SEPTEMBER 2009

A month after surgery Jim has almost completely recovered. Within less than 2 weeks he was able to do an 8-hour recording session with no set backs, and now is back to his regular routine with the exception of heavy lifting for a while longer.

OCTOBER: Next week we will be on our way to Ft. Worth TX for a mini tour to assist in outreach with a local Christian charitable community organization and a church reaching out to a neighboring apartment complex of 2200 people. The jazz/fusion band Next Exit will be made up of most of the US-based Proclaim! musicians plus Proclaim! tour regulars Patti Robertson (vocals) and Jeremy Good (keyboard). Our former sound tech Jon Thiessen will also come down from Canada to help out.

In addition to the Next Exit concerts, some of the musicians will perform for a home outreach event featuring Proclaim! artist/speaker Vicki McIntyre’s presentation The Tale of a Tapestry (see details here).

This is the first time Proclaim! has officially done an evangelistic tour in the US. We are excited about encouraging these local ministries by giving them more visibility in the community and increasing their contacts as we have done in hundreds of places in other countries.

NOVEMBER: We plan to finally make that trip north that we have had to postpone a couple times. We will be based in Winona Lake but will do some visiting in Michigan, Wisconsin and the Chicago area to catch up with friends we haven't seen in way too long. We're looking forward to getting to Grace homecoming for the first time and being with family for Thanksgiving. Jami is planning to also come up the week of Thanksgiving.

We would appreciate prayer for:

TEXAS OUTREACH

Oct 7-8 rehearsals

Oct 8 Tapestry presentation

Oct 9 Next Exit evening concert - Cornerstone Ministries

Oct 10 Next Exit all day music festival - Cornerstone

Oct 11 Next Exit church outreach concert

PLANNING OF NOVEMBER TRIP

Making contacts and arranging the schedule to see as many people as possible during this time

Jim's surgery update

Jim had his hernia surgery yesterday (Monday Aug. 31) and things really went well, and more quickly than we anticipated. We walked in at 11:30, he got in quickly for prep, 30-minute surgery, an hour of recovery, and we were on our way home by 2:30! The pain med has kept discomfort to a minimum and a day later he is doing well, mostly following the doctor’s orders except for the 24-hour clear liquid diet. He managed that for about 3 hours and then decided to move on since he was starving. But the 11pm turkey sandwich didn’t seem to cause any ill effects. He was encouraged to get up and move around which he has been doing without any problem. He will have a follow up doctor visit in a few days. Thanks for the prayers – we have been very pleased with how things are going and very thankful for this provision.

Sorry, no photos for this event.

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They say laughter is the best medicine -- except maybe when you're recovering from abdominal surgery. Jim probably should have rethought his post-op viewing choices.

AUGUST 2009

We know people were praying for this tour as we saw answers to all the requests we had made known.

Our team worked wonderfully together, in very challenging circumstances at times. All aspects of the concerts were excellent -- music, sound, lighting, and gospel presentation. The message was clearly and boldly presented from the stage, then team members and local sponsoring members eagerly sought out opportunities to speak with people, not only after the concerts, but even with curious onlookers who were around the stage during set up.

We were humbled and blessed to have the privilege of helping church leaders who are sacrificing much to be a light in some very difficult places. Some areas we were in have been hard hit by the devastation of war and people are still dealing with deep hurts and loss. It was so rewarding to leave concert sites with new contacts having been connected with the local church.

At our very first concert in Glina we worked with a church of about 12 members led by Jovica, a man we have known since we first started going to Croatia in the 80s. God called him to this struggling town that has lost 3/4 of its pre-war population. Team members had a conversation with one young man who that night was very close to becoming a believer, and with another who has the desire to study the Bible. It was encouraging to leave them in the care of Jovica who is especially burdened to reach men in the town.

We were all stretched in servanthood when 12 of our 16

members became sick during the time in Bosnia. Thankfully, we only had to cancel one concert due to sickness and we were scheduled to be in that location for 2 nights, so we were able to still do ministry there. For that 2nd night we were short a couple musicians and support members, but everyone pitched in so the concert could go on. God even provided a stand-in drummer -- Abi from our Croatian band Adonai made the 7-hour drive arriving in time to practice with the band for 30 minutes before going on. With God's enabling he and the other musicians adapted beautifully and no one in the audience would have known the drummer had never before played with this band!

