Video - Mission Trip to Guatemala/El Salvador 2007

Pastor Jeff Light of Virginia made a video documenting our recent mission trip to Guatemala & El Salvador and that video is now available to view via the Internet at "You Tube". This year folks from Virginia, Georgia and Texas joined together for a 10 day mission of ministry and outreach in Guatemala and the mountains of El Salvador. Pastors Jorge and Annie Cerritos and church family were our hosts.

Check it out when you have a minute.

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKFYjtlt0ls

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOA9_gdDJnI


Special thanks to Randy Peck of www.PeckWebs.com for taking the initiative to have the video posted and helping to spread the Word!


In Christ,

Steve

Healing and Another Church Plant in El Salvador

The Lord God is blessing us so much. Everything is accelerating in all areas of the ministry. Our 9 churches are growing with dozens of new believers and rededications. Pastor Jorge shared one story of a baby that is 42 days old, but for 30 of those days he was in the hospital. Doctors said that he would not live long because he had a strange illness that came with high fever and extreme weakness. Two weeks ago our prayer walking team happened upon this child's home and prayed for him. The team went to their home a second time and two of the team members felt in the Spirit that the baby would be healed, but the baby's parents needed to rededicate their lives to Jesus. The mother rededicated her life that day. The very next morning the baby woke up smiling and eating completely healed. The baby's father also rededicated his life to Christ. These kind of miracles are happening more and more frequently. God has entire church PRAISING GOD FOR THIS MIRACLE!!!

Please Pray:

1) Please pray as we are witnessing the birth of church number 10 ( 8 in Guatemala and now 2 in El Salvador) in the mountains of Abilene, El Salvador. This is three hours away from our initial El Salvador church plant. A new believer who accepted Christ two weeks ago at our initial church went home and told others about his newfound Savior. The Good News spread and now we have a team going there to help them get started.

2} Please pray for me as I travel to India September 6-17. I'll be going to some very poor areas and I expect the Lord to bring more folks for us to help who are called to spread the Good News like pastor Jorge , pastor Pedro and others.

3} Please pray for two Texas men who are traveling to Guatemala on behalf of The LORD Will Provide September 7-17 to follow the Lord as He begins to present new business opportunities for the people and ministry in Guatemala and El Salvador.

4} Please pray as we witness the birth of our first ministry in South America. We will work among the children and people living on the streets in Asuncion, Paraguay.

5) Please pray as the Lord opens doors into Honduras where I and two others will be traveling December 2-14.

6) Please pray that the Lord will meet the needs of His growing ministry and that He will send the people to help us in this work. We are doing our best to keep up with God.

Thank you for all of your prayers, encouragement and support.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Trips #24 & #25 - March 2007

I returned from my 24th and 25th trips to Guatemala this week. During these two trips we spent time in Guatemala and El Salvador. So far we have seen the Lord bring up 5 churches with a sixth one on the horizon in Guatemala. In addition, He has brought up a church plant in El Salvador. God is moving so fast... we're just trying to keep up. So much has happened, but I wanted to share two highlights.

HIGHLIGHT #1

One highlight was our meeting with the mayor of Villa Nueva (part of Guatemala City) which is a community of 1.5 million people known for its gangs, crime and social problems. Pastor Jorge, pastor Jeff from Virginia and I attended the meeting. The mayor is very popular and has worked extremely hard and progressively to successfully implement many improvements in Villa Nueva. What was so amazing though, was how the Lord had already been at work. You see, the mayor of Villa Nueva had become a Christian 10 months earlier. He is so excited about God! He leads two Bible studies per week among his leadership and staff. He speaks of God's love and salvation message both privately and publicly to all he meets. He even has Christian music playing constantly on his office computer.

For an hour and a half we got to know each other as brothers in Christ. We prayed together, we shared God stories and we spoke of the plans we have to build a Christian hospital in his jurisdiction. He informed us that the federal government had just announced plans to build a hospital for Villa Nueva, so the mayor asked us if we would build four medical clinics that would act as "feeders" for the hospital. We agreed. He then provided an architect to design everything for us at no cost and will give us the land for each construction site. At the end of our meeting the mayor invited us to join him the next morning for a breakfast he was hosting for 200 pastors. He is trying to encourage all the churches to work together for the benefit of the Villa Nueva people.

HIGHLIGHT #2

The second highlight occurred during and after the mayor's breakfast meeting. As the meeting was in full swing I began to look around the room asking the Lord to show me where He was working. As I did this He brought my attention to a woman sitting on the other side of the room. She was a tall woman probably in her late forties. "I want you to help her." I leaned over to pastor Jorge who was sitting next to me and asked him to speak with her to see what was going on. "I am feeling the same thing," he said. "And, I know her."

