Are We Almost There Yet?

Remember when you were a child riding in the back seat of your parents’ car on what seemed like a never-ending trip? Nothing to do except poke your sibling or keep asking, “Are we almost there yet?” You kept repeating that question until your dad said, “If you ask that one more time, I’m going to stop the car and...” Soon another feeling would overwhelm you and another phrase was uttered over and over again, “I’m bored”, until that was no longer allowed.

Variety can challenge us and make our lives more exciting. Missionary life by nature is diverse because of the cultures, languages, idioms, and local customs. For those of us near the equator, December celebrations are spiced with temperatures that stay in the low 100’s F for weeks, while our supporters back in the States shovel snow.

During 2016, for both Vicki and me, boredom was not in our vocabulary. She ventured out further than she has ever gone not only in her formal education, but also in helping those who struggle in life or were stuck in a holding pattern not knowing how or where to land safely. In her recent preparation for lectures, on communication, given at a state university, she was insightful and inspiring. 2016 gave Vicki and me a variety of opportunities to speak to married couples in hotel hideaway atmospheres. These were far from boring as many discovered they weren´t alone in trying, at times, to make sense of matrimony.

Never in our 40 years of missionary ministry, have we been involved in a developing church that is drawing such a variety of folks into her congregation to better know Christ. At one end of our spectrum, we have believers who are doctors working on their PhDs, psychologists, banking professionals, and university professors. Jumping over to the other end of this comparative gamut are those who can’t find a job, struck down by poverty, and homeless, feeling hopeless. All are drawn to meet in praise, worship, and the preaching from Scripture. When I speak to our congregation, I see the expressions on their faces. It brings a mix of joy and sadness knowing that some can defend their hope within (I Peter 3:15) while others continue searching in places where they will not find it.

Monotony was not felt at any time while working construction on three building projects. Each job site had something new and different. With fresh excitement, I made friendships for a lifetime with our Christian brethren in novel interior towns as their simple church buildings were built with innovative concrete and steel re-rod calculations. The most outstanding “something new” was the conversion of one of our bricklayers. At the end of the six-month construction, Silvio, his wife, and their two children began attending our church. Their thirst for and understanding of the Gospel is captivating! And then throughout the next months, each member of Silvio’s family publicly shared his or her trust in Christ!  

So… are we bored? Nope! Are we almost there yet? Nope. Hang tight; we’ve a ways to go!

                                                                                                                          by Tim Reiner

                                                       Tim and Vicki Reiner  http://inafarplace.blogspot.com.br/

Baptist Mid-Missions . P.O. Box 308011 . Cleveland, OH 44130-8011 USA . (440)8263930

Baptist Mid-Missions of Canada . 110 Garnet St. North . Regina, SK S4R 3S5 . (306)775-2001

www.bmm.org/give/

The Poor Helping The Poorest, Now That's Rich!

Can you imagine the minimum hourly wage being $1.30 in today’s American political climate of easy promises guaranteeing $15.00 an hour? In our part of Brazil, believers in Christ and their churches are financially poor compared to our counterparts in the United States. The average income of working Christians in our Brazilian church, though above the country’s minimum hourly wage of $1.30, is still under US$5,000 annually. Most are forced to be minimalists.

 Today our fellowship of churches in our area of Brazil, receives very little outside financial help. They pay their bills on time, support their pastors, maintain and expand their buildings, plus now something new, giving more and more funds and personnel to mission projects abroad. The recent focus has been Mozambique, Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world where minimum wage is approximately 55¢ an hour.

Beira, Mozambique - Africa

Brazilian pastor Valdir Ligo, from the church that Vicki and I are involved with, is now in Mozambique for two weeks training a group of 35 pastors from this remote Portuguese speaking African country. Many hours a day, he is teaching New Testament Bible courses. Next month, having received food for their body and soul, these poorest of men will return to their congregation scattered throughout that destitute land.

