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February 2016 (Issue Number 20)
Hello Brothers & Sisters!
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How are you doing these days?
It was such a period of time for me- beginning a new year and a beginning the Timothy Project(TTP).
We had the first, Level 1 TTP Workshop in Tuba City (Jan 19) and Kaibeto (20th).
It was not a big fancy fanfare-d but we humbly and joyfully served 60s families and 190s children in two meetings.
The fact that we have started the ministry, however, is more significant than any other things such as the number of participants or something like that.
It was a very important step after five months of prayer, meditation, and preparation for the workshop.
Five months- I am sure that there should be God's sovereignty and providences for this ministry.
Now, God provided us the platform and materials.
I will do my best to advocate and share TTP- Home Schooling of Christian Faith: We Teach Our Faith To Our Children In Our Homes.
I prefer if you allow me to do, to visit your church on one of those sundays, and if you give me around an hour after service, I'd like to share the idea and materials with your people.
Please contact me, and let me know your invitation, so that I will schedule your church first.
I am pretty sure that teaching our faith to our children should be the most important thing for the future of family, church, people, and the Nation.
We've got to do something for this.
I am not saying TTP is the only thing for this.
But TTP is my very humble suggestion to begin with.
If anybody has any idea for this cause, please share with us so that we may utilize them in our effort.
In Level 1 TTP Workshop we covered followings.
Bible Songs (CD and Lyrics)
The List of 66 Books of the Bible
The Lord's Prayer
The Ten Commandments
The Basics of the Gospel
Memory Verses (1)
You may see these in PDF format, if you have an internet access with computer or smart phone, at http://cafe.daum.net/k331/PwZ7/4 but not the Bible Song CD and the Book.
Take your time to study them because these are for all ages and for life long studies.
Of course, I think, the Book- 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories is the most important and fundamental material in our effort.
I want every family and every child in the Reservation to have it.
Now, I am asking three dollars donation per each copy but also soliciting any mission team or church for VBS to provide free copies to those churches and children.
Please read the book, and share, memorize, & study TTP materials.
TTP is primarily for individual families for individual study or family worship but it should be good and useful for churches- Children Worship, Sunday School, and Bible Study because materials cover praise, prayer, and the Word of God.
That's why I hope it might help those individual churches to pay more attention to, and conduct children/youth ministry in their own situations.
In this issue, I do not have any other specific themed writing but want to add what I am asking those mission churches who want to do some short-term mission works such as VBS since it's a time of the year to prepare the Summer Mission Works.
My suggestion or request is based on my observed needs of those local churches in the Reservation.
Of course, I am not strictly asking them to do it as I asked, because they might have their own situations, but we, the ministers and leaders of Rez churches should have some sort of initiative for the sake of regular Rez-style or Rez-needed ministries.
I am telling this to those mission churches but think that you'd better know and think about it, and get actively involved in those VBS or some other assisted ministries.
If you have any agenda for this cause, please let me know.
So, keep in touch.
God may richly bless all of us.
Short-Term Mission Works Manual
by Rev. James Young Lee (as of Jan 2016)
General Rules
Examine your motive, attitude, skills and wisdom.
Be sensitive to the cultural differences.
Do not be a burden or threat to the local people.
Serve the local people as you serve God with fear and respect.
Keep the Balance. Be sensitive in sharing emotions & everything, not to be too much indulging. Too-much is not necessarily good for ministry.
Firmly control whole process- setting goals, building up strategies, execution, & reward.
VBS Ministries
Leaders
Each one of prepared leading and assisting person per a class of five to ten student is needed.
Same aged or younger leader than student is not recommended.
No other person disturbs the class or any other activities during the session by watching or taking pictures. Kids are more sensitive than your thoughts.
Praise
Prepare child-friendly songs, make CD and lyric available to local children and leaders so that they could sing those songs even after the mission team go back.
Study Materials
Rather than using materials that have been used in the mission church, figure out what is needed in local context, device & provide materials so that local churches will regularly continue locally-needed ministries.
Here is a list of what we'd like to teach our children from kindergarteners to 12th graders in the Reservation.
This curriculum will be administrated according to their age, degree of maturity, or entrance into the faith community.
Bible Reading and Learning (Using the 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories)
(Remaining is omitted to fit all in two pages.)
Craft, Sport Activities, & Gift
Save and secure some fund for good gifts such as 365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories for all participants so that they will read them to learn and familiarize with the Bible.
Set goals for VBS- such as attendance, memorial verse, etc.- award those who met the goals with specialized faith-related or study-encouraging gifts.
Block Party
Prepare food & invite the people of the community to encourage them to join & participate in our effort to raise those children in faith.
Be Prepared to Live in Different Environments.
Be prepared physically and mentally since facilities for sleeping, cooking, washing, poo-peeing can be dramatically different here in the Reservation.
Not only water and electricity but also garbage disposal cost money here.
Transportation
Mission team may have to give those children transportation to & from the ministry location.
Keep in mind, however, how those local churches would manage transportation afterward.
Orientation
You have to be informed about & familiarized with the local culture, situation, etc. as much as you can, so that you may minimize mistakes, surprise, or even failure and frustration.
Consult field missionaries for this.
Other Specialized Mission Works
Support field missionaries financially, morally, and ministry-wise.
Medicine & health, carpentry, music, sports, community services, rallies, seminars & workshops on relevant issues, and much more are possible.
Vision Trip, Mission Retreat, Field Tour, Healing Tour might be possible depending on the demography of the mission team.
Each style of mission work should be planed, prepared, and executed accordingly.
Above is my suggestions based on those observed needs & necessities.
As long as you keep the basics, however, be free following the Spirit's lead.
Any question or suggestion will be welcomed.