| | 
Reminder: November 2010 VBS commitment and team information is due September 15 ... next week! Please email spoythress@newlifelaplata with the necessary information. Please be in prayer for all the missionaries, workers, and children who will participate in this year's VBS. We hope that many hearts are won for Christ and many seeds planted.
Guatemala Pastors Annual Meeting: The annual meeting/conference for all of our pastors, their spouses, and the church's main leaders was in Guatemala was held August 27-28. This year's meeting was really good with 60-70 attending. Three sessions were taught, (1) The Pastor and Leadership, (2) How to Lead VBS and Sunday School, and (3) Church Administration. There were times of worship and sharing and the meeting was a time of renewal, praise, worship, equipping, and learning. We give praise to God for this special time.
Update on Salvador and David: Many of you have asked about Salvador and David. They have both returned to church and are doing as well as can be expected. David has started school and his grandmother takes him each morning and picks him up each afternoon. This is good for him because he is making friends, playing, and keeping busy. Salvador is back at work and that is thankful to have his mom watching and helping so much with David. Your generous donations were enough to provide some groceries and all of David's school uniforms and supplies. Salvador sends his many thanks for this and asks that you continue to pray for him and David. They are sad and still grieving but doing well.
PRAYER REQUEST: The rainy season in Guatemala is proving to be a very bad one this year. Over the weekend, many more mudslides occurred and roads in many parts of Guatemala are closed, including parts of the Pan-Am Highway that our teams use to get to and from the lake area, and also some of the roads we use to Zacapa and Coban. One of the worst mudslides was where we turn off the Pan-Am to go to Poacorral. Reports are that a bus and two cars are buried under this mudslide. As is the custom in Guatemala, when something like this happens, men from the nearby villages race to the slide site and start shoveling to try to get to the people as soon as possible and even if no one is reported to be under the slide, they will begin trying to clear the roads because they need the big trucks to have access to bring in supplies and also to take out any produce that is headed for sale at market. The men were shoveling at this particular site and another slide happened, killing many of the men who were helping with the rescue. Word was sent out to all volunteer fire departments that urgent help was needed at this slide. Pastor Pascual from our church in Poacorral called Pastor Luis to tell him that at least 4 men from his church were killed while trying to help rescue others. The President of Guatemala flew to this mudslide site. A third slide occurred and he ordered all rescue efforts to stop until the rains stop and there is less danger of the mountain sliding yet again. He also ordered that the Pan-Am Highway be closed until authorities give the word that the mudslides are no longer in danger of happening. The crews that have been working on the roads and clean up efforts have been fighting mudslide after mudslide since Agatha came through in May. With the severe rainy season, fears are raging that more mudslides will happen between now and the end of October when rainy season usually ends. The worst part of rainy season is usually the month of October. The ground everywhere is already so saturated more mudslides are actually more probable than possible. Please keep our Guatemalan brothers and sisters lifted in prayer. Many lives have already been lost, not just in areas of clean-up, but of people in their homes when slides happened. Flooding is, of course, another issue that is causing many problems, loss of homes, property, and lives. We do not always understand why but we know from The Bible that God is in control and that He is Sovereign. Proverbs 3:5 tells us Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. We must trust God through the good and the bad because He has a plan and only He knows what is best.
Serving Christ with you,
Sarah, for Pastor Luis Martinez
More Great News to Share! -- August 20, 2010
It is so wonderful to be able to share more good news with you! Our second class has graduated from the Guatemala Bible Institute Program (FLET)! The class of 11 students participated in a special graduation ceremony held at Iglesia Adonai in Guatemala City. God is so good to have touched the hearts of these individuals and then provide for their studies. Like the other class, these students have completed 2 years of diligent study and are now better equipped to begin preaching and leading Bible studies in churches. What a blessing!
Now, I want to ask you to pray about the possibility of giving a contribution to help the next classes to begin. For US$150 per student, you can help provide resources for the next class. We have 42 individuals who have come to us saying they feel God calling them to go into Christian service for Him. Please pray with us that God will provide the funds to put these students through the FLET program. You may send your tax-deductible donations to:
IMPACTO
Luis Martinez Spanish Ministries
9690 Shepherds Creek Place
La Plata MD 20646
indicate on the memo line: FLET
Thank you for all that you have done to help in equipping the saints!
