update november 2012

Dear Friend,

 

Adoniram Judson, missionary to Burma, endured untold hardships. For 7 heartbreaking years he suffered hunger and privation. During this time, 17 months were spent in almost incredible mistreatment in Ava Prison, resulting in ugly marks made by the chains and iron shackles. Upon release he asked for permission to enter another province. The godless ruler indignantly denied his request, saying, "My people are not fools enough to listen to anything a missionary might SAY, but I fear they might be impressed by your SCARS and turn to your religion!

 

In preparing the Christmas program, I have done some research on "the great cloud of witnesses" that have gone before us. We also are reflecting on how many USA pastors right now are suffering far more than we have even had to. "Deny self and take up your cross and follow me" is becoming more and more painful in its reality for those serious in obeying the LORD of Christmas. May God give YOU all peace, even as "the love of many waxes cold". May Christmas somehow move believers to look at the cross more than what is under the tree, be worried about fulfilling the commission far more than who wins an election or a ball game. We are praying for you all also…  Maranatha! And MERRY CHRISTMAS.

 

NEWS from the Amazon front:

 

1) CESP kid's club not only is doing real well in its last few weeks before Christmas break, but we have seen CESP start up in Atalaia (a town upriver) and now a church way down in Sao Paulo (in the "slums" of that massive city) is asking for Kim to help them start a club there also, (by long distance!)  thanks to our son in law Brandon Bell who was there preparing the way for his and Regina's future ministry as missionaries.

 

2) IBAS- after two churches, two towns and now 12 years of teaching, We are going to see our first graduation. Three will get their Bachelors degree in Bible and Ministerial studies.  A young lady, our Ticuna Missionary and our Peruvian deacon. Amidst great rejoicing we still are sad we have no future pastor from the program, which was our main goal. Graduation is on Jan. 6. Our church remains pastor-less… thanks for your prayers!

 

3) Aviation/Indians- amidst impossible conditions (we serve the God of the impossible) the plane is still being used to "teach the tribes" now with THREE villages holding classes. We need help! Thanks for your prayers. The third, we just made contact, has a promised more than 100 students that will gather monthly to study God's word, a mix of youth and older men and a few women. We are also organizing weeklong blocks of training now in town to help economize.

 

4) Christmas program is in the cooker… We have a very talented young lady that loves drama and music and their preparations have been powerful and God Honoring!

 

5) We are preparing for two camps again this year, one in Santo Antonio (the hospital site) where we will be speaking all week and then the next one, our normal full week one up here at our camp- both next year (end of Jan. beginning of Feb.)

 

6) Pray for our church leadership--- we still struggle with many issues that keep us from being able to turn this work over and start anew.

 

7) The yearly big VBS is also upcoming--- a big one, done mostly by them.

 

Thanks so much for everything- your love, faithful prayers and support

We love and will miss you all this Christmas.

 

Always Your servants HIS bond slaves

Allen and Kimberly

update sept 2012

                                                                                                September 1, 2012

Dear Friend,

 

"Have I done my best for Jesus?" The song echoes in my mind, have i?  There is little new going on though we do want to catch you up and September promises to be different….

 

IN CHURCH - We still are needing (main request) national pastoral leadership. Please pray that God will bring about a solution. Church continues to grow, some old leaders are struggling, some new ones emerging, general slow but steady growth.

 

CESP - Still a lot of work, but we remain full of kids. Pray that our youth leaders will be steady and long term that we may see more fruit.

 

YOUTH GROUP hovers around 35, but we have seen newly saved and the current series seems to be going over very well.

 

IBAS - We are TWO WEEKS  from finishing the last of the heavy courses (Acts and Hebrews: I believe I have learned more than the students) and then there are only a few electives to finish by the end of November- and we will then (after many, many years) have our FIRST graduation of those that have finished the course. The academic dean of the seminary down south is hoping to come up to do the graduation with us.

 

INDIAN institutes - still going well, but about to stop for a month (low water month off for our traveling to help in conferences). My heart though is still heavy:  "When Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him, when he saw the city was full of idols" (Acts 17:16)… we observe heart idolatry tearing Christians apart even more than pagan idolatry is to the unsaved. It is hard to watch false teachers sway the babes in Christ as well as unsaved religionists. Passing a church the other night ("evangelical"), the pastor was taking an offering and saying for them to put a list of their sins in the offering envelopes, and to make the offering good, for "it is so hard having to bear your sins for you," he said . . . A young woman leaving church to attend another because "even though we have good Bible, theirs is more interesting - they fall on the floor" . . . Indian believers "through covetousness . . . with feigned words (are being) made merchandise" (II Pet. 2:3) of those that use them to make money.

