Hi friends!
This month has been so full with new blossoms in ministry! We continue to have new people show up, and it's always exciting to welcome them! This month we were also super blessed to have Daniel's parents (his dad pastors a Calvary in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico) with a team of six young people come give us a helping hand! We were stoked to have their help with projects of improving the church building, join us with evangelism and outreach at the city plaza, teach and do crafts with the children during church services, to performing a gospel-giving drama in Palos Verdes, and making a delicious and fancy dinner for our couple's night outreach at church. Ryan was excited to have Pastor Yoshimi give the sermon to our small congregation on Sunday and it was refreshing to have the sweetness not just of fellowship, but the unity and bond that is created from being of the same mind. The grace and brotherly kindness they poured out, and their encouragement to the priority of teaching the entirety of the Word was exhilirating. We even got to take them to the river and give them the Guasaven one-of-a-kind experience, of literally hanging out and eating in the river! It's quite the experience, I must say!
It was thrilling when the ladies from the group came and whipped up the dinner for the couples. I (Esther) loved seeing our kitchen in full swing for the sake of serving others. While cooking and having others join us for a meal happens frequently in our home, it felt amazing to see our kitchen with all its cookware and gadgets being put to good use by so many helping hands.
Another comfort God has given me is to see Virtue rising up to help me in our ministry. For one, I am very blessed by her stature in size (only 12 but already 2 inches taller than me) and willingness to help with the baby in our children's ministry. I'm often the only one with the kids, and when it's craft time and my hands are already full, or when it's been a while for me to have a chance to sit and listen to the bible studies, she willingly holds and entertains the baby and helps watch the younger kids. This month, we've had the opportunity to minister to a 14 yr old girl who has several serious (health/life-risking) issues. Virtue willingly shared her bedroom, shared/gave her clothing and shoes, and befriended her. I can say it hasn't all been easy. But I want to thank you guys for praying for her. I am amazed at how quickly Virtue is developing a significant role in the personal support that we don't have much of as we patiently wait on the Lord for healthy, faithful laborers. There's been times this month when I was anxious of finding the right balance, because the matters at hand were heavy in what we were dealing with, but I am thankful for the prayers and reminders to trust the Lord. Thank you for holding us up in prayer!!
In our village outreach at Palos Verdes, we continue to make a meal for the kids and spend time with them each Friday. I must say it is not an easy feat. Kevin has been doing an amazing job at going through the book of Romans with them! He has a tenacity to draw the kids back in from the many distractions that are there! The frequent motorcyles that blaze by are super loud, but it definitely doesn´t help that even some of the parents will drive by and yell at their children to come to their car during bible study. Villages have an extra measure of toughness when it comes to sowing seeds in good, fertile ground. This next week, we're planning to take Jubilee's karoake microphone and speaker to see if we can combat some of the noise pollution and distraction during the bible study. We defintely need the Lord's mercy and guidance with the challenges we face there.
We are also excited to share that we have two different gospel tracts we've taken time to write and edit with the help of friends. It's an easy way to get our kids involved (again) in sharing the gospel and including them in this vital aspect of reaching the lost. One is called Ya Basta con La Religion (Stop with The Religion) and another one Un Dulce Que Dura Una Eternidad (A sweetness that lasts an eternity)...we also have it in English and titled it, Will You have a Sweet Ever After? This last Spanish/English one mentioned we give out with a small bag of skittles (or anything sweet)...although we see it is a little bit tricky sometimes because in this area some people will come up and give you a candy and actually expect you to pay them something. So, we have to clarify upfront that it's free. But for those who helped us with these tracts, thank you! For any who would be interested in having some to hand out, please reach out to us! They have a very simple format that can be printed on a home printer.
We usually make it our aim to thank you guys in each update for the prayer support and your financial support. This time, I feel the need to emphasis that your financial giving makes a huge impact in our ministry and life here. Though our church only began meeting at the end of January this year, and thus the amount of people that gather at our services aren't that many, many of them have significant financial needs. God is certainly growing us in finding the balance where we abound in giving generously (not turning people out the door with empty verbal blessings) but also givng space to each one to steward the little finances they may have by seeking God's Word for wisdom and direction. While this aspect has been difficult at times, for we definitely feel like our church is becoming family, we have also been tremoundously blessed that because of your giving, we CAN lend a hand, we can do a grocery run for another family, pay a bill they can't afford to pay, etc. Certainly between Ryan and me, it feels at times like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing (Matthew 6:3 says, "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.") But, fellow brother and sister, THANK YOU for participating with us in these various deeds!! Thank you for being part of this joyful story!! One bright day, it will be so exciting to find out how the Lord rewarded you.
(Ryan with Cyrus helping grate carrots for the chimichangas we served the kids with in Palos Verdes.)
Comments