Signs of Peace ~ ABC

December 2011

The Bucklews in East Africa

Volume 2, Issue 1

Slowly by Slowly an Egg will Walk

Areas of tract distribution Mekelle Debre Maichew Mehoni Hagere Selam There is a book that is called Slowly by Slowly written by Founder and Director of Indigenous Outreach International Patrick Beard. His title is based on the ancient Ethiopian proverb which says, Slowly by slowly an egg will walk. In His book he speaks about how there were many struggles and difficulties in establishing a point of ministry in Ethiopia. Although it took time and patience the ministry God had for Him (the egg) began to take shape in ways he could never have imagined (began to walk). I have and am still finding that true for establishing ministry among the deaf here in Tigray. As I get frustrated in thinking we have finally found a good point of ministry and try to settle down in my home it isnt long before another rain storm comes in and we have to in some ways rebuild. As you know several months ago the Lord really blessed me with a nice home to live in and hold meetings with the deaf weekly for our Tea Time program. We were having an average of 20 people per week here to play ping-pong, drink tea, eat bread, take showers if they wanted, and of course share the Love of Christ with them by the Gospel. As you also know we were busy in wedding preparations for November 12! Well it seems it was just the perfect timing for attacks to come. The week before the wedding some one got into my office and stole some funds from our cabinet. As I began taking tighter measures in locking things I thought all was well. Come to find out on our wedding day someone broke into our home and took money from our back pack that was in our bedroom with our luggage that we had planed to take on our honeymoon. Along with that they took some jewelry of Fevens that she had in the bedroom as well. From the rumors we have heard they had somehow got a key and made copies during our Tea Time program. This of course was very discouraging and we have been in much prayer as how to continue in ministering to these deaf through our Tea Time program. The Lord has been giving us peace about some ideas we have had in the past for ministry here in the city. This will call for some changes in our living conditions but we rejoice in the peace we have about this direction! We will still have the Tea Time program along with many other opportunities to minister here in the city, while being able to keep our things safe! It is definitely slowly by slowly, but we are seeing legs pop out of our egg and things taking shape. We know that our focus of the Gospel will forever stay the same, however how we are able to share the Gospel will more than likely always be changing. Our coherence will always be in His word rather than this life. For His word stays the same! He is never changing! This world is forever changing. -JR See how things are taking shape by reading on!

Signs of Peace project areas Mekelle (City) Hagere Selam (Village) Mehoni (Village) pending

Inside this issue: Slowly by Slowly 1

Signs of Peace Caf 1 Child Sponsorships 2 Deaf Child Hope 2

Signs of Peace Caf

The Signs of Peace Caf is a new step in our ministry to the deaf here in East Africa and more specifically here in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Our initial vision in the establishment of this caf is that the ministry among the deaf here in Tigray come to be self supported and not dependent on outside funds. Of course the initial start and sometimes expansions will require help as it will not be a business operating to have huge profit gains. The caf will be a business open to the public with the costs less than all of the local cafs. Having all of the cafs employees being deaf this will be the location for monthly food items to be picked up by the poor deaf we support in the community. We will hold all bible studies and conferences here along with other teaching programs. 75% of the profits that the caf gains excluding the cost of ministry done within the caf such as teachings, and food distribution will be given to local ministries working with deaf children. The other 25% will be used by us personally to go towards our personal living expenses and the establishment of other Signs of Peace ministry Cafs in other areas of Ethiopia and then East Africa. Please be in prayer for our ministry caf here in Mekelle Ethiopia!

Hagere Selam Project 3 Center

Tea Time Prayer Points

3 3

Signs of Peace ~ ABC

Page 2

Child Sponsorships
These are 6 deaf children that we personally support monthly with funds to help with school, food, etc Each child gets exactly 160 Ethiopian Birr which equals about Nine dollars and thirty one cents per month. It doesnt seem like much does it, but the average worker working everyday in a local restaurant can make only 300 Ethiopian Birr per month ($17.46). We just hope that our 160 birr can help take some stress off of the family and assist them in their education and health. Of course this also opens the doors to allow us many opportunities to enter their homes with the Gospel of Christ! Please pray for these Children and for their education. Also for their learning of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! I will be posting updates on the Signs of Peace Facebook group page of these children bi-weekly.

Ashenafi Kiros age 3

Dawit Fetewi age 12

Filmon Kiros age 16

Mehari Gmeskel age13 Mili Alemat age 15

...opens the doors to allow us many opportunities to enter their homes with the Gospel of Christ!
Samrawit Gegizabiher age 15

Deaf Child Hope And work with Local Ministries

Please Continue to pray for our work with Deaf Child Hope and the partnerships they will make here in East Africa. I will be working with this ministry as a local field person and helping them to make partnerships with local ministries who desire to sponsor deaf children. Most importantly to offer partnerships with local ministries already working with the deaf and to give them the ability to support the children without the necessity of spending their time searching for sponsors. ~ Deafchildhope.org ~ deaf children! In training these local NGOs and ministries the hands working with the deaf will be greatly multiplied and more ground will be covered. We do not minister to the deaf for our name sake but for the Fathers. If we can equip other ministries to be able to minister in sign language the Fathers name will be made known more quickly then us on our own.

