Keep them rising to the Throne!

Well, the journey continues.  Paula was able to see several doctors today and then the final visit was to a national hospital.  But when they arrived, the doctors said it was too late in the day for her exams.  So keep those prayers a'rising.  They returned back to Salitron today; David returned to Jocotan.  He will return to the capital with the team tomorrow.  Friday they will come to Antigua for some shopping and sightseeing before returning home on Saturday.  Sunday afternoon, David will return to get Paula and parents and Rolando, return to the capital for her Monday early morning appointment and then return to Salitron.  David will return home either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

Raise those prayers to the Throne!  We are so thankful for the grant that Brainerd Baptist Church received for medical work among the Chorti which is financing the appointments and all the physical details to improve Paula's life.  Your prayers will make the spiritual difference in her life, her family's and the entire village.

Keep them rising!

Many miles to go before he sleeps...

 

 

Paula from Salitron

We first met Paula and her parents back in January at a medical clinic in Chaunco' with the first partnership team from FBC, Mt. Pleasant, SC, and Iglesia Bautista Shalom, Zacapa.  They had walked about an hour to the clinic from their home in Salitron.  Her malformed ears are crossed with nasal passages.  At this time, due to severe infection, she was unable to hear or talk.  After being treated by a local doctor her infection cleared and he recommended a ear and eye hospital in the capital that specializes in unique cases. 

 

In March, David and I and the national partnership pastor accompanied she and her parents to the capital for her first appointment.  It was the first time for either of them to travel that far from home, first time to visit the capital...so many firsts for them.  After exams from a couple of doctors and several technical scans, they believe there are things that can be done to help correct Paula's problems and scheduled her next visit...April 24.  Yes, it is right in the middle of the medical clinic in Nearar.  Makes things a bit interesting for sure.

 

So PRAY

 

*PRAY for the medical clinic and open doors in Nearar these next several days

*PRAY for hearts to hear, understand, receive, and desire to grow in Christ

*PRAY for open doors in the Lemus family as physical needs are being met in Paula

*PRAY for their salvation and the salvation of many in Salitron

*PRAY for the doctors to know how best to treat and correct her problems

*PRAY for physical strength for David

 

Tuesday afternoon, he and Pastor Rolando will meet the Lemus family again and travel to the capital,  They will spend the night at the mission house before her appointment early tomorrow...it is the "arrive before 6 am and get in line...first come, first seen" appointment.  After all the exams and appointments, they will return to Salitron Wednesday night and David will continue on to Jocotan where the medical team is staying for their return trip to the capital on Thursday. 

Thus the title...

Many miles to go before he sleeps.

 

PRAYER Covering requested

 

 





It's begun...

A new partnership was dedicated between Iglesia Bautista Shalom in Zacapa

 and Iglesia Bautista Shalom Chiquimula and First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, SC. 

 

Pastor Rolando and his wife, Maria Inez - Iglesia Bautista Shalom, Zacapa

Vision Team of FBC, Mt. Pleasant

 

 

Certificate of Partnership

 

Pastor Elfidio and his wife Marcia - Iglesia Bautista Shalom, Chiquimula

Vision Team, Mt. Pleasant, SC

 

What a blessed time it was to share in worship and Biblical challenge to the task before them.

 

In the past month, Pastors Rolando and Fido had visited the adopted areas

of Corral de Piedra and Chancó seeking permission from the aldeas leaders to begin a Bible study. 

A young girl, overhearing their request, offered her family's home. 

So our first visit the next day was to visit this family.

 

 

Dad was away working but we were able to meet with the others.

 

Alicia, their 19 year daughter, shared the family's story.

The father accepted christ about 26 years old after listening to a message on the radio. 

The entire family are believers.  Two older brothers are in the states and are preachers.

She will be married in December to a young pastor and will move to

another village about 4 hours away from Chancó.

 

We all listened attentively as she shared their story and decision to follow Christ.

They walk about an hour each way to attend a church in a different aldea

since there is no evangelical church there.

