Wednesday, November 28, 2007

From Costa Rica...

It has been AWESOME to be back in San Jose, sort of remembering the streets where I used to walk so much! During our year of language study we don't have cars (a good thing) so I spent a lot of time on the buses and walking.  Yesterday was encouraging as we met some of the missionaries studying Spanish in preperation for their assignments- God is so BIG and His Kingdom is like none other because the people He has called to serve Him are interesting and uniquely gifted and bring such diverse experiences to the present task. I am not sure why I am here, but I am thrilled to be seeing what is in process with this group of missionaries.

I was also reminded how many needs there are- there aren't enough hours in the day to pray for them all! As you think about all the missionaries today, please say a special prayer for all those around the world who are trying to learn the language of their people in order to be able to share and disciple them. It is a TOUGH process and many things distract: family illnesses or crisis back home, health issues on the field, discouragement, and frustration to name just some. Thanks for praying for them!

We continue to have meetings and activities with our two ladies who are in charge of the language learning process- it is exciting as we develop an enhanced plan to help ALL of us become better language learners/speakers.  We finish up these meetings tomorrow and then I have the opportunity to spend some time with my friends at the church I attended here and also check out the water projects that are in place here in the city. I am really pleased to have this opportunity to see how they are working and impacting the community. 

Thanks for your prayers, remember to pray for our language missionaries today as they struggle through grammar class and talk to people in their new language!
Posted by Timothy Project at 08:13:22 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Safe and sound...

I had a great day of traveling- I love being back in Costa Rica again- looks like it will be an awesome week. I have access to email so go ahead and send me a note!  Check out the new books on the sidebar about microcredit.
Posted by Timothy Project at 09:57:01 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Travel Plans...

I hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday weekend. I am getting ready to travel tomorrow morning to San Jose, Costa Rica. I will be participating in some meetings there related to missionary language and cultural adaptation, as well as spending a day investigating some of the water purification projects that have been done. It is always helpful to see projects in action to get ideas.  I don't know if I will have access to the internet so I may not be able to post updates or respond to email. I will return to the DR on December 3rd.
Posted by Timothy Project at 19:41:46 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is SO MUCH to be thankful for, as the Psalmist says in chapter 16,

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

 7I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.


It is a priviledge to be your misionary here in the DR, to work with the people I work with, and to have a part in the Kingdom's work.  I am thankful for your friendship, your prayer support and your support through the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering!! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

I wish you all a wonderful day with family and friends. I will be traveling in just a few minutes to Santo Domingo to share the day with my International  Mission Board family- right now there are just 5 families here in country and we will be joined by a volunteer couple who is here working this week- 22 people in all, with 9 kids so pray it doesn't rain and the kids can play outside!

Posted by Timothy Project at 09:08:55 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A Wedding in the family...

My nephew, David, got engaged last night- the wedding will be in New Hampshire March 1st. We are excited for him and his soon to be wife, Kristen.  Luckily it works out that I will be able to go home and share in the celebrations.  He is scheduled to go to Iraq in July. They will get married when he finishes up the schooling his is doing right now for the Chemical core and from there he will be going to Ft. Riley in Kansas.

We continue to have rain off and on.  Our trip to Dajabon Monday was great- for once it was sunny (although when we got home we realized it had rained here in Santiago).  The fellowship and sharing was super and hopefully the trip will prove to be profitable. Between the 8 of us who went, we bought 8 55lbs sacks of rice- we can buy it for half price at the market.  We came back by a different route and saw some beautiful scenery. I am so thankful for these opportunities that allow us to share together and enjoy God's creation, building relationships that encourage and build us up in our faith.

Sunday was a good day of worship. Our churches are starting to grow again which is encouraging. Sol is planning a series of conferences on the family during September- we hope that the Hole can take advantage and host the same conferences in their community. Pray for her this week as she works out the invitations. 
Yesterday's study in El 7 went well- the ladies were back and had shown great interest in studying the Bible- one had finished the whole 8 week course!  Please continue to pray for this community- there seems to be growing spiritual interest in seeking the Lord but there is STRONG opposition there. I think i shared last week that I have been labeled "diabolical' by some folks in the Catholic church.  God's power is sufficient so I continue to pray and work under His shadow.

