Review: Pilipinto’s Happiness

This isn’t the first kid’s book we’ve reviewed here, but it is the book aimed at the youngest readers, being a picture story book aimed at fairly confident readers – though it can obviously be read aloud.

I loved this book – I loved the pictures (very important in a PSB) and I loved the expressiveness of the text.  Most of all, I really enjoyed the story.

For those of you who don’t know, Valerie Elliot Shepard is the author, and is the daughter of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot – missionaries in Ecuador.  Jim Elliot was killed bringing the gospel to the Auca Indians, and later Elisabeth Elliot and Valerie (and Rachel Saint, Nate Saint’s sister) went to live amongst this people group, bringing many of them to Christ.  This book is a recount of her early life as a missionary child.

This is full of beautiful lessons about God’s love, protection, and how He works, as evidenced through the lives of Valerie/Pilipinto and her mother, along with lots of child-orientated details about food and games and even school!

This is awonderful resource for anyone who is seeking to impact a child for missions and Christ!

More Photos From Uganda - Before Day 11

 

David Sitton

 “…there is no meaningful risk for me as a carrier of the gospel of Christ.  If some tribal chief chops my head off, he’s doing me a favour.  Think about it.  If I get to (not have to)lay down my life in some remote jungle swamp, but God uses my death as an object lesson to turn their eyes to Christ and His name and the gospel gets to turn their eyes to Christ and His name and the gospel gets established among an unreached people group somewhere, that isn’t a bad “risk” for me.  I didn’t lose; I won!  It was the bargain of a lifetime because Jesus is worth a lot more than my little life.”

From RecklessAbandon, pg 22

Day Ten: Friday 22.06.2012

As Esther was better, we came to Bushikori later, and I walked into P4 at 9:40 to find that the other teachers had left the class and it was my lesson.  The students were more restless today, given the big day tomorrow, but the lesson went all right just the same.

After break I went to the library to work on Ivan’s book, and finished both the PSB and the bound book edit.  We are thinking that we will get the children to have an art competition to supply the artwork we need.

I finished just before lunch, and so after lunch I went to sit in on some classes or find Ivan to go through his book with him – only to find all the children up to P4 had gone home and P5-P7 were helping to clean.  I tried to help, but they wouldn’t let me, until Linus took pity on me and found me something that I could do (put back up posters) without raising the objections of everyone else.

We met Grace (Anne’s oldest daughter, and Jerome’s wife) and saw Jerome and Moses again.

We found out that when a visitor comes and it rains a lot, it means that they have brought lots of blessings.  So we have brought lots of blessings.  But until tomorrow is over we are praying for less blessings (and less rain)!

After going to the internet café on the way home, I went in search of a ribbon to tie up Ivan’s first manuscript.  I went EVERYWHERE, and no one even seemed to know what ribbon WAS, let alone had any!  I finally bumped into Sara and Helen, two of Mary’s friends, who took me with them to the flower shop.  She didn’t have any, but she gave us directions to Mama Hadib, who did.  Finally, after about an hour and a half of searching, I had some beautiful red ribbon to tie up Ivan’s story with.  Apparently I am the one presenting it tomorrow.

Hope Oceania

With all that happened in late 2011 and in 2012, we haven't been updating you on the missions work in Hope Oceania generally!

In October 2011, a tem from Hope Brisbane went to Fiji:
We also participated in a ‘Gift ministry’. The ministry help people to know God and provide free medical services. Since three of our team members are professional nurses, they helped in the medical area for the whole day. The other three helped provide Christian counselling and prayers for the people who came for the service. It was a very effective ministry as it covers the spirit, soul and body.  (Read the whole post here)
In January 2012, a team (mostly Hope Brisbane and Hope Gold Coast) went to Liberia to support our Hope centres there, and to provide training.

In 2012, Hope Auckland also went on a mission trip to Fiji.

In March 2012, other Hop members went on a mission trip to Liberia and Guinea.
On 14 March 2012, Mi Jeong, Doyin and I landed on the shores of Liberia, Africa, for the very first time. Our mission was to train the leaders in HIM Liberia and Guinea, minister at an evangelistic crusade and speak at the Hope Liberian women’s conference whilst forging a stronger relationship with our family of churches in Liberia and Guinea. Liberia is a country under progressive restoration, having come out of a civil war almost ten years ago. The people are friendly, warm and highly hospitable. We could sense God’s mighty hand upon the nation; bringing a people back to that place of relationship with our Maker.  (Read the whole post here)

It is exciting to read about how God is using his people frm different Hope centres to impact people all around the world!  Do go to the Hope Oceania Missions blog and read all of the different posts!

