In this issue…

  1. OPEN DOORS FOR THE GOSPEL!
  2. TRAGEDY AND CHALLENGE OF THE WORLD’S STREET CHILDREN
  3. THANKS TO DIAL-ABROAD AND NEW BRIGADA SIGN-UPS!
  4. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
  5. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING
  6. WAR, TERRORISM INSURANCE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
  7. MISSIONARY TRAINING CAMPS
  8. TRAINING FOR SHORT-TERM MISSION LEADERS
  9. JAPAN TENTMAKERS CONFERENCE
  10. ESL INSTRUCTION
  11. ONE OPTION FOR INT’L DIALING WITHOUT THE DOLLARS
  12. CASE STUDY IN REACHING THE UNREACHED: WORKING POOR OF BANGKOK
  13. ESL TEACHERS MINISTRY SKILLS SURVEY
  14. TURKEY: VISIT THE LOST LAND OF THE BIBLE
  15. BE AN ENGLISH TEACHER “TENTMAKER”
  16. HERE’S A HANDY RESPONSE TO PLAXO “PINGS”
  17. NEW TRANSFORMATION VIDEO RELEASED
  18. TESOL SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS, HAWAII
  19. GLOBAL COURSEWORK BY AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
  20. THE BACKPAGE: WHEN YOU SURF, BE A SKEPTIC
  21. CLOSING STUFF
  1. OPEN DOORS FOR THE GOSPEL! — In ONLY 2 weeks you can learn to fill and clean teeth with hand tools. The needs are great. No injections or costly equipment are needed. Classes are held monthly in Texas. http://www.dentaltrainingformissions.com Email dentaltrainingformissions@att.net
  2. TRAGEDY AND CHALLENGE OF THE WORLD’S STREET CHILDREN — There are up to 160 million children living on the streets of the world. The excellent book “Street Children” by Andy Butcher, written in 1996, has been updated by Andy and reprinted in 2003 by Gabriel Publishers. Action International Ministries has purchased 100 copies of this $10 book and will send it to anyone considering ministering the gospel and compassionate care to these children of the streets. Send your email request for a copy of “Street Children” to d_nichols@earthlink.net
  3. THANKS TO DIAL-ABROAD AND NEW BRIGADA SIGN-UPS! — Can you believe it? The Dial-Abroad long distance folks tell me that Brigada clients used about $400 worth of long distance during November. So they say they’re mailing a check to help with the new Brigada Secretary — equal to $40! That’s incredible! So if you’re considering changing long distance anyway, or if you’d like a great deal on international dialing, check it out at: https://brigada.org/phone.html
  4. THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! — This Thanksgiving weekend, we’re giving thanks for, among others, Gateway Missionary Training Center in Langley, B.C. (Canada). It’s a unique community that focuses on equipping the whole person for service in another country or culture. The program is structured to lead a trainee through a process that will enable him/her to face the very real challenges of cross-cultural work. Experienced staff members offer mentoring, guidance and counsel all along the way. Trainees move from the context of a caring learning community, to an active cross-cultural experience and then back again to Gateway where they are debriefed in order to promote the greatest growth and understanding. Most trainees will be “field ready” when they complete the course. Those who need extra time or preparation will be well aware of the areas they need to work on. Gateway staff monitors the entire process and assists the candidate to chart a course for successful service. (Thanks for your partnership gift, Gateway!!!) Thanks, too, to the anonymous Asian participant who gave $50 this past week — to help enable the Brigada secretary, so we can keep Brigada Today up and running and on time!
  5. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAINING — Gateway Missionary Training Centre in Langley B.C. plans to open three of it’s specialized courses to interested people from outside of the school. Church Planting: (January 19 – 22, 2004) This course will be led by a team of experienced missionary church planters. The intent is to familiarize students with the challenge of communicating the gospel cross-culturally, and equipping them with the tools to bring together new believers and nurture them into a viable church using a well thought-out strategy. Cost*: $150.00 CDN Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills (SYIS): Feb 23-26, 2004 — Laurel McAllister and her team will lead this weeklong experience in the development of key knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for the growth and maintenance of healthy relationships. Cost*: $175.00 CDN Language Acquisition for Cross-Cultural Effectiveness (LACE): March 15 – 25, 2004 — This 10 day course will be taught by Peter Pikkert. It is designed to equip the expatriate to learn her/his host country’s language and engage positively with its culture. It is designed for non-specialists learning a language that has already been reduced to writing. Cost*: $350.00CDN * Pricing does not include room and board. Arrangements can be made to stay at Gateway MTC for $20.00/day room and board as long as space is available. For more details check out the web site at http//www.gatewaytraining.org or contact the registrar at info@gatewaytraining.org or call Beverly at 604-530-4283.
