THE GIFT

For the wages of sin is death, but The GIFT OF GOD  is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

– -Rom. 6: 23

Jesus WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST GIFT OF ALL to everyone the world-wide.  What a privilege to extend him and “present” him to those we know as the perfect transition from “Black Friday” sales to a “White Christmas” GIFT OF GOD.

Speaking of significant real gifts, we are very grateful for your prayers for us and for God’s outreaches and ministries through us in Chile.  They have not only sustained and made our work more effective, but have in many ways sustained our family throughout the years.  Please know that as we send you the link each month to our Praise & Prayer letters, we pray for and give thanks for you—that in addition to specific circumstances we are aware of among you.

The gift of Christ Jesus is the reason for our serving him in Chile.  We can’t help but recognize God’s hand in each step forward and in all situations.  For example, at age sixteen Millarai physically died from bone cancer in July, but over a year before that she made a decision to be baptized and accept Christ Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord.  She now will live the eternal blessing in God’s very presence.

• A governing board is now in place to direct the work of our Christian Family Residence in Santiago for young abandoned children, even as we look for more Christians with a “children vision” to be on it. Thank you for continuing to pray for those board additions and for our search for the right Chilean Christian woman director of this very important ministry.
• A governing board is also being put in place to oversee the development and going forward of the new Christian center/children’s camp “Luz en el Campo” (Light in the Countryside). If the vision is to grow and connect to that part of Chile, we will need more like-minded board members from the region and from elsewhere to be a part. Thank you for praying for them, for our need for more land in that area to effectively accommodate a good children’s camp and retreat center, and for necessary legal steps completed this next year to allow us to actually begin constructing the center and camp.
• The team of missionary workers involved with us in God’s work has grown to include Ross & Raquel, our first set of house parents already living on the Residence mission property and now awaiting the arrival of small children to live with them once a director of the work is chosen. Todd is now working with us as well. He is an exceptional young man and we are grateful to have him with us.  Both Todd and Ross & Raquel are also involved with the summer VBS’s we are now a part of in the area of the Christian center/children’s camp.  There is an ongoing need for more Chile Mission workers—not to replace Chileans, but to augment, encourage, and equip them.  Thank you for continuing to pray for our growing team.
• English Club, a valuable part of outreach and relationship-building, is now back in action, thanks to Todd’s involvement. The Club will be discontinued over the upcoming summers months (Christmas week through to the beginning of March), but we look to stay in relationship with current participants over those months. Thanks for praying for English Club “open doors” to walk through.
• The “Casa del Alfarero” live-in drug & alcohol rehab center continues to make a huge difference in the lives of the men being freed from those addictions, along with restoring their families and their lives. The vast majority of these men and other family members come to know Jesus and make decisions to be baptized, accepting him as their Savior and Lord. Thanks for praying for them and for our involvement in this important work.
• Lastly, here are some photos from this year’s ICOM, recently held in Lexington, KY. The family shown, Josh & Misty and their girls from Louisiana also came to this year’s ICOM. Josh & Misty came to Chile in January 2013 to visit and help for a short time. What a wonderful surprise to see them again!

Praising, praying, and fasting in a Birthed & Best Gift of All CHRISTMAS JESUS,

Jack & Janine

The battle & struggle are real AND WE ARE CHOSEN!!

October Praises

• We are grateful for our October time with supporting churches. Janine & I are so thankful for you and for our partnering with you and it’s a privilege to periodically update you in person on God’s work through us in Chile.  Without Christian churches, there would be no weekly gatherings or organized teaching of children, youth, & adults, going into whole communities and sending of missionaries to other cultures and people groups.  Yet, there is nothing automatic about being a unified, growing, going, & sending church.  The “stakes” are incredibly high in terms of lives touched and transformed through Jesus’ church, as Satan well realizes and there is therefore nothing he won’t do to totally destroy the testimony and effectiveness of any and every church everywhere.  The battle and struggle are real for both churches and for missionaries. (Eph. 6:10-12)   Be encouraged, as the KEY TO VICTORY for all of us is found in verse 10 in chapter 6 of Paul’s letter the church in Ephesus: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  (underlines mine)   It’s all SO worth it!

• We are also thankful for our periodic time in family, and in October we arrived in time to California to be with Jordan, Rob, & their three small daughters to welcome Tiago Jackson Boldt into the world. Both mother and son are healthy and we were able to help out for a short time.

