By the mercies of the Lord we have completed our first 'Orientation For Service' . We had five participants for the August 3 through 12 training and I was thoroughly blessed. Each candidate participated with eagerness and earnestness and we grew together in the service of our Servant King Jesus and His example. From the first day we all used buckets for showers and ate a bit different than normal. Sharon and I tried to impart a 'little' of what life is like in a third world setting. (But we did let them use hot water, a rarity in Africa, Haiti and India.) We explored what it would mean to represent Wordsower International as servants to the least. We walked in the Scriptures and examined our Statements of Faith and Purpose in relation to the Word. Together we went through Jesus' preparation of His Disciples for lives of service in the Gospel of John and other Scriptures. We discussed the Wordsower Discipline and what it could mean to fully walk out the 'chosen fast' of Isaiah 58. We prayed together and celebrated the Lord's table. Each was subjected to a most fearfully anticipated closing interview. During the second week of the Orientation the Lord provided four dear brothers from the local ministry and missionary community to address us and to share their vast, wonderful and varied experience with us.
We are blessed to have extended the right hand of fellowship to two deacons and three deaconesses.
WORDSOWER INTERNATIONAL: MISSIONARY DEACON
Andrew Fehr to Haiti, Dec. 2010
Joshua Nightingaleto Haiti, Aug. 2010WORDSOWER INTERNATIONAL: MISSIONARY DEACONESS
Teri Bortz in service to the churches of America with husband/Wordsower Kenny Bortz
Jamie Fehr to Haiti, Dec. 2010
Elisha Nightingale to Haiti, Aug. 2010
After the completion of their 'orientation' the new members of Wordsower International went their various ways, as did Sharon and I. Teri Bortz rejoined her Wordsower husband in the Southwest US continuing their ministry to the Churches of Jesus. Andy and Jamie Fehr returned to Iowa and began preparations to go to Haiti to serve in My Father's House for a year with their two sons. Josh and Elisha left a week later, with their daughter (and our granddaughter)Jaden, for a year of living in My Father's House Haiti. I was able to see them upon their arrival in Port Au Prince and personally introduce them to our National Director, Pastor Predestin.
Sharon and I had driven to Iowa and then to Ohio. From there I flew to Haiti and conducted ministry business for a couple of days before returning to the States to continue our Fall Tour. We are so very blessed to be able to train and send our first Missionary Deacons to the field. God is so good and He is absolutely faithful to His children and to those who serve them. Please pray for these servants of the least, as they learn the language so as to communicate the Gospel with words even as they communicate the gospel through their loving and joyful service.
We pray that the Lord will raise up others who would commit to a year of serving in one of Wordsower International's Orphan homes in Africa, India or Haiti, or to service through another aspect of Wordsower. Lord enabling we will conduct another Orientation For Service, November 2 through 12 in Mt.Pleasant, Iowa and then again in late July 2011 in Nampa, Idaho.
