Colombia, January 2017 - Diane

I love sharing these snippets from my mom's travel journal. If you know Diane at all, you know that traveling is not second nature to her. I suspect most all of you know that if she were deciding, she would be home with her beloved dog, Summer and in close proximity to her kids and grandkids and her typical daily routines. Isn't it just how God works on us to make us uncomfortable to grow closer and more dependent on Him? Please be praying for Diane and Gary and their discomfort and growth - mental, emotional and physical discomfort is hard but it pays in huge dividends when God is the source!

Saturday Jan 21

Today the first day here in Medellin was a very full day! We arrived at the hotel about midnight last night and just unpacked enough to sleep. Then this morning we met Lacides Hernandes, the president of Prison Fellowship - Latin America, and off we went!  Back to the airport an hour away to pick up the board members arriving from an OMS board meeting in Peru. Then we went to visit a part of this ministry that reaches boys through soccer. They built a big sports complex that enables them to practice and play a lot of soccer. But also while they are playing this sport, they are being led to Christ and discipled

in the Christian way of life. And the families are involved in their process also. They are also building a church in the community that has grown from the soccer ministry.

Then we were taken to a facility that manufactures brownies using an American recipe and the proceeds are used to fund the soccer facility!  It is an amazing process that shows Gods  people working together to further His Kingdom.

Sunday January22

We got up and had breakfast with some of the International Board members, including president of OMS, Bob Fetherlin. We got to share our story of how God called us to serve Him in mission work. Many people who are with OMS have been in missions their whole lives and their families were missionaries. So our story fascinates them.

We went to church in Medellin at the first evangelical church established here by IGLECO, a division of OMS. It was a very special day for them to have the president and board members visiting. They gave a plaque to the President with their many thanks. One of the board members is a pastor and he preached a wonderful sermon with Randy Spacht as his translator. It was very powerful for everyone. The title was "At the Feet of Jesus," the story of Mary and how that was where you could always find her. It was very applicable in our busy world to take time to find what we need at the feet of Jesus. 

Bob Fetherlin spoke of the goals of OMS to reach all who have not heard the name of Jesus. He challenged all of us saying we are the ones who will take His name to all the earth. He also challenged the church here in Medellin - they are called to send missionaries to other countries that need Jesus. As always he was very inspiring.

Then after the service of much singing and greetings, we went to a local mall for lunch. The officials of the church hosted us and many were there with their families.

After lunch we went to visit the offices of IGLEICO. They are located very close to our hotel. They shared their organizational plan and plans to expand into other areas of Columbia. They are already in much of the country and even have a church in London.

Tonight for dinner we will hear about other aspects of ministry here. Such as the Satura Columbia project which as the name implies, has the goal of saturating the whole country with the Gospel. It was a special treat to hear from Juan Guillermo Cardona tonight about the saturation project for all of Columbia. He gave a very detailed plan of how this would be accomplished. He and his family work very hard for the Lord. It was such a pleasure to see them all. The last time we saw them his wife was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer. Thankfully she is cancer free now and looks wonderful! Their two teenage children, a boy and a girl, are so sweet and welcoming to us. It is wonderful to have such good friends here.

AMAZING NEWS and request for fervent prayer!

As we have explained over the last years, we have been blessed to be able to participate in this ministry to the prisons in Latin America.  The success is God’s and the major workers are the volunteers in each of prisons who are there week to week instructing and encouraging the inmates in their discipleship and growth who deserve the credit.  Our role is one of encouragement, counseling and coaching of the trainers and to a much lesser extent assisting in the actual training of the individuals.

The results that are being achieved in Honduras by the volunteers have been significant enough to draw the attention of the leadership of both Prison Fellowship International and One Mission Society.  Through a series of meetings and communications it was decided to work toward a co-operative program between PFI and One Mission Society to go to the prisons of the world in a broader but also a deeper level to make an impact on this people group.

 

Agreements have been reached and the development of this program is taking place even now for targeting 10-12 countries in the World for 2016. 

Training Coordinator for TPJ-T&M Project 

With that said, we have been approached with the suggestion that we consider a role as the training coordinator for the project for all non-Spanish speaking nations targeted.  At this time it looks like those nations might be Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, South Africa, Kenya, Bulgaria and Spain, Burkina Faso, Togo. 

As training coordinators, we would be expected to attend each of 2-3 Regional Training sessions to participate in the training of the First Generation of Trainers from each country in that region.  We expect to train at least 2 people from each country in this Generational Cycle.  Then subsequently, we would attend and assist in the training of the next generation of trainers, expected to be 10+ individuals that will then go throughout their nations sharing this program with both believers and un-believers that are interested. 

Assisting in the training of both the first and second generation of teachers would be probably two to three other trainers from OMS.  The suggestion is that I would –co-ordinate the training and Diane would be the Facilitator/Coordinator to handle the logistics for the program in the first generation training sessions.

A few other projects have been mentioned for our attention and consideration as well:

1)      Training Data Base Development Coordinator – OMS has trainers worldwide with many ministry partners for a multitude of different Church Multiplication Programs.  There has never been an established data base that could be accessed to find resources regarding the availability of trainers and materials based upon location (geography), languages for teaching, languages spoken, possible availability for teaching a week long class as well as by program, like T4T (Training for Trainers), VCP (Village Church Planting) and T&M (Train & Multiply.) We were asked to serve as coordinators for this project offering a “big picture” and “user friendly” oversight to keep the project focused on usability of those accessing the program.

