tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24494250683652882412024-03-05T04:18:10.798-08:00Making DisciplesThe Journal of the Cawthon family's calling as missionaries with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Cawthons have ministered in San Jose, Costa Rica and Panama City, Panama. They are presently ministering in Bogota, Colombia.
cavincawthon@live.comCavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-43606866975433010152014-02-03T19:47:00.000-08:002014-02-03T19:47:59.655-08:00Last Blog EntryWe wanted to let everyone know what's been going on with us these past few months. God has been working in our lives in some incredible ways. In ministry, we completed another church planting course and God once again brought some amazing students to be a part of this group. God is definitely at work in Bogota.<br />
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The past several years we have been blessed to be a part of what God is doing in other parts of the world. We have seen Him at work in Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. These are the places that we have lived and ministered. God is calling people in all of these places to join Him in His work and amazing things are taking place.<br />
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Over the past several months, God began to show us that it was time to return to the United States. Not sure of what He was doing, we began to pray and seek His perfect will and plan for our lives. God orchestrated events in such a way that we have answered His call to serve at Calvary Baptist Church in Lilburn, Georgia. This past weekend our family spent time getting to know this sweet congregation. Sunday (Feb. 2, 2014) Cavin preached and was voted on to be the Senior Pastor.<br />
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Something we had prayed for was to be in a multi-ethnic community and church. This is exactly where God has brought us. There are people in the area surrounding the church from places all over the world. We are excited about utilizing much of what we have learned and have been doing on the mission field right here in the United States. <br />
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Please pray for us as we once again go through transitions. The kids will once again be "the new kids" in school. We are starting over in a new ministry. Pray that things will go smoothly and many will be reached with the gospel and lives will be changed.<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-59411843906536832222013-09-16T09:09:00.000-07:002013-09-16T09:18:37.379-07:00Bogotá NewsWe have now completed the first Church Planting Course here in Bogotá. It was a 13 week course and we saw God do amazing things through this group of students. The class members reported sharing their testimony 348 times with 148 decisions to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. To God be the glory! The students are starting new works in 8 areas of the city. We will continue to meet with them at least once a month individually over the next 12 months to coach them and encourage them in their church planting endeavors. <br />
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We are also excited to have Mark and Pam Grumbles here in Bogotá and working with us on the Bogotá Urban Team. They have served for over 30 years in El Salvador and Costa Rica, and are such an asset to our team.<br />
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We will be starting two new classes this Saturday September 21. We will have a morning class and an afternoon class. We are praying for God to put these classes together with the people that He is calling to plant churches throughout Bogotá.<br />
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Cavin is away this week in Montreal, Canada at a conference for Global Urban Strategists (GUS). We miss him when he's gone, but are believing that it will be a great week for him to learn and interact with other missionaries from many urban cities of the world.<br />
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John Robert is now here with us for 3 months. He is able to take online classes this semester so that he can be with us here in Colombia. He is enjoying being back in a Latin culture - and we are enjoying being together as a family..... now if Cavin will just get back from Canada!<br />
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Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Christian and Preston are now in full swing with homeschooling, and believe me, it has its challenges. Pray for all of us in this endeavor! Also, keep us in your prayers in regard to ministry. We pray that God is being glorified in all that we do, and are trusting him to use us to make a difference for His kingdom here in Bogotá. <br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-79333631259705461752013-08-22T09:34:00.004-07:002013-08-22T09:36:36.198-07:00Video of Bogotá - Christian Cawthon<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yuRiCFU56rQ?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe>Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-21473695537404616472013-07-29T18:05:00.001-07:002013-07-29T18:05:27.244-07:00Cawthon UpdateWe are all doing well in Bogotá. The church planting course is in full swing. We are so excited about how God is using this group of students for His glory. They are faithfully sharing their testimonies and using other tools to reach the communities they have chosen to work in. We are teaching them the concept of "abundant sowing." To date, they have shared their testimonies 228 times and 118 people have accepted Christ. They are working in 8 neighborhoods around the city.<br />
