“GOD THROUGH JESUS—OUR ONE, TRUE SOURCE AND ANSWER”

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

If there were any three key ingredients that society and the world badly lack, they are those mentioned in the above Bible verse.  1 Corinthians 13 is a tremendous chapter on the importance and meaning of love in Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth.  Do faith, hope and love have One, True source??

God, and more specifically Christ Jesus, have always been the One, True Source and answer for where to go to find what we truly seek and need.  All good values and all human life matters, and many people believe that there is no one, true answer and source of good values. The world says we need to rely on our own truth and God tells us to come to and connect with Jesus.  We Christians, in whatever country that God puts us, can have no other more important singular mission than to make Jesus known and equip others to do the same, starting with the testimony of our own lives.  How great an honor and responsibility for us of Chile Mission to be in Chile to carry out the mission of Jesus there and how thankful we are for your prayers!!

YOUR PRAYERS HELP IN MANY WAYS….

• Abraham, Catalina, & daughter Abril are set to fly from Santiago to Los Angeles on June 1, arriving in the morning June 2. Thanks for praying against any anxiety that Catalina may have, as she has never flown and has never been outside of Chile.
• Abdías is set to stay on the Chile camp property during the two months that Abraham and family are in the States with us. Other key people will be helping and accompanying Abdías from time to time as needed. Abraham has some great neighbors living close by, which is a big blessing. His nearest neighbor is more than one half mile away.
• Several good visits to children’s camps have fallen into place and are scheduled, starting with two excellent camps in southern California the first full week of June and then continuing from Illinois through Indiana to North Carolina and over to Alabama and Texas.
• From helping host 5 consecutive Chile summer vbs camps through 2020, we have seen how the outdoors & nature, combined with fun and healthy relationships are an effective way for opening children and youth up to meeting Jesus firsthand. The Holy Spirit is working in all of it! J
• Roughly half of Chilean youth either doubt that God exists or don’t believe in Jesus. The developed camp & retreat center in middle Chile will be a great outreach ministry!
• Abraham and Abdías have made good progress toward completing the extra bath and bedroom they’ve been working on.

In Santiago

• Parents are regularly staying at the Chile Mission site, with many facing very difficult circumstances of their children. Recently, parents Victor & Isabel stayed for roughly two months after Isabel gave birth to a baby boy, Dominíc, pictured above.  Sadly, he was born with a severe heart defect and his stomach is upside down—something extremely rare.  In the end the doctors felt that they could not improve Dominíc’s situation and sent him home with his parents to Los Angeles, Chile (roughly 6 hours south of Santiago) to die.  In checking today, he is again hospitalized with an infection, but is gaining weight.  Thank you for praying with us for a miraculous healing for Dominic and for the reassurance for Victor & Isabel that God is with them as a family.
• We continue to look for other Foundations and ministries that may be able to have some needed space on our mission site.

Jack’s health ….

Thanks for praying for Jack’s health these last several years.  He was referred to a rheumatologist early in May that has identified Jack’s condition as “Auto-Immune Neutropenia (AIN)”.  Neutropenia is what is dangerous for people going through chemotherapy, as their white blood cell count is dangerously low.  Jack’s bone marrow is producing white blood cells, but his body is destroying them.  While it remains unclear about treatment to improve his blood count, it’s good to be on the right track one step at a time.

Praising, praying, fasting, to GOD–OUR ONE, TRUE SOURCE AND ANSWER !

Jack & Janine 

“EXCELLENT AND PRAISEWORTHY”

 ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9 is certainly a great passage on prayer and Christian living in Paul’s letter to the Philippian Church!  In looking for a passage to start off our May prayer & update letter, the words excellent and praiseworthy seemed most applicable, because in the end, they apply first and foremost to our One, True God who makes all things possible, with his perfect timing to boot.  They also apply to your regular prayers for Chile Mission and for us!!  We in turn send the Lord our prayers for each of you.  Thank you!

Another excellent and praiseworthy opportunity coming our way in June and July is the impending visit of Abraham’s family’s trip to the U.S. this summer.  They are due to arrive in Los Angeles on June 2^nd and leave from there on August 1^st.  As we mentioned in our April prayer & update letter, they will be traveling with us to Christian camps in California and other states—especially those camps with similar physical characteristics as our land in Chile being developed and camps that have built lakes.  This kind of extra time taken represents our and their desire to continue with excellence in our approach to this significant step to reach and enrich Chilean lives with the gospel.  Abraham, Catalina, & Abril have their passports in hand with one month to go and we will have more trip details to share in next month’s prayer letter.

We are now in the process of setting up visits and very much appreciate your prayers for those contacts.  As always, God is the Master Door Opener!  We also ask you to be in prayer for the right person that will live in their house and take care of needed details on the Chile land in their absence.  It looks possible that Abdías, son of Julián and Carolina, who live and work on the Chile Mission site in Santiago, may be able to do so.  He has been helping Abraham with the addition of an extra bedroom and bathroom to their house on the camp land.  We know that God will provide for the need.

