March 2006 News

March 2006

Vol. 3, Issue 1

Greetings once again from LATN.  With this edition we plan on re-activating this informal e-news letter, after a hiatus of over a year!  God has been at work in the ministry of LATN.  We are grateful to God for His continued leading, guidance and provision as we forge ahead in a ministry designed to "equip the equippers of Latin America's church planting movements."  We trust this brief note will encourage you to continue praying for the LATN ministry as well as bring you up-to-date.

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1.    Official launch of LATN!

2.    Current courses being taught.

3.    New courses for 2006.

4.    Partnerships.

5.    Moving moments.

6.    Moodle conference.

7.    Server setup.

8.    Reinforcements.

9.    Pikes on site (and congratulations in order!).

10.  Prayer requests.

11.  Student comment.

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1.    Official launch of LATN!  This past January, the missionaries of the EFCA International Mission joined together for a triennial event, this year called “Oasis 2006.”  Over 150 people composed of missionaries from our Latin American fields, staff from the National EFCA Office, invited guests and special participants joined together for a week-long retreat in Costa Rica.  During that wonderful event, a special time of dedication was held for LATN. Special prayers by key leaders and a time of thankfulness to God were shared as we joined together to thank Him for His faithfulness during the years of testing and laying the foundations for the ministry and to ask for His continued blessing. This event marked the official launch of LATN.  Please continue to pray for this strategic ministry.

 

2.    Current courses being taught.  This January quarter, LATN offered three courses to Latin American leaders.  It is significant that two of the courses (“Discipleship” and “Hermeneutics”), are being taught by Latin Americans (one Guatemalan and one Venezuelan) and not the missionary course developers.  Thus, LATN professors have multiplied their effectiveness by having their courses taught by others.  The third course (“Education for Christian Leaders”), developed jointly by Mark Hendrickson and Mario Barbosa (a Costa Rican educator), is new this quarter.

 

3.    New courses for 2006.  Later this year, we anticipate offering six new courses!  These courses are: Theology of Leadership, Panorama of Christian Theology, Theology of the Christian Life, Interpersonal Communication and Mentoring, World View, and a course on the Evangelical Free Church.  Please pray for the course developers and the process of testing these courses as they are taught for the first time.

 

4.    Partnerships.  Before LATN missionaries ever developed a first course, we were committed to making quality theological education accessible to Latin American leaders. Thus we continue to encourage other Latin American institutions to make their courses accessible as well in partnership with us.  We are currently working closely with an evangelical seminary in Costa Rica to help them develop bachelor level courses, which in the long run, will help our own EFC churches in Latin America.  We could potentially assist them with the creation of up to six courses in 2006 (in addition to our own six courses).  Now, that is a huge prayer request!

 

5.    Moving moments. Around the beginning of the year, there was a massive migration among LATN staff in Costa Rica. Three families moved into new residences and one couple, Neil and Sonija DeVries, returned to the U.S. after having completed a strategic hospitality ministry.  One of the moves opened up the ground floor of LATN’s building, thus new offices are being set up and staff is relocating in the building.   Course development is currently slowed down with this movement of furniture, new wiring, and office setup responsibilities, but soon there will be more space and efficiency.  And, as if that weren’t enough, Jon, Meta and Alena Nelson have moved recently from Denver to Spain and are working with LATN in Zaragoza. Jon teaches his “Reformation” course from Spain and is working in the setup of a theological institution using a church based training program (with the Free Churches of Spain).

 

6.    Moodle conference.  Recently, Mark  Flach went up to Savannah, GA for a Moodle conference (this has nothing to do with pasta!)  Moodle is a software program designed to facilitate using the Internet for online learning. (LATN has been using Moodle for about two years.) Many institutions are using Moodle for their educational programs.  LATN has a partnership with MAF’s Informational Technology department which also uses the software.

 

7.    Server setup.  LATN is now technologically connected to the EFCA national office and backs up its work on a daily basis to a server at the national office.  LATN also has an on-site server for its internal use.  We are currently working on issues such as remote access communication, shared files, and other tools designed to increase effectiveness.

 

8.    Reinforcements.  As of this past fall, the Flachs completed their first year of language training and have been sharing many of LATN’s responsibilities, Flash in the area of information technology and Sherri in administration.  We are grateful to God for their arrival.  We are now anticipating the arrival of Judy Muselman who will be helping in the area of academic administration.  Judy comes to us, via the Dominican Republic, with a degree in Higher Education and over 16 years of experience in academic administration.  We are also praying that the Fernandezes will be able to arrive in Costa Rica as soon as possible.  Quique and Becky are greatly needed as valuable LATN missionaries. Please pray that the Lord will bring in the needed support for both the Fernandezes and Judy Muselman.

 

9.    Pikes on site (and congratulations in order!).  Gordon and Norma arrived in Costa Rica a little over a year ago. Gordon is a course writer in the area of counseling and Norma is assuming duties in the area of hospitality.  However, before Gordon could get into course writing he needed to finish his dissertation.  Well, prayers have been answered and Gordon has been approved for graduation in April.  Congratulations Gordon and Norma!

 

10.  Prayer requests.  Please add the following prayer requests to your daily list:

   *  Pray for LATN students.  They need to be highly disciplined in order to manage online learning and their ministry responsibilities.

   *  Pray for the six course writers who are preparing courses for later this year.

   *  Pray that God would supply our financial needs.  Although LATN is not designed as a high budget institution, it is not free either! 

   *  Pray for the physical health of our missionaries and staff.  (At one time we had three LATN missionaries – two adults and one mk – all in the same wing of a local hospital!)  This week we had a father and son in the hospital at the same time!)

 

11.  Student comment.  LATN is all about glorifying God through the equipping of Latin America’s evangelical leaders.  Recently, I heard one of our students say how pleased she was with a recent course she had taken.  She said she was planning on using large chunks of the material for her teaching assignment in a Latin American seminary.  We rejoice with how God is equipping leaders who are multiplying leaders in God’s kingdom in Latin America.

 

 

"Pray for LATN as we seek to make quality theological education accessible to Latin America's evangelical leaders."

 

LATN’s website: http://www.latn.org