The Atkisson Family Update
News for Friends, Family, and Partners
Spring 2001

In This Issue

“Southern Exposure”

March in the Rockies

Brasil in a week!

Car Fund

Our Prayer Requests

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3: 16-19

How do you keep in touch with us?

David and Lynn
Atkisson
Hilary, Jacob, Taylor

258 Lake Ridge Dr.
Jonesborough, TN 37659
(423) 913-0250

DALASDG96@aol.com or
datkisson@mtwla.org

website:
www.mtwla.org/people/
datkisson.htm

“Southern Exposure”

The Lord truly blessed us with opportunities to speak with numerous churches, meet with old friends, and make many new ones on our latest mission conference “marathon”.
In Mississippi, we attended the missions conference at Highlands Pres. in Ridgeland, spoke at Providence Pres. in Clinton, met with some of the missions committee from Trinity Pres. Jackson over breakfast, and enjoyed fellowship with old friends from 1st Pres. Madison and at Reformed Seminary. Even though we had a fairly hectic schedule, we really enjoyed being back in MS. Our thanks and praises to our Lord go out to all those who, housed, fed and pampered us in the Magnolia state and made us always feel like family and not just “house guests”.
We headed east towards Birmingham, Alabama and stopped at Briarwood Pres. Church to be a part of their Global Ministry Conference. It always amazes us how large churches with huge conferences can still make you feel like one of their own family. We felt that last fall at 1st Pres. Chattanooga, and again when we walked into Briarwood. It was also great to hear our MTW “head honcho”, Dr. Paul Kooistra, as the keynote speaker during the conference.
We left Birmingham headed “due-east” across Georgia until we came to the beautiful and historic city of Augusta to attend 1st Presbyterian’s missions conference, “Let the Nations be Glad!” We were treated to hear both John Piper and Eric Alexander preach, and attend several seminars. It was such a blessing to make new friends and be fed so well from the Word of God. From there we headed home to gather ourselves for a few days before heading out again. Although physically exhausted from the travels, we felt we were spiritually refreshed from all our experiences.

March in the Rockies

On March 1, we packed the car again and asked the Lord for more traveling mercies as we headed “due-west” to attend Mission Training International’s SPLICE cross-cultural training in Florissant, Colorado. It took 25 hours of driving to get there, but our goal going out was not to beat a speed record, but rather to enjoy the trip and visit with family and friends. Our goal was achieved as we visited family in KY, IL, and good friends in KS before arriving in CO.
The training was held at Pinecrest Lodge, which sits at 9000 ft. above sea level, and was beautifully situated in view of 14,000 ft. Pike’s Peak. The three weeks of training we went through was for the whole family, and as one person described it, “very intense experiential learning.” Splice is an acrostic for the different parts of missionary life that the training covers: Spiritual, Personal, Lifestyle, Interpersonal, Cultural, and the Endurance/Enjoyment paradox in which all missionaries live. Although at times exhausting, the overall experience was terrific and has prepared us well for many of the rigors on the field (although trekking through the snow probably won’t be duplicated in Brazil…). The real “icing on the cake” was getting to know and love 33 other missionaries and their families who soon will be or already are all over the world spreading Christ’s love and delivering the gospel of grace.

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The Atkissons


He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91: 1, 2

Make support gifts payable to:

Mission to the World
P.O. Box 29756
Atlanta, GA 30359

Atkisson support acct. #10130

(If you have an email address, please send it to us if you would like to receive this letter in that fashion so as to save on postage. Also, let us know if you would not like to continue to receive it.
Note our email address on the first page.)


 Brasil in a Week!

Two days after getting back from Colorado, Lynn and I joined several MTW staff people on a very quick trip to Brazil (note in the heading the “z” becomes a “s” in Portuguese). The purpose of the trip was multifold for us; to look further into several ministry opportunities firsthand, to investigate our resident visa application process, and to visit the language school where we will study Portuguese. Without going into all the details, I would like to share with you two highlights of our trip that touched our hearts.
The day we investigated the language school in the city of Campinas, we also had the opportunity to visit a unique and vibrant ministry called Hope Unlimited do Brasil that is directed by Philip and Corenne Smith (North Americans). Their mission is to rescue and care for children and teens that live at risk on the streets. The staff of HU offers to take the kids to a rural youth center where they are presented the gospel in word and deed and given an academic and vocational education so as to have marketable job skills. The campus offers several vocational training opportunities ranging from a bakery to an auto body shop to electrical wiring. Although our focus will be primarily on learning Portuguese while in Campinas, we have been invited to “help out” as much as we are able on the weekends at the “City of Youth” at Hope Unlimited.
Lynn and I also had the wonderful opportunity to visit with André and Kristy Jennings at their ministry in Rio Verde in south central Brazil. André and Kristy both grew up on the field in Brazil and are third generation missionaries. They also minister to street children and teens in a similar fashion to Hope Unlimited as well as run an English language school as “tent-makers”. André bought a farm about 40 minutes from town, and has built a house and is in the process of building a vocational training center for the children.
He currently has five boys living on the farm under the care and direction of house parents. They attend school there (the wife is a certified teacher) and are learning the ins and outs of farming. Eventually, André and Kristy hope to have instruction at the vocational center in woodshop, basic electronics, and other trades which the boys can use to later be employed.
We enjoyed visiting both ministries, and are continuing to wait on the Lord’s direction as to how and where He would have us labor in His ripe harvest fields in Brazil.

 		Car Fund

 During our recent trip to Brazil, we came to understand the need for a vehicle for our family. Our original plan was to use public transportation; however, we learned from both nationals and other missionaries that this option is not a safe one for us there.
Since our mission agency does not allow us to include this need on our support funding, we have requested that our church establish a tax-exempt account for anyone who wishes to contribute towards the purchase of a vehicle for our family and ministry. Our goal is $12,000 so as to buy a late-model used van. If you or someone you know would like to help us with this need, please send all contributions made out to: Westminster Presbyterian Church, attn. Atkisson Car Fund. The address is: 2343 Knob Creek Rd., Johnson City, TN 37602


Our Praises & Prayer Requests

-Please join us as we praise our Lord and Provider for our monthly support level reaching 75%. Would you pray with and for us getting the other necessary funding so that we may begin our language training in Brazil soon?
(MTW requires 100% of both one-time expenses being in and monthly funds pledged before leaving for the field)
-Please pray with us as we ask the Lord to place us on the field by the first of September to attend the MTW training on street children being held in Campinas.
-What a blessing it was that the Lord provided us the recent trip to Brazil. We praise you, Father, for your unexpected gifts!
-We praise the Lord for His answered prayer concerning a topnotch Portuguese language school, and for the opportunity to investigate “first-hand” the ins and outs of working with street children at Hope Unlimited and with the Jennings.
-We also praise Him for the SPLICE training, and the wonderful fellowship with other co-laborers in Christ.
-We praise Him for David’s ordination service at our home church on May 6 and for all those who participated and/or attended.
-Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading in our lives and the ministry He has planned for us.
-Please pray that as we will have wisdom as we begin the VISA application process for permanent residency in Brazil.

May the God of all glory be gracious to you and be your strength!

Soli Deo Gloria,
- Tuesday, May 22, 2001