In Santiago….

Carolina is one more month into her duties as our new main coordinator of Chile Mission’s ministry to parents coming to stay at our mission site for periods of time ranging from a couple of days to a couple of months.  Julián, Carolina, and son Esteban are adapting well and Esteban really likes his new military school in Santiago.  In addition, Joherlit (who formerly handled the details of the job that Carolina now holds) continues to help her with details of the job and with hospital contacts.

A variety of parents have come to stay on the mission site and Esperanza, the infant mentioned again in last month’s prayer & update letter, has been transferred to a hospital in the town where Esperanza’s parents live.  Her infection was treated and doctors are continuing to look at her heart problems.  Thank you for continuing to pray for her and her family!

In the U.S. ….

Many of you have been praying for Jack’s low white blood cell count.  Initially diagnosed early in 2015 as CMML, a rare type of leukemia, a recent bone marrow biopsy now shows that neither leukemia or other form of cancer are the cause of his on-going condition.  Instead, the oncologist believes that an auto-immune problem is responsible.  To investigate further, Jack has an appointment with a doctor specializing in such conditions.  His main symptom is chronic fatigue, but he moves forward and deals with that!  Thanks for your prayers and thank you, Lord, for taking us forward!

Stateside we are concentrating on short-term mission trips of supporting churches and individuals in helping in specific ways with the development of the camp property.  Such trips are definitely both excellent and praiseworthy!!

Praising, praying, fasting, to our ONE, TRUE, EXCELLENT AND PRAISEWORTHY GOD!!

Jack & Janine 

“FROM DEATH TO LIFE – our purpose starts there!!”

 ¹⁶ For God SO LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to SAVE THE WORLD through him. ¹⁸ Whoever BELIEVES in him is not condemned, but whoever DOES NOT BELIEVE stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

There can be no other greater purpose for Christians to go throughout the world than to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ contained in John 3:16-18 and to do what he did while on earth.  Except for Jesus’ death and resurrection commemorated and celebrated this month of April, ALL MANKIND would be condemned and eternally separated from God.   How amazing it is that God’s deep love for his creation sacrificed his own son Jesus to bring us back into relationship with himself.  That makes Jesus Christ not just another “religious choice” to consider, but rather the difference between eternal punishment that I pay myself and eternal life—ALL because of God’s love for us.

Thank you again for your prayers for the work of Chile Mission!  Paul said it well in his letter to the church in Ephesus when he asked for their prayers with these words found in Eph.6:19-20, “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

A SPECIAL HOLY WEEK AND EASTER TO YOU ALL!!

GOD IS ALWAYS MOVING – thanks for your prayers for all of the following!

In Santiago:

Julián & Carolina and family are adjusting well to living on the Chile Mission site and Carolina is also capable and doing well at adapting to her duties with parents arriving to stay for medical reasons of their children.  Janine regularly talks with her via WhatsApp as needed.  Johe is also working with them in different ways, answering questions and making calls to hospitals and clinics.

At the same time, Paola has finished her work with us at the end of March.  Our main legal steps have been put in motion, along with helping get our necessary monthly accounting in order.  She helped a lot with Caroline’s orientation in March.  Thank you Lord for working in team, plus all of you who play a big part with your prayers!

Esperanza had her heart surgery to connect her heart blood vessels to her lungs, but after the surgery she contracted an infection.  Her doctors are still consulting on the best next step, and in the meantime she stays in isolation in the intensive care unit of the hospital in a type of coma-induced state.  It’s a hard situation for their family, to be sure, and they very much appreciate any and all prayer support.  They also have a two-year-old daughter, and Mom Gabriella is pregnant again and at risk with another cesarean birth.

In rural Chile at the camp property:

Abraham has been able to start on the bedroom/bathroom/laundry addition to be built on to the side of their house, with the readying of the footings ditches for the cement that will support the new walls.  Abdías, the oldest son of Julián and Carolina in Santiago has come down to help him, which is great.  As we have written in recent months, the extra bedroom/office and bathroom with an exterior entrance will help when workers and others come to help with construction and other projects. They will have their own bathroom!! 🙂  Plus, Abraham will have room with a private office in between visitors to work away from the home activity.

Abraham, Catalina and Abril have applied for their passports in order to come to the U.S. in June and July to visit Christian camps in various States, starting with California.  The passports were supposed to be ready by March 31, but like with many Chilean governmental offices, are still in process.  Thanks for your prayers!  The two main purposes for bringing them to the U.S. is to 1) go to camps that have tackled similar improvements that we have in mind, such as make a lake and build an outdoor amphitheater with a good sound system, etc.  and 2) to take a close look at our approach to both children and youth spiritually.  Our message is evangelistic!

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving thanks to our TRUE “FROM DEATH TO LIFE SAVIOR AND LORD!!

Jack & Janine 

“BELIEVING AND SEEKING THE LORD WITH TOTAL CONFIDENCE!!”

