Celebrating 35 Years in Missions

Photo by Jeff Westcott Photography

 

2017 Blessings

We are counting our blessings as we finish this year!

We thought our friendship and life memories basket was already full after our travels and sweet times with friends in the US and overseas in the past few months. But now it is truly overflowing after November!

First to Budapest, Hungary, with our Proclaim community. Always an exciting time together as we hear story after story of new breakthroughs beyond our expectations. Stunned at God’s power and faithfulness on display and our privilege to be part of it. We go away energized for what  is ahead in the coming year.

Then we had the joy of making a stop in Belgium on the way home to reconnect more than 30 years after our time at the Belgian Bible Institute — our first missions assignment in the mid 1980s.

It all started with a class pic that was posted on Facebook and the realization that several students and staff we were close to were still in the area. It really completed the nostalgia fest that God has had us on the last half of this year. What a gift!

Here with the Mas Brothers -- students from Zaire, and now pastors in Belgium. So many memories from BBI plus a Proclaim tour together in the 1990s featuring their music in Poland. 

Thanksgiving dinner of Swedish meatballs at Ikea in Brussels with Mirella and two of her kids Sara and David. We stayed at their house and Mirella was the "hostess with the mostest" taking care of us and organizaing the social events.

Three hours at Pizza Hut buffet was not enough time to catch up with dear friends and music colleagues Jean-Claude and Miriam and another special student Arianne.

And we are glad for progress toward ending the year in the black financially. With all our traveling this year, a few months ago we had a projected shortage of $8000. Now that is down to $4800 still needed. We are grateful for the extra donations and new and increased monthly support, as well as additional prayer support. We so appreciate all who have encouraged us in many ways! 

Going . . . finally!

It was a change for us to do more sending than going in the first half of 2017, and a challenge to do our part in keeping the wheels turning for the tours that were going out. But the second half of the year has kicked off more going — sometimes barely unpacking between trips.  Our plan was to spend the majority of the year focusing on renewing relationships with our support team and seeking new support as many long time donors are not able to continue in this season of their life. The travel part was delayed, but we have been making up for it. 

In this time of more active ministry travel we have a need of $7500 to meet our support budget for the remainder of 2017. There is a deficit of $4500, and $3000 needed for additional ministry expenses. God has already provided some additional monthly support so the total needed is less than it was a month ago! We welcome any new monthly commitments or special gifts to help with the balance of the need. Donations can be made here: ONLINE AT PROCLAIM. Choose JENKINS on the dropdown menu.

Josua and Tabita

Our hearts are full--every trip has been blessed beyond expectation! 

Right after our July trip we made a personal trip to Croatia where we started off with 3 days at the Adriatic coast for our 43rd anniversary. 

Then a very special occasion -- celebrating with dear friends and Proclaim-Croatia ministry partners, the Kovacevic family, as youngest son Josua was married in Serbia. We have known Josua since he was born and have seen him grow into a young man of faith and a gifted musician. Some of you helped send him to play in Jim's Sax 4th Avenue team last year in Greece!

KOVACEVIC FAMILY

We returned to the US and then headed north to Tennessee to meet up with a group of long-time friends and supporters to view together the Total Solar Eclipse. One of this group--and the organizer--was Chap Percival, a science and astronomy teacher and eclipse expert. All of Chap and Bonnie's work and preparation made the experience so meaningful to all of us. It was not only a sweet time with old friends, but a spectacular and rare event.

A few days later we made a long overdue visit to Norfolk, VA, to our original missions sending church where we "grew up" as newly marrieds and were greatly influenced in our spiritual growth. We still have many prayer and financial partners, friends and encouragers there, and were able to spend time with many dear people and visit some nostalgic places.

Our first apartment in Norfolk upstairs from Marj --  40 years ago! It still feels like home.

God arranged the timing so we were able to be in Norfolk for the memorial service of Helena Garrick who made a significant impact on us through her example and her friendship. That relationship with Helena and the family has continued through the years. Countless others have felt the same way, as evidenced by the hundreds of guests who came together to honor her life and faithfulness.

 Later that week we had the opportunity to visit the fulfillment of a vision and passion of Helena's -- the Global Friendship House on the Old Dominion University Campus, a home and ministry to International students, a building that will be completed within the next year.   

One last quick trip was squeezed in to Grace College Homecoming with a special music reunion and performances of some of the music teams from years past. Once again concert choir alumni had a chance to bring back a few of the most performed pieces -- always an emotional experience.  That weekend a new music program of the college was introduced that will provide multi-faceted training for church music ministers. That gives us joy, as passing the torch of church music leadership was such an important emphasis of our dad.

Family at Music Reunion Event

Oh, yeah -- and we had a hurricane come through. There was no damage to our house although many in our city were severely affected. And this year it didn't cause delays in our travel plans as last year's did.

