God Always Comes Through (May/June 2021 Update)

Patience. One of the biggest things everyone struggles with. It's also one of the biggest things God tests us with. He wants us to depend on Him and know full well that He has everything under control. He sure did these past two months.

We had our first ever Parent Picnic back in May! I really didn't think we'd have a big turn out of parents, but God proved me wrong, yet again. A few days before the event, parents were telling me that they were going to come, and parents who never come to church or show up for their kids' events at church or school. We played a bunch of kid-parent games, ate lunch together, and had a great lesson on "Mutual Love", talking about Ephesians 6:1-4. I also didn't think we'd have enough for lunch for

everyone, and there was so much left over that people took some home for dinner that evening. It was an amazing event where God showed faithful, and we're definitely looking forward to next year!! Please pray that the parents and the kids continue to walk in that mutual love and that they all look to Jesus for the help they need to continue doing so.

We also had our first ever Secret Agents of Christ Spiritual Retreat last week! We took nine of the discipleship kids to La Misión for a three day trip, and wow, it was one of the best experiences we've ever had. It was truly God who orchestrated everything for this event. God put an amazing group in our path (Strong Tower Ministries) that blessed us with an amazing experience that many of the kids had never had. From the amazing food to the beautiful dorms, and from horseback riding to swimming in the ocean, it was such a beautiful time. The theme for the event was "Returning Home" where the focus was on coming back to God. We talked about "The Prodigal Son", and the kids were in tears hearing about how the father received his son back home, and how the father represented God and how we are that son. I taught them that it doesn't matter what you've done in your life, that God is always waiting with open arms. If everyone in your life rejects you, He never will. Almost all the kids received and were changed because of this, and it's all thanks to you all for your prayers, for the amazing Strong Tower Ministries, and more importantly, to God for coming through, once again. Please be praying for Hernán, Leonel, Bairon, Johan, Joselyn, Victor, Natalia, Alexis, Alexander, and Mia, that God continues to show them how important they are to Him and that every day God draws them closer to Him.

On top of all this amazing stuff, God has been answering true to my prayers more and more.

I've been praying for months for this boy and his family to come back to church, and Dilan just started coming back again this past week to soccer.

I've been praying for over a year for God to show Himself to Johan, and he was in tears this past weekend while I was teaching about "The Prodigal Son" for the first time.

I've been praying even longer for Leonel and his brother Alexander to come to church and be more a part of things with us, and not only are they involved in every program I have, but their parents also have assisted and helped me out a few times recently, and they wanted nothing to do with church. God answers prayer. Every. Time. We just need to be persistent and know that He will show faithful because that's how He is. He has His timing, although we may not understand or like it. It's always perfect, and there's nothing better than that. Please lift up these kids and families in your prayers. God's not done with them yet!

God is so amazing. Don't ever forget it. And you are so amazing. Don't ever forget that, either. Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer. You are an essential part of what God is doing over here, and there's not enough thanks in the world that would ever suffice.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18