• God continues to bless and use Todd in Chile during our absence, as he visits home-bound church members, has become a catalyst in the regular coming together of the young adults in the church, and guides English Club. In order to prepare weekly English teaching at different levels, some of the advanced speakers help teach the beginners and in it all, relationships are being formed.  Regarding the young adults in the church, before Todd, there were no group activities or cohesiveness.  He is also, through it all, reaching out to new young people and encouraging them to get to know the church.

• Lutheran missionary friends in Santiago, Jim & Liisa Tino, were received a mission group in late Oct. The group’s housing arrangements fell through at the last minute and we were able to offer our mission site in Santiago toward that 5-day need.  We are grateful for how God works in all situations.

November prayer requests

We know that there is nothing more important to God than people and their relationship with him through Jesus.  We know that the battle and struggle are both real and spiritual in nature.  We also know that Jesus’ church is God’s chosen instrument through which he carries out his perfect plan and good purposes in this world.  He chose Pentecost to birth us and he chose Paul as his chosen instrument to “carry his name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel”.  (Acts 9:15)   Almost half of the New Testament is made up of Paul’s letters to churches.

In addition to praying for God’s work in Chile during our time in the States, please join us this month in praying for Jesus’ church in the States.  A main reason for our annual end-of-year trip to the States is to visit supporting churches and to participate in the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ annual International Conference on Missions (ICOM).  There are many factors making it difficult for churches to attend every year, but if you’ve not done so for several years or perhaps have never attended this important gathering, why not do so this year?  It is a mighty tool that God uses in building up his church to better carry out his Great Commission in the world.  Please pray this month for it as well.

ICOM will be held at the convention center in Lexington, KY beginning on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 17 and ending with a service held on that Sunday morning.  There is special programming for children, an entire teen-oriented conference held simultaneously, many good workshops for churches and individuals, hundreds of missionary/missions-focused/Christian universities booths, and main sessions with great speakers.  There is also a special walk-through “prayer” area set up in the main hall.

How good and important it is to use this month of November to especially pray for Jesus’ Church in the United States.  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.  And on this rock (Simon’s confession of faith) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”  –Matt. 16:16-18

Praising, praying, and fasting in our ALL-GENERATIONAL Church-Heading & Empowering Lord,

Jack & Janine

God’s plans & purposes are ALWAYS moving on!!

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. –Psalm 33: 6-11

Gratitudes & Prayers

• Santiago children’s residence for abandoned children: The board met in September, continuing the search for a Chilean Christian woman to be director of this important work.  Board member Miguel is responding to applicants for the position, and he anticipates that this search will proceed on into early 2017.  There is one person with good experience that is not interested in being the director, but who has a special heart for children and would make an excellent board member.  We hope to meet with her in January.  We are using these months in 2016 to continue preparing the houses and the site in general to receive children this next year. We will need the municipality to approve the buildings, too.   As Psalms 33 points out, all of us are certain that God’s plans & purposes through the residence WILL be realized in his exact time with the exact persons he has chosen.

• Christian center & children’s camp: We, along with Domingo & Sandra, Todd, and Ross & Raquel, made a trip to Ñipas in September, meeting with church leaders to encourage Ñipas area youth to be our leaders, instead of bringing people from Santiago to help with our up-coming summer VBS to be held the second week of this next January.  We also went to an adjoining community Coelemu and made arrangements to hold the VBS there as well, the third week of January.  The municipality of Coelemu pledged their support and assistance for that VBS.  PTL!!   In the meantime, we continue to work toward the legalization of the camp Foundation and looking for additional land.  Thank you for your continued prayers as God takes the entire project forward.

• Our English Club made its move to a new, well-located facility in September.  Weekly participation has gone from 9 to 15 to just over 20 in two weeks.  With us in the States and with Ross & Raquel in Australia for Raquel’s meeting Ross’ family, Todd has his “English Club hands full”, to be sure, but God is providing support help through others.  Todd recently met and invited a tattoo parlor owner to this week’s club meeting.  Many of those participating are not now Christians, so building relationships is crucial toward God’s good plans & purposes for those people and for this outreach.