  6. WAR, TERRORISM INSURANCE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD — Finally! A simple online application that provides $50,000 or $100,000 coverage for Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Permanent and Total Disability, including coverage for losses resulting from most acts of war and terrorism anywhere in the world. This plan is underwritten by Lloyds of London and can be taken out for periods as short as one month. For information about war and terrorism insurance, contact jeff@gninsurance.com or call 480/813-9100, toll-free in USA: 866/636- 9100 or visit http://www.overseashealthinsurance.com
  7. MISSIONARY TRAINING CAMPS — This training is a good step for people meandering (turning, winding, zigzagging) in their missions call. Come and make a strait course to what God has called you to do. It gives enlightenment. Missions to many is like a dark room, when lights are turned on, even momentarily, a whole new destiny is possible. An experienced missionary, from a notable agency once attended and said, “I wish we had gone through this before we went to the field.” The next camp is in Virginia from February 5-8, 2004. For more information on training content, dates, places of other upcoming camps, see the Elijah Company web site at http://www.elijahcompany.org or write to info@elijahcompany.org or call 757-639-2906.
  8. TRAINING FOR SHORT-TERM MISSION LEADERS –- You are invited to send your short term mission leaders or potential leaders to the National Short Term Missions Conference held on January 16-18, 2003, at the Renaissance Hotel at the Los Angeles Airport (LAX). Thirty-five workshops and several more extensive seminars are available. Dr. Isaac Canales of Latin American Bible Institute is the plenary speaker. You can email info@nstmc.org for information just log on at: http://www.nstmc.org This year you can also register online via credit card!!
  9. JAPAN TENTMAKERS CONFERENCE — All the Priscilla’s and Aquila’s (Acts 18:2-4) working or studying in Japan are invited to attend a conference January 3-5, 2004 in Japan’s Izu Peninsula (between Nagoya and Tokyo). The conference will focus on ‘Equipping the Saints’ through worship, Bible study and fellowship with emphasis on clarification of tentmaker ministry vision, opportunities and issues as well as practical equipping in witness and ministry skills and approaches. Complete information can be found at http://www.hereshope.com/tentmakers or by emailing Shelly: s.r.pitman@japan.email.ne.jp.
  10. ESL INSTRUCTION — Learn conversational English by attending a twelve week course at Youth With A Mission in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA, beginning April 4, 2004. Study with fellow students from around the world. Live with classmates and national English speakers in a community setting that offers spiritual richness, a taste of American culture, and immersion in the English language. For information and application forms, log on at http://www.ywampa.org or e-mail to ywampa@comcast.net
  11. ONE OPTION FOR INT’L DIALING WITHOUT THE DOLLARS — Want to dial for fewer dollars? Try an international calling service that reportedly has the cheapest country-to-country phone rates. Learn more at https://brigada.org/phone.html
  12. CASE STUDY IN REACHING THE UNREACHED: WORKING POOR OF BANGKOK — Step Ahead Microenterprise Development integrates cutting edge “Covey” personal development training into their weekly meetings in the slum communities of Bangkok. Further, they explore the life of Joseph as a model of proactivity, then, go on to study Maxwell’s “21 Indisputable Laws of Leadership”. This unorthodox ministry approach accepts the slum-dwelling poor as business partners, and sets out to help them achieve comprehensive transformation in their lives, families, and communities. Step Ahead goes to the market everyday in the love of God, to empower those who make their living doing everything from sewing dresses, and roasting chicken, to making noodle soup. To learn more, check out the website. http://www.stepaheadmed.org
  13. ESL TEACHERS MINISTRY SKILLS SURVEY — Global Opportunities for tentmakers has posted an online survey for new and current Christian ESL teachers on their website. The survey results will be used to design a workshop specifically for ESL teachers’ ministry skills. You can fill out this short 5 question survey in a minute or two. Just log on at http://www.globalopps.org/eslsurvey.htm or if you prefer receiving the survey via email request one by emailing: eslsurvey@globalopps.org
  14. TURKEY: VISIT THE LOST LAND OF THE BIBLE — If you would like to use the new book by Dr. Andrew Jackson’s that we mentioned recently, “The Lost Land of the Bible: A Christian Travel and Prayer Guide Through the Ancient Biblical Land of Turkey,” you’re in luck! Steve, who lives in Turkey can make the arrangements for your prayer journey. Check out his website at http://www.galatialtd.com His email is galatialtd@pobox.com You can call for further info at 1-860-546-0547.
