 The situation we are experiencing has impacted me a lot. Every day, there are more people infected with COVID. However, despite the crisis that we are going through, God is working in the church and in the ministry. We have tried to continue working, and we have tried to help and show a lot of faith to help motivate people. It has been quite difficult to change the way we do ministry, but with God's help, we are gradually adapting. Many of the families are in great need, and we also have the challenge with the teens of Project Valor. We need to help them a little more, and we need to find the best way to support them so that they can continue with their studies at home. It makes me a little sad not to see the teens, but I know they are well with their families. It is very sad to see the elderly at the nursing home alone. They await our visit every Tuesday, but it is impossible for us to be with them since we must make sure that they do not get infected. It is painful to know that they are waiting for us, but we cannot come in and greet them with a hug or a handshake and ask how they are, listen to them sing, watch them eat their fruit and know that they are fine by seeing them face to face. I thank God that we can do this ministry. For me, it is a very great privilege to be able to share God's love with people and also to bring the message of God's word to children, even though I cannot see them now. I know that God will have mercy on each one of us and heal our earth and his creation. This is the confidence that I have in these difficult times that we are going through. En Español:
Me impacta mucho la situación que estamos viviendo y que cada día hay más personas infectadas, pero a pesar de la crisis que estamos pasando Dios esta obrando en la iglesia y como ministerio hemos tratado de seguir activando y hemos tratado de ayudar y mostrar mucha fe para motivar a las personas. Ha sido bastante difícil cambiar nuestra forma de hacer el ministerio, pero con la ayuda de Dios poco a poco estamos adaptándonos. Hay mucha necesidad en las familias, pero también tenemos el reto con los chicos del proyecto valor, necesitamos ayudar un poco más, pero tenemos que buscar la forma correcta de hacerlo y no afectar sus estudios y que sigan estudiando en sus casas sin que se descuiden de hacer sus tareas. Me pone un poquito triste no ver a los chicos, pero sé que están bien con sus familias. Los ancianos del asilo es muy triste ver que están solos, ellos esperan nuestra visita cada martes, pero es imposible poder estar con ellos en estos momentos ya que debemos cuidar de que no se contagien, aunque es doloroso saber que nos esperan, pero no podemos entrar y saludarles con un abrazo o un saludo de manos y preguntar como están, escucharlos cantar, verlos comer su fruta y saber que ellos están bien al verlos cara a cara. Gracias a Dios porque podemos hacer este ministerio para mi es un privilegio muy grande el poder compartir del amor de Dios con las personas y también el llevar el mensaje de la palabra de Dios a los niños, aunque ahora no les pueda ver. Se que Dios tendrá misericordia de cada uno de nosotros y sanara nuestra tierra y a su creación es la confianza que tengo en estos momentos difíciles que estamos pasando.
0 Comments
 I am very grateful to God for his love and mercy. It has been approximately five months that we are not carrying out the ministries as we have always done. I miss the children, the elderly, and the teens at the tutoring program. These have been difficult days for many. We have totally changed the way we carry out the ministries. In the nursing home, for safety we cannot go in and give them hugs, sing praises and pray with them. But, it gives us joy to see them, even from afar, every Tuesday and give them a snack. Visiting my “grandparents” every Tuesday has been a great blessing to my life. With Club Exploradores, we cannot bring the children together to sing and teach them. We are trying to record videos for them so that they can always listen to the word of God. I pray that each video reaches all people and children that need to hear from God and can feel God's love right now. At the beginning of the year, we did not imagine that this year we would be able to carry out the ministries as always, but I know that God's plans are perfect and I trust God that He will help us through this global crisis. Soon, we will be together teaching his word to the children at Club Exploradores, singing praises and praying with the grandparents of the nursing home, helping with the children in the orphanage, and supporting the kids from Project Valor to become professionals. I am also looking forward to meeting soon at the church that I am a member of and being able to serve. Prayer requests: -For every family that has lost a relative due to Covid-19, or that has a sick relative, may God strengthen their lives and give peace in these difficult times -For people who have lost faith, who can feel the presence of God and believe again -For every child, young, adult, and old that is a part of Pure Joy, may God protect and bless you. -For Kathy, her family and board of directors in the United States and supporters, may God bless and protect you from any illness or danger, each by name En Español:Estoy muy agradecida con Dios por su amor y misericordia, llevamos 5 meses aproximadamente que no estamos llevando a cabo los ministerios como siempre lo habíamos hecho, extraño mucho a los niños a los abuelitos y a los chicos de la tutoría.
