My apologies for taking so long to get an update to everyone.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!
There and Back Again: The Dominican Republic...
Rick and Becky Mackey have been assisting and equipping numerous rural churches around the Jarabacoa area of the DR for many years now. You’ve read about them in previous news letters as their team began to grow in the fall with the addition of Gil and Danna Leon, only to have the Leon’s need to return to the US for Gil to receive treatment due to a cerebral parasite. Treatment is continuing, and we continue to intercede on his and the family’s behalf as we await a solid prognosis and the ability to lay future plans. Please join us in these prayers!
During our 6 day trip we spent a lot of time reviewing years of ministry in the region, the victories and challenges the Macky’s have faced along the way, and the significant “next steps” in the coming year as their team grows. We visited churches and ministry sights around Jarabacoa, some doing well while others wrestling with everything from no power (the electrical line from the street was stolen from the “El Montaña” church the day of the Bible study we attended), to internal and denominational strife. On that item, the Church today, in any country, is not so different from what we see in the book of Acts. Check it out and rejoice that God is patient and faithful with us all!
Please pray for the Macky’s and that their growing team would be encouragers and equippers. Often the pastors of these rural churches have little more than an elementary school education, and often care for a congregation where many cannot read, making “Bible Study” a challenge, and personal discipleship a necessity in order to strengthen the church.
Please pray for the Macky’s and that their growing team would be encouragers and equippers. Often the pastors of these rural churches have little more than an elementary school education, and often care for a congregation where many cannot read, making “Bible Study” a challenge, and personal discipleship a necessity in order to strengthen the church.
Please pray for a unified Gospel centered vision and Gospel message amongst (and sometimes within) the various denominations working in the region, and repentance where needed.
Continue to pray for the Mackey family who had anticipated having the Leons working alongside them at this point, but Gil Leon's illness (cerebral parasite) forced them to return to the US for treatment. Please continue praying for Gil and Danna as they move ahead with treatment at the National Institute for Health. Praise the Lord that they’ve been accepted to the program free of charge, but please continue interceding for his full healing.
Human Trafficking in Central and South America
Like so much of Central America, the Dominican Republic is subject to the horrors of Human Trafficking. There are a few organizations making inroads and working to educate, but often, unfortunately, bring a US paradigm into a country that simply does not have the resources of the US. As we’ve connected with national ministries, I’m convinced that as with evangelism and church planting, we need to COME ALONG SIDE existing ministries and further equip them. Pray for wisdom as we do so.
Claudia and I are excited to have a friend from church, Sasha Montenegro, starting an internship with us to assist in this very area of research, and helping connect existing Central American organizations to provide contextualized assistance to our partner ministries in need of anti-trafficking training. As much as Claudia and I would love to do the “hands on” training, we’re realizing that the breadth of responsibilities God has given us requires us to equip others and send them out. Please pray for Sasha and others like her as they engage this need with a Great Comission mindset.
FAMILY
So I turned 50 in April...yeah, that happened. However, that's just one day older than when I was 49, and one day closer to living forever. If you'd like clarification on that whole living forever thing (and some encouragement) check out my post from a few years back: Turning 48...
Nico turned 14 one week after my birthday, so we are fully entrenched with two teenagers in the house, and actually... it's an immense blessing to be able to engage with both of them in a mature way on topics that were previously beyond them. Claudia and I are truly blessed! That's not to say they don't have their moments, like the day Nico sliced his finger open just as Claudia and I returned home from visiting missionaries from Cuba!
Jeremy (15) has started the S.A.T. gauntlet and through much of Claudia's research we're starting to consider what colleges (and scholarships) he'll be shooting for. For those who have gone before us, you know that's a BIG prayer request!
Jeremy (15) has started the S.A.T. gauntlet and through much of Claudia's research we're starting to consider what colleges (and scholarships) he'll be shooting for. For those who have gone before us, you know that's a BIG prayer request!
Pray for Claudia and I as it’s taken a long time to catch up physically and work-wise after our Dominican Republic trip, and now we're on the cusp of our next. I’m prayerfully combating a feeling of being overwhelmed. Pray for discernment in where and how to apply my time. It’s not a bad situation in that we love what we’re doing, but the to do list is so full we want to make sure our priorities are in alignment with the Holy Spirit's.
Again, Thank You for your Love, Support and Encouragement. We Truly couldn't do this without you!
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