1 Kings 17 tells us about a man of radical faith. His name was Elisha. There is a story where Elisha is fed by ravens. He trusted God to provide and provide he did. Elisha was in need and God provided the food he needed through a very unlikely source and in a quantity that Elisha probably did not expect. He got bread and meat twice a day from a bird! Just enough to fulfill his need, by a bird! Because Elisha had faith God provided, through a bird!
Today as we went to the mail box and opened up an envelope with a $50 check inside I felt like Elisha. God is providing literally for our needs as they are needed. We had been praying that God provides us gas money as we have a lot of traveling to do in the next week. This check provided the money needed for a full tank of gas and then some. God is providing us our bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. We were praying over the weekend for God to provide us extra money to give to Blake so he had money for food in the airport. He left for Colorado last weekend for Young Life Camp (which God also provided the means to go). The day before he left we had no extra money to give him. Then God provided us $50 to give him through another family here in Puerto Rico. I share this to encourage all of you who are struggling financially right now. God will honor your faith. Trust him and ask for you needs. Gods hand is never short. Also know that God will provide your needs not what you think you need. Right now I feel like Elisha. I will to continue to have faith that God will provide so we can fulfill what he has called us to do. I pray that you experience what we are experiencing just like Elisha experienced. That is Gods faithfulness. God hears your prayer and he will provide.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Puerto Rico Missions 2015- Support
Dear
family and friends,
The
Lord says that he will provide all of our needs and that whatever we ask in His
name for the glory of the Lord he will provide. (John 14:14)
Today we write you out of financial need for
the purpose of continuing ministry in Puerto Rico. We thank God for the support
you have already given either through prayer or financial means. We believe
scripture leads us to the understanding that although we ask him and he can
miraculously provide, there is a role that we as followers of Jesus play as
well. Our family’s role as missionaries and ministers of the gospel message is
to humbly come before God and our brothers and sisters in Christ and present
our needs.
Our family has now been on the island for
almost 8 months. As we left Michigan we knew God was calling us here, but the
vision of how he would use us was not made clear. We knew that making disciples
was the main call but the means to this was unknown. As many of you know we
have connected with the local church in Dorado, The Center Church PR. CCPR is
currently where the Lord has us serving. As we are led by Pastor Efren Pena and
his wife Monica, the Lord is continuing to show us how we are able to fulfill
our calling here.
Over the past eight months our needs have
been met. Through this process we have been faithfully focused on our ministry
through prayer, faith and to be honest a little worry. The economy where God
has called us to allows very little available work. I (John) have applied for
several different positions at local businesses that are seeking English
speaking workers. The Lord has seen it fit to give no responses from those
applications and many phone calls. Jennifer has been blessed with her
nanny/cleaning position. This has yet to provide a steady income as she has
only worked one day due to her family she’s working for being out of the
country for the next 5 weeks. We plan on
staying in Cabo Rojo for two weeks where Jennifer will be a temporary nanny for
a family there. That will help with some immediate needs. We have also done
some minor work for CCPR that has paid enough to pay for some smaller needs.
This however will not be a reoccurring opportunity.
After looking over our basic needs, a
budget of $2000/month is needed in order for us to effectively continue
ministry here in Puerto Rico. Although we are blessed to receive one time
support gifts our real need at this time is monthly support. This allows us to
budget more efficiently so we can do ministry more effectively.
We ask you to join us in prayer about
financially supporting the ministry God has set forth for our family to fulfill
in Puerto Rico.
You
can send your support to:
Matthew
28 Missions
PO
Box 3616
Arecibo,
PR 00613-3616.
Tax
deductible checks can be made out to:
Love
God Love People Church of (LGLP) with Matthew 28 Missions written in the memo
spot.
(Know
that the address may change once we move to Dorado)
Again, we thank you so much for your love, prayers
and support. Without it our job here would be a lot harder than it has been.
Please continue to pray for the ministry God has planned here and that the
gospel message is heard and people on the island receive the message.
In Christ,
John, Jennifer, Blake, Dallas &Bridger
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Latest Update
Sorry for the late post....
So there is a lot going on this month for us and CCPR (The Center Church PR).
