LovEspaña

2011-07-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

$400 Dash!!!

The last few months have been a whirlwind for us and looking back it's hard to believe just how much God has accomplished in that time. My last report stated that we lacked around $1800 per month in pledges before we could be cleared to purchase tickets and leave for the field. I'm excited to share that in the time since then we have seen that number cut significantly, and I believe that we could see the remainder of those pledges come in within the next 2 weeks! Many have responded recently and said that they were ready to pledge and start giving, and I believe that when those come through, we could find ourselves with 100% of our needed pledges. Nothing short of miraculous! Our hope is still to be on the field within the first week of September...but there are still a few loose ends that need to be tied up, and I will share those in a moment.

Another point of interest in the last few months is that I was recently able to take a small group of workers to Spain to work on our ministry center there (photo on the right is of a local builder who we've contracted to work on site for the month of July)...I can tell you that I came back to the US after that 10 day stint with a new found fire and belief that we were on the cusp of what the Lord had been fanning into flame in our lives for quite sometime. Our group was able not only to do renovation work on the property (new bathroom, plumbing, leveling floors and helping in the conversion of a massive garage into a beautiful industrial kitchen), but I was able to do
some very practical things in preparation for our arrival. I spent a week with some of the people with whom we'll be partnering and collaborating in ministry for the foreseeable future and got a clearer vision of how the ministry center could function (still a work in progress, but progress was made!). I was also able to visit and register the kids into the school that they'll be attending. This may seem like a rather small thing, but any of you who I've spoken with about this will know that one of the things we've been the most intentional about since the beginning of this process was trying to make the wisest and most informed decisions about integrating our
kids into a new culture, and especially into a school system and language(actually, 2 languages) that they don't know. I walked away from the meeting at the school encouraged and assured that God knows exactly what He's doing...and indeed loves and looks after my kids even more than I ever could.
So there are two things that I want this update to communicate...
1. All is well and moving forward at neck-break speed!
2. We need your prayers now perhaps more than any moment in the last year!
Why? Because although we need just $400 per month (and perhaps a little
less now) in additional commitments...until those are in we can't be cleared
to leave. Perhaps the BIGGER of our current prayer needs though is for
favor in what can be a particularly complex visa process. Although our
funding has come in ahead of schedule, because many Spanish government
agencies are closed during summer months (and especially in August), and
because of the length of time that certain components of the Visa process
take, we are in fact behind schedule on that front. As such we're not sure
how the next few months will play out. It could be that we will have to
leave without Visas and to come back once or perhaps twice in order to
complete the process in the next 3 or 4 months. These details can easily
rattle a family stepping out into such a life change...but we remember times
when we harbored doubt in the last year and a half and have seen that doubt
shattered by God's overwhelming favor. So we ask that you stand with us in
prayer for this matter as well as little details that have to be worked out
for such a big transition...but we don't ask for prayers out of a sense of
fear or doubt that things will work out. Rather, knowing how God has used
each of you so many times to be a part of His hands at work in our lives, we
confidently invite you to be a part of the way that God once again shows His
favor!
Thank you all for walking this path with us, and being part of the
redemption of broken stories in Spain. May God bless you and yours.

With Love,
The Collins Family

Nearly There

2011-04-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's been truly amazing to look back at the last 11 months and see how far the Lord has brought us in preparation for life and work in Spain. As we started our itineration, we were timid and unsure of ourselves (as it related to the process of raising missions funds), and despite the faith that it took to say "yes" to the call of God into missions, at times were
lacking in faith that the necessary financial support could come in...especially in the current financial climate. But as I've shared with many of you before, God has made this time of itineration, though often busy, a very peaceful and faithbuilding time for us. We've seen that it's not our efforts but rather God's goodness and favor that brings in the
support, and we've lived an adventure as a family, teaching our kids how awesome a life of faith and dedication to God's purposes can be.

Now, as we begin the month of April, we find ourselves in a sprint to the finish, and we see Spain quickly drawing closer to us. The Lord has brought
in 76% of the monthly budget that we need and nearly all of the cash budget that we've been asked to raise. We are amazed and encouraged as we look at that figure. That means that only around $1800 monthly stand in the way of us reaching the field and beginning what we feel is a truly vital Kingdom work...restoring hope to those who have been enslaved in a life of sexual
slavery, and playing a role in the redmemption of their broken stories. We thank those of you who have begun to give already...my words will always come up short in expressing our gratitude. But you have been an amazing blessing to us and to the nations through your giving. Many others of you have expressed a desire to join our team of supporters! We are excited to call you partners and look forward to connecting further with you. This is a crucial moment for us. We are hoping to be in Spain by September, and will need to have pledges equaling our entire budget before we can be cleared to leave. Please consider how your church may join with us in
monthly support. I am sincere when I say that no pledge would be too small to be helpful. Can I ask that you consider just a $10 or $20 per month pledge to help us get on the field? Maybe your church could take on a larger pledge, or would be better equipped to make an annual contribution rather than monthly...whatever the case, we will be grateful for your sacrifice. Even as I write this we are preparing a number of large mailers to various churches and individuals, casting seeds to see where God may prod someone to give. If even a small percentage of those churches join with you, our friends and family in giving, we can be fully funded in just a few months time! If you sense the Lord's leading to give you can fill out an
online pledge form by clicking on the following link:
http://worldmissions.ag.org/agwm_commit_form.cfm?AcctNo=293692.

