Yesterday was an amazing day, Jennifer and I had a Skype conversation with Brian Kampstra, a good friend and mentor of ours and also the global missions pastor at Ridge Point Community Church in Holland. As some of you may already know, Ridge Point has been part of our family's life for almost 12 years. Our kids have grown up at Ridge Point and that is where Jennifer and my faith grew to the point of where God has us now. Although Ridge Point is not in the position to support us as missionaries they are still a big part of our life and we love them for that. After talking with Brian yesterday about what is going on here in Puerto Rico, our partnership with IHOP and some objection we are getting down here, some things were made very clear to us! First of all, Brian feels this connection with IHOP is what God is calling us to do next, as Brian said, "It feels like the next step for you guys." He is excited about this partnership. I have also spoken to Pastor Lloyd from Seven Hills Church and other brothers in Christ about the partnership and they too are excited and in support. We have not had time to talk in depth because so many great things are happening at Seven Hills right now! However, after talking with Brian we really feel that our partnership with IHOP is not only going to open doors for us here in ministry but we also have come to the understanding that we currently do not have an accountability board to be accountable to while down here. This partnership will give us the accountability and pastoral and ministerial support that we need. The last thing we want to do is go it alone. IHOP West Georgia gives us the freedom to do what God has called us to do but offers correction according the biblical principles when needed. We do not want to be off the path of God. Pastor George (and other pastors) from IHOP are willing and able to offer us this support.
After talking through some things and praying over it, Jennifer and I have decided that she will not be ordained. She feels that at this time she is not ready or being called to be so. She stands in full support of what God is doing with me and supports it full hearted.
We want to thank you all for your many prayers.
We want to share with you what God did yesterday with the food handout.
Last night was the food hand out. This is something that God had laid on Jeanettes (Armandos wife) heart two years! It was so neat to see how excited she was as a prayer of hers for two years was being answered! She was so full of joy! Jeanettes mom spent all day making a huge pot of rice, this is not your Uncle Bens instant rice! Another lady from their church made meatballs and we got waters and sodas thanks to a great donation from a friend back home. After the food was cooked Armando, Jeanette and their oldest daughter Dagi came over to our home to package up the food. We ended up packing up over 30 meals to hand out before we ran out of food! Everyone helped and it was great fun!
As we packed up and headed out we did not know what to expect or where we would stop. Our plan (haha our plan) was to start in one town and move through three or four towns. Our first stop was about 3 min up the road from our house, after that we never left Manati! A group of men were sitting along side the road. We stopped and Armando asked them if they wanted to eat. We handed out 4 meals at this stop! The cool thing is at first we never said we were Christians or anything. We only said God Bless You, which down here everyone says. Before one of the men got the food he said what church are you from? Armando tried to explain that we were not doing this with a church. The man said, no I mean what church do you go to? Where do you meet? I want to go to your church. WOW! So Armando started saying the church he went to but the Lord said "Tell then about Tuesday nights at your house." So I did. I told him why we were handing out food and that we are just friends who love Jesus and want to be his hands and feet. We all go to different churches but we meet at our house to talk about Jesus and how to grow The Church. He said I want to come! So, Lord willing I will be picking Juan up this Tuesday so he can join us! God is moving and this was only 5 min into the handout!
As we headed to Manati there were many people we stopped and gave food to, we offered prayer to some when it seemed right, most took prayer and some did not. Most took the food some did not. After talking to a lot of the men and women on the street, most of them at some point accepted Jesus. I is really sad to see what drugs can do to someone. We met a lot of great people struggling with a demon. They are loved by us and by Jesus. We hope to continue doing this food handout on a monthly basis so we can get to know them better and when the time is right lead them back to Jesus and a new life. But I have one story to share with you that really gets Jennifer and I excited!!!!
We were driving around and ended up at a Walgreens. There was a man sitting right outside the door. So Jeanette and I got out and went to give him some food. He was very happy. I asked if he spoke English and he did, very well. So I asked if I could pray for him. He said yes. So far everything is pretty normal. I end the prayer and said good by and went back to the truck. I never noticed anything! Jennifer said, Honey look, there is a man talking to that man. Once we left another man started talking to the man we gave food to, a clean cut older man. The she said as you were praying everyone around you coming in and out of the store just stopped and watched and listened. I thought wow what a cool testimony to people seeing the love of Jesus in action. That is not even what really got me. What got me is as we were sitting in the parking lot, pulled out of our parking spot another car pulled out. This little old lady was in the back seat. She looked at me, like with a stare, almost like she was looking at something inside me. Then she got a huge smile on her face and waved then she put her finger to her mouth and kissed them. You know like the Italians do in movies. It was really moving for me and I will never forget it. The world is watching, the world is ready for change! Our last stop proves it! His name we will call him Jeff. Jeff is a drug addict, we stopped and gave him some food then offered prayer. We asked if there was anything he needed prayer for he said his family and health. So we prayed into that. We started to leave and I was actually already in our truck when he stopped Armando. He said, I want to change. I am tired of being an addict I want to change my life.
So we talked with him for several min after and prayed over him. Little did he know that Armando has direct connection to a rehab center and we have Jesus! Jeff's life is going to be rocked and its all because of Jesus!!! Jeff to may end up at our Tuesday meetings. We are looking at moving the meeting to the local park right down the road.
So get this take away, NEVER THINK NO ONE IS WATCHING, and THE WORLD WANTS CHANGE AND WE HAVE WHO THEY NEED, JESUS!
Below are some pictures from the food handout
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