The construction of the new church facility is going well. The steel for the sanctuary rafters was purchased before the end of 2007 and subsequent price increases. Thank you for your prayers and contributions. The cement roof over the educational wing has been poured. According to our calculations, approximately 123 tons of concrete was mixed and lifted 10 feet up into the air, pail by pail, to cover an area of 1,402 sq. ft. This was completed over the period of three mornings. Thank you Winnipeg Evangelical Free Church (MB), Cy-Fair Christian Community Church (TX), Southside (WA), and Centro Cristiano (Cofradia) for your help. An additional praise item is that the 8 year old boy who was helping pass back empty pails was unharmed after falling off the roof and landing bottom first into a plastic 45 gallon drum.
Luis F., the Cora Indian boy mentioned in our last newsletter, got his lab results back. Much to the surprise of everyone involved, his tumor was not malignant. He does have serious damage to his knee, but physical therapy is going well thanks, in part, to a much loved and well used donated bicycle. Please continue to pray for Luis’ healing.
Juan, the boy who was abandoned in the local hospital for over a month with a broken leg, also got his much need surgery after his grandmother showed up to sign for him days after we sent out our last newsletter. Thank you for praying for Juan.
Pastor Gregorio’s wife, Matilde, was diagnosed with a tumor in her uterus. It has been removed, and they are awaiting the lab results. Mati was very nervous about her operation. As they were about to wheel her into the operating room, she overheard the surgeon ask one of the nurses if they had her blood type on hand. The nurse confirmed that they did, but later came back to announce that indeed they did not. The doctor was upset about the oversight, but announced to all that they would just have to risk it. Praise God the operation went without incident and the tumor was given to Pastor Gregorio in an old jam jar so that he could take it in to a lab for analysis. Our Cofradia pastor and his wife have asked for your prayers. Would you please continue to pray for them?
Luis V. spends 7 months of every year working in the tobacco fields of North Carolina. It was there that he first gave his life to the Lord. The remaining 5 months of the year are spent with his family in a village east of Cofradia called Santa Fe. Luis ‘walked the Christian walk’ while living in the U.S., but returned each year to live a ‘worldly life’ in Santa Fe. At times, he would preach to his unsaved wife, but when she would ask for permission to attend church in Cofradia, the answer was always no. Several months later, and only after much pleading, Luis finally gave permission to his family to attend church. Our truck picked them up Sunday morning and, much to Luis’ horror, drove right through the middle of town. Everyone saw them and knew where they were going. Too embarrassed to get back into the truck the following Sunday, Luis sent his family ahead and came to church by himself on his bicycle. This continued for months…
Today, Luis V. and his wife do regular visitation in the towns of Santa Fe and Paso Real. In fact, Luis is often the driver of our truck that goes out to pick up people for church each Sunday. To God be the glory!
Jonathan’s Corner:
Jonathan and his friend have been driving motorcycle to the river to swim. Often, other boys go along on their bicycles. As a mother, I try to warn Jonathan of all possible dangers, “Watch for cars! Stay together! Don’t fight in the water!” What warnings would you give? The other day, some older boys went on ahead of Jonathan. As they rode, they came across a bag of used disposable diapers. Being boys, they hid in the bushes until Jonathan and his friend came by on the motorcycle at which point they started bombing Jonathan with the diapers. I didn’t mind so much about the diapers, but I was concerned that Jonathan might have gotten distracted, jerk the handle bars, and wipe out on the asphalt highway. So, I guess the warning I should have given was, “And don’t get distracted by dirty diapers flying towards you!”