So...here's what happened this week!

Usually when our kids go to camp I have a week to myself and Mark gets a little bit of a break as well.  Not this year!!!!  It was one of our busier weeks, doing good things, but, busy.

We had a team from South Korea here this week doing street ministry, children's ministry, and soup run with us.  It was interesting because they didn't speak any Spanish and only a few on the team spoke a little bit of English--so translation was a tad tricky--but, they did wonderful!  They were able to communicate through drama, song, and dance.  They were able to pray with people in their language and bless our base with watching them play with the children.  It's so great to see how God can use different kinds of communication to convey His love!

This week was a busy street ministry week.  Tuesday night we took the Korean team out for soup run and fed over 50 people soup and tortillas.  Mark took a different team from Kansas here working with another ministry out for street evangelism that same night.  Wednesday night we did "Feed the Hungry" at our church for the 3rd and last Wednesday night (for this time anyway) and brought people in from the homeless shelter and streets for dinner at our church.  We fed almost 95 people that night and everyone left with a New Testament as well!  Thursday night we took the Kansas team out for Soup Run and fed about 50 people again.

All of that plus meetings with our YWAM team, a pastor from another city near us, and planning for and organizing Parent's Day at camp for Friday.  This was a busy week! 

One thing I know, as I work with the street people and addicts, I'm so grateful for God's power in the lives of those who are in rehab overcoming their addictions.  It's a long road and they are struggling--please pray for them!  Jaimie is in Teen Challenge. Ana and Miguel are in a rehab affiliated with a church in San Lucas.  Charlie is in Hogar de la Roca.  There are those who are working toward going to rehab: William and Victoria.  Please pray that God helps them to walk in the direction of their freedom.

It's been raining a lot in Antigua and it's been raining hard.  This is a difficult time for those who live on the streets.  We are so grateful that we have been able to visit them more than usual.  We are also glad when we can give them a fresh change of clothes that are dry and clean.  We are hoping to stock up on men's clothing and warmer clothes for them.  Also, it would be a blessing to them to be able to buy plastic tarps for some of them to use.  Please pray that we are able to do that. 

Also, we are praying for several of them who are sick right now--the weather is tough on their bodies.  Dora, Carlos, Chmarco, and Ana have been battling sickness. 

Pray for us as we continue to minister to the needs of the extremely poor and addicted people here in Antigua.

Update!!!!

Sometimes things are just INSANE!!!  You know how it is, you start the week thinking you have your schedule under control, and then the week begins and you realize it's just a crazy time.  Ministry has never been better--we are just so excited about all the opportunities heading our way.  The bus will be busy with outreaches, our homeless ministry is going well with good relationships being built, street church is a blessing to us and the street people, we are working with other missionaries and their teams to do street ministry and soup run.  Whew!

With all of that, we add in the Discipleship Training School (DTS) that is starting in about a month!  Mark and I will be working more closely with that than we have in past years because we are a little short staffed.  We have 13 students coming which is a huge blessing!!!  Mark will be working with the guys in the group doing one-on-one time with each of them every week, small group, and helping to coordinate the activities for the whole group.  I will be working with about 4 girls doing one-on-ones, small group, and helping Mark coordinate the activities.  We will also be doing some of the meals on Sundays for the group.

With all of that going on we have a few requests!  Here are some things that you all could be praying for:

1.  We absolutely NEED to up our monthly financial support.  There are some major ministry things coming up and we pay for all our ministry with the homeless out of our monthly support.  As our ministry grows, our financial need grows.

2.  Our car, which is essential to our ministry, is in need of some major tlc!  The brakes need fixing and now the starter is going.  Please pray that we can get the work done and that our car lasts!!!  We love our car!

3.  Our kids are really stepping up and helping with a lot of what we do.  Pray for them!  They are figuring out what God has for their futures and making some big decisions.  Pray for us as their parents to guide them.

4.  Continue to pray for those in rehab:  Jaimie, Charlie, Ana, and Miguel.

5.  Pray for William who wants to return to rehab.

6.  We have several others who want to change their life:  Victoria, Carlos, Dora, Ana.  Please pray for them and for opportunities to open up for them.