Ever since the garden of Eden, God´s enemy has strived to destroy “the apple of God´s eye”… Those tactics have continued to this day… The thief came to steal, destroy and kill… and even now, Satan doesn´t want us to know THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE… God says, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30
God wants our eyes set on HIM… As we walk along THE WAY, that we encourage, uplift, exhort others in their walk… as well as: “standing in the gap”, “snatching others out of the fire”, “Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked,” and “deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.” Can you hear the passion? Can you feel it in the pit of your stomach?
Thank YOU for being a part of El Jordán. You pray for us… you sacrifice so we can be here… You are an essential part of this ministry… THANK YOU!!!!! You stand beside us in the gap… you encourage as we try to hold back those who are “staggering to slaughter”… Thank you!
A month ago, I wrote about “Mamuka” - Maria Eugenia whose heart was broken, her hope extinguished… I wrote, asking for you to stand in the gap… praying for her… lifting her up before the throne of grace… The enemy was winning in the tug-of-war… but the fight hasn´t finished!
You prayed… God is answering. Since that day, Mamuka hasn´t missed a Bible study on Tuesday afternoons… She wrote this after her first class… “When I went to Bible Study I felt as if all my problems had gone away. I want to keep going to class… so I can keep moving forward… and so my boys will learn about the Lord. I used to feel alone but now I know that God is with me and my boys wherever we go. I feel such a big happiness because I am changing - I´m not being disrespectful anymore to my mom nor fighting with my siblings.”
At our “chapel” the other day, (the last Friday of every month) the Gospel was once again presented… and Mamuka was one of those who prayed to receive Christ as their Savior. Alongside of Mamuka was Martha Mercado… who has heard the Gospel many times but had always been very clear that she had NOT received Christ as her Savior. Máximo, the husband of one of our students, also indicated that he wanted to take that step of belief… He would come to chapels… be very quiet and respectful… accompanying Ana, but never showing a personal interest… Their step was encouraging… because I don´t think either Martha or Máximo would make a public decision lightly.
Seeds are being planted!!! Please pray that the worries of this world won´t choke out the growth of that seed… that the enemy wouldn´t steal them away… that the roots would grow deep… and that there will be fruit to prove that GOD has begun “His good work” in them…
At El Jordán we have been working hard to all be pointing in the same direction… we are working through the Bible, looking for Jesus on every page… trying to figure out what HE wants for us today…
We have a few brand new volunteers at El Jordán – David and Nele through a German mission, Rebecca from Kansas through MCC… Pray for them as learn Spanish, adjust to Bolivia and fit into our family… Continue praying for Tim, Chantelle and family as they are building into lives of our El Jordan people who live in their neighbourhood…
Last week was a good week but as a team, it was also a heavy week… a wisdom tooth that had to be pulled… headaches… sinus infections… other sicknesses and financial burdens… and family situations… Tim slicing off the bottom of his big toe on his way home… a freak accident where a big stone flew out from between the two back tires of the dump truck in front of Marco that stayed imbedded in the smashed windshield… a dog attacking the hand of our workers… also then several cases of stealing within El Jordan that we are trying to deal with…
It feels like Satan is trying to destroy… distract… discourage…
Could you please keep standing with us? Helping hold our hands up when we are tired… encouraging us and praying for us… the body of Christ standing and working together… Thank you!
A few more updates and requests:
I asked you to pray for 18 year old Maria José who was losing her movement and sight from some neurological problems… She is doing MUCH better… and is continuing to show a soft heart towards God and her family…
Please pray for Margot, a lady I know in jail… she has been there for about 16 years and still has a long ways to go… she wrote me last night very discouraged and anxious… wanting to know how to pray… and how to search for God. PRAY for her… Jail is a very lonely place… especially when the years go by… you are still there but everyone else’s lives continue on… She is reading her Bible and searching… Pray that she will find God at the end of her rope…
Do you remember Matilde and her little boy Kevin Marco with a cleft lip? They are doing well… and Matilde came back to Bible Study on Monday…
Baby Leyla, who has a little colostomy, is also doing well… pray that Ana Karen and Gabriel would have a hunger and thirst to get to know Jesus…
On Friday, out of the blue, Serena came to El Jordán´s gate… she says she is 10… we think she might be 12… she doesn´t know her birthday… she has never been to school… she has an older sister Corina… Her mom, Lorena, was from the streets… and died maybe 5 or 6 years ago… Lorena´s picture is in El Jordán´s sitting room… Serena said to Carlos, our administrator, “I want to know who my mom was…” Serena spends her days “singing about God” in the city buses… begging for coins and then spending that money in shady internet cafes – playing games... She seems “lost”… she has no boundaries or social skills… She wandered into El Jordan and after a short while, wandered out again… saying she´d come back “tomorrow”… It broke my heart… Pray for Serena and Corina… and opportunities to build into their lives…
Please pray for wisdom and discernment for each one of us at El Jordan as we deal with so many different situations…
Have a great Sunday… and for those from Canada – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! Enjoy the opportunity to remember God´s blessings (big and small) in your lives… to enjoy friends and family (and food!)…
Because HE is Faithful…
Corina (for Marco… Keiden and Marlee…)