• Also in September, Jack & Todd & Ross led a morning devotional (Jack does one to two of them per month) at the Casa del Alfarero Christian live-in drug & alcohol rehab center for men, and we all together participated in another church’s Sunday evening service geared toward non-believers and those new to Christianity.  We have a close relationship with this Christian Church.  How impacting and life-changing are God’s plans & purposes for non-believers and for those wanting to be free of addictions, all through Jesus Christ by way of his church!  God, himself, makes it all possible and takes it all forward!

LASTLY, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR US from hotmail.com to chilemission1@gmail.com    This change has already been in effect for three months.  Thanks!

Praising, praying, and fasting in ALL-GENERATIONAL purposes and plans of the Lord,

Jack & Janine

Jesus’ Church!!

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him (Jesus)to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the FULLNESS of him who fills everything in every way.  –Eph. 1: 18-23

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, NOT giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  –Heb. 10: 24-25

These two passages (words in bold, italics, and capitals–mine) directly speak about the overwhelming importance and role of the church.  The church truly is Jesus’ physical body and chosen instrument in this world.  So many people seek healing and/or answers & direction and/or real relationship, and yet so many of those seekers reject the church.  Never “perfect”, the church comes in many sizes and shapes.  It comes in every tongue, culture, and style.  Please continue being part of her—she is Jesus’ hope in the world!

We would like to focus this month on Jesus’ church in Chile.  Jack & Todd recently attended the annual conference for pastors, wives, & other leaders of the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in Chile.  Pictured here below is a photo of one of the main sessions and also a photo of one of the “prayer huddles” when everyone broke into small groups to pray for each other and for the local churches they serve in.  Please pray this month for our church, Iglesia Cristiana Jesus es El Camino and for Christian churches in general in Chile.  We are a country presently led by a socialist president who describes herself as an agnostic.  We, as a church, can and need to do so much more to show Chileans a real Jesus in meeting needs and touching lives, as well as in proclaiming and verbalizing our faith.

Children’s residence:  We have received several responses to our ad on the website of Chile’s main Christian radio station for a director of our work with young abandoned children.  We have put out additional feelers through “LinkedIn”, an internet program of professionals in varied fields, as well as being in touch with larger churches with regard to our need.  The director position needs to be filled by a Chilean Christian with a social work degree or comparable work experience, and who also has working knowledge of how Sename (Chile’s Dept. of Children & Family Services) and the court system work with regard to the care and adoption of abandoned children.  None of those who have thus far responded to our publicity have filled the requirements we are looking for.  Please pray for God’s moving in this need.

We also are seeking a property located near our mission site where we can build a small storage facility to store items and certain construction supplies, freeing up space for play areas and preparing our mission property and office for the arrival of children as soon as that becomes possible.  This transition will be carried out in the last three months remaining in 2016 while Ross & Raquel are in Australia.  Married almost one year ago, Raquel has never met Ross’ family and now is the perfect time.  They are set to be our first house parents for children placed with us.

Christian center & children’s camp:  We, along with Domingo & Sandra and Ross & Raquel, have another trip planned to go to Concepción and to Ñipas in September to make headway both in moving forward legally and in the planning of this next summer’s children VBS to be held the second week of January, 2017.  One key component of the VBS will be the involvement of the youth of one or more churches in the general area, so part of our visit will be getting together with possible youth helpers.  Thank you for your continued prayers.

English Club is off to a good start and we hope this month to move its weekly meetings to a more permanent home in an equally well-located, close-by facility.  We’re grateful for God’s provision and the Club has a good future.  A main part of Todd’s focus will be to establish relationships with participants outside of the activity itself.  Please pray for a healthy, growing English Club.

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve Jesus Christ, the church’s HEAD & SAVIOR of the world,

Jack & Janine

                                        “The BEST is yet to come!!”

Jesus (speaking to Martha before raising her brother Lazarus from the dead) said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”  –John 11: 25-27

The bottom line, BEST NEWS EVER  is and always will be Jesus.  He promises eternal life for all who believe in and follow him.  It is, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8, a gift of grace received by faith—and this not from ourselves.  Thus, when all is said and done, no matter what has gone on before, the physical lives of believers end in eternity with God—the very best prize and victory of all.  Milla, like Martha, did believe that and demonstrated her decision by being baptized in May 2015.  Her twin sister, Ana, was baptized in February of this year.  Milla passed on to eternal glory, losing her battle with bone cancer, on July 29th.