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.  ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

The above verses come from Hebrews 11, an entire chapter committed to the importance of maintaining faith in God. They ring true for everyone, giving us assurance and strength.  These two months in Chile have once again reminded us that we can always have faith that God hears our prayers and responds according to his purposes and plan.  Thank you so much for faithfully praying for and with Chile Mission!!

CURRENT ISSUES & PRAYER UPDATES

We have been reviewing and revising hours worked by our staff here on the Santiago mission site, and, considering how difficult this might have been, we are very grateful to the Lord for how well it went.  Thank you for your prayer support!  There are still details to work out, but we’ve been able to enter March with good accords reached on every front.  Johe will complete her hours owed mostly from home by making contacts with hospital & clinics and she will also be available to help at our mission site as needed.

Another main issue has been the replacement of Johe and Paola on the mission site with new persons to live here and take the work forward with site maintenance and the handling of our ministry to those coming to stay on our site from different parts of Chile for medical treatments facing their children.  Other dimensions of this important ministry include our communication and relationship with hospitals and clinics in other parts of the country, as well as seeking churches from where the families come from that can reach out to them where they live.  We are also looking for couples near us that can help people staying on our mission site in different ways.

We are pleased to introduce to you the new family that will be living here to take on the above role on behalf of Chile Mission.  Pictured here, they are Carolina (the person mainly involved in our work with families, hospitals, and churches), her husband Julián, and their two sons Abdías (Obadiah in English) and Esteban (Steven in English).  Abdías is 21 and Esteban is 14.  Julián has been a church pastor in the past and they were introduced to us by Abraham, our team member on the camp property in middle Chile.  Julián will continue with his full-time administrative job with a large company that makes windows.

Esperanza (Hope in English), the nine-month-old baby girl needing more surgery to connect her heart blood vessels with her lungs, will be back in Santiago on March 13 for that surgery and her mother will stay here on the mission site.  Please pray for them.

We also continue in communication with the APEM pregnancy center regarding issues having to do with their office/meeting space on our Santiago mission site.  Please remain in prayer over these discussions.  We are thankful to be in relationship with them.  We have still to hear back from Samaritan’s Purse’s use of office/meeting space on our mission site.

IN RURAL CHILE AT THE CAMP PROPERTY Abraham has been making final measurements for the new, bathroom & bedroom he is adding onto the side of his house with an exterior entrance, and he is ready to buy materials and fixtures needed for the job.  Thank you for your prayers for the project.  They as a family and we, too, have recovered from recent bouts with Covid.  Thank you Lord for health and healing!

It looks like it will take a while longer to locate both the surveyor and architect that will assist in their fields on the camp property.  Please keep praying about this.

We are sorry to be a few days late with our March update and prayer requests.  These recent weeks in particular have been “full to the brim” with things to do.  Good thing that God can handle all “full to the brim” issues!  🙂

Janine flew to the States (California) Wednesday night, arriving early yesterday morning, and I, Jack, will follow her on Monday evening, the 7^th.  Thus, our next prayer letter will be written from there.  Again, we can’t tell you how grateful we are for your partnership in prayer!

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving thanks to our FAITH-BASED, FAITHFUL GOD!!

Jack & Janine 

“GOD wants NO ONE to perish!!”

 The Bible urges us to pray for everything (Phil. 4:4-7) and even to pray continually (1 Thess. 5:16-18).  Let us share a Chile story with you centered on one of the children, Carla, who lived on our Santiago mission site in 2012 & 2013 in one of our houses with Chilean house parents. We began receiving children “of the state” in the first part of 2010 and did so through most of 2013, when our ministry to these children was abruptly terminated by two Chilean judges. At the time nine children lived between two of our houses. The judges never did talk with us or any of our staff.  As it came out, Carla was instrumental in the ending of the ministry, using lies and other false allegations to misrepresent life here.

Recently, Carla asked Janine to be her friend on Facebook.  Janine wrote back with the question, Why??  After all, in looking at Carla’s major role is shutting down the Children’s Residence with lies and bad intentions, there was no reason to be friends.  Carla’s response was that she was “so sorry!”  She acknowledged her actions and said that when she lived here she was a child not knowing bad from good, and that now as an adult she does know that difference. She has spent a rough 8 years living on the street, etc.  She recounted several good memories of her time at the mission site.  The photo on the left is of Carla at 12 years old and others of the nine children living in mission houses on the Chile Mission site in 2012. Carla is on the far left. The photo on the right was taken when she visited us a few weeks ago.

We know that Carla and the other children experienced Jesus in several different ways during their few years with us.  We still regularly pray for them and their openness to the gospel and we hope to see Carla and others of them in the future.  On-going prayer truly does matter and brings God glory, as we join him in his love and search for every single person that do not now believe in Jesus..

⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  –2 Peter 3:8-9

The truth is that we all know others that continue to shut Jesus out.  Our contacts with them and our on-going prayers for them will always be worth it!

