A family update – from all over.

Jacob has expanded the reach of our family by settling in just south of Seoul, Korea for a year to teach ESL (English as a Second Language).  With Jacob 13 hours ahead of us, Anna and Jaime still in Managua, Nicaragua working with Habitat, Eva in Bolivia for a few weeks and Nathan closer to home but still within skype reach, we've decided to work at touching base with all of us together on skype.  Definitely communication via skype is NOT as easy as talking face to face, but it will be at least next summer until we can all visit together in one place.

Eva has the opportunity of learning about rural medical missions with an SIM couple at a government health post in Yawisla, Bolivia.  She spent 2 months earlier this summer with a summer beach project through Campus Outreach in Panama City Beach, FL.  After about 6 weeks of working at Hungry Howie's Pizza and Subs, she was ready to go back to nursing!  She returns to Charleston Southern University for her junior year this Fall.  She has been stretched by both of these experiences and is finding just how faithful God is.

Anna's visit to the States for weddings gave her about 2 weeks in the Carolinas with us which was a treat.  Jaime joined Anna and Becky at one of those weddings in Cashmere, WA.  Now, Eldon and Becky are getting used to our emptying nest.  We also lost our "kids" next door when the Bagwell family moved to North Carolina in July.  The adjustment is being made easier by lots of travel this Fall for Eldon and Becky will join him for some of that.

ENGAGE: Linking the Voices of Global Mission

On June 1 approximately 140 leaders of western mission agencies, related ministries and churches came together at Judson University in Elgin, IL to attend a consultation organized by CrossGlobal Link (the former IFMA).  They came to hear from eight majority world mission leaders from Korea, China, Indonesia, India, South Africa, Algeria, Argentina, and Brazil. Each leader shared how God is working in his region of the world.  They went on to share best practice guidelines for North Americans desiring to engage with what God is doing around the world. This event exemplifies our role of serving North American mission agencies as they seek to transition into the current global reality of missionaries coming from over 120 countries.  The face of missions has changed greatly; the Body of Christ is on the move, proclaiming the good news to every tribe, language, people and nation.

COMIBAM Panama Meetings

Here is a short video that gives you an overview of the COMIBAM meetings we helped organize in Panama, Central America.  There were actually two meetings.  The first focused on the challenge of organizing continuing education for the Latin American missions movement.  The second was a gathering of 150 mission leaders from across Ibero-America.  The program focused on providing training and a chance to network with other missions leaders.  There were focus groups on mobilization, missionary training, sending structures, and field based member care.  We were particularly thankful that Becky could be a part of this event, allowing her to meet many of those Eldon works with.

Visiting Anna and Jaime in Nicaragua

After an intense eight days of COMIBAM meetings in Panama we took the opportunity to visit Anna and Jaime in Nicaragua.  They had just recently moved there from Peru in order for Jaime to take up his new job with Habitat for Humanity.  It was so good to be with them in their home and help them with some set up chores.  We spent one day visiting a small town outside of Managua and an active volcano.

COMIBAM's Latin American missions leaders gathering

We just returned from Panama where we participated in two COMIBAM related meetings.  The first meeting focused on the challenge of providing continuing education to the multi-cultural mission force around the world.  This is becoming a critical issue since missionaries are often sent out informally by local churches, small sending organizations and even businesses - from as many as 150 different countries - with little or no cross cultural training.  Internet based technology is being used to provide training to remote locations.

The second meeting brought together about 170 mission leaders from Ibero-America to share, learn and build partnerships in ministry.  Discussions were built around the four COMIBAM networks of mobilization, training, sending entities and field care.  We welcomed into this discussion leaders from traditional western agencies in order to allow them to engage in the issues impacting the Latin American missions movement.  
While Becky helped at the registration desk our role continues to be one of encouraging cooperation between the traditional missions organizations and the new and dynamic missions movement coming out of Ibero-America.

Update on our kids

Anna and Jaime are winding up their work in the office of Paz y Esperanza in Lima and will move to Managua, Nicaragua March 12 to begin a job with Habitat for Humanity.  Jaime will continue with his emphasis on Disaster Risk Reduction and Anna will enjoy not having a full time job for the first time in their married life!  While we are in Central America,  we plan to get to know Managua with them for a few days before our return to South Carolina.

Jacob is also on the move: he has given up hope of finding a job using his construction management major, so he finishes his temp job and anticipates teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) in Korea for a year, possibly beginning in May.

Nathan and Eva are limiting their moves mostly around the state of South Carolina. Both are living in Charleston while Nathan looks for work and Eva continues with her nursing program.      

Porter’s are on the move!!!

March has Eldon and Becky in Florida and Central America: Eldon attends a Hispanic Connection event in Orlando March 3-5.  We’ll snatch a quick visit with Mom Porter in Sebring until our flight to Panama March 9^th from Orlando.  We will spend 10 days with COMIBAM people in Panama City at an event for both Latinos involved in missions and representatives of traditional missions.  This is a COMIBAM sponsored event so both of us will help with logistics as well as connect and encourage connections between attendees.