We are not yet done for the year! There will be10 days of International Council and the Proclaim Gathering in Budapest in mid-November. Then we will stop in Brussels for a few days on the way home to visit friends from our time at the Bible institute in the mid 1980s and see what opportunities there might be for Proclaim to partner and assist in evangelism.

We greatly appreciate your prayers for wisdom and for God's provision for the added expenses of going out. Thank you for the partnership with us through prayer and finances in these challenging times.

Sending . . .

It has been an action packed summer as 6 Proclaim teams went out within an 8-week period!

FRANCE       CENTRAL EUROPE       SERBIA         ASIA         2 TO PERU

It has been a whirlwind of activity getting these teams out and we are excited that this summer we have had more teams with more members than ever to date. All this ministry was the culmination of months of preparation involving recruiting and screening new short term participants and working with them, and with the returning members, through their support raising, travel logistics and orientation. Although we did not physically go with any of these teams this time, we felt a connection to each one through our part in their preparation.

Only through God at work in this whole process has this been possible! There were daily problems that sometimes seemed to have the potential to derail everything. But God had a plan and many times we even saw that things ended up being better because of all that happened. Certainly we saw God glorified through it all. Thanks for your prayers!

Family

A summer highlight was a reunion with more than 50 of Kathie's mom's family in Michigan. As we connect with our many family members and friends in Michigan and Indiana, we are overwhelmed again with the blessing that God continues to pour out on us through these relationships.

The Hope of Christmas and All Seasons

We recently returned from the annual Gathering of our Proclaim! International missionary community — over 40 of us who live and minister in six different countries.  Stuart McAllister of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries brought valuable teaching all week, lifting us to a higher perspective on the true biblical hope that is ours, and for which all the world is searching. The more deeply we experience that hope, the more peace we have in the realities of this life, and the more we have to offer to the hopeless and helpless in any society or culture.

We take this to heart as we end a full and busy year. There have been many things that have been fulfilling and rewarding, but we understand that our hope is not in the results of our efforts. There have also been failures from our perspective. But in those, our hope is in God’s sovereignty, his ultimate purpose, and unfailing love.

We are grateful and thankful for you who are part of God’s good purpose and provision in our life and ministry. We wish you a Merry Christmas and God’s blessings in the coming year.

May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our Hope in you.    Psalm 33:22    

                                                                                          Christianity offers a living hope, and sufficient reason for it. It carries assurance that God is at once Lord of the future and Sovereign of the present. That is all the reason one really needs for confronting the very crumbling expectations of modernity with the enduring principles of Christianity. 
Carl F Henry

Hope is not blind, nor is it alone. It is rooted in who God is, what He has done, and what He will yet do.
Stuart McAllister 

jimjenkins722@comcast.net

kathiejenkins@comcast.net

MAKE A MINISTRY DONATION

    JIM AND KATHIE JENKINS    

                                   

                                                                                          

Help Send Josua and Anastasia to Greece

October 8-24 I will lead a saxophone quartet - Sax 4th Avenue - in Greece. Two young people have taken up my challenge to be a part of this team, both from families who are deeply involved with the gospel in their own countries of Croatia and Cypress. Both are vital to the success of this team.

  Make a secure donation at Proclaim International:

Select "Greece Tour" from drop down menu

Jośua Kovacevič has been involved in Proclaim!-Croatia and other ministries since he was very young. He has taken time to hone his musical skills at a conservatory in Austria, and his Christian band October Light has performed all over Europe.

      
 Anastasia Papadopoulou has a radio ministry in Cyprus, Kanali 7, a station that broadcasts Christian programming 24/7 throughout Cyprus and beyond. She is one of the music producers as well as having her own program in the evenings. She will be our onstage translator.

Because the Christian communities in their countries are small and have limited resources, we want to help with their transportation and ministry costs for this project. In total we need $4000 for that need.

If you would be a part of sending these two young people to Greece you can donate at the link above. Thank you for considering this opportunity.

For His Kingdom
Jim Jenkins

Starting Next Week in Greece!

Croatia: Ima Nade / There is Hope

The city of Cakovec was a happenin' place the first week of June! And we got to be there with Southern Cross, along with other Proclaim bands, working with our tireless and innovative Proclaim!-Croatia team.

During the days our bands played in the city plaza and other strategic locations. Bold messages and great music going out through TV and radio interviews also helped heighten awareness.

Interview with Proclaim Ima Nade Director Branko Kovacevic

The main activity hub was a big tent in the center of town where daytime activities attracted the kids. Then every evening it was exciting to see the tent fill up for an hour of music by the bands and a combined choir from the local churches, followed by a speaker addressing real life felt spiritual needs and offering hope. There were many responses each night, and follow up meetings were publicized for those who had found new faith or needed more information.