It’s a true message of hope and redemption and is embodied in Millarai and all other believers that have passed on, no matter what their age, struggle, or success.  For all of them and for all of us, “The BEST is yet to come!!”   Do we need any more assurance or reason than that as Christians, churches, & missionaries to continue spreading and touching others with the good news of a real Jesus Christ?!  She, just like us all, came to know him through others.  Thank you, God, for the gift of eternal life and thank you that Jesus answers the question for believers in him as to “what’s next” after life in this world.

Entering August please continue praying for a director for our work with abandoned children in Santiago.  As we search, we as a board know that God has such a person in mind.  Please also continue praying for real progress made in the filing of our Foundation papers in Concepción for the new Christian center/children’s camp work in middle Chile.

Todd and Ross have started up the weekly English Club with roughly 8 to 10 participants.  We’ll be working in August on increasing this number.  For his part, Todd has also done an amazing job of coping with new surroundings and uncomfortable Chilean winter.  Pray for his ongoing health, as he is fighting a tough cold.  Also, Ross and Raquel are due back from Argentina, where they recently attended the funeral of Raquel’s mother.  She had a strong faith and was very active in her church.  We extend to Raquel and to her family God’s comfort for them all.

Lastly, please keep praying for Ivan, the man living a life of drug addiction mentioned in last month’s letter.  We will report more on him in the coming weeks.  We arrive back in Chile after one month in CA to participate in the North American Christian Convention and for Jack to have a scheduled colonoscopy, the results of which we should have soon.  Here below are two photos of Milla and Ana celebrating their 15^th birthdays together this past January 26^th.  For Milla, “The BEST celebration was yet to come!!”

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve Jesus Christ, our BEST IS YET TO COME LORD & SAVIOR,         

 Jack & Janine

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will have the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”  “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  –John 8: 31-32, 36

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNITED STATES!!

The Bible speaks of true liberty/freedom that surpasses countries, cultures, languages, and even one’s circumstances—slave or free.  It’s a REAL freedom that only comes through one person whose name begins with J and ends with S.  To those of us who know Jesus in a personal way, his mark on our lives is undeniable and eternal.  HIS NAME is probably the one and only thing that all Christian churches (be the denomination what it is) and their missionaries have in common.

If we are honest, there is something in the life of every single one of us Christians that “holds us back”, but God never gives up on us and urges us to find total freedom in his Son.  Even as we are, he would use every one of us to reach those around us who also need the truth of Jesus.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”.  He also said, “YOU are the light of the world.”

Thank you Lord for sending us to Chile and our fellow Christian brothers & sisters to their “worlds” as well to extend the TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST to so many who are lost without him.

One week ago Jack met Ivan, the 41 year-old son of neighbors of members of our church.  He has been addicted to cocaine and other drugs for over half of his life.  He, his father, and Jack, went to the Casa del Alfarero (House of the Potter) Christian live-in drug rehab center where Jack takes a turn leading the morning devotional once to twice a month.  A man without hope, Ivan said of himself, “I feel so empty”.  His interview went well and he now wants freedom and hope—both of which Jesus offers to those who come to him.  Ivan is due to enter the center early in July.  Please pray that he does.

Progress and steps continue to take shape toward finding a Christian woman director of our children’s residence in Santiago.  We are currently following up on leads that God has put in place.  We also continue to actively take steps regarding the legal formation of the Foundation for the Christian center & camp in middle Chile.  A group of us recently took another trip there to both look at additional land and to further our relationship with a key church in Concepción who will be part of the project in different ways.  Pictured below,  we walked the land with Domingo and Sandra, who have cleared the majority of trees from the property in order to better plan how to lay out its use for the camp and center.  In the other photo taken at the property, Domingo’s cousin Jaime also wants to donate just over an acre of his land bordering the main road to the project.  Please continue to pray for the on-going development of both of these two very important ministries—our work with children in Santiago and the Christian center & camp.

A praise, Todd did arrive on June 6 and is adjusting very well!  The English Club pre-evangelistic outreach in the community had its first meeting on Friday, June 30^th, guided by Todd and Ross, a teammate from Australia. PTL!  Please pray for Todd’s continued good adjustment to life and ministry in Chile.  Pictured below are Oscar, Jack, and Todd, discussing issues facing the church.

