Introducing Siembra S.O.W.'s Website

Siembra S.O.W. is still going strong. In Peru, the ministry continues under the leadership of Carmen, while in the Dominican Republic, it grows under the leadership of Luis and Adeline, the founders of the ministry.

A website has finally been created for this ministry (about time!) and information on Siembra S.O.W. can now be found at http://www.siembra-sow.com

Please check it out!!

design and photography by adelineohvelarde. Copyright Reserved.

New Update

Carmen, who took over the reigns of Siembra S.O.W. in Lima, Peru has been giving me so many amazing testimonies of what's been happening with the women on the streets of Lima and she has finally found a church and pastor who is willing to work with the women and who will also give her the freedom to teach and counsel them the way she had been doing (without hammering the Word over their heads) and to teach others to do the same.

 He is so excited for his church to work with the women that Carmen has had to tell him to slow down, slow down so as not to scare away the women with all the ideas and courses his church has. This is a long time dream come true. What a mighty God we serve

So, I Lied.....

So I lied. I had said in my previous blog post that it would be the last until we move to the DR. 

But. 

I can't just leave it hanging. So, here's another post. 

Siembra S.O.W. is now in the very capable hands of Carmen, one of our team members.  I am no longer the president legally as she now is. We will still keep Siembra S.O.W.'s Facebook page going and whatever she writes in Spanish, I will translate so that those who have been following Siembra since its formation will still be able to read about how it's going. Carmen has shown that she has a heart after the Father and a heart for the untouchables on the streets. Since she's agreed to take on the role of the president of this ministry, she has been going with gusto, taking over from where we left off, dealing with the new board members, the accountant, would-be volunteers, etc. I'm now in the middle of teaching her and another member from the ministry a course that I have just taken that uses the imagery of the butterfly along with a lot of the Word for setting women free. It's called Love UnVeiled.  

Having Carmen take over the reins of the ministry confirmed that God wants to keep it going. For a while, I wasn't sure if God wanted it to go on when we leave but He confirmed it in many ways and I'm glad that it will go on, that what started out as a very tiny seed will now keep growing to become a tree that will give shelter to many (Mark 4:31-32). That was the verse that God had given me as the verse for this ministry when I started it and it will one day come to pass. 

Our documents for our resident visa for the DR are all finally in, and so far, the DR Embassy hasn't sent us an email saying that something needs to be fixed, so it's all go and we're just waiting for them to let us know when it's approved. This is as much as I want to talk about the paperwork, it's just too much drama and angst....

Luis has been studying through a free online seminary since sometime last year and can dedicate more time to it now that we're not running around so much. When he's not studying, reading or washing the dishes (house rule; if one cooks, the other washes and since he prefers that I cook, he washes. :-)), he can be found watching all Star Trek re-runs. 

I've been using this time away from ministry to write and also to immerse myself in the blogging community, something I never had the time for before, nor knew existed to the extent that it exists. It's been a source of learning, encouragement, strength and even conviction for me to be able to read and communicate with others all around the world who walk out their faith in their daily lives, whatever that may look like and be real. Too bad I'm only 8 years late on finding it. 

This is where we are at right now, during this transition. Your prayers as always, are very much appreciated, as is any financial support for the short or long term. For those who have walked with us and will keep walking with us, a heartfelt thank you from the both of us. You have no idea how much every bit helps and how much we appreciate it. 

Please feel free to contact us through email, facebook inbox or comments on our blogs. We would appreciate hearing from you and keeping in contact as well as praying for you if you would like us to. 



Much love,

Adeline & Luis









write

Burnout

I need a break. I've been feeling it in my body and knowing that I need a break from doing ministry, from counseling, from helping people in general. This might sound really bad but I need this time to rest up and to just stop immersing myself in the culture and start to do things that people might perhaps think that I shouldn't because I'm indulging myself, but I know I need to. Because I feel as if I'm losing my sanity. And I need to rest up before I move to another country and do more ministry. 

I just read up on missionary burnout and I'm seeing myself in it, so this will be my last post about ministry in this country of Peru.

I am going to take a break. I'm going to just be living and enjoying life and just rest up without feeling the weight of obligation or responsibility upon my shoulders for this short time until we move in March/April. 

I know I can write without guilt that I have done all I can while I was here. Spoken what I had to say. Shared the Word, taught the Word, counseled, gave materially and done what I sensed God tell me to do to show His love. But I am not their Saviour and only God can work in their hearts if they let Him. 

I know I gave 99% of me. Perhaps others could have given more, but it was my 99%.

And now, if you will excuse me, I will rest. I must rest. I will give myself permission to rest. 

I can still be found on my personal blog, just click on the button, "Adeline's Blog" on the right hand side of this blog and it will take you there. 

Till later,

Adeline

Free Will

 Throughout the course of our living here in this area of Lima, I've spoken to, counseled and shared Jesus with 2 girls at the park where we take our dogs. You read about one of them in my last blog entry. She decided to choose death. 

Since then, I've been going over and over in my head what I had actually shared with her when I met her, checking to see if it had been sufficient, if I had shared Jesus with her or not. Suicide is so selfish and its ripples go really far. It affected me and I had met her only once and it made me wonder if I was at fault for not doing enough. 

But I know I did what I could at that time and a little after. I'm learning that I can lead a person to the living waters of Jesus but it is up to them to want to drink from it. 

Free will.

This story is about the 2nd girl. She asked Jesus into her life the very first meeting at the park. I text  messaged her at Christmas and exchanged greetings but then never heard from her until a week ago. The first time, she had been really depressed and had asked God to send someone or an angel to talk to her. Guess who God sent. She was so in awe that God answered her prayer literally. But even though she received Jesus into her life that night, she wasn't ready to be discipled or go to church.

The second time around, she cried out to God to bring someone to talk to her to counsel her in doing things the right way. God is so funny. He coordinated that night for me and hubby to walk the dogs super late to meet up with her as she was entering the park. We talked for an hour while poor hubby and the dogs sat around, hungry. She wanted to meet  me again and I told her I would bring her a bible. 

Yesterday, we met and I started teaching her key verses from the bible about her identity and what Jesus had done for her and basically, at the end of it, I very directly said that she knows what some of the promises of God says about her and it depended on her what she does with the information. It could sit in her mind and never be used or she could believe it in her heart and walk in it. She decided to go to church with us tonight.

Her verdict after church tonight? "This is not like a Catholic church at all! It's like one big concert!" She decided she wants to go again. She's planning to go tomorrow night for the young adults meeting and I will meet her again next Tuesday at the park.