We have about 12 adults awaiting baptism- we are planning a "culto unido" for December 16th- all the churches and missions of the Timothy Project together- pray with me that we can work it out to do the baptisms then while we are all together. What a great way to usher in Christmas!

Posted by Timothy Project at 10:12:26 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Something to think about...

I remember reading some of Martin Luther King's writings for a class I took in college. You know how some things that you hear or read stay with you for a long time? Well, the following quote has stayed with me for years and has helped me deal with many of situations.

We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind with a tender heart.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
It comes out of Jesus' instruction to his disciples when he sends them out in Matthew 10:16...

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Posted by Timothy Project at 08:18:31 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

Friday, November 16, 2007

Resuming Civil Defense Ministry...

Between my travels and the rain, I haven't been going to the CD morning formations to have the devotion BUT I am going to start back this week even though I am about to travel again and will miss two Sundays.

We were on TV this week! Several Junta de Vecinos (Victor, Sol, and others close to the river) presented the CD director a plaque of recognition and the Timothy Project did so as well. Of all the fatalities during this past month, here in Santiago we have not suffered any! The CD works closely with the community groups and trains and develops a solid network of volunteers that have really proven themselves during high alert times. So, we wanted to recognize him in that, and give him a boost in his organization.

Please continue to pray for our relation with the Civil Defense and in particular its director, Francisco Arias.

This Sunday I will be at the CD at 7:45am, Los Santos at 8:30am, Villa at 10am and the Hole at 2:30pm. We hope to have a Movie Night in the Hole at 6pm to kick off the Christmas celebrations/Bible studies on Wednesday nights. Please keep all these services in your prayers. Victor will be in La Canela 8:30-11am. Keep him and Simon's family in prayer and Victor's safe travel by motorcycle (it is a 40 minute ride out there.)
Posted by Timothy Project at 17:36:46 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

End of Week Report...

It has been a week of mixed emotions. Tuesday I finally was able to get down to El 7 and we had a great bible study. Two ladies from the community joined us. What was discouraging was the pre-study conversation. They were sharing with me how the ladies from the Catholic church are telling all the youth that participated with our youth week last summer are involved in something "diabolic."  We have only taught straight from Scripture and have not pressured anyone to participate, or to leave their church, or anything! But there is a little group of people there doing everything they can to scare people away from our Bible studies. I was very thankful these folks brought it out in the open. I shared that while I disagree with some of the Catholic church teachings, I do not reject them as Christians and have nothing against them.  And also explained that no "religion" nor any "church" can save, only Christ. It was quite an experience! Please join me in praying for Morena and her family as they stand against this teaching (that we are diabolic!) and pray that God will touch people's hearts.  Wednesday I dealt with some other disappointing news so it was a pretty frustrating few days.

From there I spent several hours visiting in Villa de Yaque. I left in tears! (Nothing happened really but it was discouraging to take the "pulse" of the people.) I talked with several different families which was very good but I realized that there is so little trust among the people and it is next to impossible for them to work together and the constant conflicts keep them upset all the time. That is no way to live! And it makes it VERY hard to develop a church!  Please pray for the key community leaders (some are our church leaders too!) that God will help them learn to seek peace and forgive past wrongs and build again a foundation of trust. Also, pray for one young man, Sanchez, who has just started coming back to church but Monday threw gas on some people (a child!) and tried to light a match. The police took him away and I don't know if he has returned. So as you can see, that was a discouraging visit!

We missed our Bible study with Simon's family in La Canela but I talked with him by phone later.  Please pray for him as he deals with a very difficult financial situation and is trying to work out a business agreement with Felix- our woodworker in the Hole.  Victor shared with me that Santo, our new Christian in the Hole, was a strong participant in their Bible study. It has been exciting and instructive to see his determination to leave his previous life-style behind!

We finally got back to Guayacanal Thursday to visit with folks and that felt good. People are doing well- Johnny had gotten hit in the head with a rock (needed 11 stitches!) last week. Some folks who were drunk got into a fight and he crossed by looking for his little girl and got the rock in the back of the head!  Oh boy!   Between the rain and him having stitches in his head, they haven't finished the little bit that remains to do on the church but I hope within a week or so that is all done! This rain has really messed up our schedules but there isn't much we can do about it!