After the meeting, Jorge approached the woman and found out she had been leading her church by default. Her name is Judith. Their pastor had left and the leadership of the church had fallen onto her. She was doing all she could to fill the role, but she was tired. We prayed with her and encouraged her. There were two women with her and one was having painful, continual headaches and asked me to pray for her. At that moment pastor Jeff from Virginia called me over to pray for another man. I joined pastor Jeff for a few minutes before returning to the woman. As I was walking the twenty feet back towards the woman I could feel my faith welling up inside me. Somehow I knew with certainty that the Lord was going to heal this woman. As I placed my hands on either side of her head upon her temples I began to pray. The woman raised her hands "worship style" about head high and all of a sudden God moved. I felt what I can only describe as a powerful shot of electricity run through both of my arms and into the woman. At that very moment her outstretched arms trembled profusely and she fell straight back onto the floor. Pastor Jorge caught her as she fell. I have been involved in healing and I have been involved in people being slain in the Spirit, but I have never experienced the power of God like I felt that day. Afterwards I told Jorge and Jeff that God did this for a purpose and hopefully we'd find out what God was up to.

Several days later I found out that the woman who lay on the floor had gone back to her church on Sunday and testified what God had done. She testified that the Lord had not only healed her headaches, but had healed her long term back pain too. Praise God!

All of this happened six weeks ago in January on the 24th trip. As I was preparing for trip 25 last week, the Lord impressed upon me to set up a meeting with the woman named Judith who was carrying the leadership responsibility at her church. We met with her last Saturday. A group from Gatesville, Texas had come with me along with pastor Jorge. It was then that we found out just what had happened with Judith. She had come to the prayer breakfast very weary and ready to quit the ministry. She felt like she couldn't go on anymore. There was too much pressure at the church and at home. God knew that and had used us six weeks earlier to encourage her at just the right time. You see, Judith has a call on her life to preach the Good News. She even graduated from seminary a few years earlier, but her church won't consider her as a pastor because she is a woman and because her husband is not a "Believer" yet (Judith is under immense attack from the enemy at church and at home so we encourage you to pray for her and for the salvation of her husband). The group from Gatesville ministered wonderfully to Judith, having gone through themselves in the past some of what Judith was presently experiencing at home. As we prayed for Judith and her husband, the Lord showed us that Judith would be cutting a new trail in Guatemala... that as she preaches, battles will be raging to her right and to her left. We encouraged her that in the midst of these battles she must continue to preach because there are many girls who will be inspired by Judith to fulfill God's call upon their own lives to preach the Good News. Amen!

One final note... the woman who was healed so powerfully in the Holy Spirit is now receiving dreams from God, too. She's seeing things in dreams that either have come to pass or have been determined to be real. This is all new for her. Please pray for her as she learns to live and minister with these things of the Holy Spirit that until recently she didn't know or believe even existed today.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Trip #22 - November 2006

It's hard to believe, but this was trip #22 to Guatemala for me since traveling there for the first time three years ago. Pastor Jorge in Villa Nueva (Guatemala City) and I have been so blessed to see God do so much. Please join us as we pray that as the ministry rapidly grows that we will stay in the middle of God's will and be sensitive to what God is doing around us so that we may join Him in His work.

The school bus we drove down to Guatemala in September is working well in Villa Nueva... each week over 40 adults are being picked up to attend Bible study at Ciudad de Refugio church. We also had a special children's event in October for which the bus was used to pick up 75 children from around the refugee area. I have not seen a school bus better cared for than this one in Guatemala. The church members are so thrilled that the Lord blessed them with the bus. As a matter of fact, the man who drives the bus is a professional driver who just joined the church along with his family this past Summer. He is also a good mechanic. The Lord really does provide!

I have included a picture of pastor Pedro behind the microphone broadcasting the Good News from a radio station in Nebaj in the Mayan language of Ixil. God is growing the ministry in the mountains of Guatemala very rapidly, we're just trying to keep up. If you recall in my last update, I was certain we were not going to build buildings. However it appears God has other ideas. We have had two pieces of land donated to us. One in Chajul (where the 17 families have come to Christ through the radio program) and in the country of El Salvador in a community located about one hour east of the capital city of San Salvador. Also, the home church in Cotzal has now grown to over 90 members... way too many members to fit into a house. Please pray for us as we search for land on which to build a church or, at least to set up a roof without walls. Since January, we have 5 churches in Guatemala and 2 in the country of El Salvador that are up and running or are somewhere in the development process. God is so amazing. Pedro has also been asked to preach in another mountain village to people who speak the Mayan language of Quiche. Pedro doesn't speak Quiche, but within a couple of days God sent a translator to Pedro. God is good!