One chose death. The other chooses life. 

We all have a choice. 

AG, You Were Loved So Very Much

Today was a hard day for Luis and I. We got a call a few days ago from a mom whose daughter I had met in a park close to our home last April/May. The girl was sitting on a park bench and as I walked near her, the Lord kept telling me to talk to her. I was walking one of the dogs and as I kept walking our dog back and forth while checking with the Lord to see if He had indeed told me to talk to her, I heard a definite confirmation. So, I went and asked if I could sit next to her. She said yes and as I sat down next to her, I asked her if she was okay. 

She told me her story. It was the usual for a young girl; boyfriend problems. She was 20 and she had been going out with a guy who didn't value her and didn't treat her like she should be treated. So, she had broken up with him. But now, she desperately wanted to get back together with him but wasn't sure if she should because she wasn't sure if he would treat her like he did before and in the meantime, he was calling her to get back together. 

I told her that she was created by God for a purpose and that she had a lot of value by God's standards and didn't need to allow anyone to treat her less than how much God valued her. I told her about how Jesus gave her value through what He did for her on the cross. That was the gist of our conversation but it was longer than that; she talked, I listened, etc. We exchanged phone numbers and I told her she could call me anytime to talk. She was studying at the culinary institute right by the park and it would not be difficult to meet. 

For a little while we texted back and forth and then one day, I asked how things were and got the cold shoulder. I figured she was back with her boyfriend and didn't want me to say anything, so I backed off and never called her again. 

Then, one day last week, I got a call from her mom on my cell phone. She told us that her daughter had passed on and that she wanted to talk to me. We agreed to meet. 

We met today; her parents and Luis and I. 

They told me that on the 23rd of December, she had left the house after receiving a call and then  returned around 7pm. She declined to eat dinner with her family and said she wanted to go rest. Her dad went up to check on her later and there was no answer. He broke the door down and found her dead. They needed answers as to what her motives were. They thought that she might have gone to meet me that afternoon and had spoken to me and I might have known something.  

I told them how we had met, in what I had counseled her and that after a few text messages, had no more contact with her. They told us that all had been well with her and the boyfriend lately and that there was no reason at all as to why she had done what she did.

We asked specific questions and God was so awesome in giving us words of knowledge and wisdom and some issues from the past surfaced that they had not seen before. It didn't change what had happened, but it gave them some peace and closure. God also led us to counsel them to not blame themselves for what had happened and to allow themselves to grieve and not try to be strong and hold it all in. We told them they could call anytime to talk if they wanted to and we would listen. 

What the enemy intends for evil, God will turn around for good. Luis and I are praying that through this tragedy, the parents will give their lives to Jesus and come to know Him in a real and tangible way. We are praying that if the Lord wills, another opportunity to listen to them will open up and along with that, the opportunity to share Jesus with them. 

Please pray with us on that. 

The girl was 20. She had a bright future ahead of her. She was loved but she could not believe that she was worthy. She died believing in a lie. 

If you are reading this and you are thinking that you have no worth, that because of something that happened to you, you cannot ever move on or be loved, please know that that is a lie from the enemy who wants to destroy you. If you think your problems are too much for you to bear and that death is the only way out, please know that the enemy wants to kill you. You have much worth and you were created for a purpose by God who loves you with an immense love. He has a future for you and because of that, He sent His Son, Jesus to die on the cross for you and to take upon Himself all of the things you have done wrong and all of your sickness. He died and rose again to give you and abundant life and to make you whole. He died so you can live. You don't have to carry your pain, hurts and wounds on your own shoulders anymore. Jesus wants to take it from you so that you can go forward towards the future and purpose that He has for you. He has given you life. Not death. 

Will you choose Jesus and life today? 
If you will, then say the prayer below in your own words or as is written, but mean it from your heart. He can only change us if we give Him permission to.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I know that you are the Son of God and I know that I have done things that did not please you. I ask you to please forgive me for all that I have done against you. I give you my life and invite you into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. I choose to follow you and I ask you to please heal my body and my heart of sickness and hurts so that I can be made whole to receive, live and enjoy the life that you have given me through your death and resurrection. Thank you Jesus for all that you did for me. In your name, I pray, amen.

If you had prayed this prayer, please write me a comment below.

 I would love to hear from you. 

Transition

We are in transition. The ministry and us. We have known for a while that the Lord was sending us out of Peru. We just didn't know exactly when. Or where. So we left it to the Lord to reveal it to us in His time and continued to work in the ministry. Then the Lord narrowed the time down to early this year, 2013. We kept praying about the where and kept working in the ministry. 

Eventually, the Dominican Republic kept getting highlighted. And the town of Sosua. Apart from the fact that Sosua was originally settled by Jews and even has a Messianic Congregation, Sosua is also known for something else. It is the 4th ranked place in the world for prostitution tourism. 

We kept checking into it to see how we could be of use there and we found a ministry that works specifically with exploited peoples there, namely children and prostitutes through schools, churches and other means. We wrote to them and laid it at the Lord's feet. He would open the doors if this was what He wanted us to do and where He wanted us to go. We received a reply from the organization and wrote back. Soon, we were corresponding with the director of this ministry. Our future roles with this organization will be as program manager for the women's ministry and program manager for the community (walking alongside the pastors of the community who are being helped by this organization to reach their communities).

To make a long story short, we are now in the process of getting a residential visa for the DR and this consist of harrowing and endless running back and forth from one end of this city to the other. The Lord has been dealing with how I react to all of this and I am truly learning to let it slide, let it slide and look for the things around me that make me smile. It is not easy. Our projected time for moving to the DR is March, 2013. As of yet, depending on how quickly we can get the visa, we are unable to pinpoint an exact date. 

Siembra S.O.W. will be handed over to Carmen, our team member and we are in the process of praying and looking for either a church, missionaries or people with the same heart for this ministry to walk with her. All of the people we had been discipling are going to church and continue to walk with the Lord. We continue to go down to the streets and talk to the women (we had been unable to find the guys for a long time) and pray that those who have received the Lord will now want to get out, start to walk in Him and seek a future for themselves. Those who want to leave the streets will now be discipled by Carmen. This fullfils the vision of handing over the ministry to a local to continue with it. I have always believed that as a missionary, my job is not to take over but to raise up, teach and then step back to let the locals lead their own people.