January

IN SANTIAGO we have been meeting with Paola about legal papers needing to be signed for the Foundation.  Also, when the municipality officially registered our new Foundation name “Misión Chile” they made a typographical error in its spelling that they needed to correct.  We DID receive news on the 31^st that all was finished and correctly spelled! (Sigh J ) That’s a big praise and TYL!!  Thanks again for your prayers!

We have also been looking with Paola at hours actually worked on the mission site this past year by those we have on contract, as hours worked do not line up with hours paid.  Please pray that God will both guide and bless these hard discussions.  We are sure that God’s wisdom is needed in ALL bi and multi-cultural works in the world.

A BIG PRAISE TO SHARE is that our houses have been quite full in recent months with those coming to Santiago for complicated medical conditions of their children.

We met in January here on our mission site with a Samaritan’s Purse representative about their having meeting space and he liked what he saw.  He is now back in contact with his Chilean team to receive direction.  Another prayer issue!

We are also pleased to announce that our worker Joherlit and Esteban were married in a civil ceremony on January 28, with their church wedding set for February 4.  Esteban is a Christian man and will make a great husband and we wish them God’s blessing in “tackling life” together.  We are actively seeking a replacement for Joherlit here on the mission site and in the meantime Paola will fill all necessary duties.  Thank you for praying for our search for her replacement.  It’s a timely issue for Chile Mission!

IN RURAL CHILE AT THE CAMP PROPERTY we met with Abraham over various issues and “next” steps, as we walked the land to decide on the location for the 2-story workshop/storage/parking structure we will be building this year.  Abraham & Janine also decided to first build an additional bathroom & bedroom onto the side of his house, but with an exterior entrance.  It’s needed to better accommodate one or more people working on the property.

While at their house we and Abraham had a zoom phone meeting with the newly-elected congresswoman from the district in which the camp property is located.  She is a Christian and is very much interested in helping in one way or another in the development of our camp.  The meeting went very well as an introduction to us and the work, as Abraham was able to upload and show her photos of the property during the call.

MOVING INTO FEBRUARY

IN SANTIAGO we will be working with Paola to put into practice straight-forward, measurable criteria that all workers will follow in completing their work.  We and Paola also need to come to final decisions on work hours still owed by some.  Your prayers are VERY much appreciated!  .

Finding a replacement of Joherlit is of top importance.  Feelers had been put out as early as December to possible candidates and we’ve had some responses, but none went forward.  We contacted churches in January and will be following up with them and other churches and organizations.  We know that God leads!

Another weighty matter has to do with the APEM pro-life pregnancy center.  We do not charge rent on their house, knowing that it is super expensive to rent adequate space in Santiago.  They do however pay their share of utilities and site upkeep.  At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 they were behind on those payments and because they could not be here due to strict gov’t covid restrictions, Jack told them to hold off in paying those shared expenses.  (a definite mistake! J )  We are now in contact with them to re-establish their payments going back to when they were paying.  We see this issue as resolvable, and ask for your prayers.  Their ministry work with women is very needed and worthwhile!

IN RURAL CHILE AT THE CAMP PROPERTY Abraham will begin building the additional bathroom & bedroom mentioned earlier.  A rough time frame for completion of the addition is three months.  Janine will also continue working with Abraham this month in trimming the overgrown trees and plan for future cultivation.

A February goal with Abraham is to be able to decide on both the surveyor and the architect that the Foundation will use on the property.  It seems like these choices have no end, but charges for such services are very variable and we need to do a complete search.  Thanks for your prayers.

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving thanks to God, who wants NO ONE to perish !!

Jack & Janine 

“Our HEART PLANS – God’s STEPS PLANS”

 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps – Proverbs 16:9

We can be assured that as we live out the plans that God sets in our hearts, he will faithfully also determine our steps and the order and timing of those steps.  We, our family, and Chile Mission give thanks for you and for your prayers, wishing you a blessed 2022 in God’s continuing presence and leading!!  Our mutual prayers centered in him are vital to the plans of our hearts and his leading them forward and we’re grateful to serve the Lord with you!   We wanted to recap our victories and headway made possible during 2021 in no small way through your prayer partnership with us, along with continuing initiatives starting out in 2022, for which we equally solicit your prayers.  Thank you!!

2021 has ended

2021 was a significant year for several reasons for Chile Mission.  Because of covid-related Chile restrictions we did not spend as much time in Chile as we had planned to, but did communicate via regular video Whatsup calls with both Paola in Santiago and with Abraham & Catalina in middle Chile.

Key 2021 Santiago highlights:

• In January Jack met with Domingo & Sandra (with whom we’ve partnered in past years to offer summer VBS “camps” to children in the area near their house in the country), and it was decided to keep our two Foundations apart and remain friends. This was the best decision, as our two approaches were different as far as leadership was concerned.
• Paola moved to our ministry site to be part of the day-to-day routine with our “casa de acogida,” in carrying out our ministry to parents arriving for housing during visits to Santiago for the medical treatments of their children. We have seen much need with the migrant population, too, and have accommodated some of them, too, when we have vacancies.
• A long-time friend and partner in Christian ministries, Patricio Curinao, will be assuming the role on the board of our foundation. Patricio is an excellent person to have on any Christian board of directors.

