Venezuela - Friday

Glory!  I have survived my first week in Venezuela.  My part of the World Religions course is finished.  The students have just started taking a two-hour essay exam.  They are sweating.  I am as cool as a cucumber.  In case you are inquisitive as to what a two-hour essay exam looks like, this is it:

 

Religions of the World Final Exam

 

1.         Your friend heard that you had taken a class on Religions of the World and says that

            she has heard the word Animism and wonders what it is all about.  How would you

            explain Animism to her?

 

2.         A young man in one of the churches you visit says that he feels called to India and wants to know a little about Hinduism.  How would you explain Hinduism to him?

 

3.         A new convert comes up to you and says that he has been studying Buddhism and feels like he can be a Buddhist and a Christian at the same time.  Explain what you would say to him.

 

4.         You have been asked to give a short summary of Islam in church Sunday night.  What do you

             think the average church member needs to know about Islam?

 

 

I am supposed to preach two times on Sunday but as far as I know, there is nothing going on tomorrow. 

 

The Venezuelan missionaries who are home on furlough will all meet at the Bible School on Monday and we will ride together in a bus to a hotel up in the mountains about one hour away. 

 

I will keep you posted.

 

 

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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Venezuela - Tuesday - Thursday

The World Religions class has been a huge success this week.  It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day. 

 

I think the student's favorite assignment was researching the prevalence of Animism in Venezuela.  They were quite surprised to find so much folk religions practiced in Venezuela such as Santeria, Umbanda, Maria Lionza, and other Yoruba gods.  However, Animism is still practiced by 40 percent of the people in the world.

 

I have really enjoyed being back in Venezuela.  I am staying with missionaries Ted and June Sanborn.  I stayed with them two years ago.  They are such a lovely couple. Last year they were on furlough so I stayed in the Bible School dorm. 

 

As always, Fernanda has been wonderful.  She has not only translated all my course notes but she is my translator for class, for preaching, and for every conversation.  She has such a gift.

 

The missions office has a new cook this year.  She fixes lunch for everyone in the office and we all eat together.  I think I have gained ten pounds.  I met all the office staff last year when I interviewed them. 

 

Since Bro. Samuel has resigned as the Director, he asked if I would interview the staff again this year to help them deal with change. We have had some wonderful sessions each evening after class.  God is so good.

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

Venezuela - Monday

I preached the chapel service for the Bible School today.  It was a mission's service and all the students from the School of Missions participated in songs and drama.  I preached in the chapel several times last year and it is always a privilege to address the students.

 

After my sermon, there were between 25-30 students who responded to the call to missions.  God is doing so much in Venezuela.

 

When I finished preaching, one of the students asked Bro. Freddy Perez, the Director, if we do the African Offering I thought them last year.  We did and had a wonderful time. 

 

My class for the School of Missions began today.  I covered the Introduction and begin talking about Animism.  The students were very interested and attentive.  It is going to be a great week.

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

Venezuela - Sunday

My schedule for today was to preach at a church that was pioneered by Bro. Samuel Rodríguez, the Missions Director.  He has been the Missions Director for ten years, but he and his family still attend that church.

 

Service began at 9:30 a.m.  The time of worship was wonderful.  The worship band was great, the singers were energetic, and we had a great time of worship.  Immediately after worship, three young people came up and sang a special.  They did a super job.  It was an anointed service.

 

During the worship service, Bro. Rodríguez asked me if I would take up the tithes and offering for the church using the "African Offering."  I told him that I would if the offering could wait until the end of the service.  He said sure.

 

When I was introduced, I began (as always) with O Mwari Wakanaka.  The entire church came alive.  They loved it and danced around as if they were in a worship service in Africa.

 

After I preached, I told them about receiving an offering African style (Dr. Houlihan, I also told them about your uncle and his change purse with the rubber bands.  So you cannot use that story now anywhere in Venezuela as well). 

 

The people jumped up, started dancing down the aisles, came to the front, slammed their tithes and offerings on the table, and just had a wonderful time.  It was great!

 

After the offering, I gave an altar invitation and three young men (about 25-30) years old responded.  The church rejoiced because they had been praying for these young men for years.  God is so good.

 

After that invitation, I asked anyone who was going through a difficult time or needed prayer to come forward.  There must have been 50-75 crowded around the front of the church.  For the next 30 minutes or so, we prayed for everyone at the altars.  It was a great time of allowing the Lord to meet their needs.

 

Bro. Rodríguez than called me up to the front and asked the church to pray for me.  It felt so good.  I felt so much love and compassion flowing from that congregation.

 

After the service, people came up and shook my hands and several of them even prayed for me personally.  Wow!  We had church.

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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Saturday from Venezuela

I arrived safely in Venezuela.  I flew from Tampa to Miami to Caracas and then to Barquisimeto in the State of Lara. 

 

While I was waiting for my luggage at the airport in Barquisimeto, a little boy came up from behind me and started playing with the handle on my briefcase.  I looked down at him and smiled.  He was so cute.  I then turned back around to look for my suitcase and felt someone touching me on the shoulder.  When I turned around, I saw a man holding the same little boy that had been playing with my luggage.  But he was holding the little boy in front of his face.  Suddenly the man moved the little boy so I could see his face and it was Bro. Samuel Rodríguez, the Missions Director for Venezuela.  He had managed to get through security (actually one of the men in his church works for airport security and was on duty at the time and let him come in) and was there to greet me.  We had a great reunion. 

 

While we were waiting for my luggage, he began to tell me that after serving for ten years as the Missions Director, he had recently resigned to become a missionary to Peru.  I lost it!  I started shouting "Glory!" right there in the airport.  I am so proud of him.  He has done a super job of pioneering the Missions Department and will be going to Peru to help them with their Missions Department.  This is the greatest news I have heard in a long time. 

 

The newly appointed Missions Director will be here during my two week stay so I can meet and work with him.  I met he and his family last year.  He was one of the missionary families I interviewed; the one who had four teenaged children all going to university at the same time and wanted to know if the Missions Department could help them financially.  He is coming off the field from Haiti to become the new Director and I am sure he will take the Missions Department to the next level.  These are exciting day.  What a thrill to be a part of it just to see what God is doing.

 

 Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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Venezuela Bound Tomorrow

Please pray for me as I travel to Venezuela tomorrow.  I will be teaching a course on World Religions at their annual School of Missions the first week.  The second week, I will be working with the Venezuelan A/G Missions Committee interviewing returning missionaries as we deal with "Reentry."  It is going to be two phenomenal weeks.  I covet your prayers. 

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos.

It is possible

Working out of a storage room instead of a warehouse is possible.  We loaded 35 computer units into a sixteen-foot enclosed trailer yesterday.  The computers are headed to the Bahamas, via Key West.  So loading out of a storage room is possible although the storage room is about twice as hot.  Keep praying for a warehouse. 

 

Dr. Rodney White

Investing in Futures, Inc.
"Coaching and Equipping the Next Generation"
PO Box 6451
Lakeland, Florida 33807

www.investinginfutures.org

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