I keep in contact with the women in the prison through Dalila, a servant of Christ who serves the women by teaching them bible study and by scanning their letters and emailing it to their friends and family. In this way, I am able to connect with the women, no matter where I am. Even through a lot of hardship, they have thrived. The ones I had been concerned about have thrived under adversity. It always amazes me that when Christians come under persecution, they thrive more and grow deeper. So it has been with the three women; Birgitte, Bose and Rosana. They have been holding their own time of bible study and worship when no groups were allowed in to hold formal bible studies and worship. I am not sure if formal bible studies are in place yet in this new prison that they're in but they're getting the Word from Dalila and also amongst themselves. 

I will continue to write this blog for Siembra S.O.W. until we leave and God willing, will continue writing a different blog about what God is doing with us and through us in the Dominican Republic. And as I receive information from Carmen, I will also update the Siembra S.O.W. blog. 

Prayers are coveted for the area of:

•  our paperwork, for God's favour upon it; 
• provision for our move and for when we are in the DR; 
• a house there that fits our needs and budget;
•  someone to help Carmen with the ministry here as well as all those whom you have been praying for in this blog. 
• provision for Siembra S.O.W.

God bless. 

A Recap of 2012

As 2012 comes to a close, I reflect on all that has happened this year and give thanks to the Lord of Harvest. For this ministry, it has been a year of harvest, of seeing God's hand in everything, of seeing the purpose of what He has called us to do. 

This ministry has never been easy, it's a ministry that needs a lot of patience, love and persistence. Looking back, I am awed by the faithfulness of my God. He taught me what it meant to plant a seed and to be patient while I kept watering it. How many times, like a curious impatient child did I want to dig beneath the earth just to see what was happening with the seed that was planted. How many times did I wonder if it was even alive, let alone, growing. And then,  in His timing, things started to happen. 

I must say that He broke all of my plans. Every one of them. He told me what He wanted me to do and I did it, but impatient daughter that I am, I started planning ahead and beyond what He had said to do in my own logic and that of this society's. I started thinking along the lines of what others have done, what is logical to do based on what this culture expected. God smashed them to pieces and shut several doors. I was left with the unorthodox and doing what others had not done before. We were also doing this alone with a couple of other people because most churches would not touch this type of ministry with a 20 foot pole. 

Our van became an office to disciple and counsel. As did other local cafes and we quickly found that all the places we had "accidentally" chosen were run by believers. So, not only were we doing ministry but also helping out their businesses. Unplanned bible studies sprouted in homes of the people we counseled. We even used playgrounds and parks. God showed us that we are the church, not any building and that ministry happens wherever and whenever. And we could still share and teach the Word even if we are sitting next to a rather huge pitbull like dog on a couch.

We saw how God worked and moved in hearts that were so hardened and hurt to transform them into flesh so that they could love again. Friendships were forged with people we never would have thought we would ever come to meet, let alone know. Trust was build. And people came to know the Lord and started living. 

I look back at 2012 and I am grateful. So grateful for this chance to have done what we have been able to do. So grateful because we have been so privileged to do all this on such a grassroots level. So grateful because He showed us His hand and how marvellous He is. So grateful for the lives who came to Him. So grateful for the people who walked with us in this ministry. The seed that was planted did take root and sprout leaves. Like the verse God gave me for this ministry, Mark 4:31,32 , God willing, it will grow to be a large tree to give shelter to many one day. 

This ministry is beyond us. It's not about us. The seed that has been planted will keep growing whether we are still here or not. It is all about Him. We do what He asks, and He will be faithful to accomplish that which He has said He will do. 

2012 has been extraordinary. 

One Woman

We received a call from JP's mom today after a long while. She had moved along with her husband and three younger children to a piece of  property that they had bought which is a testimony all by itself. Her moving there  became the excuse for two of her sons to return to their past vices on the streets, JP being one of them. This happened about 2 months back. 

If every person who decided to follow Jesus trusted Him and held onto Him like this woman does, this world would be transformed in an instant. She met Jesus at the lowest point in her life; the relationship between her husband and her was colder than icebergs in the Arctic Ocean; her kids except the youngest were rude and disobedient; her three oldest sons had been in drugs, with two of them still on drugs and she was at her wits end. She didn't know how to deal with it and the only way she knew how was to yell and nag which didn't help any. She had been at the point of walking away from all of them to start a new life for herself. Then she gave her life to Jesus. 

And something beautiful began. Her heart of stone started to become a heart of flesh. She started to react differently and stepped into her authority as a parent over her children. She went to church and gave herself completely over to Jesus and really trusted and held onto HIm with all she had. She learned that the bible says that Jesus is her husband so she took Him at His Word. She learned that the bible says that God is her father who will never fail her. She took Him at His Word. She learned to forgive past hurts and ask for forgiveness. She cultivated her relationship with Jesus daily and it grew and blossomed. And her faith in Him deepened.

Her greatest dream right now is to see her entire family worship the Lord together. She stands on Acts 16:31"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved AND your house". All her house in 6 short months have come to know the Lord except her husband. And her younger sons have changed. They're polite and obedient. Her husband has changed his attitude towards her and now seeks her out to share his day and to spend time with her. She told him that her dream is to see them all go to church and worship the Lord together. He told her that it won't be long before that dream comes true. And three days ago, JP returned home from living out on the streets. 

One woman. Holding onto God with all she had, believing that what He says is true because the alternative is not an option. One woman. Believing in her identity as a daughter of the Most High God and walking out her Kingdom heritage. One woman. Changing the atmosphere around her because of her simple, childlike faith. One simple, ordinary woman walking hand in hand with her immensely extraordinary God to see the supernatural happen in the natural. 

I'm not making any of this up. My husband and I were and are still very privileged to walk with her and her family to see God's hand in all of this and how the faith of this woman is bringing a real change to her family. 

A heart fully surrendered to the Lord without fear is truly an amazing thing. 

Talking Nice

Sometimes we have to be hard to be kind. Sometimes we have to stop mollycoddling so that people can grow and start taking responsibility for themselves. Oftentimes we don't do that. We think we have to be all "Christian-like" and be all gooshy smooshy and let people do what they shouldn't do because we think that is showing them that we are Christlike. 

Sin kills. Sometimes we water down the part that says the wages of sin is death. Sometimes we want to gloss over it and pretend that it really doesn't kill. I see the result of that verse. The wages of sin is death and too many play with it, like a child plays with matches and lights them without weighing the consequences. Can we say then, that we are like children? Oblivious to the dangers? Some of us, perhaps. Not all. Many of us know that we flirt with death and we play the game of Russian Roulette thinking that it will not touch us. And when it does, it's too late. 

Whoa, you might say. Girl, you're supposed to talk NICE. You're supposed to be dishing out how everyone is valued and loved. What is all this talk about sin? Sin tells us we're doing something bad. I don't want to hear that. I want to hear the good parts. 