Serving Christ with you,
Luis Martinez
August 20, 2010
Celebrate with us!
I am so happy to share the wonderful news with you of our first 12 students graduation from the Guatemala Bible Institute Program (FLET)! It is a major accomplishment for these 12 individuals and after 2 years of study and hard work, tonight they will graduate in a special ceremony in our church in San Jorge, Zacapa. Pastor Carlos will bring the message for the evening. God blessed Impacto with donations so that we have been able to supply students with the resources to complete this course of study. Now, these 12 are better equipped to begin preaching. We look forward to what God has in store for this fine group as they lead congregations and reach souls for the Kingdom. Please rejoice with us, give praise and thanks to God for both providing the funds, for calling the students to take the classes, and for each teacher involved. We feel particularly blessed today!
Our deepest thanks to those of you who made it possible through your donations to provide the resources for these students! Who knows how many souls will be touched because you cared enough to help.
Serving Christ with you,
Pastor Luis
August 3, 2010
NEEDED: Short Term Mission Teams for Construction and other Ministries!
PRAISES
Coban has a new church building!
Poacorral has a new church building!
Another preaching point has been added in the Lake Atitlan area!
First FLET students to graduate!
PRAYER REQUESTS
PROMISED LAND: If you are interested in providing resources and a construction team, please let us know spoythress@newlifelaplata.org.
2010 NOVEMBER VBS: Pray that funds will be raised, teams will commit, and souls will be won for the Kingdom!
1,000 Plan: Commitments from 1,000 families/individuals/churches/groups to give $20 per month for at least 1 year. This money would be used to support crusades and other evangelistic efforts.
Crusades: Pastor Luis wants to have teams go with him to help with crusades, especially teams that could provide music…a choir willing to learn hymns and specials in Spanish and then sing for the crusades. Teams would also help with outreach during afternoons prior to crusades, inviting people to the crusade. If teams could provide a children’s ministry during the afteroons it would also be wonderful…clowns, puppets, etc.
Build Houses: $1,300 is the amount needed to build each house in the lake area. $1,500 is the amount needed to build each house in Zacapa. Many houses are needed in both areas!
Church Plants: The Guatemala Board would like to plant new churches in all the villages around Lake Atitlan, and in other areas of Guatemala. Please pray that God will provide both financial resources and pastors.
Pastors' Fund: Impacto has set up a Pastor's Fund for those wishing to make donations that will be distributed to the Pastors of our Guatemala churches. These men work for God without a salary. Their commitment is inspiring. Impacto will be tithing from its general fund to this and we hope to see it grow in order to help with some of the pastors' needs. If you would like to donate to this effort, please earmark your donations, Pastor's Fund.
Children's Christmas Festival: If you are interested in helping to provide funds for the Children’s Christmas Festival, you may send donations to the Impacto Office and designate: Children’s Christmas on memo line. A Christmas celebration for the children of the lake churches, the children of Iglesia Adonai, and the children of the church in Zacapa, plus a Christmas Basket for each pastor. In order to provide a small nutrition meal and food baskets for the pastors, we will need around $500-$800. All donations toward this will be greatly appreciated. Plans are to have a Christmas tree, tell the children the Christmas story so they will know the real reason for Christmas, have a snack, and give them a small toy. Many, many thanks to those who have sent beanie babies, blankets, matchbox cars, school supplies, and other small toys. It may be the only gift a child receives for Christmas and we pray that it may be used as the seed planted to lead them to the saving grace and love of Christ.
Musical Instruments Needed: If anyone has used brass instruments, guitars, or accordions, there is a huge need for them in the churches in Guatemala. Please pray with us that God will provide.
We ask that you pray about how you can partner with us to help meet the needs listed above. If you can send a contribution, please make your check out to IMPACTO and mail it to
IMPACTO
Luis Martinez Spanish Ministries
9690 Shepherds Creek Place
La Plata, MD 20646
If you wish to designate your contribution, you may do so on the memo line. Also pray that God would stir hearts to provide resources and bring teams to help with the many construction projects needed.
We ask that you remember the Impacto team and ministry in your prayers. God bless each of you and thank you for your support.
If you want to send a team or have Pastor Luis come to your church, please let us know and we'll work out a date!
Contact: spoythress@newlifelaplata.org
| |
