Our PAID IN FULL, beautiful “second opportunities”

 ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. ¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.  Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  –2 Cor. 5: 14-21

This month marks the Christian world’s commemoration and celebration of the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission on earth—his suffering and death to pay in full the penalty of our sin, followed by his glorious resurrection giving us victory over death and eternal life through him.  All who believe in him and follow him in turn become God’s children and his ambassadors to the world.  This INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL GIFT OF GOD represents a totally undeserved second opportunity that would not otherwise be possible for anyone.  Who among us does NOT need such a second opportunity??

Our own PAID IN FULL, beautiful “second opportunity” becomes our message to all those around us and to all the world.  It calls all who would believe and accept it to repent (change) their lives to follow our Perfect, Loving God who showed us how to live through Jesus.  God wants no one to perish outside of true relationship with him through Jesus!  (2 Peter 3:9)

In Chile people are legally married via a civil ceremony conducted by a government representative.  Christians can then opt to also be married by a pastor.  In February Jack had the honor of marrying Jorge and Eva, both previously married and divorced and now living outside of God’s design for couples and families.  They called their new marriage their “second opportunity” to put their lives and union in agreement with God and his design for marriage and family.  It was a beautiful ceremony and a fresh step forward for them both.  We continue to strive to extend a REAL Jesus in Chile.

We, too, are celebrating God’s grace, mercy, and blessing this month in our own marriage, as on April 17^th we will have been married 50 years.  Exactly how did those years go by so fast??!! 😊  Seriously, all longevity of God’s designs for life and family are a genuine tribute to him and to his glory, in addition to being an encouragement to us all!  Thank you all for praying for us and for God’s message through Chile Mission!!

CHILE PRAISES, PROGRESS, AND PRAYER NEEDS

Chile has a high % of the population that have contracted covid—especially in its urban centers.  A new report has put the number of Chileans with covid at over 1,000,000 (out of approximately 18,000,000 total Chilean population).  Churches, schools, other organizations, and restaurants, etc. are not permitted to meet normally and many people cannot work at all.  Chile has again closed its borders to non-residents and non-Chileans and the entire country is on “lock down”, with nightly and all-weekend curfews throughout the country.  Janine has a planned trip to Chile next month, but new covid measures could change those plans.

At our camp property:

• The electric company Coelcha has sent a team of engineers to our land to make final measurements in the relocating their electric lines to an area outside of our planned lake.  Paid for in advance, we pray that the work will be completed in April.
• Abraham’s and our nearest neighbors met with the mayor about the poor condition of the public road that allows access to our properties during the rainy winters (June-mid Sept.) and it paid off!  Pictured are the heavy equipment sent to improve the road.  Thank you for your prayers!
• Abraham has made more progress in the construction of a roofed parking area behind their house.
• The surveyor hired by Rosa (see other recent month prayer letters) did come back to remeasure his points marking the borders of her property bordering ours.  The exact borders are still not resolved, though, and Janine is working with Abraham to provide clear definition of those borders.  Rosa is still not totally cooperative.

In Santiago:

• Several government offices have been closed to the public, due to covid.  This in turn impacts progress made in legal changes in process regarding our Foundation.
• We’ve also had fewer parents/families staying at our mission property lately for medical reasons.
• More progress has been made in the outfitting of a second Chile Mission website in Spanish.
• Our car is still in the shop, due to not being able to find a used air conditioning compressor to install.

In the U.S.:

• Steady progress continues to be made in renovating and repairing the house we purchased in CA.  With God’s blessing, the house will be our new residence when not in Chile.
• We travel to Chicago in mid-April to work at preparing our northwest Indiana “furlough” house for sale.

We again thank you for all your steady prayers–they are greatly appreciated!  

Praising, praying, and fasting to God, the Jesus-Source of real, PAID-IN-FULL second opportunities,

Jack & Janine