Prayer Requests for February 2024

1. Lord, if it is your will grant pastor Abraham a car for him to continually travel and share the gospel of Jesus to all tribal villages. 2. Lord, we pray for the upcoming RECOFA, ABBA Peru national directors meeting. A) Let all the pastors and leaders be men and women of God after your own heart. B) Let your Spirit be poured out upon everyone attending. C) Empower and use all the speakers to deliver your words to bring transformation. D) Let your will be done in Peru to raise up the next generation mighty men and women. E) Lord, let the fire of Abba spread to all Latin American countries. 3. Lord, we pray for the upcoming COJ pastor’s retreat. A) Father, let all the pastors truly love you and love others with all of their hearts. B) Let all the COJ children establish true and personal loving relationship with you. C) Strengthen and empower all those who will be serving this retreat. 4. Lord, we pray for the situation in Ecuador. A) Please protect all the churches, pastors and children from all the extreme violence going on in that country. B) Lord, let all the material support be safely delivered to the churches and children. C) Let all the churches be able to continually gather and worship you. D) Let the children grow up in that situation to become a true light and salt of your kingdom. 5. Lord, if it is your will open the door to Vietnam to start Children of Jesus ministry there. Please be with us as we travel to that country from March 4-7 and show us what you desire to do while we are there.

A Heart that Doesn’t Stop!

Towards the end of 2023, Pastor Samuel Abraham was hospitalized for a heart attack. This was right at the start of his busy December ministry schedule. He had just finished baptizing over 35 people and was on his way to minister in another rural village when he felt a tightness in his heart, and soon enough he knew he was in trouble. On his way to the hospital, his heart was still on the poor families and children who were eagerly waiting his arrival. With a heavy heart, he needed to cancel that visitation and he was left lying in a hospital bed. After a few days, he was discharged and immediately, he was right back into service. By the end of the year, Pastor Abraham’s ministry was a major success as many children, youth, and adults were fed physically and spiritually through hearing the living word of God. At the start of 2024, the Denver office had an opportunity to talk to Pastor Abraham through a Zoom conference. He shared about the newly installed stent in his heart and the residual effects from the heart attack. The universal healthcare system in India is designed to help its citizens with almost entirely tax-funded public hospitals. However, as Pastor Abraham shares, the hospital in Visakhapatnam is underfunded and understaffed. Pastor Abraham was left with a $1,125 bill for the stents in his heart and a $40 monthly prescription for medicine. These expenses were heavy burdens on Pastor Abraham and his family. There was also another request; a new used car. Up until now, Pastor Abraham had gotten around from village to village through an old motorcycle. But now, with both his health and the condition of the motorcycle in decline, Pastor Abraham will soon no longer be able to use that motorcycle to continue his ministry. Budget cars in India range in price between $10,000 and $20,000, but many of the working caste would never be able to own a car of their own or of those who are driving, many rent company cars to operate their taxi services. But he is seeking God for His provision and he desperately wants to continue to serve the orphans, rural villages, poor communities, and the lost all across Visakhapatnam for his heart for them will never stop!

A Bruised Reed

Piura is a city on the northern border of Peru, adjacent to Ecuador. Due to the climate change, Piura has been hit hard by heavy rain and flooding. There is a church where our COJ Children are gathered to worship our God. It is the “Bread of Life Church.” This church has suffered greatly due to the rain and flooding. Their worship place is in terrible shape. The roof is leaking terribly and the walls are covered with smelly molds. And the children worship God in this terrible condition. No one knows how much longer they will last. There is no hope for them that things will get better. The church is so poor, and their pastor is one of the poorest in that community. We are reminded of a verse in Matthew. “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Matt 12:20) The “Bread of Life Church” is perhaps this bruised reed. This reed shows no sign of surviving. This wick has no hope of burning brightly once again. But our God is merciful and gracious. He desires to heal this bruised reed and rekindle this smoldering wick. He therefore called us. And He inspired and moved our hearts to rebuild their worship place. The construction has begun to provide a cleaner, safer, and more spacious environment for them to worship. And we want to thank you, all the sponsors, for being the channel of God’s love and power to these bruised reeds all over the world. Please pray that the construction will be finished in time before the rain comes again. We will bring you the joyous news next month.

The Next Chapter

On December 9th, Riverside Tree scholars gathered through Zoom to worship our God and sing Christmas songs to our Lord Jesus. They also competed against one another in Bible Trivia to test their knowledge of God’s Word. Afterwards, a sponsor had a few words to share to spur these college students on, especially the ones that were graduating college. We know that the world is a dark place with the enemy prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is out to destroy Christianity and lead believers astray with the temptations of this world. But God’s Word says to “not conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2). God also tells us: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” (James 4: 4-8) Let’s pray for these college students and graduates, that with their craft and gifts God has given them, that they would not serve the world, but would always be convicted to serve God and be led by His Holy Spirit. Let everything they do in their lives glorify God. (1 Cor. 10:31) Here is a letter from a Riverside Tree graduate. All the Glory to God!

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