Pray Earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest

2014 was a rather exciting year, in my life and in my church. Redeemer Christian Fellowship grew a lot and took on some new members, and leadership. I became the chairman of an outreach committee, the Benevolence Committee as we call it, and one of three new deacons. On January forth of this year, I gave a presentation to my church, just talking about my heart and vision for the gospel and the church. My notes from that presentation comprise the main meat of this post. I must beg your pardon, my notes from this presentation are not as polished as I’d like. But, this post is already a month overdue, considering tomorrow is the beginning of February. I hope to post my notes from my other presentations coming up this year. Through this, I’d like to give my church a marker of where we are, but just as much, I hope to encourage anyone who reads this to join me in praying for the spread of the gospel.

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Thursday marked the beginning of a new year. Most people have things they want to do different, change, or start in the the new year. I certainly am no exception. I have made several resolutions of things I want to do differently in ministry, my career and my walk with God. As you all know, this last year I became the benevolence committee chairman. That is something I believe to be an appointment from God. I've served God on several mission trips, and I believe He is calling me to be a missionary. My heart for missions was inspired when I was young, through a Voice if the Martyrs Conference. When I was fourteen I went on my first mission trip to Mexico and returned every year through high school. When I graduated high school, I spent a year in Mexico serving and living at an orphanage. At the end of of that year, my uncle asked me to go with him to Cameroon, in West Africa, on a mission trip. I am really excited about getting things going with the benevolence committee. I look forward to seeing this church grow as we reach out to the community and the world.

This committee was originally conceived to find ways to distribute money to the poor in Roswell, and ways to support evangelistic mission. It’s great to give money, but I think this committee can be a lot more. By growing the church, we reach out to the community, and then to the world. I believe we need to be reaching out to the community, sharing the gospel and the love of Christ. And then we extend that to the nations. I believe every disciple, every Christian has an obligation to share the gospel. Ever notice how Jesus’ first disciple was a fisherman. Luke 5:4-11 "And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him". I think that every disciple from there on is called to be a “fisher of men”. Jesus sends his disciples to preach the gospel, sending them on evangelistic journeys twice during His ministry, and then, giving them the Great Commission after His resurrection.

Whereas I  do believe every Christian is called to preach the gospel, I don’t believe every Christian is called to give up their lives and move to a foreign country to make disciples. We all need to live obediently where God has placed us. However, I do think everyone has a stake in the great commission. If God has not called us to go, we need to be supporting missions. Supporting missions can mean giving financially, or giving of your time in prayer. One of my resolutions for this new year is to pray more faithfully for the lost, particularly for the unreached and unengaged peoples of the world. And, today, I’d like to ask you to join me.

My heart is burdened to pray for the unreached because they make up about a quarter of the world’s population, about 1.7 billion people, and have little to no access to the gospel. I believe the salvation of the nations is pleasing to God. Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands”. There is great power in prayer. Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened". Then in Matt 18:20 we see the importance of praying together. “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” History is full of examples of people who were faithful to pray...and as a result, it changed the world. I think it's unacceptable that their are so many people who have little to no access to the gospel. Will you help me change this?

My desire is to pray as Jesus directed in Luke 10:2 - “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” In this new year, I’d like to pray for one unreached people group every month. The first week of each month, I'll tell you a bit about the prayer focus for that month. I'll give some facts about them, and some pointers in praying for them.

The first group is the Bania people. They number 27,931,000 in population and are spread out through five countries,  in Pakistan speaking Sindhi, India and Nepal speaking Hindi, Bangladesh speaking Bengali, Sri Lanka speaking Gujarati.

Alternate names: Bania or Mahajan.

Religion: Hindu, Jain, Lingayat Cult.

Business, trade, jewellery-making and agriculture are the traditional occupations of the Vania. Floor painting and folk songs represent the Vania's art and culture. The naming of the newborn ritual is performed by a Jangam priest by putting a thread around the infant's neck.

The Vania are Hindu by religion. They are Vaishnavite and devotees of Shrinathji. A section of them are from the Jain community. The Vania maintain intercommunity linkages with the Brahman, Valand, Soni and other communities through trade and service. The Vania in the state of Maharashtra are mostly the followers of the Lingayat Cult.

