seminary

On May 9th, I graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary. Four years and 120 hours later, the degree is finally complete. It is nice to be done, but in many ways it doesn't mean much. A seminary is one of the few places that when you complete your degree you really have nothing. Sure, I learned many things that will help me in the gospel ministry. But according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 2-3, no one is sufficient for the work of the gospel. No degree, no award, no refined speaking or writing skills, or other human ability gives us the qualifications necessary for the work of the gospel. Paul's answer is that the sufficiency for the task of ministry and for that matter all of the Christian life only comes from God's grace. And so may our boasting be only in the cross of Christ for that is all we have and that is fine for that is all we need.

Newspaper article

The Alton Telegraph interviewed me for a story that ran in last Sunday's paper. Alton is located north of St. Louis on the Illinois side of the river. Here is a link to the article: Newspaper article

Thanks for your prayers and support. Feel free to send me a note to tell me how you are doing.

-Luke

May, 2009 Report of MTW Missionaries from North Texas Presbyery

Note: this report has been redacted to take out information from our missionaries in sensitive ministries.

MTW MISSIONARIES

FROM NORTH TEXAS PRESBYTERY

Rick & Pam Box #010519 Bogotá, Colombia

Christ Presbyterian, Flower Mound

Rick is working with the Colombian leaders in churches and church plants in four major cities of Colombia. He and his wife, Pam, are working with the growing reformed Presbyterian Church in Colombia, South America. While the primary task is church-based training of Presbyterian pastors and elders (through church planting), ministry opportunities extend far beyond to other evangelical churches and leaders who are hungry for the Word of God.

Andrew & Rebecca Bronson #010731 Thailand

Park Cities, Dallas

Andrew and Becky are in their first year of seminary work at Covenant in St Louis. Andrew is working part-time for MTW while in school, continuing to support the work of MTW Thailand from the States assisting in fund-raising and administration. They plan to spend two months this summer in Thailand.

Ruth Dinkins #011718 Brazil

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

The new school year began March 2nd. They have 28 in the 3rd year (graduating class), 28 in the 2nd year and 26 in the 1st year. Ruth has added to her full schedule a music class (flute) and an elective English class (translation) for the guys that plan to go on to seminary. So many of the books in the libraries at the seminaries are in English and they need to know the content of these books. Of course, the girls are allowed to take the English class too.

Peter Dishman #011731 RUF-UNAM, Mexico City MTW/RUM

Town North, Richardson

"We are past the midway point of the semester, and God is at work in the lives of UNAM students. Pray for the group to continue to grow in Christ as I preach through the 10 commandments, small groups knit students together around the word, and we work through individual issues daily. Praise the Lord for a fun and transformative Holy Week retreat in Guanajuato on "a precious faith, a promised future" taught by TE Marc Schiebe - pray especially for the many seekers who heard the gospel clearly there. Praise the Lord for our first RUF couple, whose wedding I co-officiated this weekend! Pray that their marriage will be firmly established in Christ as they finish their majors and move into the work force. Please continue to pray diligently for a ministry location and for the ministry team for next semester."

Caleb & Aimee Dunn #011783 Mexico Church Planter Training

Park Cities, Dallas

In Monterrey where he grew up, Caleb continues ministering as the Director of the Theological Institute of Ministry in partnership with RTS Charlotte. The institute currently supports church planters and lay leaders with a B.A. in Theology, and also offers continuing education for presbyteries. He also continues to work toward his D.Min in Pastoral Counseling at WTS Philadelphia.

Ben Graber #012803 East Germany

Fort Worth PCA

Well into his second year, Ben is starting up a third round of English courses and preparing for summer English camp. His support is now enough to last through the summer, and he is exploring the possibility of continuing his work with the church plant through the end of the year.

Chris & Julie Koiner #14017 Monterrey, Mexico

Heritage, Oklahoma City

Chris and Julie (and 5 children) are in the support-raising phase of the MTW process. They plan to join the church planting team in Monterrey and assist in the areas of finance/administration, evangelism and mercy ministries, short-term team support, training church leaders on financial stewardship, and women’s ministry.

