2012-06-08 Pray for the Leon Team

Tomorrow (Saturday) we will meet the team at the airport in Managua and go directly to Leon.  We will spend the week using the Practically Speaking English course to reach children, teens and adults with the gospel of Christ.  Pray for our work as we share Christ with each and every one.  In addition, we will have an evangelistic Bible study for the teachers of the Christian school that is run by First Baptist Church of Leon, our host church.  Many of these teachers do not know Christ personally, so we plan to introduce them to our Lord in a personal way.  Please pray for us!

To see a video update, go to our Video Update

2012-06-02 New Opportunities at the University of Central America

New for 2012
We are challenging ourselves, and you, to reach more people with the gospel in second half of 2012 than in any previous year.   

We had our initial meeting with the University of Central America (UCA) in Managua about bringing our Practically Speaking English Course to their campus.  The result was very positive, yet we need one more approval which we think is just a formality.

If approved, we are going to try and schedule an event there for mid-August.  Pray for us to receive the final approval and a great date for the first event on this campus.

2012-05-30 Gallo Pinto - A Nicaraguan National Dish

One of the great experiences of travel is to taste a lot of different national dishes.  One of the favorites among our short-term missionaries is one of the national dishes of Nicaragua.  Variants of this dish are found all over Central America, but Nicaragua (and Costa Rica) claim to have originated the dish.  Almost every household has this dish everyday and many for every meal.  It can be the main dish or a side dish.  Enjoy!

A lot of people have asked for a recipe, so here is one.  (A printable copy can be found by clicking here.)

Gallo Pinto

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 medium onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups cooked white rice

2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 -3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

fresh cilantro (optional)

sliced green onions (optional)

Directions

1. Note that the beans and the rice should be cooked and ready before you start these steps.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onion and sauté until it just begins to soften and turns color.
4. Add garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onion is golden.
5. Add spices and Worcestershire, and stir into onion and garlic.
6. (The first time I made this, I was afraid to add the full 3 Tbsp of Worcestershire, but the addition of the rice balances the flavor out).
7. Next, add the beans and then the rice.
8. Combine the rice and beans evenly and cook until mixture is heated through.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
10. Garnish with some chopped cilantro or green onions as you like.

2012-05-12 Travel Tip - Did I Leave the Iron On?

Ever leave for an extended trip, or even a short one, and have that funny feeling that you've forgotten something?  I remember sitting on an airplane at 35,000 feet and realizing that I could not remember putting down the garage door.  As soon as I landed I called a friend who lived near our home.  Sure enough, I had not lowered the door.

On another occasion, our "automatic" pet watering bowl began to leak and a catastrophic flood and water bill were avoided because our friend caught it before a lot of damage was done.

A trusted friend who can check on things while you travel is invaluable.  Always make arrangements to have someone do the lawn, water the plants and generally check on things while you are away.

May 2, 2012 - Lock and Load

Being on old (and aging) soldier, I've used the phrase hundreds of times to literally mean "prepare your weapon for firing".  It did not matter if I was giving orders to soldiers armed with an M-1911 pistol, an M-16 rifle, a TOW anti-tank missile or an M-60 tank.  I also used the phrase more generically to tell the soldiers to "get ready to go" or "get ready for action".

It has been almost 20 years since I wore the uniform, but this phrase still comes to mind, especially in our work as missionaries.  Now Trisha and I are "locked and loaded" as we prepare for a summer full of Christian battle.  Now through December, our schedule is filled with activities and events where the gospel will be presented to thousands of people.

  

You won't find the phrase "lock and load" in the Bible, however, check this out.

  

"Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared (locked and loaded) to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:21 (NIV)

  

"Preach the word; be prepared (locked and loaded) in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction." 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)  

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared (locked and loaded) to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15  

So for old times sake, allow this old soldier to once again say, "Soldiers, lock and load!" 

April 26, 2012 - Save the Date

Save the date - September 15, 2012

September 15, 2012 will be a memorable time for Jody Kennedy International.  Save that date.  More will be announced later about something you will not want to miss.

April 9, 2012 - Lord, what are you up to now?

The harvest is plentiful.  Workers are few, but work is abundant.

Just when we think we know what we are to do for the coming years, the Lord challenges us to take a fresh look at "our plans".  Lord, what are you up to now?

Our home and car in Managua were supposed to make us more efficient and effective with our current work load.  Now we just have more work.  Lord, what are you up to now?

We are now being invited to not only bring teams for our Practically Speaking English courses, but to provide our church partners with some seminars, training, conferences and other events and resources.  Lord, what are you up to now?

Then we were visited by our dear friend and mission partner, Joe Wilson, who shares a vision with us to begin a church planting movement among the university age adults in Managua.  We plan to be an ingredient in that mission.  Lord, what are you up to now?

I can see that our expenses will be increasing, but our donations have not increased (yet).  Lord, what are you up to now?  

Lord, what are you up to now? 

He is up to the Father's business, as He has been from eternity past.  Reaching the lost is His business.  Saving the condemned is His business.  Stretching His people to join Him in the Father's business, is His business.

Please consider joining Him and us in the Father's business. 

Pray for us.  Go with us.  GIve to us.

We look back on 2011 in our 2011 Review that can be found by clicking here.  Please take a moment and read it.  As you read, take the opportunity to praise to our Lord and Savior for all He did last year.

February 1, 2012 - Everything Is the Same, Only Different

Everything Is the Same, Only Different
February 1, 2012

  

One of the joys of teaching English is to see our friends express a sense of humor in English. Our dear friend and ministry partner Josué found the title expression funny. So funny, in fact, that he used it every chance he got.  It came to be a game with him and our team.  Someone would say, "Josue, what's new?"  He would answer with a big smile, "Everything is the same, only different."  Then all would laugh. 

Oddly enough, this strange and oxymoronic expression was true of 2011. While most of our ministry experience was much like past years, there were many new and different episodes in 2011.

We praise the Lord and give Christ all the glory for all He has allowed us to accomplish in 2011. In that year alone, almost 1,000 adults said "yes" to Christ during our Practically Speaking English events in Nicaragua and Russia.

We look back on 2011 in our 2011 Review that can be found by clicking here.  Please take a moment and read it.  As you read, take the opportunity to praise to our Lord and Savior for all He did last year.

August 16, 2011 - Is a Picture Really Worth 1,000 Words?

We have literally tens of thousands of photographs from our 20 years of mission work. Our entry into full-time service (11 years ago) was accompanied by the advent of digital camera's that were affordable and easy to use. Now, not only is it easy to take digital still photographs, it is easy to take video, often with the same camera. The internet, personal computers and inexpensive (or free) software make it easy to share our memories on sites such as YouTube and social networking sites.

Gina D's YouTube Video

One of our summer missionaries created a great video of her experience in Nicaragua. Better than 1,000 words, this video summarizes a 10 day mission into a couple of minutes. Watch the video and you will see what we mean.