“Every supporting ligament”

From him (Jesus Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  –Eph. 4:16

Many of you can relate to the above verse.  Perhaps you’ve been the beneficiary of the work and outreach of someone in the church, and perhaps you are that person who works and does the outreach.  What a blessing to God are church members fully in motion, as no matter what our age Jesus has work for us to do in supporting his Church and his Kingdom Work.  ALL of you who continue to pray for us and for CHILE MISSION are our Supporting Ligaments!!  THANK YOU!!

Speaking of supporting ligaments, we are SO grateful for the several men who have been helping fill our 40’ shipping container, now 90% complete!!  TYL!!  They have carried boxes from our house and have positioned and secured everything in the container.  They are from different churches, gladly serving our Lord and Savior as his Kingdom Supporting Ligaments together.  Scott, who sold us the skid steer and attachments, arrived with it from Tennessee despite two flat tires in route, and after positioning it inside the container, the men helping were able to drain it of its diesel fuel after two unsuccessful tries. 🙂

In addition, our Christian shipping agent recently called to tell us that all is ready at the Chicago Rail Yard to receive the container.  YAY!!  It must be delivered there between Sept. 17th and Sept. 21st.  We do have a trucking company arranged for that will pick up our loaded container and deliver it to the Rail Yard between those dates, and God gets the glory for it all.  Once loaded onto the train it will be delivered in Long Beach CA for shipping to the Chilean port closest to our camp property.

Please pray with us for the completion of all of the above.  The container and contents will be insured through our shipping agent for their market value.  The HUGE PRAISE is that all of the contents, with the exception of the $10,000 paid for the skid steer and all of its attachments (a really low price!) were donations toward the development of the camp and camp property.  In addition to the skid steer and log splitter are a wide range of needed tools, along with furniture, chairs, & mattresses ready to use in our future cabins and dining hall.

In the meantime, Chilean customs paperwork is also being put in order.  With God’s blessing, our mission is a tax exempt Foundation in Chile and thus should not pay duty in receiving the shipment.  Another important prayer point to be sure!  We’ll be in Chile for three weeks beginning on October 7 and there is a possibility that our container will arrive to the port during October while we are there.  If not, Abraham will be able to sign for it and transport it to our camp property.

 FROM SANTIAGO, Carolina recently sent a photo of Marjorie & her husband Carlos.  She is recuperating on our mission site after being operated on to repair a brain aneurysm.  They are from northern Chile and we give God thanks that they are Christians.

Also pictured are Alejandra & her mother Carolina.  She has undergone knee surgery in Santiago and while we give God thanks for that, we more importantly pray that they would know come to know Jesus as well and become linked to a church where they live in far southern Punta Arenas, Chile.  The “Sweet Refuge” houses on our Santiago mission site serve as an important ministry to young and old alike to both make Jesus known and to strengthen the faith of all who come to stay with us.

SPRING AND INDEPENDENCE DAY  Finally, all Chileans no matter where they live are grateful to be entering September with spring right around the corner.  Winter cold and rain is almost behind them and although the night time temperatures hardly ever dip below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, typical Chilean construction does not include insulation or double-paned glass and neither do they have furnaces, but rather small roll-around propane heaters.  In middle Chile where our camp property is located and in southern Chile the winter can be extremely rainy as well.

Along with the better weather, September18th marks Chile’s Independence Day—celebrated with traditional Chilean dances and weeklong programs in schools.  This year it falls on a Thursday, with Friday also a holiday (Army Day) and festive celebrations in cities and small towns throughout the country continuing all weekend.  While national unity is good, these festivities unfortunately include much drinking, all in a country where Jesus in not known or followed by most.

Would you join us in praying for the work of ALL Christian churches and missions in Chile and in the world?  Only the “Light of Jesus” in all of us and in prayer can penetrate the spiritual darkness in any and every country and land in this world.  What a privilege and responsibility at the same time, no matter where one lives!  Thank you again for your prayers of us and for CHILE MISSION, that we would brightly shine with Jesus’ light long into the future!!  We in turn pray the same for each of you, as each and every one of us are ALL God’s Kingdom Supporting Ligaments!

Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks to our “Eternal Jesus Light of the World” One, True God,

Jack & Janine 

Note:  You can single click on any photo and it will enlarge to enhance its viewing.