Action

2011-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

The great missionary, Dr. David Livingstone, has been quoted as saying that, "Sympathy is no substitute for action". Especially in our culture, it's often easy to truly feel sympathy for those who are hurting or in need, but not do much of anything to help meet the need. It's not because we're bad or because we don't care, but rather that ours is a culture that is full of distraction and comfort, and though those things are often a gift from God...they can also become the very things which prevent us from living out His purposes in our lives.
Almost a year ago, as our family was taking steps towards going into full-time missions work, someone shared a story with Jade and I that rocked our reality. It was a story of a young girl from Eastern Europe who had been tricked and manipulated into a horrific life of sexual exploitation, and truly, into a life of slavery in the very country where we are going as missionaries (Spain). As we looked deeper, we began to see that this story wasn't at all an isolated incident, rather an example of a problem of truly epidemic nature there, and in many other parts of the world. We found out that in Spain alone, there are more than 60,000 enslaved to this industry. There is little hope for someone in their position...they are most often diseased and broken...and once their captors deem them excess to requirements, they are simply discarded...released into the streets to fend for themselves.
Stories like the one I'm referring to leave me feeling weak, and of course heavy-hearted. And I must admit to you that too often in life my response has simply been sympathy. But as we began to research this issue of Human Trafficking, and to pray about specifically what God would have us to do as missionaries to Spain, we couldn't help but feel that, unqualified and inadequate as we may feel, we have to do something! And so our family has committed to go to Spain and to start a refuge home for girls who have been through such dehumanizing events. The challenges that this posses are unimaginable to us now in our comfortable existence, but our degree of comfort and even our degree of preparedness is irrelevant in light of such need. We believe that God expects more of us than our sympathy...He expects ACTION.
I am writing to you today to ask that you join us in this fight...to invite you to take action in a different way. You see, our willingness to "go and do" is only part of the equation. In order to do so we have to raise every penny that will be needed both for life and for work there in Spain (not the cheapest country to live in). Specifically, we were given a budget of $8000 per month to raise before we can even go...and although that number is scary and daunting to us, we've seen God move on our behalf in incredible ways. Even as I write this we've raised around 70% of this monthly budget, leaving right around $2400 per month in pledges left to raise! But we need your help. We need an army of churches and individuals who will commit to giving $10, $15 or $20 per month (or any other amount) to fund our ministry. It's a faith-walk for those who commit to give, just like it is for us GO! Will you ACT? Could you help us? Here are three HUGE ways that you can help:

1. Pledge to support our ministry monthly...click on the link (http://worldmissions.ag.org/agwm_commit_form.cfm?AcctNo=293692 ) and fill out the form. If you need help, please shoot me an email and I'll be glad to help you through it, but it's pretty simple.

2. Forward this email to everyone you can! The more people who hear about what we are doing, the quicker we will be able to raise our budget. Consider friends or familly who may be in a position to give monthly or perhaps a one-time gift...tell them how you know us and that you'd like for them to read about what we're doing.

3. PRAY! Prayer IS action, and is absolutely vital to the success of our ministry. Maybe you simply are not able to give...please pray for our safety, for continual favor in raising our fianancial support, and especially for our ministry to be effective in reaching the broken with the good news of the gospel.

New Years Charge

2010-12-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

First off...Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all! As I write we are down in semi-sunny Florida with my in-laws for a few days, having celebrated one last Christmas with them before we begin our tenure in Spain. We are also charging our batteries for what will prove to be a frenetic 6 or 7 months leading up to our departure (if all goes according to plan).
We've walked in blessing in every area of our lives in the last year. From our selection and appointment as AG Missionaries to the favor we've seen in raising the funds to do so, and most of all, in the birth of our baby girl, Lucia Claire, we have had a remarkable year. And we know that 2011 will be no less remarkable.
As I look at our calendar we've got quite a full schedule over the next 6 months. The good news is, the vast majority of churches that we are slated to speak at are churches who don't yet support us...which to me simply means that they are opportunities for God to burden a new pastor with supporting our vision to bring freedom to those enslaved in human trafficking and trapped domestic violence in Spain! Please continue to pray for favor, both with churches and individuals...that as they pray about how to sow into the Kingdom of God, they'll think of our family and our ministry and will invest in what God has burdened us to do.
Currently we have received commitments (including a handful of verbal commitments) accounting for around 64% of our monthly need! God is so good! If you are one of those who have intended to give or have even said that you will, please know how crucial it is to fill out a pledge form (here: http://worldmissions.ag.org/agwm_commit_form.cfm?AcctNo=293692) and to start sending in those pledges monthly. The quicker those pledge forms and monthly support come in, the quicker we'll be out on the field!
Our current need is around $3000 per month. Again, I'm under no illusion as to how much this is to raise...but God is always faithful...so we'll continue to move forward believing in His provision and timing. Please consider being a part of our support team by pledging to give $10 or $20 per month to our ministry. That's roughly 3 Latte's...2 movie rentals...or 1 meal out or movie ticket every month. That's it! It's that easy to make an impact.
Lastly, I want to thank those of you who have been so faithful in financial and prayer support, and especially those who have been such a great encouragement to us over the last year. Missions is never an individual effort. Even when sending a single envoy to the field, it takes a whole community to do the work of God...and you guys have certainly done your part this year in moving us ever closer to the place where God has called us to be. We are grateful to have you as friends, to have the opportunity to represent you abroad and for God to allow us to be involved in His work.
Blessings to you.

