Water as a natural resource?

Reading up on water shortages in Chad, and a friend mentioned a website: gmi.org, there I came across this useful infographic. Here's the nutshell: water isn't a natural resource, it's God's property and we are stewards of it. In Chad, Brazil, or our own household. By the way, do you let the water run when brushing your teeth? Or do you only turn it on when to wash "it" all down the drain? Every little bit makes a difference! Read the parable of the talents: Matthew 25:14-30.
Eu estava lendo sobre a falta de água no país de Tchad, na África do norte, e achei este mapa informativo que uma amiga me mostrou. Um sumário: água não é um recurso natural, e sim é propriedade de Deus, nós somos simplesmente mordomos. No Tchad, EUA, ou na nossa própria casa. Por acaso, você deixa a água escorrer quando escova os dentes? Ou a fecha a torneira da pia enquanto escova, esperando terminar para lavar tudo pra baixo? Cada pouquinho faz uma diferença! Leia a parábola dos talentos: Mateus 25:14-30. Click on the link below to see the picture bigger.

http://www.gmi.org/infographics/missiographic-World-Water-Day.jpg

World Water Day Water is Not a "Natural Resource"

Water in Chad

A practical way of Caring for Creation that we are doing at TEAM, opening doors to share the gospel! Check out this video.

One of my favorite things to do is to be outside in God's marvelous creation. Of course, even better than this is doing it with my family! Each weekend we try to explore someplace new in the area, a park, some trails, anything outside. So, here is a video and a photo of our last outing this past weekend.

Why Creation Care?

I came across an article/documentary that was made about the conflicts between the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the watermen of Tangier Island, Virginia, as well as farmers in Clearville, Pennsylvania, over the watermen’s harvest of blue crabs and the farmers’ land-use practices. This is a Creation Care topic that was dealt with in a very commendable manner. It is creation care because the environment, God's creation, that which we depend on, was being negatively impacted by people's practices, but it was also in turn having negative consequences on people who make a living off what God has given them. This is something we at TEAM care about--when the environment has a detrimental impact on people's lives, we want to step in to make a difference and share the eternal hope of Jesus in the midst of the pain and improve their lives physically and spiritually.

There was a dramatic transformation that took place among the Tangier islanders and Pennsylvania farmers from the implementation of a faith-based stewardship initiative. The initiative resulted in islanders and farmers becoming better stewards of their resources, more involved in the political process and more willing to work with one another and environmentalists. Moreover, it led to Chesapeake Bay Foundation environmentalists becoming more understanding of how to work on environmental issues with people who have a faith-based worldview. We can learn much from this true story, and let it motivate us to become better stewards of God's creation, and motivate us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ--in the end, He is the only hope we have for peace, today and for eternity.
Here is a link to the website: http://whenheavenmeetsearth.org/

(Video) How to grow a tiny forest anywhere

A coworker at TEAM forwarded this video to me the other day--very interesting! If you live in America, you can do this too, just need to have some land to do it! Imagine, a forest in your own backyard! Sure would help with cleaner air if we planted these all throughout our cities! The neat thing about it is that they are using native species, not invasive, non-native species, to do this.


I love what we're doing doing at TEAM now with our Creation Care Initiative...take a look at team.org, "How we serve" and click on the Creation Care button.

Back in the US of A!!

Hi Friends! My goodness, it has been awhile since we posted anything here! Most of you probably know via Facebook or email updates that we've returned to the US per TEAM's request to fill a special assignment for our mission. It's a position in which finally, we can see God using so many of my (Ben) skills, interests, passions, and desires, all for His Kingdom, for His glory. So many of the experiences we've been through as a couple, as a family; so much of the training; so much of the international living and situations we have been through; and so many of the people, networks, and organizations we have developed relationships with; all these realities point to this role I am now beginning.

Truthfully, I am excited and a bit nervous all at the same time. It's a dream job for me (although it remains financially dependent on our missionary support), and it gives our family more stability for the coming years of our children's schooling here in the USA. We definitely miss Brazil and our friends there, our ministry. In fact, we are trying to retain the Portuguese that Becky and the kids all learned while there! I speak with the boys in Portuguese throughout the day, and Becky too. It's too valuable of a treasure to lose the language after they spent three years learning it. Even David, our 2.5 year old, completely understands Portuguese when spoken to! It will be hard, but we can do it if we put some effort into it.