Speaking of English Club, former missionary intern Kenny Bayless from 10 years ago, came for a one week visit in June to help celebrate Jack’s birthday and to re-visit people he had worked with during his 5 months in Chile in 2006.  What a good surprise!   Kenny was also very involved with English Club at that time.  A photo of him teaching is below.  Please pray for the effective ministry of English Club and also for Kenny, who will now be the youth pastor for a church in Calgary, Canada.

In one way or another, all of God’s outreaches and ministries through Chile Mission (and through you) are aimed at the total liberty and eternal life of the individual in Jesus Christ.  Thank you for partnering with us in prayer!

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve Jesus Christ–our TRUE SOURCE of Real Freedom,     

Jack & Janine

For I (Paul) received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.  –1 Cor. 11: 23-26

Jesus knew the importance of our remembering his sacrifice for all mankind.  Just as the United States is better able to continue forward with its purposes and identity as a country by remembering and appreciating the sacrifice of military lives each Memorial Day, the Lord’s Supper helps us Christians both remember and appreciate our reconciliation to God through Jesus, as well as take us forward “on track” with purpose and identity.

It’s the same with steady “kingdom-related” prayer….  As we remember and appreciate God’s past responses to our prayers, we gain strength to faithfully continue forward with purpose and identity.  We really appreciate your prayer support of God’s on-going purposes accomplished through CHILE MISSION!!  Your past and present prayers continue to mean so much.  We realize that “summer sun, fun, and trips” are vying for your attention.  Thank you!

Your prayers have helped shape the following:

• Todd arrives in Chile on Monday, June 6, as a full-time member of the Chile Mission Team. As mentioned in the past, he will acclimate and connect and build relationships for the remainder of 2016, as well as head up the effective English Club pre-evangelistic outreach in the community. PTL!
• While in Concepción (six hours south of Santiago) the last weekend of May for the wedding of Willy’s and Karina’s daughter Rene (they make the popular marble figures that we market in the U.S. to help support our work with children), we ate lunch with Ramón and wife Lali.   Ramón is the attorney who is handling the legal formation of the Foundation that will carry out the work of the Christian Center and Camp in that area of the country.  We also attended their church on Sunday.  The wording for the articles of incorporation is underway.  Please pray for all contacts God would arrange this month with regard to this ministry.
• Also underway is the search for a director of the Children’s Residence in Santiago. The board has recently made contact with a woman who is very involved with children’s works in Chile.  She knows of some possible contacts and will be in Santiago in mid-June to meet with us.  An ad has also been placed on the website of the country-wide Christian radio station.
• Our process of moving in to our new rental house There is still much to do, but by month’s end we should just be looking at small details to finish.  We pray for good on-going relationship with the house’s owners—we’re off to a good start.
• We continue to seek the re-establishment of periodic opportunities to be in contact with twin sisters Millarai and Ana. Janine spoke with one of the coordinators of the Children’s home where the girls live and they will contact the girls’ half-sister where they spend their weekends to see about our getting together with them there.  Milla continues in stable, cancer-free health, which is a praise!

As many of you have purchased marble figures from us, here below is a photo of the wedding of Rene and Rodrigo.  Willy and Karina are pictured on the left.

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve our Past, Present, & Future Responding God,         

Jack & Janine

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.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  –John 3: 16-17

Put another way, without Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, we will perish and be condemned when we leave this life to be judged when he/Jesus returns.  God did not HAVE to send Jesus into this world, but he did, because he wants ALL people to be reconciled back to him and have eternal life.  Jesus will always be the world’s one and only true source of hope and life, which is why the church exists and why missionaries are sent out to far places.

Unlike politicians, God’s platform is found in the first words of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world”. So many parents teach this truth to their children right from the start (and if we don’t, we should! 🙂 ).  Remember this song?  “Jesus loves me this I know….”  Let’s all dedicate this month and Mother’s Day to Jesus’ love, that our and other children would come to know it through us.

Speaking of Jesus’ love, we’d like to start May’s Praise & Prayer letter with a photo and a video. (Cool!)  Many of you know our children, and that’s why we want to share the below photo of Jayme’s & Malia’s first baby—Havalah Grace, born April 24.

Havalah is a Hebrew name meaning Life.  Both Malia and Havalah are doing well and we’re grateful and happy for them both.  Janine is in the States for a few weeks with them in Baltimore to help cook and clean and do what’s needed while Jayme continues his studies.