It was a thrill for us to be able to be part of the ministry again in Croatia and for our first time in Bosnia. Kathie was busy all the time with the usual "tour mom" roles -- making coffee, getting food and water at the concerts sites and handling finances, along with new activities -- helping with lights and shooting video of concerts.

God enabled Jim to have stamina in spite of increasing problems he has had for the last few years with a hernia. We have put off treatment because of finances, but have known that it would soon be impossible for him to keep going on like this. The team was vigilant in protecting him from any lifting of equipment, but even playing proved taxing. We realized that putting off surgery is no longer an option. When we arrived back from the tour we learned that some friends who had heard about Jim's trouble on tour had already arranged to cover the cost. He is now scheduled for surgery on Aug. 31 to be done by the head of the National Hernia Network which is based in Jacksonville. We are praising God for the provision for meeting this long-time need!

GOD'S SCHEDULING: Shortly before the tour we requested prayer for filling 2 concert dates as the last 2 previously scheduled concerts had been cancelled because of venue permission problems. By the time we arrived in Croatia one date was filled with an additional concert in Bosnia. Then during the rehearsal days we were able to fill in the final date with a concert back in our Croatia "home town" of Cakovec.

The city had a festival planned during that time and needed a band for the evening after our last concert in Bosnia. We had a long day as we were on the road from Bosnia from 7am to 3pm and then set up and performed that evening. But energy was high as we had the opportunity to proclaim the good news once again in this city that we have come to love.

Our final day provided good closure as we were able to relax, have fellowship as a team with our hosts, and begin processing all we had experienced together. Once again we saw God's faithfulness, and, more than ever, his strength in our weakness. Thanks to all whose prayer sustained us and whose financial contributions provided the means. We are humbly grateful.

JULY 2009

CROATIA AND BOSNIA: A TIME TO HEAL

We will be in Croatia and Bosnia July 26-August 13 as part of MERCY STREET RHYTHM & BLUES. As the name says, it will be a marriage of a particular style of music with a message of God’s great mercy – a message so desperately needed in this part of the world. Again we will partner with churches in Croatia and Bosnia who are dedicated to reaching their communities for Christ.

We have seen much fruit from our time spent in the Balkans but there is so much more to do! Although the area is relatively peaceful there now, recent wars have left deep scars in the lives of many. We want to come and bring the “Balm of Gilead” to dress these spiritual wounds.

Please pray with us that our team would be united in mind, spirit and body to do His bidding there. Pray that our music would be excellent and our message clear. Pray that we will be bold after the concerts as we step off the stage to engage people in conversations of eternal value.

Also pray about our financial needs for this trip. As our personal account is still deeply in deficit, we still need funds for this trip. Our current need for this trip is $3160.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: A TIME TO TRUST

We are still in need of ongoing financial support, currently receiving 54% of the funds needed for living and ministry expenses. Many of our long time supporters are older and live on fixed incomes. We currently have only one supporting church. We are in need of more people who will stand with us through ongoing financial support.

Through this we are seeing God move on our behalf. Here are a few examples: We have received some new or increased support from a handful of individuals. Also, God has shown us ways to economize, including better and less expensive health insurance coverage than we have had. Lastly, in an act of divine extravagance, God prompted some friends to give us a week’s vacation in a condo at Daytona Beach. It wasn’t until we got there that we realized just how much we needed the refreshment. We used that time to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary which takes place while we are on tour. We knew that this was God’s way of reminding us that He is the great provider.

Click here to donate through the Proclaim website

Link to July Jenkins Jazz newsletter

JUNE 2009

The month of June is looking different than we had expected, but God has been giving us ministry opportunities right here in Jacksonville and even revealing ways that this would not have been a good time for us to be away.