Jennifer and I attended our first leaders meeting at CCPR Sunday afternoon. It was great to see what CCPR is doing and planning for spreading the Love of Jesus.
Next week there will be VBS happening at CCPR all week long. Jennifer will be leading the small children (2yrs-3yrs old), I will be leading games and Blake and Dallas will each have their own group of kids to lead as well. We are all super excited for this event and opportunity to share Jesus with children.
This week we were supposed to be in Cabo Rojo house sitting for our friends, but due to our truck breaking down again we are unable to make it there. As of right now our truck is in the shop for the third time in two weeks. We are praying God provides us with a new more reliable vehicle.
We are supposed to go sign the contract for our house we are renting in Dorado tonight so we are praying our truck is fixed by then. We have found a nice upper level house 10 min. away from church! 3 bed, one bath with two outdoor living areas. We are truly blessed.
We will be having some visitors in July and August so we are excited about that as well. No funds have come in to travel to Georgia in order to speak at a few churches to raise support, so we are taking that as a sign that God does not what us to do that right now.
Jennifer has gotten a nanny/housekeeper job in Dorado and will be working 2-4 days a week there. We are also blessed to have this income and this is also what Jennifer loves to do!
The kids are done with school for the summer so they are happy about that. I however still have school. Lord willing I graduate this December with my Associates in Religion and I have been accepted for my BS degree for Religion/Evangelism. I will have three months off of school starting in December then back to it come March.
We are planning our next food handout for July and another in August. We are also hoping to do some street outreach in Cabo Rojo in August. I was part of a street outreach last month and it was amazing. In mid-July there is a group of 70 teens coming from Tennessee for a mission trip. Our family will be hosting this group as we make sure they get from point A to point B on time. We will be joining them in their work as well. There will be three days of VBS that the group will be doing in a poor community in Dorado, there also will be some painting projects and beach clean up projects as well. Jennifer and I will be coordinating between the Mayor of Dorado, the bus company, the chef and the campground to make sure things flow smoothly.
Jennifer has joined with a group of ladies from church and they gather for prayer every Tuesday morning. This has been an amazing experience for Jennifer.
God is reveling more and more to us every day about our mission not only here but anywhere else God sends us. We are learning a lot and are excited to learn more about the mission field and church planting.
We are trying to learn our place on the CCPR leadership team. What does pastor Efren expect from us and what is God calling us to do there? This is harder than I expected to be honest.Are we here to fill a role that needs to be filled or are we here for something more? These are things that we are praying through. We are great with what ever, we just want to do what God is calling us to. There is a lot going on in ou heads and our hearts right now and we are praying through it.
That is all for updates for now. Thank you for all your prayers and support!
Prayer requests
-Please keep our support in your prayers as the support we currently get very much needed. We have been blessed to bring in enough income to have all of our bills currently paid.
-Please pray for God to provide us a new vehicle that is reliable and can fit more than five people.
We frequently have people over and we have to send one or two people to the back of the truck and Jennifer sits in the back seat because there is no seat belt in the middle and she does not want one of the kids sitting without a seat belt.
-Please pray for more opportunities for us to share our story and share the gospel message.
-Please pray a pray of thanksgiving for all God is doing here so far.
-Please pray for a way to come home a visit this fall. We would really like to come to visit and take care of a few things with our house back in Hamilton.
If you would feel led to send support for what God is doing through us here in Puerto Rico you can send your support to:
Matthew 28 Missions
PO Box 3616
Arecibo, PR
00613-3616
For tax deductible support write checks to LGLP (Love God Love People Church) please put Matthew 28 Missions in the memo.
You can also send non- tax deducible checks to the same address just written out to John Hoogeveen.
So there is a lot going on this month for us and CCPR (The Center Church PR).
Jennifer and I attended our first leaders meeting at CCPR Sunday afternoon. It was great to see what CCPR is doing and planning for spreading the Love of Jesus.
Next week there will be VBS happening at CCPR all week long. Jennifer will be leading the small children (2yrs-3yrs old), I will be leading games and Blake and Dallas will each have their own group of kids to lead as well. We are all super excited for this event and opportunity to share Jesus with children.