Key 2021 Rural camp land highlights:

• Abraham hired an excavator to clear the intended lake area of our camp land, in addition to making additional roads within the property along with two additional entrances from the public access        road.

• In January Jack paid for and signed the final contract with the Coelcha electric company to remove and relocate their electric lines and poles from our intended lake area for the camp. It wasn’t until just before the end of 2021 that they completed the work with the exception of one cement pole, which they now promise to remove in early 2022. J
• Abraham & Catalina formed close relationships with neighbors (within 2 miles J) close to the camp property. This has been a blessing in many ways as they continue to look to ways to enlarge their circle of friends.
• Abraham, along with other key neighbors, met with the mayor of Quillón, the municipality responsible for the area in which our camp property in located. The mayor promised to send road graders to improve the most difficult segments of the public access road that allows for traffic in and out of our area.  This was important, as in the June to Sept. winter part of the year, heavy rains make the road almost impassable.  He proved true to his promise as machines arrived two times in 2021 to improve the road.  TYL!!
• Abraham also constructed a covered parking area behind their house, complete with a covered deck to sit on and enjoy the surrounding area.
• Abraham connected with a Chilean landscape architect, to use our EMI plans and final report to design the structures we will need to construct along with their final placement on the land. We and Abraham also met with him twice on the camp property and are waiting for his final recommendations.  We will need to decide to continue working with him or find a different architect at less cost.  We hope to begin construction of our first structure—a two-story workshop, office/living space with extra bathrooms–in the beginning of 2022.

Key 2021 U.S. highlights:

• We purchased a home in CA as a location nearer to Jonathan and Jordan and their families when we are not in Chile. The house is located roughly two hours from Los Angeles and we still need to do improvements to the house to make it livable.
• Both Julian & Devyn and Jayme & Malia had baby additions in 2021. For Julian & Devyn, Lyon is their first child and for Jayme & Malia, Sophia joins Havalah & Matthias.  Thank you for helping pray for the two pregnancies & births!
• Our participation in the annual ICOM missions conference in the States is always an important part of our missionary work! Thanks so much for your prayers for its impact!

2022 has arrived

We are grateful to be back in Chile for these next two months and look forward to making the most of our time in Santiago and in rural Chile at the camp property.  Thank you again for your prayers!

In Santiago we have already begun to talk with Paola about 2022:

–Putting the mission properties in the name of the foundation for future use and projects.

—The Spanish website development can also now go forward under the Foundation’s new name.

—Joherit will be leaving her duties on our mission site at the end of this month to get married, making it necessary for Paola to find a replacement for her.  This is no small task, as that new person must arrive with a “missionary mindset” of concentrating on the work of Chile Mission and not just living here to “help out”.

—We need to fine tune the procedures on the Santiago property to better maintain it and also in carrying out the daily work with the arrival of our “clients.”

—We hope to meet on our mission site this first week of January with a representative of Samaritan’s Purse about their use of our “House 2” (currently only occupied by the APEM pregnancy center) for office and meeting space.  The house has 4 upstairs bedrooms, three of which will now be available as office spaces for different foundations in need, and our goal for 2022 is to have all three of those bedrooms occupied.  The fourth bedroom is used for dads of hospitalized children that need housing.  The foundation will in turn coordinate the use of the downstairs common space for meetings, etc. via a schedule according to times and days needed.

On the camp land in rural Chile we will be concentrating this year on:

–Adding an exterior bathroom to Abraham’s house for use by workers and groups that are working on the property.  (Our one existing bathroom is in Abraham’s house!!)

—We hope to soon decide with Abraham this month or next on the architect that we will work with to draw up final designs and plans for the camp’s buildings and structures.  The goal is to have the garage/workshop area started and possibly finished by June when Abraham and his family come to the U.S. to visit similar type camps with us.

— Abraham, with Paola’s help, continues to make contacts to receive Chilean-based financial help in designing and digging our planned camp lake.  That help may very well come from the huge lumber company owning almost all the timber in the area in order to help them fight common summer forest fires.

—We hope by the end of the year to be able to begin accommodating small work groups to aid in needed developmental work of the property.  This may possibly include groups from the U.S.

We look forward to initiating summer children’s and youth camps in 2023 under Abraham’s direction.

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving thanks to God, the GRAND PLANNER of the steps of his children!!

Jack & Janine 

“Glory to God in the Highest!!”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  –Luke 2:13-14

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of the darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  –2 Cor. 4:6

Jesus came to earth in human form in the most-humble of circumstances, born of Mary, a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  He came to reconcile all who believe in him with God himself, and he now continues to live in all believers through the power of the same Holy Spirit that we might be his light in the world.  We live his glory and show his light and warmth that live in us with others.  As the first photo exclaims, ALL of God’s works are to his glory.  We hope you can also feel the light and warmth of the fire pit located on the deck behind Abraham’s & Catalina’s house on the camp property in rural Chile, just as Jesus in and through us would be the same for others.  THANK YOU LORD FOR JESUS’ BIRTH AND LIFE IN ALL BELIEVERS and Merry Christmas to you all!!

