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JACK & SHERRY'S BLOG
"The world is waiting." This was a phrase that one of my heroes, Costa Deir, used to say all the time. If only we could really grasp what that means. For years, I have pondered that statement - Who is waiting? What are they waiting for? Who are they waiting for? Well, the answers are obvious - they are waiting for us. That leads to another thought. "Are we ready for them?" This is a question that many of us don't want to ponder because it puts responsibility on us to do something! Will we get to them in time? Or will they perish?
Two weeks ago, Sherry and I returned from a powerful trip to Brazil. We ministered in many churches, in a pastors meeting, at a bike rally, led a roundtable discussion with ten key leaders in Rio and made progress in helping send missionaries from Brazil to other nations. We also spent a lot of time one on one with key leaders, loving them and helping them look to the future and see what God has for them. It is pretty cool to meet with a young man who is a pastor, church planter, Bible school director, and mentor and help him sort thru issues and opportunities; then to meet with a young couple who just planted a new church three months ago and have already outgrown their facility and have a million questions about the future; then to meet with a Bishop who is my age and listen to him share his vision and ask hard questions and to dream with him. Two nights we spent hours talking to the president of an outlaw motorcycle club and his wife, speaking into their lives and helping them sort thru issues and trying to answer their questions. It is tough when a biker asks, "Why is there more brotherhood in my club than there is in the church?" That will make you think! On Mother's Day Sunday while I was ministering to bikers, Sherry spoke at a church and the pastor said it was great!
One weekend, I traveled over 22 hours by motorcycle to speak two times at a bike rally. It is hard to say how many were at the rally but it is safe to say there were thousands over the three day rally. I was given all the time I wanted and amazingly, when I was introduced, almost everyone came to the area where the stage was and listened with respect. It seemed almost everyone prayed the Lord's Prayer with us and most listened attentively when I explained new creation and encouraged them to talk to God.
It was pretty cool riding across Brazil, mostly in beautiful mountains, with a couple of Christian brothers. We had many breakdowns, ran out of gas, broken throttle cables, flat tires, and even had one bike catch on fire! It was worth every minute of the problems to stand up in front of people who seldom if ever go to church and who have almost no respect for preachers and watch God touch their hearts!!! That is powerful! I spoke two times and afterwards people would stand in line to talk, ask me to pray, take photos and to thank me for loving them. If they only knew, I was the one who was thankful and loved them!!!
We want to say a special thanks to our friends Philip and Renee Murdoch who make it possible for us to do what we do in Brazil. They set up most of our meetings, co-ordinate translators and generally take care of us every time we to Brazil. We love their family and are honored to be their friends.
Now we have been home thirteen days and spent four of those days going to Merrillville, Indiana to minister at Laurel Church Ministries with our friends Pastors Larry and Victoria Raftery. Tomorrow we leave for Asia. This weekend we will minister at History Makers Church in Singapore, then we will be in Vietnam for five days, providing more tools of ministry - USB drives, video Ipods, and at least one laptop computer. These tools will be used to start International School of Ministries Video Bible Schools all over Vietnam. One day we will travel to a remote area near the Cambodian border where pastors have been invited to meet us so we can minister to them. We will arrive in the village after dark and leave before daylight trying to evade being identified as foreigners so we don't endanger the leaders. Then we travel to Malaysia where will be ministering on Saturday and Sunday at Penang Christian Center and then back home.
We NEED you to pray for us and cover us while we are on this trip. We are willing to go to the uttermost knowing that we are not alone and also knowing that our friends and partners stand with us. We also need financial help. The problems in the U.S. economy have affected giving to missions and have affected our finances. We need some who read this letter to send offerings. If you can give, you can call our office at (800) 965-7121 and give by credit or debit card. You can log onto our website at www.globalmessengr.org and give a secure donation there. Finally, you can mail an offering to our office at P.O. Box 551 | Fenton, MO 63026 and in just a few days we will have your gift.
Thanks for helping us reach the world; together we make a team that can't be beat!
Jack Harris
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