Scott & Mary Ann Nelson #015418 MTW/Wycliffe SIL Support

Trinity Presbyterian, Plano

Based in North Carolina serving translation teams around the world, Scott provides computer support for Bible translators working in Africa, Europe, South America and parts of Asia. He maintains the servers and services to provide email, language/scripture text version control, remote collaboration and other tools used by translators and support staff. Mary Ann serves as a counselor for missionaries and their families with the stresses and issues they face.

Howard and Deidre Shelden #016816 MTW/Wycliffe

New Covenant Presbyterian, Dallas

Deidre directs personnel administrators in the Dallas office of Wycliffe USA, helping with the difficult decisions needed to care for and deploy Wycliffe missionaries. Howard writes promotional and publicity materials about Wycliffe missionaries' achievements and milestones to enhance credibility in academic circles and in foreign government relations.

Doug & Masha Shepherd #016819 Ukraine

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

Doug and Masha are continuing to make contacts in L’viv in the hopes of planting a church in this influential western Ukrainian city. The Shepherds are active ministering to university students, working with families, orphans, teammates and interns. “We have recently returned to L’viv after visiting churches in the States and are busy meeting with many young families and students. Please pray for conversions and a core group of believers.”

Dawn Brady Sparks #010572 Ukraine

Fifth Street Presbyterian, Tyler

Dawn and her husband, Steve, are living in Austin. Dawn is continuing her financial and administrative duties from the U.S. supporting the Ukraine team from here, freeing the resident team members for other duties. Steve has almost completed his first distance course from Covenant Seminary and is feeling more confirmed in his desire to pursue his degree there.. You can keep up with them on their ministry blog www.sparksministry.org.

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NEWS FROM BEAMM

Border Evangelism and Mercy Ministries

• Steve Milvain, Village Seven PCA, is the Chairman of BEAMM Partnership.

Next Partnership Meeting – May 14-16 at Catalina Foothills Church (PCA), Tucson, Arizona. The meeting will be preceded by and followed by Vision Trips to Nogales, Sonora (May 15) and El Centro/Mexicali and Tijuana (May 17-18).

Contact Gene Bowman, (915) 838-3747 or glbowman@BEAMM.org, for details.

BEAMM Partners NTP Are: 5^th St., Tyler, Ft. Worth PCA, Redeemer, McKinney, and Westminster, Gainesville. steve@milvain.com

• GREAT NEWS!! The land purchase for a community center in Juarez was completed last Friday, April 24. The Community Center in the city of Ciudad Juarez will become home to Gracia y Paz Church, the San Pablo Seminary, a place to house the short-term teams, and a place of outreach to the nearly two million people in the city.

• Dan Young chosen as Eastern Region Director (Rio Grande Valley border area).

• The donated 14,000 sq. foot building for Dios Soberano (Sovereign God) Mission, Mexicali, Western Region has been dismantled and is being stored at El Centro, CA, in preparation for being exported to Mexicali.

• Missionary Units or Church Planters now headed for the border: Charles & Bonita Davidson have arrived and are settling in to life in El Paso; Ray & Michelle Call are in language school in Edinburg, Texas; Rick & Sharon Marooney, Julio & Arlette Navarro, Gary & Kay Whiting are in various stages of support raising.

• Personnel Needs: English Language Trainers: Intern, Two-Year, Career:

Seminary Instructors: Two-week, Two Year, Career:

Contact Gene Bowman, 915-838-3747, glbowman@BEAMM.org

Summer Interns to host Summer Mission Trips – 2009,

Contact LuAnn Bowman, luannbowman@BEAMM.org

• Special Note to Summer teams – don’t finalize any plans until you have communicated with LuAnn luannbowman@BEAMM.org Circumstances are different this year.

• Check in at www.BEAMM.org to keep abreast of events on the border.

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AROUND THE PRESBYTERY

Planning a vision trip? Other plans to develop mission work in your church?

