John Werner's HINTS Newsletter - April 2008

HINTS International
  a charitable trust for
  Help In New Testament Study
  Rev. John R. Werner, Ph.D., Chairman
 
  Kiev Christian University
  Kiev, Ukraine
   <JohnRWerner@yahoo.com>
  APRIL, 2008
 
       The islanders showed us unusual kindness.
                        Acts 28:2, NIV
 
 
Dear friends in Christ,
  
As you may know, the word NIV renders "islanders" is KJV's 
"barbarians". The Greek word sounds like "barbaroi," but it doesn't 
mean "very low tech". It means they don't speak Greek.
  
Paul and his shipmates had been blown in the sea for two weeks. 
Neither sun nor stars had been seen. So they had no idea, where they 
were. But on shore, they learned the islanders did not speak Greek. 
So they knew they had been blown far to the west. Everyone east of 
 Rome spoke Greek.
 
We Americans, Brits, Canadians, Aussies, some Indians and others 
have a great plus for world missions. We speak English, the world's 
most wide-spread tongue.
 
People here in Ukraine have a similar plus. They speak Russian, 
 the tongue widely spoken in all of the former Soviet Union. Think, 
not only of Eastern Europe, but also of all those "stans" of Central 
Asia. Almost 70% of Bible-based pastors in this vast area are from 
 Ukraine. So are half of the mission workers.
 
So, what a joy it is, to help prepare servants of the Word, here.
 
My students have done well on their mid-term exams, in all three 
courses: Greek Exegesis, General Epistles and Pastoral Epistles. 
 Please pray we'll do as well, the rest of the term.
 
I'm booked to return to Dallas May 15. My son, John, is to come 
May 18-21 to help me to downsize (Gulp!). And to get the house ready 
for showing. I'm 77, my 48-years home-sharer has gone Home, and 
 I'm still going abroad. So the house has been a burden.
 
My daughter, Beth, and her husband, Maurice, are buying their first 
house. It's a faculty house on a college campus in Santa Barbara, 
CA. They've invited me to live in a pair of its rooms. That way, I 
 won't have to care about the house while I'm overseas. And Beth can 
handle whatever snail mail comes to me at that same address.
 
John has asked me to think of living with his family in Portland, 
OR. I'd like that: three of my five grandkids will be there. But I 
 want to help Beth and Maurice get started on home owning. Also, I'll 
enjoy strolling down to the main campus, watching the students, and 
praying for them. Maybe, even, I'll be a special blessing to one or 
 two of them.
 
It would be nice if Beth's family and I could drive West together.
Their present lease expires June 30; they're to own the house July 1.
 
I've resigned as Assistant Pastor for Missions of Dallas' Bethel 
 Church (PCA). And I've applied for the status of retired minister. 
But I plan to go on teaching overseas, with HINTS, as long as the 
Lord enables.
 
Does anyone know anyone who needs help in New Testament study this 
 fall? "Have Greek, will travel."
 
If you change your e-address, please send me your new e-address.
 
Your fellow servant,
 
 John
 
gratefully serving the Lord Jesus Christ,
through His gracious supply
 through the grateful offerings of His people and through
HINTS International Charitable Trust
John R. Edwards, Treas.
7916 Anchor St.
Frisco, TX 75035-6339
<JREdwards@waymark.net> 
 972-712-1017   
HINTS is a "501(c)(3)" org. 
All gifts are tax deductible.

Cristo Rey's trip to Ciudad Victoria, Mexico

Estimated travel dates:

August 2 - 9

The purpose of our northern Mexico trip is to assist Colegio Renuevo, an MTW- sponsored Christian elementary and middle school where Trinity Presbyterian Church missionary, Marty Baas serves. We will help construct two new classrooms, renovate older areas of the school, landscape, paint, tile and do other work as needed. We will also help with computer repair and maintenance, library organization, and possibly teacher training, music, and ESL.

This is a “family” trip; families with young children are invited to participate. Childcare will be the responsibility of the parents, but can be shared among trip participants.

On Sunday, we will worship at one of the northern Mexico church plants in Ciudad Victoria.

This is the closest and least expensive trip. We will either drive multi-passenger vans or fly to the border and take a charter bus.

