The WORLD is HERE.....

The world is HERE in the Greater Montgomery area:

Some of you know about the Mixteco people group that have migrated to Alabama and specifically Central Alabama. I have shared about it here and on my personal page. The Baptists are doing some great work here in many different ways to reach this"unreached" people group for the Lord, including partnering with the International Mission Board of the SBC. We are excited because it has taken about 4-5 years to find out who they are, where they are and how to reach them for Christ.

This past year, our Mixteco Task Force here in Montgomery has gone interdenominational by adding Cornerstone Bible Church to its group. We are thrilled to have them on board as well. Would you and your church like to have a seat on this task force? Call Lisa Rose and talk to her about it! So many blessing to have through getting to know this wonderfully, hard working people group.

One of our task force members has felt a call to "live" with the people here in one of the neighborhoods in Montgomery and be "little Christ" to those who live there. She has made great inroads and built trust among this people and needs our prayer support. She has begun learning this dialect(not Spanish) and is now helping translate. We have to be very careful about too much information given out because of trust issues and we want to protect the dignity of the people.
Some cool things are happening for the Kingdom though and so let me share what has been going on so you can better pray for this people group.

1. There are at least a 1000 people who are the Mixtec Indian Tribe that live in our area(maybe more). Their first language is NOT Spanish but an oral language called Mixteco, which has about 50 dialects within it. We have identified one of the dialects is prevalent here in the Montgomery area.
2. They mostly come from the mountains of southern Mexico in Guerrero and Oaxaca. They are "country" people.
 3. They are very hard workers. Most of those who are here are not only providing for their families here but also grandparents or loved ones in Mexico that are ailing or older. Very committed folks to family and work.
4. Most were "trafficked" into the states and were enslaved and abused for the time they were "under" the coyotes "rule". Amazing stories from some on being "freed" and being able to find their way here to Alabama.
5. There are some cultural things that are important to know but in getting to know their culture, you will understand how best to minister.
6. Forest Park Ministry, Community of Hope,Yarborough Street Baptist, Ridgecrest Baptist, Cornerstone Bible and Montgomery Baptist Association Church and Community Ministries have come together to form a Task Force to form a Task Force to reach this "unreached people group" for Christ ministering in unique and non traditional ways. We all have been working for about 4-5 years and are making some inroads by building trust and being invested.

Here are some things that are needed:
1. Pray-ers- We are going to start a Monday night prayer group and need some committed folks to PRAY for this people group and for those who are "on the field". Time and place to be announced.
2. MEN in the Mixteco people are really into soccer and basketball and have formed teams here in Montgomery. We need men who are willing to play soccer and basketball with them in order to have the opportunity to share Christ with them.
3. WOMEN-we are starting a women's BS that will need to have an interpreter(which we have). Any leaders will have to be trained on working with these women and what they need. AND...doing Bible Study differently than you are used to doing it.
4. CHILDREN-Tutors for a new after school tutoring ministry at Hopper Gardens. Tutors will be trained to minister and tutor the kids. We will also need some "child care" for the women's group that will be meeting.
5. Financial supporters for rent(at Hopper Gardens), tutoring supplies AND for Jesus films in their native tongue.
These are FIVE things that you can be involved in if you feel led. I am challenging you to PRAY and seek the Lord and ask for ways you can be involved in leading people to the Lord in this indigenous people group and how YOU can support what is already going on.

ANY Christian church can be involved as long as you are willing to learn and minister in new and exciting ways.

The world has come to the River Region and we get the privilege of helping share Christ with them without even having to go out of the country!!

Contact Lisa Rose at 334-271-6794 OR email me at lrose@mgmbaptist.org

"The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God". Leviticus 19:34
"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done." Proverbs 19:17

Definition of Poverty

Take a few minutes and listen to this "definition of poverty"!  It might rock your world! 

Defintion of Poverty 

Praying for Iraq-in Montgomery!!!!

                Nuf said.....we need to pray! Check it out below! 

