15 Apr Update from the Reecks

Roger Reeck, UB endorsed missionary with Wycliffe, recently travelled to the Zapotec town in southern Mexico where they worked many years ago translating the Bible. Roger still speaks the language, and it was a great homecoming for him. He went to do a Storying workshop, and reported:

I had a great time in the San Juan Mixtepec with Meinardo, our Mexican son and his family.

Telling Bible stories (instead of reading them) has turned out to be an exciting new way to share God’s Word. Over 20 Zapotec Indians attended the workshop. They came each day to learn the stories and how to present them.

On Good Friday, they all climbed into the back of a big old truck and travelled to a nearby Zapotec town, San Andres. There, each one told the story they had memorized (all 18 of them). The stories started with the creation of the world and went through the story of Jesus and the cross, and then to the beginning of the church.

The team did a great job of telling the big story. Our friend Sergio accepted the Lord and everyone wants to keep on learning and telling stories. We praise God for how well everything went!

Roger and Marilyn met up in Texas, where they spoent a few days with their daughters Teresa and Elisa. Amanda was in Lima, Peru, for a few weeks with a research team, and oldest daughter Chrysti and her family were back in Honduras.

Roger and Marilyn are now on their way to Michigan, and will spent the next two months visiting churches in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ontario, and Maryland until the beginning of June. Then Marilyn will return to Honduras and Roger will travel to Israel to take an advanced Hebrew course.

13 Apr When is the Right Time to Have a Child?

My wife and I were both 23 years old when we had our first child. Some today believe that was pretty young, and no doubt it was. However, my kids are now having grandkids, and I’m glad I’ve got the strength and energy to enjoy them.

It seems the trend today is toward having children later in life. I suppose that helps explain why fertility clinics are doing so well. Some just seem to wait far too long. For some it may be a matter of completing their education, others a question of maturity, some just never think they can afford a child.

Planting churches is similar to having babies. Some wonder if it’s the right time, if they have enough resources, or if they should have a baby at all.

Our United Brethren churches in Latin America can’t follow that logic. They daughter churches at a pace that would frighten most people. The term “Octochurch” might even apply in some cases. Seemingly unconcerned about resources, timing or preparation, they simply gather believers in a new area and begin outreach. Once they begin having an impact, they build a simple shelter and before you know it, a new church has been organized. Within ten years or so, that church will probably give birth to a new church itself.

I admit, not all new churches succeed; up to one-half of all new church plants in Latin America fail. But they seem willing to tolerate a lot of failures on the road to success.

In the photograph is a group of believers who have assembled to plant one of two new churches in Managua, Nicaragua. During recent visits to Central America, I must have visited no less then 30 churches just like this one in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Honduras.

Everyone in church planting and missions is agreed that the most effective way to saturate a region for Christ is through the multiplication of growing churches. So why doesn’t it happen more often.

What about you? Have you had a baby yet? What are you waiting for?