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We are working toward a start date of September 21 to start at least one - and possibly two - new church planting courses. We are thankful for the people God is putting in our path. It is exciting to see their enthusiasm and their desire to reach this city for Christ.<br />
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We will be welcoming new teammates to Bogotá on September 1. Mark and Pam Grumbles - veteran missionaries who have served for over 30 years - will be joining us to work with us on the Urban Bogotá Team. We are so excited about their arrival.<br />
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In family news, Preston and Christian are doing well and have started home schooling for this year. This is a huge change for all of us, but we felt for at least this year this is what God has led us to do. They are doing well and are advancing in their studies. Preston is in 6th grade and Christian is in 10th grade.<br />
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John Robert will be joining us on September 5. He will be spending three months with us. It will be great to have all of the family together again. He is able to do some online courses for Fall semester and will also be working with us.<br />
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Please keep us in your prayers as we serve the Lord here in Bogotá!Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-15948761337228123592013-07-02T14:02:00.002-07:002013-07-02T14:03:27.626-07:00Church Planting CourseOur first church planting course in Bogotá started on Saturday, June 8. We are meeting each Saturday morning and are excited to see what God is doing in and through this class that He has put together. We are studying the book of Acts because this gives a basis and foundation for church planting. We have trained them in writing and sharing their testimony in 3 to 5 minutes, prayer walking, discipling new Christians and doing small groups. They are putting all of these disciplines into practice and we are excited to hear what God is doing as many are coming to faith in Christ through the testimony of these students and soon to be church planters.<br />
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We are also in the planning stages of beginning another class on September 21 at the Colombian Baptist Convention. Again, we are praying for God to put together the class that He wants, and for new churches to be started to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with this massive city of almost 9 million.<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-3976364775170585312013-06-23T12:49:00.000-07:002013-06-23T12:49:19.857-07:00Photos of the Past Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-89004509355186561102013-04-22T06:40:00.000-07:002013-04-22T06:40:02.819-07:00Small GroupWe have always believed if you were going to teach something, you should also be doing it. We strongly believe in the importance of having a small group in our home. We have now started a group that meets each Sunday at 5:00 pm. It's been great to see new people coming in excited to hear and study God's word. Please pray for God to put people in our path who would like to be part of this group that will hopefully grow into a church. Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-46522387264082685352013-04-13T21:02:00.000-07:002013-04-14T14:01:41.506-07:00Churches are Needed!Yesterday we had a special breakfast designed to share with pastors and other church leaders about our plan for church planting in Bogotá. We had a great turn out and those in attendance seem to very interested in church planting. We shared with them some data about how many Christians there are in the city. <br />
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By the data that we have obtained, there are approximately 8.8 million people who live in Bogotá, and of that number approximately 7 million do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. What a great need there is to start churches here. There are only 13 Baptist churches and about 2000 evangelical churches. <br />
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That may sound like a lot of churches already in existence, but with the number of people in the city and the number of lost to be reached, we believe there needs to be 2000 more churches started. In addition, there are certain parts of the city, that the government will not allow a church's membership to be more than 100 people. Remember, the church is not the building. It is the people - the body of Christ. Churches can be started in houses or strip malls or anywhere people can come together to put into practice Acts 2:41-47.<br />
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We are planning to start the first Church Planting Course here in Bogotá the first week of June. It is a 14 week class which takes a deep look at church planting through the study of the books of Acts. Pray for God to call out church planters to reach this city for Christ. <br />
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Here are a few pictures from yesterday's meeting:<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-37077180997732841962013-04-11T14:26:00.001-07:002013-04-11T14:26:18.647-07:00On the Radio....Yesterday Cavin had the opportunity to speak on the radio about church planting here in Bogotá. What an awesome day he had sharing his ministry on this Christian radio station. Friend and pastor, Fredy Ontibon, was with Cavin sharing as well. <br />