Notify John Butler. okcalvin@gmail.com

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OUR FEATURED MISSIONARY THIS QUARTER

LUKE SMITH #17118 - CAMBODIA

NEW ST. PETER’S, DALLAS

Luke grew up on a farm in west central Illinois. He went to college planning to pursue a career in agriculture. Through a couple of short-term missions trips with a campus ministry while in college at Western Illinois University, he started thinking about missions. Toward the end of graduate school at the University of Missouri, he was impacted by the missionary biography Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot, and his burden to be a missionary continued to grow. After completing graduate school, Luke went to Dallas Theological Seminary to further prepare for the mission field. While in seminary, he began to have a vision to serve in an area that was unreached and poor. He has continued to prepare by working with refugees in Dallas and serving in his church, New St. Peter's Presbyterian. Luke has been called to work in rural Cambodia training pastors. The majority of the country's population of 13 million live in villages spread throughout rural areas. It is a country struggling to recover from years of famine and civil war. Currently, fewer than 1 percent of the people are considered Christian. He is at 46% in his support raising.

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Report from Peter Dishman, 2/27/09

Note: Peter is Reformed University Fellowship / Mission to the World Campus Minister to the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City.

http://www.rufmexico.org/

The fall semester of 2008 was a semester of change at the UNAM. While we continued our second semester of large group (I taught through the gospel of John), as well as small groups located in three of the "faculties" of the school, our student makeup shifted towards newer students (both new converts this semester and Christians who for the first time discovered a Christian group to support and encourage them at the university). These students are now owning the group and developing relationships with one another, which is making for some good movement forward as we we enter the end of the first month of the Spring semester of 2009.

This semester I am teaching on the 10 commandments, and how the law points us to our need for Christ and his grace and teaches us to respond to our salvation with love for God and others. We also have five small groups, including one new study that began this week among the "yearly calendar" students (in the schools of Medicine and Dentistry) and another in the national school of Social Work (spearheaded by a new Christian who wants a Bible study in her faculty). Pray that the new small groups will catch on (especially the experimental one with the "yearly students"), and that student leaders will continue to emerge to direct these small groups.

We continue to have our English conversation clubs on Wednesday and Thursday, where we make many non-Christian contacts during the semester who often show interest in finding out more about our main activities. Last semester several English club students made their way into the RUF group, and at the end of the semester, several others asked to meet with me personally to talk about struggles with depression and decisions. English club attendance started out small this semester, but has grown to around 20-30 students, which is good especially since we have half the native English speakers we did last semester. Pray that God will send us some Christian exchange students (perhaps even from the PCA as he has in the past) to help our with the clubs. Pray for students from the clubs to take an interest in their spiritual lives by connecting with RUF students and checking out different avenues for involvement where they will hear the gospel.

This semester we have added a Friday social time called "a moment with RUF" (it sounds much better in Spanish), where students lead a community building activity (get to know you, discussion, etc.) and then we eat and do something informal (last week we played soccer, other weeks we have checked out different cultural activities at the UNAM). We hope this will enable students that cannot come to our Tuesday large group to get integrated, and for the students to build relationships with each other (remember that no one lives on campus, so most students have 2 friends from the UNAM, 2 friends from high school, and two friends from Junior High). Pray for this space to grow and for students to bring their friends.

Not only has our student group shifted, but our staff group has changed as well. Interns Josh and Amy Oettle headed to Austin at the end of the year, and we will miss them and their gifts and service, especially in developing the organic feel of our group and our outreach through the English clubs. Intern Jared Weatherholtz is engaged to be married to a Mexican girl who was working on staff with another campus ministry in Puebla, and will finish up his service in August. In addition to meeting with students, especially in the English clubs, and leading a small group Bible study, we are also excited about a CD of RUF hymns in Spanish that Jared is producing as part of the RUF music project in Spanish. Pray for more connection with RUF in the US through visiting campus ministers and groups at Spring Break and during the summers.

We don't have our budgets met in terms of support here, and need to work on building and growing relationships with givers. The financial situation in the US makes this a lot more difficult. Pray for us to be diligent communicators of what God is doing in Mexico and relationships builders, and for the Lord to provide the support we need to keep working in the church and among the 178 thousand students here.

