In this issue…

  1. SPONSORS ENABLE US: “PROOF BEYOND A DOUBT” BOOK
  2. TRAIN YOUR MINISTRY TO HELP THE POOR
  3. PERSONNEL WANTED / MISSION OPPORTUNITIES WEB SWITCHBOARD
  4. TESL TRAINING IN TORONTO
  5. CHRISTIAN MUSIC FOR MUSLIMS AND MUSLIM-BACKGROUND BELIEVERS
  6. TIME FOR A CHANGE: THE HERERO PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA
  7. JESUS LOVES MUSLIMS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
  8. GET A MASTERS DEGREE IN MANILLA
  9. GOOD BOOK ABOUT IRAQ, ISRAEL, MIDDLE EAST
  10. PRINCIPAL/TEACHERS NEEDED AT INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
  11. THE BACKPAGE: LIKE THE MOON, GOD IS THERE THROUGH THE NIGHT
  12. CLOSING STUFF

  1. SPONSORS ENABLE US: “PROOF BEYOND A DOUBT” BOOK — Thanks to Mark Kelly of Kainos Press for sending $65 as a way of saying thanks to Brigada readers that ordered his book, Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt! (And thanks to the 13 Brigada readers who purchased it!) As you know, gifts like these enable a Brigada-sponsored secretary, which, in turn, helps us get Brigada out the door and on your screen each week! Thanks Mark!

  2. TRAIN YOUR MINISTRY TO HELP THE POOR — The Christian Economic Development Institute offers practical, hands-on training to equip your church or ministry to help the poor to help themselves through their own work. There are no prerequisites for participation in the training. No experience is necessary! They train missionaries and church leaders the world over to implement strategies that communicate Christ’s love in both word & deed. Reserve your place now at a live training event (Bangkok, Thailand, May 24-June 2 and at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA, August 2-11). Sign up now for a May 12, E-mail based, distance learning class. For more information, visit http://www.chalmers.org or email chalmers@covenant.edu or phone 706-419-1805. (And thanks *tons* to the Institute for the $30 check to help us with the costs of the Brigada-sponsored secretary! Woo-hoo! :-))

  3. PERSONNEL WANTED / MISSION OPPORTUNITIES WEB SWITCHBOARD — So let’s say we’ve got a school in Indonesia, which would normally like to enter an item like the one below (Item #15). Will GlobalMission.org serve to find workers and a suitable opportunity match? I would say so! See http://www.globalmission.org/ for full details. In the “Tools” section, click on “World Mission Directory” to look up a mission organization in what the site claims is “The world’s largest interactive online mission agency directory.” Also in “Tools,” click on “Mission Wanted” to let others know of your willingness to serve. Click on “Short Term Mission Projects” or “Long Term Service Opportunities” to discover options for service, either short- or long-term respectively. If you’re an organization that would like to *list* those, click on http://globalmission.org/tools/member/login.htm If you’re new to the page, you can open a new account, which will then give you all *kinds* of options for posting/editing opportunities. Although the folks there are referring to this as a kind of beta format, it seems to me that it’s already working great! So unless someone has a better approach, I’m suggesting we close out the almost- idle Brigada-opportunities email group in favor of this site. Let us know if you have feedback.

  4. TESL TRAINING IN TORONTO — MissionPrep-Toronto is offering a (TEFL- TESOL) May 10 -June 4, 2004) Teaching English as a Foreign (Second/Other) Language program that will equip you for an exciting ministry whether at home or overseas. This intensive 4-week training program will provide you with a wealth of practical and proven procedures, resources and models for teaching the full range of required components: listening, speaking, reading and writing; pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, language use; etc. During weekly practicums you will observe successful programs within the rich multi- culturalism of Toronto as well as gain a minimum of 20 hours of teaching experience.

    For more information contact Priscilla missionprep@globaltalk.ca or call 905 -640-1621.


  5. CHRISTIAN MUSIC FOR MUSLIMS AND MUSLIM-BACKGROUND BELIEVERS — A Christian radio station for Muslims and Muslim-background believers is seeking indigenous Christian music (in any language) used by Muslim- background Christians around the world. He is willing to promote the albums and those who produce them but is unable to pay royalties for playing the music. If you have any such musical resources or know how to obtain them, please contact: afghanjohn@earthlink.net or mail them (with any usage restrictions) to: John Marion P.O. Box 34 Centreville, VA 20122 USA. English translations of the songs are welcome as are other content suggestions, interviewees knowledgeable about Islam, and studio equipment.

