Lift

The law of gravity has existed on earth since the first day of creation. It is the force that holds everything in its place. Because of gravity, water stays in the oceans and rivers and not in the sky, rocks are either on the ground or falling back to the ground. Gravity keeps you and me from floating off into space. It really is a good thing. Although mans first flight was not officially accomplished until December 17, 1903, the law that allows it to happen has been here since the dawn of time. Air flowing around an airfoil is subject to the Laws of Motion discovered by Sir Isaac Newton. This air flow causes an equal and opposite reaction, as stated in Newton's Third Law and in this case, it produces lift. The law of lift for an airplane is really rather simple. Air flowing over the wing's upper surface accelerates as it passes along the shape of the wing. The result is a decrease in pressure on the upper surface of the wing which results in the phenomenon known as lift.
Ok...so what's this about? Each of us faces discouragements and setbacks in our lives, jobs, families, relationships, churches, ministries, etc. While the devil is busy attacking us and trying to pull us down, Jesus has made a way of escape for us. He gave us his Word. We can rise above our circumstances by using the Word of God as a law of lift in our lives. Are you speaking what you know is true, based on God's word? Or, are you repeating what the world is screaming at you? You can say "well our church never taught us to guard our speech" if you want to, but consider the following. For as long as gravity has held everything down, lift has been available, but unused by man until 1903. Birds have been using it since the fifth day of creation and would pay little heed to any warning from man that flight is impossible.
As I speed down the runway, in my airplane, at 65 mph you could race along beside me in your car screaming "it'll never work, it's impossible to fly!" At that point I have the option to believe you or to believe what I know to be true about lift. I can choose to speed headlong into the trees at the end of the runway, or I can pull back on the controls and soar off the same runway and over the obstacles looming ahead.

I encourage you to dust off that bible you've had tucked away and embrace it as you would the Law of Lift if you were trying to fly...for indeed, that's what we are trying to do. I believe I can fly!
Blessings,
Jim

April 2009

From our growing family, we bring greetings to all of our dear friends.
Pam and I have been so busy this month. We are excited about the many things God is doing for us. Neither time nor space will permit me to share them all but here are a few things that are happening.
It seems God is always requiring each of us to step up to one more task. Let me share a brief story with you to explain our most recent one.
A year ago Pam had two dreams which we have pondered a good bit. In the first dream she was in a delivery room giving birth and both of our daughters were there as her coaches. A few weeks later March 08 she had dream number two: Once again she was in a delivery room and the doctor said, "I see 1, 2, 3, 4, and there could be more..." then she woke up.
One night, the week before Valentine's Day this year, Pam woke up thinking about those dreams and a way to incorporate youth into missions in some sort of training program. The next morning she shared her thoughts with me. As we continued to discuss it in the following days, we realized that we were talking about some sort of Intern program that would train young men and women for the mission field.
That very week we went to Iglesia Sobre La Roca in Dallas, TX on our way to MX. (It was Valentine's weekend this year) Pam preached in the first service and at the end of her message (having said NOTHING about interns), a young lady 19 years old came up to her and asked; "Do you have an intern program?" Pam brought her and her parents immediately to me and introduced them. It was an amazing coincidence. NOT!!! We have spoken 100's of times in the past 5 years and have never been asked this question. What are the odds?
We know that God is moving us to begin a mission’s preparation program. Since we will be preparing missionaries for work in Latin America, we will call it Latin American Mission Preparation, or LAMP.
This young lady is already preparing to attend. Javier is so excited about this new leg of LAM (pardon the pun). Unbeknown to us, he has been praying about an intern program for years. Please help us pray about the path we should choose for developing young missionaries. Also, we need a short slogan to accompany the name LAMP. Some suggestions have been made; “Taking the light to the darkness”, ”Shining a light in darknesst”, etc. Please send us your ideas. The winning slogan will receive a free gift.
If you or someone you know would like to attend the summer course (3 weeks), July 19-Aug 8, please contact us for more details. We also plan to develop a long term program which will be a nine month course. In this program you will have in depth language studies, bible studies, teaching/preaching skills, music, and many other areas of focused mission preparation.
Plans for a fall Motorcycle Mission Trip are well under way. We already have several people planning to make the trip. This is a great opportunity to visit the Feeding Centers and enjoy a cross country trip on your bike. The exact dates will be forthcoming but, the proposed time is mid October. The trip will be 10 days with stops in some beautiful places along the way. We will spend one night somewhere deep in Cajun country, two nights in beautiful San Antonio, TX. We will be in Saltillo, MX 3 nights and 4 days, just to name a few of the places we will see. You will get to see and meet the children in the feeding centers as well as attend a powerful church service you will not soon forget. We hope you will plan to join us for an exciting time.
Your Friends,
Jim and Pam Stockdale

March 2009

Imagine your life as a single parent, with little or no hope of change for the better. Your only hope is the Feeding Center where you and your daughter go for food, clothes, and teaching. Ironically the name of the center is Wings of Hope.  This is the story of such a young woman.  With her daughter Denise, Diana came to the center 3 times per week for what we offered. (Denise is the little girl that asked Pam, do you have Jesus in your heart?) She found more than food and tempora

l things. She found the love of a savior and in time, much, much more. 

A man, by the name of Jose Luis, was coming from the church that staffed the feeding center, to work with the children. In the process of time, his eyes feel on Diana, the single mother raising an 8 year old girl in a terrible place. Having lived a less than exemplary life style, Diana was not the perfect choice for most men, yet to Jose Luis; she was the woman of his dreams. A romance budded and soon hope came to life for them.  Jose Luis asked Diana and Denise to join his home. They were married in 2007 and soon after, they left Saltillo to work in an orphanage in 

Baja California. After serving for two years there, they have now returned to the place they were rescued from. Now Denise has a new little sist

er named Bitia, to keep her busy and a nice home to keep her warm and safe.