2)     Interim Church Multiplication Facilitator to Colombia for the Prison Ministry – Working with Lacides Hernandez and his staff at Confraternidad de Carcelaria de Colombia  (PFI-Colombia),  In the absence of the present CMF due to health concerns, we have been asked to fill in for the next 6-9 months at a minimum to assist this co-operative ministry to achieve long and short term goals with regard to their work in the Prisons of Colombia.

3)     Continuing responsibilities as Church Multiplication Facilitator to Honduras – Existing roles

These represent a very large scope of projects that have not 

been totally firmed up yet but should be within the next 60 

days.  We are asking for prayers for wisdom to assist us in 

evaluating these projects and our capabilities to meet the needs 

of the project.

Reflecting on our time in Medellin, Columbia - Diane

We were so busy when we were in Columbia earlier this fall that there was very little time for writing or even reflecting about what was happening there. Now it has been awhile since we have been home and time has flown. As I look back, I realize what an immense privilege it was for us to be a part of those meetings. There were people from all over the world who are committed to prison ministry in their own countries. We were a part of the group sharing what the Lord is doing in each country to further His ministry. We learned a lot. But one of the special things that happened there was the friends we made in that short time. Naturally, when people of like faiths and like callings come together there was much that drew us together. We especially connected with a Pastor from Costa Rica who also does Kairos! We pray that the Lord allows us to cross paths again some day. Also we became friends with a lady from Puerto Rico who has a huge heart for prison ministry. These friendships are very encouraging to us, since many people do not understand our calling to prison ministry.
   

Another wonderful aspect of our trip was the visit to Pedregal Prison. It is a maximum security prison in Medellin. We had to go through three different security points and a drug sniffing dog! But once we did, it was an amazing visit. We learned about a program that the women of this prison are involved in called APAC. It is a structured program that prepares them for re-entering society. They are free to move around the area of prison where there are no guards. They are trained in things like sewing, that will help them to earn a living upon their release. This area of the prison was painted white and was very cheery and bright. The girls all wore uniforms that were also a cheerful yellow and white. They shared a small part of their stories and we had an interpreter with us so we did not miss a thing! They spoke about how important their faith is in their lives and their return to their families and homes.   They seemed happy and appreciative of the privilege of being in this program.

After the meeting they all came over and gave us hugs! That is the part that surpasses all language barriers! The love of Christ unites us.

As always, with every trip we are so blessed by what God has called us to do. We are humbled each and every time too. We are only able to do this in His strength and power. We thank Him for this calling on our lives.

Please pardon the timeline jumping with these first posts as we get this blog up to speed!  Following is our update prior to our Honduras trip.  This will give you a pretty good idea of what our outlook on the mission is for the rest of the year.

Greetings to all our prayer partners and supporters!

Our ministry is getting into gear in a serious way right now. 

Diane and I will be facilitating and training 15 Honduran volunteers in Tegucigalpa, Honduras May 28^th-June 6.  These 15 volunteers have already been actively visiting the prisons in their country. We will go with them into these facilities and begin establishment of Train and Multiply Bible studies.  This program results in the identification of leaders and the formation of small groups and then eventually the establishment of churches within the walls of the prisons, directed and led by inmates themselves. 

Diane and I will be looking forward to utilizing our newly learned skills in Spanish assisting in instruction and building relationships with the trainees.  They will use the material and skills we provide to encourage and teach the inmates and develop long term relationships with a foundation in Christ. 

After we return to the US, we will continue to support these trainees by following up with them via Skype and e-mail, offering suggestions, checking on progress, and seeing just how God is working  through their efforts.  We look forward to sharing those stories of hope! 

We will return to Honduras in 8-12 weeks to work with them further and make several visits into each of the facilities in which they are ministering.

It is exciting to see how these trips will be driving our calendar in the next year!  As we make our way, we plan on staying in touch and taking each of you with us as much as possible.  

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or encouragement!  Your participation and prayers mean a great deal!

In Christ,
Gary

Gary and I have been asked to participate in a training event back in Colombia.  They are working throughout the nation of Colombia to take the Gospel to each and every home in the nation!  What an exciting potential for major transformation in a country once so torn by drug trade and violence! This will include to all those incarcerated in the prisons of Colombia, as well.  The plan is to train approximately 100 volunteers from across the country to go back to their “barrios” and start planting the seeds that will multiply into a revival within the nation. 

Since this trip has fallen so soon after our trip to Tegucigalpa, it will be impossible for me to accompany Gary because our support account will just about be emptied out. 

So, can I ask that you pray for increased pledges and gifts to our mission work to Latin America? 

We always appreciate your prayers but would also ask that you prayerfully consider participation as financial partners of our mission work. 

It is VERY SIMPLE to pledge your support.  And EVERY gift makes a difference to us. 

Go to this link:

http://www.onemissionsociety.org/give/TheBarefoots

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers for our effectiveness, protection and responsiveness to God’s call us to serve Him!  It means more than you know!                  

Blessings,

Diane