🌎 Cent. America Leadership Training & the Great Commission

Love Letters from the Abeggs:   "…to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May Mercy, Peace, and Love be multiplied to you." (Jude 1:1) Greetings Friends and Partners in the Gospel… It's been a busy summer. Thank you to those who have been praying for our travels and particularly our time with Ministry Partners and missionaries throughout Honduras. Here's a few details as well as a family update: We arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras at dusk, and though we had a local friend  guiding us, navigating the dark streets took hours due to the rolling blackouts  the country is currently suffering.  The next morning we jumped into meetings with GCLA or "Iglesia Gran Comisión Latinoamérica" (Great Commission Church Latin America), a denomination that UWM, and previously Latin America Mission has partnered with on many projects. Over the decades UWM has connected GCLA with other partners in Latin America to develop a theological education system for pastors and leaders, and provide micro-enterprise training in various countries.  As we sat with Pastor Dennis and his wife, we were encouraged at the many ways they, their church and denomination as a whole can benefit from, and contribute to the developing network of Latin Ministries for the "LeadershipTraining Hubs" I shared about a few months back. We're inviting them and other Latin leaders to various Leadership Training Conferences beginning this fall. Please keep each of these participants in your prayers as well as the necessary funding to assist with their international travel. Children's after school program at the GCLA Church in Danli, a town on the "immigration trail" from South America to the US boarder. A significant part of this GCLA Church's efforts are dedicated to displaced families, single mothers and families who's husbands/fathers have "disappeared" after heading North in search of better jobs. Please pray for those working hard to extend God's Kingdom and the Great Comission under challenging situations. Part of our visitations with GCLA included a tour of a bilingual school in San Pedro Sula. Pastor Chavarria and Pastor Lagos introduced us to many of the staff, and explained how whenever possible, new church plants whether in Honduras, throughout Latin America or even in US Spanish speaking populations, are accompanied with a school, a health clinic and at times a basic trade school (carpentry, welding etc.) in order to minister to the physical needs of a community as they grow in the Gospel. In most Central American rural areas, there is a significant lack of education or even a basic hospital. These institutions, developed in conjunction with a Church and worshiping community, are a means to function as the "Body of Christ" in a world suffering the wages of sin on every level. Thank you for your prayers for these projects! Pastor Lagos and Chavarria gave us a tour and introduced us to staff. GCLA churches often start with after-school children's programs that can grow into full-fledged, bilingual schools, broadening the possibilities for children of communities that often have few employment resources. During the following week, Claudia and I were in five different beds over six days, traveling from the very North coast of Honduras to the Southern border with Nicaragua. These days were a blur of meetings with denominations such as PrimeraIglesia Evangelica Reformada (First Evangelical Reformed Church), Amor Viviente (Living Love Church), and various other GCLA churches. Each of these organizations are carrying out church plants in their own unique strengths. With some, it's easy to identify how we can work alongside and connect them with other like-minded churches, both to receive as well as contribute towards Latin church planting, ministry sustainability, pastoral equipping, and education. With others it's often difficult to discern whether an individual pastor ascribes to a doctrine that leans in unhealthy directions (prosperity gospel for instance), or if they simply have never benefited from basic theological training, a common issue for rural pastors. In general, the latter can be quickly improved through the provision of "non-formal training", where pastors do not need to leave their posts but have training come to them. This is becoming a greater reality through UWM Partner organizations like Centro Esdras in Guatemala that take their education to these rural locations, or other partners such as Pro-Meta of Costa Rica provide online theological training around the world. Please pray for this growing endeavor, UWM's networking programs as well as these rural churches and pastors who desire healthier and deeper Biblical training. A few of the scenes as we traveled through Honduras (clockwise): 1) One really large locust!  2) Dinner of yummy papusas! 3) Less than optimal housing in the rural areas. 3) If the loads too heavy, just add more pressure to the tires! 4) Mountain range from San Pedro Sula. 5) Like loading the trucks, there's always room for a few more wires on any pole! Family Update: Nico continues working full-time at Canon Pres in Moscow, Idaho as a videographer and editor for podcasts, interviews, and documentaries. He's done extremely well over the past year as a tropically raised boy muscling through his first winter a stone's throw from Canada. If you're not familiar with Canon, I highly recommend you check out the"Riot and the Dance" nature documentary series which I describe as National Geographic quality from a solid Biblical perspective.  Nico continues to pick up odd jobs on the side including producing 10 interviews with some of the missionaries Claudia and I care for. You can see his work and learn about SETECA Seminary, a UWM partner ministry in Guatemala by visiting Nico's interview with the Corpeño family.   Jeremy is beginning his junior year at New St. Andrews College also in Moscow, ID. Thank you to those who prayed him through the intensive "World Journalism Institute" over the summer with World Magazine, another organization I can't recommend highly enough! After the 2 week intensive Biblical journalism training, Jeremy was offered a paid internship that ran for the rest of the summer! His editors wanted him to continue, but school takes priority. You can see part of his work at https://wng.org/authors/jeremy-abegg-guzman. Please pray: Financial support Claudia and I are so grateful for our intercessors who continue to engage in spiritual warfare and prayer to see His "kingdom come & will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven…".  Your prayers for our for our work are a blessing beyond measure! We're also grateful for those who have chosen to financially support us in our ministry. Please pray for the Lord's provision in the midst of a difficult current workload. Please pray as well and for the Lord's guidance, blessing and encouragement for all of those like you who make up our prayer, financial and relational support teams scattered around the globe! Pray as well: …for Kevin's mom who went on hospice nearly 5 months ago and continues to slowly decline. Pray for peace and God's mercy in this process. …for our financial support including our overall ministry and family needs including college tuition and Jeremy & Nico's work loads into the fall. …for Claudia and my focus as we are pulled in numerous directions throughout the region. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we develop new leadership and advance projects. Join our Team Our work with and through believers in Central America is only possible with your prayer and financial support: Prayer Team: Send us note to let us know you're praying for us, and let us know how we can be praying for you. Financial Support Team: To join or learn more, visit: Abegg Missionary Support Page Give via US Mail: Send a check with accompanying note stating: "For the Abegg Family" to: 205 Regency Executive Park Dr. Suite 430, Charlotte, NC 28217 Give Via Phone: Dial 800-825-5896 and talk to a very helpful person. For past issues of our newsletters and other posts visit our Blog.