Pastor Valdir preached to the Manga Congregation

This is remarkable! God using the poor to help the poorest by giving and teaching the wealth of His Kingdom, now that is rich!                                by tim reiner  

If you would like to support our ministries,

please contact: https://www.bmm.org/give/  

Baptist Mid-Missions P.O. Box 308011Cleveland, OH 44130-8011 USA(440) 826-3930

 Baptist Mid-Missions of Canada110 Garnet St. NorthRegina, SK S4R 3S5(306) 775-2001

                                     

Look in the Rearview Mirror before Changing Lanes

At the end of 2015, we decided to do what the writer of Hebrews suggested in verse 10:32, “call to remembrance the former days...” Our journey of unanticipated curves, speed bumps, and planned straightaways took us through a challenging year that tested our courage and determination to follow God’s purpose. We are grateful that this profitable exercise uniquely demonstrates the Gospel of Christ in our ministries. 

This past year, Tim had many speaking engagements away from home. He ventured six weeks in a row, mostly out of state, for evangelistic meetings, men’s retreats, couples’ retreats, and inauguration of a church’s building. The Barro, Ceará Baptist Congregation invited Tim to help put the roof on their new building. Igreja Batista em Vila Eduardo, where we minister, grew with the addition of three new families, several couples, and more commitments to Christ. Tim completed the transfer of Senior Pastor to our national pastor, Valdir Ligo. Tim continues on staff.

Seeing the lack of Biblical counselors in Latin America, Vicki has felt God leading to help fill the gap. In January, she completed her Life Coach certification, which is Biblically based and Spirit-driven. Immediately, she presented her first Group Coaching session, and started making contacts for potential clients. In August, she completed a second certification. She designed and built her two coaching websites and blogs in two languages. Revision of the Language Study program for new missionaries was completed in October. Monthly teaching of our ladies concluded in March with a full course dinner that she prepared in front of them in our big kitchen and served at our immense dining room table. In March, she demonstrated four sessions of live coaching in front missionary ladies at the All-Brazil Field Conference. After completing her Master´s degree in 2014, she decided to carry through on her certification to offer PREPARE/ENRICH couples’ relationship analysis in both English and Portuguese.

Vicki´s sister called the end of April asking her to help with their elderly mother who was not doing well. She stayed three months, helping in various ways. Decisions were made, hospice started, housing for brothers who live there was unsuccessfully searched out, and too many other things to list. Mom was declining. It was a special gift to be present when the hospice chaplain came and sang with her mother. He asked about her favorite part about going to church. She referred to her participation in choir, which was a long time ago. He began singing “In the Garden” and Mom sang with him. Vicki had not heard their mother sing in many years. Vicki left the states early August; Mom died in September and Vicki did not return. It was very hard for her to be here when her siblings got together to celebrate their mother´s life.

Immediately upon her return from the states, Vicki had oral surgery and then Tim was in the hospital for his surgery. She was not prepared for what she faced in assisting Tim. She could not return to any activity other than his care for 45 days. October and November, she prepared and spoke to 100 of our area women followed by a Life Coaching demonstration, along with 14 brief private coaching sessions at the event. She also finished up two other coaching projects.

We are looking forward to a busy year and ask for your prayers for wisdom in walking alongside our national brethren in our area of the São Francisco Valley. After many years of serving in the background, Vicki is excited to be changing lanes!

If you would like to support our ministries, please contact: https://www.bmm.org/give/   

Baptist Mid-Missions P.O. Box 308011Cleveland, OH 44130-8011 USA(440) 826-3930

 Baptist Mid-Missions of Canada110 Garnet St. NorthRegina, SK S4R 3S5(306) 775-2001

 Vicki’s coaching site in English: www.focusedonpurpose.com 

In Portuguese: www.foconoseuproposito.com 

And to the public on Facebook: www.facebook.com/focusedonpurpose  

A Conversation From A Hospital Bed To A Chair

 by tim reiner 

Sometime, probably in my early twenties, I defined “old people” by their conversations about medications, doctors, and their surgical procedures. As most healthy young people, I felt invincible and health was rarely on my mind.

That was 4 decades ago, and like many of you have, and the rest of you probably will, I discovered what it’s like to spend lengthy hours on a hospital bed, looking at the ceiling, feeling helpless and nonproductive. Eight days in a local hospital in interior Brazil, with no window to the outside world, I lost track of what day and night were. Hooked up to seven different tubes and connectors, my restlessness increased because movement was near impossible.

Once home, ordered by the doctor to spend another 30 days in bed, I did read and had some access to Fox News. In this phase of recuperation, I was drawn to the amount of US TV ads having to do with health and medication. Most medication ads spend the first five seconds telling you all the good the medicine will do for you, and the next fifteen seconds that it could kill you! I find those side effects discouraging.  

