Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello from Guatemala! Here the rainy season has recently stopped and the school year has just ended too. 

Karla has finished her first year in college studying computer science, Sharon and Anelcy finished 11th grade, and Katy finished 10th grade. In September and October Anelcy had her first experience working as a student teacher, and she loved working with her kindergarten class. Now that they’re on break from school most are working in a local clothing factory that makes men’s suits.

This is a time of the year when we’re looking and praying for new teens to join our family. We’re excited that a boy named Jeremías (Jeremiah) will be coming to join our family! He turns 18 next month, and like Sharon and Anelcy, he’ll be a senior in high school next year. We really hope that we can find another boy to join us to be a companion to Jeremiah. We’d also love to have another girl or two join our family this next year! So we ask you to join us in prayer for our family as we grow!

In our last newsletter in August, I talked about Alfonso and how he’d been in-and-out of alcohol rehabilitation centers and in-and-out of the hospital because of cirrhosis of his liver. He had run away again, and we got a call from his brothers shortly after that newsletter telling us that he passed away. He was a week away from his 25th birthday, and we are so sad about his death. We also ask that you pray for his brother Martin who also has cirrhosis of his liver and doesn’t want to change. It’s so hard to understand, and all we can do is pray.

Monday Nights

Our Monday Night Bible studies have been growing and growing. We had to move from a meeting room into the sanctuary of the church because over a hundred people are now coming! It’s a great time of singing, praying, learning and eating together. One of the most exciting things for me to see is the church congregation really grow in love and in service to our community. It’s so exciting to see people on fire for the Lord and to see that fire spread through acts of love! And our prayer times have been really powerful as we work with the poor, homeless and addicted. It’s so incredible to see people feel the love of God through our group and to see them pray for forgiveness, freedom, strength and provision.

Last Monday night I was talking and getting to know a group who had just started coming, and there was a young mother who came for the first time. I asked where she was from and how she had heard about us, and she was shy to say. And the guy sitting next to me casually said, “Oh, I met her in the dump as I was sorting through the trash, and I invited her to come tonight.” What a privilege to share God’s love with them!

One Monday night we had an outreach in the park, and we met so many different people who were passing through on their way home. One was a mother who was returning home with her 10-year-old son, Angel, after his latest treatments for leukemia. It’s been wonderful to be able to pray and support the mom during this difficult time, and the group regularly visits with Angel who is currently back in the hospital.

We are now reaching out to a group of over 30 children. Margaret loves the other girls who come and is always excitedly telling us about a new friend that she met. We’re preparing for a Christmas party in December where we hope to reach 250 people. The group is working hard to find toys and clothes so that every kid who comes can receive a present. I ask that you continue to pray for this very special ministry.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for Jeremiah as he joins our family and for other teens as we hope to grow as a family!
• Pray for our various Christmas parties throughout December as we try to show God’s love to many kids.
• Pray for the leadership of the Monday Night Bible study as we pray for God’s direction for the next year as the group continues to grow.

Thank You!

Thank you so much and God bless,
Brent, Yuliza, Margaret & Isabella