• Brunch with Bob

When my wife Sharon spotted this Brunch with Bob opportunity at the UCLA Countrywide Classic Tennis Tournement, she just knew that I would love it. So I invited one of my “Bob” friends, Bob DeKlotz, to join me for Brunch. Bob and I usually have breakfast every Wednesday morning anyway, (we have been doing this for many years). So it was easy to think that we could just go to UCLA on our normal day to have the brunch and watch some great tennis afterwards. We both like to play and watch tennis.

So what was Brunch with Bob all about?

• Celebrate God’s Goodness

We had an wonderfully eventful mission trip to Oaxaca, Mexico. Some fifty-two of us journeyed by bus to remote and needy places. The most wonderful part of the trip was that “God was with us.” He promised us that He would be with us, you know. It says in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the end of the age.” The Lord sure was there with us. One of the reasons I like to do mission work is that you get to experience the power and presence of God. He provided all we needed in every situation.

Here is just one example, and there are many, of how He showed His powerful presence.

• Oaxaca-Kid Mission Next

The time has come to depart for our next Kid Mission. This time we are off the Oaxaca, Mexico. We leave July 18, this Friday morning, for Mexico City, then transfer for a flight to the City of Oaxaca. There our team of fifty will board a bus and begin our missionary journey with Pastor Paul Su, the Director of 4 Christ Mission out of San Diego. I will be leading a nine-member children’s ministry team, who will be conducting children’s meetings at every stop along the way. Ultimately, we will end up in Cancun, some 1,500 miles and ten days later, and from there, fly back to Los Angeles on July 27th.

We have had a series of training meetings to prepare for this trip. Doctors, Nurses, Dentists and a host of team volunteers will be going. Several whole families go with us too; their children are on my children’s ministry team. We are prepared to teach choreographed music, theme crafts, puppetry, drama, personal testimony and I will be illustrating a couple of gospel messages with object lessons, gospel illusions and other visuals. It will be a lot of bus riding, there will be lots of kids. We will have long days, a couple of nights trying to sleep on the bus. We will do a little sight seeing towards the end of the trip. We hope to see some Aztec and Mayan Ruins, which should be very interesting.

Of course, these mission trips are not about being a tourist, on the contrary, they are serious, full on, short-term mission work. The team conducts a Discipleship Training Seminar and I will be one of the adult speakers. I will be teaching about Why Children’s Ministry is Important. It is a medical mission first of all, all the other ministries are a compliment to that, including evening rallies and revival-type meetings to reach out to friends of the Christians. We mostly attract people with our free medical help and medicine, which the doctors take with us. From this basic strategy, this Mexico Outreach Mission seeks to provide ministry among the poor, especially in smaller villages throughout Mexico and Central America. We are just one of many teams that travel throughout the year.

If you think of us during July 18 to July 27, we would appreciate your prayers: for our success, safety, strength, sleep, unity on the team, salvation for the children, medical help among the sick, training for the leaders, and ministry of encouragement among the poor everywhere we go. I am praying for endurance. More reports to follow. (I will be off line for ten days)

• Taylor Brianne Kinard Born

After nine months of waiting Sarah and Kevin’s second daughter arrived July 15th. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Taylor comes to a loving family with lots of support. This is a great time for Kevin and Sarah who seem to be really enjoying all these special blessings. There is enough love in our hearts to add another little one.

This is our seventh grand child. This is a great time for all of the family.

• Bryan & Kristen Are Engaged!

Well, It’s true! Bryan and Kristen announced their engagement this last weekend. After three years of dating and working through the nitty gritty of forming a good relationship, it finally happened. I was clued in that it was imminent, when Bryan took me out to dinner to ask for Kristen’s hand in marriage. He wanted my blessing and permission, which I gave. I respected the approach and the manner of the gentleman.

I congratulate Bryan, he asked Kristen to marry him the old fashion way….

• Madison Will Love This!

Madison, our two-year-old grand daughter is expecting a sister this week. So Sharon and I have been thinking how we could do something for her that would help her adjust to all the attention that comes with bringing a baby sister home. After some serious discussion and many investigative shopping trips to consider our options, we found a really great deal on this playground set. We agreed that “Madison will love this.”

However, like many great gifts, some assembly is required. It took five of us over a period of three days to build it. But that is not all…

• NeXgen Mandarin Kids

There are many First Generation Mandarin speaking Chinese at the Bread of Life Church in Torrance. They have their own Mandarin speaking worship and programs. After many years of ministry, there is a growing group of second generation Chinese who have learned English and have become parents. Their children are learning English in school and at home, plus being exposed to both the Chinese and American culture. Two of their Adult Bible Fellowships come together on Friday night for study. Their children need a two-hour program to accomodate the schedule of the parents. They do not want just a child-care program, but meaningful teaching ministry for their kids.

So I was asked to speak to these English speaking children. Wow, what a fun time that was to share the claims of the Gospel. I did some ventriloquism, some object lessons, and some gospel illusions for them. They had such a good time, laughing, responding and paying close attention to my visuals. The mothers that came to assist, and who often are involved with this children’s program, were quite amazed that I was able to hold the attention of 25 children for a whole hour.

This last Sunday, I returned to the same church in Torrance for our next Oaxaca, Mexico Training Meetings. I saw many of these same children and their parents, who recognized me. They were still talking about the fun we had on Friday. Obviously, I represent some skill and talent to these children, who were very responsive to my ministry, not something they see much, if at all. Parents were asking me, “When will you return for another visit?” I was able to tell them Aug. 15th.

I am already looking forward to returning for another children’s program for them.

• Knotty-Heart Trick

Knotty-Heart Trick is on special this month from Kid Helper Resources. A simple gospel illusion that we have used in our ministry for years. The thing I like about it is that you can create new messages for any occasion once you learn the effect. If you are interested in securing your own, just go click on www.kidhelperresources.com to check it out.