As a Missionary Pastor, I have been in hospitals more times than I can remember, but always seated on the chair visiting the one on the bed. This time, during my time on the bed, I am so thankful for the almost-daily visitors, area pastors, church friends, and several  fishing buddies.

Having never been on a hospital bed, I had not thought about the difference between what makes a good visit and a not so good visit. For you that may have opportunities to sit on the visitor’s chair and spend time with the one on the hospital bed, I now have a few suggestions:

1. Don’t try to outdo the medical condition of the one you visit with your past medical procedures. Empathy toward the one on the bed is more helpful.

2. If you’re a funny guy, you may want to take it easy on joke telling. The jokes were great, however, I almost blew a couple of my stitches two days after surgery.

3.  Don’t come into the room looking scared to death. A pleasant smile is better for the patient’s emotional state.

4. Don’t pay more attention to the nurses than to the patient, even if they are more interesting and talkative.

5. Try to keep from saying “you are going to be just fine,” unless you are a medical professional and know what you’re talking about.

6. Keep your friend on the bed in the loop. Usually they want to know what is happening in the circles they have had to leave for a season.

7. Don´t forget them once they are well. They may be living the answer to your prayers.

It’s been great chatting with you. After 42 days of being chauffeured around, today I have been allowed to drive… it’s so good to get back to work!

Thank you for visiting In a Far Place blog.

If you would like to support our ministries, please contact: https://www.bmm.org/give/   

Baptist Mid-MissionsP.O. Box 308011Cleveland, OH 44130-8011 USA(440) 826-3930

 Baptist Mid-Missions of Canada110 Garnet St. NorthRegina, SK S4R 3S5(306) 775-2001

 Vicki’s coaching site in English: www.focusedonpurpose.com 

In Portuguese: www.foconoseuproposito.com 

And to the public on Facebook: www.facebook.com/focusedonpurpose  

How Important Is A Church Building?

    by tim reiner   

Church buildings can range from small rented store fronts to grand cathedrals that took decades and millions to build. The array of architecture and facilities that fall between a humble rented hall and the majestic basilicas seems infinite. Some church buildings belong to the congregation that meet in that location. Some church structures belong to a financial institution and others to religious organizations.

Though most dictionaries will define “church” as a building, we know that biblically it is never the case but simply a called out assembly of believers (Romans 16:5).  In the New Testament, the church is always people not a building. A church can meet in a house, auditorium, or under a mango tree. Followers of Christ that meet in gorgeous climate controlled acoustically engineered “churches” are neither more nor less God’s preferred than believers that gather on a porch or in a school.

Religious people will often ask, “Where do you go to church?” which biblically makes no sense, yet we usually understand what is being asked. Rarely do we ask, “Where do you meet for Bible study and relationship?”

So, let me rephrase my title to: How Important Is A Church’s Building? Now the question can be answered. The location and facility where a church meets together can help or hinder prayer, learning, worship, Bible study, fellowship, and counsel, to mention a few  activities that happen within the church. The accommodations are as important to the social life of the church (people) as lyrics are to music. Both are essential.

Here in Brazil, I enjoy being a part of helping a church into new facilities that match their needs. Like putting lyrics to a melody, it organizes and gives continuity.

Near the little rural town of Barro, the church outgrew their pastor’s house and needed a new place to meet. For over two years, the brethren sacrificially gave to purchase property and voluntarily build the walls for a meeting place. They reached their limit.

Three weeks ago, I loaded my pickup with scaffolding, power tools, welder, power cords, and steel. Six hours later, I arrived and set up shop. For the next five days we were able to build the trusses, hoist them and the beams in place to receive the wood and clay tiles. Though the floor is still dirt, and power is not hooked up, the church (assembly) will soon move in to their building thanking God for His people who have provided a place to worship, study Scripture, and continue to hear biblical teaching.

Whether you just moved into a band-new, ambient-controlled carpeted auditorium, with a 48 channel digital soundboard, or a brand-new rough brick building in the bush with a dirt floor, the thrill, the excitement, and the thankfulness within Christ’s church is the very same. And that is sooo cool!

If you would like to support our ministries please contact:

https://www.bmm.org/give/