The good part is this: Dude, we're all going down cos we're all doing something bad (yes, that thing called sin!) and yes, we were all created with a purpose in our lives. But, we ain't gonna get to our purpose or accomplish it if we keep on going down the wrong road doing the wrong things. The good part is that we can all get cleaned. Our bad record can be erased from the archives of the CIA and FBI on high. How? We need to believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. 

Cool, I done that, you can say. But I still like my badness, I still like my crack. My coke. My friends do it, girl, I gotta hang with my homies, ya know. Yeah man, selling my body ain't that bad either cos it's easy and I get fast cash. So, you say, the wages of sin is death? It don't apply to me, girl. I got there Jesus man in my life now. 

Dude, there's something called C-O-N-S-Q-U-E-N-C-E-S. Jesus will keep cleaning you up, will keep forgiving you. But what you keep on doing, the badness, that thing called sin; that will bring consequences upon yourself. You can O.D. Guess what, that means you die. Or you get AIDS, or you get beaten to death by some pusher or john. 

You got Jesus in your life. That's a great decision. 

Now, turn from the sin. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Dude, you have to take the initiative. You have to stop sinning. And turn towards Jesus. Completely. Because, the wages of sin is death and you know what bro? 

The devil is out to rob, kill and destroy you and yours. And he will succeed because unless you turn away from sinning, you are giving him total access to do what he wants to do in your life.

If you die, you will never have accomplished your purpose. 

If you are constantly returning to prostitution or drugs, you will never accomplish your purpose. 

The wages of sin is death. 

Dude, I'm talking nice. Because I want you to choose life. 

Nothing Stays The Same Forever

It was only a matter of time. Darkness always needs to feed off itself to grow. And it was no exception here. In the world of vice, there are no friends. There are companions who will play at being friends when all is convenient but when the tide turns, beware the ides of march....

"Et tu Brute?" asked Julius Caesar to Brutus as his friend stabbed him. The women who work the streets have long told me they are friends, that they stick together. That was one of the main reasons EM kept going down to work from time to time; she said she missed the chatter and the friendship. Last week, so-called friendship went out the window when two women had a fight and one cut the other in the face. The good things that resulted from this are 1) the violence has caused the store owners to have the cops come and constantly get the women off the streets so that when we went down last Monday, there was not one woman in sight. 2) EM is sufficiently scared now to not go down anymore and to start going to church. On the other side of town, another woman who work the streets asked Jesus into her life. 

Nothing stays the same forever and that's no exception with JP's family. His mom bought her piece of land and moved the family. JP did not want to go as that would mean he had to leave behind his friends so he opted to go back to living on the streets and his old life. He had actually been clean for two weeks after a long lapse back into drugs. Meanwhile, his older brother who lives with his girlfriend and his child tried to manipulate their mother to make her stay close to him and not move by threatening to go back to doing drugs. He has also returned to the streets, and his old life. 

There comes a point when we have to let go. People are offered choices, options and a way out and it depends on them what they choose to do. We have offered everyone we have come into contact with, the same message, the same love, the same offer of time for them, the same help. Some, like JP's mom and aunt, have grown and keep wanting to grow in the Lord and move in faith. Some, like EM want to change and move forward but still need to have their hand held and be pushed forward a little. And some, like JP and his brother, want changes without them having to make any changes for themselves. 

For those who are now going to church and growing, we let them go so that they can grow more.  

For those who have returned to their old lives, we let them go because they have chosen their paths after knowing the truth. 

For the ones we are still walking with, we hold them lightly, ready to let them take flight and go when they are ready to fly.

We may not be able to help some of them anymore but the only one thing we are certain is that God will never leave them nor abandon them. 

Didn't Get To Say Goodbye

Kinda freaking out a little. Ok, maybe more than a little. I found out today that the foreign women at the jail that I counsel and teach got transferred to a new facility north of Lima. The opposite end of where we are. I did get to spend time with another inmate while I was at the "old" prison and she gave her life to the Lord and I'm just all over the moon on that. She's 62. Details on my FB status today. It's all good right?

Well, yes to the woman who gave her life to Jesus but the other part, not so good. Been doing research on the prison where they took the women to. A blog called Prisoners Abroad filled in missing gaps for me about what happened to the women. I got details from the other inmates at the old prison but half the time you never know if what you're hearing is the straight version or the slightly exaggerated one. Seems like I got the real version all round. The blog stated that the women were moved at 2am in the morning one day and some left with nothing as their clothes were still out on the line. Some lost their bags en route. It confirmed that the women have to fight for drinking water at the new facility. They're locked in their cells 24/7 and have no workshops to go to and nothing to do. I know, I know, it's a prison. They're not supposed to wander around free. But that's what they had before. They could attend workshops and learn as well as read and fill their time doing something useful that they can sell. They could encourage each other and pray for one another which was what the women I know were doing. And now, they're locked up in a cell all day long.

I know I have taught them hardcore faith. I have not held back from them nor patted them on the backs in the times when their emotions had gotten the better of them. I have drilled into their heads the need to know the bible just in case it ever gets taken away from them. Taught them they need to lean and stand on the Word as nothing before and to praise and worship and give thanks to the Lord even when everything around them is bleak and they don't feel like it. Taught them to see beyond the now and to know that this too shall pass and one day they will get out and that their lives have a purpose. Showed them that nothing is impossible with God and that He is bigger than the circumstances around them. I know that some of them were already training themselves. I am just concerned for one. And knowing that they have no contact with each other now means it's really a test like no other of their faith; to rely and depend only on God. Not their friends to pray with or encourage them, not their family, not their emotions, not anything that they knew before.

But even as I am concerned about one particular woman, I know her Father is more concerned and is holding her close. She has Him. And He will not leave her and He loves her more than anyone ever can. So with that, I will leave her in His hands, and know that He will take care of her. I have no idea if I will even see them again. We are trying to find out when visiting hours are there and if it's feasible for me to visit them even if it's once a month. But the consolation I get is that we will see each other in heaven even if I never see them here again.

 Bose, Birgitte and Rosana need your prayers in the new prison as well as Heila the one who became a Christian today. They need our prayers now more than ever.

Just Like Pizza

We were recently privileged to be able to help out with an organization away from here that works with exploited peoples; one of them being women who work the streets. It was so much  worse than what we confront here, one main difference being that a majority of the women there do not choose to be on the streets. Some have been trafficked, some tricked into it by family members or partners, some as young as nine years old. So many of them beautiful, with so much seemingly ahead of them. Their behaviour and speech demonstrated an outward normalcy towards us but their eyes reflected a tiredness, a deadness; in some, a hardness. In others, a desperation. 