Moving Forward

2010-11-18T06:27:00.000-08:00

Before the holidays I wanted to be sure and give an update of how the last two months have been. Suffice to say that all is well and that we've been blessed and continually encouraged since my last post.

Life has certainly changed since the last post...most significantly because of the birth of our little Lucia Claire, a healthy baby girl of 7 lbs 15 oz. She's our third child and is our quietest and best sleeper yet! Very good news. Numerically life has changed, but truthfully, the transition from one child to two was more taxing than that of adding a third to the mix. Also our son Aidan turned 4! We're so proud of all of our kids and despite the challenges the often pose to us now, we believe that God has plans to make them great in His kingdom.

In terms of our fundraising and preparation, things are continually moving forward. We've been blessed to travel all over Georgia and some in Florida, South Carolina and even Maryland, sharing of God's goodness, His call and our vision for Spain and victims of trafficking who live there. We've shared in churches of 20 and churches of over 2000, and everything in between, and have truly been blessed and overwhelmed with their generosity each time. Although we still have a long way to go yet, after some quick calculations we seem to have raised just under 60% of our needed monthly pledges! This leaves just over $3000 per month to raise, and we are starting to see the light of sunny Spain at the end of the tunnel. If things continue to progress in the way that they have in the last 3 months, we feel that our goal of arriving in Spain by July is entirely possible. If you are interested in supporting us either with a one-time or monthly gift, simply click the "giving" tab at the top of the page for more information. Your commitment, no matter how small, will help get us to the field, where we'll be reaching out to broken and hurting people.

I hesitate to end this update on a sour note, but I want to leave an article with you which serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need in Spain...of the reason we're going to where we are, and doing what we will do. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/open-for-business-the-brothel-with-1800-prostitutes-2114265.html) Please continue to pray for the enslaved and exploited...pray that God prepare the way for ministries like ours to not only reach out, but to truly reach them with the good news of redemption.

Thank you for your fervent prayers and support...We love you.

Momentum

2010-09-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

August was a busy month for us, and of course with the imminent arrival of our baby girl, Luci, September promises to be equally busy. Sometimes, despite the constant motion, it's hard to feel like things are really developing. But after taking a moment to reread my previous post, and then reflecting on all that has actually happened in the past month, I began to see that our wheels HAVE NOT just been spinning out of control...rather we've taken some big steps forward and have hit a new stride in our time of preparation for our mission in Spain. I won't take the time to share in too much detail, but will relate some of the high points.
When I last wrote we had raised around 1/3 of our monthly commitments and gave a simple breakdown of the increments that would see us raise the remainder of our budget. I'm both thrilled and amazed to share that our funds are steadily coming in, and as of this moment, we've raised 49% of the monthly commitments that are required for us to leave for the field! This is so encouraging to us, as we are simply putting one foot in front of the other in faith that He who called us will also provide the means for us to answer His call. Of course, no matter how much momentum we have at the moment, we can't afford to slow down...if we are to arrive in Spain by next summer we need to keep moving forward, and ask for your prayers and support to help us do so. If you are interested in pledging to support our ministry monthly, click on the "Giving" tab at the top of the page. It may not seem like much, but a $15, $25 or $35 monthly pledge would huge for us right now.
I also had the opportunity this past month to attend the annual Compassion Forum in St. Louis, MO, put on by Assemblies of God World Missions. It was a great time to network with other missionaries and pastors from around the world, who are engaged in various compassion ministries. There were several very good sessions which challenged our paradigms as ministers of the gospel of hope. But for me the highlight was the day before the main sessions began, when an entire day was given to focus on the global issue of human trafficking and sexual slavery. The sessions were at once heavy because of the intense gravity and inhumanity of the topic, and inspiring because of the stories of lives being changed with the message of hope and healing. We look forward to a long partnership with organizations like Project Rescue (http://www.projectrescue.com/), and hope to return home in years to come with similar stories of God's goodness and might in transforming lives.
On a more personal note, we also enjoyed spending time with our extended family in Charleston and Lexington, SC in August. We had a family reunion there and took an extra day to spend some quality time with our family, who we simply don't see enough. We know that in years to come these opportunities will be fewer and fewer (especially as we are overseas), so we cherish them now while we are able. Please pray for our family and our extended family as we prepare for life lived largely apart from one another in a geographical sense.
We want to say too how proud we are of our kids...Alexa started Kindergarten last month and is growing up so fast. She's incredibly smart and loves every opportunity to do HOMEWORK (I was NEVER that way). Our little Aidan turns 4 in a couple of weeks! We are celebrating his big day this weekend instead with a few friends since we are also expecting the birth of his little sister around the time of his birthday, and don't want to sell him short. Please keep the 3 of them in your prayers, as well as Jade as she carries and delivers baby Luci within the next few weeks.
Until next time...
Brent & Jade Collins