As always, we SO appreciate your prayers for us and for Chile Mission!

PRAISES, GRATITUDE, & PRAYER NEEDS

In Santiago,

• We received word from Paola that the government approved the change of our Foundation’s name from “Residencia Familia Cristiana” (Christian Family Residence) to “Misión Chile” (Chile Mission). We are both grateful and excited, as the new name much better reflects the new and growing diversity of ministries that the Foundation represents in different parts of the country.  TYL!! and thanks for praying with us for the name change.  The process took roughly one and one half years and Paola’s ongoing diligence.
• We can now apply to increase the number of board members from four to five, along with making other legal changes to the Foundation’s statutes. Of course, we’re praying for much faster results. J  We will now be able to finish setting up a Spanish-speaking website under the same name and complete paperwork for the foundation to receive donations from different businesses.
• The mission property in Santiago has also seen an increase this past month in the number of those coming to Santiago because of immediate and/or ongoing, complicated medical situations. Each case represents specific prayer needs, such as with 15 year-old Sofia, who has severe scoliosis and was just operated on to insert 15 rods in her spinal area, and with Evelyn, in her complicated pregnancy with twins.  Unfortunately, she miscarried the twins.  We now pray for God’s touch and others’ help in her life and difficult loss.  Sofia lives in middle Chile and Evelyn lives in the southern part of the country.  Our staff looks in places where those that have stayed on our Santiago mission property have come from for churches that might be able to come alongside them there.  With the worst behind her, the photo shows a grateful Sofia just arrived home to continue the long process of mending.

In rural, middle Chile,

• With Chile now approaching summer, we pray that the Coelcha electric company will soon remove the old electric lines and fully connect the new ones now installed and operating on our camp land. We’re grateful for this last remaining step in order to fully tackle the digging of a lake on the property in the coming months.  The company has been waiting for dry ground below the wires in order to finish.
• We are also praying for future donations and contributions needed to proceed with the development of the camp property: heavy equipment for digging, contacts for Chilean donations to help pay for the digging of the lake, and the building of the property’s first new building to house supplies, vehicles & equipment, and provide offices with bathrooms and space to work. The new building will allow us to tear down the present adobe structure used for storage.
• Abraham also continues to make area contacts and investigate the acquiring of animals and cultivation of crops. Thanks for praying with us for these advancements.  

With Chile in general,

• Chile’s Covid-related restrictions and rules continue to change monthly. New regulations seem to be requiring both vaccinations plus the booster to travel freely within the country.  At the same time, the “mobility pass” is being eliminated, allowing people to leave Chile solely with a pcr test and without restrictions.  As with the entire world, it appears that Covid in all of its variations will be an ongoing reality to deal with.
• Our return to Chile is set for December 30^th, with plans to stay there through to sometime in March. As always we “pray our trip forward”, asking God to open necessary contacts and bring about progress in his work through Chile Mission, in addition to blessing our travels.

 In the U.S.,

• This year’s ICOM missions conference in Richmond VA was blessed in many ways! The speakers were excellent, our Chilean-made marble figure sales were higher than we expected, and several “God-provided” new people relationships were put in place and existing friend relationships renewed.  The ICOM is designed to equip Christians and mobilize the Church in extending the good news of Jesus to an unbelieving world so in need of him.  PTL!!  Have you considered praying for ICOM year round?  The ICOM staff works hard and does a great job!  Next year’s conference will be held next November in Columbus OH.

We close with gratitude and a prayer request for the final couple weeks of Malia’s pregnancy in Alabama and safe delivery of their third child, due in mid-December. Jayme, Malia, and Havi (5) & Matthias (3) are excited at the impending welcoming of their new brother or sister.

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving glory to God in the highest for a given and born Jesus Christ!!

Jack & Janine 

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good!”

Thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever. 

Fourteen verses giving thanks to the Lord appear in the Psalms, with 5 of those written in Psalm 107.  How appropriate a theme for our November “Thanksgiving” prayer & gratitude letter.  Have you considered using one day every week to give thanks to God, especially for family members present and past and for people’s lives in general?  All mankind owes God total thanks and praise for salvation & restored relationship with God through Jesus and for so much more!  We, too, give you thanks for your prayers for us and for Chile Mission!!

FIRST – Janine’s return flight to the States 

Thank you for praying for Chilean government permission for Janine to leave Chile with Jack on our scheduled flight to the States on October 7^th.  As it turned out, she never did receive the “mobility pass” allowing her to exit Chile, but she was able to go to a police office on the very day of our flight with a doctor’s letter referring to her important scheduled medical appointments in the States.  Giving Janine the special permission she needed, the woman at the desk told her that three others had recently come to the office with the same need to travel and no possibility with their mobility passes now hung up in Chilean bureaucracy.  TYL!!  Looking toward our flight back to Chile on Dec. 30, Janine will keep trying to get her mobility pass, hopefully with better results. 

