Memories of World Cup Events Past

I'm remembering our first up-close experience with World Cup madness. We moved into our house in France the day France won the 1998 Championship which was played IN France. Poor 11-year-old-Jami who understood barely a word of French was out riding her bike when the neighborhood erupted. She was so traumatized by crazed neighborhood kids, I don't think she ever rode her bike again in the 4 years we lived there.

It's a huge deal, and one of the means Proclaim ministries are using to engage people as World Cup excitement builds in July. 

Click here to see how Proclaim ministries in Croatia and Peru are bringing World Cup crowds a world changing message.

2014 Proclaim! Fund Raising Gala!

God answered prayer! The Proclaim Jacksonville team worked hard! Our entire team met weekly for over a month for prayer, planning, updating, and encouragement. Board members invited many guests, helped with planning, and one member took the event photos you see here.

Staff members all helped with various aspects of the evening, under the leadership of Patty Sullivan who headed it up. Jim coordinated the technical equipment and set up, and he and Kim were on site throughout, from the beginning of set up to the end of tear down. Kathie helped with communication, print design and tracking guest sign up. 

We were concerned about the lower than usual number of guests signed up as the date approached, but prayed that God would be glorified and the evening would be a blessing to those who came.

From all we experienced and heard from others, it is evident that God answered. We made every effort to get an on-time start, and even with a shorter than optimal set up time everything was ready to go right on the dot.

We were thrilled that table hosts and guests took their commitments seriously and almost all of the people who had registered were actually there! And thanks to a few additional guests, every place was filled. That was a specific prayer request and God answered decisively. 

The program went very well. Everyone loved the dance team! Even some problems with the rented stage did not phase the girls who dealt with the conditions that couldn't be changed like the professionals (and servants) they are.

They did an amazing job of demonstrating how effective this kind of approach is in ministry with their performance that included samples of pieces they used last year with Proclaim in Peru.

The dance team's involvement and other aspects of Proclaim's ministry were well communicated by Proclaim Co-director John Bowers, Dance Company Director Stacey Dumdei, and Proclaim Latin America Ministry Coordinator Kim Peterson. And an excellent video production by Russ and Marj Speiser explained the satellite broadcast ministry into North Africa and the Middle East that they head.

Many of the guests had seen the Chinese orchestra Proclaim brought to the US in March to perform at university and cultural events, including 3 venues in Jacksonville. We were excited to be able to share followup stories indicating changes spiritually in a couple of their members since their time here.

As for contributions . . . besides all the other profitable aspects of the evening, we were blessed to receive financial gifts and pledges greater than the amount that we received last year when we had a significantly higher attendance. 

Please continue to pray for additional finances for Proclaim as ministry opportunities abound. And we trust that God is continuing to use the Gala in people’s lives.

Photos by Jeff Westcott Photography

Easter Follow Up - One Story from the Plaza

Kathie: At the Plaza on Easter Sunday afternoon we were anticipating the impact that might be made by the showing of THE CROSS from the Billy Graham My Hope America videos. We had already decided to use monitors instead of big screen, then because of technical problems ended up just showing it on a laptop. But the sound system was strong so the message was heard throughout the plaza.

During setup I spoke with a young couple Brittany and Brad who had both been transient for several months and met during that time, became friends and now are engaged. I told them about the video that was getting ready to start and they seemed interested and went right over to the benches by the setup, even though Brittany had never heard of Billy Graham. 

They were very absorbed in the video and I was looking forward to talking with them when it was over. But just before the end they suddenly got up and walked over to join some friends down the walk.

I was trying to think of a way to break into the group without being too obnoxious since they seemed to not have interest in speaking further. In the meantime Jim made some follow up comments about the video over the PA and ended with the invitation for anyone who would like to have someone pray for them to come over and speak to one of us. Immediately a young woman from the group of friends started purposefully toward me and Brittany was with her.

Allison shared a couple of needs and then gave Brittany a chance to share a request. She said she and Brad were trying to get to family in Tennessee where they have jobs and shelter lined up, but didn’t have money for bus tickets. She asked me to pray that they could find a way to get their tickets for the following day. I told the girls I would be glad to pray for those concerns, but first I talked to them about the importance of their own relationship with God. 

Most of the conversation was with Allison, who said she was a believer, but expressed some pretty bizarre ideas that seemed to come from various experiences in her background. She was skeptical and resistant to much of what I offered, but I think Brittany is pretty much a blank slate when it comes to spiritual matters and she was listening to it all. Then I prayed for their specific needs and that God would reveal Himself to them in how he worked in those.

Eventually we said our goodbyes and I promised to continue to pray for them. I invited some more people to come in close for the second showing of the video and 2 of them did. Just after it ended I saw Brittany running down the walkway toward me with a huge smile on her face.