The Lord is bringing more people to us as our ministry expands. These people will eventually become full time evangelists and operations folks for us. here's how God brought a man named Bernardo to us. Pastor Jorge and I spoke to a group of church leaders at Ciudad de Refugio Church in Nebaj. During our lunch break I happened to be standing next to a man named Bernardo. The Lord gave me a "word"... this man is another pastor Pedro. I immediately turned and asked Jorge about this man whom I'd never met... what's his story.

"He's an elder in a church who has a tremendous heart for the Lord."

At the end of the day, I took the opportunity to sit down with Bernardo. Pastor Jorge was my translator. "What's the Lord been doing in your life?" I asked, "Do you believe the Lord has called you?"

Bernardo responded, "Yes, to be a preacher."

Bernardo is married with 5 children and works full time for the government teaching locals about farming techniques that would improve crop production. I assured him, "The Lord will soon provide for you so you can do the work He was called you to do." That evening I asked Pedro what he thought about Bernardo. Pedro responded, "This morning I told Bernardo to get ready because soon the Lord was going to have him helping me in the ministry as it expanded into Chajul." Pedro already knew what God was doing. Awesome!

Also, during this last trip we were presented with the opportunity to purchase a cinder block making machine for $2,000 American. This would be a great asset to us as we get more and more into construction. We could also make and sell block to others which would help us maintain the ever-growing monetary demand of this ministry. We will also be building a 4-story hospital in Villa Nueva for which we now have our first architectural drawings. I will send the drawings in a separate e-mail. We're also needing to add a bathroom and kitchen to pastor Pedro's house in the mountains so he can stay there instead of his parents home each week This will also give us a place for future missionaries to stay.

I could write so much more about what God is doing, but this gives you some of the highlights. Please continue to pray for us and as always, thank you for your support.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Update - November, 2006

As I pray this morning it is clear we are coming into a time of miracles... a time when we have run out of ourselves and have no ne else to rely upon except the hand of God. Please pray for The LORD Will Provide and for me as I return to Guatemala November 1-8. I will be traveling up into the mountains with pastor Jorge, pastor Pedro and our newest pastor Manuel in thankfulness to those God has brought to us to deepen their faith. Seventeen new families from one mountain village have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior through our radio program broadcast in the Mayan language of Ixil. This mountain village is two hours by motorcycle from the town of Nebaj where we are broadcasting from. You may recall, Nebaj is 6 hours by car from Guatemala City. How wonderful that we are privileged to witness God drawing His creation to Himself.

In Guatemala City (Villa Nueva) we are no longer using the Buenas Nuevas Compound for church services because the rent was increased beyond our ability to pay. But what the enemy meant for bad the Lord has turned around for good. Our single church has now grown into eight home churches with seven people leading these groups.

Every week we have a prayer walking activity in the community and every week something happens. One day the leadership of the Soccer League of Linda Vista asked for prayer for protection from the gangs. The Soccer League is really in a battle with the gangs attracting young people to play soccer rather than join gangs. One night the Team went to distribute bread with beans and coffee to the drunk men in the streets. It was wonderful see how God opened doors to serve them and share the love of Jesus with them.

We are finishing a Bible Study Called " Standing On the Promises of God" based on Genesis and are now planning to begin "Walking thru the Desert" based on Exodus. Pastor Jorge reports this is helping us to understand we need to keep moving forward every moment no matter how the circumstances may appear. Please pray that we may continue to move forward in wisdom and faith with our focus on Jesus and His desire to reach the entire community... even those who may not appear to be worthy by our own human standards.

Please know that The LORD Will Provide is not about building church buildings, but we are about building up the church... the people who make up the Body of Christ... encouraging and teaching them to go deeper with the Lord and sending them out.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Update - June, 2006

Pedro Perez is a 28 year old of Mayan decent from the small mountain community of La Pista, located near Nebaj, Guatemala (about a six hour drive by car northwest of Guatemala City). Pedro is married to Juana and they have three young children. They had a fourth child, a daughter, who died a few short months ago from meningitis. The Lord supernaturally brought Pedro and his family together with us, The LORD Will Provide Ministries, so we might provide for the financial and physical needs of he, his family and his ministry. This partnership has enabled Pedro to freely do full time what the Lord has called him to do... evangelize the lost. In the few short months since God miraculously brought us together, we have seen much "good" spiritual fruit come from his ministry as he has led dozens of people to the Lord and the birth of a home church in Cotzal (three hours walk from Nebaj).

