19981025 Brigada Today

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News and Notes about Brigada, Your Gateway to Missions Networking!
On the WorldWide Web, browse https://brigada.org or http://www.eGroups.com/list/brigada-today
Brigada Today is “the missionary helper newsletter!”
Compiled by Doug Lucas <DLucas@teamexpansion.org>, Louisville, KY
[Pass this issue to a friend! To subscribe, see instructions at end.]

In this issue….

I VISITED “THE SECRET ROOM (AT MAF)!”

I wish I could have taken all 7646 of you with me this past week. I was invited to preach and give a presentation during morning chapel at the offices of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Wow!

What an experience. I met nearly 100 of the greatest people you would ever want to meet! They all seemed to have such a commitment to serve: pilots, airplane instructors, administrators, secretaries, and even missionaries!! They also want to do things with excellence. Later, after chapel, the management staff held a brainstorming session with the Information Technology (IT) people. Yikes.

Truth is, the “xc.org” segment (IT) hasn’t been breaking even financially. Not enough subscribers! So… one idea is to ask a ton of you to go ahead and subscribe to MAFxc. You’ll get an email box that can be configured to forward email to whichever address you’ve assumed for the time being. . . so you can be “YourNameHere@xc.org” and that address will forward incoming email to a farm address in Iowa or a city address in Caracas or a rural address in Thailand. Trouble is, by my calculations, we’d need somewhere around 1000 extra people to subscribe annually at the $52 rate. Gulp.

(By the way, if you decide to try this, make sure you tell them you’re subscribing because of Brigada so they’ll know to count you toward our “1000 extra Brigada people”.) If we don’t use that approach, does anyone have a better idea? Warning: MAF is desperate… but also patient. At this point we’re just assembling ideas. If you want to try the subscribe approach, just write Rex at: helpdesk@xc.org for more information.

By the way, I was privileged to see the “Secret Room” where all the servers are kept. In that one room is the server that runs the whole xc.org conference and all associated lists. I felt like I was in a kind of “holy of holies”! It was really spooky to actually reach out and place my hand on the very machine that works so hard each week to deliver these Brigada Today messages to you! God bless the folks at MAF for working so hard to pull things together! Have you noticed lately how everything has been speeding up? The Lyris web pages for all the Brigada conferences is actually working quite nicely now! Lickety-split. May God be praised for working “in” and “through them!”

PRAYER FOR CREATIVE ACCESS LANDS

Last week we invited input re: creative access lands and how to exchange prayer requests for their sake (WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT PRAYER FOR CREATIVE-ACCESS COUNTRIES?). Several people wrote with ideas, but actually there was no one “breakthrough” strategy. Nearly every reply emphasized the importance still of not distributing the information too widely. Some suggested fancy encryption routines (such as PGP), while others campaigned for more security. In the end, my conclusion is still the safest, I believe: Send out prayer requests on the web, via Internet, etc., but make sure each has been sanitized to remove the names of on-site workers, their identities, as well as anything else that might be attached.

NEED A TAKE-ALONG WATER FILTER?

Have you seen the new Ultimate Flaskfilter water filter? It’s supposed to take out all the Cryptosporidium and Giardia you can throw its way. It looks exactly like one of those water bottles you slide into the holder on your bike. You just fill the bottle and squeeze. A filter cleans about 200 liters of water (52 gallons), depending on the amount of impurities in the water. Replacement filters are $10. In the USA (or on Net2Phone) call 1-800-426-7229 or from outside the USA call 208-356-0385. What I like about this approach is that one would be able to escape the funny feeling one sometimes gets in a private home, taking water from the faucet and then filtering it. Sometimes I feel like the implication is that the water just isn’t pure enough for me. . . when the local person drinks it daily. With this Ultimate FlaskFilter, one could be a little more . . . shall we say . . . discreet. They’re on the web at http://www.ultdir.com/. I’ve had one of their water bottle “holsters” for 7 or 8 years . . . and if you drink water, you want to get to know them.

NEED A PRINTER FOR THAT LAPTOP?

PC Magazine says the new Epson Stylus Color 440 ($150) is your best value. It’s a real four-color unit. HP’s 712C ($250) and 722C ($300) are just a tad more money, but they’re also faster and slightly higher in quality. But if you’re looking for a real top quality color printer and you have the budget, step on up to HP’s 895Cse Professional Series. This last model received “Excellent” in every category. NEC scored big in the laser category with the SuperScript 870 (only $350!). You can even purchase an extra input tray (500 sheets for $169) and a network card.

SOMETIMES THE SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST IS THE BESTEST

Shopping for a data projector for all those mission presentations? Just when I was about to recommend InFocus’ LP425 (6.8 pounds, 700 lumens), Epson brings out the PowerLite 5500C. It’s just over 2 pounds heavier, but does a lot better job at giving even lighting throughout the entire projected image. Add a zoom and an included remote control that plugs into your laptop’s serial port, and it’s probably a better deal. ‘Course, you’ll need $7500 bucks so . . . maybe this one’s one of those long-term goals.