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Below are a couple of pictures from the day!<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-90475445621050555662013-04-01T12:47:00.000-07:002013-04-01T12:56:50.600-07:00A New Month of MinistryWe have now completed two months here in Bogotá. I won't lie and say it's been easy. It's been hard going through transitions with all three of the kids. Yes, when I say "three," I'm including John Robert. It's been harder than we ever imagined to leave our child in the States and move to South America. Christian and Preston have also made huge transitions. This is the 4th country that they have lived in since 2009. Just writing that makes me want to cry a little for them. Yet, God has been faithful. He has been with us and never left us. He has given us the strength to face each day, even when we didn't think we could. He has given us opportunities to see Him at work forming friendships and relationships in which He can be glorified.<br />
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Yesterday as we celebrated Easter for the first time here in Bogotá, we were reminded of the high price Jesus paid for our sins. He is why we are here. He is why it's worth it to put ourselves and our family through change. He paid it all for me - and for you if you know Him as Lord and Savior. <br />
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This week we are excited because we have several conferences planned for pastors where we will be sharing our vision for church planting. We are excited to see what God is orchestrating and what He will do!<br />
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We are also excited to have two missionary couples joining us later this year to work with us on our church planting efforts here in Bogotá. One couple will be arriving in June and the other in September. As we learn more about the city and the magnitude of the lostness, we are overwhelmed. It will be great to have these couples to walk alongside as we reach out to this city to start churches.Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-69291861349677778542013-03-20T06:31:00.002-07:002013-03-20T06:33:19.312-07:00Cawthon UpdateJohn Robert left Sunday night to return to the States. We had a great visit with him and were sad to see him go. We had fun showing him around Bogotá and letting him see what life is like here! He has a few weeks left in this semester and will also go the Summer Semester. Then he plans to take off the Fall Semester and come back to Bogotá to work with us for about 4 months. After that he will only have 2 or 3 semesters left to complete his degree.<br />
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Christian's 15th birthday was Monday (March 18). For her birthday, we surprised her by finishing decorating her room. She was surprised to come home from school to a "brand new" bedroom. We intertwined the theme of New York and fashion, and it really turned out great!<br />
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We are hard at work preparing for a Church Planting Conference which will be held the first weekend in April. We have had some great meetings as we are identifying pastors and others who have a heart for reaching this city through church planting. Please keep this conference in your prayers that God will use it in a great way.Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-78088278864398949622013-03-09T18:18:00.001-08:002013-03-09T18:18:13.425-08:00Reunited and It Feels so Good!!!John Robert arrived in Bogotá last night. We are so thankful for a new friend who allowed him to fly on a buddy pass. What a blessing!! He will be here for a week while he is out on Spring Break.<br />
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It has been a wonderful day having the whole family together for the first time since the rest of us left the States. We slept late, enjoyed a nice breakfast at home and then Charlotte cooked a great lunch. After that, we headed out to show John Robert the city. We have been wanting to go up on the mountain - Monserrate - to see the whole city, but waited because we thought this would be a good thing to do as a family.<br />
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Monserrate was breathtaking. We went up the mountain on a cable car. It was overwhelming to view this massive city. As far as we could see there were buildings. It is amazing to think of all the people who live in this city, and to know that God longs to have a relationship with each one of them. We realize what a massive task we have here in Bogotá. Please pray that we can impact the lostness here as God is drawing people to Himself everyday.<br />
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After going up on the mountain, it was getting late so we decided to try a hot wing restaurant called "Wingz." It was a good ending to our adventure in the city. The kids all enjoyed the buffalo wings which were served with "He Man Sauce" (extra picante buffalo sauce).<br />
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Here are a few pics from the day!<br />
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We even saw a billboard advertising the show Duck Dynasty here in Colombia! We really got a good laugh out of that!<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-43835204260746176092013-02-26T08:43:00.001-08:002013-02-27T06:58:36.367-08:00Cawthon NewsWe've now been in Bogotá just over four weeks. Yesterday was a bit of a sad day for Charlotte. She learned that her uncle in Mobile, Alabama passed away. These are the times when it hurts so bad to be so far away from home. Please keep Charlotte's family in your prayers during this time. Her father is grieving the loss of his brother which is the second brother he has lost in just over 7 months. We are rejoicing that her uncle was a Christian and lived a full and meaningful life here on earth and now he is in Heaven. He was 85 years old and still working. He was planning to go to work yesterday, but God had other plans.<br />
