ANNOUNCING....

After serving twenty years with Missionary Ventures, we are prayerfully transitioning to full-time service with one of our partnering organizations, Audio Scripture Ministries.  We have worked with ASM on various projects during the past eight years, and we know that they share our same vision for reaching non-readers with the translated Word of God in audio.

Jim has accepted the position of International Projects Coordinator, which means he will be expanding his territory to include more of Latin America and also Mozambique and India.  Meanwhile we will live and work in Oaxaca as before, managing the recording studio production and distribution here, and also hosting short-term teams as needed.

It is strange to no longer be formally affiliated with MVI after all these years, but we leave on good terms, believing this is God's plan for our next season of ministry.  Thankfully we have received great encouragement from our financial supporters, and now we are making this announcement public, trusting that our prayer partners, likewise, will join us in this new venture.

We will still rely on the faithful donations of God's people who believe in the work we are called to do.  More than ever we value your prayers as we work in regions that are currently or formerly under Satan's jurisdiction.  We don't expect him to give up territory without a fight, so we need prayer warriors to stand with us and behind us.

As always we are trusting God to provide the finances needed for each recording project and each trip.  We are excited to watch His continued faithfulness as we start the New Year under new leadership. 

Donations may now be sent to:

Audio Scripture Ministries 
760 Waverly Rd.
Holland, MI  49423

You may designate your gifts to Jim and Jamie Loker, knowing that 100% of your donation will go to support the work of audio scripture production and distribution among people who desperately need to hear God's plan of salvation.  Thank you for helping to SPREAD THE WORD.

"From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens"

Twelve Insights (for short-term missions teams) 

1.     It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission who has a church in the world.

2.     That which is yet to be done in the world is far less than that which has already been done!

3.     People are more alike than their cultures.

4.     Love is the universal language.

5.     Short-term mission is a treasure hunt.

6.     In cross-cultural encounters we are meeting long-lost, distant relatives.

7.     God goes before you – you are catching up on a conversation that God has already begun.

8.     God does not send us to be critics.

9.     In the treasure hunt of grace, our encouragement and affirmation of people may be our most significant ministry.

10. Our privilege is to lift Jesus up in deed and word.

11. The quality of our love as a team and our incorporation of new team members may be our greatest witness.

12. God will not call us to do something without also giving us the resources to do it.

Taken from Short-Term Missions Workbook: From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens, by Tim Dearborn ©2003, Intervarsity Press.

The team that came down last month had a sheet printed out with these twelve insights.  During the week it became evident that they had internalized these truths as they approached difficulties as a treasure hunt, watching to see what God would do. It was a privilege for me to watch them lifting up Jesus in word and deed, as it says in number ten.  

Another thing I really appreciate is how they incorporated the new team members, not just Jim and me, but the local believers.  Normally teams try to discretely get Jim and me to take their photo so the folks back home can see "The Team."  This group made a point of including us and the local church folks in their "family photo."  I love that.

Truthfully I haven't read the book these insights came from, but it sounds like a good one to recommend to future short-term teams. I love the subtitle:  From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens.  Right on!