In this issue…

  1. MISSION TRIP THIS SUMMER? CONSIDER THE DAY TRIPPER
  2. BRIGADA “BRIGADE” (FEEDBACK PAGE) REALLY WORKS
  3. NEW MISSION AWARENESS TOOL FOR YOUTH
  4. RETREATS FOR PROSPECTIVE MISSIONARIES
  5. TRY THIS FREE PASSWORD KEEPER
  6. IS YOUR HAND-WOUND CASSETTE PLAYER FLYING OFF THE HANDLE?
  7. TENTMAKING COURSE IN VICTORIA BC CANADA
  8. COACHING TRAINING TO MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT
  9. ANOTHER ANTIVIRUS CHOICE FOR MAC USERS
  10. ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR HOMESCHOOLING
  11. UPGRADE TO “PACKING MODULARLY”
  12. HATS OFF TO OUR BEST FRIENDS; MAKE A STATEMENT TO BRIGADA
  13. THE BACKPAGE: 3 GUYS RUN NORTH AFRICA
  14. CLOSING STUFF
  1. MISSION TRIP THIS SUMMER? CONSIDER THE DAY TRIPPER –- No, we are not talking about the old Beatles song! The Day Tripper is an international medical and medical evacuation plan for short-term teams. With rates as low as 63 cents per day you can’t go wrong with this plan! PLUS when you purchase this plan from Insurance Services of America on their web site

    http://www.missionaryhealth.net/brigada.htm

    you will be helping to support Brigada! In addition to this plan, coverage is available for any international need – short-term trips, career missionaries, trip cancellation, short-term teams and term life insurance. Find it all and more at the site above.

  2. BRIGADA “BRIGADE” (FEEDBACK PAGE) REALLY WORKS — If you’ve taken a look at our feedback page lately, you’ll know that it really works. Within hours after a Brigada posting, we already are seeing results. The Javascript question in the Apr. 27th issue (Item #6, “SPEAK JAVASCRIPT? OP. WORLD HAS A JOB FOR YOU!”) was handled easily. A user answered the need, then, just as we asked, posted an entry that said, simply, “I took care of it.” In the past, we would have had to wait on a human compiler to gather up the data. Now, we can start looking at it within hours, rather than weeks. So stop by the Brigade. You just might find an answer to a question that you or your organization faced too.

    http://brigada.org/brigade

  3. NEW MISSION AWARENESS TOOL FOR YOUTH — Good News Productions, International has two new mission awareness tools to partner with you in getting youth excited about missions. The first is an exciting new children’s program called GNPI Kids Live that will work in conjunction with any VBS program. It is a FREE, six-part digital DVD presentation of missions from a kid’s perspective. To preview this material, go to

    http://www.gnpi.org/kidslive

    GNPI is seeking to challenge kids to get involved in missions through prayer and thinking of creative ways they can help raise funds for missionaries and nationals who are working to take the Gospel to those who have never heard. These kids may also grow up to be workers in God’s harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38)!

  4. RETREATS FOR PROSPECTIVE MISSIONARIES — “The Journey Deepens” is a weekend retreat to help prospects explore what it is like to be a missionary, discover whether a missionary or sender role is God’s fit, and connect with mission agencies. These retreats are for college students, young professionals in their 20s and 30s, adults in their 40s and 50s, and high school seniors willing to explore becoming a missionary. Each retreat of 50 participants and 10 experienced missionaries from multiple agencies is highly relational with extended worship, small group discussions, personal reflection and much prayer. Discussions include guidance, finances, singles/families, etc. The first 2007 retreat will be Oct 5-7 in Pasadena, California on the campus of the U.S. Center for World Missions. The other 2007 retreat will be Oct 26-28 in Atlanta, Georgia. Presented by MissionsFocus Int’l and co- sponsored by Finishers, MissionNext, Perspectives and the U.S. Center for World Mission. Mentors/recruiters may apply online at

    http://www.TheJourneyDeepens.com/retreats.asp

  5. TRY THIS FREE PASSWORD KEEPER — Thanks to Nick, Creative Arts guy for Team Expansion, for referring us to

    http://keepass.info/download.html

    It’s a versatile password keeper that works for mobile, MAC, and Windows/PC platforms, as well as USB flash drives. It also comes at a very attractive price: free. (Thanks Nick!)