If you are interested in participating in this trip, please contact Esmeralda Palomares.

Missionary Spotlight ~ Ruth Dinkins, Brazil

Missionary Spotlight ~ Ruth Dinkins, Brazil

Ruth Dinkins was reared on the mission field of Brazil. Although she grew up in a strong Christian home, she did not accept Jesus as Lord of her life until 18 years of age. She earned her associate’s degree from Montreat Anderson Junior College and her bachelor’s degree from Pembroke State University in Pembroke, North Carolina. She returned home to Brazil in 1980 and was a teacher of Christian education at the Edward Lane Bible Institute from 1982-1987.

After earning her master’s of Christian education degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi in May of 1991, she accepted the position of Director of Children’s Ministries at Christ Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During her years of ministry there, Ruth invested much energy in making missions an integral part of the Christian education curriculum. She also served on the missions committee. She had been on various youth and adult mission trips to Brazil and Mexico.
In 1997, Ruth was invited to return to Brazil to serve as director of the Christian Education Department of the Edward Lane Bible Institute in Patrocinio, Minas Gerais. Besides teaching classes, she also administrates and coordinates all the students’ field/ practical work.

Update from the field, April, 2008: Our new school year began the 4th of March wth 89 students: 31 in the 1st year (5 married), 34 in the 2nd year (11 married), and 24 in the 3rd year (2 married) - graduating class. A former graduate of the Bible Institute, who is married to one of the music department teachers has taken over my classes. I hope to be back at the Bible Institute July 16 to begin the 2nd semester te beginning of August.

Our Lord bless you all. Thank you for your prayers and the financial support.
Ruth Dinkins

Lakewood PC MTW BEAMM trip to Juarez, July 12-19

Lakewood Presbyterian Church is going on the MTW-BEAMM 1 Week Mission Trip to Juarez, Mexico (across the border from El Paso) July 12 - 19. This will be our 8th year to go to Juarez. MTW indicated that they could be somewhat flexible on how many missionaries we send, and our own count is not yet solidified. If you are interested in making this trip, point of contact for this trip at Lakewood is: Paul E. Bryant, RE / Lakewood Presbyterian Church / Work: 972-624-2972 / Home: 214-324-2043 / Cell: 214-563-3068

Town North Presbyterian Church's Summer 2008 Team to Mexico

Town North Presbyterian Church, Richardson, TX, is planning a summer missions trip to Queretaro, Mexico, July 26-August 2. They will be assisting MTW missionaries Dick and Ann Dye .

According to MTW's website, visiting teams will assist the work of the churches among whom the Dyes labor in their second phase of construction at the Desarrollo San Pablo Church. Teams will also conduct Bible clubs in the surrounding community. There is a need for individuals with musical talent and those interested in teaching English to work with the Summer Music/English Institute. Classes are taught at the University of Queretaro to about 200 local youth and children from both Christian and non-Christian backgrounds. People are needed to teach classes on orchestra instruments, guitar, piano, theory, percussion, and choir. Teachers are also needed for four levels of English classes. Lodging will be in a hotel.

The deadline to sign up for the TNPC trip is May 1. The cost is $765 per person plus travel expenses. MTW requires a non-refundable deposit of $50.00. If anyone is interested or for questions, contact Kirk McCord (469-867-4171) or Beverly McCord (469-867-4172) or Ed Hotz (214-794-9089).

International Women's Day

International Women's Day

From Angi Williams' (Wycliff - Congo) March 11th blog entry :

Saturday was International Women's Day, or as they say here in Congo: La Journee des Mamas. We showed up at the stadium with one of our Congolese friends to join in the festivities, although we didn't really know what they were. We were supposed to meet at 10am, but I had lots of problems with my zipper (zippers they put in clothes here are really poorly made) so we didn't make there until 11am. We showed up in our Congolese finest, and planned to join the parade.

So then we're told that you have to have a uniform, and you have to have a banner. There were all these different women's groups who had bought the same fabric and made matching dresses. We didn't have a uniform, but they invited us to walk with the Protestant women. It was kind of a mismatched group, so our clothes didn't make us stick out so much.

