Learning Experience

(Brad) We received an email from Jack Eberhardt on October 22, 2007 letting us know they are purchasing our tickets for Honduras. We are scheduled to leave January 7, 2008. Wow, an actual, real date. This seemed to have more of an impact on me than Cindy. As we go through this process we are learning that what generates concern (ok, let’s be honest - it’s really stress) in one of us has little or no impact on the other and vice versa. I begin thinking about all the “stuff” that would need to be done before we left. Trying to remember it all seemed to increase my stress. So, I went (read I was kicked out of the house by Cindy because of my bad attitude – she was definitely right) to Barnes and Nobles, took out a notebook, and wrote down all the stuff I could think of that would need to be done. After getting it all on paper I looked at the list, leaned back, said “wow” or “oh my gosh” or something along those lines. I must have said it pretty loud because a guy two tables away jerked his head up from the book he was reading and looked at me that look of “are you ok?” or was the “what’s wrong with you buddy?” I will assume it was the first one – it makes me feel better.

During this same time Cindy was struggling with something else and when she tried to share it with me my response was not to listen to what she was saying and try to help. Nope, my response was to jump on her and make it worse. For three days after my wonderful response I’m going around feeling terrible and not sure how to make it better. Here is this beautiful lady who is stepping out to follow God to Honduras and wants to share with her husband some stuff she’s struggling with about this move. What does the loving husband do? Act like a jerk.

Wednesday night we finally talked for a long time. I was just happy she would even consider still talking to me. I believe this entire process from April until we leave is about getting us ready for Honduras. Sometimes I forget that in the day-to-day activities of getting ready to go. We have to remember the principle we’ve established of “Primero pienso sobre el espiritual” which is our best Spanish for “First think about the spiritual.” Meaning when situations arise our first thoughts should be what is/are the spiritual implication(s) of what is happening and not to first become defensive or take things personally. Great principle. Not always so easy to implement in the heat of a situation. The best way to be prepared and not be caught off-guard when this stuff comes up is to spend significant amounts of time in prayer each day just letting God get your mind and heart right. Better start doing what I say!

October 21, 2007

We had the privilege of sharing at Duvall’s Chapel General Baptist Church in Greenville, Kentucky. We always refer to getting the opportunity to share as a privilege because these churches do not have to let us come and share. They open their doors and in almost every case are letting someone they don’t even know come and speak. We had a great time with pastor Ken and Becky Miller and the congregation. Great group of people and after the service they had a lunch for the congregation. We’ve got to recommend the banana pudding – it was awesome homemade banana pudding. One of the benefits to all the traveling is the eating.

October 14 2007

We had been trying to schedule a speaking opportunity for this date for about a month without success. Interesting that Brad lost his voice during this week and if we had been scheduled to speak he probably would have had a very difficult time speaking. Huh? Sure makes you wonder who might be in control. We’ll leave it up to you to decide what you think.

October 13 2007

Brad played in the golf scramble for the General Baptist Church in Fort Branch which raised money to support the church’s trip to Honduras in 2008. It was a great day for golf, good turnout to support missions and Brad had an opportunity to speak during the lunch.

October 11 2007

October 11, 2007
(Brad) Today formations started for Kairos #3 at Branchville Correctional Facility (Prison) in Tell City, Indiana. For those not familiar with Kairos it is similar Walk To Emmaus or Tres Dias for prisons. It starts on Thursday evening and ends on Sunday night. The difference is Kairso doesn’t target Christians. Kairos focuses on the trouble makers in the prison. The gang leaders. I had the privilege of serving on the last first two Kairos at Branchville. It is an amazing experience to watch these inmates show up on Thursday night not really happy to be there and trying to figure out what we “want” from them to Sunday night when they don’t want us to leave and many who have not cried in years wiping away tears as they have experienced - possibly for the first time in their life – unconditional love from another person (or in Kairos’ case about 45 –50 people). To be a part of the team requires a very large time commitment. With that in mind after the last Kairos I decided if given the opportunity not to participate in the next Kairos because I would be heavily involved in getting ready to go to Honduras. As the time got closer I begin to waiver in this decision. Prison ministry, Kairos, and my weekly Bible studies with others are some of the reasons I am where I am today in my relationship with God and commitment to Him. Now that I’m getting ready to make this move to Honduras I shouldn’t stop what has gotten me to this point and continues to help me grow. So, when I had the privilege of being asked to be a part of this Kairos team I excitedly said yes.

October 8th

Today Brad had the privilege of meeting with Pastor Kevin McKinney of Methodist Temple in Evansville, IN. It was wonderful getting to meet him and so appreciated that he would be open to meeting with us. It was really neat to learn that his grandparents had served as missionaries in China, Asia and South America for 53 years. He has a real heart for missions and for the church functioning as the church across denominational lines. Once again, another time where God used this process of meeting people we would never have met except through this adventure to encourage us. One thing we are learning through this: there are a lot of believers out there who love God, are striving to follow Him as best they can, understand they are not where they want to be in their commitment to Christ, but are wanting to improve their commitment to Christ.

Church Planting Course

Brad has been looking for a church planting course to increase his knowledge in this area but has been having a difficult time finding training in this area that is not geared toward church planting in the United States culture. So, he has found several books from different sources about what God is doing around the world in reaching people through church planting. He has a collection of 5 –6 books that he is currently reading. It is very exciting learning about what God is doing in different parts of the world.