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On another note, we are now in our apartment (without furniture). It feels good to start to get settled and we are hoping to receive our furniture on March 8 which is the same day that John Robert will arrive in Bogotá for his Spring Break. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of John Robert - and hopefully our furniture - but we are more excited about seeing John Robert!<br />
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We are now in the process of planning our first church planting conference here in Bogotá which will take place in April. We are making contacts with local pastors who have expressed interest in being a part of it and are training some pastors who will be helping to teach the conference. We are excited to see what God will do through this conference.<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-66818718588880908482013-02-17T05:43:00.003-08:002013-02-17T06:18:35.606-08:00Cawthon Update - Week 3It's Sunday morning. We are up and getting ready to attend our third church in Bogotá. Tomorrow will mark 3 weeks that we have been in Bogotá. It's been an adjustment but overall, we are doing well. We are still in the mission guest house. The first apartment we found did not work out, but we found another one this week. <br />
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We will start to move in on Tuesday. I say "start" because initially we will just have mattresses and appliances and our personal belongings. We have ordered furniture directly from the furniture makers. This is a little stressful and a little exciting as they will be custom making the furniture for us. It was also a great savings for us as we realized that in going to the furniture stores, they then go to the furniture makers and it still takes 3 weeks to get the furniture. They said we will have the furniture in 3 weeks. Hopefully, we will love it! But in the meantime we will be living in a basically empty apartment.<br />
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Last Sunday we attended Central Baptist Church. It was in the central part of the city and seemed to be a strong church. They welcomed us with open arms, and we had several members offer any assistance we might need in our ministry. We also met the pastor after the service and plan to meet again with him at a later time.<br />
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We had two other great meetings this week. One was with a friend of ours whom we met several years ago through another mutual friend. His name is Mauricio Rozo. He is a pastor in another city - Cali - and also Vice President of the Colombian Baptist Convention. We met for lunch and shared with him our plan for church planting in Bogotá. He was excited and offered to help, mentioning that the convention is also emphasizing church planting to reach this massive city and country.<br />
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The next day Mauricio set up a meeting with the leadership of the Baptist Convention. We again shared our strategy in reaching this city. They too seemed excited and wanted to be a part of what we are doing. <br />
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God is orchestrating some great meetings and also is giving us random opportunities to share. Some people are just curious as to why we are here. When they ask, it gives us a great opportunity to witness to them and share that we are here because we are following Jesus in our lives.<br />
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Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We are still in the midst of so many transitions. We all need your prayers everyday and need to be reminded of our calling. We were in a large store this week and heard the song "Sweet Home Alabama" on the sound system. At times like these (and others) we miss our "sweet home Alabama," but have to remember the reason we are here: God has brought us here and He desires to have a personal relationship with the people here. <br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-63447553815616255522013-02-07T07:46:00.001-08:002013-02-07T07:53:18.351-08:00Second Week in BogotáHello from Bogotá. It's a beautiful day here. The sun is shining brightly and the sky is a beautiful blue. We are glad for this because without the sun the temperatures seem quite cool due to the high elevation. Yesterday was a cloudy/rainy day and we were cold all day long. Houses don't have heating and air here, so we are planning to purchase a few space heaters today.<br />
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Today is a day that the government has designated for no cars to be on the streets. The only vehicles allowed are public transportation vehicles such as busses and taxis. They do this to show what a difference there is in the pollution level without so many vehicles on the streets. <br />
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Because of the ban on cars today, the kids are out of school. They are also out tomorrow, as the school has designated it as a "virtual day" where they will have assignments given to them on the computer to complete at home. The kids are glad to have a pretty light first week of school. You can't beat being out for a month, going to school for 3 days and then having a 4 day weekend! <br />
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We think we have found an apartment. We are just waiting now to process the paper work and see if their time frame for moving in is in line with our time frame. We hope to move in no later than Feb. 20th. Between now and then, we will be purchasing furnishings, appliances, etc. to be able to live.<br />