Prayer Points
* For the salvation of the Vania people and that God may send several Christian workers among them and meet their spiritual and physical needs.
* Pray for developmental and literacy programs among the people.

I believe this church is an oasis in the desert. It is a church that won’t die. God is actively using this church and has has drawn people from all around. I believe, if we are faithful, it can be a light to the world. I'm really excited to see what God does with this church in the months and years to come.
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I hope you were encouraged by what you read. If you’d like to join us, check back after the first Sunday of each month. Although, as you can see, February will be a little different. I hope to post the notes for February in a few days. I know God hears the prayers of His people. I can’t wait to be joined with Christ in heaven and see people from every tribe, tongue, language, and nation, praising Him around His throne.

Dead Come Alive

Dead Come Alive

One of my Facebook shared this today and I really liked it. It is a good video overall, though there some things that are a little strange. I think it gives a depiction of what my saviour did when He died for my sins. I hope you are blessed and would like to hear what you think.

Blog Update

It has been a really long time since I have written on my blog and a lot has happened. I have completed a year volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico, taken classes at the local community college, worked several jobs and much more. I will save most of the “what has happened” stuff for latter. I just want to focus on my blog in this post.

I originally started this blog as a way to quickly and easily put out updates during my adventures at Rivers of Mercy Children’s Home. Needless to say that plan didn’t go very well. I only posted twice while living in Juarez. Anyway, I have completed that time of service there and moved back to my childhood home with my family. I still go back to Mexico every so often, but not enough to have a separate blog just for my visits. But, I still have a blog, and the desire to write on it. So, I wanted to change it purpose. I want to use this space for several things. I want my posts to have a consistent theme. I want this blog to be a narration of a journey, my journey with God. This will be my place to tell of what is going on in my life as I endeavor to be a living sacrifice unto God. I still intend to use this as a space to update… but a different kind of update. But it will be used for much more. I want to update as far as my current mission endeavors, life happenings, and walk (with God) excitements. But more so I want this blog to be a place where God is glorified, magnified and exalted. I want to tell of His wondrous works. The main purpose of this blog, now, as it always should have been, is to tell of what God is doing, in my life and in the lives of others. God is amazing and has been very active in my life. I look forward to sharing all the exciting things God has done, is doing and will do. I have a lot of post planned that I look forward to sharing soon. I have a lot to say after keep silent for over a year. Some of the posts I am most excited about include a new Bible study, physical struggles, what’s next for me, and some quick updates about a lot of stuff (mostly past happenings). I have a lot of posts coming up, so, don’t go too far. I hope you enjoy and are encouraged by what you read.

Hi Everyone

I have been given the opportunity to go to Cameroon, West Africa on a mission and survey trip with my uncle and pastor, Mark Waite. We will be making this eighteen day trip in early August. We will visit and minister in several remote villages which represent three distinct people groups, two of which have not been reached with the gospel. Besides sharing the gospel with unbelievers, usually around campfires at night, we will be teaching, encouraging and helping local pastors. We will be working with an indigenous Cameroonian ministry known as Bread for Life. They are a non-denominational Christian ministry that takes on humanitarian and relief projects, engaging the unreached peoples with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They want to see disciples made and indigenous New Testament churches established that can further the work of the great commission in Cameroon.

We will also be putting on a pastors’ conference in a location that allows many pastors serving in remote areas to attend. The conference will focus on teaching expository Bible preaching, theology, and spiritual leadership development. Finally we will travel to an orphanage about twenty-five miles west of Bamenda. My uncle and his family will be moving there in 2011 to minister. This orphanage was started several years ago by a sixty-seven year old retired school teacher from the United States. She is now in her mid-eighties and suffers from glaucoma and other physical problems. My uncle and his family are planning on assuming the responsibility of this ministry. They are also planning on using this ministry as a natural bridge to engage the Fulbe people that live nearby with the gospel.

God’s timing seems perfect; I will be soon finishing my year of internship at an orphanage in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. I will be able to use my experience to help my uncle with his assessment. I too will be seeking God’s will for my involvement in missions.

I covet your prayers for myself and the team going to Cameroon.

Please pray that we will effectively communicate Christ in all of our contacts.

Please pray for journey details to be worked out, especially with the necessary visas.

