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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….
THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE, THE IMPACT OF A GIFT
One morning last week, as my wife and I were watching scenes from Kosovo on CNN, I turned to her and said, “I wish we could
do something.” A couple of hours later, a humanitarian aid organization had called, suggesting that we apply for a grant for $20,000 to help refugees in Northern Albania! I was floored! We applied… and tomorrow we find out whether or not we’ll receive the grant. But in the meantime, by faith, we’ve kicked some plans into motion. Even as this
Brigada Today speeds along the Internet to your inbox, our mission has flown two representatives toward Albania in an attempt to find out more about how to help and to take in the first bundle of aid funds. God willing, they’ll arrive there tomorrow. It hasn’t been all that easy to get them in! But in the process, I’ve been so touched by the efforts of everyone to help us… from travel agents to church members to those already ‘on the ground’ in Albania.
Everyone seemed to be gripped by the images they were seeing.
Everyone with whom we’ve talked has seemed to share the burden… that the value of a human life is definitely worth the effort it might take to save it. And… now that I look back… think what a difference that first hint of a gift can make. I pray that God will continue to make some people rich… so that they can be generous on these kinds of occasions! No wonder Christ called us together to be a church!
MELISSA ARCHITECT ARRESTED
Did you see where they’ve arrested the alleged creator of the Melissa virus? Serious stuff. They could put him in jail for 40 years! Guess they’re trying to make examples of these guys.
MEDIA RING OK
Several
Brigada participants wrote to say that they had tried Media Ring. They reported that it worked as well as any other voice-over-IP service. If your loved ones overseas are hooked up to the Internet and are technically inclined, it’s worth trying. You can even leave a “voicemail” if the other party isn’t online.
http://www.mediaring.com
INTERESTED IN TRAINING IN INTERPERSONAL SKILLS?
Check out
RelationshipSkills.com, a new Web site for International Training Partners. ITP is an informal network of trainers from over 20 mission organizations who are dedicated to providing Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills Workshops for missionaries. Twenty-five of these workshops are already planned for various locations around the world in 1999, and many of them still have openings. ITP is headed up by Ken Williams, Ph.D., with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
NEED A CALLING CARD? TRY ATN
If you’re traveling in North America, American Telecom Network’s Calling Card is worth a try. 14.9 cents a minute, flat rate with six second billing, NO surcharge or monthly payments, pay for usage only! You will receive an itemized bill at the end of the month. The card is free! A true card: not a debit card or a prepaid card. Call (in North America) 1-888-487-4732, EC Code 10689
http:www.callatn.com.
HOW DO YOU GET YOUR INT’L NEWS?
Claudia
stayton@xc.org would like to know. She’ll compile a list and make it available to us here.
GLOBAL GLIMPSE FROM TURKMENISTAN
Turkmenistan, a country just north of Iran, is officially Muslim. However the few emerging Christian believers are forming into several small fellowships. It was a landmark event when the first ever Turkmen songbook was released recently. Now churches and mission representatives in the area have united to re-edit the songbook. Plans are also in place to record the songs. The distribution of these indigenous materials works powerfully to unite and form a common identity to the scattered groups of believers there.
(Source:
http://www.ad2000.org/tracks/worship/wannl9.htm, Global Worship Report Vol 1, No 9, March/April 1999.)
Global Glimpse is compiled each week by John Hanna, Caleb Project, Littleton, CO.
CELEBRATE MESSIAH 2000 UPDATE
Luis Bush wrote this past week to say, “Praise God for the blessings received out of the recent negotiations with the Israeli tour and conference companies regarding the International Conference Center (ICC) in Jerusalem and the costs for their coordinating and management efforts! All we have asked for has been granted, for which we give praise and thanks to God! Accordingly, the registration period is hereby extended to 30 November 1999, at the original registration fee levels and attendant criteria as listed on the Registration Form that was originally issued. The Land Package options and Optional Tour fees also remain the same. Praise God! Places are still available at the original negotiated fee and land and tour prices. Once those are filled we will need to negotiate further for what is available and at what price. So, if you would like to join us, register by 30 November 1999 (Registration is on a first-come/first-served basis.). Thank you! The first payment of 50 percent for Land Services is now due by 31 December 1999. The balance of the payment remains due by 30 June 2000.” If you’d like more information, why don’t you try writing something like
info@ad2000.org. That should work, I imagine.
