My first night in Spain was spent lagging a bit from the trip. As I lay reading and dozing, periodically I would hear screaming and groaning. This came not only from the home I am staying in, but also from homes around the neighborhood as everyone in Spain is watching the World Cup.
Awoken suddenly, I heard the shout of “GOAL!” Followed by fireworks, more hollering, shouting, and a general raucous in the yards surrounding the Gibson’s home. What an amazing sound! And I’m sure it was nothing compared to the cheers heard in the downtown areas of Spain, along with the location of the actual event in South Africa.
It brought me chills to hear of their delight as they celebrated their team’s success. All I could think of was the rejoicing when we as Christians are successful in sharing our faith and when we score a GOAL as one decides to follow Christ for the first time. The amazing sound outside the window is nothing compared to what goes on in heaven when we play this game of life and are successful in following God’s call to share His love with those around us.
We know that the angels rejoice when one person decides to follow Christ, but I had never before thought about the fact that they observe us regularly in this game of life. Cheering when we make a good play of obedience to the Holy Spirit, groaning when the enemy intercepts a move in the right direction, and of course, the after party when our team is victorious.
In this unusual economy our family is attempting to think outside “the box” of A/G Missionary fundraising. One way we are doing this is a cell phone drive and we are asking for your help. Unlike other fund raising projects, there are no products to buy and distribute. All we are asking is that you donate any cell phones that you have at home. Also, if you know of any businesses that provide cell phones to employees, please ask if there are unwanted cell phones they would like to donate.
We don’t even need the chargers or accessories. There is no cost for us to participate so 100% of the proceeds will go towards getting us to Madrid, Spain to work with International Media Ministries. Our goal is 20,000 cell phones (crazy as that may sound) and it will come by many doing a little. We will receive our money promptly, so please help us out this week. All we need is the cell phone and battery; chargers and other accessories have no value.
Here Is How It Works…
Collect at least 6 inactive cell phones.
Contact me via email, rich@smallie.org, and I will send you a prepaid FedEx label.
Put the cell phones in a box, slap on the label and call FedEx to pick up (or drop off at Kinkos/FedEx)
It would be great if your church, club, or just a group of friends would join together to collect larger quantities. We will be glad to send you a box to put in the foyer of the church or place of business for collection purposes. Your help is greatly appreciated.
“My people have a proverb…” I heard this phrase many times over the ten days that my African friend, Pastor Philemon Salam Saba, spent with us here at IMM recently. Over the past few days, I had learned to listen carefully to the words spoken by my new friend because of the years of wisdom behind them. “He who beats the drum does not know how far it goes.” Those words are still ringing in my ears weeks after hearing them for the first time.
Pastor Saba and Melissa Bell
Pastor Philemon Salam Saba is the lead pastor of a congregation of 2,000 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He came to IMM to help us record a French version of “Open the Bible: The Gospels”. Within six weeks of his coming we completed a version for the 115 million French-speaking people in 31 countries of Africa.
When I asked him why he was willing to invest his time to participate, he shared with me how important this project was for introducing people to Jesus through media and having these kinds of quality programs for the Bible schools and churches. As we talked about the importance of IMM in partnering with French speaking countries he shared this proverb. The meaning needs no explanation.
Open the Bible DVD in French now complete!
We give ourselves everyday to the task of “beating the drum” at IMM. We beat the drum with hearts of faith that the sounds will fall on open ears and hearts. You too are beating a drum with your life! You just don’t know how far that influence will be carried. Know this, your influence is reaching to the nations of French-speaking Africa because you are standing with us as faith partners. Thank you for your faithful part in telling the story that changes lives.
International Media Ministries in Madrid, Spain is our new destination. We are excited about helping to tell the story thru media by working to produce media, train others in media as well as mentor the next generation as they reach the world thru media.
Over the next 15 months we will be making a concerted effort to see as many
of our friends and family scattered across the USA to get re-acquainted and
talk about what’s next with our family.
We are so grateful for your partnership and would love an opportunity to sit
and talk with you so give us a call, drop us an email, contact us on
facebook or even send us a letter. Lets chat.
The new semester begins tomorrow. It is going to be a busy one. In the next couple weeks we need to recruit 100 volunteers to help with the Eurasia Experience which will take place in the Evangel Chapel during Missions Emphasis week, finalize details for the upcoming service trip (missions trip) to Exuma, and keep things on track with the 80 or so students that I have in classes.
We also anticipate the beginnings of iteneration planning which will require quite a few hours on the phone. I hope we can do some travel now but most of what we need to do is make a schedule for when we finish at Evangel in May.
God will make a way. I am glad for that.
P.S. We have added a subscribe form to our website – so if you would like to get our updates via email please take a few seconds and sign-up.
It has been an eventful semester at Evangel University and I am looking forward the next semester. Over the last term I have had the privilege of working with some of the most talented instructors and students on the planet. Its been a joy to work with the missions club on campus “World Changers” and bring in fellow missionaries to inspire another generation towards missions.
I am not sure what to think about the fact that the cheerleaders had me dressed as the mascot (I found out later it was the female costume) and the “World Changers” had me dressed like Santa for the MK Christmas party. It makes me wonder what I will be dressed as next term. We are having the Eurasia Experience during missions week so who knows.
I have the opportunity to teach an intro to missions course this term that I am really anticipating so if you are in the area you should come sign-up. Who knows what the term will hold.
Posted by: admin on: November 6 2009 • Categorized in: The Kids
Scottie just cracks me up! He is the man of many expressions and this one is very serious, not angry but telling his sister how she should pile the leaves up so he can jump into them. Its funny, the next day I tried to take some photos of him and his sister and I took about 30 – he made a different face in everyone. Never a normal smile. What a clown!
