20000430 Brigada Today

In this issue….

VISIT THE LANGUAGE COURSE FINDER

Thanks to Tony for the tip for those who need to learn another language! Just visit the Language Course Finder http://www.language-learning.net/. It lists more than 6000 institutions teaching 70 different languages from Arabic to Zulu in 81 countries. It’s free and can be accessed in 22 languages! Great idea… great way to put the web to work! Thanks again, Tony!

VIDEO CD – A VERSATILE MEDIUM

Looking for a new way to package your latest video outreach tool? Check out Video CD (VCD). VCD technology uses an ordinary CD but with an hour of video rather than just music. It is not at all widespread in US or Europe, but the format has apparently exploded across Asia during the last two years. The film ‘Titanic’ was reportedly available on VCD in Cambodia only five days after being premiered in US. Unfortunately, this spells big-time trouble for video publishing companies, since it’s so easy to “pirate” copies. But for those wishing to pass along a message of hope, it just might make a lot more sense than using traditional VHS! Check it out!
Thanks to Tony for the idea.
(Source: Web Evangelism Bulletin, May: https://brigada.org/today/articles/webevangelismbulletin.html )

CONFERENCE FOR MISSIONARIES ONLY

Living Word Missions is inviting all cross-cultural missionaries working full-time on the foreign field to its 4th annual ‘For Missionaries Only’ Conference, July 18-22, 2000 In Tulsa, Oklahoma. The conference is free to those who pre-register. This is not a “missions conference” but a “missionary’s conference” – a gathering of full-time, foreign-field missionaries for five days of fellowship, training, resource sharing, and equipping. Free Doctor, Dentist and Chiropractor examinations are available. The conference will address such topics as Strategies for Reaching Unreached People Groups, Leadership Principles, Cross-Cultural Misunderstandings, and many other missionary-related topics. To register or for Info, please email imc@missionary.net.

WEB-WATCH: EMMAUS ROAD SITE GETS A MAKEOVER!

The site, http://www.eri.org, has taken on a new look, having transitioned from an informational to a resource site. Purchase resources in a shopping cart! Click on pictures for audio/video clips; follow the seminar schedule; read short term mission trip reports; download and distribute missions articles. ERI is an educational resource for cross-cultural ministry that can help you!

IT’S FINALLY HERE! (DOCTORAL PROGRAMME)

It just might be the Doctoral programme [sic British spelling

] you have been waiting for. BSM’s new doctoral programme called Doctor of Intercultural Studies (D.I.S), is now being offered in Singapore. All of the Professors are learned people, have earned Doctorates and are well experienced in the Asian/African cultural context. The entire programme is done under the supervision of a Guidance committee. You can be sure that it is designed with the busy Christian leader in mind. Accreditation is through the International Council of Higher Education (Zurich) and the Acts Academy of Higher Education (Bangalore). Residence is required only for the first doctoral seminar which includes orientation for the entire programme. The first Seminar/orientation (one week) is planned for late November 2000. Interested? Apply to jdjl@mail.com or bsm@pacific.net.sg ASAP!!

“TOP FIVE TIPS” FOR AVOIDING EMAIL VIRUSES

Did you see the “I love you” virus? A ton of people did — and lived to regret it. Have you ever seen so much instant press over anything in your life? Here are the “Top Five Tips” for avoiding “Trojan horse” type “worms” or quasi-viruses:

Don’t open attachments unless you simply have to. If someone sends you a newsletter via attachment, write the individual back and let him or her know that if they’d like for you to read it, to please insert the text in the normal email text. (Hence — we never accept Brigada Today items when sent by attachment.) Remember: “Just hit delete.” It’s kind of a fun feeling if you think about it. Ka-Boom!
Keep your “data files” updated on your virus checker (you are running a virus-checker, aren’t you? ). Once every 14 days is probably a good rule of thumb.
Examine your software settings to see if there are extra safeguards you can switch “on”. For example, in Microsoft Word 2000, go to “Tools|Macros|security” and make sure it’s set to “High”.
If you have an alternative to Microsoft Outlook and you can use it, then consider using it! Our entire office has switched away from Outlook. So none of the Trojans that depend on the Microsoft Office hooks will work with our software.
Back up your files. Back up your files. Back up your files.