Three different international speakers took part throughout the week

The outreach has continued as the evening tent events were videoed for broadcast later, and the local radio station continues to play clips from an hour-long broadcast where Southern Cross played several songs and Jim had the opportunity to speak openly about our reason for having this event.

We are thankful for the hard work of the church in Croatia, and for God's blessing. 

MORE PHOTOS . . .

Southern Cross in the tent

Next Exit

Croatian Band October Light

Salvation

Combined Choir from the churches

Tech team

What a Difference a Few Days Can Make . . .

. . . in our perspective. A week ago we had a new water softener installed but there was some problem with the configuration of the pipes, and the house water was not routing through it for treatment.

So began a digging expedition for Jim that led to the discovery of an unrelated pipe problem that had to be fixed, which grew more complicated and required shutting off the water to the house for 3 days. So now after multiple challenges, that problem has been fixed but we have the same original issue.

A week ago I (Kathie) was frustrated that city water was still leaving its residue on everything it touched while a brand new water conditioner sat in the garage all ready to go. But after 3 days of NO water, except what was fetched in buckets from our neighbor's garden hose, I had quite a different perspective on the water I had disparaged a few short (long) days ago. The water that makes possible such luxuries as flushing toilets.

I couldn’t help but think about how we take for granted something like water when it’s plentiful. And sadly, the same can be true of the Living Water for those of us who have experienced it. Jesus said that those who drink of it will never thirst. I sometimes forget that people are thirsty – literally dying of spiritual thirst.

What a powerful experience as we get ready to leave this week for Croatia to join with Proclaimers and others from different parts of the world to be a part of multi-faceted outreach with our national Proclaim team in Cakovec, Croatia. This will be a new experience for Southern Cross Bluegrass Band after their ministry in Greece the past 2 years. We look forward to introducing them to Proclaim’s Ima Nade (There is Hope) ministry that we have been partnering with for almost 30 years! We will leave May 25 and return on June 6.  

We long ago came to expect and accept the barrage of physical and emotional challenges that are part of the spiritual battle as we approach the last few days leading up to a significant evangelistic event. This past week has been no exception. The plumbing issue, along with several other circumstances, has brought temptation to respond with frustration, but also has been a confirmation that we are in a significant spiritual battle. And like so many life experiences in the journey with God, the mission that we envisioned does not become a reality, but through it God leads another direction accomplishing what he intended and teaching us and stretching our faith along the way.

We have total expenses of $3900 for our flights and tour costs. If you would like to have a part in sending us on this mission you can donate here: Donate at Proclaim and select Jenkins on the drop down menu. Thanks for prayers for us and the entire endeavor as we go to offer the living water.

Kathie and Jim

Proclaim South Africa

I Never Learned THIS in School

It was shocking -- in a good way -- to discover this in a monastery in Greece. A floor to ceiling outdoor wall display included quotes about Jesus' birth from the familiar Old Testament prophets PLUS quotes from these ancient Greek historians and philosophers. Awesome!

 

We're back from our excellent adventure!

The time in Greece was even more intense and rewarding than last year’s with 18 performances in 13 days (after 2 rehearsal days).  We had some new venues in Athens plus returns to some from last year.  Our travel included 4 ministry cities in Northern Greece, which also took us to some amazing ancient sites including Delphi, Berea, the ancient market place of Thessalonica and the Monastaries of the Great Meteora. Our guide Costas from the Acropolis visit last year traveled with us to the north to take us to those sites. He makes everything come alive and brings out incredible historical facts that show God’s absolute sovereignty in all of history.

Again Mihalis was a master of lining up strategic connections for follow up or for breaking new ground. We helped him strengthen relationships with 2 local city officials through involvement in a community service day in one local area, and playing for a refugee center that the local city government is responsible for. Our downtown events were even bigger and higher profile this year so the sponsors (a church ministry to the arts community and an addiction recovery ministry) had a lot of visibility and many new contacts. With all the additional travel, sightseeing, and performing, we were sleep deprived and exhausted, but would not have changed a thing! We are so encouraged by the funds that came in for all of us, for our ministry partners in Greece in these difficult economic times, and for the general Southern Cross tour and CD. Five tunes were recorded in time to be available for tour PR and for sale at concerts and stores in Greece. Now that the tour is over a few more songs will be recorded and added to those for a full CD for distribution soon.  We also had some additional donations for our own ministry fund that will help as we finish up the year. Thanks to all who blessed our team and our friends in Greece by sacrificing for this worthwhile project. Here is our team at the Athens Acropolis on the steps of Mars Hill after reading the Acts 17 account of Paul's inspired message to the people of Athens.

If you want to see a little (or a lot) of the band in action, here is a link to a video that was shot of an entire Southern Cross concert at Katerini. VIEW HERE    If you would like to make a donation to our ministry account at Proclaim DONATE HERE  Select Jenkins on the dropdown menu.