An awesome God story

Pedro was a boy 20 years ago when a battle was being waged between the Guatemalan government's military and a vast group of rebels known as Guerillas. As the fighting raged between the two enemies, innocent mountain villagers were often assaulted, robbed and killed. Sometimes entire villages were slaughtered as mistrust permeated the Guatemalan mountains. It was a dangerous time in Guatemala's history and was the backdrop for this amazing God story.

Pedro's hometown of La Pista did not exist during this time in the mid 1980's when Pedro was just a boy. He and the other villagers lived some 12 miles away in another part of the mountains and life was dangerous there. One night God gave one of the leader's in the community a vision. His name was Tomas. In the vision God revealed a new and safe place where Tomas was to take his family and others to settle. God had also shown Tomas several very distinct landmarks that would guide him on his way there. Tomas was extremely familiar with the surrounding mountains, but had never before seen the landmarks that God had shown him in his vision or the place where he was to eventually settle. However, Tomas trusted God and soon after made plans to leave under cover of darkness. Tomas, for fear of death, had also discreetly told a few people about what God had shown him and of his plan to leave at a predetermined place and time. The night finally came. Tomas expected some 12 to 15 people to meet him. But to his surprise 225 villagers showed up and among them, 9-year old Pedro Perez and his entire family.

The group made their way through the darkness traversing the mountains by night and day. They were guided on their way by the landmarks God had shown Tomas in his vision. Each landmark was as God has shown him, one leading to the next. After several days and nights the group was nearing their destination. As they were making their final ascent up a mountainside they were discovered by the Guerillas who immediately organized and rushed up the mountain in deadly pursuit. Suddenly and without warning, as the Guerilla's were closing in, a large explosion ripped into the mountain between the villagers and their pursuers. Tomas and the villagers thought the Guerillas were firing at them and that the end was near. Then a second explosion tore into the mountain and the villagers watched in amazement as the Guerillas turned and retreated back down the mountain. Tomas and the villagers wondered what had just happened.

Here's the rest of the story...

The Guerillas had thought the military was fighting for and protecting the villagers so they ran. However, this was not the case. The military general in the town of Nebaj located near that mountainside had an old Howitzer cannon in need of repair. He had, a few days earlier, hired a local man who had a nack for fixing things to take a look and see if there was anything he could do to fix the broken cannon. The man made the repairs and brought the old Howitzer to the general. The general promptly instructed the repairman fire a test shot. The general pointed high up into the surrounding mountainside and said, "There's nobody up there. Fire there." The repairman obliged, firing two test shots. God is sovereign! Unknowingly, the general had saved 225 people who eventually settled a little further up the mountain in what is now known as La Pista. Shortly thereafter, the military agreed to provide protection for Tomas and the new settlement and today the Guerillas are only a distant memory.


A side note: I was in Guatemala May 18-25 when pastor Jorge and I, along with Albert Solis from Temple Bethel Christian Center in Abilene, Texas rented a small truck and traveled back up into the mountain towns of Nebaj and La Pista. We met with some folks from Wycliffe Bible Translators who have been quietly working... translating the Bible into Ixil - Nebaj. The process began in 1955 and has been unusually slow, taking some twenty years longer than they would have ordinarily expected to finish the work... but the enemy has put up a great fight and God's timing is always perfect. The Book of John is now complete and we bought all 36 copies they had putting them into Pedro's hands as well as some 500 Ixil - Nebaj evangelistic tracts. I wish you could have been there when we were privileged enough to witness Pedro read the front cover of the Gospel of John for the first time in his native language. His face told the story... it was historic! God had placed this new and treasured weapon into the hands of one of His most gifted and fervent soldiers! Even more good news... the Wycliffe folks are expecting to finish the entire New Testament by August 2007. We hope to be there for the big celebration. Praise the Lord!

