Last month we used a text from Psalm 33, where in verse 11 the Psalmist says, But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.  It’s important to note that when we follow and serve him in faith, love, and hope in our work, we play an important part in helping shape his purposes, that the name of his Son Jesus might be glorified.  Here are two short excerpts from Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians:

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.  We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. –1 Thess. 1: 2-3

…we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.¹² We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. –2 Thess. 1:11-12

First, a BIG THANK YOU LORD!!! that one of the four houses on the mission property is set to open this month to receive mothers of children in long-term care in one of the children’s hospitals here in Santiago.  These mothers come from other parts of the country to be with their child being treated for cancer or serious burns or are here for organ transplants.  You might remember Millarai who died from bone cancer almost exactly one year ago.  She was living in northern Chile.  Raquel (she and Ross already live on the mission property), will be the hands-on coordinator of this work, receiving the mothers (sometimes with young children with them that they can’t leave with others).  The ministry will include good housing and care, emotional and spiritual support and “God love”, accompaniment to hospitals and child care when needed, meals,  and relationship with the hospitalized children themselves.  Give God thanks with us and also pray for a good start to fill a long-term need!

We are already also preparing another of the houses for fathers.  Presently, none of the hospital houses allow men to stay, basically because it’s not wise to let men and women stay in the same house.  We have the added advantage of having separate houses on the same property, instead of just one house shared by all.  Please pray that this other house for men will also be in use very soon!

In the past, our work with children involved children under government care living in one of our houses with a house father and mother.  God has guided us in how to keep the work focused on children, meeting real needs for both them and their families.  We continue to initiate contacts with ADRA, the Adventist organization that places children with foster families (something that we did for one year as a family with Ariel (4) and Ghisleine (1) in 1995).  So far, ADRA has not responded, but God instead has opened a way to help families of children in serious health situations.  Once our feet are on the ground with this ministry, we pray that God would open the “foster” door as well on the mission property.  Thank you for praying our path forward.

We will be traveling this month to northern Chile to meet with a family who might want to relocate to mid-Chile to be a part of the Christian camp & center.  Also with regards to the camp, Donald and Glenn from the States will be here for a week this month to accompany us to mid-Chile to look at additional land and help evaluate next steps.  Donald is the director of a camp in North Carolina and Glenn is the pastor of a church in King, North Carolina that supports us.  He and a group of nine others from the church came to Chile in 2007 to visit and help in different ways.

Perhaps the most important lesson and point in all of this is how God takes us forward according to his will, while also honoring our faith in him, prompted by his love, and inspired by our hope in Jesus.

Thank you for your ongoing prayer support!

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all complete the work to which God has called us,

Jack & Janine