Han sido días difíciles para muchos, hemos cambiado totalmente la manera de realizar los ministerios, en el asilo por seguridad no podemos entrar y darles abrazos, cantar alabanzas y orar con ellos, pero nos da alegría verlos, aunque sea de lejos cada martes y dejarles su refacción, visitar cada martes a los abuelitos ha sido de gran bendición a mi vida Y en el club Exploradores tampoco podemos reunir a los niños para poder cantar y enseñar a los niños, estamos tratando de grabar videos para ellos y que siempre estén escuchando de la palabra de Dios, oro para que cada video llegue a todas las personas y niños que necesitan escuchar de Dios y puedan sentir el amor de Dios en estos momentos. A inicio de año no nos imaginábamos que este año no desarrollaríamos los ministerios como siempre, pero sé que los planes de Dios son perfectos y confío en Dios que el nos ayudara a pasar esta crisis mundial, y pronto estaremos reunidos enseñando su palabra a los niños en el club exploradores, cantando alabanzas y orando con los abuelitos del asilo(los dos asilos) ayudando con los niños en el orfanato, y apoyando a los chicos de proyecto valor a ser profesionales. También estoy ansiosa por reunirnos pronto en la iglesia a la que soy miembro y poder servir. Peticiones de oración: Por cada familia que ha perdido a un familiar a causa de covid-19, o que tienen algún familiar enfermo que Dios fortalezca sus vidas y de paz en estos momentos difíciles Por las personas que han perdido la fe, que puedan sentir la presencia de Dios y vuelvan a creer Por cada niño joven, adulto y anciano que es parte de Pure Joy, que Dios los proteja y los bendiga. Por Kathy, su familia y directiva en Estados Unidos y apoyadores, que Dios les bendiga y proteja de cualquier enfermedad o peligro, a cada uno por nombre  Well. It has certainly been a different year than anyone in the entire world was expecting. I agree with whoever it was that quipped that everyone in 2015 who was asked the question “where do you see yourself in 5 years time” was most likely answered incorrectly!
We enjoyed being able to be a part of the usual running of Pure Joy in the first quarter of the year, this being our first year as full time staff, and it was great to build relationships with the children, young people, and seniors that we interact with in our different projects. But it’s been quite a change since then. Other members of the team will be able to recount a bit more about some of the things we have been able to achieve with those we reach during normal ministry times, so I’d like to share about three different things that I’ve been able to lean into as a result of being at home so much during lockdown. Firstly, I was able spend time getting a lot of administrative work done for the organization, developing some draft documentation which is now in the process of further development. This included some proposed policy documents such as a Child Protection Policy, Crisis Management Procedures, and Health & Safety Principles. These are the kinds of things that can fall to the wayside in the midst of “doing ministry” but are important to have thought through and put in place in case of future need, so it has been great to get these put forward for implementation. It also included developing a staff manual that looks at things like having a clear vision and mission, the structure of the team and various responsibilities or its members, and expectations of all staff. All of these are under review by the Board of Directors, to be followed up by discussion by the team here in Guatemala, so that improvements and changes can be made before they are officially adopted. Secondly, I have been able to start an online ministry (giving Pure Joy another international reach of sorts) offering training to new missionaries in support raising. As staff from a background with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), we raise our entire financial support to be on the missions field and so have friends, family, and a couple of churches that generously give to support us and our work. Being at home has offered time to use zoom and other platforms to engage with and train those who are preparing to join the mission field who will be raising support to do so. It has been great to encourage new