Hello Everyone!
The past several months have been full of new friends, new adventures, and exciting opportunities and I’m thrilled to
share some of that with you. Our “missions group season” ended the second week of August. From the last week of May through the middle of August I got to meet a whole lot of new people, several hundred from different missions groups that visited here with us, and then hundreds more from helping the groups with their outreach ministries. We went into schools and different communities to share a meal, built houses for people and ran medical clinics, all the while sharing the gospel with the adults and children in each place. I was honored to get to participate with these groups from the US who sacrificed to come and help us.
In the months since the groups have left I have continued working with my kids’ classes at New Life Baptist Church, with the various Bible studies I do in the area called Los Cedros (The Cedars) of Manchay, and Rio Seco as well as several studies I do out of my home. It has been a joy to watch as some of those I work with have chosen to follow Christ in salvation and others have chosen to eliminate the idols that have captured their hearts and have offered them escapes from this reality (alcohol, drugs, Netflix, etc). It’s been such a privilege to see God working in these people I love.
But in the last few months I have also had the privilege of returning to several of the areas where we did outreach events with the groups to do some follow up. My hope has been to reach out to people who heard the gospel at these events and have some of the one on one conversations that they may need, answer questions they may have, and help to get them plugged into a community of believers, whether it is a Bible believing church nearby or a Bible study/Bible club that meets in their area. I have been spending a couple days a week walking in the market and other areas of an area called Retamal in Manchay running into people who recognize me from the events and connecting with them again. Please be praying as God directs me to the people who are ready for Him, who desire to learn more and need the guidance of how or when or where.
I’ve also had the chance to connect with a teacher from one of the schools we visited. At school she has told several kids about the Bible Clubs (kids on Thursdays, teens on Saturdays) that we have in los Cedros Manchay and over the last few months several of her students have come to visit and check out what we are doing. We have 7 who are coming faithfully between the two studies just from her recommendations. She and I have also had the chance to visit the homes of some of her students and meet their families. From that outreach we’ve had a few ladies who have started going to the ladies’ Bible study that our pastor and a few other women from our church run in Manchay on Thursdays as well. Please be praying as we continue to work in following up with some of these kids who we got to meet with the missions groups and as we work to reach out to their families.
There’s one very special story I want to share with you from our Bible club in Rio Seco. We have a young, 5 year old girl named Valentina who comes faithfully each time. Her dad will walk her to club and then has one of the older kids walk her home. But in club she has always seemed very shy, not talking much with the other kids nor participating in the games. She knows the other kids, but has always seemed to just be a shy, timid, little girl. A few weeks ago 2 new girls her age started coming with one of their moms. The mom stayed for the ladies’ study while the 2 girls sat with, talked, played and listened with Valentina. The next club meeting they returned and both moms came. The club meeting after that the 2 mom’s (with their girls) returned along with another mom friend and her 2 kids. I sat down and had a conversation with one of the moms. It turns out Valentina, the shy, timid 5 year old had invited 2 friends from school to Bible club. They came and loved it, the mom loved learning, and the mom then invited others. There are now 4 new kids and 3 new moms coming faithfully to Bible club because of the invitation of a 5 year old girl. I love it.
Thank you all so much for you continued support – in prayer, finances, and encouragement. I get to be here as boots on the ground, but only because you sacrifice. Thank you. Please continue praying for Valentina and her friends (and their moms) as they hear and begin to understand the gospel. Please be praying for my teacher friend Diana and her outreach amongst her students. Please be praying as I visit Retamal that God would help me be what the community needs. And please be praying for our upcoming Christmas programs and the program I do with my kids over summer break, that God would provide the finances we need for these events. Thank you so much!!!!
Serving with Joy- Pam Drout