Wellspring of Life Newsletter Educating and Equipping with the Word of God June 2022
In our ever-changing world, with its continued uncertainty now is the time to be firmly anchored in the Word of God. Here in Honduras we, like so many others, are having to learn to adapt to all types of new trials. We are thankful that God promises in His word that when we ask for wisdom He is faithful to give it to us. This is our continued prayer as we pray through the future and trust that we will continue to see His good works and His faithfulness to those who love Him. Over the last few months, we continue to see God at work at the ranch, at the school, and in His church. We certainly love to highlight the positives, to give testimony of God's work, as well as the victory we witness in the lives of others. But for every victory, there is a hard-fought battle. Though in the pictures we may see smiles, realize those smiles are the result of prayer partners battling in prayer on behalf of ourselves and the ministry. Those smiles are the result of many poured-out tears, the miracles of seeing God directly intervening are a direct result of heads bowed in prayer and difficult steps of obedience. I say that because it is easy to see the good, the things that are accomplished to serve the Lord. I know others praise God because of the work He has done, but we have to remember that only represents the hours of prayer, trials, and equally difficult steps of obedience. I want you to be encouraged that God is absolutely still at work in the world. The trials and tribulations that are in front of each of us, both collectively and individually, God has in the palm of His hand. We are being refined, we are being repurposed to be useful in His kingdom. The testimony of the ranch has been that He has repurposed the land, the buildings, the tractors, those things that appeared to be without hope and useless. It has been equally reflected in the lives who we interact with daily. Most recently, was last week when our friend, Javier and his wife submitted themselves to the Lordship of Christ. Javier has been a part of the ranch for the last two and half years so we rejoice greatly at the work God is doing in his and his family's lives. We need to be on our knees for that is where the victory is won! As the seas roar and waves crash seek to be steadfast, seek to be about our Father's business, invest in the Kingdom, not in this world! "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work." John 9:4. Maranatha!
Being made new!
What a blessing to have our first baptisms at the ranch! There is nothing sweeter than seeing the harvest. That is not always possible. Sometimes we plant, sometimes water, and sometimes harvest. The three who were baptized in April have become precious to us and this ministry. They are sowing seeds into the lives of others and it is beautiful to watch as their faith is refined. We pray for many more baptisms in the near future.
Opportunities We have had a unique opportunity to display the ministry at a large agricultural fair that is taking place for 10 days at the end of June. We were given the space in a building to set up a mini-ranch complete with animals, a place to demonstrate how we produce meat and cheese products and how students use those products to make pizza. It has been a challenging time to be involved with this project at the level that is required as well as accomplish all the regular tasks. I think we would agree that it has been worth it to introduce others to what is being done in Honduras, to plant seeds, and to provide a place to learn and hear about God and His creation. It has given us one-on-one opportunities as well as television and news coverage to proclaim the Gospel. Pray that the seeds that have been planted will produce a mighty harvest! Graduation This month we celebrated the graduation of our Cornerstone Christian Academy students in the 11th and 9th grades. For many, basic education will end after their 9th-grade graduation. They will either enter the job force if jobs are available, go to a technical school or continue school by attending High School, which is 10th and 11th grade if they plan to attend the university. We are very proud of these students and look forward to seeing how God will use them in the future. We are always seeking the Lord on how to improve the ministry to help meet the unique needs of this culture and community. We are excited for the directions the Lord is leading us in for the next school year as we develop to greater levels the technical programs as we feel this is providing the most benefit to our community as well as giving us the most one-on-one time to mentor and disciple. We have been so blessed the last couple of months with several teams that have jumped in to help get the work done, all the while bringing both encouragement to us and those we work with. They helped with getting the display area ready for Campo AGAS, as well as bringing appreciation gifts for our teachers. We had a youth group help preserve the hard work of the welding students by getting primer and paint on the arena, they also shared an impactful drama at church and led worship as well as spent time at the AGAS church display sharing the Bible. Our good friend and ministry partner brought us supplies and knowledge to teach us how to convert oil to biofuel. There are boundless opportunities to use gifts and talents and we are so thankful for those that take their time, resources, and talents to serve alongside us!
Prayer Requests: 1) As always, first and foremost in our hearts is the harvest. Pray for good spiritual soil, ears to hear and eyes to see the goodness of God and the salvation He alone brings. Pray for the seeds that have already been planted to be kept safe from the enemy. Pray for those who have accepted Christ over the last few months to grow, to be steadfast, and to be courageous in sharing their faith. 2) Pray for wisdom as we navigate the turbulence of the days to come, that God would supply every need. This is a prayer I encourage you to pray for yourself and for your families as well as for us. 3) Pray for the housing projects to get completed within the next couple of months. As the cost of everything rises it will take more resources to complete this project. 4) Pray for me (Anne) as I will be starting an online English-speaking women's Bible study concerning the importance of developing a Biblical worldview. This will start on July 5th for an evening study and July 6th for a morning study. If you are interested in joining email me at ozannehonduras@gmail.com