missionaries in Africa, the UK, The Carribean, and the US, with some interest from other places too, and it’s encouraging to be able to contribute to global missions this way, even whilst stuck at home. Thirdly, I have been able to take advantage of some web-based training opportunities for myself during this time. Part of this has been training related to coaching and support raising teaching, to better prepare and equip myself to teach those that I have been engaging with in that ministry. Another part of it has been training in Member Care (how to care for missionaries), through two online courses offered by the Global Member Care Network. The two of us are also currently completing a leadership school offered by a church in the US called the Square, which is focused on spiritual leadership. Finally, although not ministry-related per se, we have been doing a course called the Marriage Sessions, offered by Care for the Family in the UK. Admittedly, this time during lockdown with limited options for going out has also involved more Netflix than usual, but it has been good to be a part of all of the things I have mentioned, as well as continue to be involved with the rest of the Pure Joy team. Thank you for your support during this unprecedented (however overused that word has become) time - we hope to come out of it better equipped for ministry than ever, and to make as much of a difference during it as we can. -Francis & Andrea  In this time of the pandemic, we have been affected because we cannot carry out the ministries as before the pandemic. However, I am sure that God is in control of everything, even though we cannot see. On Tuesdays, as always, we continue to bring a snack to the elderly at the nursing home. Although we can no longer sing, pray, give a message of the word of God and spend time with them as we used to, we still come to the door to leave the snack and call the nursing home for updates.
A testimony that impacted me greatly was knowing that one of the elderly residents who recently passed away was singing to the Lord Jesus shortly before his passing. Hearing that gave me great satisfaction because the main objective for me of what we do in Pure Joy Missions is to present the Love of God and the plan of salvation, and knowing that even though we are not with them for now, the seed that was planted is growing.  Recently, we also began to call local pastors who have been affected by the pandemic to offer prayer support, encourage them, and see if they have any needs that Pure Joy can cover. I was very happy to listen to them and establish this relationship. God is good and knows what He is doing. I trust that this will pass and we will go back to doing the ministries as before. In the meantime, I hope that God continues to surprise us as only He knows how to do. -Yeni, Guatemala Director of Pure Joy Missions En Español...En este tiempo de la pandemia nos hemos visto afectados porque no podemos realizar los ministerios como antes de la pandemia, pero estoy segura que Dios tienen el control de todo, aunque no podamos ver. Los martes como siempre continuamos llevando la refacción a los abuelos, aunque ya no podemos cantar, orar, dar un mensaje de la palabra de Dios y pasar tiempo con ellos como acostumbrábamos solo llegamos a la puerta a dejar la refa y llamar para preguntar por ellos. Un Testimonio que me impacto mucho fue saber que unos de los ancianos que falleció en estos días pasados estaba cantado al Señor Jesús poco antes de fallecer y eso me dio mucha satisfacción porque el objetivo principal para mí de lo que hacemos en PURE JOY MISSIONS es presentar el Amor de Dios y el Plan de Salvación, y saber que a pesar que por ahora no estamos con ellos la semilla germina en su momento.
Ayer iniciamos a llamar a pastores que por lo de la pandemia se han visto afectados para brindar apoyo en oración, animarles y si tuvieran alguna necesidad que sea posible para PURE JOY cubrir, me dio mucho gozo escucharles y establecer esa relación de comunicación. Dios es bueno y sabe lo que hace confío en que todo está pasara y volvamos a hacer los ministerios como antes, mientras tanto espero que Dios nos continúe sorprendiendo como solo El sabe hacer. -Yeni, La Directora de Pure Joy en Guatemala |
Archives
November 2024
|
RSS Feed