Late Breaking News

MAKING EVERLASTING SMILES --  A CHRISTMAS SHOE BOX
Our churches have provided over 9,000 Christmas Shoeboxes for distribution later this year in Spanish speaking nations. Thank you for your splendid cooperation in this project. Thank God for the volunteers who worked tirelessly to prepare these boxes for shipping and for those who will be involved in packing and loading the containers to take them to their appropriate fields.  Pray that God will use these boxes to open hearts and homes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that many boys and girls and their families will be saved and get involved in our mission churches.

ONE MORE SEMINAR ON HOW TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH MUSLIMS
Members of our Middle East Mission Team will share valuable information and insights concerning Islamic beliefs at Southeastern Baptist College in Laurel, Mississippi (Friday and Saturday) October 31 - November 1. The seminars help trace the origin of the Islamic religion, and how to deal with these spiritual issues. For further information concerning either of these seminars call 501-455-4977. The seminars are free.

CAPTIVITY SURVIVAL COURSE TO BE OFFERED DECEMBER 15-17
Because these are increasingly dangerous times your leaders feel the need of providing much needed training for all who go on a mission field (short-term or long-term). God has provided a Christian based organization, with a military background who deal exclusively with the training missionaries how to deal with survival in foreign nations. The training deals with intermediate Hostage/Governmental Detention Survival which included subjects such as:  Survival, Background, Code, Exploitation, Issues of Faith, basic policy, counter-surveillance, escape, evasion, etc. The training is limited to fifty people. The cost for the three day event is $200.00 per person. Registration will continue through December 12 on a first-come, first serve basis.

We encourage anyone in BMAA churches who is involved in going on foreign mission trips to enroll. This would include pastors, youth workers, a member who might lead a trip, someone who goes regularly to mission fields, VSM leaders, VSM students, BMMI volunteers, any church leader who takes teams from their local church. For further information call Dr. John David Smith (501-455-4977).

NEW FOREIGN MISSIONARIES ARE ON THE FIELD
Bro. and Mrs. Eric (Kelly) Johnson are on the field in Mexico. This dedicated couple was elected as BMAA Missionaries in April and have been in training and on deputation since then. They are not in Huejutla de Reyes, Hidalgo, Mexico. Pray for them as they make the necessary adjustments and begin to call Huejutla home! Pray for their precious daughters: Audrey and Mattie.

2009 MISSIONS SYMPOSIUMS
Two missions symposiums are scheduled for 2009: one in Texas and the other in Mississippi. You are encouraged to attend one of these. The first will be held January 6-7 at Calvary Baptist Church in Horn Lake Mississippi and the second on January 13-14 at Fellowship Baptist Church in Forney, Texas. The symposiums will center on the theme of SEARCH AND RESCUE! The program will include:

Tuesday Evening -
 7:00  Introduction - Search and Rescue
          Praise and Worship
          Message by Dr. John David Smith

Wednesday Morning -
 8:30  Music
 8:35  John Lindsey - Ghana
 9:15  Andrey and Laura Kanaykina - Ukraine
10:00  Break
10:25  Music
10:35  China (video)
11:00  Victor Kopytin - Russia

Wednesday Afternoon -
 1:30  Music
 1:35  Estuardo Marroquin - BMA Missionary in Mississippi
          David Marroquin - BMA Missionary in Guatemala
 2:15  Merritt Youngdeer - New Mexico (video)
 2:30  Jacob Norman - Colorado
 3:00 In our Mississippi Symposium the Missionary Committee will convene
         And the National WMA will meet in the Family Life Center
 4:00 Bolivia (video)
 4:20 Rescue Team Members from BMMI/VSM/Chaplaincy
 5:00 Dinner Break

Wednesday Evening -
 7:00  Praise and Worship (led by Lindel Black)
          Message by Brandon Cox at Foreny, Texas Symposium
          Message by Jerry Jolly at Horn Lake, Mississippi Symposium

MISSIONARY DAVID DICKSON SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY
David has completed his chemotherapy and is waiting for his surgery scheduled for November 6th in Dallas. Please keep David and Shelly, and their family in your prayers as they wait upon the Lord. His mailing address is 2514 Chaffin Lane, Magnolia, Arkansas 71753. His e-mail is garifuna1@aol.com.