We have been able to get involved in meeting some needs at our church and Jim is putting in a lot of time on music arrangements for the Mercy Street tour that starts the end of July. It has been a challenge to get all the musicians we were looking for, so some of the music has to be adapted for the changing instrumentation. We would appreciate prayer for this team that God is putting together, that all the necessary positions would be filled. Pray especially for tour leader Todd Smalley, and for Branko doing set up in Croatia and Bosnia.

photo by Lidija

FINANCIAL SUPPORT UPDATE

In recent weeks we have gained some support but have also lost about the same amount, so we are at a little over 50% of the monthly total needed. Please pray that we will stay motivated about sharing what God is doing through Proclaim and confident in His ability to provide the needed support. We also need to raise special funds for the upcoming tour, a total of $3400 for the tour plus airfare.

Other news -- A Proclaim team with THE OUTLANDERS band had the privilege of partnering with Sicilian believers in a project to help the local church launch new house churches.

Click here to read about the encouraging results on the Proclaim! website

MAY 2009

This month we have been transitioning into summer activities, including Jim' s last performance with the First Coast Wind Ensemble.Unfortunately the 2-month drought ended just as the outdoor concert at the beach was starting so it was a damp evening for the audience, but an outstanding performance for those who endured the elements.

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL:

Kathie was involved in Proclaim!'s International Council spring session May 21-25 in Delray Beach, FL. For the first time in several years it was held in the US instead of Europe because of travel logistics. It was nice not to deal with jet lag this time for the first 3 days of meetings. Members of the council are Proclaim Co-directors, representatives from the boards in ministry countries, and individuals affirmed by the Proclaim! community, who address overall policy or issues that affect the entire community. An event we spent time planning at this session is the Tenth Anniversary of Proclaim! International which we will celebrate next year. This will include our community Gathering and a special event for Proclaim guests. Final dates and logistics for this are in process.

SUMMER CHANGES
We had plans for a midwest trip starting in June. But an unexpected complication put that trip in question a short time before we were to leave. Because of the complex schedule and all the people involved we felt it would not be wise to take a chance on having to rearrange or cancel the trip at the last minute, so we made the decision then to postpone it. We are rescheduling that trip to September.

We were so looking forward to seeing many supporters we haven't been with in some time, so this change is disappointing. But we are now seeking how God wants us to productively use this time to do other ministry, to challenge people to be part of our support team, and to prepare for the tour we will be on in Croatia and Bosnia the end of July and first of August.

PROCLAIM! GALA

We had the Gala, our main fundraising/PR event for the year, April 24 with a good crowd and excellent evening. We have had responses of appreciation and encouragement from many who were able to join us.

Our local expression of Sax 4th Avenue provided great music and atmosphere and demonstrated the impact a versatile group such as this can have in a ministry setting. John used experiences from the recent tour in North Africa to effectively communicate the strategies that we use in cross-cultural evangelism ministry and how they play out in practical ways.

It was encouraging to connect with many new people as the network is expanding thanks to friends who are motivated to challenge others to be involved on some level. We are thankful too for many who sacrificed to give financially as Proclaim! along with other ministries, is being affected by the economy.

A special treat was a visit from our friend Sheila Blackler who surprised us and came out from Portland for the Gala. Michael and Sheila were with us in Anno Domini in Belgium in the 80s and later served in Sweden and Ireland. Sunday after the Gala all the former AD members here (Bowers, Petersons & Jenkins) got together to eat (of course) and relive lots of wonderful times. Jim got out some of the old slides of A.D. families, tour life, stage -- we had some good laughs and shed a few tears of nostalgia and of missing Michael who has been with the Lord for almost 5 years.

John, Jeanne, JP, Kathie, Jim, Kim, Sheila, Diana, Jami

Next stop: We're headed for Indiana and the surrounding area in June to connect with supporters in those areas. It has been many years since we've seen some of our faithful supporters in some places in Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Chicago area, so we want to get to as many of those as possible on this trip. We have been dealing with some vehicle challenges and uncertainty about what direction to go on that. But we decided to go ahead with a major repair on our car to try to keep it going for a while. We're trusting it will be in good shape for this trip. We're looking forward to renewing relationships.