  15. BE AN ENGLISH TEACHER “TENTMAKER” — Teaching English opens many doors for ministry throughout the world, but it takes more than speaking the language to be a good English teacher. The TESOL training at Youth With A Mission in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA, will equip you to teach, and the certificate you receive will open doors to employment and/or ministry in many lands. The four week class begins January 18, 2004, and again March 7, 2004. For information and application forms, see website http://www.ywampa.org or e-mail to ywampa@comcast.net
  16. HERE’S A HANDY RESPONSE TO PLAXO “PINGS” — Here’s a handy response to all those nasty Plaxo “pings” you might be getting (from folks who, in a well-meaning way, signed up for Plaxo and now everyone in their address book is getting spammed by the company because of it). This particular response was sent to me recently by the Communications Director of one of the largest organizations fielding overseas missionaries. In fact — it’s probably the biggest of them all. Anyway, here’s what he sends out: “Dear ___________, Let me encourage you not to use Plaxo. In addition, notice the email address that maintains your update. It is not to your account, but the account you established with Plaxo: addrupdate-[??youraccountnumber???@mx.plaxo.com. Our organization’s techs have looked at the PLAXO contact list updating service and have advised that you do not accept this request nor install this service on your computer as it may pose security risks for you. One potential hazard is making your entire contact list open to Plaxo for exploitation. Napster’s original founder, Sean Parker, launched Plaxo in November 2002 with $1.8 million. If you agree to download the free service, it will send an update message to everyone in your Outlook contact list in priority order based on usage. Embedded within that email request for updating contacts is an invitation (read “spam”) to sign up for the service and replicate the process on that person’s contact list. This works like a virus because it keeps replicating itself. Unless you download Plaxo yourself, you’ll keep getting hit with individual requests. For an organization like ours, this means so many Plaxo messages arrive that it slows the whole system. So if you have Plaxo, you “stay in sync” by opening up your email contact list. Losers like me get dozens of requests for updates and a serious PR problem if I ignore one. Our I.T. guy says he won’t do anything with the information that is pouring into his databases, but it is growing exponentially–some fear a “big brother” future with Plaxo controlling all the inter-related contacts. For more: See http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,56322,00.html or another source is http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,940255,00.asp?kc=PCNKT0209KTX1K010 0360.” (Note that those last two URLs will probably ‘wrap’, so you’ll have to reassemble them manually.)” [snip snip — end of Plaxo’d form letter]

    Thanks to this brother, willing to share, but probably wishing to remain anonymous for now on this issue. If you’re a Plaxo user, just remember — it’s not something we’d wish on *anyone*. If you’re a friend of a Plaxo user, getting “pinged” by Plaxo emails, remember that if you’d like to bow out, you cannot simply click “reply” to a Plaxo inquiry. You’ll have to manually compose a note from “scratch” to the person causing the ping, then paste in the above note into that email. If you just hit reply, it goes out to a wasted Plaxo address that doesn’t get read by anyone. :-( The whole thing might end up being illegal anyway, because it’s junk mail that we didn’t solicit – so I’m thinking it won’t fly under the new spam bill anyway.

  17. NEW TRANSFORMATION VIDEO RELEASED — “The Quickening,” is now available! 50+ million people, in 25 different languages have seen a Transformation Video! Eddie and Alice Smith, U.S. Prayer Center, say, “This message of hope stirs an appetite for God’s presence and offers expanded teaching on key definitions, core principles, and common obstacles related to community transformation.” Save $3, Order: https://www.prayerbookstore.com/store/default.asp?action=detail&strSku= 10100&intCatID=4&lastaction=display [note that this URL will wrap, so you’ll have to assemble it manually] or call toll-free from the USA or via Net2Phone from elsewhere 1-800-569-4825 (or 713-466-4009; usprayercenter@cs.com)
  18. TESOL SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS, HAWAII — Teaching English opens many doors to places in the world. You may know the language, but it takes preparation to be a good English teacher. The TESOL training given at The University of the Nations in Kona Hawaii will equip you to teach & credential you by awarding a Certificate of Course Completion. A letter is also supplied that explains the curriculum & course of study. This is a four week academic curriculum immediately followed by a two week practicum conducted on the Campus. The school begins on February 16, 2004 & ends March 26, 2004. For more information & application forms contact admissions@uofnkona.edu
  19. GLOBAL COURSEWORK BY AZUSA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY — We featured Operation Impact in an earlier edition, but did you know Operation Impact was a global organization? APU puts on classes all over the world. One Brigada participant (“Brian”) has been enrolled for two years in Ecuador and he loves it. In fact, to do it justice, you might as well see their global classroom — listed at the website http://www.apu.edu/educabs/graduate/highered/operationimpact/ To see the list of locations, click on “Schedule”. (Thanks Brian!)
  20. THE BACKPAGE: WHEN YOU SURF, BE A SKEPTIC — I keep wondering how long it’ll take all of us to become more skeptical when we’re accessing the Internet. I mean… how many scams have to nab us before we realize that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Nobody from West Africa is going to transfer $26 million into your bank account. Few, if any, young ladies really want to say, “I love you”, when they’ve never even met you. :-) Even if one did, what’s the likelihood she would be your type?!? :-) Bill Gates hasn’t arranged to make a donation to your mission if you forward somebody’s message. (Even if he cared, how would he even know?) It’s a shame we have to point it out, but the truth is, this is the Wild Wild West — the open Frontier! The Internet is the Pony Express — and we’re living in the middle of “Gold-Digger’s Gulch”. So… a word to the wise: Be a skeptic. *Doubt* the web page. *Doubt* the email. *Doubt* the rumor before you forward it to everyone in your address book. You owe it to yourself, your supporters, and your friends to protect their privacy and their peace. When will we ever learn? :-)
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
0 Shares