October
10, 2013
The 6th
Timothy Training has had to be cancelled 6 times due to rainy weather. So when the forecast finally predicted sunny
skies, the men jumped on the chance to hold the next story telling/story
learning training. The 25 men were super
encouraged learning the 6 story Gideon set (all stories and discussions were led
by the San Francisco believers). For many
it was their first time to hear of this mighty, godly warrior. Please pray for these men as they go back to
their villages and share these stories with their family and disciples – the idea
is for the next generation to be mentored and trained as well.
Jeff was encouraged that
Cesar (see story) from our town made it a priority to go. He only recently received Christ but comes to
Bible study twice a week and hangs on every word. He loved the time of story learning,
basketball and fellowship at Timothy Training.
When he arrived home, he immediately taught his wife all 6 stories.
This training was the first
time for Jeff to introduce the Bible metanarrative –the story of God’s salvation from Genesis to Revelation – all drawn with stick
figure symbols (you can see the 5 meter long butcher paper spanning the wall in
several pictures below). As an incentive
to learn this 10 minute narration, Jeff offered a new Guarani Bible to the two
men who could retell the story with the fewest errors. Although several men were seen throughout the
conference studying the story, Jeff could tell that Cesar had his eye on the
prize. When Saturday morning came, he told
the entire story with the fewest mistakes, and earned his very own Bible- his
only one!
Pray for Cesar as he continues to store
God’s word in his heart and as he learns how to lead a Bible study in our
absence.
Small groups meeting in and
around the completed Timothy Training pavilion during the October training
session.
Side view of the Timothy
Training pavilion. The wooden building
in the background is the new bathroom and shower facility.
Tetito, one of the local
church deacons, helping Emiliano (in green shirt) learn one of the stories.
Jeff McKissick teaching the
ten minute panoramic story of salvation from Genesis to Revelation in Guarani
to the training participants. Hung on
the wall is the 5 meter long story board.
Breaking into small groups
to learn the story. Some prefer literary
methods while some prefer the visual/oral method.
The oral/visual method
using the storyboard approach.
Working alone or working in
groups to learn the stories (while sipping terere, a cold tea of yerba mate
leaves)
It was
the first Timothy Training held in the new pavilion. When they first began discussing a facility
to host the training sessions, Ka’aguy Oke (the San Francisco church) lacked finances. What they did have, however; was manpower, vision,
and faith. Although they had to hire an architect
and a few professionals (thanks to SIM’s help in promoting Timothy Training),
the men (and women) worked diligently putting their time, abilities and muscles
into the building’s completion. For 3
months they worked around their farming schedules, turned down paying jobs and
had family members cover for them, so that they could be at the building site
working. 700 hours of volunteer labor put in by the church members! There is now a pavilion for the men to meet
under and sleep under – no more sleeping on the grass. There are 4 bathrooms and 3 showers – no more
hose for a shower with trash sack walls or a hole-in-the-ground bathroom. Pray
that the facility will be a blessing to the church.
Jeff working with local
church leaders to fill in the future floor for the Timothy Training pavilion in
San Francisco
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