  It is an Arabic "N" that ISIS was marking the homes of Christians with in Mosul, Iraq, for persecution. The "N" stood for "Nazarene" for Jesus. So, many are marking themselves with the "N" in solidarity with the Christians from Mosul.

Pray for Iraq

Mental Illness and the Church

Thought I would repost what Rick Warren said on national TV the other day. He son struggled from a mental illness and took his life a while back. He shares his heart.

Mental Illness and Shame

Many of us have loved ones who live with a mental illness and we continue to bang our heads up against a wall when it comes to "wanting them to change".  WE CAN'T FIX it as family members and it is very frustrating for all of us. I have come to learn that I must accept my family members who have mental illnesses and where they are. Their brain is sick and has to have medication and lots of love and patience to make it all work! We, as family members, have to be the ones to change our thoughts on this subject. If we continue to not accept their illnesses, we will always be frustrated and feel helpless. I am by no means saying we should tolerate bad behavior, but we have to couple those choices with what is behind them. MOST OF THE TIME...it is a brain issue and not just meanness or on purpose.

I am not at all saying we should dismiss prayer and accountability but we have to find a balance and make the environment so that no one is ashamed of having a brain that needs help to function! 

I hope the church will begin to rethink how they minister to people who live daily with MI. We need to be more educated, more understanding and more patient. It is not easy to be healthy when your brain is sick.  Doctors have to try and retry meds to find the right combination and sometimes that still does not work.

Praying that our churches will open their hearts and minds to learning more about mental illnesses and ministering appropriately.

2 Corinthians 12:9  "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me".

Caregiving Part 2 Ministering to Adults who Caregive Parents

Caring for your parents or an adult special needs child is tough. We do it because we love them, because they are "family" and because we sometimes feel obligated, to be honest. Most of the time, we do it out of love.  With that, we cannot do this alone.  We need support. In my experience, my mother took care of her sister in law who had Alzheimer's and the stress ended up killing my mother. See, my mom was a nurse and thought she could do this on her own. It is different when someone is with you 24 hours a day and there is no break.  I wish my mom would have utilized her children and our friends. She might be alive today.

Remember, it is not always the right thing to have your parents or older special needs child at home but it is required in the Bible that we be concerned for their well-being.

1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever".

Here are some resources to remember:

THOUGHTS
http://www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-09-2013/my-life-as-a-caregiver.html


IDEAS:
https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/109/caring-for-the-caregivers-ministering-to-the-sandwich-generationhttps://www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/109/caring-for-the-caregivers-ministering-to-the-sandwich-generation

CAREGIVING BOOKLETS(downloadable)
 http://www.caregiverslibrary.org/featured/caregivers-handbook.aspx

LOCAL MONTGOMERY RESOURCES for help !

First Baptist Church Caring Center-support groups for Caregivers of adults
Contact: Jane Ferguson at 334-541-5141

First Methodist Church, Daphne Johnson, 
Please call for enrollment. 334-834-8990; Fax: 334-834-4333

Frazer UMC, See link below
Older Adults Ministry

Caring for Caregivers-Part 1-Special Needs kids/teens

My journey as a caregiver(along with my husband) of two special needs teenagers has been very difficult at times. We get tired, exhausted, overwhelmed and sometimes pretty down about things.  We have been pretty fortunate that for the most part, we have had good support. Though many don't understand the fullness of what it means to care for kids with special needs, they have been there at times when we didn't think we were going to make it. They prayed, they brought meals they sat and listened, etc.

What can you do to help parents of special needs kids? Here are a few practical tips whether you are a church, a family member or a friend. Reposted from the Huffington Post, these are some very practical tips to help your friend or family member. 

7 Practical Ways to Help a Special Needs Family

For the Church! 

Key Ministry is a great way to reach families in your church who need extra help. 

Key Ministry for churches

I have heard of so many families who stop going to church because their plate is full and their child/ren can't handle the stimulation of church. Wonder what would happen to that family if someone ever volunteered to sit with the child and let the parents go to church every once in a while so they can get some spiritual refreshment?  Spending one Sunday morning a month helping a family get some spiritual refreshment would have eternal benefit to all!