Men book all inclusive vacations here with a twist. They book according to various personal specifications and delivery of girls to the doorstep is also included in some all inclusive vacations. Just like pizza. You order what you want and it can get delivered to your door if you so choose. Only that this is not pizza, or chinese food or an inanimate object. These are lives, countless lives trapped and enslaved by others who choose to make a living from them and use them. Broken lives, lost hope, trapped in a living death. I find it so hard to understand the perverse minds that can do this. But then, I realize that those perverse minds are also just as lost, used not only to enslave others but themselves as well so that all traces and semblances of their humanity are lost.

Yet, there is a beacon of light that shines within this perverse and sordid darkness. A small local church  that dares to defy convention along with a group of people who have chosen to follow Psalm 82 to rescue the exploited from the wicked quietly reach out to the ones who believe that they have no hope. We were amazed at how many women came to the weekly "get-together with sandwiches and munchies" gathering at the church. The first meeting they had, 25 women went. We were there for the second meeting and about 35 showed up, most of them, women who had gone the previous week. One woman even brought her boyfriend to get prayed for. Some showed up with children and babies. A small group of us had gone out a few minutes before the meeting started to invite women to come and it absolutely amazed me to find that it was not that hard to have the ladies come. I spoke to one lady to invite her and she immediately said, "Ok" even though she was sitting at a bar awaiting clients. We started walking towards the church and then she felt uncomfortable in her shorts and said she wanted to change. I told her the church people would accept her the way she is and more importantly Jesus accepts her the way she is but she was adamant she was not going to church in shorts so while I waited, she changed.

When we got back to the church with some ladies whom we had invited, there were already about ten women there from the previous week. After introductions, they broke off into small groups to listen to the Word. As one person from the group and I placed food on the plates, my husband served as a waiter. I realized later on how his servant heart and attitude probably impacted the women in a way that no other woman can. While the men the ladies of the streets knew used and exploited them, here was a man who didn't know them, serving them as a waiter and treating them with respect and dignity peppered with a little humour to break the ice. Here was one man amongst many other Godly men who did not see them as something like pizza but saw them as women with much worth. There was another man whose actions reflected how much he loves Jesus. It was a man from this small church who rode his motorcycle to invite and bring the women back to the church. He was like a lifeboat out in the open seas, rescuing each drowning person and bringing them to shore one by one and at times two by two on his motorcycle. To him, these women's lives were more important than his reputation or what other people might think of him. 

These women are reaching, grasping for a way out. And there is a way out, only one way. Jesus. Only He can set them free, wash them clean, make them new, transform their mindsets and heal their broken hearts, help them forgive and walk forward into the purpose and future He has for them. Only He can show them the value and worth they have in Him when they choose to receive Him and give their lives to Him.  

Some of us cannot be out on the mission field physically to serve. But we can all pray and we can all sow financial seeds. If this has touched you, please pray for these enslaved women and men as well as for the ones we have been walking with listed in previous blogs on this blogsite. If you choose to give financially as well, please contact us for details. 

Thank you.

Know The Truth And It Shall Set You Free

I'm physically tired. Been needing a night guard (bruxism guard) for a while as I grind my teeth while sleeping and I haven't changed my night guard for about 6 years and half of the acrylic has been eaten off by me and now, I'm feeling the consequences of that. My next appointment with the dentist is on Friday and I'm really praying he has it all ready for me because with excessive grinding, my TMJ tightens up and I end up with headaches throughout the day. And yes, that gets me tired, on top of the various things that's been happening.

One thing that really impacts me more and more is how the social economic classes here in Peru are so marked. Mentalities and ways of thinking are so extreme, it's absolutely crazy to me to try to comprehend how it's possible that one section of society can be so well educated and cultured and the other section completely the opposite. During sessions of counseling and discipling, I realized that the lower economic class had the erroneous thinking of what constitutes being a part of the higher economic class and one of them is that legal marriage is only for the rich. The poor co-habit. They don't even realize it's a sin. The other is, if you're born in the slums, you belong to the slums and you do not try to get out of there because you'd better not think that you are better than your family and your peers and you find someone to marry within the same social class. 

With the same erroneous thinking and habits handed down from generations to generations as well as accepting behaviours that are unacceptable, the lower economic class have formed a culture all of their own, creating their own truths and beliefs that can only be transformed by the constant washing of the Word of God and a lot of patience. We have found ourselves teaching parents how to parent, to not just hit out of anger and impatience but to discipline, instruct and educate their children with consistent correction, love and affirmation. We have had to teach the children and the parents that it's not acceptable to hit each other; the children their parents and vice versa; that it's not okay for children to get what they want all the time just because they have temper tantrums. We are constantly teaching the adults and children about the magic words. No one in the lower economic classes know what they are nor how to use them. 

One of the little girls whose mom we are teaching the Word of God to is learning how to use the magic words and her mom proudly tells me that she's using them quite a bit. I'm proud of her. We also tell her and her mom that they're beautiful and that they can achieve greater things than what they think they're limited to. Today, we counseled a young couple and we're doing discipling/marriage counseling with them. It somehow evolved that way. After listening to them today, I asked if they used the magic words while asking each other to do stuff. They both stopped in mid-sentence and stared at me, as if there truly were "magic" words. I had to explain that those words are "please" and "thank you". And they're learning, bit by bit, to ask for forgiveness, to affirm someone, to learn to take responsibility and admit fault. It's a huge step.

Parents learn from their parents who learned from their grandparents and even though each generation talks about abuse, lack of love, rejection, etc, and holding onto resentment that their parents did not treat them well, they themselves have never attempted to try to break the chain. And so it keeps going on. When we told one mother that if a child is left undisciplined and allowed to do whatever he/she pleased and never learned the consequences to his/her behaviour because the parents constantly cover up for him/her; when the child grows up, they will think they can break the law, cheat on their spouse, abandon their kids, do drugs, etc because every time they had done something unacceptable when young, it was allowed and they had never been taught it was wrong, she was absolutely shocked. She said she had no idea that there was a correlation between disciplining kids, teaching them to obey and be kind, loving and to share and not be selfish to how they would turn out eventually as adults. 

