What Are You Really Saying?

Hello family and friends from hot Botswana. It starts off hot here and ends way hot when the day ends. Hard to describe how intense the sun is here other than you move around in a oven broiler when you are out in it. I have gotten adjusted to it but the rest of Shipes, not so much. Also, thank you for the prayers concerning the adjustment for them. I think they are in a good place right now and working through it. We had the three Davis children staying with us for 10 days so their missionary parents could go out the country and experience what God is doing in other parts of Africa. We missed their parents but we had typical Shipes family time: loud, laughter and tears. Shout out to Mica, Meredith and Peyton for hanging in their with us.

We rejoice that we have done 2 training session this week. We ask them to complete a survey to help us understand where they think their ministry is at right now and where do they want to take it. Also, this provides where they excel and where they have needs for the ministry. Here was some facts we discovered from this information that I would like to share. We worked with 80 people in the classes who have weekly contact with 2,396 children. A 30:1 ration leader to child means to reach all 800,000 children of Botswana, 27,000 teachers would need to be equipped. Remembering God's math I shared last time, this could easily happen in 3-5 years if everyone trains someone else with what they have been equipped. I feel like David sometimes standing there with 5 rocks looking at something big and overwhelming when I think about how many children there are and how few workers are out there, (sounds like a familiar verse). We know the reality it is a "big thing" and God's way means we have got to face it and not shake in fear. I pray I can see beyond the "big thing" in front of me and ready to take on all the "big things" out there. All David needed was one God and one rock to do the job at hand. I love how he picked up 5 rocks. David knew the "big thing" and 4 other "big things" were out there to do battle with. He was equipped and ready for them. He was ready for Goliath, Goliath' father and three brothers. This is what equipping ministry is about being prepared with a new way of thinking. David did not need Saul's armor and army. He needed God and what God provided.

This brings me to the title of this blog, "What are you really saying?". In the survey, they provide me what resources they need to be effective in reaching the children. Overwhelming there was a consistent request: flip boards, felt boards and CD's. Almost everyone asked for them. At this point, I could have made requests and gone out and found the items for them, be the hero of the week and take pictures with everyone happy and smiling. I resisted this power trip and asked the question in the title. The response was the same from all them. They want to be able to tell bible stories to the children the same way missionaries and teachers did with them. It was all the knew and that is why they asked for it. I was speechless, (for those who know me, that does not happen a lot). The training I have developed with God's help is teaching with Passion, the right Attitude, working as a Team and Honoring one another; using only the Bible in a story telling format. I told them I had something different in mind that would do the job. After the first session, no one wanted flip charts, felt boards and CD's. The bible is all they need plus using a teaching method of learning how to read and tell stories from the bible with a goal of showing children how to apply it to their lives. We are teaching how to share, connect, minister and disciple the children using only the Bible as the source for the answers. The Word of God is all Jesus used and look how well that turned out. He trained 12 men how to bring the world in the greatest relationship it will ever know, one with God eternally and helping others along the way.

The training has opened more opportunity to equip for us here. The Anglican Church has requested we train all of their 50+ churches in Botswana this year. Pray we can make arrangements with the Botswana Baptist Convention to train their churches. We are having discussions, but have not finalized anything at this point. They see the potential and need but have to work out a number of logistics issues to make it happen. We are finalizing the details to go back up to Selebi-Phikwe in a few months to continue the next step in their training and also, host a kids camp for a day with another local organization here.

Thank you for support and prayers from all of you. Also, for taking time out to read this blog and posting comments. Pray for the training in the planning stages and for a good response. We continue to receive feed back on how wonderful the training has been for their children's ministry in the churches we have trained. Continue to pray for Makenzie and Hunter back in the states. Makenzie had a job interview for the summer she really would like to have for her nursing career. Hunter has adjusted well to being back in the US. Leaving them in God's hands is a rock I sometimes have a hard time putting in the sling shot. I know who has the power and possibilities for them. Praise God. Pray for the muscles in Tonya's neck. I guess I am not the only pain in the neck for her anymore. She has been experiencing muscle spams that come and go that are making it difficult for her to get around. It is happening more frequently and the pain has been pretty bad. She is seeing physicians here but not getting relief.

Love all of you and keep the prayers and love coming,

Scott and Tonya