Jones Journal e-Mailer for 2016-12

jonesjournal.org > newsletters > e-Mailer for 12/2016

Dear Friends,

Very warm and rainy Holiday greetings from Panamá!

If you'd prefer you can read this e-Mailer online, or see past issues on "Newsletter" page at jonesjournal.org. This monthly e-Mailer includes updates on our life, ministry, praise, and prayer.

Panamá almost experienced a weather-related first—no not a white Christmas, but a near-miss by Hurricane Otto. While it did not cross directly over Panamá, the extra rains it produced resulted in nine people dying here in Panamá due to flooding, landslides and in one tragic incident a large tree fell on a car with a child inside just outside his school. Please join us in praying for those affected.

The following three photos are from last Saturday. We’re not always this busy, but it presents a fair cross-section of what we do as missionaries.

In the morning we coordinated a work project at Metro Amigos home for at-risk kids to remove contaminated ceiling tile. We are grateful for the help from a church men’s group.

In the afternoon Yvonne and I served as judges for Templo Zuriel’s Church talent show and folklore celebration. Congratulations to Osiris Vasquez, one of our regulars in the monthly kids ministry seminars, who coordinated the food, decorations and program. Over 100 children got to enjoy 25 of their peers sharing their talents with a purpose.

That evening I taught a seminar for a gathering of several different churches and their kids ministry leaders who received Libro de Vida (Book of Life) donated materials. Christmas and summertime (January & February here in the Tropics) are great opportunities for child outreach events. I believe the picture shows they all enjoyed while we learned together. Just please don’t judge this missionary by his selfie skills…

Combining October Missions emphasis with November Patriotic celebrations across Panamá, en Colón we celebrated the second Children’s Missions Parade and Festival. The children (and surely their parents!) outdid themselves with authentic costumes and showed great missionary fervor while marching down main street with a police escort. A welcome twist at the Festival featured a girl preacher who brought the Word!

We had the privilege of preaching for Panamá’s First Assembly of God Church, Catedral de Vida, at the close of their Missions month. I shared a part of their rich history that inspires to this day: Missionary Richard Larson, the first pastor, told me that at the dedication of the unfinished new building in spite of their own needs the congregation raised up a $1000 offering for a missionary outreach in Egypt. Converting 1970 dollars to the present equals $6273! Catedral de Vida continues expanding their missionary reach across the Isthmus and around the world with over 30 missionaries!

We titled the short-and-sweet Christmas program that we prepared for our workers with a music CD and Scripture scenes as “It’s Christmas – the Light has Come!” In that vein I share one of my favorite passages wishing you and yours a Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year:

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:9-14 (ESV)

Yours for Them,

Kirk & Yvonne

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