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January
Newsletter
Educating and equipping with the Word of God
This new year certainly has brought with it its own challenges for everyone everywhere. With those challenges comes the opportunity to see God work in ways that we didn't expect. Sometimes it is to teach us perseverance and faith in the challenges that lie ahead. Sometimes it is a demonstration of His goodness and grace. Either way what a privilege we have to see God at work in what the Bible terms the "Last Days". May we be faithful to admonish one another to run the good race, to stay faithful to the course that God set for us, and may we be each other's greatest cheerleaders as we strive to be busy about our Father's business. Maranatha!
Foundations and Cornerstones
January brings with it a new season of growth in many ways. We have laid the foundation for our first building project. Up until now all the projects have been restoring buildings long forgotten and abandoned, now we are starting from the foundation. There are always eternal lessons to be learned through this whole process. In the beginning, it was restoration. God was restoring and making old things new again. Now, we get to be a part of laying the foundation on which something new will be built.
Currently, we have 6-10 additional workers for the next three months while we build. They are part of our everyday workings at the ranch, which includes weekly Bible study and working alongside believers who are sharing the Gospel with them. One of the most recent poignant moments at the ranch was a couple of weeks ago. We had gone up to the church building to check on a new employee, named Mateo, who had just started that morning. He is 18 years old and needed a job because he has a baby on the way. As we pulled up we heard praise music pouring out of the building. Genaro, who has been with us for the last three years was working with him. Genaro has been very difficult for us at times to have as an employee but the Lord just seemed to keep him with us. Recently he expressed his need for Christ after a Wednesday Bible study and we have experienced a beautiful transformation in him. When we arrived that day unannounced he was pouring into Mateo through the Word and worship while they worked. Educating and equipping with the Word of God is not simply a catchphrase, it truly is the essential foundation of everything we do. Building projects are just one more way to introduce others to the Gospel. Please pray that the transformative power of the Gospel, that we have seen in these lives, continues to be reproduced. Pray for Mateo and his salvation along with the others who are working with us on these projects. We have seen God's faithfulness through our ministry partners that have given of their time and talents and have prayed for people by name. See More
School News
As we enter into February we anticipate that we will head back to in-person classes within the next month or two for the first time in almost two years! I cannot believe it has been almost two years since these kids have been altogether in a classroom, playing on the playground and worshipping in chapel. Despite being online, we have continued to grow and have 215 students. We have been able to provide employment for 13 teachers and have 5 volunteers currently teaching all while keeping costs low or free for families who can never afford a quality Bible-centered education. Angel (pictured) has recently joined our work-study sponsorship program. His father passed away unexpectedly 2 months ago. We automatically gave him and his younger sister a full scholarship, knowing that God would provide the funding. Angel currently comes to the ranch two days a week to help provide some additional income for his family. This kid brings joy to all of our hearts when we see him! He is never without that beautiful smile on his face! Please pray for him and his family and for a sponsor to help offset the cost of the children still waiting for sponsorships.
Prayers Requests and Praises
Praise God for our first baby dedication at the Ranch Church. Pray for this little family and for the church to surround him in the love of Christ.
Pray for our building projects to house short-term and long-term missionaries and teams. The second phase is to build a church kitchen/pavilion and classroom.
Pray for the preparations to return to in-person classes.
Pray for ministry partners to come alongside the ministry financially as well as prayer warriors.
Praise God for the three men that came from the US this week to help with building projects. We also had a team that had to cancel at the beginning of the month due to Covid. Pray for the timing to reschedule their trip and for the work that they will do. As well as another building team that will come in two weeks. We are so thankful for our volunteers!
We are thankful for Mollie and Jared Pounds arriving safely. Pray for them as they settle into full-time ministry work and prepare for the arrival of their little one.
Praise and request: We were able to clear about 75 acres of land that is ready for grass seed for animal pasture and crops. We have a tractor we have purchased in the US for this purpose as well as some donated equipment that we are working on getting transported to Honduras.
As always, pray for the harvest both the physical and most importantly the eternal!