This idea for a new blog post originated out of a corny ‘Dad joke’ that came to mind when I was asked recently in a church missionary interview about current travel to/from the Caribbean. I responded “Well, instead of traveling to just one place on a plane, I now zoom all around the Caribbean!”
I have a full set up with a microphone, microphone boom stand, headphones, and even lighting at times to assist with interviews and presentations! In light of the hundreds of hours I/we have spent on Zoom this year so far in ministry, we felt it would be good to encapsulate this theme of 2020 officially in a blog post so you can be both informed and also hopefully encouraged by what God is doing through this temporary season.
First: The CEF regional family has been more regularly connected than ever before.
In this 2020 season, we have had region-wide zoom calls, area zoom calls, national zoom calls, board zoom calls, and countless other variations of the above categories.
The North Caribbean & Bermuda area that we directly serve as missionaries has been more connected because one of the things that we have been doing through this is staying connected face-to-face via Zoom on a regular basis throughout the month including a WhatsApp area group where we have been praying for one another, engaging in leadership development, and sharing ideas of how to reach children in each of the countries.
Second: There has been a quicker roll out of new training than ever before.
What would have taken likely a full year and 27+ trips by multiple regional workers is now taking less than a few months at the most. Since August, with just national board training alone (the launch of new board training curriculum), over 200 board members from all across the region have been trained! We send via Fedex the new training curriculum to specific countries and have been holding board trainings via Zoom at different times for those various countries.
Third: Training is more enhanced than ever before and prevents duplication of efforts
Trainings that would have normally been done by one person in one country are now being done by multiple teachers on the regional team or multiple national leaders! This has led to less of a teaching load upon one person, the ability to swap teachers if sickness or a family matter arises, and also has led to ultimately a more enhanced educational experience for those taking the training. And of course savings with flights, time, and other related travel costs. Additionally, it has allowed the best trainers from each country to work together at the same time!
Case in point, the above picture was in regards to the Christian Youth In Action training that was done by CEF of St. Kitts & Nevis, our former home. Though the idea of the zoom CYIA training started for St Kitts & Nevis, soon six nations in the Caribbean participated with over 50 teenagers and young adults trained to teach children in 5-Day Clubs.
A 14 year old shared, “CYIA has helped me feel comfortable sharing the Word of God. I hope I will be able to bring others to Christ.” Also, as a part of the commissioning service, two teenagers gave an example of how to share the Gospel and one teenager gave a presentation on CEF. It was very well done!
Fourth: More children, their parents, and people in the various countries are being reached than ever before
Videos teaching Bible lessons are being prepared and sent via text to parents of children in Good News Clubs and parents are watching the lessons with their children
Recorded Good News Clubs are being shown on national television and national radio in nearly every single one of the nations we serve.
Zoom 5-Day Clubs & Good News Clubs are being taught, even with children from multiple nations being reached at the same time. Additionally, just a few weeks ago, 4 children were counseled as they made a profession of faith in a Zoom 5-Day Club!
In conclusion: Ultimately we all know that face-to-face, in-person ministry is the most effective form of ministry. We are fully and completely cognizant of the fact that Zoom and other online ministry methods have its limitations. But due to the fact that many of the Caribbean nations still have quarantine requirements of varying degrees, travel is very much limited for 2020. We are thankful to live in a day and age where we can have the technology to stay engaged with each of the nations we serve as missionaries and long for the day when full travel is restored to see everyone face-to-face again. We rejoice in what God is doing in the Caribbean through Zoom, and know that what is contained in this blog post is simply scratching the surface of all that is happening in each of the nations.
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