Global Staff Conference 2013

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We're leaving tomorrow, July 10th, for a packed-to-the-brim 7 weeks in the USA. All the passports are ready (Isaac has 2 of them) and the tickets printed out...now we just need to pack.

First off, we will be headed to Orlando, FL for the first ever Campus Outreach Global Staff Conference. Over 500 staffers and family from 5 continents will gather for a week of time togther for "Refueling, Relationships and Refocus". We are really excited because of the great teaching from 3 CO-partner church pastors (John Piper, Matt Chandler and Frank Barker), practical and pertinent seminars that relate directly to our ministry on the college campus and lives as staff, and the opportunity to get to know others who what we do around the globe.

The fact that Orlando is home to Disney and Universal studios ain't bad, either. Tathiana is ready to fulfill a childhood dream of going to Disney - and she get to do it with her sister, Fabiana, who also works with us!

After the Conference, we will be making the rounds with our team and individually in a short support-raising stint before heading back to Brazil at the end of August.

For more info about the conference, see: http://coglobalstaffconference.com

Global Connection

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A) Dunedin, NEW ZEALAND: B) Brisbane, AUSTRALIA: C) Khon Kaen, THAILAND: D) Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA: E) Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL: F) Augusta, GA - USASix men in six different countries, in six different time zones, on five different continents and of three different nationalities connected via a video conference call last Wednesday, December 5, 2012. I know that happens all the time these days, but it was a first for me.

All five of the international Campus Outreach ministries and one administration facilitator spent over an hour talking about the administration needs that each one is facing. The goal was to encourage an exchange of experience and knowledge about how to move forward and help out campus ministries thrive in their different organizational contexts.

It was the first of many such global connections to come. I, personally, relished the time to hear from other Resource Directors of other CO franchises about what they are facing and how similar it is to what we are trying to build and integrate here in Belo Horizonte. I want to help our ministry gain infrastructure that helps our relational campus ministry thrive on what we do best, and help take care of our staff for the long-haul of evangelism and discipleship on the universities here in Brazil.

Isaac Silva Elam

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Isaac Silva Elam, born Nov 15, 2012He's here! Isaac Silva Elam. Born Nov 15, 2012 at 9:32, 7lbs, 11 oz, 19 1/4 inches.

Mommy doing well, recovering from c-section. Father trying to learn all he can. LOTS of help from Brazilian friends and family. Not sure he realizes that we're tired, but when he looks at us, he so cute. Parenthood, that wild rollercoaster ride called reality, here we come!

Thanks to all for the prayers.

Baby Alert!

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Tathiana and our staff ladies at a retreat.We have hit the home stretch. It’s November, and Isaac will be here sometime this month. Tathiana is doing well; no health issues for her or the baby, nursery pretty much ready, hospital bag packed and doctor appointments scheduled. If only the Brazilian summer heat would ease a bit, 9 months pregnant and 90º heat don’t make for a enjoyable tandem.

We will be sure to post photos via Facebook and website, so stay tuned. Life and ministry are about to change as we know them!

Pray for these specific things: 

  • For the delivery, a C-section (because of a surgery that Tathiana had on her legs when she was a child), so that always is a bit scary, and the recovery is longer.
  • For Isaac to get through the first days with no health problems, feeding issues or infections.
  • For Tathiana to rest and recover as she adjusts to full-time mommying.
  • For Jon to have the heart of a servant beyond his natural ability, to have the heart of Jesus.

 

What We Believe AND WHY?

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Over the past few months the conversation within my discipleship group has centered around this phrase: “What we believe and why?” We have taken some of the important questions of our faith and discussed them, studied them, and hashed-out hard questions in order to get to the point where we know what we believe and why.

First, we took several weeks to look at the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. These are important summaries of the basic Christian faith that span most Christian denominations, including Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox. In addition, being some of the oldest confessions, these declarations are important building blocks for other doctrines we were to study afterwards.

Next, we spent weeks moving from topic to topic. We began with the hard-to-grasp doctrine of the Trinity. Then, we discussed the polemic doctrine of Election/Predestination. The last study we did was about Spiritual Gifts – what they are, their use and controversy surrounding them.

Each person took personal responsibility to find sources, Bible passages, commentaries and articles and bring his own findings to the group. We met together to discuss what each person had come up with. The idea has not been to determine a final stance to sit upon, but to have good Biblical reasons for what we may say we believe, but not always understand why or the history of it.

We will continue on this pace until the end of the year. If you have any suggestions, send them on so we can live in light of Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Tathiana's Reflections: Nov 2012

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ABOVE: Audrey, Tathiana and Rafaela. BELOW: Dora, Tathiana, George and DuncanDiscipleship Group

I’ve been meeting with these girls, Audrey and Rafaela, for two years and I say that it is a privilege to see them growing in their vision to serve others and in their relationship with God.

We are in the middle of a Bible study of Romans and learning that we Christians have an enormous capacity to settle for just doing the “right things”. Sometimes we forget that we are sinners in need of grace daily and not to look at fulfilling the law.

Church Children's Ministry

One of the things that has brought me so much joy this year has been teaching 3 children at our church. Dora, George and Duncan, all between 10 and 12, are children of families who attend our church.

We have spent 6 months studying about different heroes in the Bible and I have seen such change in their hearts and outlook over this period. It is so encouraging to see vulnerability and repentance in these little guys who have such little life experience. I admit that I like the comic relief they provide, and even mediating their in and out of classroom conflicts.