Life Circle – God Is Moving In Guatemala Apr 4 2014

For the past year, José Rodrigez, Lifeline’s Administrator/Pastor in El Salvador, has been leading monthly mission trips into Guatemala to gather a community of believers and form a ministry base.  There is a tremendous opportunity to advance the gospel and plant churches in that country, so Lifeline has applied for legal status as a ministry there.  Deybee & Yoselyn, a young couple currently working with José, have sensed God calling them to lead this ministry and are waiting for God to open the door.

God is far ahead of us, moving in mighty ways before we are even officially involved.  A house church with 30-40 believers has begun gathering.  This past weekend, 6 people were baptized.  A total of 11 have been baptized already.  Lifeline is eager to join in full-time with what God is doing in Guatemala, but we still need new partners to share the $1500 monthly costs.

While in Guatemala, José met Luis, an enthusiastic 10-year-old fighting serious illness.  (see photo) Doctors have given him only months to live.  Luis’ mother and brother were with him when José’s team shared the story of Jesus this weekend.  In the midst of their despair, they found hope!  Luis, his mother, Johana, and brother, William were all baptized.  

God is moving in Guatemala because so many others cannot wait for the new life that Jesus offers.  You can make a difference by joining what God is ALREADY doing there.  

If’ you’d like to partner with this ministry, contact Andy@Lifeline.org. 

Guatemala

• 6 people were baptized in Guatemala last Sunday!  Praise the Lord!  (see photo on right) 

Haiti

• March work teams accomplished a great deal. 

Honduras

• Several new work teams have expressed interest in trips to Honduras in the coming year.  We’re grateful to build new relationships and to share all that God is doing there. 

Navajo Ministry

• The Desert Song benefit concert at Bridgetown Church of Christ (Cincinnati, OH) was a great success!  There were so many people there who were blessed and who will continue to be a blessing to Lifeline’s work in Navajo Trails.

USA

• The many food packing events taking place around the country have been a huge success; lots of food is heading to Haiti. 

• Rob DeVoe, Lifeline’s Database Manager, completed his 28 radiation treatments this week. 

• Pray for Luis, the seriously ill 10-year-old who doctors give only months to live, who was baptized this weekend in Guatemala.  Pray for healing, peace and hope.

• Pray for God to provide Lifeline legal status and the necessary funds to launch a new work in Guatemala.  The Spirit is definitely going before us and opening hearts to the gospel message (see story & pictures above).

• Pray for the church & Bible Institute in Honduras as they move into a new, much larger facility in May.  Repairs & improvements are being made by the landlord at the 2-story house this month.  Pray that all goes well and that the church and institute continue to thrive.

• The 10 house churches in Cuba that Lifeline is supporting; that there would continue to be spiritual and numerical growth. 

• Rob DeVoe begins chemotherapy April 24.

• Up-coming summer spring and summer work teams to Haiti, Honduras, and Navajo Trails (Arizona); for safety and that their plans and fund raising continues successfully.

• Eduardo Otero, Administrator of the Cuba work has severe problems with his neck and is undergoing treatment.

• A charity fundraiser is to be held on April 8 in Cincinnati to raise money for Homes For Haiti.  Pray for a successful turn out. 

• Prayers for Kesaia Cojon, her classes to complete and plans for the future.  

A house full of excess stuff? 

Turn your excess stuff into cash for Lifeline!

We are excited to announce that we are participating in WebThriftStore’s #LeanSpringClean April competition! Now you can support Lifeline by donating items you no longer need. Even shipping is prepaid!  This is a great opportunity to spring clean your closets and basement, and to help us by donating your excess goods! That’s cleaning for a great cause! 

What’s in your house that somebody else might like? You can donate almost anything: jewelry, clothes, electronics, even furniture. 

If we win, WebThriftStore gives us a 1-month matching gift so that every last dollar from our web thrift store helps to restore hope to the nations! Our starting goal is 60 donations – maybe more to win. Can you begin with one donation today? All during April, please think of Lifeline every time you look around your house an your eyes catch an item that would create more happiness for a new owner. 

It’s easy and free to donate items at our WebThriftStore and every dollar raised benefits Lifeline’s ministry in restoring hope for the most impoverished.

Just visit lifeline.webthriftstore.com to donate now! Questions? Simply email Taylor@Lifeline.org.

The mother stood in front of her newly built home in Haiti awaiting the start of the dedication service with the visiting work team.  In her arms she held her 18 month old daughter, whose arm and leg displayed the burns she suffered in a fire in their tent home.  This fire had taken the life of this mother’s 4 year old son and destroyed their humble dwelling.  

The mother’s eyes still had a look of grief as she mourned the loss of her child, and of her father, who had died just a day after the fire.  Also present was the man who had heroically wrapped a blanket around himself to go into the burning tent to attempt to save her children.  The mother hugged him.  No words were exchanged, but her thankfulness to him was evident.

The pastor leading the dedication spoke words of hope and comfort to her, and encouraged her to make her new home a place where God would be at the center. Songs were sung, prayers were offered, and then this mother who had lost so much expressed her thanks to the team who had helped to provide her with a new home. 

In the midst of her grief there was hope.  Hope because her new home would provide her safety and shelter.  Hope because she could provide a more stable future for her daughter.  And most importantly, hope because of Jesus Christ, the one who came to give life more fully and abundantly.  From the ashes of a terrible fire God brought hope to this woman. 

I have attended many house dedications in Haiti, but this one tugged at my heart like no other.  The circumstances leading up to it were a reminder that life in Haiti is hard.  But through the power of Jesus Christ there is hope in the midst of grief.

We’ve all been there: the times of discouragement, hopelessness and loss.  We face those moments and circumstances that cause us to grieve.  And yet, as difficult as those moments are, we can find hope. 

“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13 & 14

In the dark moments of uncertainty brought on by family issues, illness, and even death, there is hope in Jesus Christ.  Life at times is hard, but God is always present.  There are moments that bring grief, but Jesus provides hope.  Our amazing God will always bring hope from the ashes when we seek and follow Him. 

by Keith Dimbath, Lifeline’s Work Team Director