By the way, Dr. Jim at CBC&S recommended another free virus checker, if you haven’t already settled on one. Check out: http://support.cai.com/Download/virussig.html#ilavwin95a

LEARN TO TEACH ENGLISH!

Check out the Adventures in English materials the EFCM International Network has put together. Each of the 12 multi-level lessons (beginning, intermediate, advanced) follows a daily life theme and contains a vocabulary section, idioms, grammar, discussion topics and numerous related activities. New for 2000 are a completely revised entry-level curriculum and a second volume of NEW multi-level material called Exploring English. For more information or a sample of the 2000 materials, contact Don Erickson at 72066.2020@compuserve.com or click to http://www.efcm.org/r3/adventures.html. Adventures in English and Exploring English teaching materials can also be purchased with a credit card at NextStep Resources 800-444-BOOK or http://www.nsresources.com by clicking on the EFCA Publications button.

HAS ANYONE SEEN A NEW WORLD CHRISTIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA?

Around the end of March, several of us ordered a copy of the new World Christian Encyclopedia from Oxford Press (and others). I believe it was supposed to be released in early April. But, having heard nothing, I’m stumped. Is it done, or is it not? Anyone have any info? Among those who would love a copy ASAP: Patrick Johnstone, author of Operation World and researcher Michael Jaffarian. Hey… I figure these kinds of guys need all the breaks they can get. Can anyone lend a hand and fill us in?

THE BACK PAGE: SOMETIMES NOT “WHOM YOU KNOW” AFTER ALL

This week I’m in an African city (let’s leave it unidentified), trying to collect research for a long overdue Ph.D. dissertation, while soaking in info regarding opportunities and challenges for the sending agency with which I work. Today I listened to a testimony that reminded me somewhat of the old adage, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” But today I was struck by a slightly different truth: Sometimes it’s not whom you know; it’s how long you can keep on knowing him!

The testimony I heard brought tears to my eyes. Here’s a gal from Sweden who began serving at an orphanage some 20 years ago in a 10/40 Window nation (also best left unidentified). After years of laboring there, she was forced to evacuate when unfriendly forces began shelling her town. It tore at her heart though! Who would take care of the children? Not knowing what else to do, she spent her last 4 days training one of the more mature young men, a 19-year-old, to become the director. She had taught him from age 12. For over 7 years, she had invested in prayer, story-telling, and love. Now, only time would tell if he could pull off this challenge. With some 85% of the city destroyed, she had to escape.

Years later, she came back to the orphanage. The 19-year-old was much wiser, much more experienced, and . . . a very successful children’s home director. Since then, he’s taken part in a YWAM Discipleship Training School, along with two or three other YWAM programs, and now he’s helping raise up a group of believers among refugees from his homeland. The 20 or so believers in his group just might represent the world’s largest worshipping body from his unreached group. Whoa. He’s 30 now. But when he shares his testimony, I’m tellin’ ya, your heart can’t help but weep for his people… and your mind can’t help but think back to those long years that the Swedish gal invested in him. During all those years, I’m not sure she ever really saw any measurable fruit from her labor. I don’t know what she told all her supporters. But the time came when God’s plan became known to all. And now, years later, her determination is showing through.

Someone told me once that after you plant a seed for a bamboo tree, absolutely nothing happens the first year, or the second. In fact, for six years, it looks like you were just wasting your time. Then, one night in about the sixth or seventh year, a little green sprout pops it’s sleepy head up through the soil. For day after day, thereafter, I’m told that the bamboo tree can grow up to six inches per night!!! Think about that!

Oh… and guess what happened to that Sweedish gal. I bet you nearly forgot about her, didn’t you. Well she didn’t forget. She never “grew weary in well-doing.” In fact, she’s laboring side-by-side with the boy she raised in the orphanage. Her determination, . . . her steadfastness, . . . her unstoppable energy . . . has made all the difference. Sometimes it’s not who you know; it’s how long you can keep on knowing him!

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