This is a video of fellow missionary Ross Parry (Ross and wife Raquel work with us) and Jack playing “Jesus loves me” this past Sunday, May 1, at the dedication service for Josué Samuel (Joshua Samuel)—Daniel’s and Ingrid’s first child, born Feb. 14.  To see the video, highlight the entire link address and “right click” on it. Then select “Go to…….”

Our Chile work and progress continue to go forward.  Thank you all so much for your continuing prayers for us in these areas:

• Our move into our new rental house is in full speed regarding repairs, upgrading, painting, and moving in of furniture, etc. It’s a huge amount of work that will proceed through this entire month of May, but the house also represents God’s provision and is an answer to prayer.  Also please pray that a location near our mission property can be found to store other supplies and materials so that the property can be totally ready to renew our work with children.  With the property ready we can search for our first Chilean director of this important work.
• Jack and Domingo met the last week of April with the lawyer and notary firm in Concepción who will handle the formation of the legal framework for the Christian center and children’s camp in middle Chile. It was decided to form a foundation, as opposed to a different type of corporation.  Two areas to concentrate on in May have to do with the formation of the foundation’s board and also with determining the exact available land to be used for the new center/camp.  We know that God will provide.
• While in the Concepción area, Jack was able to visit several of the families that the mission was able to help following the Feb. 2010 earthquake and tidal waves near there. The visits went well and how good that God brought these relationships into being through that disaster.  Please join us in giving thanks and in praying for their continued well-being.  One man and his wife have since come back together after 12 years of being separated—an example of how our God of love is always working.  Jack encouraged them to also be back in a local church together.
• God has taken Todd a big step forward toward his arrival in Chile to work with us. A second church has agreed to monthly support him financially and in prayer.  We hope to be able to announce his exact arrival date in next month’s Praise & Prayer Letter.  PTL!
• We continue to wait for an opportunity to re-connect with Millarai and sister Ana, now living in a Home for girls in another suburb of Santiago. We will keep you informed about them and we ask you to keep praying for Milla’s health, recovery, and stability regarding the permanent remission of her bone cancer.

Again, we give thanks for the on-going, steady prayer support that you all represent.  If we truly believe that prayer is vital to our ability to “extend” Jesus in this world, we must put prayer into action.  It helps connect God’s love and touch to those in need and also connects us in a personal way to God’s plan and purposes through us.

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve our God IS LOVE Jesus,                       

Jack & Janine

The first 8 verses of Ecclesiastes 3 remind us that there is a “time for everything”.  Verse 1 reads, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.  What is perhaps harder to grasp than the concept of the timing of stages and seasons is to trust in the knowledge that God is the one and only controller of timing.  This does not detract in any way from his call of us or his good purposes and plans through us but rather benefits us and conforms it all to his will.

We have seen this truth play itself out time and time again on the mission field.  Isaiah calls it in chapter 40:31 “hoping (waiting) in the Lord”.  We might say that nothing is begun OR ENDED, before God himself says so.  In that light we’ve all experienced God’s timing in our lives in the stages and seasons we find ourselves in and it is He who would receive the glory in it all.

We would like to start our April letter off with some praises:

• After initially finding a house to serve our needs to rent and move to in April it appeared that it wouldn’t happen after all, due to some important necessary repairs, an increase in the monthly rent initially quoted, and their restriction against our having a guard dog on the property. Nearing April we received a call from the owners lowering the rent back to its original quote, removing the restriction against having a dog, and saying that the repairs were well under way.  We signed the lease today, April 1, and will have access to the house beginning April 4.  PTL!

Our moving from our mission property/children’s residence frees up needed space to receive children.  The first couple to receive them, Ross and Raquel, are already living in one of our property houses.  We must trust God’s timing of these important steps.  Please pray that we are successful in finding and hiring the right Christian Chilean woman to direct our work with abandoned children.

• Our steps toward the legalization and development of the new Christian Camp/Center in middle Chile also continue to move forward. The team has been meeting in March and we hope this month to better define the exact land we’ll be able to count on and also be able to initiate the legal steps necessary to insure the land’s purpose and vision going forward.  Please pray for good progress this month in these steps.  There are several people involved and we would operate as a team that is “one in spirit and purpose” Philippians 2:2.