 

BIBLICAL COUNSELING seminars Northeast Brazil? We have many. This year we are still returning to Fortaleza to help teach (with a team) 4 tracks of training at the SIBIMA seminary. Drs. Viars and Hodges will be joining us! We also are doing a partial track one interior (Jijoca) evenings, and simultaneously, a full Track 2 at a Bible Institute called Antioquia. The next week we'll be teaching a partial Track 1 in the evenings and much practical training and counseling at Limoeiro. Then, lastly, a full Track one in Natal, the capital city of another state. Four weeks, some 300 students. Please pray with us for our stamina and my voice, and that the Spirit will accomplish much preparing their hearts and teaching, and for safety through much travel.

 

For those that did not hear, Mike and Renee Skibinski (our first daughter and hubby) are now ON THE FIELD, in Fortaleza (with 3 of our grandsons). Their visa was approved! And they are now in language training.

 

Brandon and Regina (our second daughter and hubby) and our 4'th grandson are on the other end--- very low support, deputizing. We so remember those days; they were a blessed hardship! Please pray that they will soon see support growing and be on their way to the field.

 

Jonathan is back in college for his junior year and doing great. He spent the summer with family in New Jersey.

 

Peter and Faith are so far away… in the native jungles of Texas, we see less of them than any… Their business is going well, and they are working in their church and small groups.

 

Thanks again so much for your support, prayers, love.

 

Always, your servants HIS bond slaves,

Allen and Kimberly

update july 2012

The day the lights went out…

 

If you will allow me 5 minutes of your time to tell you of GOD'S MIGHTY HAND OF PROTECTION, once again, in my life, second only to the Guyana incident.

 

This occurred Monday. To catch your interest: I really don't know what happened, I have little to no memory of it, and am telling you what I have learned from others… I write these stories now so later in life when memory is not so good, I can remember how God was so gracious… to the story-

 

I was up on the floats, up on the plane, up on the cart on our floating house taking the cowling off the plane to put on the part that my boss Herman Teachout and my great friend Wilson got/sent to me (and that went through 7 pairs of hands to get to me, never has a part made it so fast from the USA). Needless to say,  I was quite excited about getting airborne again after four weeks down. Kim was upstairs cleaning and did not hear a thing. By God's grace my worker had just arrived on the dock.

 

All I remember is that the cowl was stuck and I pulled harder to get it loose. I vaguely

remember a rope touching the back of my leg, nothing else. The worker said he looked up and I was flying backwards with the cowl in hand, my legs got tangled in the ropes that tie the plane to the dock, went upside down and fell flat on the top of my head, on the dock. He came over and tried to talk to me but my eyes "were up in my head", and I "was shaking" (lightly). To me, my world was spinning, the first thing I remember was the worker's adolescent daughter rubbing my shoulder and asking me how I was. (Kim later told me there was 20 minutes between when she came down and the workers daughter showed up, and that she had been trying to talk to me). I "came to" talking to her, and was holding a bag of ice on my head sitting on the floor by the plane. At this point Kim (having asked me several questions and not gotten 'normal' answers), decided to contact Chip Phillips our doctor and they talked a few minutes on symptoms and what to do. (setting: to do this she had to jump in a boat with the worker and drive half way to town to get a phone signal)…

 

 I ended up with a rope burn behind my knee (apparently the rope I tripped on), a cut right ankle, bruised right hand, bruised left arm including a swollen elbow, three cuts on my face where glasses left their mark, a 'sore back', a goose-egg on the back of my head  a very sore "top" of the head, and 20 minutes of total lack of memory.

 

So, praise God I have a very hard head and that there are  no symptoms of any danger… (though the head does remain a tadge tender). We slept in town that night (this happened just before dark) to be close to doctor care and a very fast boat if needed to get to Chip. The next morning we got business done in town and I spent a delicious two days at home low profile.

 

I DID get the part on the airplane. Thanks to all that made that possible. To keep flying is still a tremendous trial. Now we are so very low on fuel that I probably only have one more trip to the Indians before I am totally out, not counting emergency reserve. We "ordered" fuel months ago.

 

THANKS especially to you that prayed for me the evening of the incident!! I believe what could have been very serious, turned out as it did because of your prayers, and frankly, I am grateful to God for not being able to remember the ordeal.

