Puerto Rico Missions Update

   “LORD, INSTILL A HUNGER FOR YOU”

Our first Sunday during this Puerto Rico mission trek was January 6  It alsoThree Kings day. Puerto Ricans boast that they have the longest Christmas celebration in the world. We came to support our neighborhood’s Three Kings Day event.  It was to be a day of giving gifts to children, eating rice and beans, family fellowship, and the real reason - JESUS. 

I (Angela)was following the lead of our missionary, Diana Guanipa, who had been volunteering at the community center which was hosting the community event.  She sensed  a need to join the community celebration which was being held on Sunday at the same time for our normal services at Iglesia El Refugio (Refuge Church). It was a challenge for me to break with tradition and move out into the community; yet, I followed.
    
As Mikayla East, Diana, and myself had volunteered to coordinate games for 150 children.  As we prepared we also prayed. It was a simple prayer that came from a new devotional book by the College of Prayer on the Lord’s Prayer.  It was based on Matthew 5:6.: 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

So we prayed as we prepared the games for the children, “ God, will you  put a hunger in these children to seek you earnestly and have them thirst for you. May they follow hard after you!”(Psalm 63:1)

                                         What do you think happened?

Yes, we played games with the kids, we ate rice and beans, we celebrated the King of Kings- JESUS.  Yet, as we were closing down the fun by cleaning and packing up we were approached by the director of the event.  The director had attended Iglesia El Refugio in 2018.  She grabbed Diana and said,

                              “This lady wants to ask Jesus into her heart”

It was a divine appointment and an answer to prayer. Our God is so amazing and wonderful. My heart is rejoicing at the privilege we have to co-labor with Him. She, on the spot, asked Jesus into her heart.  Alonzo and Diana followed up with them the next Tuesday and the entire family was saved! Praise Him! We felt as if we were living out the book of ACTS. 

This was one of several opportunities to pray for people on the spot.  It was also a time of taking care of the church and the mission house (Life House). We added in 2023 an inverter air conditioner to the church, new curtains, new interior and exterior paint.  We  remodeled walls and door frames.  We added stair rails and a second bathroom.  Open Doors Missions accomplished many of these projects. At the Life House we added all mattress covers for the beds, new dead boltadded, new stove and refrigerator, new living room furniture, and two new air conditioners. So, God is setting us up to keep mission teams and missionaries in Puerto Rico. 

Thank you for your continued support of prayer and finances. We appreciate you all.

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