September 2015 Praise & Prayer Letter

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  –Matt. 11: 28-30

The passage from Matthew 11 seems appropriate for several reasons and it applies to all of the ministries, outreaches, and projects (the new camp in middle Chile) we are blessed to be a part of.  There seem to be so many reasons for being “weary and burdened”–including being burdened from living one’s Christian life as a list of “requirements of the law”, to being weary from carrying one’s “own load” instead of being able to give it to God, to living under the control of a certain sin.  God favors and responds to the weak and weary who come to him through Jesus, as opposed to the arrogant person who rejects his help preferring to face life alone, and Jesus PROMISES to give us rest.  His yoke can only help us, as it does the animals that pull carts and/or plows.

Jack and Todd (Kepschull) did the morning devotional at the Casa del Alfarero (House of the Potter) live-in Christian drug center, and both his testimony and scripture were a solid encouragement for the men.  Please keep praying for them, giving thanks that they would seek restoration and rest.  Todd is visiting from our supporting church in Vero Beach, FL.  Feeling God’s call into full-time missionary service, he is with us for 10 days to see what we do and to experience Chilean culture.  Please join us in giving God thanks for how He prepares us all to serve him in unique, specific ways.  Todd also accompanied Jack to the annual retreat/conference of the pastors of the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in Chile the last weekend of August.  It was an excellent time of good topics, renewed relationships and mutual prayer & encouragement.

An important event over the weekend of September 4-6 to pray for is the Marriage Encounter of the Metropolitan Christian Church.  Held twice a year, the Encounter is very effective as a positive influence toward re-grounding one’s marriage in God.  We have invited a couple to this weekend’s encounter and hope that they can attend.  The invited couples participate without cost, and then are able in future encounters to invite new couples themselves.

Our Foundation papers continue in process and our attorney still expects final approval soon.  A couple hopeful of becoming our first set of house parents in receiving young children anew are set to live on our mission property starting this November.  With both of these steps in place we will be able to begin receiving children in 2016.  Please pray with us, as we know that God is in charge.  So many laws regarding the care of children continue to change in Chile, as do the laws governing hours that people can work.

Millarai is due back in Santiago the 21^st of Sept. for blood tests and doctor appointments.  We pray for her continued health, with no new or active cancer to battle.  We also give thanks for our trip to the new camp property in central Chile last month with Roberto and Romina, the couple who we hope will lead and coordinate “day camps” there this coming January and February.  We pray for the cooperation of the municipal officials and the several volunteers needed to successfully offer the day camps.

                 Pastors’ retreat             Todd giving devotional          Roberto & Romina

Thanks to those who prayed for Charlotte Barkley of the Persecuted Church Ministry in August.  Not only did the needed funds for the sending of the second much-needed container of food and other supplies to the Congo come in, but she is now in Africa visiting and encouraging churches and ministries in various countries over a period of two months.  Safety is nothing to take for granted in those areas and countries she travels in, as war, killings, and violence are common.  The church in many parts in Africa is persecuted.

Praising, praying, and fasting with you in our Give Us Rest Jesus,

Jack & Janine