How do you "do a job" that hasn't been done before? This role I'm starting now, as far as I know, does not exist within other mainline Christian Mission Agencies--not to the degree that we are investing in it as a mission agency. So that is one aspect that brings its own challenges. On the other hand, maybe a larger challenge is that many times, we Christians are not willing and ready to accept some things in our daily Christian walk that should've been "standard practice" centuries ago. In my specific case, we can call it "Creation Care", or call it Christian Stewardship of the Environment", or call it "Practical Solutions to daily needs in the worldwide church", it doesn't matter to me. What it comes down to is doing our part to invest in the Kingdom of God through the local church worldwide. We will be doing this by glorifying God through the appropriate care, use and enjoyment of Creation. "What?", you might ask. But before we become antagonistic toward what many of us in our conservative Christian circles deem as "liberal talk/agenda", let me ask you a question: "Would you argue with a missionary who is helping a local farmer in Peru control and prevent erosion on his land?"
Or, how about the mom in Guatemala who daily scrounges at the massive city dump for her family's "daily bread"? You see, that man's life and his family's lives depend on that soil remaining where it is so he can grow his food the next season. That mom in the dump is praying she can find enough refuse to feed her two little kids--and what she finds shouldn't really even be edible!

We are planting churches in these communities, right now, today, as you read this. Part of the church's role is to bring hope and healing to these communities--where else are they going to find it? (hint--they're not). We bring the message of salvation through Christ--their eternity hangs on the line, it is dependent on them finding enough food that week. So, why would we NOT help the man by teaching him better techniques for soil conservation? Why would we NOT teach that mom how to grow a rooftop or tire garden to supplement her family's diet? It might seem trivial, but it's a practical way to show the gospel of Christ while we preach it. After all, many times, we preach the gospel of Jesus through what we do (James 2:14-26). The gospel does not only apply to what we think of as "spiritual", our soul...no, it applies to the WHOLE of who we are--this includes our PHYSICAL bodies and the needs that we have physically.

This is what I will be doing--helping our missionaries worldwide in meeting these various challenges with practical, feasible, sensible solutions that glorify God and grow His Kingdom through the local church. I'm excited--aren't you?

I will be blogging more often now that we are in the US and my position will involve much more interaction with you, with churches, students, and many of our 600+ missionaries worldwide. I look forward to good discussions with you if you are reading. Let's pray that God's name would be glorified through all of this--will you join me? Thanks!

Give thanks in ALL circumstances!

Give thanks in all circumstances!

Many times in life it can be easy to be overwhelmed by everything going on and forget to see how God is working in the midst of trials. The last three weeks have brought many trials for our family but we are so thankful because we have seen God's hand protecting us and providing for all our needs.  We know that our enemy wants to discourage us and do everything he can to threaten our ministry, marriage, and family. Even so, we have been reminded again of the importance of your prayers lifting us up. You are a vital part of our life here in Brazil, thank you for praying for our family. Please don't stop! Here is just a short recap of some of the things we have dealt with the last few weeks and the ways God has provided for us.
-After Lilianna was born, Ben's Meniere's Disease kicked in and he was in bed for 10 days with dizziness and nausea while Becky was trying to recover from her C-Section. Yet, during this time, Becky's mom was here for two weeks to help us--and what a blessing from the Lord she was! We were also blessed to have Ben's parents help out with the boys and support us through this difficult time.
-Soon after Christmas, Becky developed another blood clot in her right leg, and it continued getting larger. Her hematologist here in Anápolis and her previous one in the next largest city, Goiânia, were both on vacation until the middle of January, and said they could not see us until next Monday. We believe that as a direct result of prayer, the hematologist in Goiânia texted our phone last Thursday night saying she was concerned about Becky and wanted to see her the next day even though she was on vacation and her office was closed. She met us at a laboratory and was able to prescribe the needed blood thinning medication along with a number of tests. This was totally a God thing! Unfortunately Becky has to be back on bed rest until this clot gets better. However, we are so thankful for God providing the help she needed at just the right time.
-On Monday night Ben woke up at 2 AM with intense chest and upper abdominal pain. We are so thankful that his parents were able to come and take him to the ER while Becky stayed home with the kids. We are still not sure why he was having pain but are thankful he is feeling better. Pray for us to find out what might have caused this pain.
-That next morning (Tuesday), David fell and hit the back of his head on the sharp corner of the little wall in our back yard and had to get stitches. We are so thankful that he did not injure himself worse and that he is back to his normal "high energy self".
-Also on Tuesday, Becky started developing an allergic rash and needed to go back to Goiânia to do more tests in order to find out what was going on. On the way there this morning (Wednesday), all of a sudden, three cars ahead of Becky, she saw an SUV flip up in the air, twirl a bit, and land back down on the highway. Becky hit the brakes, as did all the other cars around her--only to find that two semi trailers were on their sides, and two other cars were in pieces along with the SUV. There likely were no survivors. If Becky and Lilianna had left our house 5 seconds earlier, they might not have come home this afternoon. We are so thankful for God's protection. We are also thankful for Becky's skilled hematologist who is helping to treat her allergic reaction and find out what the culprit is.
-As you can imagine, we have been swamped the last few weeks; we are drained, yes, but we are thankful for God's protection, and for your prayers which hold us up before the Throne of Grace! Please continue praying for us and thank God with us for His provision for our every need.

Ben, Becky, Caleb, Samuel, David, and Lilianna Bacheller