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Dwight and Barbara Bolick October 11, 2012
American Baptist International Ministries
Temuco, Chile
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Mari-Mari News
How We Find True North in Chile |
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| Losing and Finding the North |
| A phrase in Spanish we hear when someone has strayed off-course is “perdió el norte.” (lit., he lost the North) It refers to a person who lost his bearings, or simply drifted away from her purpose.One way we “keep our North,” as your southern-most missionaries in Chile, is to keep our mission’s goals before us. |
| Where We Find Our North |
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Isaiah envisions the poor who receive the good news of the kingdom becoming like “oaks of righteousness,” who change their world (Isa. 61:1-4)
From this passage we have gleaned the three goals that define the “North” of our work, helping people move:
- from shame to Dignity
- from poverty to Productivity
- from vulnerability to Virtue, or strength of heart.
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| Quick Links |
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To give to the World Mission Offering, click here, and then, in the Special Instructions block, you may indicate if you wish to designate your offering towards our ongoing support.
http://www.internationalministries.org/basket/ordered_items
To give directly to our ongoing support, click here, and then click on the GIVE block on the right:
http://www.internationalministries.org/teams/49-bolick
Thank You!
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| Your Support Helps Us Stay the Course |
Your support makes possible the changes in people’s lives that we see.
The World Mission Offering, received this month in ABC churches, remains one of American Baptists’ best ways to “keep our North.” The WMO goes 100% to equip our missionaries and partners in mission to live and share the good news of the Kingdom of God.
The links above, to the right, will give you information about how to give to the WMO and designate your gift.
Please read on to find out how your support helps raise up people who are changing their world in the power of the Gospel and the Spirit.
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| You are Raising Up Young People Who Care |
Antonia didn’t know what to expect when she came to the Girls’ Clubs’ mid-winter gathering.
At the all-day activity, all of the crafts were related to the launch of this year’s mission project. The girls are supporting a Chilean missionary in India, whose organization, Puente de Amor, provides a safe house and foster parents for girls who have been rescued from human trafficking in Nepal and India.
After hearing about Puente de Amor, Antonia and her friends came to life. They made cards to send to all of the rescued girls, and brainstormed ideas that would raise funds for the girls’ new home, for clothes, beds, and blankets. They made bookmarks to remind them at school to pray for their friends in India who have suffered so deeply.
As you know, the joy of participating in God’s mission goes far deeper than the satisfaction we feel when we help others. It is as if God prepares good works for us to do which minister to our own deep needs.
You see, Antonia’s father is in prison. Her life has been hard, and it won’t get easier any time soon. But her load is lighter now, because of the friends she has in the Girls’ Club, and by accepting the gift of caring about some little girls from India and Nepal.
Antonia and her friends are beginning to let Jesus and his mission community become their true North.
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| Your Prayers Keep Us On Course |
 Here are some updates on your mission in Chile and some prayer requests:-
- National Baptist Convention of Chile – We just held a mission conference, inviting our colleague in Bolivia, Mario Morales, and a Brazilian missionary serving in Peru, Anderson Rossi, to speak. They challenged the convention to move from being “objects” of mission to being “subjects,” that is, actively joining God’s mission. Pray for our partners as they seek to create a new culture of mission, and build helpful relationships with sister conventions in Brazil and Bolivia.
Language revitalization – Helping people recover the use of their native language is one of the best ways we have found to raise up more confident leaders in the Mapuche churches. We have Beginner and Advanced Mapudungun classes that are attracting unbelievers to the churches, an opportunity for the churches to learn that friendships can reach people, too. This year we have five men who tell Dwight that they want to teach Mapudungun in the schools, which would also provide them a livelihood. Pray for us as we gather a team in the U.S. to help us train teachers in more effective second-language teaching methods, which can also help us extend the reach of this program in Chile.
Girls’ Clubs – Pray for the best helpers to come alongside Barbara to help in the arduous process of editing the materials and producing a curriculum. Also, we have a good problem: the parents at the school that adopted the program are demanding that all the students be included, something for which we do not have the financial or personnel resources.
Instituto Berea – This year we are asking the question, “Are we prepared to show people the way to maturity in Christ?” Dwight and invited teachers are preparing discipleship materials and methods for our Mapuche churches to use.
Beekeeping – This spring we are testing a different type of beehive, the top-bar hive, which has lower costs, less heavy lifting, and perhaps a simpler management system, more natural. Pray for our four new, and four second-year beekeepers to master new knowledge and skills.
Rainwater Collection Demonstration Project – The inauguration of the restored medical clinic will occur this month. Pray for us as now we can move ahead on the rainwater project, and on the long-range plans with the community for the site’s use as a development center.
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| Thank you for your generous and compassionate support of the mission of Christ in Chile. You are helping raise up a new generation of “oaks.” May the God of peace equip you with every good thing for doing his will. God bless you.Grace and peace, |
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Dwight and Barbara Bolick
International Ministries
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