“LOOK MA – NO WIRES!” (NETWORKING WITHOUT CABLE)

Maybe in your missionary home, you’ve got a desktop for the kids and the Mrs. and a laptop for you. Now you can network the two without wires using Diamond Multimedia’s new “HomeFree” package. It’s only 1 Mbps but it has a range of 150 feet using Spread Spectrum RF technology. Plus both computers can surf the web using the same single Internet account. Check it out at http://www.diamondmm.com/homefree

CHECK OUT YOUR NEW VIRTUAL PHARMACY

We used to read Where There is no Doctor but now I have a feeling we’d also check out Dr. Koop’s Community http://www.drkoop.com, VitaSave http://www.vitasave.com, and GreenTree Nutrition http://www.greentree.com. From these and other online pharmacies, you can check out medicines and their sideeffects and pick up nutrition information for free.

AN EASIER WAY INTO NET2PHONE

If you’ve been looking for an easy way to get into a phone-over-the-net world, check out NetConnect ($149) at 888-366-3638 in the USA. This hardware/software solution lets you use your normal phone over the Internet. Full duplex audio card included. See them on the web at http://www.enetconnect.com.

HOW FAST IS THE INTERNET GROWING?

Plum fast. ISPs have picked up by 25% per year to a current total of 5000 despite consolidation. Some estimate 200 million connected computers by July 2001. One researcher says he estimates that the load on the Internet backbone is increasing 10 times per year . . . which would translate into 1000% growth! If you’re into terabytes (which is the next step up from gigabytes), we’re talking 1500 of them per month as of mid-1998! If this kind of stuff interests you, check out http://www.thestandard.com/newsletters and http://ww.thestandard.com/metrics.

FROM THE “WHERE DID YOU GET THE NAME ‘BRIGADA’?” DEPT.

In 1942, Stalin, then leader of what used to be the USSR, banished some 200,000 Crimean Tatars from their home on the Black Sea. They were not permitted to return to their homeland en masse until the early nineties, when the Soviet Union broke apart. Unfortunately, since their homes had been confiscated by others, the Crimean Tatars were forced to rebuild entire settlements during the cold winters of 1990 and 1991. While living in Crimea, we saw, at times, literally dozens of Crimean Tatar families working together in what they called, in Russian, ‘brigadas’ (brigades), helping one another build homes in rapid fashion. They found, through experience, that working together produces synergy, i.e., the output is greater than the sum of the inputs. As Bill Taylor writes in Kingdom Partnerships, “… One draft horse can pull four tons. If you harnessed two draft horses together, they can pull twenty-two tons.” We need just this kind of ‘brigada’ and just this kind of synergy! (By the way, the word also works the same in Spanish.)

REFUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO WANT THEIR MONEY BACK

Lately, we’ve received a couple of inquiries asking us if it would be possible to produce Brigada Today on Friday instead of Monday. I mean, after all, we always date it as of Friday, so why can’t it be delivered to our inbox on Fridays. One participant said it would be easier to get the material to members of his local church if it came on Friday. We answered him by explaining that we send it on Mondays so he’ll have 6 days to prepare copies rather than just one.

NOT!

The real reason is that we get involved with weekend trips and family activities and sometimes (actually most of the time) we don’t get it out as quickly as we used to.

However, I can tell you this – we’ll try harder to get it out earlier.

In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

AS THE SEARCHING SAGA SOARS

One user recommends we try askjeeves.com for our searches. Says the output is a better summary than just about any other.

MAKE AN MPACT

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, will host the 49th annual Mpact student missions conference, February 26-28, 1999, at the Seminary. The conference seeks to challenge student and young adult Gen-Xers to “do missions” in their community, in their country, and around their world. This year’s theme is exTreme PURPOSE – Luke 9:23, and will feature Bob Sjogren, founder of Caleb Project, and Frontiers. He will issue an innovative concept on the Biblical mandate to bring closure to the Great Commission. The conference will include Internationally Renowned Missions Speakers, Interactive Group Sessions, Guest Musicians for Praise & Worship, and Exciting and Challenging Mission Action Projects. For more info, contact mpact@swbts.swbts.edu.

CALLING ALL PIPER CUBS

If you’re interested in following John Piper’s speaking schedule, check him out at http://www.desiringgod.org.