There wasn't much to the parade. It was just bunches of women walking in front of the authorities and the crowd. It reminded me of when I was in New York in 2001 and we went to this St. Patrick's Day parade that we thought was going to be really cool. They said it's the second biggest St. Patrick's Day in the world, but it was only a band, and then a group of Irish people walking down the street, and then another band, and then another group of Irish people, over and over. Our parade didn't even have bands in the parade, although there was a band that played music for the women to walk to.

It was kind of fun to do though. We didn't stay for the whole thing, that would've been really boring. We left 20 minutes after we were done. Then everyone has a party afterwards. Supposedly the men are supposed to cook, but I don't know any that actually did. One of our friends invited us for dinner, which was nice, but I'm pretty sure he didn't actually do the cooking. They say the women are supposed to give the men money first to buy the food, but if they don't then the men don't have to cook.

As I was waiting for my friends to show up, I got a lot of comments like, "Hey, you're also a mama?!" I didn't really know how to answer that, but at least for one day I admitted to being a "mama."

You're Invited To The

Next BEAMM Partnership Meeting

San Diego, CA

May 16-18, 2008

Please contact Gene Bowman (915) 838-3747 or glbowman@beamm.org for more information.

What is the BEAMM Partnership?

The dream of a BEAMM Partnership was conceived over five years ago. The Partnership would be formed as a familial relationship uniting three elements: the BEAMM ministry team, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) mission agencies of Mission to the World and Mission to North America, and individuals and churches interested in seeing the border ministry advance.

But what do we mean by "familial" relationship? Well, we can compare it to those who live within a nuclear family, and friends and neighbors of that family. The relationship with the friends and neighbors is usually friendly, and may even be quite cordial. But it usually isn't as close as the relationship among the members of the immediate family. The members of the family have a "blood- bond," and as the saying goes, "blood is thicker than water."

In the same way, BEAMM Partners have a "blood-bond" with each other, with the agency, and with the field because of the officially expressed commitment, or marriage, to the ministry of BEAMM. A deeper relationship is cultivated among all through the intimate exchange of information, joys, frustrations, and prayerful intercession for the ministry. And the synergy realized by this relationship is greater than the sum of all of the parts.

In November, 2003, this dream became a reality with the first BEAMM Partnership Meeting taking place in El Paso, TX, with representatives of eight PCA churches in attendance. Since then, the form of the Partnership, its involvement in the Border Ministry, and its makeup have evolved. The BEAMM Partnership now has eight Partners (listed below). And as time has passed, the relationship among these Partners and the BEAMM team has crescendoed.

Partner Benefits

As a BEAMM Partner, you or your church will receive quarterly BEAMM Coordinator Reports, giving you a detailed status of the BEAMM ministry. You have the right to comment on and vote on important issues considered by the BEAMM ministry, such as methodology of ministry, structure of the organization, and how funding should be allocated. You also have access to the BEAMM Partnership Intranet on the BEAMM web site. Within this Intranet, you can view monthly PPP (Progress, Problems, Plans) reports from all members of the BEAMM team, as well as financial summary reports.

Results So Far

We have seen a number of results from the BEAMM Partnership so far: the BEAMM Strategic Plan; Operation JumpStart; a larger pool of financial and prayer resources; and an increased personal involvement of individuals from Partner Churches. Partner churches are loaded with experience and talent such as planners, musicians, trained leaders, skilled mechanics and artisans. Many have already volunteered their skills and talents to the churches here on the border.

Won't You Join Us?

But we need you, too! Won't you consider joining us as a BEAMM Partner today? Individuals, organizations, churches, anyone who has an interest in seeing the Kingdom of God expand on the border and beyond are invited to join. There is no financial commitment, only a commitment to incorporate BEAMM as one of your personal, church's, or organization's strategic ministries.

The Hispanic population is currently the fastest growing ethic group in the United States. And we believe that taking the Gospel to the folks living on the U.S./Mexico border is the springboard to reaching Hispanics both in both Northern Mexico and throughout the United States.

Just download the BEAMM Partnership Agreement, get it approved by your board or Session, then mail it to:

Gene Bowman
BEAMM Coordinator
4856 Cuartel Lane
El Paso, TX 79912

Download the BEAMM Partnership Agreement Here