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This past Sunday, we attended one of the 12 Baptist churches in Bogotá. That's right..... there are only 12 Baptist churches in this city of almost 10 million people, and the majority of these churches are very weak. We were told the church we attended on Sunday - "El Camino" is the strongest Baptist church in Bogotá. The church has a team of three pastors, all of whom are professionals in the city. Last night, one of the pastors stopped by for a visit. It was good to share with him some of the vision that God has put on our heart, and to hear his vision for his church and this city. It just so happens that his daughter is a classmate of Preston's. We are hoping to get to know him and his family better before too long.<br />
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Things are going well for us, but I would be lying if I said we were not facing some culture shock. Life is very different here from life in Panamá, and of course our life in the U.S. The climate is different, the monetary system is different and prices are higher, there are fewer familiar products in the grocery store, much less English spoken here, no base of friends for the kids, and we miss John Robert greatly. We are here because we believe God has called us, not because it's easy. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we find our place here in this city. Pray that God will give us divine contacts as we strive to serve Him in every aspect of our lives.Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-9854345493158541402013-01-30T16:29:00.000-08:002013-01-30T16:32:05.423-08:00We Have Arrived in BogotáWe have arrived in Bogotá. We are living temporarily in a guest house owned by the mission until we can find permanent housing. The last few days have been spent on processing our paperwork to keep us legal here, finding our way around, and just trying to adjust to our new life here in Colombia. Everyone that we have met has been very kind and has made us feel welcome. We are easing back into a life of speaking Spanish everyday, everywhere we go.... and we are finding (Praise the Lord!) that it is coming back to us! <br />
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We are starting to look at permanent housing options, but have not found just the right place yet. We are praying that God will put us exactly where He wants us. Friday we will be visiting the school that Christian and Preston will be attending. We need to finish up the admissions process so that they can start school on Monday. Their long, extended Christmas break is quickly coming to an end. They are looking forward to it with nervous anticipation. <br />
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Please pray that they will make friends quickly and settle into their new school and life here in Bogotá. Pray also for John Robert. It doesn't seem right to be so far away from him. Things seem to be falling in place for him to come visit over his spring break which is only 5 weeks away. That has helped us deal with him not being here with us.<br />
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We are anxious to get the necessary details done so that we can begin the true work that God has led us to do. Pray that God will put the people in our path that He wants us to impact for Him. We are excited to see just how his plan will unfold. It's exciting to have this blank slate to allow Him to work amazingly here in Bogotá!Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-24125954170329362972013-01-24T18:49:00.001-08:002013-01-24T19:59:41.605-08:00Signing off from the U.S.A.This will be the last time I write from the U.S. We are in the process of packing and moving out of the mission house we have called home for the last 6 months. What a blessing it has been to stay in the Oasis House of Eagles' Landing First Baptist Church. We feel refreshed and ready to start the new ministry that God has ahead for us in Bogotá, Colombia. We will be flying out of Atlanta early Monday morning. We have a short layover in Miami and will arrive in Bogotá around 4:30 Monday afternoon.<br />
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We don't know how God will work in this new phase of ministry, but are trusting Him to guide us and show us how he wants to use us in this mega-city. He is already connecting us with Colombians both here and in Bogotá that want to be a part of our work.<br />
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Please keep us in your prayers. Pray that we will be bold in witnessing and sharing the good news of Jesus! Pray also for the adjustments we will be making such as finding an apartment, making it feel like home, making friends with new people, the kids adjusting to (yet another) new school, leaving John Robert here in college.... and things we haven't even thought of. Most of all, pray that we will be faithful in following the Lord's guidance each day to do and be what He wants.<br />
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As we return to the field, I will be more diligent in writing weekly to let everyone know how to pray and also to share how we see God working. Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-33739597008926675942012-12-20T05:31:00.002-08:002013-01-24T20:00:14.139-08:00Changes AheadIt's hard to believe that Christmas is less than a week away, the end of the year is only 11 days away and our stateside time will be ending in just over a month. We are getting everything in place to move to Bogotá, Colombia around January 26th. More changes, more goodbyes, more hellos on the other end, more getting used to a new culture, more settling into a new home..... <b>and more getting to do the work that God has called us to do</b>! Oh, the life of a missionary family!<br />
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This time we will be leaving John Robert behind in college. This will be very hard, but we are trusting God in this. We are believing that we have equipped John Robert to live on his own with God guiding him each day. Please keep us all in your prayers as we make these changes.<br />