Besides this work with Deaf Child Hope we will work with local ministries and projects to help them have the skills and material they need to work with

Volume 2, Issue 1

Page 3

Hagere Selam Project Center

We have visited, and done research of Hagere Selam, as well as met many deaf children living in the center of this town. We have discussed with the local government officials here in the area and are just about ready to go in and start our project center. I will be returning next week to rent a home for us to begin our project and ministry in. I have visited with a family who lives up in the mountains about a 10 minute motorbike drive from the center of the city. This family has 4 children and the first 3 are all completely deaf! The oldest child being 14 and the youngest being 3. When I asked the mother if she had any deaf relatives she said that she couldnt remember because she married her husband at age 7 and hasnt seen her family since. She had her first child at age 14 and she is now 28 with 4 children, and 3 being deaf. Their father is a farmer and has very little income. There are many families in Hagere Selam area with situations like this. How can their children learn, communicate, or know of Christ? Our project center will run as a language training center for these deaf children, as well as a training center in many other things such as raising chickens, cultural craft making , and etc.. To teach these kids how to communicate and make income and of course the greatest of all the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! We believe that this center will become a great place for the kids to come play and socialize in their own language, and eventually become a well known bible training center for the deaf in the villages. Although we dont see the future we know one thing; the Gospel will be taught to these deaf as long as the Lord allows!!!

Tea Time
Wow we have and still are seeing so many changes in our Tea Time program! Of course we have not had it in about a month because of our wedding, and then the establishment of the Signs of Peace Caf. However we hope to start back up very soon!!! The Tea Time program will be every Saturday from 3pm to 5pm and be held at the Signs of Peace Caf. Tea will be free for the deaf during this Happy Hour time, and they will be able to visit freely among one another without fear of discrimination from the caf owners because of their unique language. Along with this we will be doing 1 on 1 evangelism and have a short bible lesson at the end of our Tea Time program. We have really been able to connect with the deaf during this Saturday program, as many are beginning to share with us about problems they are having at home. Language is such a huge contributor of this problem along with misunderstanding of the deaf in general. Still many believe it to be a spiritual problem and cast their children out. Pray for us as we continue to strive to shine the light of Christ on the lives of these deaf people of Tigray. With this continue to lift up the first program in our new location in your prayers!!!!

...has 4 children and the first 3 are all completely deaf!

Points of Prayer Sponsor for the Hagere Selam Project Center at 45 Dollars a month Signs of Peace Caf for Success and stability Helpers in the ministry and trustworthy workers for the project and Caf Prayer partners and supporters in the Signs of Peace ministry New living place for Feven and I

Signs of Peace
Correspondence
Jonathan R Bucklew P.O. Box 1925 Mekelle, Ethiopia Tigray Phone: +251914420321 Email: bucklewjonathan@yahoo.com

Signs of Peace is a ministry of Antioch Baptist Church in Minden, Louisiana. All projects and outreach are done under the council and leadership of ABC. All doctrine, teachings, and project work are done in agreement with the Statement of Faith held by ABC which is the current SBC Statement of Faith which can be found at www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp The purpose of our ministry is to Worship God by preaching the Gospel to the lost and letting our Faith in Christ be revealed by the works we do. At this current time our projects are focused in on the deaf children of Ethiopia. Support can be sent to: Antioch Baptist Church 11812 Hwy 80 Minden, La 71055 Checks made out to: Antioch Baptist Church (with Ethiopia missions in the memo)

I will show you my Faith by my works. ~ James 2:14-26

Were on facebook! Website coming soon...

The Chronicles of Jonathan

God of the universe but we continue to say no when he commands us to go forth with His word!!! Maybe we dont look at His face, spit, and then say, go find some other person who has time for you. But we say these things by just ignoring the words. Go forth. How sinful I am and undeserving of His goodness and mercy yet He blesses me with a partner, help meet, friend, and wife for the work He has for me to do! I am eternally thankful!!!! We have had an amazing time as we plan and get prepared for all of the ministry opportunities the Lord has for us to come such as the caf, Village centers, and many other outlets of ministry! Feven is still working at the Medical University here in town, and is having many great opportunities to minister to her coworkers as they ask about what she does when we are together. Please continue to pray for Feven as she prepares for her classes and ministers to other teachers and students! Along with this please continue to pray for our ministries and the many changes we experience in our daily lives. Nothing is consistent or for sure over here, and Im sure you have noticed that from our emails and posts on facebook. However, the Gospel will continue to be preached! His name will be glorified in this nation!!!! ~ JR Bucklew

Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the LORD. Proverbs 18:22

This verse is certainly proving to be true!!! Life is so amazing and seeing how the Lord provides never ceases to amaze me! He is forever making me stand in awe of His works! O how He calls out to the sun and it produces light. He tells the mountains to raise up and they do so! He commands the earth to rotate and it obeys. He calls forth for the valleys to be cast down and they draw back in humility before the

Thank you to all who were a part of helping us to obtain this motorbike. We will show pictures of the places we can access more easily because of this blessing as we can take them. Bless you all!!

Shall not the Lamb receive the full reward for His suffering?