This week we were supposed to be in Cabo Rojo house sitting for our friends, but due to our truck breaking down again we are unable to make it there. As of right now our truck is in the shop for the third time in two weeks. We are praying God provides us with a new more reliable vehicle.
We are supposed to go sign the contract for our house we are renting in Dorado tonight so we are praying our truck is fixed by then. We have found a nice upper level house 10 min. away from church! 3 bed, one bath with two outdoor living areas. We are truly blessed.
We will be having some visitors in July and August so we are excited about that as well. No funds have come in to travel to Georgia in order to speak at a few churches to raise support, so we are taking that as a sign that God does not what us to do that right now.
Jennifer has gotten a nanny/housekeeper job in Dorado and will be working 2-4 days a week there. We are also blessed to have this income and this is also what Jennifer loves to do!
The kids are done with school for the summer so they are happy about that. I however still have school. Lord willing I graduate this December with my Associates in Religion and I have been accepted for my BS degree for Religion/Evangelism. I will have three months off of school starting in December then back to it come March.
We are planning our next food handout for July and another in August. We are also hoping to do some street outreach in Cabo Rojo in August. I was part of a street outreach last month and it was amazing. In mid-July there is a group of 70 teens coming from Tennessee for a mission trip. Our family will be hosting this group as we make sure they get from point A to point B on time. We will be joining them in their work as well. There will be three days of VBS that the group will be doing in a poor community in Dorado, there also will be some painting projects and beach clean up projects as well. Jennifer and I will be coordinating between the Mayor of Dorado, the bus company, the chef and the campground to make sure things flow smoothly.
Jennifer has joined with a group of ladies from church and they gather for prayer every Tuesday morning. This has been an amazing experience for Jennifer.
God is reveling more and more to us every day about our mission not only here but anywhere else God sends us. We are learning a lot and are excited to learn more about the mission field and church planting.
We are trying to learn our place on the CCPR leadership team. What does pastor Efren expect from us and what is God calling us to do there? This is harder than I expected to be honest.Are we here to fill a role that needs to be filled or are we here for something more? These are things that we are praying through. We are great with what ever, we just want to do what God is calling us to. There is a lot going on in ou heads and our hearts right now and we are praying through it.
That is all for updates for now. Thank you for all your prayers and support!
Prayer requests
-Please keep our support in your prayers as the support we currently get very much needed. We have been blessed to bring in enough income to have all of our bills currently paid.
-Please pray for God to provide us a new vehicle that is reliable and can fit more than five people.
We frequently have people over and we have to send one or two people to the back of the truck and Jennifer sits in the back seat because there is no seat belt in the middle and she does not want one of the kids sitting without a seat belt.
-Please pray for more opportunities for us to share our story and share the gospel message.
-Please pray a pray of thanksgiving for all God is doing here so far.
-Please pray for a way to come home a visit this fall. We would really like to come to visit and take care of a few things with our house back in Hamilton.
If you would feel led to send support for what God is doing through us here in Puerto Rico you can send your support to:
Matthew 28 Missions
PO Box 3616
Arecibo, PR
00613-3616
For tax deductible support write checks to LGLP (Love God Love People Church) please put Matthew 28 Missions in the memo.
You can also send non- tax deducible checks to the same address just written out to John Hoogeveen.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Unsaved and serving?
Well I said I would share more on here about this weekends outreach event that I (John) was a part of. Jennifer stayed back and watched our kids and Stacy and Julios daughter.
I was greatly anticipating this past weekend as I knew our main goal was to reach local prostitutes for Jesus. However I was not expecting to see what I saw and am yet sure what to do with it.
