NEW LIFE SPRINGING FORTH

Jack’s & Janine’s MARCH 2013 Chile Prayer Letter

He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.  He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.  He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth.  –Psalm 104: 10-14

You in the States enter spring this month.  (Yeh! J)  This month’s PRAISE is for how God brings forth and nourishes new life in us, just as He does in all creation.  We are coming out of a difficult time recently with some of the children under our care here and yet it’s impossible not to appreciate how God continues working in “spring forth” new life in them—the same new life that all of us Christians receive in Jesus and continue to grow in.  Green is a great spring color!  Five of the children had a special treat in February when Jack took them camping and traveling.  It was a first such experience for all five—how cool!  These photos say it all:

The children’s work

—God has brought us together with a young Christian psychologist who will plans to begin working for us part-time.  Janine met her on the metro train she saw Janine with one of our girls that she recognized from working with the family in the past.  God is good and we’re looking forward to her arrival.

–It looks as if we’ll be able this month to present our need for a second set of house parents to a group of pastors studying at an institute together.  We also continue to place announcements on Chile’s main Christian radio station and will continue to visit churches.

–Thank you for continued prayers for the children we work with.  They start school on March 4.

Swanson return needs

–We have already received roughly $500 toward the purchase of a used van (thank you so much!) to use in our work.  As we wrote in our recent newsletter, we expect to spend around $20,000 for a three-year-old van.  Financial help toward this need should be sent to ChileMission   P.O. Box 60132   San Angelo, TX76906   (with vehicle written on the check’s memo line).

–While we are keeping an eye out for a house to rent, we will not be moving from the children’s residence until the second set of house parents is found.  We know that God will provide in his good timing.

–We still seek renters for our Cedar Lake, IN house as well.  Especially after the major remodeling we did on its living space last year while on furlough, it is a quite nice two-bedroom space for someone.  Our U.S. phone that rings here in Chile is 626-789-7183.

Chile mission team

Jim and Kari Hurley are arriving in Chile with 17-month-old daughter Nora on March 13 to begin working with us for one year or longer.  Both Jim and Kari have extensive Bible background and both arrive with a heart for children and training and experience in different aspects of such work.  Kari is expecting the birth of their second child around the first of June and they will also be concentrating on Spanish language and culture learning.

Praising, praying, and fasting with you in a “New Life & Growth” Jesus,

Jack & Janine

CREATED FOR GOD’S PURPOSES

Jack’s & Janine’s February 2013 Chile Prayer Letter

For it is by grace that you have been saved—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  –Eph. 2:8-10

 This month’s praise is for God’s gift of salvation in Jesus that frees us from the burden of tying eternal life to our “being good people” or to any other method we have of trying to obtain it.  In truth it is un-obtainable through human effort of any kind.  At the same time, how good to recognize that we are God’s workmanship, created to carry out his good purposes in the world through his living in us.

Such a powerful combination and reason to live.  Thank you, Lord!  Feeling depressed or unworthy or useless or frustrated?  Turn your heart and focus outward in Jesus and be renewed.

It’s apparent to us that we were created and joined in marriage to do what we do here in Chile.  We couldn’t nearly accomplish what we do without you who pray and/or fast on our behalf.  Listed below are some main prayer needs for February.

The children’s work

–Fabiola is going to work through this first week of February.  Please keep praying that the most important issues and details in process get talked about and that we would have a good handle on what she has been working on these last several months.  It’s still a little early to know whom we should hire and in what capacity to replace her.  We know that God will guide us in that.

–Janine & I are filling the position of the second set of house parents. (Our nine children live between two houses.)  It’s summer, so a good number of people in Santiago are on vacation and out-of-town.  Still, we are seriously looking (even very seriously 🙂 ) for permanent parents to hire.

Swanson return needs

–Our main need right now is finding a used, good-condition van.  We have already received some funds toward it (thank you so much!) and as we wrote in our recent newsletter, we now know to expect to spend around $20,000 for a three-year-old van.  Financial help toward this need should be sent to ChileMission   P.O. Box 60132   San Angelo, TX76906   (with vehicle written on the check’s memo line).

–We are keeping an eye out for a house to rent and putting out feelers with people we know.  We know that God will open up a place when the time is right.

Other important parts of our work

–We in the church continue to seek an ample full-time office space to replace the once-a-week Sunday morning space that we rent.

–Jack completed a two-day trip to Penco, Menque, and Concepción and we are set to go to Penco with a team to do a three-day VBS at the school, Feb. 14-16.  Also in Menque there is a parcel of land (two acres) for sale by a large lumber company.  As we have written, we seek land (and have received funds toward its purchase) to develop into a camp for children of the area and at which a Christian outreach center can be established.  Maria, who takes initiative in the town, will help put us in contact with the right person to talk to at the lumber company.  Thank you Lord.

Praising, praying, and fasting with you in a “Creating for his good Purposes” God,

Jack & Janine