The Itineration Trail

2010-07-16T10:50:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update for you all...I realize that many or most of you have heard from us through a source other than this blog, but in case you haven't I want to make sure you are all aware of what we've been up to lately.
As you'll remember from an email I sent out a few months back, we have been appointed as Assemblies of God World Missionaries and have recently started the process of raising funds for our life and ministry in Spain(aka itineration). More about that in a moment, but first I want to share with you a bit about the specifics of what we will be working on in Spain.
Would you believe me if I said that slavery (physical slavery) is alive and thriving right now in ultramodern, western countries? Many of you will have heard the term "human trafficking" used at some point, and may or may not really be clear on all that the term means. Although the term is used to reference many different forms of modern slavery, the most commonly referenced one is that of the commercial sex industry...prostitution.
Right now in Spain more than 60,000 people, mostly young girls are enslaved to this dehumanizing trade due to the tolerance shown to prostitution and the enormous demand for it in Spanish society. Some figures estimate that over 25% of Spanish men have visited a prostitute at some point, and obviously many of those would be frequent customers. And although this is certainly not a Spanish problem (it's truly a Global Epidemic), when viewed against the reality that less than 1% of the total population of Spain call themselves "born again", it's obvious (at least to us) that we as missionaries have a unique opportunity to answer one of the questions that is actually being posed.
We've been asked by leadership in Southern Europe to pioneer a refuge home for victims of this atrocious injustice. And although our vision in a broader sense is to see Spaniards (and those living in Spain) come to faith in Christ, we see it as a starting point for holistic mission in Spanish society. We feel that when this cause is championed in Spanish churches, believers will be challenged with a new sense of mission, and will thus grow in faith. Also that non-believers who are disgusted with this form of slavery will come to trust us (most Spaniards see Evangelical Christianity as a cult rather than a distinction of Christian faith), opening doors for their own faith walk. Most of all though, it's an opportunity to speak life and light into situations where life and light have ceased to exist. The vast majority of the time these girls have been lied to, kidnapped or even sold by their families into a hell that most of us can't possibly imagine, and once thrown out to die are alone to face the questions of why? and what now? God has a plan for them...He loves them deeply...and yet, how can they know this unless they are told? And how will they be told unless someone is sent?
We ask you to partner with us in prayer and if possible in financial support. Although we have some experience in pioneering a residential home (with Teen Challenge), the scope of this one is different and will present a new set of challenges for us all. But before we can even begin to think about the day to day operations of restoring hope for these young girls we have to raise a significant budget for both our life and our work. We've had immense favor in this thus far and have been able to raise close to 1/3 of our monthly budget...but we still need around $6000 per month in commitments to support our work. This figure seems huge, but this is what it really amounts to:
- 35 pledges @ $100 per month
- 35 pledges @ $50 per month
- 30 pledges @ $25 per month
Maybe your church supports missionaries and you could be an advocate for us...why not ask your pastor to consider supporting us for one of these amounts? Maybe you've been wanting to give to a charity of some sort, but didn't really know what to give to...consider helping us to reach these young ladies with a message of hope and restoration in Christ Jesus. Maybe you're familiar with a family foundation that gives to charity of some sort every year...would you consider putting us in contact with them? These are just a few ways that you could help us to get to the field in a timely manner. If you would like to support, there is a link called "Join our Support Team" on the left side of the page. Once this form is filled out, there is a link at the bottom that can even help you to set up recurring monthly donations if you like. It's also pasted here below:

http://worldmissions.ag.org/agwm_commit_form.cfm?AcctNo=293692

Our goal is to be there by next summer. We feel that this is important because our children will be starting school in a brand new language there in the Fall, and we feel it would be best for them to have 2-3 months to settle in and feel comfortable with their surroundings before being thrown in from the deep end.
Will you help us? Will you pray for us?

Blessing,
Brent & Jade
brent.collins@agmd.org

The Res

2010-01-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty bad with New Years resolutions. So bad in fact that I typically don't even verbalize them out of fear that someone will try and hold me accountable for them. Pretty lame huh? After reading a blog post from Donald Miller (http://donmilleris.com/) though, I've decided to go public with a few things and welcome supportive accountability (as opposed to guilt trips). So here they are...

1) I want to read a minimum of 52 books this year (avg. of a book per week)...not terribly lofty, but it will require more consistency than usual

2) I want to log a minimum of 500 miles by bicycle in 2010

3) I am going to attempt to refrain from buying a single article of clothing in 2010...yes including shoes (for those of you who don't know, i have a thing for shoes...a serious thing). The only exception will be t-shirts that i (and scooter) screen print myself.