NTP MTW Report, February, 2009

MTW MISSIONARIES
FROM NORTH TEXAS PRESBYTERY

February, 2009 Report

Rick & Pam Box #010519 Bogotá, Colombia

Christ Presbyterian, Flower Mound

Rick is working with the Colombian leaders in churches and church plants in four major cities of Colombia. He and his wife, Pam, are working with the growing reformed Presbyterian Church in Colombia, South America. While the primary task is church-based training of Presbyterian pastors and elders (through church planting), ministry opportunities extend far beyond to other evangelical churches and leaders who are hungry for the Word of God.
rbox@mtwsa.org pamelajbox@yahoo.com

Andrew & Rebecca Bronson #010731 Thailand
Park Cities, Dallas

They are in their first year of seminary work at Covenant in St Louis. Andrew is working part-time for MTW while in school, continuing to support the work of MTW Thailand from the States assisting in fund-raising and administration.
bronsons@mtwthailand.org www.mtwthailand.org

Ruth Dinkins #011718 Brazil

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

“Our new school year begins March 2nd. I will have 4 classes with the 1st year, 2 with the 2nd year and will be adding an elective English class for those interested in translation, and 1-2 flute classes. We have a saying in Brazil, "He who has one eye is a king in the land of the blind". I do play the flute and the Bible Institute has 3 flutes and there are some students interested in learning. So... here I go... to pass on what I know.”

dinkinsmr@hotmail.com

Peter Dishman #011731 RUF-UNAM, Mexico City MTW/RUM

Town North, Richardson

“We have just completed the first week of classes at the UNAM, and our large group and small groups will begin next week! Pray for the group to grow in strength and numbers this semester, for a location for the ministry to call home, and for university students in our ministry to grow in love for Christ and his church. Pray for intern Jared Weatherholtz as he completes his internship this semester, prepares to get married shortly thereafter, and looks longer term to returning to Mexico.”

pwdishman@gmail.com http://www.rufmexico.org/ (English) http://www.curunam.org/ (Spanish)

Caleb & Aimee Dunn #011783 Mexico Church Planter Training

Park Cities, Dallas

In Monterrey where he grew up, Caleb continues ministering as the Director of the Theological Institute of Ministry in partnership with RTS Charlotte. The institute currently supports church planters and lay leaders with a B.A. in Theology, and also offers continuing education for presbyteries. He also continues to work toward his D.Min in Pastoral Counseling at WTS Philadelphia.

caleb@mtwmex.net aimee@mtwmex.net

Ben Graber #012803 East Germany

Fort Worth PCA

Following a well-earned vacation to European capitols, Ben is back on the field, resuming his duties supporting the church planting team in place in Berlin. The monetary exchange rate has become a problem to his support budget. He needs prayer for peace of mind in financial matters.

Ben.graber@gmail.com http://bengraber.blogspot.com

Scott & Mary Ann Nelson #015418 SIL Support MTW/Wycliffe
Trinity Presbyterian, Plano

Based in North Carolina serving translation teams around the world, Scott provides computer support for Bible translators working in Africa, Europe, South America and parts of Asia. He maintains the servers and services to provide email, language/scripture text version control, remote collaboration and other tools used by translators and support staff. Mary Ann serves as a counselor for missionaries and their families with the stresses and issues they face.

Scott_nelson@sil.org

Josh & Amy Oettle #015711 UNAM, Mexico City
Park Cities, Dallas

Final entry for Josh and Amy. Their 18 month UNAM tour completed, they are at home in Austin, finding new jobs and resuming their lives. VAYA CON DIOS!

Josh.oettle@gmail.com http://joshandamyoettle.wordpress.com

Howard and Deidre Shelden #016816 Wycliffe/Dallas

New Covenant Presbyterian, Dallas

Deidre directs personnel administrators in the Dallas office of Wycliffe USA, helping with the difficult decisions needed to care for and deploy Wycliffe missionaries. Howard writes promotional and publicity materials about Wycliffe missionaries' achievements and milestones to enhance credibility in academic circles and in foreign government relations.

