Building the Kingdom

I have just returned from Haiti where Josh Ayers, our Latin America office Disaster Response Coordinator, and I co-led a stellar group of EMI volunteers – a surveyor and three Civil Engineers.  In 27 years of leadership I have never led a more professional and spiritually mature team of men and women.  Our mission was Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).  Our client ministry was World Concern-Haiti.  We assessed the effects of river-erosion, coastal-erosion, and stormwater flooding and provided multiple technical options to mitigate the effects that these hazards are having on two communities in NW Haiti.  We developed recommendations with WC local engineers, who demonstrated the professional competence to design the solutions community leaders adopt.  As we departed, WC country director, Pierre said, “You have built the Kingdom here”.  Never before have I received such a compliment.  So honored am I to serve with Engineering Ministries International.

In this season of fiscal austerity, DRR is even more important due to its tenfold return on investment compared to Disaster Response.  DRR activities include prevention, mitigation, and preparation; sustainable DRR depends on community empowerment.  With our ministry partner Food for the Hungry, EMI developed this helpful DRR formula:  Risk = (Hazard x Vulnerability) / Coping Capacity; thus risk reduction requires the combination of technical interventions (10%) to reduce vulnerability and social interventions (90%) to increase community resiliency to the effects of their most likely hazards.  

Diving In

March marks one year since Scott was appointed as the Disaster Response Director for Engineering Ministries International (EMI); and what a year it has been!  Most of you are aware of the many transitions our family experienced:

• 20 years of marriage
• Derek's graduation from high school
• Scott's retirement from the army after 27 years

We are so thankful for God's faithfulness during this time.  Scott has started working at EMI part-time and continues to follow up with opportunities in building our prayer and financial support team.  He hopes to be fully funded and working full-time by April.  Recently, we surpassed the 60% mark of our support goal and are trusting God and His timing for our remaining needs.  We value your prayers for open doors and are grateful for your partnership with us.

Scott is diving in with his role as the Disaster Response Director.  He is mobilizing a technical team of engineers for a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) project, in partnership with World Concern a collaboration with several communities in North-West Haiti to identify disaster vulnerabilities and community assets solutions to mitigate significant risks of coastal, river and storm-water erosion.  While statistics are scarce on the number of lives that can be saved with adequate prevention and mitigation efforts, it is estimated that every dollar spent on DRR saves $5-$10 in economic losses from disasters. 

Jennifer's role at EMI continues to grow as she meets the needs of our staff around the globe through administrative support. She also serves on the women's leadership team at our church and leads an evening Bible study.  As missions pastor Scott will help prepare and send a team to Alaska in June.  He is also taking a seminary course in missionolgy. The kids are in the full swing of college and high school life.  We still have 3 teenagers at home but in March we'll be down to 2 teens as Sarah will turn 20! 

Life continues to fly by at lightening pace and through it all we recognize how good God is and how much we appreciate our family and friends; we couldn't do this without you. 

Grace and Peace from EMI Colorado Springs,  TeamPeck



TeamPeck in Peru

Great things to report- God is good. 

• We played and loved on the children and staff of New Life Children's Home. 
• We went to the nearby town where a church was planted six months ago and met the Peruvian pastor and his wife. 
• The team all had the opportunity to pass out Gospel tracts and invite children and their families to a Bible club at the church. 
• Yolanda and Scott's dad, Ken, prayed for a crippled woman and led her to the Lord! 
• We hiked through 900 year old Incan ruins. 
• Scott is a wonderful, godly leader. 
• God is good- enjoy the pictures in the link below.  

FBCBF Team Peru 2012

https://picasaweb.google.com/teampeck/TeamPeru2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Legacy

Would you be satisfied if your epitaph read:  “Joe was devoted husband, loving father, and excellent professional”?  Respectable yes, but I have to admit this wouldn't be enough for me.  You, Joe, and I were designed to be so much more.

I believe destiny is a unique calling based on ones spiritual gifts, natural talents, acquired skills, and vision to use them to glorify God and serve other people.  It is one’s preordained future that is revealed by God to man over the course of his life.  Most often, ones inner realizable purpose for life is an exercise of deliberate and incremental discovery-learning.  A calling is distinct, a description of WHAT one does. 

When asked to describe themselves, most men answer, “I am a professional X.”  A man’s identity is tied to WHAT they do.  WHAT, however, is much less important than WHO one is or HOW one lives.  WHO we are has more to do with WHOSE we are.  As for me, I am foremost an adopted son of the God of all creation, made so by the sacrifice of His son, Jesus.  Being a husband, father, son, brother, friend, co-worker, neighbor, and American are secondary.  Yet, of lesser importance than WHO, is HOW I live – with honor toward people and professional excellence.  WHAT, then, is of third importance.  WHO, HOW, and WHAT – in that order of precedence.  Destiny is the God-weaving of these parts according to His design.  The whole being greater than the sum of its parts.  The three in concert, in-tune with the Conductor, is the masterpiece of His design. 