These are just a couple, and may not be the most difficult, but they're a start for me. How about you...care to go public with any?

Embracing the Walk in 2010,
Brent

In the Land of Swaz

2009-12-15T13:09:00.001-08:00

As promised I want to fill you all in on some of the finer points to my recent trip back to Swaziland, Africa last month. It was great being back in general and reconnecting with such a powerful and inspiring ministry, but there were a few things that made my return to the "Land of Swaz" slightly different than my first trip.
It's always strange to return to a place after a lapse in time...maybe because somehow we trick ourselves into thinking that time stands still with people and places when we're not looking. For this reason, the trip was both bitter and sweet for me. Some of the friends that I so looked forward to seeing again had moved on...others were away on ministry trips, or were simply too busy with school to spend the kind of time we had before. But sweet points certainly overshadowed the bitter. I saw and experienced moves of the Holy Spirit in ways that are rare and beautiful, and watched as fellow travelers were literally changed for life.
Accompanying me on this trip were students and staff from 3 different Teen Challenge adolescent homes and my good friend, Gerry Sossa. We all met, most for the first time, in the airport in ATL and immediately were met with resistance of the worst kind I could imagine. Suffice to say that due to my passport having too many stamps for the liking of South African passport control, I should NOT have been permitted to enter the country. On our flight there were 2 others who had previously been turned back around upon arrival (after 17 hours of flight) and sent back to their origin for less...but at the last minute God intervened and LITERALLY, miraculously I was granted entrance. Although the other leaders who were on the trip were perfectly competent, I was the only one who knew the connections and travel arrangements that had been made...not to mention, I held the money for the whole group. I don't know who (besides me) was praying for us at that moment, but I have no doubt that God intervened.

The Lighthouse ministry (www.swazitc.org) was not as we had left it a year ago. The Leadership of that ministry is amongst the most visionary that I've ever known, and in all areas of their ministry we saw growth. But rather than talk about the organization, which may or may not be of interest to you...I'd like to tell you about a boy named Banele. Banele was 9 years old when he came to the Lighthouse Farm. Born with HIV and in a tough part of the world to grow up, his life was already destined to be hard. But the death of his mother when he was young and his father later remarrying only made matters worse. His stepmother beat him badly with a steel chain, and even in a society where abuse is more tolerated than ours, Social Services intervened and placed Banele at the Farm. Around a year after he came to the Farm, Banele was near death due to AIDS and Tuberculosis. On the night that he was to die, the staff and other children gathered around his bed to say goodbye and pray with him one last time. Because he was too weak to speak, Banele wrote a letter to Pastor Kevin Ward (Director of Lighthouse Ministries) thanking him for all of his help, for being a father to him. Banele also assured him that his reward would not be "in this world". But it was not yet time for Banele to go, and he made a miraculous recovery. Once able, he asked to be taken back to his village to confront and APOLOGIZE to the woman who had so badly beaten him. Despite Pastor Kevin's attempts to explain that he was not to blame, the boy insisted that this is what God wanted him to do (he was 10 years old at the time). When he entered the village it sparked such a curiosity that many villagers, and even the chief himself followed Banele to the doorstep of his home. They knew how cruel the woman had been to him and weren't about to let her repeat her offense. To everyone's amazement though, when the door opened, little Banele knelt before his stepmother and asked that she forgive him for being "a bad boy", thus inciting her cruelty (trust me, there isn't a "bad" bone in his body). Seeing his humility the woman crumbled to the ground beside him and wept, asking that he forgive her for the way she had treated him. This moved onlookers to tears, and as a direct result of it, many, including the chief, came to a saving knowledge of Jesus that day.

When we met Banele last year (as in the photo above, with 2 former TC students), he couldn't leave his home, and was frail and gaunt, coughing into a breathing apparatus. There was little life in his eyes, but so much peace and love. I was so happy this year as I returned when I walked up on a group of boys playing freeze tag and wrestling with some of our team members, only to notice that there was one feisty one who look oddly familiar. In a years time, Banele had once again fought back from the edge and was hard at play with the others. He has become something of a hero to everyone at the Lighthouse Farm, and to nearly everyone who hears his story.

Another high point for me was seeing how we had been able to effectively sow into that ministry a year ago. So often we give to things and aren't able to see direct fruit from those gifts. But last year we went having raised a significant amount of money more than we needed and prayed that God would direct us as to how best to use it. At the end of our time there, I told Pastor Kevin that we'd be leaving this money with him and asked if he had any special projects in mind to use it on. He answered that he always had projects but asked what I was thinking. Having nearly broken my legs numerous times during that trip playing on the makeshift soccer field that they had (it had ditches, dips, dung and a random 6" high concrete slab in the middle of it that you had to navigate around), I found myself concerned that the kids needed a better place to play. Leveling out the ground there is a task in itself, but keeping it level and free of rocks and cattle would be even more difficult. So I proposed that they use the money to lay a concrete slab the size of a basketball court and put smaller soccer goals on it to give the kids a level place to play. It was a unique thought to his staff, but Pastor Kevin was thinking even deeper than I was. This year he told me that they had brought in teams from all over the community to play in a 5 vs. 5 soccer tournament on their new "court". It was the first time they had been able to draw men to their campus (to church)! Now the tournaments have become frequent, and the "orphan kids", playing on their home turf have gotten GOOD! It's great to see a sense of dignity on their faces, even if from something so seemingly insignificant. Praise God for the gifts that so many gave to make this happen. What on the surface is just concrete with goal posts, God is using as a point of mission for the community around Timbutini, Swaziland.

