2024 Summer STMT
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A Strengthened Light
In last month’s newsletter, we shared a story of the “Bread of Life” church in Piura, a city in northern Peru that borders Ecuador. After several years of heavy rains and strong winds, the roof and walls were no longer able to provide a safe place for the members of that church to gather together. But God had called and moved our hearts to come to rebuild that worship place, but God had moved so many hearts and changed so many people to achieve His purpose. It started even before the HHK WMC was involved in Piura. A pastor from Piura was in a member of the Christian Military Association, had met, then our Peru director Sister Carmen before and joined in ABBA Peru conference. He was ministering in Piura. So, when another church was torn down from the flooding in 2017, he already knew who could help. And that’s how we were connected to Piura and subsequently to “Bread of Life” church. As we were thinking of what the new church building was to look like, God used people from a generous sponsor in Maryland to a Riverside Tree alumni, who studied architecture in Peru to build God’s beautiful temple. Even during construction, God brought together the church members to help with laying the foundation, erecting the walls, and every step in-between. Small children even came to help spackle the walls. This was more than just getting a new church; it was the gathering of God’s family together. The entire roof was done by a local pastor who attends our ABBA conferences. While all that is missing are a few coats of paint, this all goes to show that while we are never certain of how or who God will use for His purpose; God calls upon all His people to come gathered under His spirit to do His grand work and be the light to this world! Amen.
The First and Greatest Commandment
By God’s grace, the pastors and leaders of COJ ministry gathered together in Lima, Peru for a 4 days 3 nights spiritual retreat in which they were encouraged and convicted to love God and to love the children whom God has entrusted to them. Many, if not, most of the children in COJ ministry have been abandoned by their earthly father and mother. However, as King David confesses in Psalm 27:10, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” May our children know and believe that we have a Father in Heaven who loves and cares for each one of them. During one of the sessions, the Holy Spirit convicted the staff to serve the pastors and leaders by washing their feet as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. It was a humbling and blessed time in which the Holy Spirit touched the hearts of the pastors as they prayed for each child in their church by name. It is our prayer that all the pastors and leaders will continue to love and diligently teach the Word of God to our next generation so that they won’t be lost but instead, live a humble and obedient life.
Prayer Requests for March 2024
1. Lord, we pray for all the children in the COJ program. Father, let all the children stay strong and healthy both physically and spiritually. Let all the COJ children establish true and personal loving relationship with you. Strengthen and empower all the pastors and Sunday school teachers who are serving these children. Let them have the heart of our Lord Jesus to love children like Jesus would. 2. Lord, we pray for ABBA Peru 2024 pastors and youth conference. Let all the pastors in 13 regions to have unified vision and hearts to raise up next generation mighty people. Let our Spirit be poured out upon everyone attending the conference from May to August. Empower and use all the speakers to deliver your words to bring transformation. Lord, let the fire of Abba spread to all Latin American countries. 3. Lord, we continually pray for the situation in Ecuador. Please protect all the churches, pastors and children from all the extreme violence going on in that country. Lord, let all the material support be safely delivered to the churches and children. Let all the churches be able to continually gather and worship you. Let the children grow up in that situation to become a true light and salt of your kingdom. 4. Lord, we pray for Vietnam and India. If it is your will open the door to Vietnam to start Children of Jesus ministry there. Lead our path to the churches and children that you have your eyes set on in Vietnam. Protect our team visiting Vietnam for the first time from March 4-7. Lord, let the gospel of Jesus be powerfully preached and shared in 100 tribal villages around Chintaluru region. Help pastor Abrahm with his recovery from severe heart-attack and provide him a automobile that he desperately needs to continue the gospel ministry. Help the orphans in India to know that you are their wonderful heavenly Abba Father.
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!
Channel of Blessing
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In His name the nations will put their hope.” (Matt. 12:20-21) When our Lord opened the door to Ecuador we were so excited and had great expectations. But the reality was quite different. Even before we started anything there, we wanted to give up. We had to be on our knees once again and sought the face of our God. And the inspiration came that if Jesus was here on this earth now He would visit the people in those areas. We obeyed the Holy Spirit and began our COJ ministry there. However, we were faced with Goliath once again. We started preparing and purchasing all the wonderful Christmas gifts for the children since early October. Then, we received a message from our staff in Ecuador. “We have no means to deliver the gifts to the children now. Since early fall drug cartel members from Columbia and Mexico have invaded the communities where our children live and they are killing people indiscriminately. All the taxi drivers and bus drivers refuse to go to these communities. What should we do now?” As soon as we received this message, we immediately boarded a plane to Ecuador. Somehow we knew that we had to shut the project down and leave the country. Then, the Holy Spirit spoke to us again when we got there... “If you abandon these children then they have no hope. Before greater darkness overwhelms them, you must plant the gospel of Jesus in their hearts for them to have eternal hope. That’s why I sent you here! I will be with you!” We realized that unless we become a channel of life and blessing for them, they had no hope for their future. Who wants to be born into these situations and live there with such fear and anxiety? But if Jesus is planted in their hearts they will live a blessed life of having the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. A new year has dawned. And we pray that God will continually use us to bring a message of hope and life to many children living in such darkness throughout 2024. And as we wish you a happy and blessed new year, we ask you to remain with us and continue to be a channel of blessing to many children in great need. God bless you!
God’s Work in India
After baptizing over 35 people in November, Pastor Abraham’s health took a toll, and he was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack. As he was recovering in the ICU, Pastor Abraham’s heart was solely focused on all the poor children and families he would not be able to minister to during his absence. However, God’s mighty hand healed him, and in a span of merely a month, Pastor Abraham has: Preached in 7 remote villages Celebrated the birth of Christ with the Amazing Grace orphanage and reached out to over 800 children in the community Provided over 100 bibles to families in the community Fed over 1,000 people on Christmas and New Year Provided 70 tribal pastors and their wives with new sets of clothing While his health is not fully recovered, he remains diligent in doing God’s work until God calls him home. We pray for Pastor Abraham to continue to be a mighty channel of blessing for all of India as he proclaims God’s great love in 2024! Join us in prayer for Pastor Abraham to experience full restoration and healing through the Great Doctor above!