News from the Williams family, OMS missionaries to Colombia. Williams Family Update Our first district to be trained in the Biblical theology of mission was in Aguachica, Cesar on March 31st and April 1st. The training manual for this course is the first thing of significance that I have written in the Spanish language, which was a challenge, but also a blessing. Pastors Eder, Wilberto and I taught the two day event attended by more than 30 pastors and 10 key leaders from the district. Our goal is to create a missional culture within the churches that results in ministries to the community, church planting in and beyond Colombia and a renewed vision that a church’s greatest opportunity is outside the four walls of the building. The course reveals the missional heart of God whose mission, as seen in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, is to bless the nations. We like to say that we are blessed by God to be a blessing to others, or more simply, “blessed to be a blessing.” Many of the pastors in Colombia work in difficult social and economic settings where people are adversely affected by guerrilla activity, gangs, drug cartels and corruption. The majority of the pastors are high school graduates, but they do not have the opportunity to study theology or receive ministerial formation to help them know how to deal with the complex and often dangerous situations in which they minister. For these reasons, informal training and education (i.e. not seminary) are vitally important for the formation of qualified and equipped pastors. Further, most of the pastors cannot travel to Medellín or Bogotá  to receive training. Therefore, one of the primary strategies for training the pastors and church leadership is to gather them within their districts and go to them. This is the model that we are using to train the Interamerican Church of Colombia in the areas of local, national and international missions. Our training consists of three courses that we plan to teach in all fifteen districts. One course can be taught in a weekend; so, to teach three courses in fifteen districts means at least forty-five trips throughout Colombia! The enthusiasm of the pastors and their hunger to learn and apply the information is a great encouragement. Please pray for us as a ministry team; for safety, stamina, resources that are needed for travel and that God would use us to equip the local church to further the Kingdom and bless the nations. Also pray for the pastors who are leading congregations and ministries with little resources and many challenges. Finally, pray for the peace of Colombia. Fifty years of violence has deeply wounded this nation and, in many areas, has made the spread of the church a difficult and dangerous task. Pray for peace and for the freedom to enter into many of these dangerous and disputed territories where there is little to no presence of the Church.   Heather continues ministering in the public school in Niquia where she teaches English and Bible every Wednesday. She has the blessing of sharing with 250 students and 10 teachers each week. Since this is a public school, she initially received some resistance from the director, but God has completely changed her heart!  Leading up to holy week, the director asked Heather to teach everything that Easter means to Christians; to teach the basic gospel (in English and Spanish) and to help the children sing “Jesus loves me”. What an incredible opportunity to teach English, which opens doors for better jobs in Colombia, and to teach the Gospel, which opens the door of the Kingdom! Pray for the students of the Niquia school. Many come from extreme poverty and difficult family situations. Also, pray for Heather as she gives attention and love to children who often lack that at home. The children study in a private Christian school and are doing quite well. Kenley recently participated in community evangelism with her classmates, sharing the Gospel with people in the neighborhood that surrounds the school. Madi recently had the opportunity to sing in a special assembly at school and did a fantastic job. She has assimilated into the culture and language to the degree that even when she is communicating in English, her manner of speaking, body language and animation is just like the people of Medellín. Lastly, James has been playing baseball and absolutely loves it. Please pray for their continued growth spiritually, emotionally and that they become more and more comfortable in this environment. Thank you for your prayers and your support. It is your prayers, encouragement and financial partnership that make this ministry possible. We pray that God will bless you richly and that you will experience his peace every day of your life.  Contact Us Magic Jack   (205) 687-1861 cwilliams@onemissionsociety.org   Follow Us   www.facebook.com/chrisheather.williams.3 One Mission Society www.onemissionsociety.org (317) 888-3333 941 Fry Rd · PO Box A Greenwood, IN 46142  Missionary # 802473   View Bio / Online Giving Copyright © 2017 Chris and Heather Williams, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in our ministry. Our mailing address is: Chris and Heather Williams 7256 Self Rd Pinson, AL 35126