As I said at the beginning, there is far too much to share in one post, so I'll draw the line here. God is good...and He was so faithful to us during this trip. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Together, we can continue to make an impact around the world.

Christmas Cow

2009-11-19T06:50:00.001-08:00

I've got several things to update you all on, and rather than try and put them all in one long post, I've decided to break them down into several smaller ones...so if you get multiple update reminders from me in the span of two or three days, it's not in error.
I promise that I'll update you on my recent trip back to Swaziland, but first I want to tell you about a current project: Project Christmas Cow. The name isn't too creative, but the project could be huge for a few friends in ministry around the world.
I recently received information about sustainability projects at 2 Teen Challenge centers in sensitive areas of Central Asia (Muslim countries)...so sensitive in fact that I can't even say in which countries the centers are located. Because of the degree of poverty in their locations and the lack of local churches from which to raise operational funds, it's essential for them to have alternative funding sources in place to meet their operational budgets. Both centers have established the beginnings of small dairy cattle operations and need to expand them as their ministries are also expanding and looking to open more centers. I have asked US based Teen Challenge centers and now want to ask you to consider rallying around these two centers this Christmas by buying or helping to buy a cow to aid these centers in their growth. It's important that the cows are purchased now in the winter months since they are significantly cheaper there during winter. Why not give a cow or portion of one (actually a photo of the cow you've given to these Teen Challenge centers) to friends or family this year for Christmas? Wouldn't it be exciting to see us literally purchase a piece of the growth of the Kingdom of God in areas like these? So here are a few options as to how you can give:
1. Purchase a pregnant milking cow $800
2. Purchase a small bull $350
3. Purchase 75 bales of hay for feed in winter months $100
4. Give another amount towards these purchases $____
If you'd like to give towards one of these, just make checks out to Global Teen Challenge, with "Project Christmas Cow" in the memo line and send it to:

Global Teen Challenge
PO Box 511
Columbus, GA 31902

I pray that you'll consider helping us with this project, and that God will in turn bless your finances and Kingdom efforts for your faithfulness to give. I hope to report on what we were able to give in the January newsletter.
Peace of Christ to you all.

How Time Flies

2009-10-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, it's good to be writing to you again. The lack of recent posts isn't a sign that nothing noteworthy is going on, but rather that there has been a fair amount going on, and that I've struggled to prioritize letting you all know about it. I'll do my best to keep this brief, but also to let you know what the last couple and next couple months hold for us.
As you'll remember from my last post, I was out of action for a little while due to a pretty substantial ankle injury, sustained at an outreach at a local skate park. Though I've still got some swelling and stitches yet to be removed from my last procedure, I'm thankful to say that that experience is largely behind me. I'll likely be recovering to some degree for another 6-8 months, but I walk with less of a limp each day, and am at least able to wear 2 shoes and long pants again. Thanks for all of your prayers and best wishes in during this time.
October will be a busy month to say the least. Next week I'll be attending the Catalyst conference in Atlanta, where I hope to be challenged and stimulated by lectures and workshops given by some of the most recognized and revered leaders in Christendom today. Interestingly enough, there are workshops focused especially on the topics of Micro-enterprise and Micro-finance, which are some of my areas of focus with Global Teen Challenge. My hope is that the conference will expose me to current best practices and maybe open up my mind to creative new approaches to completing the tasks that I'm called to carry out.
Soon after, I'll be back in the saddle at full force, as I'll be taking a group of 15 staff and students to Swaziland, Africa. I'm really excited about this trip because I saw how it impacted the group of Teen Challenge students that I took last year, and know that this trip will be no different. Students who came to Teen Challenge hooked on drugs, angry and living in opposition to their families and their Creator will have no choice but to face their selfishness and backwards priorities as they encounter children who were born with AIDS, orphaned & living in extreme poverty. These children will teach our students how to pray and how to smile from their hearts and not just because of their circumstances. It promises to be a real life redemption story...and I can't wait. I'm equally excited because it will be a great chance to reconnect with many close friends, both amongst those traveling with us, as well as there at our destination in Swaziland (people who I connected with last year).
Lastly, I wanted to give an update on a prayer request presented several months back. I let you all know that we were hoping to raise some funds to purchase a wood planing tool to help the center in Sluknov, Czech Republic improve their small business of carving small wooden ornaments (heart shaped) to sell on the streets there. This little operation, even without the planer brought in around 10% of the centers overall budget...a figure which we hoped to significantly increase with the investment in this tool. I'm happy to report that we were able to raise the funds to purchase this tool, and that it has already made a great impact. In fact, two Teen Challenge centers here in the USA heard about the project and placed a substantial order of the ornaments to sell in their own communities during the Christmas season. Praise God.
Obviously there is much more than this to report, but I've already written more than I intended to. Instead, I'll try to write two or three more updates in the next month to report on the trips as well as to share a bit about our vision for ministry in the future. Until then...Embrace the Walk.