Lack of education. Ignorance. The Word says, "My people perish for lack of knowledge." It is so true. Generations after generations stagnate; live in cycles of pain, trauma and abuse, impeded by wrong mindsets and a lack of knowledge. We have to keep reminding them every time we see them of who they are in Christ. It is easy for them to spout off John 1:12 but it is another thing for them to believe it in their minds and hearts so that it becomes the pivotal point on which they think from. I recently used the real life story of Prince William marrying Kate Middleton, a commoner not of royal blood, to help one of our friends understand who she is. She had no idea who they are but she was absolutely amazed that a prince could marry a commoner. We constantly have to wash their mindsets with the truth of the Word of God. 

It takes patience. Even she said that to us, "You guys really have a lot of patience with me."  We tell her that we want her to realize that God is very patient with her and if we can show it a little through how we are with her, then it is our hope that she can understand how much more patient, understanding and loving He is towards her. We recently asked her who God is to her. Her answer showed us that she was taking heed, learning and absorbing the Word of God. We couldn't be happier. If it takes only one person to be completely transformed by the Word of God to be able to break the lies of the enemy in the mindsets of generations, 

It is worth it. 

The Way of God

A few things are on my mind today. First, I should follow through with what I had mentioned in my FB post about the testimony of the women in prison. They're literally taking the Lord at His Word (the way God likes it!) and seeing Him come through with His promises. One woman who shows herself to be super tough told me that she had had a molar extracted the day before. And in her signature way of speaking, she said," And you know, I was so afraid of pain, I know I look tough and I'm big but I really don't like the pain, and so I told Jesus that He had to go with me to the dentist, He had to be there to take the pain away because I don't like the pain. And you know, He took our pain and sickness and sin on the cross 2000 years ago, so I knew He would take my pain on Himself. That's why I wanted Him to come with me. And you know what? I could hear them making horrible, horrible sounds in taking out my tooth and pushing and pulling and then it was over. And you know what, (she smiles really wide) there was no pain." Another huge smile. And me, being the doubting Thomas (because I've had all 4 wisdom teeth out and used to work in a dental office) asked, "So what happened after the anaesthetic wore off?" She smiled again. "No pain. There was no pain," she gestured widely with her hands. "There was no pain because Jesus was there and He took my pain from me and onto Himself." Then she looks at me like, so, which part of this didn't you get? No pain means no pain. Doubting Thomas reared up again, "So, what about today?" I asked. "Did it hurt today?" Again there was that look on her face of, so why are you in here teaching us the Word when you don't understand simple English?  "There is no pain. The hole is closed up. I'm just taking antibiotics because I have to for 5 days. But there is no pain. No hole."  Forgive me Jesus for doubting that You can take our pain upon Your shoulders. This same woman is awaiting amnesty from the President and she is at peace waiting. She was told recently by her embassy that the money for her flight ticket back to her native country is already there, anonymously donated and specifically for her. And her embassy will issue her a 24 hour passport the moment she is pardoned so she can just fly home. She just applied for amnesty last week and doesn't even know if they will grant her that. But God has already taken cared of the rest ahead of time. 

 The other woman who was with us is reflecting Jesus so much that she is constantly getting prayer requests from the other inmates in her cell and outside of it. Her love for Jesus is so evident
that the other inmates seek her out before they have to go for their hearings and sentencings and after prayer, they go with peace and joy in their hearts and when they get back to the prison, they still have that peace in their hearts and all they say to her is, "I have peace because you prayed for me." She is learning Spanish now so she can better pray and share Jesus with her cell mates. These women truly show faith in the Word of God. They know the Bible is true and so they believe it literally. And God is showing them that He too, holds His Word at its literal value and honors it. I just love going to the prison because these women really encourage me so much.

We are watching God's miracle unfold in the lives of JP's family members. Meanwhile, JP is resentful towards us and won't talk to us because he has the erroneous idea that love means you never discipline or tell someone off when they're making an idiot of themselves. The last time we saw him before he completely took off for the streets and lived there for a week, we drew attention to many things he didn't want to deal with in his life. He has since returned home, told his aunt and brother that he really seriously wants to change and last we heard, is now going to church and cell group meetings with an older brother who is a believer. Meanwhile, his mom is walking strong in the Lord and has risen up, taken on her role as the matriarch of the home and is using her authority along with the Word to get all her kids in line. When we were there last week to disciple her and the 3 youngest sons, we walked into the living room and were faced with 10 family members including JP, all waiting to hear the Word. That night, another one of JP's older brothers broke down weeping and repented of his drug addiction. We started discipling and counseling him and his live in girlfriend the very next day. I spoke to him today and he is clinging onto the Word and fighting to stay on the right track. Meanwhile, JP still won't talk to us. But it's ok as long as he is going to church and hearing the Word because that is what will transform his way of thinking and later, his habits. We will not stop loving him or praying for him, regardless.

We have moved on to new territory in terms of the street women. I believe we were in the old area for a purpose, to reach EM and she continues to be discipled on a weekly basis. She was telling me the last time I saw her that her spouse would like counseling too and would like to speak to my husband, Luchin. That's how God works, with families!!! Anyway, the women we had been bringing the Word to over there have totally closed us out and now we're in a different area with really tough women. Last week, being the first day in the new area was a little scary because I wasn't sure how we were going to even start talking to them. They made the other women we had been talking to before look like the Ingalls girls from Little House on the Prairie. But we prayed. And tonight, we managed to have a conversation with 2 of them. Coarse jokes, vulgarity, all of that. (Not on our part, we just listened politely) However, sprinkled softly in between the exterior of coarseness, toughness and vulgarity, like tiny petals softly floating down in the breeze through heavy smog and pollution were bits of softness, sadness, wistfulness and pain. It was a breakthrough. And so we will keep praying, for their hearts to be softened and yielded to listen to and receive the Word when we start to sow it. And for us to have God's wisdom, strategy and discernment on how to speak, what to speak and when to speak it.

Working with street women in Lima is not easy. Mostly being that the majority of the women standing at street corners all chose to be there. I haven't met a single woman who hasn't chosen to be there and I'm learning that the reason is not about them not being able to get a real job. It's because this profession is easy, with minimal work and most of them don't like the discipline and rules of a regular job. A few do it to support a drug habit. And also, for some of them, it has become an addiction in itself. Many of them have been at it for years and years and not one of them have any savings to show for it. They will say that they make oodles of money so it seems like that's why they're there but when you start talking with them, the truth starts to show and the truth is, they really don't make that much. EM earns more as a housekeeper now than when she worked at the streets. But it's hard for her to adjust to it because she doesn't like the discipline of working a real job with defined hours and having a boss. Granted, if the women let you dig deep enough, the psychological aspect of why they're there on the streets start to show. And I believe that for a majority of them, the psychological aspect is that they don't believe that they are capable of doing anything else. That is why they need the Word of God as it is the only thing that can transform lives. 