 

Love you all

Thanks for your prayers

Allen and Kimberly

PS

To take advantage of this note and let you know our agenda:

July- we have two visits to the Indians and one more set of classes at SAI to finish

    counseling training there.

August, "normal month" at home only. LOW water month, worst month of the year for

     just living conditions and travel to and fro house.

September (the end) we travel again to Fortaleza for 3 Biblical Counseling conferences

    and one week of the practical training.

October, back to "normal" in our town of SPO

     We hope that in December, or January we will be having our FIRST graduation from our little amazon jungle bible seminary.  Will keep you posted.

 

July 2012

Years ago, a friend of mine with the DEA, when asked how well they
were doing made the statement,
"Let me put it this way, I have job security." We could echo the same
words here in SPO. J

But first, the indescribable incomprehensible blessings from His mighty hand:

- We are seeing much fruit in discipleship and Biblical counseling training.
- Our airplane's "substitute," the speedboat, though twice as
expensive for travel, is running well even after 25 + years without
overhaul. (next project . . .)
- We did receive (via 7 changes of hands) the one part to get us
airborne again.
- We are working with a new group of 5 young men to groom for the
future leadership.
- We have a strong youth group yet.
- We have two tribal villages where we do monthly Bible classes.
- We have two to graduate from IBAS and a new group of 7 students started.
- We have Biblical Counseling training here, in SAI, and in Fortaleza.
- CESP - a huge success!

* Sending men out to get an education has not shown fruit. Bringing
them in has not lasted. The "home grown" has still been the most
fruitful: Pr Cristiano, pastor of the BC church (with multiple leaders
and a missionary), a product of our youth group; Pr Jacó, pastor of
the Santo Antonio church (with multiple leaders and missionaries, at
the hospital site) from the BC youth group

Our major challenge: the SPO church

12 years - no pastor, and a disappearing leadership (even after the
two large exoduses, we remain "perplexed, but not in despair").
The proposed future pastor (repercussions from events 20 years ago
when he was unsaved have caused documentation woes that prevent him
from pastoring for the next 4-5 years) has now chosen to back off from
the IBAS training; therefore, will not be graduating. (He does still
help in the preaching.)
The older deacon at church was offered a job preaching upriver in a
little village - may be leaving soon.
The younger deacon, also in "on the job training as youth pastor"
(overworked at his job), is dropping out of IBAS and now talking of
returning to his tribe to help them with their youth,(a noble
aspiration!).

* I sometimes wonder why the churches with so much leadership seek
helpers from the church that is so needy, and not vice versa. We are
passively pensive about what God may have in mind for SPO and its
autonomy.
Please especially pray about this request – leadership – with us! Thanks.

And to the more humorous side of challenges: Banks whose ATM machines
(our way to get money from the USA) withdraw money from our account in
the States but don't do the final step of giving it to us here;
magical post offices that make letters disappear; books ordered 12
months ago that never make it to us; our computer/internet system
compromised for the second time, even with good virus protection (so
sorry to those that got the bogus email letters from us) . . . but
then, we DO live in the jungle J, not
Atlanta.

A list of PRAYER REQUESTS?

1. 12 years and our goal for turnover will be delayed . . . Down to
only 2 to graduate from IBAS, including no male leadership at this
time for our church. Pray as we seek wisdom to know how best to use
IBAS at this point.
2. This church needs a pastor. Pray that we may know which way to go to get one.
3. Aviation: annual inspections that take months, parts bought in
February that still have not made it to us, fuel ordered months ago
that hasn't even been purchased yet . . . No help for the aging and
weary ( J that would be yours truly).
4. The Ticuna Bible Institutes: The main Ticuna church (Bible
Institute) "kicking us out" as they are now "Korean" (past invasion of
proselytes) and "not Baptist," yet many individuals still begging for
training. Pray with us for the airplane, energy, and wisdom as we
attack this problem by working in two new centers, one of which we
have 30 students.
5. MEN? Faithful men in the church? Pray as I need to drop some things
and start anew to do a better job in this area.
6. Our kids, Mike and Renee (about to head out to the field, just
waiting for VISA clearance) and Brandon and Regina (still on
deputation).

Your servants, HIS bond slaves
Allen and Kimberly

January 2011

Our Schedule:   Jan. 21 and beyond…

 

Today, Jonathan left home in Atlanta Georgia, airline, for Dunbar Wi. where he is entering Northland Baptist College where he will either get a degree or turn into an ice cube… it was 50 here when he left and will be -12 tonight there.

 

Mike and Renee visited us passing through for a meeting down south.

They leave for Miami today and back through here on Monday on their way back home to Lafayette, Indiana.