David Sitton

“If we, as gospel ambassadors, are unwilling to suffer even as much as soldiers and firemen, could the reason be that we don’t treasure Christ enough or value the gospel enough to sacrifice significantly for its advancement into unreached regions?  Is Jesus simply not worth the risk to many of us?”

From Reckless Abandon, pg 23

Review: Living In the Light of Eternity

This is another book by K.P. Yohannan, the founder of Gospel for Asia.  It basically chronicles what it means to be truly living God’s design for our lives, which is not to be successful in worldly terms, but to be faithful in proclaiming His gospel and empowering others to do the same.

One of the things I liked best about this book was that it really made me think.  I am (mostly) willing (I do have my moments) to lay my life down at the cross… but how willing am I to get others to do the same?  Would I be encouraging my husband to do so if I were married?  My children to do so if I had children?  Would I be willing for them to be missionaries, or to give all their money to spread the gospel, or to care for the poor?  Am I willing to give others over to God?

This is a really wonderful book that explored what it means to be a missionary, whether you are at home or overseas, and I really recommend it!

You can buy Living In the Light of Eternity from the Gospel For Asia website.

Day Nine: Thursday 21.06.2012

Esther was sick today with killer hay-fever.  The meds are also knocking her out, so she decided to stay home and rest for the big day on Saturday.  It meant that there was just enough space in the bus for me to go to Morning Glory (the morning prayer service).  Anne wasn’t sure if I had enough time to get ready, but I was ready, and not even the last person into the van!

I spent the morning marking P4 test papers.  At break I had porridge with the children, which they thought was hilarious, then I went to P4 to teach comprehension.  Easiest class I’ve EVER taught – everything was written up for me, we read the piece twice through, and then the children worked in almost silence.

The afternoon included chapel, which was fun.  P4 were leading.  While we were there it started raining, and so it was interesting getting the children to cross a busy highway in the rain!  Although the other teachers offered for me to go in out of the rain I declined as I don’t mind getting wet – and they all do!

After school I went on the internet again, then to the other craft shop, but they didn’t have anything I wanted, so I caught a boda home.

At home, a local artist stopped by and showed me his work.  He said he had been by before, so I assumed he’d seen Esther, but he hadn’t.  I got some beautiful fabric paintings (3 for my family, 1 for the church and one for me) and two ink and watercolour pieces.  They were all very beautiful, and Esther is a bit sad to have missed it.

An interesting note – there are much less power outages than there were last year in Kampala.  I’m not sure if it is a location factor or a time factor, but either way, it does make life easier!

David Sitton

 “It is my conviction as a mission leader, rather than encouraging this generation of young believers to pad their IRA retirement accounts, we should be pointing them towards packing their own coffins with a few belongings as they set sail for the strongholds of Satan in the 10/40 Window countries.”

From Reckless Abandon, pg 201

Day Eight: Wednesday 20.06.2012

When I got to school my lesson had already started, so they just swapped it to be exactly when I got there.  I’m not sure when anything is – no one seems to tell me exactly when.  It is a different way of doing things.

While P4 had maths I went to the library and read the story Ivan wrote, which is about his life.  It is something that I can work with to do a few different things.  I’ll get a printed copy bound – a few copies even – and also I will get Ivan to do some illustrations and then make it into a PSB.  We can either get it published by an independent publisher or by a more recognised Christian publisher.  Ivan is excited about it, but doesn’t seem to understand most of it.  But he is very proud of it, as he should be.

I took a photo of the P4 mathematics work – very different from what grade 3s do in Australia!

After lunch I went into P4, thinking that I would observe a class.  The children were leading Praise and Worship.  Their teacher came in, and after 5 minutes, asked me if I wanted to teach.  I asked him what the subject was.  “Story time,” he said.  “Story time?” “Yes, you tell them a story.”  “A… Bible story?  You mean, it is RE class?”  “Yes.  Tell them a Bible Story.”  So I told them the SIV (Sam’s Interpreted Version) of Joseph, which was my Sunday School lesson that I had prepared but hadn’t done.  Apparently it was a big success, because several teachers (including ones who weren’t there) have told me that it was a great class, which is pretty good!

I went on the internet at the café again, and tried to sort out an issue that is happening with uni.  I think I got it all sorted.

After that I went to one of the craft shops in town, and bought 2 necklaces, which I will use to make bags.