What would be enough for me?  “Scott was an instrument, fashioned by and in-tune with God, and a pleasant contributor in His orchestra.”  Given this high goal, excuse me while I go practice…

Behind the Scenes

Here's a great reminder of why eMi exists from one of the ministries eMi serves in Africa.

"It really is amazing to me that a group like eMi exists – providing high level expertise at their own cost to help African church and mission ministries with critical infrastructure issues.  Ministries like AIC Kijabe Hospital, where we currently serve, and Mukinge Hospital ECZ in Zambia where we previously were based, could never afford the engineering and architectural consultations that a group like eMi provides.   Having that level of high level expertise is one of the key pieces of the puzzle needed for us in the African church as we provide vibrant gospel ministry.  Many thanks to you and all the team who give back the gifts you have been given to provide this incredibly valuable support for the kingdom of Christ around the world!"  

Stephen Letchford, MD FACP FAAP

Medical Director

This is especially meaningful to me as an administrative support member.  In many organizations, including churches and other Christian non profits, administration is often viewed as a necessary evil.  However, I have come to learn by experience that administration is sacred.  It is one of the spiritual gifts that Paul lists in 1 Cor. 12:28.  It is the detailed and behind the scenes work that enables God's kingdom work in our churches locally and to the ends of the earth.  I take great joy in testimonies like these from our ministry partners that we are enabling the spread of the Gospel around the world.  I am also thankful for behind the scenes people who are obedient in their giving.  They may never have the opportunity to go or to be involved in direct ministry but they are faithful through their generosity and their giving bears much fruit.  

Support-raising

Support-raising conjures up uneasiness; it is synonymous for asking friends for money.  Whether you’re raising financial support for your participation in a ministry God has called you, or you are on the receiving end of a support-raising solicitation, it’s just plain uncomfortable. 

Since April 2012, we have been support-raising to join Engineering Ministries International in January 2013.  And to be honest, it’s been great!  Contrary to the American value of self-reliance, dependence on God for our provision is a welcome adventure.  Providence has proven abundant through the obedience and generosity of my family, friends, and church.  But of course it hasn’t been without its challenges.  But for reasons other than I had assumed. 

Initially I struggled with the idea of seeking financial contributions to support my lifestyle in Colorado Springs.  It is more palatable to give to a missionary serving on the foreign field than a ministry based in Colorado Springs – the faith-based, non-profit capital of the U.S.  Then I considered an alternative perspective:  U.S. churches and ministries are in a unique position to serve the poor and un-reached overseas through enablement of in-country ministries.  Unashamedly, EMI mobilizes engineers, architects, surveyors, and construction managers who volunteer their services to design for national ministries living among the extreme poor to provide for their physical and spiritual needs.  EMI is an enabling ministry.  As EMI’s headquarters office administrator and disaster response director, Jennifer and I are investing our lives to serve as enablers to the Body of Christ.  This represents a Kingdom investment opportunity to others.  Humiliation absolved.

We refer to our family as TeamPeck to inspire unity of purpose in our marriage and to instill value of family loyalty in our children.  Accordingly we don’t call this endeavor support-raising; we call it team building.  This implies we are seeking to raise up folks to stand with us in ministry, not merely behind us financially.  It means relationship, communication and mutual-prayer.  Our team serves as our share holders; thus it also means stewardship accountability.  Not only are we accountable to them for fiscal management and moral behavior, but also for mission focus, diligence, even performance.  This is a joint venture in which we share unity of purpose with our co-investors (team members).  In this way, TeamPeck will sustain.

Team Building

10th Special Forces Group 60th Anniversary Ball

    Recently, Scott and I attended our last military ball.   It was a  realization that after 21 years our military service is coming to an end.  As one chapter closes another one opens and so our hearts for service, missions, duty and family will continue as we look forward to this next season.  

     We’ve been actively engaged in building our ministry team the past couple months and it’s been a joy to meet with friends and family to share our story of where we’ve been, where we’re headed and what it’s going to take to get there.  It's great to know that God has been a part of our story all along and He is faithful to lead us as we walk by faith and not by sight.   

      Team building report:  Your commitment to our family and our work with Engineering Ministries International – to offer hope to the poorest of the poor – is humbling and encouraging.  Praise!  We have had a positive response from everyone with whom we’ve shared our new venture.  Yet we have to increase the number of folks to share with if we are to launch in January as planned.  Managing our busy lives has proven to be our biggest challenge.  Pray that we would be more proactive in making appointments and following-up.  Your challenge will serve us well; so as often as you pray, hold us accountable.  June 29—July 9, we’ll be in Northern California meeting with friends and churches.  If you would like to arrange a meeting for us with your friends, family or church, please let us know.

Derek's Graduation May 2012

For His Glory,

Scott and Jennifer

TeamPeck