Collins 2012 in Retrospect

Download a PDF of the Collins' 2012 in Retrospect with photos here.

Good friends,

Greetings from rural Venezuela.  Here is our latest retrospective.  Thanks for your interest and concern.

Blessings to all.

Wes and Nancy

Collins February 2013 Ministry Update

Greetings to our good Parkside friends.

Early March marks the end of our training program in rural Venezuela. We are working with 21 indigenous students and a dozen staff to help Indians produce materials and develop strategies to promote reading in their native languages. When people believe that their language has value and respect they are far more likely to produce literature in their language and enjoy reading it. We believe that this writing and reading adventure equips them to read well, and to read the Scriptures in particular.

Collins' January 2013 Prayer Requests

Friends,

Greetings from West Virginia. Nan and I are headed home after a stint in Venezuela. We'll both be going back, Lord enabling, in two weeks. So this is just a very quick trip.

Second semester of CLAVE powers up on Jan. 7. We have 21 students speaking 14 different languages who are studying how their languages work linguistically and how they can parlay that knowledge into programs that promote the use and value of their native languages. Students created almost 100 booklets that we pray will promote the reading of native languages in general and in particular, the translation and reading native-language Scriptures.

Collins' December 2012 Prayer Requests

Friends,

Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving.

Here are a few requests from us.

We are in the middle of training 22 speakers of indigenous languages in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. There are 15 languages represented and students are learning techniques and strategies to help promote reading in general in their native languages, and reading the Scriptures in particular. First semester ends on December 14 and we start up again in early January.

Collins' November 2012 Update

Dear and faithful friends,

Greetings from rural Venezuela. It is over 90 decrees as I write, along with high humidity. I used to complain about such weather, but as I get older the “change of seasons” holds less appeal to me, and I don’t mind just bogging down in summer temperatures all year long. Plus, even though I’m in rural Venezuela, pretty much all the buildings are air-conditioned.

Collins' November 2012 Prayer Requests

Greetings from rural Venezuela. I am out of internet reach, although we may get service by tomorrow if things go through as planned, but I've lived quite a long time, and I know that things usually don't go as planned.

Today, Sunday, students are beginning to roll in from throughout Venezuela, with a few from Colombia and Peru as well.

Collins' October 2012 Update

Dear and good friends,

Greetings from Ashland, heartland of the Americas.

We're getting into the final countdown for the trip to Venezuela. I leave on October 14 for a four-month training program for Venezuelans who speak about 15 different languages. We're expecting 30-32 students and a teaching staff of 15. There are a lot of issues to tend to in order to get people to come on the right day, handling travel details, room and board, classroom space and course curriculum.

Collins' September 2012 Prayer Requests

Hi friends,

Here are some prayer requests for us.

 Our daughter, Elisa, gave birth to Nadia Elise on July 27. She is much calmer than her three-year-old twin brothers, and is healthy and strong, for which we thank God.

Collins' August 2012 Prayer Requests

Hi,

Thanks for your prayers and concern for us. We always appreciate it.

We're putting together the next rendition of CLAVE, a training program for Amerindian Venezuelans. We are aiming for 30 students and 12 instructors. The national church has committed funds and people to help pull off the four-month-long training. There are a lot of coordination issues. May this program be a blessing to the Venezuelan Church not only in content, but in leadership development as well.

Collins' July 2012 Prayer Requests

Dear ones,

Thanks for your prayers and interest. Here are several things you can pray with us about in the month ahead.

Our oldest daughter, Elisa, the mother of three-year-old twin boys, is expecting a daughter mid-July. Pray for her health and that of her family. Nancy is with her pre-partem and plans to stay with her for a while afterwards as well. I'm finishing out the semester here in Lima where we have 21 students from 9 countries. I hope to join Nan on July 15, Lord enabling.