Brent

Broken

2009-07-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I last sent an update on my comings and goings...that's due in part to the fact that lately I've neither come nor gone, but have been out of commission because of an injury.
Upon relocating to Columbus, GA (where Global Teen Challenge has it's World Headquarters), Jade and I became involved in "The Door", a ministry geared to reaching twenty-somethings especially in the Downtown Columbus area. It's been really exciting to be a part of that community as we also work to develop our department with Global Teen Challenge.
One of the things that I personally had a hand in starting and developing was an outreach to local skateboarders, called Broken. I won't write too much about the outreach itself as I've also attached a video about it to this post (click here to view: http://www.jtdproductions.tv/files/Broken.mp4). It was during one of our outreach nights though that I was pretty badly injured while skating. In short, I dislocated my tibia, shattered my fibula and tore ligaments in my foot in the fall that I took. I was stretchered out of the skatepark and to the hospital where I had surgery and spent a few days before returning to my own bed.

It's now been exactly 3 weeks since my injury, and although I'm doing well, I still have a long road to full recovery ahead of me.
The only trip that I had on the books during the time that I'll be completely immobile was, unfortunately, mine and Jade's first real vacation since we've had children (talk about timing). Although I had been considering a few work trips during that time, I hadn't finalized my plans yet...which is a rare upside to this whole situation. I will be traveling to Swaziland, Africa in late October, which should be a good, but challenging first trip since the accident.
Please keep us in prayer as we work to stay positive and productive even during this period of physical brokenness. Pray especially for Jade, as she's been baring the weight of 2 parents as well as working full time. Despite missing her much needed vacation (which we'll do our best to reschedule when possible), she's been absolutely amazing and seemingly tireless in caring for the kids and her crippled husband. We thank God too for those who have helped us with meals and childcare during this time...they've been a real breath of fresh air.
We thank God for each of you, your vision to see people reached with the gospel of freedom and your prayers and support. May He bless and keep you.
Peace of Christ,
Brent Collins

Current Projects

2009-06-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

I thought it may be good, apart from my update letters, to let you, our supporters know a bit about some of our current projects. I covet prayers from all of you on these projects, and help/collaboration from any of you who feel so burdened...especially if you can help to connect us with others who could be instrumental in helping see these projects through.

1. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I am trying to raise some funds ($2000) to buy a commercial grade wood planer for the center in Sluknov, Czech Rep. We've already raised $300 towards this purchase from a good friend who read that newsletter and felt compelled to help. This investment will drastically improve the safety and productivity of one of their micro-enterprises.

2. In the coming months I'll be working with several juvenile Teen Challenge directors to think through a model for juvenile centers in other countries where laws and culture are very different to ours. We plan to work with the men's center in Jamaica as the training ground for this model, and will be able to train other leaders from the Latin America and Caribbean region to apply this structure in their respective centers.

3. I am working with Executive Directors Shawn Blankenship and Jake Lynch (of Teen Challenge of Oklahoma and Ozarks Teen Challenge respectively) to plan a trip back to Swaziland, Africa in the Fall. As many of you will recall, I took several students from our center there last year, and it was an amazing time of growth and ministry for all involved. The trip will serve two purposes for me, since I will also be able to spend some time with Kevin Ward (Director of Teen Challenge Swaziland) in studying his operations in sustainability, and learning how we may apply some of his experience in other parts of the globe.

4. Just this week I've received requests from two sensitive countries (they both end in ____stan if that helps) for our assistance in some really interesting projects. One requested $7000 for equipment for its butcher shop. The other needs $8500 to build a barn to house milking cows, an operation which will provide 25% of its budget once completed. Both of these are exciting because they are already proven projects...they are already producing in both cases. They have presented consice business plans and have realistically projected what such investment will do for them. Pretty exciting. Of course the exciting thing isn't that they are earning money, but that the money earned represents their ability to reach more people with the gospel of hope and freedom from addiction. Praise God.

5. Lastly, let me mention a really cool fundraiser that Jade (my wife) is organizing. On July 25th, Evangel Temple AG Church in Columbus, GA will host our first "Had to Have It" (as in, "I saw it in the store and just had to have it") shoe and handbag auction. The way this works is that people (you for instance) donate new or gently used ladies shoes and purses in the weeks leading up to the event. Then on the 25th, ladies will bid (silent auction style) on the items. The event itself will also be a time for testimony from a Teen Challenge student about how God used the program to change her life and a word about how the funds that are raised will benefit the kingdom of God. Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the projects like the ones mentioned above. If you would like to donate shoes, bags, gift certificates or would like to be involved in some way, please email me and I will connect you with Jade.

