This Christmas we were blessed to be able to give away
This is Patricia and her daughter Gabriela; she is Dona Tiadora's daughter-in-law. They do not have electricity at their home. She can read, but is excited to share the Proclaimer with her unsaved husband who can't. Patricia gave us a squash to show her thanks.
This is
Mauren and two of her grandchildren, Mildred and Leandro. They share a home with four adults and four children. They were excited to listen to the Christmas story.
Their grandmother, Doña Maria Ernestina, watches the girls and five other children.They also do not have electricity.
Doña Rosa (blue hoodie)
and family: Daughters Ena, Liset and Ilsy, grandchildren Braisy, Lisy, Alejandra and Harvin. Dona Rosa lives with five of her adult children and five of her grandchildren. She is the only commited Christian in her home and is blessed to have a new way to share God's word with her kids and grandchildren.
Tuesday, December 28th we have a group of short term missionaries arriving for ten days from Freedom, Wisconsin. We are excited to host the team of six at the Ranch in our nearly finished guest house. The team will be helping to finish the “Casita” during their time at RO4Y. Please pray for us and the team over the next few weeks, Satan always tries to disrupt what God has planned for us.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Last post's focus on football hasn't really developed at the Ranch. After our first event, we held a second soccer game, but it was more organized by local area teams. I was able to share a brief devotional before reffing the game. Soccer is still a tremendous door of opportunity with the men and I'm praying what that looks like. Continue to pray that God would open doors and give direction.
2. Praise: We received several generous donations for our bus troubles last month. The rebuilt alternator held for a month and died again last week when returning home from Sunday service. My mechanic, Ivan, looked for a new one, but when he couldn't find it had it rebuilt again - this time with a six month guarantee!
3. The guitar students lead worship with me for the second time. I have video, but haven't been able to put it up yet. It was an awesome blessing. Please continue to pray for the class, students and their spiritual and musical growth.
4. Sunday afternoon service continues with two childrens Bible studies and the adult study. I recently challenged the adults to pass out three tracts to family and friends in response to the shepherds spreading the news about Jesus' birth. We also received a new visitor names Rafaela. She commented that she has seen a tremendous change in her ten year old granddaughter and she wanted to check us out! PTL! Continue to pray that God would open the minds of the people to His word!
5. Tobias and Marillyn are doing great.
6. Continue to pray for our immigration status. Our special permission for a year Visa should be granted in January. We are STILL waiting! Because of Tobias' birth, we are also going to work on applying for permanent residency. Pray that the two separate government offices will let us work on changing status from VISA to resident.
7. Continue to pray for the logistics of the short term missions team arriving in February from West Virginia. The will be involved with a medical brigade, VBS and construction projects.
8. Bus importation is still in process - pray that it will be resolved/accomplished sooner than later.
10. On a very serious note, please pray for us. Satan is alive and well in Central America and wants nothing more than to destroy our foundation in Christ, our families, marriages and ministry. This month I’ve had two pastor friends leave the formal ministry: one voluntarily stepped out of a head pastor position to renew his marriage (awesome boldness) and the other was asked to step down by his spiritual leaders. We are fragile and look to the Lord for strength!
Christmas Eve Lunch 2010