It renews the mind and way of thinking so that we start to see ourselves the way God sees us. And when we do, it frees us from the lies we believe of ourselves so that we actually realize that we have value, a purpose and that we are absolutely adored. And when someone realizes how much they are valued and loved, they can reach limits and heights they never thought was possible before.

JP

When God called me to do this ministry and I said yes, I didn't know how much of my heart I had to give away. I didn't know how much it would hurt. How a huge chunk of me grieves because one teenager decides to turn his back on everything and everyone to return to the garbage. It's not about all the time invested or money. I will never regret that. I would spend as much time and money needed just to have him come back home. But I know it's not the money or time or force that will bring him back home. I know he has to hit his rock bottom and realize that he desperately needs God to save him. He has to let go of his pride and not just admit that from his lips but from the depths of his heart. He has to let the God he invited into his life on May 1, 2012 become the only burning desire in his heart, nothing else. But he is not there yet.


So I, my husband, along with the rest of this teen's family can only stand aside and watch and grieve and pray like never before. Trusting that the God who loves us so much and who hurts even more than we do, will work in this teen's heart like nothing else can and that this encounter with ultimate love will break his heart and pride. Trusting that the Word sown into him will not return void.


Not by might, not by power, but by MY SPIRIT saith the Lord. So through tears and a broken heart that continues to hold onto and trusts in the power of my God and King, I claim this, I pray this as well as other verses for this one child of the living God. And we will not stop praying until he decides to return. 


Please help us pray for JP.

Old Faces

I had been praying for a long time to at least know what's happened to so many of the guys we hadn't seen for so long. Luis Enrique, Jose Luis, Luis Gustavo, Henry and his girlfriend Jessica, to name a few. Well, we ran into Jessica and Henry tonight with their 3 kids, all looking good. Henry's working at a cleaning company and Jessica has stopped hanging out on the streets. They gave us the lowdown on Luis Gustavo and Jose Luis. 


Jose Luis was the kid we had taken to the hospital to get his wrist set and then to a rehab centre in which he lasted only 5 days. The last time we saw him, months ago, he was back on the streets,  the cast on his wrist prematurely off. And the last time we heard about him, he was heavily drinking. He is now in a rehab centre again, voluntarily. Luchin found out the directions on how to get there so we can go visit him this week sometime. 


Luis Gustavo, Henry's brother, had checked himself into a rehab centre after the Word hit him hard. He spent some time in the centre but is out now and I'm not sure about the details but he now wants his mom to send him to a centre without an open door policy. I am praying that we get to talk to him before he convinces his mom to do that as the majority of private rehab centres here charge a lot of money and treat the patients horribly. In any case, the fact that Luis Gustavo is seeking help is really good. 


It was good to find out about these whom we hadn't seen for so long. I keep wondering about Luis Enrique, and praying that he has returned to the Lord and that he is working and is being a proud dad. It scares me to think of the alternative.


We need prayer for :


- provision. 
- JP who left home last week without telling anyone and is working as a bus conductor. He had been slipping into his old habits and we need lots of prayer for him please.
- EM who is walking with the Lord and needs provision as well as strength and faith to keep walking the narrow road; her kids and their dad to know the Lord and to learn to be a real dad.
-SP who just received the Lord an started her first discipling session with me last week. Pray for her to find a job and persevere in kicking old habits and addiction.
-Felicita, JP's mom who is hungry to know more about Jesus.
-Ytalo, Jean Paul and Arturo; JP's younger brothers who are all coming to church with us along with their mom to give their lives to the Lord and to follow Him.
-Luis Gustavo, Luis Enrique and Jose Luis.


The Word doesn't return void. Seeds of the Word have been sown into all of the ones mentioned above and for so long we saw nothing. The fact that we are hearing now that they want to change for the better and are seeking help to change makes me realize once again that it's not by might, nor by power but by His spirit that people's hearts are touched and changed.

Not Too Short

It says in the bible that God's arm is not too short to save. I used to gloss over that verse wondering why in the world would the Lord use the allegory of an arm. I knew it meant that God is able to save anyone. I guess I'm a little slow on the uptake but I finally saw the arm allegory as an arm extended to rescue someone in dire straits; like a drowning person or a person half falling off a bridge or building. An arm, strong and with a hugely tight grip holding with surety onto the arm that we extend to Him. His arm is not too short (will extend as much as is needed) to save (rescue us from death). I claim this verse for the ones I work with and their families.

Learned to let go a bit. Had to trust the Lord that He loves His kids more than any one of us could and stepped back a little.

JP had been slipping back, lying to everyone and mostly himself. Scared us all so many times not returning home some nights. But what the enemy intends for evil God will turn around for good and in this case, the situation brought us closer to his mom. And she ended up going to church with us...and loved it....and decided on the way home that night that she wanted Jesus in her life and so she asked Him into her life. We got her a bible, and she asked if she could take JP's younger brothers to church too. They all went to church with us last Sunday. I believe this week the whole family's going to go to church again. Perhaps, God had us know JP so that He could reach his family. But I also know God loves JP so much and that He won't give up on Him. All we can do is pray and love him and be there for him. God's arm is not too short to save.

EM has had some pretty hard stuff thrown at her lately but she's persevering and going forward. The Word keeps her strong and as long as she stays in it, she is fine and unafraid. She needs prayer to keep her focus on the Lord and His Word and to trust that He is her provider. We keep walking with her, teaching her, loving her and praying for her. God will never leave her nor abandon her.

Out on the streets this week, two women told me they needed to find jobs to get out from what they're doing on the streets. One of them, not because she wants to change but because her boyfriend gave her an ultimatum. But all the same, we are helping her in that area. The other has seen the change in EM and told me she wants to change and get a job. We talked about change and the only real change is through Jesus. She decided she wanted to know Him and asked Him into her heart. We start discipling on Wednesday and she also wants to go to church with us. God's arm is not too short to save.

The foreign women at the prison really balance it all out for me. They make the sometimes 2 hour line up wait to get into the prison and the humiliation of the body search every week worth it. They love the Lord, and they hold on to Him and have their hope in Him. Some more than others but they do encourage each other and as it is, they are pretty honest with each other and hold each other accountable. It's also cool to see that some of them have giftings that God is cultivating and God is already using them to reach out to the other women in the prison.