WEB-WATCH – LINKS FOR LATINS WHO LONG FOR THE LORD

Here are some great links for our Spanish-speaking Brigada brothers courtesy Grover in Bolivia:

http://www.comibam.org — A Latin Missionary Agency where you will find statistical pictures about the 10/40 window, Reaching Africa, etc, all files are in PowerPoint.
http://www.logos.ar/misionaustral — a Missionary Agency from Argentina, this minister has people working in Guinea Bisau, see news, prayer needs, etc.
http://www.christianaid.org — This site has a web page in Spanish about mission, you will find a prayer profile per month, news, and some teaching about “Missions”.
http://www.pueblos.org — Here find an “electronic course” about mission, visit this site and receive a free course in Spanish via e-mail.
http://www.bhnet.com.br/~jocum/ — A home page from YWAM from Brazil where you will find links of other web pages in other countries of YWAM.

WHO HAS CHURCH PLANTER TRAINING ON DISK?

Dale fishville@aol.com is looking for training materials on disk in multiple languages to equip laymen to become pastors, leaders, and church planters. If you have leads or materials, contact him direct and he’ll report the summary back to us.

WHERE DO YOU SEND A NEW CHRISTIAN FOR MISSIONS INTRO. INFO?

Tony tony@soon.org.uk needs web sites that will introduce new Christians to the world of missions. Please send him your best shot and he’ll report back to us in a couple of weeks. He’s searching for any motivational or informational site that will help him share global opportunities and responsibilities.

NEED A GREAT DEAL ON USED RADIO EQUIPMENT?

Check out this “going out of business sale”, December 12-14 in England. Among the listed 364 items are Revox B77 high speed tape machines, microphones, Uher reporter type portable tape machines, Marantz portable reporter type recorders, and tons of studio equipment. Almost all are in original cartons and in very good to excellent condition. All equipment uses 220 volts, like in Europe, Russia, China, most of Africa, etc. Any Christian radio producer or audio director is welcome to ask for the itemized list of equipment. It will be forwarded by email to them. Prices are lower than on the commercial audio market. An organization willing to buy the whole lot will be given a very good discount and also receives free studio furniture. For the itemized list or more info., write Hgrimme@t-online.de

NATIONAL PRAYER CALENDAR ONLINE

Did you ever wish you could get a copy of a giant calendar with all the upcoming prayer and mobilization dates noted for all to see? Well now you can . . . at: http://www.churchontheweb.com/prayer/ M Mejia mmejia@unidial.com invites any and all to send in additional dates of activities both in the USA and in regions beyond. Write him directly please.

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COPYRIGHT — This issue of Brigada Today is Copyrighted © 2001. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute these materials, including those available through email autoresponders, provided that such redistribution is to those who will help the Good News of Christianity to reach the unreached. But please include this phrase: “For a free subscription of Brigada‘s weekly missions publication, write <brigada-today-subscribe@egroups.com>.”
IMPORTANT: To copy or reproduce Brigada Today for any other reason is illegal and is not permitted.

DISCLAIMER — Please note that there’s no way we can possibly screen all the text on all the web sites or items we recommend. We try to check them out first… but if we miss something, please don’t assume that the opinions on those sites are identical to those of the Brigada family of networks. “Eat the corn, leave the cob!”
For subscription questions or problems, write help@brigada.org.

SUBMITTING CONTENT — To submit content or ideas to Brigada Today, first please get a copy of “Guidelines for submitting items to Brigada” Then, once you’ve composed your item in keeping with those guidelines, send your item for Brigada Today to DLucas@teamexpansion.org.
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Emphasis is placed on items relating to unreached peoples and challenges faced by those reaching them cross-culturally.

PLEASE DON’T SUBSCRIBE US TO YOUR LIST — It’s always better to ask before manually force-adding anyone to your list-serve or mailing list. Recently, tons of well-meaning people have been subscribing Doug to their lists. Since he often travels overseas, he doesn’t join many of those, for obvious reasons (like being charged big-time for overseas access). So as a general rule, please don’t bulk-mail us! See the note above if you’d like to submit items for Brigada Today. Thanks for understanding. Bottom line: We will never create Brigada Today items from bulk mail. Bulk mail gets deleted immediately — sorry. Nothing personal. We suggest you apply the same standard to everyone. Ask first!

WARNING ABOUT FORWARDING EMAILS — Please, before forwarding any kind of request (even if it says “please send this to all your friends”), please check to make sure it has a VERIFIABLE ORIGIN, a VERIFIABLE PURPOSE, and a VERIFIABLE CLOSURE (OPC). By following this simple approach, many “email viruses” could be nipped in the bud… at least in the Brigada family. More information about the full Brigada OPC protocol is available. Thank you.

BRIGADA TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING TEAM OF REGULAR VOLUNTEERS:

Global Glimpses: John Hanna, Caleb Project, jhanna@cproject.com
Brigada Website: Bob Mayhew, WebServant@brigada.org
Brigada Customer Service Manager: help@brigada.org
Brigada Coordinator: Doug Lucas, Team Expansion & Brigada, DLucas@teamexpansion.org
and many other occasional contributors too numerous to mention!: But thanks for working together! That’s the dream of Brigada!