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In Bogotá, Cavin will be the MegaCity Strategist for this city of 10 million people. It is much larger than the "small town" of Panama City, Panama which "only" has about 1.2 million. In the beginning, we will be prayer walking, making contacts with pastors, visiting the Baptist churches there, and meeting other people that God puts in our path. We are excited to see what God will do in this next step in our ministry.<br />
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We are also grateful for the time that we have had in the States to reunite with family, friends and churches, to share what God did in Panama and what He is continuing to do in our lives, to disciple people that God has put in our lives here in the U.S., to help John Robert adjust to college life while we were only a short drive away, to allow our kids to experience school in the U.S., and to eat at Chick-Fil-A anytime we wanted! The past few months have also given us a time to step back from our work in Panama, renew ourselves in the Lord, and gain an excitement about our next step in this journey - our work in Bogotá.<br />
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This will be our first Christmas in the U.S. since 2008. We are excited to spend it with family, but most of all we are thankful for Jesus coming as a baby, living a perfect life and dying for our sins on the cross. Let's keep that foremost in our thoughts as we celebrate Jesus this Christmas!<br />
<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-3376814222185034652012-11-25T20:40:00.001-08:002012-11-25T20:41:43.606-08:00November UpdateNovemeber has been a good month. The kids are enjoying school. Christian has been involved in drama this year and has really enjoyed it. Preston has loved being able to ride his bike and play outside - which he was unable to do when we lived in Panama. John Robert seems to be settling into college life. He gets along well with his roommates and has found a church he is really enjoying. <br />
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All 3 of the kids had the whole week off for Thanksgiving. This was our first Thanksgiving in the States since 2008. We all loaded up and traveled to White House, TN to visit with Cavin's parents and then on to Brewton, AL to visit Charlotte's parents. In the time we were gone, we packed a lot in. Charlotte led a women's conference, Cavin preached, visited a fellow missionary from Panama who is on Stateside in Nashville, visited a childhood friend of Charlotte's in Birmingham in route from Tennessee to Alabama, and visited missionary friends in Pensacola, FL. It has been great to re-connect with friends and family. Because of our crazy lifestyle, God has blessed us with friends all over the world, and sometimes our paths cross in various places of the world. <br />
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We returned on Friday and had a day of resting at home yesterday. It was nice to be at home together as a family. We were sad to see John Robert leave today to return to school, but are glad that he will be back soon for a month during Christmas.<br />
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Today we worshipped in the morning at Eagle's Landing First Baptist. It's always good to be there and share with this wonderful group of believers. Tonight, Cavin preached at Piney Grove Baptist Church in Acworth, GA. Their pastor Scotty Davis is a good friend of ours and truly has a heart for missions and ministry. Cavin and Scotty went on a mission trip several years ago to Lesotho, Africa; and Scotty went to Panama two times while we were there. It was great to share in this church. At the end of the service the members of the church came around us and prayed over us. They also made a commitment to continue to pray for us in our ministry. This really means so much to us to know that people are praying for us. Prayer is powerful, and we never want to take that for granted.<br />
<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-46079190174193276462012-10-27T20:00:00.003-07:002012-10-29T04:55:15.374-07:00Cawthon UpdateThe last month has been very busy. We went to Richmond, VA for 10 days and both Cavin and Charlotte were able to share. Charlotte spoke at a women's conference and Cavin preached the following day at Anchor Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, VA. We also went to our Stateside Conference just outside of Richmond during the first week of October. This was a great time of praising and worshipping God and focusing on what God has ahead for us. The kids also had a great time connecting with other TCK's (third culture kids). A highlight for Christian was going to Williamsburg one day, while Preston's favorite part was going to a State Fair. <br />
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We continue to have visitors from Panama spending time with us. It's been fun introducing them to the U.S. culture, and particularly the culture of the South. They have tried boiled peanuts and cheese grits, they've learned why we like Chick-Fil-A so much, we've taken them to Walmart, and they have worshipped with us in English. <br />
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Please pray for Panama. This week has been a difficult time there with a lot of protesting and discord in the country. Several people have been killed in the city of Colon. Schools have had to cancel classes; roads have been closed; stores have been looted; and there is a general feeling of unrest that some say they have not felt since the U.S. invasion when Noriega was overthrown. Our friends are sad to hear of these things taking place in their country and to know what their friends and family are experiencing during these days. And we are sad because of the people we know and love in Panama.<br />
