LEAVING FOR ROMANIA

With not much turn around we are heading to Romania. We will be leaving Monday, June 15th and will be working with Life of Hope Church in conducting a city wide crusade in Tragoiviste, an hour and a half north of Bucharest. Above is a picture of some of our dear friends and leaders in the church.

This crusade will also include a program for the children of their city and they have asked us to come and help with this outreach. Above is a picture of the youth pastor and some of the young people we worked with last year to train for the children's ministry. We are excited to return and work with them again.

Please keep us in your prayers. As the internet is available to us, we will try and keep our friends and supporters updated as we travel.

Macomb Correctional Facility

After only having a few days to adjust back to the American culture, we were scheduled to minister at the Macomb Correctional Facility. This state prison can appear intimidating from the outside, but inside we have come to know some precious brothers in the Lord. We were greeted with smiling faces and friendly greetings. They were telling us that they had read our blog about Colombia and had been faithfully praying for us. It was so refreshing after a week in a developing country to find so many of them had kept us up in prayer. The ministry on Sunday, not only reported about the poor street children in Colombia and what Jesus was doing there, but it brought many of these men to a vulnerable place where they had similar childhoods. We taught on the Father's blessing. At the conclusion of the ministry, one young man said "thank you, now it all makes sense." Another said " Thank you, that was emotional for me, but if I cry they will label me emotional and put me with the crazy guys."

A few thoughts from Pastor Terry

Colombia is a beautiful country and the masses of people are wonderfully gracious. Medellin has streets full of small shops and street venders, always crowded and alive with friendly and interesting people. I thoroughly enjoy walking down the streets, taking in this vastly different culture ( and of course eating empanadas).

But, we have come here to work with Open Arms Ministry. They reach out to the poor, homeless and abused that come from a history of such evils as drug addicted parents, glue sniffing children, mothers prostituting their children and physical abuse. These children have grown up in an environment of gangs, pornography, sex and poverty. Therefore, we find it a necessity to also report about this.
Thank God for Christian people who lay down their lives for this most difficult and thankless service, ministering to those caught in this great darkness. They hold on to some miraculous testimonies and wonderful successes, but too much of the time their hearts are broken by those that do not follow Christ.

COLOMBIA, Sunday

We have discovered a new ministry for our youth. Selling empanadas in front of the church. Above is one of their faithful teens who set up before we got to church. The director said they will let me bring the empanada flour to the states. Do we know anyone who can make them? Below is a closer look. For those who do not know, empanadas are fried dough filled with meat and potatoes. They taste much better than they look.

The church was filled this morning. We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Terry ministered and was well received. There was a great response to the altar call and precious time of prayer. Below is a picture of Terry with his interpreter, the founder's son, Mike.

Pat with Pastora (Pastor's wife), children, niece and nephew. This is a precious family.

After the service Bill and Wanda, the founders of Open Arms Ministry took us out to eat. Then they brought us to a village where the Spanish first settled in Colombia. It was a beautiful place up in the middle of Medellin. The mountains surrounded the entire area and it was easy to appreciate God's creation here.

This is Clara. This is the little girl that Bill and Wanda are adopting. When she was born, the doctor tried to sell her and they fought for her. She is about 18 months old. Look at those eyes and tell me if she doesn't remind you of someone?

Another wonderful God given day in Colombia.

COLOMBIA, Saturday

Our morning started with our favorite breakfast on the street: AREPAS! Arepas are a kind of pancake made with corn flour and cheese on top. Muy Delicioso!

Then to the barrio for Children's Ministry. Many children came and participated. It was exciting to be there. Open Arms is going into the neighborhoods to reach the young children before they start living the life of drugs and prostitution on the streets.

Here is Pat with a few of the children. Aren't the Colombian children beautiful?

In the afternoon we made home visits to the families of the children that attend the outreaches here. The staff counsel the families and invite them to church on Sunday.

This is in one of the homes. This 74 year old grandmother is raising her granddaughters after her daughter died. The granddaughter is only 15 and has an 8 month old baby. There aren't any men around to help. This grandmother is blind in one eye and very discouraged. We visited many homes this afternoon and each one needs our prayers.

Who needs a gym membership when you walk around the mtns. of Colombia?

We are loving our time here in Colombia. As Terry once said "Follow me honey and I will show you the slums of the world!"

Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers. We have felt the hand of God on us the whole week and are grateful for all of you remembering to pray for us. Tomorrow is church, Colombian style. Jesus es poderoso!