Today Jose and Diana are back in Saltillo working in the Feeding Center where their paths first crossed.  I asked Diana why they had returned, she told me, “In the orphanage, the children had everything they needed supplied to them, but here the children need so much more.  God has called us back here to work with these children who have so little.” I was so moved by what she said and am so thankful to have had a part in her future.       

Life has completely changed for Diana and Denise, (now 12 years old.) As a partner to this ministry, you too had a hand in this testimony.  We are all helping create tomorrow’s testimonies of success.

         This trip to Mexico was a busy one for Pam and me.  We were very blessed to once again visit our friends at Garland, TX. Iglesia Sobre La Roca is a powerful and exciting church that is filled with people who are hungry for the presence of God. They packed into a building, for two services, that is much too small for such a large congregation.  (This is a problem many Pastors would like to have.) I asked Pastor Gabriel, what is the key? He said, “Just love the people, and the rest will take care of itself.” They receive us there as family and we are so thankful for their love.  Their children received a special change offering which totaled $1460.00 and selected LAM as the recipient. We were once again blessed by their generosity.

Your Friends, Jim and Pam Stockdale

February 2009

Dear Friend and Partner,

This year will soon be history as we race toward the end of the first decade of the 2000’s.

I am always amazed by the difference in attitude of people. I entered a store a few days ago to collect one of our change boxes. A woman was behind the counter I didn’t know and blurted out as I exchanged the box, “I have a problem with that!” (With customers in line) I enquired as to what she meant and she began to tell me, “I’m a Christian, but I don’t think we should be helping th

ose Mexican kids when there are children suffering here.”

Of course the real problem she has is a prejudice in her heart, or illegal aliens, yet she was taking it out on children whom she has never nor indeed shall ever meet.

  The immigrant debate is one that will continue for many years I’m sure, yet does that somehow relieve our responsibility found in Psalms 82:3 (and many other references too) “Be fair to the poor and to orphans. Defend the helpless and everyone in need.” Interestingly, David didn’t specify which poor and defenseless to help, or which race.  I think they all qualify, it just depends upon us. 

Just a few minutes after encountering this hardened woman, the manager at one of their sister stores gave me a different comment. She said, “Yesterday a young boy came in the store, just old enough to read. He was reading the 

box and looking at the pictures. He handed me a 10.00 bill to pay for the gas his mother had bought, took the change I gave him and ran back to the car. In just a few seconds he was back with a dollar bill in his hand. The box was so full of change he couldn’t get the bill in. After working at it he looked up at me and asked, “Can you help me, I really need to give this dollar?” “I pushed a knife into the slot, and made a hole big enough for him to insert his dollar. He looked up at me and said, “thank you, I really needed to give that!”

  The manager was beaming with joy as she related this story to me.

 I pictured the little boy running back to the car and telling his 

mother something like this, “Mom, there is a box in there collecting money to feed hungry children, can I give something?” It didn’t matter to him if they were Mexican, Japanese, Indian, or American. He just wanted to help. 

Hunger has no prejudice. It affects the rich or the poor, black, white, red or brown. We are honored to have been given the assignment found in Luke 9:13 “…you give them something to eat.” When the Jesus makes 

something plain to you, it becomes a mission for which you will give all that you have to complete.

Thank you for your blindness to race, nationality, or political posture…we could never do this work alone.      

Your Friends,

Jim and Pam Stockdale

January 2009

Dear Friend and Partner,

            

It is impossible to visit a place of extreme poverty and be untouched by the need represented there.  Such was the case with Gary Bishop, who accompanied me to Saltillo this month.

 I was so blessed to have this new friend along with me and to see the impact that the trip had on him.  He not only shared the aviation, navigation, & communication work load that goes along with flying a private aircraft, but he also shared the joy of seeing our children.  He was truly moved by the experience and has already mentioned a return trip in 09.  

We arrived at Saltillo Monday afternoon, Dec 1^st. The airplane was full of boxes and suitcases with gifts for the children. These were unloaded and reloaded into one of our vans there and whisked off to Javier and Milly’s house for preparation for the Christmas party.  Our plans did not include being at the party, since that was held later in the month closer to Christmas day. 

            This trip was a busy one and we were on the go a lot. After being in the plane all day Monday, after a quick shower we headed to a home meeting. This was the first experience for Gary to have “Genuine Mexican” food. There is something amazing that happens when people break bread together.   Jesus knew this well kept secret and encouraged it.  An 

open and receptive attitude is the results of an evening dining together and I was asked to share a few thoughts before leaving.  I spoke about Jesus’ command that we make disciples. They are not born, or bought, they are made. It takes time, effort and money to do so. Once again we had invested all three into these fine people.

            We visited 

the Omega feeding center and were pleasantly surprised to see that the city of Saltillo is improving the area by paving the roads, installing water lines, electric poles and wires.  For those of you who have visited this area, you would not recognize it now. 

There is a new church building, the road in front is now graded and paved. I barely recognized the area. It’s amazing what the Gospel does to an area. We don’t take credit for the changes that are being made there but we do rejoice with our workers for what we are seeing done. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has a way of transforming people and places.

Before

We were blessed to be in all 3 centers on this trip. Each one is progressing nicely and doing the work we ask them to do. I was blessed to hear a powerful lesson in all 3 centers. This is extremely important to our vision. It’s not just a place to receive nourishment, but also to enrich and nourish the mind with the truths from Gods Word.

            2008 is now in the past and we must press on toward the needs and dreams for tomorrow. We pray for you and ask that you pray for us as we press on to do the will of God in our lives.

 

Your Friends,

Jim and Pam Stockdale

Latin American Ministry