I think I’ve hit a new record on time between blogs…I’m sorry! I’ve wanted to sit down several times and send out an update, as my last one told of many changes, but until now I’ve still been adjusting to being back and trying to allow the Spirit to fill my planner (which if you know me at all is hard for me to do because I’m pretty good at doing it myself!)
Coming back and not continuing the program made for a hard few weeks, especially when I’d go and visit the families and they’d ask about it, or I’d go to the pavilion and see all of our supplies, or Massiel, Jordan, and Ernestina (the teachers that helped us) would ask about it because they so badly wanted to teach again. But, I’m happy to say that all of the families have found other schools in their neighborhood to send their children (they aren’t Christian or free, so it still tugs on my heart to do as much as possible to get the school open, but it’s education nonetheless!) As of last week Massiel and Jordan were offered teaching jobs (1st and 3rd grade) at a Catholic school in town and came with me to the pavilion last Thursday to get supplies they needed for their classroom. So, the things that were challenges in the beginning, God is blessing to make His faithfulness that much more apparent.
Jordan will be teaching 3rd grade and Massiel, 1st grade
Another great thing that has come from the change – I’m able to do ministry with other people from El Puente, like Saturday sports, supporting the soccer league, discipleship classes/bible studies, kids bible studies…
Saturday sports is a ministry every Saturday morning that Scott and Jennifer Esposito started last year after having an incredible showing at an event they did called Pitch, Hit, and Run. It attracts youth and kids from the Pantanal neighborhood to come out, play baseball, and hear a message each week. I’ve enjoyed playing soccer or wiffleball with the little ones!
The soccer league I mentioned is an incredible ministry that God is blessing immensely. It’s a locally run league that has provided Pantanal youth the opportunity to play soccer for years, but this year was on the verge of having to end due to the property they played on being sold. Some members of the El Puente staff were approached several months ago about it and were asked if the property we have in Pantanal could be used for the league. After several months of planning and organizing a deal was made that they could use the field if they would allow local pastors to share a message each game day and the teams that wanted to practice would attend a discipleship class after their practice. An agreement was made and as of January 18, the league started!
For the last 6 months or so several guys from the El Puente staff have been discipling a couple of the teams and the fruits of that are tremendous! Their wives/girlfriends have since asked to start a discipleship class, which we’ve done for the last 3 weeks and has been really great! A day of weddings has been scheduled for March 2 for 4 of the soccer team members to marry the girlfriends they’ve been living with or have a child with. Four of the girlfriends just accepted Christ last week and several want to be baptized! God is moving in these people’s hearts and it’s incredible to be apart of the fire that’s catching in the people of Pantanal!
Another piece of my time is that team season in quickly approaching, which means interns are inquiring and starting to make plans for their summer. With my experience on both sides of interning and year-round ministry, I’ve decided to help with organizing the intern program for El Puente. I’m really excited about that as two of my small group girls from Denver K-Life have applied and made plans to be interns for a month this year! I love to see how God is connecting all of my worlds and blessing me with the pieces of each world when I need them the most.
Hopefully it won’t be over a month before the next time you hear from me again, but know that God is doing amazing things through you’re prayers and support and I appreciate it all so very much. I hope this finds everyone well and your 2014 has started off wonderfully!
Until next time…
Much love!
