Let me start by apologizing for being so tardy with this update. The guest missionary season has officially begun and with the large groups, 50+/- this past week, we have been running long hours with little time for our usual pursuits.
We were blessed this past month to deliver tooth brushes and toothpaste sent by Dr. Ryan Roberson, DDS, to a school who desperately needed them and who asked for them some time ago. Ryan answered the request promptly but the container was very slow in getting here. Thanks, Ryan.
We were blessed by the visit of Paula Vercher for about a week. She jumped in and went along with whatever craziness there was in store as we traveled all over, showed her the work we do here and had her help us prepare for the upcoming groups. It was special for us in that she is the first non-group friend to come and visit us here in Nicaragua.
We also had a bit of a reversal from what we normally see here as three women made a commitment to Christ through water baptism. We see quite a few baptisms around here, but they are usually Nicaraguans. We were blessed to be a part of a spiritual renewal of these ladies from Castle Rock, CO who were here helping us serve the Nicaraguans. Praise God!
We continue to hold eye glass clinics and have competed vision screening of city employees at the Jinotega City Hall, the National Police station in Jinotega, and a home for children who live in Jinotega during the week to attend the deaf education program here. We were visited recently by a family SIGHT has been helping. Their daughter is a six-year-old who has had three eye surgeries to correct cataracts and glaucoma. She will receive her new glasses this week, and although they carry a heavy prescription, she will be able to see clearly. Misión Para Cristo and SIGHT were the tools God used through your generosity to restore this child's sight.
We are working on procuring some specialized eye exam equipment that is designed to travel. Our old table top equipment is taking a beating, but is better than nothing. If you have contacts with any service organizations, especially Lions International, we would like help making contact with them.
We hosted a very unique children's day here in Jinotega. We have many schools that do not have any area to play. For instance, Santa Inés is built between a deep ravine and a highway. The children literally have only feet to play and that area is dangerous. So we bused in about 100 children from three different schools and entertained them with Bible stories and provided activities as part of the national Children's Day holiday. It was a blast and the visitors from Highway Church in Judsonia, AR and Fort Worth Christian High School made it a success.
Thanks to Lori Esch, a PE teacher at Georgetown's Mitchell Elementary, and Narce Flores from Kaufman ISD who have gathered end-of-year school supplies to send to us. Lori has offered to haul these supplies to Abilene for the next container this month or next. If you have items to send please contact her at eschl3314@gmail.com. Thank you all for this special kind of support for the students of our schools here.
This week we welcome medical students from Texas Tech, along with Olive Branch Ministries, also based in Lubbock, who will work in six communities in the form of mobile medical brigades. There will be about 45 visitors. Additionally, we will have 24 or so translators, 10-to-12 MPC staff members and about 15 preachers who will help in this effort. That means moving, feeding and placing about 100 people daily. It is a truly awesome opportunity to touch the lives of many and impact their physical and spiritual health.
The residency and adoption process continues. We have all the documents in place with the exception of one and are hoping and praying that we can get it accomplished without an expensive trip back to the United States. Please pray for the resolution of this final document issue and the prompt progress of these processes.
While you are praying, MPC is looking at a new opportunity that would include a program for children of direct, specific and specialized support in the developmental areas of spiritual, physical, socio-emotional and mental. This is a project of which I would be asked to take the direct leadership. Those of you who know me know this is near and dear to heart.
Finally, Sheila and I have been taking turns battling minor flu and stomach maladies the last couple weeks. Nothing major or really anything that is taking us out of the game, but not dealing with it would be far better. Pray for health.
Finally, we are allowed to be here doing what we do because of you. That is not something we take lightly, nor forget. We think of you often and praise God that we have you on our side and as a prayer warrior, financial supporter, or both. We anxiously await the opportunity for some of you to visit with us soon and see what it is we are doing here in person.
Until then,
Jonathan and Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think?