Please pray for me as I travel back to Guatemala June 7-14 with a group of 16 people from Virginia plus my mother, son and youngest daughter. We are going down knowing only that we will be engaging in spiritual warfare as we continue to work with our Guatemalan brothers and sisters to take back the land and the people for Christ. We are expecting to see more of God's miracles, power and supernatural ways.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Update - April, 2006

I just received a report from pastor Jorge as the work continues in Guatemala. This update includes present work and future plans in which you may want to prayerfully consider joining with us:

It is great to see God work as we join Him in this new ministry. The three new churches of Ciudad de Refugio are doing great and it is a blessing to see all of the members really working well together. The second Ciudad de Refugio church is in the process of building. The foundation is being poured and soon walls will be going up. The members are doing the work as the LORD provides funding. The radio program broadcast in the Mayan language of Ixil is also being heard in remote mountain villages of Guatemala and new people are being lead to Christ weekly. Please pray for pastor Jorge, pastor Pedro and pastor Pedrito. We call him Pedrito so we can distinguish between the two Pedros. Pastor Pedrito is smaller than the other pastor Pedro.

Pastor Jorge and the team at Ciudad de Refugio have developed a program which takes our new and young believers through a discipleship process utilizing Biblical principles and methods taught in "Operation Multiplication" materials written by Billie Hanks, Jr. As the new and young believers grow up in the process, they are taken through a second step that includes teaching "Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. This is now standard follow-up procedure as we evangelize in Guatemala.

Corporately, as a church, Jorge and his team are also busy sharing our church vision in four classes ("101", "201", "301" and "401") with a curriculum based on Rick Warren's book called, "Purpose Driven Church." These classes are working very well. They are moving carefully, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He works to grow the members in Christ.

Please prayerfully consider areas in which we are working to see where you may join us:

Community Ministry

1) Leadership Training for the people in the squatter village communities. Teaching them how to flourish where they live by teaching them how to better work together as a community and how to start individual small businesses.

2) Job training for women so they may better provide for their families. (e.g. Making and selling handcrafted items, etc.)

3) Helping the poor families in the squatter villages add floors and improved roofs to their homes. Especially for widows, single mothers, and families with absent parents.

4) Helping to begin a new ministry we're calling the "Nehemiah Ministry" which will allow us to build homes in the squatter villages providing homes for the very poor and jobs to the people of the community.

Youth Ministry

1) Gang outreach ministry in the squatter villages.

2) Organized sports for youth (basketball camps, soccer training, etc)

3) Helping Youth Circles: Groups of youth will meet together two or three times a week for tutoring, studying and Bible studies. We will provide refreshments and snacks.

4) Witnessing activities where youth will learn to share the Gospel in public places. Christian music concerts in public places featuring music styles popular with youth.

5) Vocational education that will allow youth to improve their earning potential.

6) Recovery ministry to help youth addicted to drugs and/or alcohol.

Children's Ministry

1) Day Care Ministry for children of single mothers who must work to support their families.

2) Ministry activities for mothers and their young children. Also teaching soon-to-be mothers and new mothers how to care for their babies 0-1 years old.

Spiritual Ministry:

1) Prayer walking ministry in the areas where the gangs operate. Prayer walking individuals and teams will be protected as we have relationships with community leaders who want and need our help.

2) Develop a ministry of care for families with kids who are in trouble.

3) Develop spiritual relationships with people associated with gangs. Providing spiritual support for their families.

Also, please pray for me as God has opened doors with groups and churches in the United States for me to share. I will travel to:

Los Angeles - April 20-24
Tennessee and Kentucky - May 4-11
Kansas - June 18.

I'll also be returning to Guatemala, May 18-25. In addition, a group of 18 people from Virginia and 4 others from Texas including me, my brother Patrick, my mother will be traveling to Guatemala June 7-14 to pray, encourage and work alongside our Guatemalan brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thank you for all of your prayers and encouraging notes and e-mails. May our Lord lead.

In Service to Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Update - February 28, 2006

The Lord continues to expand our ministry in Guatemala as we join Him in His work. Pedro Perez is a man who has a call on his life to be a pastor and whom the Lord led us to through his wife Juana. Juana came to us by way of the "practice" medical clinic we held in late September because she and her children were sick. You may recall, we held the practice clinic in preparation for the American doctors, dentist and medical professionals who came down from Tennessee and Kentucky in November. The Lord led us to provide financial support for Pedro and launch the "Ciudad de Refugio" radio program in his first language of Ixil (a Mayan Indian language pronounced ee'sheel) broadcasting the Good News from the mountain town of Nebaj, Guatemala. Each week Pedro makes the 12-hour "chicken bus" ride from Guatemala City to Nebaj to do the weekly radio program which we began on Saturday, January 28. Every week Pedro receives phone calls from listeners to personally visit homes and share the Good News. This week he was called to visit two homes and three new people received Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Pedro does not have a vehicle, but makes these visits traveling by chicken bus.