I was pretty excited today to get the official paperwork back on the foundation- our name was approved and registered officially, paving the way for the next step in the incorporation process.  Please pray with me that next week we can make some significant strides in getting the by-laws approved by the board and signed and turned into to the government- it seems like a lot to do but I want to try to get it done before I travel on the 25th.
Posted by Timothy Project at 17:30:26 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday, November 12, 2007

The Barnabas Foundation...

You have heard me mention the beginning of the Barnabas Foundation. Our goal is to channel resources to help the marginal class (urban poor) become economically stable and form an adequate educational base for survival in today's global economy, and thus become stronger more effective spiritual leaders in their communities.  Our two primary objectives are 1) to educate in basic principles of administration and to encourage and help them finish their basic education (high school diploma) and 2) facilitate loans to establish small business with which they can begin to grow a stable economic base for their families. 

Some of you have expressed interest in helping this become a reality which is awesome! Here are some things you may consider:

     1) Sponsor someone to go back to school: $50/year will cover tuition and books

     2) Sponsor a small business: Cost will vary depending on the type of business, most will fall between US$100-500.
Some of you may wonder what kind of businesses we are talking about. They could be as simple as buying someone a washer machine and/or iron so that they can do laundry for others in their community who don't have a machine. It could be buying a refridgerator so that they person can make ice and ice cream to sell.  Buying a welding unit to set someone up in a welding business, etc. And then of course, some businesses, depending on the skill and training of the person involved might be a woodworking shop.

     3) Consider donating a new or used computer. Our goal is to establish learning centers in the barrios, allowing children and adults to gain survival skills in the computer age. We will have government training programs and technicians giving classes (for free!) in basic computer skills and programs.  Please contact me about how to help us with this program. We need at least 6 computers per learning center (to make giving classes possible) and we can establish at least 10 learning centers alongside our Baptist church planting ministries!

I am happy to talk with anyone about these needs and would love to hear your suggestions and comments.  You can contact me directly to see about how to contribute. marsha.davidson@macregion.org 

Posted by Timothy Project at 12:00:14 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Weekend Report...

We have continued to have rain and more rain, making it difficult to get focused and get going again.  People are suffering from the "gripe" (flu-like symptoms) more than ever. In fact, I am taking one of our ladies from Villa de Yaque to the doctor at 2pm- she has been hospitalized over the weekend with asthma problems.

I must confess I was a little discouraged with our services yesterday- it is hard to get everything going in the same direction. It seems we get one aspect of our ministries stronger and then something else goes wrong. It is a never ending battled! But at the end of the day, I did feel there was a lot to be encouraged about so I am back on my knees, praying God will guide us and raise up the leaders we need.

I was very pleased with the Hole- we have a fairly young man who has been involved in an alternative lifestyle for more than 2 decades and has decided to follow Jesus, so he is putting away this other lifestyle and is actively pursuing the Lord! He took the initiative this week to do some much needed work on the church in the Hole and this week he is going to work on getting some folks together and form a chorus and organize our music ministry. Pray for him as he continues to be obedient!

Last night we had our first board meeting of the Barnabas Foundation- I was greatly encouraged with the commitment and experience that was represented. We are now working in various work teams to get ready to begin in January. Our biggest task right now, besides getting legally established, is getting our education program ready. We want to offer courses in Basic Administration, Small Business Administration and Personal Leadership Skills.  If you have any ideas or materials to contribute- send them on!! marsha.davidson@macregion.org.  

Getting ready for Christmas: I was reminded by someone today that Christmas is coming and some of you want to help us with Christmas things. Last year we prepared a goodie bag for each of our children in Sunday School- 120! Plus another 30 or so for the children in our mission sites, and we prepared about 50 bags of food- basically a two day ration of the basics (rice, beans, oil, salt, tomato paste, spagetti, coffee, and a few other items.)  If any of your Sunday School classes or civic groups want to help us in providing a Christmas gift to our folks, we would be very appreciative!  A child's gift bag is about US$8 and a food bag is about US$12.  If you want to send items to be included, that would be great too- they just need to be lightweight and sent early enough to get here.  Contact me about how to go about supporting our Christmas ministry.
Posted by Timothy Project at 11:59:03 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |
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