Please pray for that we will each raise the needed funds for the trip. I need to raise $2500.00.

Please pray that we will honor and glorify God by this trip.

Please jot me a note if you are going to be on my prayer support team. My email address is vivoconchristo@yahoo.com

If you are led to financially support me please put “Aaron Waite/Cameroon Mission Trip” on the memo line of your check and mail it to Covenant of Grace Bible Church, Po Box 2099, Edgewood, NM 87015.

I am grateful for your consideration of joining me in this venture. Please remember the monetary gifts are tax deductable. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Running the race,

Aaron J. Waite

I am having a lot of fun in Mexico!!

I am having a great time with the kids here. Playing and being with the kids is part of what I do here and I have a lot of fun with them. There are a couple of kids that really stand out to me and are around me a lot. The first is a five year old little boy named Said. He is very clingy and likes me to help him with many things throughout the day such as getting ready in the morning and washing his hands for meal time. He and his brother Alejandro were neglected and were living on the streets on and off before coming here. The next kid is another five year old little boy named Raul. My parents tell me that I was a lot like him when I was his age. He has bound less energy and it is hard to get him to sit still. Also he is very curious, inquisitive and persistent. Then there is his six and seven year old sisters Maria and Yari who are always very joyful and laughing. Whenever we sit down to watch a movie she is one of the kids who is sitting with me most times.

God has been helping me a lot with learning Spanish here. A big thing I needed a lot of help with is listening well to what someone is saying. Often times someone will tell me something and I will misunderstand or completely not recognize what they are telling me even though I know what someone is saying. Now I am getting lots of practice with that. I am also getting lots of practice with things like sentence structure, proper phrasing of words and vocabulary, just to list a few. Also being able to speak Spanish has become a lot easier and a lot more proficient than before. God has been very good to me and been helping me a lot in this.

I am really glad to be back in Mexico; God is teaching me a lot through this time here. This part one of my overview of my first seven weeks in Mexico

This has been a very good first few weeks in Mexico. I have seen God through this time in ways I never imagined. God has always used Mexico to bring me closer to Himself and that was one of the things I was looking forward to the most about this trip. But this time God is really working in me more than I had expected by this time.

It was good to see the kid’s excitement at the arrival of my family and I, especially considering we hadn’t been to the orphanage for more than five months. But when we stepped out of the car about five kids ran and greeted us. It was really good to see everyone again and to be back in Mexico. At the beginning of my first week I had mixed feelings about being here and whether God really wanted me here. But as that week went on God gave me peace, comfort and joy about being here. On Wednesday of my first week I wasn’t feeling well and that evening I threw up. Right after that though I felt better again and I have felt well ever since. Kristina told me that it was probably just my stomach getting used to Mexico again because everyone she knows who has stayed in Mexico from other countries for a while has gotten sick the same way their first week. One thing I have really enjoy is that Kristina and Emmis have put me in charge of the kids while doing an activity with them a couple times. Another highlight has been that Emmis and Kristina are giving me more work to do and more responsibility and I am very glad for that. My job here consists of keeping the outside of the orphanage clean and supervising and helping the kids as they do different activities during the day.

My First Day in Mexico; God Does What Honors Him Most in His Timing

Today was my first day back in Mexico and I am very glad to be back. God delayed me for two days, but He allowed me to be here for four days. God is very wonderful and he has showed that in the delay and by the trip so far. Today I arrived at about eleven this morning after leaving home at four thirty. When I got here we started helping the kids with their homework so that they would be ready for school tomorrow. That was interesting trying to help Spanish kids with their grammar when I probably understand less than they do. Then we ate a very good lunch of Mexican meatball soup with pineapple juice. After lunch we did a couple of puzzles with the kids, which was rather interesting because the kids have very short attention spans. Then they took a nap for an hour and thirty minutes during which time we got ready for school tomorrow and finished putting the Christmas decorations away. At about four the kids got up and played random games until diner; about an hour before me and my Canadian friend went on top of the roof of the orphanage and took pictures of the sunset. It was a lot of fun. For diner we had gorditas with beans, it was very good. After dinner we played a few different games with the kids and got purified water for cooking and drinking and just did random things. The kids went to bed around nine but the helpers stayed up for a while playing hearts, drinking coffee and laughing a lot!!