God is faithful. We are seeing Him move in ways we never thought of, seeing Him touch people we didn't know we were supposed to share the Word with, showing us that this ministry He has called us to is not just about street guys and women but their families as well and beyond. We are amazed at how He has opened doors for us to be involved with the families of these dear ones whom we are walking with.

I am just privileged and honored that He would consider me for this work. And so grateful that He gave me an awesome husband who loves people so much. The harvest is white, the people out there are searching, seeking to fill empty spaces in their hearts and they're filling it with everything but Jesus.

Will you believe that God's arm is not too short to save and share His story and who He is with the people around you? You only need to show up. God will give you words and wisdom  and do the rest Himself.

Will you?

Not By Might, Not By Power But By His Spirit

One soul is worth it all. And if we hit the streets just so one life can be transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ, then it's worth it. However, I know I want more than one. I want them all to be transformed, to be freed from the chains that bind them, to live a life in abundance. I want more than one. And Ephesians 3:20 says that He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us. And John 14:14 says that I may ask Him for anything in His name and He will do it. My God doesn't lie. I will ask and I expect to receive more than I have asked for. 


What seems impossible to man is not to my God. El Gibhor. Mighty God. With Him, all things are possible. More than one. I believe that they will return to their Father, all the prodigals, all their hearts will be turned back to their Father. We will keep building them in the Word, we will not stop, we will sow the Word and He will do the impossible. He is El Gibhor.


I met up with EM on Saturday. I pray that one day she will travel the world to share her testimony of how her God got her out of the muck and mire and placed her feet on His solid rock. She struggles, struggles to go to work because it takes her away from her children and there is no one for her to talk to there. Yet every time when she wakes up and doesn't feel like going and sees her two kids, and all she wants is to stay home and be with them, she decides to go because she recognizes that this is what will help her get ahead. The tears poured down her cheeks as she shared this. She gets calls from the other women on the street asking her to go and join them. Yet, she keeps holding onto the Word of God and praying for strength to be able to go to her regular work every day. She has rejected the other women's invitation to go back to the streets to work even though she hasn't any money as she hasn't completed her month of employment yet and hasn't been paid. I asked her how she has been feeding her kids if she hadn't any money and she said, "Funny how when I don't go to the streets, the money comes somehow. My mom decided to give me money as she said I had been the one supporting her before, so now, she will help me out." Another time she decided against going to the streets to work and her kids' godparent showed up to visit and took them all out to eat. 


I told her that's how God is. He's in the business of providing for His kids. When we walk right with Him, the blessings come. 


On the other hand, with JM, God keeps reminding me that it's not by might, not by power but by His spirit that levels mountains into plains. JM has been working as a motortaxi driver, driving his family's motortaxi with their permission. The unfortunate thing is that he has been in contact with his old friends through working the motortaxi route and he's sinking back into his old lifestyle. He's in denial, trying to convince all that he is in control. We can only pray and trust God for him and keep being there for him, knowing that God loves him more than we do and that His Word doesn't return void. It's not easy watching JM sink, but he has to want to surrender completely to God because in his own strength, he won't be able to change his own life. 


The women in the prison are so hungry for the Word of God. What amazes me is that they don't even care about what I bring in for them, the cookies or the muffins and fruit. They have me sit down and then they just talk about and want me to talk about God. They can't wait to share about what God has been doing all week long, what they've learned, etc. I come out of there so encouraged and blessed by these women. 


Your continued prayers, support and encouragement are very much appreciated. EM, JM, the women in prison and the guys and women on the streets really need us to pray for them even if they don't realize it. Thank you so much for caring and standing alongside us.

Faithful God

I am thankful that God is in control and loves us more than we could love each other. Honestly, if I didn't have that knowledge, I would be constantly in a state every time I didn't hear from one of two we're discipling. Funny how when you walk with someone so closely through all their ups and downs, help them get up and go on and cheer with them when they take steps of victory, they get into your heart somehow. And the first time you don't hear from them, especially since they've just come off the streets, your heart hits the floor and you start to pray like crazy for God's protection over them and everything else. That's when you know they're not just people you're teaching the Word to. That's when you know they've become people you care and love so much that you're willing to hit the streets to look for them should they not return home. That's when you know you would do anything to help them get back up and keep fighting, even fend off a bear. That's when you know they've gotten into your heart. 


I remember the first time JP left home after he had gotten off the streets. Luchin and I went to look for him and Luchin even disguised himself should JP try to run and hide from us. I remember once when we saw him on the streets at night and we followed him and how my heart just took a nosedive to the ground wondering if he had returned to old habits. Through it all, we've prayed hard for him, kept telling him how proud we are of him, reminded him of and highlighted every tiny accomplishment in the face of great temptations and a few stumbles, told him we love him and we never think badly of him, and generally been a thorn at his side. And through it all, I would have been a complete basket case had not my so amazing God kept reminding me that He loves JP more than Luchin and I ever could. That has sustained us and helped us release him into the Lord. We pray constantly for him knowing that God will work all things out for good for JP as he asks the Lord every day to help him overcome. We are seeing how this young man is starting to think in a different way. Starting to learn responsibility, integrity and patience. We are seeing how he really wants to change his life around and struggles against temptation. We see how he perseveres and fights against his emotions to do what is right. We are very proud of him. But we know that even as we are proud of him, his heavenly Father is prouder still. 


EM is also making us so proud of her. She has struggled with erroneous thoughts and beliefs, but with the Word of God, she is learning to overcome. I wasn't able to contact her at all all last week and wondered what had happened. She has a new job that she had said yes to when she saw it as an opportunity to get off the streets and I knew we couldn't meet as often as we had before but not hearing from her scared me. But she called and we got to meet and listening to her just made me want to cry. She said she almost quit her new job twice because it called for regular hours and it was kinda boring as she works as a domestic help. But then she talked to her sister who encouraged her to stay and she got a hold of the Word because she knew that she had to overcome her feelings as this job is a blessing from God and she needed His reassurance and strength to stay. I was so proud of her when she said that. It showed that she was now not just acting by impulse and emotions. She is also learning new things as her employer teaches her and instead of saying, "I can't", she keeps declaring Phillipians 4:13 over and over while she learns. At the end of our meeting, she told me her hours and how much she earns which are excellent. Aside from that, her employer is going to add her on a medical insurance plan. No one does that for domestic help here! God is so blessing EM's socks off!


God is so good and faithful. I have also started to go to the Women's Prison to minister to a small group of foreign women and it is a joy to be with them as they are truly a fun group. It is a huge blessing for me to be able to minister the Word in English after such a long while. 


We appreciate your prayers more than you know. So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May the Lord guard and keep you, may He shine His face upon you.