As I reported in my last update, we planted a second "Ciudad de Refugio" church in a small town near Nebaj. The town is called Xecax (x is pronounced "sh"). There are over 30 people attending this church now and we are seeking to raise $9,000 from our supporters to buy the materials needed to build a church building.

Even more good news. God has called Pedro to begin a new work... a third "Ciudad de Refugio" church, in a small mountain village called Cotzal. Cotzal is a two-hour drive from Nebaj. He is beginning this church plant with 14 people who will meet every week in a Cotzal family's house. I also wanted to report about the building our American friends from Jellico, Tennessee helped us to construct in November. The holidays have passed, the roof has been put on and steel doors and windows have been put in. The building is complete and the groundwork has now been laid among the neighboring refugee people. I am pleased to announce this Sunday we will begin a weekly community Bible study in our new building located in the heart of this refugee area called Las Colinas de Villa Nueva. The area of Villa Nueva is well known in Guatemala for the high level of gang activity... murders, assaults, robberies, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. "Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" (Mark 2:17)

So much is happening so fast. Since planting the first "Ciudad de Refugio" church with pastor Jorge Cerritos in September we've taken on a radio program, a second and a third church, conducted two community medical clinics and constructed a building for outreach. God is clearly doing the work... leading us to the people and places where He has already been working in Guatemala.

Thank you for your prayers and support. May our Lord continue to lead.

In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Update - Trip #17 January 2006

I want to thank pastor Frank Estes of Bethel Temple Christian Center in Abilene, Texas and pastor Jeff Light of Novum Baptist Church in Reva, Virginia for graciously inviting me to share with their congregations what the Lord has been doing in Guatemala. I'd also like to thank Charlie Robinson and Bobby Johnson of First Baptist Church in Belton, Texas for also giving me the opportunity to share the evidence of God's mighty works with a group of men whom I meet with each week to learn more about our Creator and His Word. The Lord truly blessed our time together in every case as He promises in Psalm 37:5-6, "Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn and the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

Guatemala Update:

Through the initial "practice" medical clinic we held in late September the Lord led us to one family who has been the bridge to a whole new area for us in Guatemala. Here's what happened: I noticed one woman who was just leaving the clinic. She was dressed in tractional Mayan wear carrying an infant with a small boy in tow. I asked her if we had been able to help her with all of her medical needs (she was the only one I asked that day). She was having headaches and was given an order by our doctor to go to one of the hospitals in Guatemala City for further testing. On my ensuing trip to Guatemala I inquired about this woman, Juana, and wanted to make a follow up visit to her home. Pastor Jorge and I made the visit. Her dark, windowless home was the size of a large walk-in closet illuminated by a single light bulb strung up in the middle of the room. Her bed took up the entire back wall, a small burner and shelves on the left wall and a broken down dresser drawer on the right.

As we talked we found out her husband and their two older children were living during the week near a small mountain town called Nebaj some 12-hour bus ride up in the mountains. He was working there in their hometown selling garbage bags to support his wife and their four children. He came to Guatemala City to be with Juana as often as he could afford. Jorge and I prayed for this family and left. That night at about 3 AM, the Lord woke me up and told me, "You missed it!" I knew immediately what I had missed. God had brought us to Juana to help her and her family. "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" (James 2:15-16). I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. I picked up Jorge very early the next morning and he and I went back to Juana's home. I told her how the Lord had brought me back to her home and I apologized for allowing her to spend one more night worried about how her family would survive. The Lord led me to ask more about her husband, "Is he a Christian?" Juana told me, "Yes." Her now husband Pedro had become a Christian when he was 14 before they were married and he immediately felt the call on his life to study and preach the Word of God. Over time he became an associate pastor of a small church near his hometown without pay. He worked there for nearly ten years. He even began preaching on the radio in his native tongue, Ixil (ee'sheel). He paid for the air time himself. But as the financial strains of his growing family took over, he was no longer able to afford to continue the radio program. He knew he was called to preach, but it wasn't paying the bills. He had to abandon his calling to support his family. It had now been three years since his radio program ended. He thought God had abandoned him. But we were there to tell him God had not forgotten about him. God was sending help.

The LORD is providing through The LORD Will Provide for Pedro to fulfill his calling full time. We are also providing training materials and teaching Pedro the principles of discipleship, "Operation Multiplication" by Billie Hanks, Jr. and "Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. The amazing thing is that through this relationship with The LORD Will Provide, Pedro is now back on the radio every week in his hometown in the Guatemalan mountains preaching in his native tongue to his native people. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

The LORD Will Provide is now supporting pastor Jorge Cerritos full time and our initial church plant called "Ciudad de Refugio" (City of Refuge) which we began together in September. Just four short months later through our new friend Pedro, the Lord has given us the responsibility of a second "City of Refuge" church located in Pedro's hometown as well as his radio program. Everything is moving so fast as we continue to trust the Lord as Provider.