 

We are moving out of our home Jan. 31…

 

Feb 3 in Oxford Michigan

Feb 6-13 in Lafayette In for another round of Biblical Counseling courses.

 

February 16, the big day- we head out to Brazil to start another term, (and thaw out)

 

Feb. 18-27-  Get DNY flying again, get home, set up (and repair) home, meetings with the leadership of the church to see how everything went and is going, and set up goals for this year (Lord willing including the  graduation of the first students from IBAS, the ordination of the first pastor, the turning over of the church formally.

 

March 2-9 The BIG camp of the year- carnival time camp.

 

The paperwork that finally arrived for the airplane is no good. We will start that project over again.

 

The Indian institute continued on the entire time we were gone.

The church did their own youth camp

The church just finished doing a large VBS and the comments were it was exhausting and a large blessing.

 

It will be very good to get back to ministry- we have loved getting together with all of you! But we deeply missed the ministry and are very excited about teaching/preaching/counseling/serving, and being able to send you reports of what God is doing to establish HIS church in the Amazon, Brazil.

 

Thanks to all of you for your love, prayers, and support.

 

Your servants HIS bondslaves

al and Kimberly

Christmas Special

This Christmas:

Dear Friend,                                                                                                  December 2010

Much is happening on the Amazon regarding the aviation program. It has been (and still will be) an uphill battle, but without it, we could not cover the 14 Indian villages we are covering with Bible Institute training for their leaders (that being the main reason for its existence, there would be no MEDIVAC flights, there would be no supply flights…).

The paperwork problem is almost at its end! Our thanks to Sharon Payne who has done a tremendous lot to help us get that detail done!

We no longer have had our shop. The last shop we worked with has cost us thousands of dollars in missing equipment, time down, and we are being asked not to use them anymore. The new shop, mentioned in our last prayer letter (with the roof blown off) is really struggling to get going, though at this time, humanly speaking, it is our only hope for maintenance. We thank God for Tim and his great sacrifice to help our missionary aviation stay alive.

We have done the calculations and it will cost far more to rebuild CJG than it is worth. We are down to (practically speaking) one airplane and it is still heavily regulated by a system that has not caught up to modern aviation (i.e. months waiting line for checkrides, float plane regulations that conflict with each other, etc.)

We have now found another major solution. Please read this carefully… The plane pictured above is a four place amphibious airplane that is under a category that does not need to be taken to a licensed shop to do maintenance (but does still require a Brazilian-approved mechanic, which I am). It has proven over time to be very reliable, will fly the speeds of our big-bird Cessna 185s, and will run at almost half the cost in AVGAS per hour, though it does carry less load. We can use it in the water and we can use it on land. We can do our own maintenance at our floating house/hangar under my Brazilian mechanic's license and save thousands of dollars per year.

We are now planning to keep DNY alive, but make some more changes to be able to comply with ANAC regulations. We are putting what is left of CJG up for sale.

We believe getting this airplane will move us into a new phase of ABWE-Air missionary aviation that will be workable at a fraction of the cost. The beauty of it is, we already have about half the money we need to make the purchase!

Now, this is going to sound like a sales pitch and it is not! It is just an excited aviation church planter that has found a solution to 10 long years of trying to solve a difficult situation. This is Christmas, a time when we spend megabucks on gifts for each other. May I have the liberty of making a comparison? If 50 people were to not get that plasma large screen TV and send that money to God's work, with the money we already have, it would be ours. If all of the members of all of our supporting churches were to give 10 dollars each, the plane would be flying for Jesus on the Amazon. Or, if all of our supporting churches were to give 1000 dollars, the airplane would be ours to set our program up for a long, long time.

We are not begging for money! If God wants us to have this, He will provide. I just wanted to show how little sacrifice it would take to make a major impact in ABWE Amazon aviation church planting, let alone freeing me up to do much more ministry flying than beaurocratic paperwork.

Please pray with us concerning this - a Christmas gift for the One who's birthday it really is! And please pray that God would send MORE pilots from either the USA or Brazil to train up to keep this work going, long after I can't fly anymore, if the Lord does not come back sooner.

Thanks so very much,

For HIS glory, for HIS work in His name.

Your servant, HIS bond slave,

Allen and Kimberly Yoder

ABWE

PO box 8585

Harrisburg, PA  17105-8585

Yoder Aviation account  0111983 sub account 007 aviation

ANY QUESTIONS?

allenyoder@aol.com

PLEASE check out our website: http://theyoderministry.com/