Guatemala, Here We Come!

Dear Friends,

This letter is a bit different than our usual update but we are excited to share with you an exciting opportunity before us. Our commissioning church–Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri–is going on a missions trip to Guatemala in August. Through a series of communications and “one-thing-led-to-another”, it looks like our skills can be of great use on this trip. We are very excited to be a part of this team, comprised of both long-time friends and new friends.

Our goal is to spend one week there using our skills to help a wonderful ministry at the Rehobeth children's orphanage in rural Parramos, Guatemala. Every ministry has a God story as to how it came about and this one is no different. Rather than go into detail here there is a website set up with more information. We invite you to take a look around. www.givejoy2one.com We depart on August 3^rd and return August 10^th 2013.

What specifically will we do? Mike will tackle repairs of a water pump station. Kathy will use her medical skills to fit people with eyeglasses. Anyone got any old prescription glasses laying around that you have no idea what to do with? WE CAN USE THEM.

They can be any type, as long as they are prescription. Using an oto-refractor, we will use them to match people with the prescription glasses. We hope to collect 300 pairs of glasses.

We are excited about this opportunity and hope you will consider your part in helping us.

There are several ways you can help us complete the goals of this trip.

•  First, pray for effectiveness of ministry and health and safety in travels.

•  Second, we need prescription eyeglasses. We would like to take a total of 300 pairs.

•  Third, we need donations of anti-reflux medications (over the counter is fine), anti-inflammatory medications, and medications for respiratory problems.

•  And fourth, we need to raise our financial support for the trip. At $1500 per person, we need a total of $3000 and we ask you to consider a one-time donation for this trip. If you choose to support us financially, we’d appreciate knowing your intentions as soon as possible or by mid-May so we can have everything ready for our departure date.

Important details:

•  Please let us know if you will pray for us regularly. We will keep you posted of detailed prayer requests.

•  If you have eyeglasses and medications mail them to the church address below in care of Joel Niekirk, Missions Committee Chairman. If you would, enclose a note stating you know us.

•  If you would like to partner with us financially for this trip, the following is very important. DO NOT mail your donation to Wycliffe. All donations must be mailed to Cape Bible Chapel at the address below. You will need to include a note stating your donation is for Mike and Kathy Smith expenses for Guatemala. You will get a tax-deductible receipt.

We hope you will consider helping us meet the goals of this trip. As you can see, there are several ways you can help. We thank each of you for your continued partnership in the ministry at JAARS and consider it an honor to be an extension of you here, and now to use our skills in Guatemala.

Sincerely,

Mike and Kathy

Address for Guatemala financial support:

Cape Bible Chapel:

2911 Kage Rd.

Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

c/o Missions Committee Chairman: Joel Niekirk

Attach a separate note stating “for Mike and Kathy Smith trip to Guatemala”

JAARS Day March 2013, Includes Dedication of JAARS' Fourth Kodiak Plane

Mike at the Land Transportation display. 

It was a beautiful, clear Saturday. Much prayer, preparation, and passion was complete as JAARS held its first JAARS Day of the year. Once again, we participated.

The day is filled with visitors with a variety of interests. Some come out of curiosity, some want something different to do on a beautiful Saturday. Some are just tagging along with a friend or there are church groups or youth groups. And then there are those who know deep in their heart God is calling them to serve in missions. It is here they can find direction and where their skills and talents can be used. It is inspiring to hear their stories and see their passion with God's call on their lives.

Kathy and Patti Wilson are the regular team at the Information Table in the hangar. There are three Information Table's on the campus. It seems people are always most curious about the planes so the one in the hangar stays very busy. 

The hangar is filled with numerous other displays—sign-ups for plane and helicopter rides, vernacular media presentations, Maritime services, a children's section where games are played, volunteer services where people can connect their skills and begin their journey in missions. Information Technology (computers) have their display in our second large hangar called the "T-hangar". This display is one of the largest as computer technology revolutionized Bible translation.

In the picture above can you see how to find the answers to all your questions about JAARS Day?

This is the fourth Kodiak airplane acquired by JAARS. Through generous donations and God's miraculous provision JAARS acquired this one in January of this year. The Kodiak airplane was designed specifically for missions. This one will be flown to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for use there. PNG has more languages than any other country in the world. The PNG Center there is the largest in the world.

 The control panel of the Kodiak.

Open for a peek inside.

 Gathering the crowd for the dedication.

Director of Aviation, Mike Brooks, introduces John Williams, JAARS Chaplain, who leads prayer for the dedication.

 

  The public joins hands for prayer during the dedication.

Prayers are offered for protection of the aircraft, the missionaries it will transport, the people groups it will be used to reach, and the mechanics who will maintain it. Every aspect of its use was prayed for.

 A Cessna was also dedicated to serve Bible translation in Australia.

Here are highlights of a few conversations we had.

• We met a lovely family with seven daughters. Their fifteen-year-old knows without a doubt she is called to missions, specifically to northern India. This JAARS Day was her birthday and her requested gift was for the family to attend and spend her entire birthday at JAARS. She made rounds to all the displays, investigating each one. Last we saw her, she had an armful of literature. Kathy had an extended conversation with her mother. What an inspirational young lady this is!
• Brian is a father of two elementary age boys. He received Christ two years ago and immediately sensed he was called to ministry. In the light of many older and wiser Christians telling him to take things slowly, Brian shared this calling would not leave him. He could not "not" do it. Brian shared how he then was laid off from his fifteen-year job in computers. With time on his hands and a passion for ministry, he enrolled in seminary. It was humbling to see his profound knowledge and application of the Scriptures. Once again, he was armed with literature and information, seeking the Lord if he is called now to missions. His wife was not there but she shares his passion.
• Two pilots shared how they were from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and came here specifically for JAARS Day. They'd heard of the ministry of JAARS and Wycliffe at their church and thought it was time for a visit. What a joy to meet them.

These are just a few snippets of the conversations that took place that day. It was a full day of inspiration, encouragement, and excitement. JAARS Day is held four times a year. A lot of prayer and planning goes into these. We are thankful to participate. The entire center is busy with other aspects as well. Four-wheel drive rides, boat rides, construction displays with small building projects for the public to do, solar computing, ethnic activities. The museums are open and there are several translation modules presented in the Townsend Building.

If you're coming this way, why not check out the remaining JAARS Days for the year and make a detour to our Center? We'd love to see you!

Blessings,
Mike and Kathy