  6. TIME FOR A CHANGE: THE HERERO PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA — After hearing the Gospel presented, a young Herero mother prayed to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She told them, “I’ll have to change my church, I will lose many friends and things will be different around here.” The Christians who led her to the Lord told her that they were not telling her to change to another church. She responded, “It is time for a change around here.” The Holy Spirit had worked in her life to desire to follow Jesus at any cost. Pray for the Lord to build prayer support for the Herero, an unengaged people group. To learn more about the Herero people and others visit http://www.forgottenpeoples.info or email swacsc@iafrica.com

  7. JESUS LOVES MUSLIMS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. — Join a growing network of Christians in the Washington, D.C. area active or interested in sharing Christ with Muslims. Novices are welcome, and so are veteran missionaries with extensive experience to share. For more information, visit: http://www.jesuslovesmuslims.com

  8. GET A MASTERS DEGREE IN MANILLA — Now is the time to start registering for Azusa Pacific’s masters program in Social Science (emphasis in servant leadership). The dates are May 31-June 11. The venue is Manila Philippines. It is cheaper to fly there and take the courses than to take them on campus! The cost is $375/course (plus books and site fees) which is 1/3 the cost of on-campus prices! This year’s courses are: (week one) Ethics in a Changing Organizational Environment, Current Issues in Leadership, (week two) Leader as an Agent of Change, and Group Dynamics and Conflict Management. For more information contact Melody kzkuka@jmf.org.ph or call 658-3807

  9. GOOD BOOK ABOUT IRAQ, ISRAEL, MIDDLE EAST — “What’s Next? God, Israel, and the Future of Iraq” by Charles Dyer (Moody Press) just released last month, is an excellent overview of the complex history of the Middle East and gives a sound Biblical perspective on the future. It is fairly easy reading and does not get too technical but leaves the reader with a good understanding of the current problems between Palestinians and Israel and how Iraq figures into the equation. You can get the book online through Book Heaven at http://www.baptist-books.com or by calling 610-965-4700. (Thanks to Tim of the Lehigh Valley Baptist Church, for this tip!)

  10. PRINCIPAL/TEACHERS NEEDED AT INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL — Wesley Int’l School (WIS) in strategic (UPG loaded) East Java, Indonesia has a K-12 program. They’re located on a 3-year-old beautiful highland campus, with approx. 100 students from diverse countries & are currently pursuing WASC & ACSI accreditation. If you qualify as a principal, you would assist the current principal during 2004-2005 school year, with a view to serving as the principal beginning in the 2005-2006 school year. They’re also seeking secondary History, English teachers, an elementary & a ESL teacher. Check WIS out at: http://www.wesleyinterschool.org/ Contact Dave: DaudR@aol.com .

    So obviously, we can’t possibly list every single opportunity like this. So where would a school go for this kind of thing… if it wanted to find teachers for Indonesia, for instance? And where would teachers go to find a match for their skills? See item #1 above for one option.


  11. THE BACKPAGE: LIKE THE MOON, GOD IS THERE THROUGH THE NIGHT — Is God there, even while you’re sleeping? You bet He is. We know that in our *heads*, but my wife, Penny, recently learned it in her *heart*.

    A few weeks back, she went into the doctor with severe chest pains. The results of some follow-up tests led both the radiologist *and* Penny’s doctor to the same conclusion: Penny had contracted Emphysema! (By the way, she’s never smoked; nor have I. But though we thought this diagnosis was strange, the doctors seemed so sure, offering stats about non-smokers developing this fatal illness too, in as many as 5-10% of all cases.) During the next couple of weeks of further testing, Penny never wavered in her faith in the sovereignty of God… that He was in control. At the same time, there is no cure for Emphysema, and it normally ends in taking the life of its victim. Those were realities that she had to face, during those days.

    But she remembers waking one morning in particular, very early, while it was still dark. Immediately, she noticed up in the skylight window the giant full moon, shining brightly. To her, it was a kind of affirmation that God had been there all through the night. She took it as a symbol of his ever-present Lordship, beaming into her life. She paused to thank Him for the fact that even while we’re asleep, He’s already at work preparing our tomorrow.

    Paul wrote, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)

    Perhaps you’ve already heard “the rest of the story.” A lung specialist concluded after additional tests that she does not have Emphysema. Instead, the chest x-rays were “overexposed!” We were overjoyed, and we counted it as answered prayer. However, this Friday (March 13), Penny sees a heart specialist about the original symptom: chest pains. We’d greatly appreciate your prayers, that God would grant the doctor wisdom and insight on her condition. Thank you for your concern and prayer during the past month! It means a lot… because it really is a jungle out there!