Prison

Jesus said "Your will always have the poor (and needy) with the opportunities to help them.  Valerie and I have been in the"Helps ministry" since God opened our eyes and our pastor Leon Vernon taught us, "See the need, do the deed".  We have endeavored to practice what he taught by precept and example.   Our video teaching at the prison for 2 hours on Tuesday morning to a class of 40 and sometimes a few more is going well.  We supply food either to be prepared or take sandwiches and chips.  It is not much but a break from the prison food.  The class is mostly men under 25 years with many years of living ahead.   A friend (inmate) at the prison ask if I could help him with his small cafe to get started.  I took him some chicken and some condiments.  He was pleased to tell me  on my next trip that He used the food to feed the men at the prison who have mental problems.  Most of them are not in prison for something they did but there is no place else to keep them.  I was very pleased that this young man wanted to be Christ's hand extended.  It was a message well preached and we will continue to supply so that he can help these men and others that might be forgotten.   Valerie has written about a room that is now available ($3,000) that also has space to cook.  My pastor, Leon, used to say, "And it is already paid for.  The only problem is that the money is still in your pockets."    What joy we have experienced for more than 25 years, helping people by precept and example.  We have had great men and women who have demonstrated to us God's love by serving others.  We haven't built any great buildings but we have enjoyed seeing lives changed by the Spirit of God.  Fruit that is lasting for His glory.   FMI

My Helper

Last Monday, Audrey-Dawne and I taught the children that come to the ministry of Manos Unidas en Cristo.  Audrey-Dawne asked me if she could do the lesson.  We have been teaching on the Holy Sprirt using flannel graph and puppets, plus another book for children.  Audrey-Dawne has been there every week.  She took the puppets and by herself did the entire review with the children, asking them questions and teaching.  It was a good time.   It looks like with a little more time, she could do the teaching.  By the way, she did this in Spanish entirely.  Better than I could do.  God is so good!

showing love

Here it is almost Valentines' Day.  I got to wondering if what we are doing is showing love to the world.  It is not always important for us to be on the receiving end of love although we would like to be.  Are we showing love to world so they can see God?
We have done a month of reaching the children of the street.  Each week they get a Bible lesson, a movie, and some food.  We talk to them and greet them at the door like they are special.  We want them to know that we love them but so does God.  Last week only 7 children came.  The rest were in school.  We had already made the decision to change the time so the majority of the children could come.  As we talked to them on the street, they were saying, we want to come but we are in school.  We let them know that the time was changed.  To see their faces was wonderful.  It is a little thing but something that was big to them.  They know someone cares enough to encourage them in their lives.
Yesterday, Sis. Neomy Tercero, my interpreter, and myself went to El Progresso to minister to the ladies.  Pastor Tercero had called earlier in the morning to confirm that we would be there.  No one said anything to him.  When we got there, the ladies were in class and wouldn't get out until noon.  It would have been a 2 hour wait and that didn't work out for any of us.  We talked to those in command.  They wanted us to minister to the ladies but they just couldn't take them out of class.  We had taken sandwiches, chips, and cookies for the ladies.  The guards and commanders were concerned that we were unhappy with them.  To show them that we respected their authority and were grateful for the effort they had tried to do on our behalf, we left the food with them.  We always try to take more so we can give to the guards.  God had something else planned for us and we are looking for His plan to be worked out.