There are more items to mention, but I'll save them for the next update. Please continue to pray for us as we are simultaneously trying to raise funds for projects like the ones above and for our own sustenance. Also, as always, we'd love to hear from you, whether by way of comment on this site, or by email.

Peace of Christ to you,
Brent

May 09

2009-05-19T09:31:00.001-07:00

Remembering our Roots

The close of this month was marked by a particularly special event. Forty years ago this year a young missionary couple, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Foltz, SAILED into Holland with the vision of starting the first Teen Challenge ministry in Europe.

I’ve just returned from Prague, in the Czech Republic, where more than 400 people from around Europe gathered to celebrate this humble but Spirit empowered beginning. Having been involved in missions in Europe in various degrees and capacities over the last 10 years, I can easily say that I’ve never seen such an encouraging display of what God is doing in the “New Dark Continent”. So often in Europe the stories we hear from missionaries are of tiny, struggling churches and disillusionment. At the conference, however, I saw something totally different. In the last 40 years God has used Teen Challenge to accomplish much more than just the rehabilitation of drug addicts...we’ve been an active and dynamic evangelistic force for the Kingdom of God. Ironically, the equation involved in it’s success wasn’t sophistication or massive investment...it was, yet again, simple obedience and a desire to help meet a need. In a day where we, too often, wait until we have the “right tools” or “sufficient funding” to start work, I am forever indebted to people like Dr. Foltz, who have stepped out beyond rational, into what God gave them to do.

After the conference I spent a few days with the Director of a small Teen Challenge Center in the north of Czech Republic named Petr Kral (pictured to right).
Petr has been with Teen Challenge since it’s beginnings in Czech and has such an infectious passion for the people of his country (which boasts the worlds highest percentage of atheists). He not only reaches and disciples drug addicts, but has been instrumental in church planting, a day program for local Gypsy children and spends significant time just pouring into his community for the sake of the Kingdom.

My purpose in spending time with him was to catalogue what his center has been doing in the way of micro-enterprise to raise their own budget. I wasn’t surprised to find that he and the men at his center were absolutely full of creative and entrepreneurial ability. From beautiful pottery to wooden ornaments that they make and sell in the street, they had been hard at work to ensure the financial sustenance of their home...and yet there were small things that could make a world of difference to their work if they had access to them. Pray that God would provide grant and loan dollars for us to help Petr and centers like his to have the tools that they need to make their work safer, easier and more efficient for the sake of their ministries.

We continually covet your prayers as we raise funds for our work. God has been incredible to us thus far, but we know that there is more to come. Please consider joining our team of supporters if you haven’t already, so that we can continue serve ministries around the world. Also, please continue to pray that our house in Missouri will sell soon. We praise God for the renters who occupy it now, but the reality is that we lose money every month until it sells. Having said that, we have complete faith in Gods timing.

March 09

2009-05-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

You may recall the film released 10 or 12 years ago about the first Jamaican bobsled team, Cool Runnings. This was a great little story with endearing characters that you just wanted to see succeed. Funny enough, I found myself in Jamaica last week, taking part in a similar story(although not quite so funny). Teen Challenge of Jamaica, under the leadership of brother Anthony Richards (former crack addict and Teen Challenge graduate) hosted the SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) team from Evangel University in Springfield, MO. This was no ordinary missions team though. These students, defying their age, came to Jamaica to TEACH about business, entrepreneurship, personal money management and marketing. They worked with men twice and three times their senior in developing resumes and encouraging them to turn their dreams into reality after graduating the program. If you’re wondering what the link is between these students and dreadlocked olympic bobsled pretenders, it’s seeing possibilities rather than obstacles in any given situation, and conducting oneself with the a faith-born confidence that anything is possible.
It was honestly a great and truly beneficial trip for the project I’m trying to get off the ground. Dr. Elizbeth Fletcher & Dr. Mark Maynard led the team, and have a big vision to see young people with business gifting apply those gifts to the work of the Kingdom of God. Our meetings in Jamaica mark the beginning of what I hope and foresee to be a longterm partnership in ministry.
I’m happy to report to you that since our last newsletter, several churches and individuals have joined our support team, making monthly or generous one-time gifts. THANK YOU! Fundraising is by far the toughest part of what we do since no action step guarantees a response from anyone...but so many of you have responded to our pleas and are making this ministry possible. We still have more to raise, and I covet your prayers and your involvement as connectors to other would be supporters...but I’m at peace, knowing that God will supply for all of our needs. No worries mon (as my Jamaican brothers say).
Lastly, I want to challenge you to believe for the extraordinary in your own life. On my flight home, I read an article about a 28 year old man name Robert Thomson. In short, the article tells about how Robert, having never really ridden a skateboard, broke a Guinness World Record for distance skateboarded (with 5529 km skated between Switzerland and Oceanside, CA!), and the following year skated across China (including a long stint in the Gobi Dessert)! Talk about nay sayers and obstacles... But the truth is that we tend to back down to even small challenges everyday, forgetting that we have the Almighty God on our side, and that when our plans are committed to Him, they will succeed (Proverbs 16:3).

Peace of Christ to You,
Brent Collins