SECOND – the camp property in middle Chile

We seem to be well on our way to being able to construct the first building needed.  It will be a two story large workshop with room to work indoors on projects and ample space for the storage and parking camp-related equipment and vehicles.  We have met several times with a local architect, Matías, and feel we have the right person to help with the project.

In addition, the electric company can now take down the old power lines (as the new ones are already relocated and operating).  Once we have our new bodega (storage and workshop) done, we will be able to tear down the present large adobe structure used for storage and build some picnic shelters with the upcycled materials.  With the old power lines removed along with low rainfall this past winter, this Chilean summer’s (Jan-Mar) main goal will be to dig out the lake area and prepare it to receive and contain water.  This will include taking a good look at how to divert water from the public access road, which annually floods with the rains. Our dream would be to use the lake for a variety of water sports, as well as stocking it with fish.

Our optimist hope is to have the above completed before July—all depending on the availability of materials and workers, when winter rains begin in the middle and southern parts of the country.  We hope we have sufficient funds to do these two major projects!!  Then on to the next level!!   Thanks for your prayers!

Abraham is currently making inquiries regarding the timing for purchasing and bringing farm animals to the land, along with the planting of selected crops and further clearing of land to receive them.

THIRD – in Santiago

We received word from the municipality of Las Condes (where our Foundation was initially registered) that the Foundation’s name change has been officially submitted and that we should hear back within one month.  That was good news and we are praying for its acceptance.  Once the new name is official, Patricio Curinao will replace Tamara on the board of directors and we will begin the needed next steps within the Foundation.

During our October time in Santiago we were able to discuss the work being done on the mission’s property, especially in terms of specific necessary steps to take in increasing the number of parents coming to stay at the property while in Santiago for medical treatments of their children.  Covid has been a factor, but much more can be done to increase our visibility and improve our relationships with sending hospitals and clinics.  We hope to also increase use of one of the mission’s houses by other Foundations in need of office and meeting space.  

FOURTH – this year’s ICOM

Starting on October 31 and continuing into December, we will be visiting with supporting churches and participating in this year’s ICOM missions conference at the Richmond, VA Convention Center November 18-21.  It’s a true celebration of God at work in the world, with excellent general sessions as well as break-out workshops, along with many exhibitors, including us with the marble people.  We’ve been blessed to participate with our Chile Mission booth for many years and always look forward to it.  Please consider putting aside that Saturday or that weekend and come be a part.  There are children’s activities and a separate youth convention going on simultaneously.  Please also be a part of the ICOM’s prayer support.  The ICOM website is www.theicom.org

Praising, praying, fasting, and giving THANKS to the Lord for he is good and his love endures forever!!

Jack & Janine 

“It’s God who makes things grow!”

⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.  1Cor. 3:6-9

In 1 Corinthians we find Paul rebuking the church in Corinth for being divided between different leaders instead of being united in serving Christ together, recognizing God as the one totally responsible for the results.  We must keep both our focus and purpose clear, as God truly IS the one to look to, in and between ourselves and with others.

Thank you for your prayers for Chile Mission and especially for our current trip to Chile, ending October 7!  It’s been an excellent trip and we apologize that this Prayer letter in coming to you a little late, but it does include all progress made in our time in Chile.

In entering this prayer and gratitude letter we have a special prayer request.  Janine has still not received the “mobility pass” issued by the Chilean government that allows people to leave the country.  Thus, we pray that she’ll be issued it today or tomorrow so that she can leave Chile tomorrow on our scheduled flight.  A government failure to be sure, that we’ve been addressing since we entered the country in mid Sept.  Thank you for praying with us about this technicality!   

We arrived in Santiago on Sunday, Sept. 12 and went immediately into our 7-day quarantine—Jack in our house on the mission property and Janine in a hotel approved by the Chilean government, because she had not received their official “mobility pass” designation.  She could not leave her small room, but instead received food daily, including some food that Jack was able to send with Joherlit, one of our mission property workers.  It was what it was and we were all glad to have her with us one week later!  After quarantine we spent two days in Santiago in meetings and then left for the camp property in middle Chile and several days more in southern Chile with Abraham & Catalina.  Paola also joined us there for three days.

We’ve had specific purposes and goals for this trip (please see September’s prayer letter J), and God has blessed our time in various ways….