VSM TEAM LEADERS TRAINING - DECEMBER 12-13
Donny Parrish has scheduled training for all 2009 VSM Team Leaders on Friday Night, December 12 and Saturday, December 13. The training will take place on the campus of the Department of Missions, 9219 Sibley Hole Road in Little Rock. All team leaders are required to attend.

BRO. AND MRS. COLLIN JONES ANNOUNCE THEIR RESIGNATION
The Jones will return to the USA the latter part of December after serving as BMAA Missionaries in Honduras for the past twelve years. Pray for Collin and Ginger as they prepare to leave the field, and for the work they will be leaving. Pray that God will continue to bless the work there to His glory and honor.

CHRISTMAS OFFERING TO HELP NATIONAL WORKERS WITH  WORK FUNDS
For the past few years our Christmas offering has been used to help provide National Missionaries salaries. However, this year we have decided that it would be used to provide work funds for our national missionaries. Since these dedicated men of God cannot leave their countries they have no way to raise needed funds for their work, and because of this they have very limited funds to work with. We encourage our churches to give a special Christmas offering to help our brothers in foreign nations. Pray that God will move on the hearts of our people to give liberally to this cause. What greater gift could we give than to help spread the light of the Gospel through the ministry of these dedicated men of God?

Christmas offering posters and envelopes will be mailed by November 15. Should your church desire additional materials please let us know.

FIFTY DAYS OF PRAYERS - JANUARY 4 - FEBRUARY 22
These are some of the most important days in the BMAA year -- FIFTY DAYS OF PRAYER! We certainly encourage our pastors and churches to be involved in praying for our missionaries and all the departments of the BMAA. Materials will be offered to every BMAA church and we pray that every church will order a supply and use them during these special days of prayer.

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 22
This special day is for the purpose of CELEBRATING THE GOODNESS OF GOD upon BMAA missions. We urge every church to emphasize BMAA Missions and to receive a special offering for missions. The offering received on this day is greatly needed. Pray that God will move on the hearts to give to BMAA MISSIONS so we can maintain and even increase our missions activity throughout the nations.

2009 VSM TEAMS ARE IN THE MAKING
Over 400 students attending the meeting at SOAR concerning VSM trips planned for 2009. How many of those will actually go is yet to be determined. The determining factor will be how many of these turn in their initial payment when it is due this fall. As God allows we are selected the following locations for VSM Teams: Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Columbia, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Ghana, Laos, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois. Pray that God will move on the hearts of our young people to go to the nations next summer. Pray that God will raise up sufficient number of adults to go as sponsors.

HAVE YOUR CONSIDERED BEING A PART OF A BARNABAS TOUCH TEAM?
We need pastors and other Christian leaders to go with us on one of our Barnabas Touch Ministry teams in 2009. We encourage you to pray about joining one of the following teams: Philippines (March); Bolivia (March); Romania (June); Canada (September); India (November) and Central America (December). It certainly is not too early to start praying, planning and saving to go! You will be blessed and you will be a blessing to our missionaries and church workers.

EMERGENCY FUNDS NEEDED
During the past few months demands for relief funds have certainly put a stress on our ability to supply every need. In fact, our relief money is almost depleted. The latest call for help is from Bro. Newsom in the Philippines, where thousands are homeless and in need of food, shelter, clothes, bedding, water, etc., because of the recent typhoon. Should you feel led of the Holy Spirit to contribute to these needs you may do so by sending your gift to BMAA DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS, P. O. Box 30910, Little Rock, Arkansas 72260.