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Hard pressed… that is how I feel right now…  As a Christian… and marrying a missionary, I thought I’d be able to help and encourage her in the ministry standing on the sidelines… but I was mistaken…  When God united our lives, He wanted us to complement each other and thus strengthen the ministry.  GOD KNEW that uniting one life – shaped in a Christian family, breathing and transpiring love, purity, goodness, responsibility, work ethic and discipline from their pores – with another life – Christian – but with a background seeped in academics, materialism, overflowing with sin, evil, insensitive and cruel – He would achieve the perfect combination for a working with street kids…   They are “special” kids – because in order to work with them you can’t just have love, a good heart and dedication – you also need to know the way they think and feel in different situations, firmness, discernment and caution.

After understanding this (four years ago), I started volunteering at El Jordan to work with the guys – and you could see the need for this work – as the numbers and interest grew every year.  The need for more space and more workshop options developed into an urgent need.

The workshop project was accepted, with God’s blessing, by Avant Ministries and those who support Corina. Thanks to their support, we were able to buy a 1,500 square metre piece of land where we started construction two months ago…  I am SO very thankful to God… and you… for all of this blessing …

 

but that’s only one side of the coin…

The other side  is that since the construction started:

* we have suffered MANY petty robberies at the construction site (we’re in a zone filled with gangs and kids on the streets… and our “corner” has been “marked” as territory of one of the gangs…)

* one of the workers, after just a few hours on the job, cut three of his fingers down to the bone with a saw – and it was a miracle that he didn’t lose his fingers…

* there has been a scarcity of cement in Bolivia… in order to find enough for the construction, there were weeks where I’d have to stand in lines from 3 a.m. in order to get just a few bags…  (Editor’s  note… this is much more than just standing in line… you stand in line… but you can only get 5 bags  of cement… you can bring other people to stand in line with you but in every truck you’re only allowed 10 bags… …and the rules and requisites change on the whim of the person in charge… one day you have to have your ID card (Marco’s was stolen… although now he has it again)… another day a certain list/tickets count… but the next day, counting on the fact that you were given a ticket at 5 in the morning to get 5 bags of cement when the truck comes at 8:30 or 9 or 10 or 11 in the morning, you go back and find that those are now invalid and the new tickets have already been given out… There were times we’d get phone calls… come get in line quick… the line is short… when we were fortunate to have 8 people in line to get cement we’d be SO excited… but then there’d be other times when you’d wait… and it would run out right in front of you… Imagine… buying cement 5 bags at a time… for a major construction project!!! There’d be places that would offer larger quantities but you’d have to pay almost $2 extra per bag…  CRAZY!)

* we were robbed when my parents were visiting our home… They almost killed my dad (76 years old) because he tried to take out one of the robbers but thank God the bullets didn’t come out.  My son was traumatized by having watched all of this… the thieves took all of our “stuff”, money and my personal documents…

* I gave some money to some “respected” neighbours (of the Pilgrim’s Refuge) who were in urgent need to operate on their daughter who had cancer… (it was to be in exchange for some land) They operated… the girl recovered… they sold the land to someone else… and for quite a while it looked as if they didn’t plan to return our money… (eventually the daughter who was operated on found out, talked to her parents and that same day the money was returned…)

* after waiting for almost three years, I was able to get enough money together to drill a well at the Pilgrim’s Refuge… to fulfill a personal, lifelong dream of having a pond with fish… They drilled the well… pure water flowed beautifully for 3 days… and it dried up… Although the company guaranteed their work for three years, they found a loop hole in order not to be held responsible… and I lost that investment I had made…

* on my way to pick up materials for the construction, I was rear ended…  Although there wasn’t much damage to my truck, it still is a pain…

* my very special dog, Marcela, who accompanied me faithfully through the tough times of waiting for “freedom”, was stolen… several days later the young kids came by to ask for a reward… We recovered her… only to have her stolen again a few days later… There is a city-wide wave of dog thefts… sigh.. and now Marcela is gone…

* my poor pickup truck, with hauling all the materials for the construction – wood, iron, cement – is rattling, creaking, shaking and deteriorating more and more…

I haven’t written all of the above so you feel sorry for me… but rather than you can understand what I have been going through… 

This year my time has been dedicated completely to overseeing/helping in the construction – but I still have two Bible Studies – with Saúl… and Dorian – whose wives attend El Jordan – and where I can, I help out the adolescent boys’ class (13 of them)on Saturday mornings.

As I am “sinking myself” deeper and deeper into the ministry, there is something I need to know… One, a confirmation from the mission that I’m a “part” of them, that they back me in this new project we’re heading into… and that the support that we receive – is for us as a family – Corina has always said that the support that arrives to the ministry is for both of us yet I still struggle with feeling “maintained” rather than working to support my family…   From you who support Corina – I’d also like to know if you are behind this project for boys’ workshops… if there is anyone interested in coming to teaching a course for the boys (welding, leatherwork, mechanics or other)… or if anyone has questions or suggestions… 

I need to feel that I am supported by you because…

·    I’ve always wanted to find some type of business venture that would allow me to generate money to look after my family… and help out my aging parents who suffered for so many years from my mistakes in the past…  This is something I’m putting aside in order to give myself more fully to the boy’s workshops… 

·    I’m convinced that this project can only move ahead under God’s blessing… and me being willing to dedicate myself fully to this ministry…

I know that our enemy is trying to put up roadblocks in front of the ministry – trying to discourage me with so many problems…    Thank you so much for listening to my thoughts and feelings… and waiting to hear your response…

May God bless you richly…

Marco

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair;

persecuted, but not abandoned; 

struck down, but not destroyed.

 2 Corinthians 4:8,9