  6. IS YOUR HAND-WOUND CASSETTE PLAYER FLYING OFF THE HANDLE? — If so, Audio Scriptures Ministries of Holland, MI, has a fix for you. The newer replacement cranks are sturdier than the originals. Missionaries and organizations using the TapeTalk2 players and the Messenger hand wind players (from Australia) are encouraged to contact ASM for replacement handles. They are provided free of charge anywhere Scripture cassettes are used. Donations for the parts are also welcome, but not required. Information on the new cranks is available at

    http://www.asmToday.org

    Click on the “what’s new” link. You can also call 616-396-5291 or email asm(at)audioscriptureministries(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  7. TENTMAKING COURSE IN VICTORIA BC CANADA — Learn more about tentmaking and using business as mission as a platform for ministry in the hard places. GLOBAL Opportunities and TENT Norway have developed a successful course model that will challenge and equip people from all walks of life for effective ministry skills. Read what former students are saying about the course on their website and then rush to register, as each year they must limit the number of people who can attend. Already this course is 30% booked. GO ahead, join them on July 5-8, 2007.

    http://www.globalopps.org/course/victoria2007.htm

    or email ari(at)globalopps(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  8. COACHING TRAINING TO MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT — Transformational leadership requires new ways of communicating with those you work with. Coaching skills are essential. Now you can get a 60-hour Core Coaching Skills Certificate Program. There are programs in Singapore, Los Angeles, and Hungary. Go to

    http://www.creativeresultsmanagement.com/courses/coaching01/htm

    for details. Or email help(at)creativeresultsmanagement(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  9. ANOTHER ANTIVIRUS CHOICE FOR MAC USERS — Some of our MAC brothers & sisters will be interested in ClamXav

    http://clamxav.com/

    It’s a free virus checker for Mac OS X. It uses the tried, tested and very popular ClamAV open source antivirus engine as a back end. (Thanks Ed!)

  10. ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR HOMESCHOOLING — Basic Skills Assessment Service located in Oregon City, Oregon has a program available to homeschoolers to help with tracking and compiling of credits. They have two programs one for K-6 grade called TRACKS. The program for Jr High/High School is called the Diploma Program. It allows the parent the flexibility to choose the curriculum but helps to keep track of credit hours and grades. A transcript is compiled during the High School years and a diploma is issued when all the credits are complete. Basic Skills Assessment Service phone: 503-650-5282 or e-mail info(at)basicskill(dot)net

    For more information see their website:

    http://www.basicskills.net

  11. UPGRADE TO “PACKING MODULARLY” — A missionary to Japan improved on my suggestion to pack modularly (Apr. 13th edition, BackPage “missions travel tips/tricks, tool #13). She suggested packing a separate bag for each day, with all the changes of clothing one needs for that day inside the bag. That way the traveler can just grab a bag and go. It’s a good improvement on my tip.
  12. HATS OFF TO OUR BEST FRIENDS; MAKE A STATEMENT TO BRIGADA — Thanks to the anonymous donor from Equip, Inc.

    http://www.equipinternational.com

    who gave $150 this past week to undergird Brigada! Want to give a gift to cover for some young missions recruit who can’t afford to give? Just click on “Sponsor/Donate” in the top menu (to use PayPal or a credit card), or if you prefer, send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. (Team Expansion is a 501(c)3 incorporation so for USA citizens, your checks made out to Team Expansion are tax-deductible.) As always, be sure to let us know if you’d like us to promote any particular service or ministry, or if you’d prefer your gift be anonymous. And thank you in advance for helping.

  13. THE BACKPAGE: 3 GUYS RUN NORTH AFRICA — Did you happen to follow the story about the 3 guys who ran (yes, on foot) across North Africa? Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin needed exactly 111 days to cross the entire Sahara Desert on foot. They stated on the beach in Senegal and then made their way through Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt all the way to the Red Sea. They faced desert temps, cold nights, sand in their eyes, dysentery, plus all the usual stuff associated with running the equivalent of two marathons per day for over 3 months straight. Gulp.

    Why do these guys run? I tried to track down a good cause at their respective websites. Maybe it was to make a case for clean water, like they said. (Personally, that just seems like a stretch for me.) Somehow, it just seems more likely that they run because of the challenge. You know, like the mountaineers say, “Because it’s there.” And maybe a bit because they *can* run. They probably *have* to run. They’re compelled to run by a force as indescribable as the life that courses through their veins.

    Either way, the question remains, what about you? What do you *have* to do? We’re always stirred when we hear about an Olympic athlete who competes for the sake of a sister with polio, or a scientist who works like crazy to find a cure to the disease that killed her husband, or the wealthy businessman who gives a million dollars to a cause that his deceased wife held dear. So what stirs you to action? What drives you to stay up and finish a job?

    I wish we could recreate this kind of marathon-like commitment to finish the cause of world evangelism. Can you imagine if every believer in every local church would care so deeply about getting the gospel to the ends of the earth? There are so many competing forces, the chief of which is apathy itself. Either way, we’d better find a way to wake up the senders to the marathons that lie before us. We’d better find a way to stir go-ers into action, and givers into obedience. If there’s even one believer in your local church who still doesn’t tithe, we’d better find a way to reach him or her, then mobilize those new funds for the sake of the gospel — around the block, and around the planet. Only then will our marathon go-ers have the resources to beat the next sandstorm, or survive the next dry stretch. Only then will their listeners hear the truth that changes eternal destinies. Only then will the God of the ages be glorified in the way He desires. Only then will we complete our purposes here on this earth. And the 2nd coming will happen. And then we’ll never thirst again. And we’ll reach a final rest that’s worth the run.

    Until then — lace up. It’s a new day.

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