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God is providing many opportunities to serve him. Cavin is preaching almost every week, and Charlotte has several other upcoming times to speak for women's groups. Cavin is also leading a men's group weekly on Thursday nights. Last weekend he led a Church Planting Conference in Spanish. We are thankful for many ways to serve the Lord while here in the States.<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-74428905921034806042012-09-25T14:07:00.002-07:002012-09-25T14:07:35.463-07:00On the Go!Sorry that it's been so long since we last posted. Things are going well for us and we are enjoying being on Stateside. God is giving us opportunities to serve Him, and it's been really exciting. Cavin has shared in churches in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. He is also mentoring a man one on one and has started a men's Bible study group, also. In October, he will be leading a Church Planting Conference for Latinos. Charlotte is having opportunities to speak and share also. She will be leading several women's events over the next few weeks. It's been great just allowing God to show us how and where He wants us to serve Him. This weekend we will be traveling to Richmond, Virginia. Charlotte will be leading a women's conference on Saturday and Cavin will be preaching on Sunday at Anchor Baptist Church in Mechanicsville, VA. Next week, we will be going through our Stateside Conference with other missionaries who are on Stateside Assignment. It will be great to see old friends and make new ones. Christian and Preston will be with us and they are looking forward to the children's activities that are planned and just hanging out with other missionary kids who understand them and their crazy life!<br />
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We have had a friend here from Panama for the past week and a half. It's been fun introducing him to U.S. culture. We will also have two more Panamanian friends visiting us the second half of October. It's been great having Panama come to us!<br />
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Life is good! We are truly experiencing abundant, joyful life in Christ - and pray that He is being glorified in our lives.<br />
<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-55443867285666462972012-08-23T06:48:00.006-07:002012-08-23T06:54:30.146-07:00A New NormalSince last writing, we have become somewhat more settled. Christian and Preston are going to school everyday and John Robert has now started classes at Auburn University. We are all finding our "new normal" here in the States. We've experienced joys here, but also "reverse culture shock" at times. For me, I have had sticker shock at how expensive everything is here. While living in Panama, I had convinced myself that groceries and other things were much cheaper here. But, I either had a terrible memory at how much everything costs here, or the prices have jumped up a lot in 3 and a half years. I suspect it's a little of both.<br />
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Also, all three of the kids are having to make new friends and find their place here. It's definitely not a fun thing being the "new kid" but with a lot of prayers, God is helping all of us through this process. <br />
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John Robert is going through many new changes as he is now living "on his own." He's finding out what it's like to be responsible for washing his clothes, cooking his meals, or eating out on a budget, getting himself up every morning.... the list goes on and on. And we're finding that we miss him a lot. But we are confident that God has led him to this place in his life, and are praying that all that we've taught him for the past 18 years is being put into practice.<br />
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Two weeks ago Cavin preached (all in Spanish) at Olive Springs Hispanic Church in Marietta, Georgia. This past week we worshipped at Paper Mill Road Baptist Church in Marietta where Cavin preached; and this week we will be at Olive Springs Baptist Church in Marietta. It's been great sharing with these congregations about our work in Panama and how God blessed, and how He is continuing to do great things there.<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-36438787626714105272012-08-09T06:42:00.002-07:002013-02-27T07:07:28.388-08:00Trusting God Day by DaySince arriving in the States less than a month ago, our lives have been crazy busy. We have been traveling and visiting family during this time. A highlight was that we got to throw a 50th Anniversary Party for my parents which was a lot of fun. Cavin has preached at Catawba Springs Baptist Church in Brewton, Alabama and at Temple Baptist Church in White House, Tennessee. These are our parents' churches and both of these churches have been so supportive of us during the past three and a half years. It was such a joy to worship with these churches and see so many familiar faces!<br />
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Now we are back in McDonough, GA. The kids started school this week. Christian started high school (9th grade) and Preston is in 5th grade. They are attending Eagle's Landing Christian Academy. Please pray for them as they adjust to a new school, new friends, new teachers. Pray that things will fall in place for them as they get used to a new normal in their lives.<br />
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This coming Sunday, we will have the privilege of sharing at Olive Springs Hispanic Church in Marietta, GA. This is the Spanish congregation that is part of Olive Springs Baptist Church where Cavin served as pastor for 5 years. It will be great to be with them and worship in Spanish. It's so great to be able to worship God now in two languages. <br />