 

 

After walking up the hill to the school,

 

the team was able to spend some time with the students.

 

Liz and Dr. Charles shared their testimonies.

 

 

The team had brought Spanish Bible story booklets, silly brand bracelets,

stickers and candy to share with the students.

 

The students listended very intently to both testimonies.

I saw one older young man listening very intently to Dr. Charles.

Pray for God's work to bring to take root in these students' lives.

 

 

We were able to visit in three homes and pray for the people.

 

 

We were received warmly at each place and invited to return.

 

This woman is the aunt of Alicia and has cancer.  She has not received Christ.

Alicia and her family pray that she will be healed physically

 but more importantly, that she will be healed spiritually.

One of the team members shared the Bible story of the woman

who was healed by faith after toouching the hem of his garment. 

 

 

In February, FBC, Mt. Pleasant, assisted Iglesia Bautista Canaán with a medical clinic in Nearar.

Now God is opening the door for them to work in these two aldeas, Corral de Piedra and Chancó.

Nearar is on the right of the map and Chancó is on the left..

 

Already their hearts are burdened for this area;

their minds are at work as they consider how God will use them to invest

in the lives of these precious people who need to hear of the saving power of Jesus.

 

The vison team, national leaders and family -- all partners together in the work of Christ.

 

 

 

 

Just like God...

The morning after I wrote the last post, I was reading in one of my devotional books, Streams in the Desert, book 2, and just like God does, He dropped a timely word. Perhaps it is because we live in a foreign country apart from past comfort zones, or perhaps it is because we see these things happening on a daily basis, or because we have walked in places where the evidence of the evil one is very real, but whatever the reason, we are more aware of the need for prayer covering than ever before.  Hear our heart in these words.

The weapons of our warfare are...mighty to the pulling down of strongholds
(2Cor. 10:4)

 

In the Great War in France a strong position had to be taken.  The enemy's lines were so defended by trenches, parapets and barbed wire, that any assault, however determined, by whatever number of men, must have failed.  However brave the attackers might have been, not a man would have reached the enemy's trenches alive.  It was, in fact, quite impossible for the place to be taken by infantry assault.  But the attacking general had collected large numbers of the most powerful artillery, firing the most powerfully explosive shells.  With this excessive strength of massed artillery a continuous fire was kept up for over five hours on the one objective till trenches were blown in, palisades thrown down, and wire entanglements blown to pieces.

Then, when the artillery had done its work, the waiting troops were at last able to go up "every man straight before him," and, with comparatively little loss, to capture the position.  What had been absolutely impossible to them before had been made possible by the sustained fire of the artillery.

I believe this is a most accurate and instructive picture of spiritual warfare.  There are positions of the adversary that cannot be stormed or starved.  There are defenses that are impregnable.  There are obstructions which effectually bar the progess of the most devoted members of God's great missionary army.  Before such can possibly succeed, there is necessary the sustained and continuous fire of the artillery of prayer.  Nothing else will take its place.  Nothing will avail until it has done its work.

Too often, in the absence of prevailing prayer, the assault has to be made without, and precious lives are sacrificed, time is lost, and all efforts are in vain; not because God is unfaithful, or the servant is not devoted, but because the artillery of prayer has been lacking, and no breach has been made in the enemy's defenses.

Northcote Deck, Streams in the Desert, book 2

 

Will you join with us as we make a continuous fire on the strongholds in the Chorti area? 

It is just like God to answer in accordance to our prayers.

 

We have work in

La Cumbre de Nearar

La Iglesia Bautista Canaán, Chimaltenango

Pastor Victoriano Cojti

Pastor Nahum

David and Regina White

Local Believer and Leader Reyes

Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN

 

Beginning work in

Lagunetas

David and Regina White

Chorti Baptist Agriculture Development Project

 

Beginning work in

Chancó

Corral de Piedra

Iglesia Bautista Shalom, Zacapa

Pastor Rolando Cruz

Iglesia Bautista Shalom, Chiquimula

Pastor Elfidio Castillo Arroyo

FBC, Mt. Pleasant, SC