Major changes

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Please pray for us.

Selling or giving away practically everything (amazing how much 2 frugal people accumulate in 15 years after losing almost all in a hurricane and tornado). Giving "heirlooms" and such "family possessions" to my kids / grandkids.

Looking for small motorhome for temp housing while on deputation for $6000 or less. (Target date for being on the field 31Dec19).

Technologically challenged couple trying to put together presentation, etc. for deputation.

Cracking down on seeking proficiency in Spanish for two old codgers.

We are going on a "survey / fact-finding" trip 25Dec17-12Jan18. 

We are going to Nicaragua (missionary) probably beginning ministry in / near Jinotega or Boaco. The Lord has already provided me with a couple of national contacts (a paralegal who is familiar with Nicaragua visas and a Nicaraguan Independent Baptist pastor) and a gringo missionary in Matagalpa. The national pastor should be able to make me aware of existing solid Baptist churches that might be in an area that most gringos wouldn't know was there because of them being the result of the ministry of a Nica church instead of a US missionary. That should help avoid an unwitting waste of time and effort in an "already covered" area.

 

If someone knows of some churches which have an annual missions conference that might be worth my while, please let me know. I've always stayed in my little corner, minding my own business and busy with the ministry the Lord had me in. As a result, most the people and contacts I knew are in Glory now. I know no one, no one knows me (which can be a blessing or a frustration).

 

[Alan]

May the Lord give you guidance, wisdom, meetings, and meetings, and meetings.

Keep us posted.

[Jim_Alaska]

Plack Road Baptist Church in North Pole, Alaska always had an annual missionary conference when I lived in Alaska. I have not lived in Alaska since I left in 2003, so I am not familiar with the new pastor there.

This church was started as a mission work out of Rodger's Baptist Church in Garland, Texas. Both Rodger's and  this mission work, which is now a church are solid Independent Baptists. You might contact the pastor from the link of his church's website here.

There are three other solid Independent Baptist churches in the area, which may make a deputation trip there worth while. Each of these four churches were started as mission works and continue to support missions world-wide.

Rodgers Baptist Church has been the sending church for many missionaries over the years. You may want to add them to your list.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Jim_Alaska
added text

[swathdiver]

Our local church supports Bob Dayton in Managua, Nicaragua.  

https://www.bimi.org/missionaries/daytonB.php

 

He's been there since the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Though I've never met Bro. Dayton personally, I'm quite familiar with him. He originally went to Costa Rica to learn Spanish, one year later went to Managua. One of my national pastor contacts (Her. Ramon Gonzalez Sequeria, Pastor of Iglesia Bautista Renacer since 1974) is a product of Bro. Dayton's ministry. Between 26 known mission boards in the U.S. (there's no way to count the number of missionaries not through boards) there are only 12 missionaries in Nicaragua (6 are BIMI). There are only 188 known IB churches in the country (in comparison there are over 600 in NC and over 800 in TX) and some of them (such as the one in Jinotega) have become Charismatic. 

[DaveW]

Brother, I would be happy to have you come visit us, but it would cost you more than it is worth.

If you can get a "stand alone" presentation together, I would be happy to show it and pass it around my friends, but it is hard enough for Australian Missionaries to gain support.

We can definitely pray though.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

When I can later, I will get a multimedia presentation sent to you. I know that prayer support is vital for the missionary AND the congregation. Christians need missions always before them lest it become "out of sight, out of mind". There's something about "the missionary we pray for" or if a youth group or Sunday School class has "OUR missionary".

[DaveW]

4 hours ago, OLD fashioned preacher said:

When I can later, I will get a multimedia presentation sent to you. I know that prayer support is vital for the missionary AND the congregation. Christians need missions always before them lest it become "out of sight, out of mind". There's something about "the missionary we pray for" or if a youth group or Sunday School class has "OUR missionary".

Amen brother, amen.

[swathdiver]

We support James Carter in Western Australia.  

[DaveW]

53 minutes ago, swathdiver said:

We support James Carter in Western Australia.  

I know James.

His dad, Pastor Gaylor Carter looked after the church I was at many years ago while our Pastor was reporting back to his supporting churches.

I went on a Youth canoe trip with James when he was in his late teens and I was in my early 20's.

Later, we went out to a place called Kellerberrin to help Pastor Gaylor clean up a church building and hold some meetings to get things started out there.

James is about 100 miles from where I am, so we don't see other much. Pastor Gaylor is back in the US suffering with age related problems.

 

One thing is sure - the labourers are few...........

[OLD fashioned preacher]

So far we have had some interesting adventures and misadventures in Matagalpa. Have been overcharged a couple of times (gringo tax). Made a couple of good contacts in town including a national pastor (Ivis Calindres of Calvary Baptist, Matagalpa) who may be able to help us get our feet on the ground when we move here (they have been instrumental in establishing six churches in the country). Our sending church will be Old Paths Baptist Church in Ruidoso, N.M. (Pastor Joshua de los Santos) and they will be helping our linguistic studies as we seek to raise support. The owner of the house we are staying in is keeping our feet to the fire by forcing us to use Spanish ---- which is good.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Today being New Year's Day, everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) is closed. Even the two supermarkets that are owned by Wal-Mart (La Colonia and Pali), so I'll wait till tomorrow to buy more food. I walk about a mile, place my backpack in a locker, shop, pay, retrieve the backpack, place purchased items therein, walk back, repeat in about three days. I will also stop at the mercado campesino (farmer's market) on the trip (it's about 1/4 mile off path). Such is shopping in this city of 120,000 people.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

A couple of days ago the propane ( for the stove ) ran out in the midst of fried chicken and biscuit cooking, while washing dishes the water quit ( if the city works on the system, they don't give a head's up ) and we had a 7 hour power shortage. Our host's son says, "No gas, no water, no electricity --- Welcome to Nicaragua!"

Due to the holiday, weather ( all clothes are hung outside to dry )and power outage we were in the same outfit for 3 days. Oh, we have 5 days worth of clothes here and this was 2 separate clothing runs ---- at the laundromat. You drop the clothes off, you can't use the equipment. The sink here is too small to be practical for washing and the is no such thing as a bathtub, it's a shower --- most Nicaraguans don't have hot water unless they boil it.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

There's no postal delivery here, the local city post office usually doesn't receive your mail (especially packages), and Amazon, Fed - Ex, and UPS don't come here. This is in reference to the whole country.

[Alan]

8 hours ago, OLD fashioned preacher said:

Welcome to Nicaragua!"

A true missionary spirit!