One final thought, as I stood in our new church plant "Ciudad de Refugio" near Nebaj I spoke and prayed with the congregation. My words were in English. Pastor Jorge translated my words into Spanish and Pedro translated Jorge's Spanish into Ixil. Three different languages spoken in praise of the One Living God. How awesome is that!!!

The Lord is leading with a vision for a lost world. We are simply joining Him. My prayer is you will join with Him also in prayer and support.

In Christ,

Steve

Back At Home - Post Guatemala Mission November 2005

Our team of twenty from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee have just returned from our very first medical mission trip, here are my thoughts:

Each one of us is now at home. We've reentered the atmosphere of our earthly reality and gone back to the life-sustaining oxygen of our jobs, our families and all the things that make us comfortable and happy. But as we go back to the ordinary, we can't help but remember that one week in November when we seemed to draw our breaths from extraordinary spiritual air. When we seemed to be touched and healed at the very softest and most intimate places within our hearts. When we seemed to literally work alongside our Creator to fulfill His desire to lift up the poor and needy. For He called and we went. Out of obedience we ventured to a strange land far away to help a people we do not know. A people whom God heard from heaven. "This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles." (Psalm 34:6, NIV)

We are at the beginning of acting upon God's call to this ministry in Guatemala. It is a time when our faith is tested and strengthened. It is a time when all He allows us to see is today. We are totally and completely dependent on our heavenly Father for everything. It is a time when we are constantly reminded that our hope is in Him... in Him alone. He is the reason we are there in Guatemala. "Come, follow me," He said. Now here we are on a journey... a difficult and glorious journey where we learn to surrender our will and depend solely on Him. A place where we run out of ourselves, our own resources and our own ideas. A place where
we are left only to rely on Him. This place is not a natural land, it is a land of the supernatural... where miracles live. Where God's strength is seen. May we always live there.

Peter said to Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:28-30,NIV)

There is a story of a missionary couple that was in Africa for dozens of years and were finally coming home after growing too old to remain there any longer. They happened to be traveling on the same ship as a diplomat. Upon arriving home, the diplomat received a great welcome... a band played... speeches were made. The missionary couple looked at each other and the man said to his wife, "How is it that we have served in Africa for so many years and we come home to a quiet reception with our family and he comes home after a few months to such a grand welcome?" His wife looked at her husband and said with great love, "We're not home yet."

May our eyes always be fixed on eternity. May we live like we believe Him, not just in Him. May we be doers of the Word, not just hearers. I pray our Lord will protect and continue to grow the seeds that have been planted deep within you and I pray:

May the fruit of your tree be good
May your roots grow long and deep
May your branches reach toward heaven
And your shade cover those in need


In Christ,

Steve

Guatemala Trip #14 - September 14-26

First let me report, our inaugural medical clinic was a success... we worked with two Guatemalan doctors who saw 71 sick people in 5 1/2 hours (please see the attached photographs). We decided to hold the event by invitation only so we could learn from the experience without being overwhelmed by great numbers of people. My great friend and co-laboror in The LORD Will Provide Ministries pastor Jorge Cerritos and folks from his new church (which The LORD Will Provide has had the privilege to help him plant) called, "Iglesia Cristiana Ciudad de Refugio" (City of Refuge Christian Church) worked to coordinate and administer the clinic. The event served as excellent preparation for the enormous medical clinic and construction event which will take place November 7-11 with medical professionals and others from Tennessee and Virginia. We expect over 20 people to join us from the US and about the same number from Guatemala. God is sure doing something great!

In a second unscheduled event Jorge was invited to preach to a group of 80 or so teenagers who were staying at a Christian retreat center in the refugee area called, "Buenas Nuevas" (Good News). The founders of the camp are a Guatemalan pastor David and his wife Layli whom the Lord has led to open as a place of spiritual freedom. The facility was built as a large industrial complex which failed and now God is using the facility to change lives. At this point, let me interject a few personal thoughts. I debated with myself about how much I would say or not say about this event. I knew I could choose to water down the event or I could choose to be completely forthright. As I began to think this through, I asked myself one question... why would I feel a need to water any portion of this event down? What was I afraid of? My conclusion was that I feared man. I feared what someone might think or say. God's Word tells us we should fear only Him. 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom" (Job 28:28) And so, I come before you to give you a firsthand account of what I witnessed at this particular event in Guatemala at Buenas Nuevas.