She came up and hugged me and said they had 

received the money to buy their bus tickets for the next day! 

Brittany and I ended up talking the whole time others were tearing down the equipment and loading vehicles. Brad came up for part of that time – he seemed to have more spiritual background although I didn’t get to talk much with him about his own relationship. But God got their attention and is certainly working in their lives in a very specific, personal, and obvious way. I have been praying that God will bring others into their lives who continue to draw them to the Savior.

Resurrection Hope

For over 2 years Proclaim members in Jacksonville have been going out on weekend "fishing trips" to share Christ locally. For the last few months the regular venue has been a park downtown where a lot of homeless or unemployed people spend time. As we have developed relationships we have found believers there who are encouraged and who encourage us, and spiritually needy folks that we are able to share with little by little. Music is usually part of it along with speaking publicly and one on one. Almost every week we see at least one new believer enter the kingdom.

Friends from our church or others join us regularly, and a couple weeks ago it was a special time when our family group came along for the first time. Here is part of the experience of one of the couples, Bernice and Stephen:

Our Family Group met at Hemming Plaza to support the Proclaim Ministry last Sunday.  We felt it was a great way to do evangelism and support missionaries Jim and Kathie Jenkins, who are in our Family Group, and experience what Proclaim does when they travel abroad. Here they are in our back yard doing ministry through music and sharing the word of Christ with the lost in the park.

We arrived a little apprehensive since this was our first visit. But soon we were sharing and praying with individuals, beginning with a young woman and then a young man, each in their early 20s, new to the town and alone. We talked to them and prayed for specific felt needs.

Stephen shared the Million Dollar Question with Kevin, a very interesting man who continued to return to talk about the question. Keven repeated scripture that we shared and seemed to be trying to understand the true meaning. Stephen spoke with him several times and Kevin enjoyed the interaction.

 

We both had other meaningful encounters and prayed with several individuals. The music set the stage to share and visit with people we may have never had the chance to meet any other way. 

This weekend for Easter afternoon we are planning something a little different. Instead of playing, we will set up a projector and screen and show the powerful video of Billy Graham

The Cross - from My Hope America  

We plan to do 2 showings with some selected recorded music and reading of related scripture between the two showings. This might be a good transition to something else we hope to start in the near future -- offering a Bible study to those who are interested. We sense that God is at work in the Plaza!

Proclaim Gathering in Spain

Last stop on Jim's marathon Fall trip 2 -- Spain -- where we met for Proclaim's Gathering of our fellow missionaries from 6 countries! He had been traveling for almost 6 weeks on this trip so we were looking forward to that event more than ever!

But it's always a highlight as our community has wonderful times of worship, sharing, fellowship and relaxation. A special treat was having Tim and Allison Lusk from Jacksonville join us, and Tim spoke in our morning sessions for the week.

It was a busy and full week as both Jim and I are on International Council which met several of the afternoons and Jim took his turns with other Proclaim musicians (we have a few!) leading worship mornings and evenings.

We are so blessed to be a part of Proclaim with all the gifted and quality people who are dedicated servants and just great friends.

Going to the Wall

The 2 week tour in China was extremely fruitful, both in opportunities to speak to people individually about spiritual things and increased interest on the part of concert sponsors who want to have Proclaim members back for various types of ministry, not just performing.

Playing and teaching in international and national schools, music and arts schools, a university, a palace garden, and an international church were all settings for making opportunities for individual interaction. 

People there are very open and welcoming.

Yes, the team did have the opportunity to explore and visit some of the wonders of this ancient culture.  

The music and team dynamic were great and health was good overall. Big city pollution caused some respiratory and allergy problems, but thanks to a giant bottle of allergy tablets everyone was able to keep going with ministry.

There are many opportunities ahead. No doors are closed to God. We look forward to many more ways that Proclaim can help reach countless people here who are hungry for the truth.

  

  

Proclaiming in East Asia

Headed to a country that's new to both Jim & Bubba

Jim is with the 15-member team in East Asia where US members met up on Monday with team mates coming from Europe. After 2 days of good rehearsals they had their first concert Thursday evening at a university theater. The place was packed -- over 1000 with standing room only! And the response was enthusiastic with good personal interaction after. A second concert is scheduled Friday evening after a day of teaching music classes at the university.

This is a closed country, but people there are open and welcoming. And God is opening doors through relationships that have been forged on two advance trips this past year. 

This is Jim's second trip to Europe this fall, and the longer of the two - nearly 7 weeks. After this 2-week tour he will be back in Germany, France, Croatia and then Spain for our community Gathering and International Council. 

We appreciate prayers for good opportunities for evangelism and for encouragement of our ministry partners that he will be with in Europe.

Still needed:  $6000 to cover expenses of the 2 Europe trips and Asia Tour
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