Spanish literacy effort launched, Alford tells CCM

The unveiling of a new Spanish-language ministry and the memorializing of a beloved member who passed away this year served as the focal points of the Nov. 13 meeting of the Alabama Network of Christian Community Ministers (CCM). 
   
The meeting was held at Gardendale’s First Baptist Church in conjunction with the Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting, held Nov. 14–15 at Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover.
   
Richard Alford, an associate in the office of associational missions and church planting for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), announced at the meeting that the SBOM is now partnering with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to pilot training material for Alfalit.
   
Alfalit is a ministry program that teaches illiterate Spanish-speakers first to read and write in their native tongue before attempting to start English lessons.
   
“When people learn to read the Bible in their own language, they do better than they would in a second language,” Alford said. “This will be a vital link to expanding ministry in our Spanish churches. But unlike ESL (English as a Second Language) courses in which any volunteer can teach English, it will be necessary to have volunteers who can speak and read Spanish.”
   
Ed Ables, a NAMB catalytic missionary who works with the North Alabama Baptist Hispanic Ministry Coalition, and his wife, Linda, have trained with NAMB already to teach the program and are helping NAMB perfect the training curriculum, Alford said. The Ableses served as International Mission Board missionaries in Ecuador for 16 years and then in Argentina for nine. Linda Ables currently serves as Language for Missions program coordinator and Spanish instructor at Samford University.
   
The Alfalit program was birthed in Florida but has never been replicated due to lack of training materials. “The hope is that others can use [the training resource] after it is complete,” Alford said.
   
Those present at the meeting also set apart time to honor Tina Qualls, assistant director of the Etowah Baptist Missions Center in Etowah Baptist Association and CCM secretary-treasurer for several years running. Qualls, 32, passed away suddenly earlier in the year.
   
Rob Peavy, CCM president and church and community development director for Madison Baptist Association, presented a plaque honoring Qualls from CCM to John Richey, chaplain coordinator at the Etowah Baptist Missions Center and pastor of the Church at Bridge Point, Southside. The group also voted to donate $500 from CCM to the center in her memory.
   
“I’ve been to Etowah Association, I’ve been to the ministry center and I’ve seen the hundreds of people whose lives Tina touched,” Peavy said. “She was a servant and a wonderful person.”
   
During the program, CCM members also heard about the ministries of The Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham from guest speaker Tony Cooper, executive director of the mission. Lisa Chilson Rose, Montgomery Baptist Association’s CCM director, also spoke about Intentional Evangelism efforts in New York City after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as what can be done to reach the lost for Christ in Alabama.
   
In other business, members unanimously re-elected for a second term:
    • Peavy, president;
    • Virginia Alexander, CCM director for Morgan Baptist Association, first vice president; and
    • Linda Pair, CCM director for Birmingham Baptist Association, second vice president.
    They also elected Fred Cook, director of the Columbia Baptist Ministry Center in Columbia Baptist Association, as secretary-treasurer.