BACK UP YOUR PC; YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID
Sharon wrote this past week, “Do you feel as if you are being nagged, prodded, scared into virus protection compliance? I hope so! The adage in computers used to be “back up, back up, back up”. Now I believe it to be, “back up, update, back up, update” !! The latest
Melissa virus and subsequent
papa virus are just examples of how vulnerable we really are.” She’s right. So in Word, go to “Tools|Options” and make sure there’s a checkmark in front of “enable Macro virus protection.” Back up all your data files. Then get some form of antivirus software working on your PC. Sharon recommends the following sites as examples. Find one you like and use it!
http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html http://www.nai.com/ http://www.symantec.com/ http://www.cert.org/index.html
WATER BOY
“Wahili: The Water Boy” is a full-color, hardbound children’s missionary book used by families, churches, and missionaries in teaching and evangelism. Reading level is ages 7-12. It is currently offered at a 50% discount to all mission workers. For information, contact
Papillonco@aol.com or, in the USA, call toll-free 888-679-4654.
(Source: April
Advance)
MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
“The Move of the Holy Spirit in the 10/40 Window” compiles stories and testimonies describing the wondrous events and extraordinary occurrences orchestrated by the Holy Spirit in the 10/40 Window. For information, contact
wcn@xc.org or, in the USA, call toll-free 888-926-6397.
(Source: April
Advance)
CHILDREN’S MISSION MOBILIZATION RESOURCES
Sorry if you found a lot of blank pages last week! The person who passed the message along to us must have done so just a tad prematurely. You will NOW find a lot of great material, and they are still adding.
http://www.21stcenturykidsconnect.org/.
GOT RESOURCES ABOUT KOSOVO AND SITUATION THERE?
There are a ton on the web, of course. Send your favorite to
DLucas@TeamExpansion.org, with subject line, “KOSOVO RESOURCE”. Doug is especially hoping to learn about folks who might have printed resources, such as web-enabled printed bulletin inserts, to pass along to at least one church leader.
STILL WANT A FREE PC?
If so, please try to hear this out from Tim, “Readers still waiting to cash in on their 1 in 50,000 odds of getting a free PC from
http://www.freepc.com might do well to look at
http://www.gobi.com/. For $26 a month, you get a full featured (Celeron 300) PC preloaded with Windows 98, 15 ” monitor, and 56k modem, and unlimited internet access (check their list of local dialup numbers before you apply). And no ads. The catch? There’s a credit check, a $45 shipping fee, and one month’s payment in advance, and most importantly there’s a three-year commitment (with a buyout option), similar to the one you’d make for a “free” cell phone, but at the end of three years they send you a new PC. Caution: it’s hard to determine the long-term viability of the startup company which is making this offer. Shop wisely.
WOULD YOU PRAY FOR THE FRIENDS OF BOSNIA?
Fittingly, this weekend is the get-together for the “Friends of Bosnia,” the ad hoc group that has covenanted together to talk, pray, and dream to make a difference in the Balkans. I’m here in Washington, DC, tonight, ready to set up for the conference that is set to occur just 8 blocks from the Whitehouse. Senator Dole has pledged to do his best to be there to give the welcome. Some of the most noted missionaries and humanitarian aid workers in Bosnia are flying in from Sarajevo, Mostar, London, and even as the University of the Nations in Hawaii. Pray with us that God will forge a tight bond of camaraderie and a close strategy of kindred spirits, so that the work of the Lord might go forward in an ever-increasing measure! Pray that many will learn more about how to make their lives count for Him in Bosnia… and among Bosnian immigrants in their hometowns. Also, pray that we’ll be able to figure out a way to help in Kosovo as well!
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BRIGADA TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING TEAM OF REGULAR VOLUNTEERS:
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