• God, in his perfect timing, is bringing Todd Kepschull closer to being able to be sent from Cornerstone Christian Church to be a full-time missionary with us in Chile. Todd continues to seek supporting churches and individuals who will be a part of his support team through prayer and/or financial support.  His website www.cornerstonechilemission.org  is excellent!  It gives Todd’s contact information as well.  Please pray for Todd’s April progress and resulting arrival in Santiago.

• Lastly, please continue to pray for Millarai. The surgeon ended up amputating Milla’s left leg just above the knee to make sure that he removed all of the tumor areas of the leg.  Pray for Milla’s adjustment to this impacting change and for what it means.  We are still not sure of the time it will take for her leg to heal in order to be fitted with her prosthetic.   She seems to accept this as just another step and stage in many she has already been through.  The doctors also say that it is likely, due to the bone cancer she has, that tumors will return.  Her long-term prognosis is not good.  Yet we are praying and encouraging Milla forward, as she and we look to all of what God would do through her life.  As our beginning verses indicate, nothing is begun OR ENDED, before God himself says so.  Milla and twin sister Ana are now living in a home for girls in another suburb of Santiago.  From the staff we have met, it seems like a very good placement for them.

Here are photos to help you thank the Lord and pray for the above April prayer focuses:

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve Our Perfect-Timing God,                       

Jack & Janine

Look to the Lord and his strength;  seek his face always.  –1 Chronicles 16: 11 (Psalm of thanks of David)                                                                                                                                                                            But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.  –Luke 5:16                                                          Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  –Phil. 4: 6

Easter falls in March this year, centered on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  He literally gave himself as the sacrifice of all time on behalf of mankind to reconcile us all with God.  We have absolutely no idea of the suffering he underwent to do so, not to mention the emotional and spiritual burden of it all.

The above Bible verses reflect the absolute need we have (just like Jesus himself did!!) of remaining connected to the power of God through prayer in whatever mission he has called us to.  Our prayers are not designed to free us from the struggle, nor many times from suffering or trial, but are necessary to carry out God’s will, plan, and purposes–that on top of always being subject to HIS timing and way.  We have much to give thanks for in Chile Mission this month, as well as significant March happenings to pray for.

—The 3-day camp for children in middle Chile went extremely well.  Twenty-six children participated, we met families and churches, and became known by many.  For a first step in the community, much was accomplished by our 14-member team that will help us in the future as we develop the Christian Center property there.  Please continue to pray for these months of follow-up with the surrounding community, necessary legal steps to form and define the organization, and in defining vision and scope of ministry.

—It was very demanding having twin sisters Ana and Milla under our care for almost seven weeks.  At the same time, we know that they both benefited much from the experience and Janine was able to help Milla with all of her medical tests and doctor appointments.  In the end, Milla also for the third time in less than three years was hospitalized with a septic shock infection (extremely serious).  Thank you Lord that she recovered and was recently released on Feb. 26^th.  Another praise—Ana was baptized on Feb. 21^st as her response and decision to have Jesus as both her savior and Lord!  As mentioned in this last month’s Praise & Prayer Letter, it was necessary to relocate the girls to a children’s home in Santiago.  Praise God that a home for girls was located by SENAME (Chile’s Dept. of Children & Family Services) that has on staff a medical person dedicated to the children’s medical needs.  The girls moved there the last week of Feb.  Please pray for their adjustment and that it will be a good place for them.

We have one more significant prayer request to share involving Milla.  Cancer has reappeared in her leg—even larger in size than the first tumor removed two years ago.  A praise is that we’re told that cancer has not re-appeared in her lungs.  However, the doctors have decided to amputate her lower left leg just below the knee.  What a huge thing for a 15-year-old to adjust to!  We will keep you posted.

—Another major praise is that we think that we’ve found a house to rent in our community that will allow us in March to move from our ministry property and allow us to move forward with finishing preparing the mission property to begin receiving children.  Please pray for these steps—the rental house first needs electrical re-wiring, but it all looks do-able.  The house represents an answer to prayer.

Daniel’s and Ingrid’s first child, Joshua Samuel, was born in good health on Feb.14, Valentine’s Day.  We are all grateful.  The family is very BUSY adjusting to him—as all parents know!

Praising, praying, and fasting as we all serve Our Prayer-leading and Prayer-teaching Lord Jesus,

Jack & Janine