The camp land in middle Chile

It’s amazing to think that exactly two years ago we closed on the purchase of the camp land!  It’s a beautiful property that we are all too happy to be now ready to develop.  The future camps and retreats will all be key in extending our creator Jesus to children, youth, and adults.  Please give thanks and pray for the following:

• Jack signed the final contract required by Coelcha, now enabling them to connect the new electric lines installed for us and for our neighbor’s property. We hope that they will soon finish this last step. It has been over a year since this process started.
• Matías, the architect, came to the land to spend an afternoon with us, walking most of the entire property with Abraham looking at all possibilities and ideas for timing & placement of the upcoming construction of structures. He also joined us in southern Chile for a day to further discuss initial plans so that when we return to Chile at the end of December we can move forward with construction.  **  Note—Chile is experiencing much higher prices of building materials , and most think that prices will not come down!
• We talked with Abraham & Catalina about the purchase of chickens, cows, and some other animals and the placement and planting of additional fruit trees, grapes, & vegetables.
• We also discussed having some young adult work teams to come and help complete specific projects this coming Chilean summer (Jan. – Mar.). As always, those time periods will also focus on spiritual growth.
• Lastly, we visited another Christian camp in southern Chile to gain information and exchange ideas. It is interesting to us that we have a better handle on networking with others than our Chilean counterparts.

These photos picture the above, with the last photo being of our visit to the other Christian camp in southern Chile.

In Santiago

• High on our Santiago action list was to meet with the other board members Juan and Tamara to discuss the Foundation’s direction & priorities, and sign needed legal documents. We resubmitted our request to change the name of the Foundation to “Fundación Misión Chile”.  The new name will better reflect the various ways we work in the country of Chile.  The last year and one half of covid pandemia slowed down Chile’s legal system even more than normal.
• Once we have a new name we will enlarge the board from four to five members. In terms of our present board, Tamara is resigning, as she has little free time to continue with outside responsibilities.  We are pleased to announce that Patricio Curinao, pastor, song writer, & singer, will be taking her place.  We have a long-standing friendship with “Pato” and he and his wife Johanna are involved in various ministries that blend well with those of our Foundation.
• We are scheduled to return to Chile on December 31 to continue helping make progress in all of the above areas, both in Santiago and in rural Chile.

Thank you again to YOU ALL for your prayer support.  Looking ahead to November, we are looking forward to this year’s ICOM mission conference to be held in Richmond, VA November 18-21.  We will be there with our “Chile” exhibit booth and would love to see you there.

Praising, praying, and fasting to our All-enabling, True God,

Jack & Janine 

“The timing is the Lord’s – stay praying!”

 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.”  James 4:13-15

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:8-9

Our job??  Stay faithful in serving God, trust him & leave his timing to him, and stay praying!  May we also continue to encourage and pray for each other, as Scripture instructs.  Thank you all so much for your prayers for Chile Mission!  In the end, the Kingdom timing of all things is the Lord’s call and we can trust him, knowing his heart to see all people come to him through Jesus.

September CHILE MISSION prayers & praises

We were due to fly to Chile on Saturday, August 28^th, but didn’t for two reasons:  One, Chile requires that those entering the country spend 10 days in quarantine which we expected, but we learned that those without an issued “mobility pass” must do so in an approved hotel at their own expense (roughly $1,500 to $2,000 per person).  Those with the pass can quarantine in their own home.  Janine and I applied for that pass, sending in documentation of getting vaccinated in the U.S., along with photos of certain pages of our passports to prove that we are in the States.  We received the answer that it would take two weeks more to receive a temporary mobility pass and wanting to be good stewards we decided to bump our flights forward two weeks to allow extra time in receiving the pass.

Secondly and incidentally, we went on Thursday morning to have the pcr test within 72 hours of our Saturday afternoon flight and did not receive the pcr results (both negative 😊) until Sunday, August 29^th in the afternoon.  Needless to say, we will be choosing a different pcr testing site this next time around.

Please join us in praying for no complications for our new flight, set for Saturday, September 11th.  As mentioned in last month’s prayer letter, we plan on staying in Chile roughly 4 to 5 weeks, splitting time between Santiago and middle Chile.  Another blessing will be that as of September 1, Chile just announced that the required length of quarantine time for people coming into the country will go from 10 days to 7.  

Other September prayer points & praises:

• In Santiago we need to meet with the other two board members of our Chilean Foundation, regarding vision and structural changes to our legal bylaws and then sign more documents related to changes in process for over a year.
• We will as a board also decide on short and long-term goals and take a fresh look at individual areas of responsibility.  We do expect some change in board members and are praying for the Holy Spirit’s leading.
• We are planning on spending over a week at the camp property in middle Chile to meet together with Matías the architect and Abraham.  Matías will present design and placement ideas for the property.
• We will also sign final documents with Coelcha to enable them to (hopefully!!) connect our new electric lines and disconnect and remove the old ones.  We pray that this will truly be the last of their documents to sign. 😊

Finally, we have been praying with others for a safe pregnancy & birthing process for Julian’s wife Devyn, due September 6.  Great news one week early, Lyon (pronounced Lion) Jacobi Swanson was born in the afternoon on August 30^th!  Both baby and Devyn are healthy and we are grateful to God and excited for them.

Thank you to YOU ALL for your prayer support.  AMEN AND PTL!!

Praising, praying, and fasting to our LORD OF KINGDOM TIMING,

Jack & Janine