As we approached the streets of Mayaguez the stench of old buildings, urine and other detestable smells mixed with the smell of fried food and beer filled our senses I knew that it was going to be and interesting evening. Julio his wife Stacy and myself met a group of college students that are here as mission interns for the summer. We gathered to pray and made our way down the streets. Right away a 60 year old woman came up to us asking for what ever we had. We handed her a "gift pack" and prayed for her. Wow 2 min in and people are coming to us! What a night I thought. As we walked the director of the mission team shared some stories with us. He told us to look in dark corners and under steps as that is where most people hide/live. He shared a story of a young girl being forced into prostitution whom they shared Jesus with and she excepted a one way ticket back to the states where they had shelter for her. Last he knew she is doing great and no longer in prostitution! Praise Jesus! Wow, this is going to be an eventful evening filled with lots of prayer is what I thought. How great would it be to send a young girl back to the states to get her out of prostitution? Yet, we have only seen this one lady. As we walked farther we approached an old building. This building is know for Voodoo practice and other satanic worship. Local Police officers have found sacrificed animals on the second floor and symbols of all sorts. The director, Chad, went inside as there are usually people inside. There were none. I prayed over the building with the group and we moved on. Still no people. As we walked there were very few people out. Even Chad said it was odd. We prayed for a few people but no prostitutes were to be seen. We got to a point where we took a break for a drink. There were two kids/ young adults with us that were not with the group. They were kind of leading us to places they knew of. They were local to the area. I started talking with them at the table. They had so much enthusiasm and excitement for what we were doing, I wanted to know their story. What I heard shocked me, and not much does. As they shared why they did this I heard things from, I was rescued this way so I want others to be rescued this way too, I heard there was this mission thing going on and I wants to join and similar things. I was so excited to hear young men passionate for Jesus and sharing the freedom he offers. So I asked how and when they accepted Christ. To my shock their reply was, I don't believe in God and I really don't know, I do not think I believe in Jesus! WHAT???!!!!! How can this be? I was so confused, so I asked again to make sure I understood. They said very calm and confident with almost a smile on their face the same thing I heard prior. I was to say the least stunned.
So I continued to ask how this happens. Literally, I asked them how they can be out doing the Lords work and not even believe in him? As I heard their stories I was not shocked but saddened. Like so many young people here on the island they have a wrong idea and view of who Jesus is and what he offers. They see religion and not relationship. They see rules and not love. They see regulations and not freedom. Point blank they have been taught about a Jesus that does not exist. They have been taught wrong. I did my best to share who Jesus was to me and what I knew, it seemed to cause them to think but nothing more. No hostility, they just listened and moved on. I was left in shock and still am. For a few reasons. First this goes to show that actions do not lead to salvation and not all people doing good are followers of Christ. Second, we need to be sharing the GOSPEL and not only living it. We must live out the gospel as well as share it! I was able to share this with the group of students as part of the group went into a strip club to pray over the women there. (they did not go into the show area) I was able to share with them what I just shared with you. We must share the gospel message. We must preach Jesus. Doing good is not enough. It is only part of our job. I am convinced that when people hear about the Jesus I know and you know they will want him. We cannot sit in our ivory tower of goodness and think we are doing anything for the kingdom! No we must preach the name of Jesus and share the gospel message. Our good deeds and pretty faces will get us nowhere if we do not share Jesus with the lost! There are people right now next to you, in your family, friends, at your church that do not know Jesus, share him with them. Share your testimony of who Jesus is to you and let them see how Jesus rescues us. I too desire for people to be rescued the way I was rescued. However, man did not rescue me, Jesus did!
And the night just started. We continued to pray for a few more people when all of a sudden this man and woman come stumbling down the road. She looked half dead and had not eaten in days. We gave her food but she would hardly eat it. Her husband was walking her to the hospital, which was two blocks away. Three of us helped carry her there as she had lost almost all use of her legs at this time. We got her inside and she blacked out, down for the count. They got her right in. We prayed over her but then were asked to leave. Not sure what happened but her husband was thankful. We finished the evening with a group prayer. Those two young men that I talked about earlier, they came up shoke my hand and said thank you. And they were gone. What an evening! Praying for all those we encountered and those we were with.
GO, SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH SOMEONE! GO!
I was greatly anticipating this past weekend as I knew our main goal was to reach local prostitutes for Jesus. However I was not expecting to see what I saw and am yet sure what to do with it.