Howard_Shelden@WBT.org Dee_Shelden@WBT.org http://www.wycliffe.org

Doug & Masha Shepherd #016819 Ukraine

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

Doug and Masha are continuing to make contacts in L’viv in the hopes of planting a church in this influential western Ukrainian city. The Shepherds are active ministering to university students, working with families, orphans, teammates and interns. “We are now in the States (Tulsa) and will return to Ukraine on March 2nd. We are traveling to different churches from coast to coast every weekend. The kids are enjoying their time with grandparents while we all get our medical checkups etc.”
Free2travel98@yahoo.com

NEW! Luke Smith # 17118 Cambodia
New St. Peter’s, Dallas

Just beginning support raising, Luke has been called to work in rural Cambodia training pastors. The majority of the country's population of 13 million lives in villages spread throughout rural areas. It is a country struggling to recover from years of famine and civil war. Currently, less than 1 percent of the people are considered Christian.
LBSmith62@hotmail.com

Dawn Brady Sparks #010572 Ukraine

Fifth Street Presbyterian, Tyler

Dawn and her husband, Steve, are living in Austin. Dawn is continuing her financial and administrative duties from the U.S. supporting the Ukraine team from here, freeing the resident team members for other duties. Steve is beginning Seminary classes as they continue to pray for guidance for future ministry. You can keep up with them on their ministry blog.
dawn@sparkstracks.com. www.sparksministry.org.

Chris & Julie Koiner #14017 Monterrey, Mexico
Heritage, Oklahoma City

Chris and Julie have just begun the support-raising phase of the MTW process. This family, God willing, will join the church planting team in Monterrey and assist in the areas of finance/administration, evangelism and mercy ministries, short-term team support, training church leaders on financial stewardship, and women’s ministry. They will also, through God’s grace, join the other families on the team in being a light in the darkness and an example of a Christ-centered covenant family. Children are: Jacob (9/19/97), Jaden (6/2/99), Jewel (12/30/00), Jennah (1/17/04), and Jillian (11/23/05).

New Missionaries from NTP: The Koiners

By Chris Koiner

We are all familiar with the account in the Gospels where Jesus feeds the 5,000, but I would like to focus on the insignificance of the two fish and five loaves Jesus used in order to describe our call to the mission field. Many of you are aware that Julie and I were officially approved in September as missionaries with Mission to the World (MTW) and are just beginning the fund raising process in order to join the church-planting team in Monterrey, Mexico. It is our prayer that God would use our story to encourage others to get involved in missions and, maybe for some of you, to answer God’s call to the mission field.

Our journey began about three years ago when God sparked a small flame in me after hearing a missionary give their story during the Sunday school hour at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. Julie and I discussed the possibility of missions and agreed to contact MTW. Providentially, God brought several MTW missionary families that Heritage supports through town over the next few years. We had a wonderful opportunity to share a meal and discuss their experiences on the field and how they discerned their call to missions.

We decided to start the MTW “process” by completing the application paperwork and going through a phone interview. I refer to the steps required for an MTW missionary to get on to the field as a process, because it is designed to help you discern and confirm your call over a period of several years. One can move through this process as quickly as two and a half years, but for our family, it could take as long as five years from the time we completed our initial applications in 2006. Julie and I, and our immediate families, have come to appreciate the time and care MTW commits to their missionaries, from the application and selection process, to the readiness evaluation and pre-field training. MTW thinks and plans long-term so their missionaries have the best chance of success once they are on the field.

We have just begun the support-raising phase of the MTW process, which usually takes about a year and a half, but, in our situation, could take longer than two years. MTW requires their missionaries, by design, to raise their own support through partnering with churches and individuals. The amount we are required to raise in monthly and one-time support is daunting, but we know that God will use this process to build our faith and confirm our call to Monterrey.

Our family, God willing, will join the church planting team in Monterrey and assist in the areas of finance/administration, evangelism and mercy ministries, short-term team support, training church leaders on financial stewardship, and women’s ministry. We will also, through God’s grace, join the other families on the team in being a light in the darkness and an example of a Christ-centered covenant family.

What can an accountant, homemaker, and five children do to help build God’s kingdom in northern Mexico? How can two fish and five loaves feed well over 5,000 hungry people? Inadequate, hopeless, impossible, yes, all the words I would use to describe the two fish and five loaves in man’s hands, but in our Savior’s hands they become satisfying, an over abundance, and a testimony to His lordship over all things. Our family is nothing special, we have the same struggle with sin and doubt that all of you have, which is why His name will be all the more praised by using us to build His kingdom.

So, we are asking you to partner with us prayerfully and financially, but we also encourage you to consider getting directly involved with missions work, whether through a week long trip, a short-term commitment, or as a career missionary. If God can use us, then He, certainly, can use anybody!