Colombian Christian Mission

COLOMBIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
Dale and Jeanie Meade
In the jungle and prairie of Southeastern Colombia
Volume 15, Issue 11 November-December 1987

THANKSGIVING

Colombia does not celebrate a national day of Thanksgiving. Nor do they take any notice of the American holiday. But even though we are far from family at this time of year, we still make it a point to set aside the day and give thanks. We can't get all of the "fixins" for a real state-side Thanksgiving dinner, but we can come close.
We can usually get a hold of a turkey. If a turkey is not available then a large chicken will do. Sometimes we can get sweet potatoes. Common things, like vegetables and regular potatoes are easy to come by. American fruits are replaced by tropical varieties. And, as in the States, there is plenty to eat. To be sure, we miss sharing with our extended families, but there is still so much to be thankful for.
So on Thanksgiving, we will draw together as a family and give thanks to God for providing so much and so well for us. He has protected us through another year. We have never lacked anything that we really needed. And as we live in a country of such poverty, we appreciate the many things we do have. Finally, we are thankful for the chance to work here in Colombia and we are thankful for you. Without your generous support, both in prayer and finances, we would not have been so blessed. May your Thanksgiving be as joyful as ours!


BIBLE BY FLASHLIGHT

(PHOTO)

An elderly believer on a crude wooden bench attests to the vitality of his faith under difficult conditions.

BIBLE MONTH

Each year, we have a special Bible month. The purchase of Bibles in Colombia can often cost several weeks, even months salary for the very poor. We encourage as many of you as can, to send a special Bible offering. We use this money to buy Bibles and other Christian literature and then we give it away, or sell it at reduced prices. The last year we bought and dispensed over one hundred Bibles and over one thousand teaching books.
As the work continues to reach out to new people, the need for Christian literature grows. If you personally, or if your Sunday School class could send a Bible month offering, this ministry can go forward and grow. Please send any gifts to our forwarding agent. But please be careful to mark it as Bible Fund money. We want to be sure that it is used for it's intended purpose. The Word of God in the hands of the people is still His strongest tool for changing peoples' lives. Together we can give many more people that tool.


GOD'S GUIDANCE

Last year many of you remember the problems we were having with the schooling for our children. After a long struggle, we decided to teach then through home schooling. We ordered a correspondence course for each of them. That has given us (especially Jeanie) a lot of extra work. We spend most of every morning teaching. Jeanie often teaches on through the afternoon.
This has added a lot of stress to our daily schedule. Jeanie has trouble finding time to keep up with her work and I often find it difficult to keep up with the program I have laid out for myself. But it has given us a lot of good time together with our children at a critical time. They are in that crucial period when they outgrow childhood and reach out toward self-reliance. There are frustrating moments, but then we get to share in the thrill of their achievement.
Since we began, we never really questioned our decision. We had though it through very carefully and teaching them here seemed like the only option. This week, the Lord's guidance became evident in all of this. We hear that the little mission school they had been attending was closing down at mid-term! We would have really been in a difficult situation if they had continued studying there. So we breathed a sigh of relief and a prayer of thanksgiving. Because of our reliance on God's direction, our Thanksgiving this year will have extra meaning. It won't be clouded with worries about what to do with the kids after the Christmas vacation.


P.S. Because of the delay in the mail from Colombia this newsletter is a little late.