As we approached the streets of Mayaguez the stench of old buildings, urine and other detestable smells mixed with the smell of fried food and beer filled our senses I knew that it was going to be and interesting evening. Julio his wife Stacy and myself met a group of college students that are here as mission interns for the summer. We gathered to pray and made our way down the streets. Right away a 60 year old woman came up to us asking for what ever we had. We handed her a "gift pack" and prayed for her. Wow 2 min in and people are coming to us! What a night I thought. As we walked the director of the mission team shared some stories with us. He told us to look in dark corners and under steps as that is where most people hide/live. He shared a story of a young girl being forced into prostitution whom they shared Jesus with and she excepted a one way ticket back to the states where they had shelter for her. Last he knew she is doing great and no longer in prostitution! Praise Jesus! Wow, this is going to be an eventful evening filled with lots of prayer is what I thought. How great would it be to send a young girl back to the states to get her out of prostitution? Yet, we have only seen this one lady. As we walked farther we approached an old building. This building is know for Voodoo practice and other satanic worship. Local Police officers have found sacrificed animals on the second floor and symbols of all sorts. The director, Chad, went inside as there are usually people inside. There were none. I prayed over the building with the group and we moved on. Still no people. As we walked there were very few people out. Even Chad said it was odd. We prayed for a few people but no prostitutes were to be seen. We got to a point where we took a break for a drink. There were two kids/ young adults with us that were not with the group. They were kind of leading us to places they knew of. They were local to the area. I started talking with them at the table. They had so much enthusiasm and excitement for what we were doing, I wanted to know their story. What I heard shocked me, and not much does. As they shared why they did this I heard things from, I was rescued this way so I want others to be rescued this way too, I heard there was this mission thing going on and I wants to join and similar things. I was so excited to hear young men passionate for Jesus and sharing the freedom he offers. So I asked how and when they accepted Christ. To my shock their reply was, I don't believe in God and I really don't know, I do not think I believe in Jesus! WHAT???!!!!! How can this be? I was so confused, so I asked again to make sure I understood. They said very calm and confident with almost a smile on their face the same thing I heard prior. I was to say the least stunned.
So I continued to ask how this happens. Literally, I asked them how they can be out doing the Lords work and not even believe in him? As I heard their stories I was not shocked but saddened. Like so many young people here on the island they have a wrong idea and view of who Jesus is and what he offers. They see religion and not relationship. They see rules and not love. They see regulations and not freedom. Point blank they have been taught about a Jesus that does not exist. They have been taught wrong. I did my best to share who Jesus was to me and what I knew, it seemed to cause them to think but nothing more. No hostility, they just listened and moved on. I was left in shock and still am. For a few reasons. First this goes to show that actions do not lead to salvation and not all people doing good are followers of Christ. Second, we need to be sharing the GOSPEL and not only living it. We must live out the gospel as well as share it! I was able to share this with the group of students as part of the group went into a strip club to pray over the women there. (they did not go into the show area) I was able to share with them what I just shared with you. We must share the gospel message. We must preach Jesus. Doing good is not enough. It is only part of our job. I am convinced that when people hear about the Jesus I know and you know they will want him. We cannot sit in our ivory tower of goodness and think we are doing anything for the kingdom! No we must preach the name of Jesus and share the gospel message. Our good deeds and pretty faces will get us nowhere if we do not share Jesus with the lost! There are people right now next to you, in your family, friends, at your church that do not know Jesus, share him with them. Share your testimony of who Jesus is to you and let them see how Jesus rescues us. I too desire for people to be rescued the way I was rescued. However, man did not rescue me, Jesus did!
And the night just started. We continued to pray for a few more people when all of a sudden this man and woman come stumbling down the road. She looked half dead and had not eaten in days. We gave her food but she would hardly eat it. Her husband was walking her to the hospital, which was two blocks away. Three of us helped carry her there as she had lost almost all use of her legs at this time. We got her inside and she blacked out, down for the count. They got her right in. We prayed over her but then were asked to leave. Not sure what happened but her husband was thankful. We finished the evening with a group prayer. Those two young men that I talked about earlier, they came up shoke my hand and said thank you. And they were gone. What an evening! Praying for all those we encountered and those we were with.
GO, SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH SOMEONE! GO!
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