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God is amazing and is continually reminding me to trust Him.<br />
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3 verses He has given me this week are as follows:<br />
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Matthew 6:8 "...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." This verse I read on a friend's FB status and just minutes later opened my devotional book to read the exact same verse. Okay... yes, He got my attention!<br />
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2 Cor. 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."<br />
We discussed this verse in my Bible study group last night... I came home and a friend from Panama had sent me a message with this verse and the next one below (1 Cor. 15:58)<br />
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1 Cor. 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."<br />
My friend from Panama sent me this verse last night, and this morning I see this verse laminated next to my computer.... It was the men's memory verse from last night!<br />
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3 times this week! Yes, Lord.... I'm listening.... and learning to trust you day by day!<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-24678526252399337582012-07-22T12:58:00.000-07:002012-07-25T05:15:44.039-07:00We have arrived in the U.S.A.July has been an awesome month. We hosted another great group from Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church. They continued the work in the area of the city called El Cangrego through prayer walking, mapping and making contacts in the park. They also led music at La Comunidad Bible Church and did a workshop on music/worship in a Kuna village outside of the city. During the time they were in Panama, they also hosted a farewell party for us to show appreciation to all of our friends and the people we had worked with during our two years in Panama.<br />
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Just two days after the team left, we also left Panama. What a day of mixed emotions. We left a place that we love with so many friends and memories to go to another place we love with so many friends, family members and memories. We flew to Nashville because John Robert was there. It was great to see him after more than two months apart. We spent two days there with Cavin's family and then drove to McDonough, Georgia south of Atlanta where we will be spending six months in a mission home of Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church. We were greeted with open arms and it has already been such a blessing to stay in their Oasis House - as they have appropriately named this beautiful home!<br />
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Upon arriving in the States, we received sad news that Charlotte's uncle had passed away. We were sad, yet thankful that we were back in the States and could be together with family during this time. On Friday, we drove to Brewton, Alabama and spent time with Charlotte's parents and were there to attend the funeral on Saturday.<br />
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We arrived back in McDonough last night so that Cavin could preach today in the three services at Eagle's Landing. What a joy to be with them in worship this morning! Singing praises to our Lord in English brought tears to our eyes. It is so evident that this church is on fire for the Lord and truly dedicated to serving Him. We are truly blessed to be here.<br />
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Over the next couple of months we will be very busy with Cavin speaking in many different churches. Some weekends we will have to travel, but there are some in the Atlanta area so that we can just drive there on Sunday morning. It is wonderful to share of our work in Panama and how God worked! I truly believe He will continue to do amazing things there!Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2449425068365288241.post-90395754619346144452012-07-04T08:45:00.000-07:002012-07-04T08:45:05.076-07:00Happy 4th of July from PanamaHello.... and Happy 4th of July. It's just another day for the people here, but we will try to make it special for the kids as we celebrate this special day for our country. Have fun cooking out, going to the beach, watching fireworks or whatever you may be doing and remember to thank God for the freedoms we have as Americans.<br />
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We are still in Panama for 12 more days. The time is quickly coming to a close. We have sold all of our furniture and most of our household goods. The apartment is getting very bare as we approach the time to leave. <br />
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Last week we had a special commissioning service for the church planters that we have trained and worked with during the past two years. It was a time of worship and sharing testimonies of what God has done, is doing, and is going to do here in this country. We are excited because these people are equipped and ready to serve God. We know He will do great things through them!<br />
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On Saturday we have another team arriving from Eagle's Landing FBC. We are excited about this group coming to Panama, and pray that God will use them in a great way. <br />
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I'm going to leave you today with a view of a Panama sunset. I took it from the window of our apartment! I hope you enjoy it!<br />
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<br />Cavin Cawthonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08134654638738163830noreply@blogger.com3