The room was full with Guatemalan teenagers, mostly girls who had varied and troubled backgrounds. Some were sexually abused, some were prostitutes, some were drug addicts... all were in need of hope. Jorge shared the good news of Jesus Christ for 45 minutes and afterwards invited me and pastor David to come forward as he offered an invitation to the teenagers to come forward for prayer. Over half of the teenagers came forward crowding toward the front of the room. Jorge reached out his hand and placed it on the forehead of the first girl and immediately the Lord gave him a "word of knowledge" telling Jorge that He was healing this girl's heart. Jorge conveyed the message (word of knowledge) to her. She began to cry and suddenly she went down to the floor overwhelmed by the Spirit of God. Jorge had never been given a word of knowledge before, but he kept going. He went to the next girl and prayed the same way... she too went down. Then pastor David went to the microphone and began to pray for those who may have been sexually abused. A girl in the front row went down to the ground and began screaming. Two women and I rushed to the girl's side and began to pray over her. It took all of us to hold her still. She had become very, very strong as we prayed. Then one after the other people began to fall to the ground... some screaming and writhing on the floor. The Lord was at work delivering His children. This was no place for an evil spirit... God was present. The teenagers who didn't come forward were sitting stunned in
their chairs trying to absorb what they were seeing. Me and many others began to seek out those who were on the floor screaming laying hands on them for deliverance and inner healing. What a scene. It literally looked like a battlefield with people laying out all over the floor. The air was thick with atmosphere of a battle we could not see... the apostle Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 6, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Here was evidence of the battle. People were crying all over the room. Many of us were in prayer... loud and fervent prayer... warriors winning back the freedom of those who were oppressed by evil forces.

The ones who were screaming and writhing seemed to be in a trance... I was praying over one such girl speaking to the evil spirit to leave in the name of Jesus. Of course, here the people speak Spanish. As I commanded the spirit to leave in English and in Jesus' name, the girl violently and firmly shook her head back and forth... the universal sign for "no." The girl did not know English, but the Spirit who really, really didn't want to leave knew the name of Jesus and understood.
Others knelt beside me to join me in prayer. Soon she was freed.

Praise God that He has given us the name of Jesus whose name is above all other names. He is sovereign... all creation must submit to His name... even in the spiritual world. The battle is real because there is a lot at stake. The eternal resting place of each and every human soul. So many of us are standing on the sidelines and watching or even refusing to believe there is a battle being waged... please pray for us as we continue to march forward into the darkness seeking to bring the Light of Jesus Christ into the world.

In Christ,

Steve

Update: September 1, 2005

I just returned from a very productive trip to Guatemala. Pastor Jorge Cerritos and I have been working closely together and he truly is becoming as close to me as my own family. He is one of two men who have been called to spread the Gospel among the refugees whom we are now supporting in Guatemala. We have been preparing for a group of about 20 people from Tennessee and Virginia to conduct The LORD Will Provide's very first medical and construction short-term mission trip November 6-13. Everything is coming together very nicely and then some.

During my last trip (August 14-21) we had a group of three Guatemalan doctors (2-family practice and 1-Ob/gyn) contact us to see if they could help the refugee people by conducting a one-day medical clinic on Sunday, September 25 (Before I had even left Texas on this 13th trip, the LORD had already led me to book my 14th trip back to Guatemala September 14-26). We met with the lead doctor and made plans for the three doctors to see 150 refugee patients in 6 hours. The LORD Will Provide will be donating the medication. We'll start the day with a worship service and we'll be praying for and with each individual as they come in for care. A group of local women have also agreed to cut the hair of the children who may need something to do while other family members see the doctors. This one-day clinic has given us the perfect opportunity to work out any "bugs" before the big group comes down in November. It's been a long process and 13 trips (so far) to Guatemala, but we're finally starting to see the fruit of our preparation and relationship building in Guatemala and in the US.

I am also overjoyed that my brother, Patrick, who had the original vision of this mission in Guatemala, will be returning with me in November for the first time since our original trip two years ago. He is very excited about going back and I am so happy to have him there. My sister Theresa from Virginia and one of her two daughter's will also be making the trip in November. What a wonderful God we serve.

As I look back over these past two years it has been a long haul. I praise the Lord for the faith He gave me to believe Him. I know that every word He has told me will come to pass. He has led me to form relationships in Guatemala and here at home that I never would have imagined two years ago. And today, here we are at the threshold of a brand new work in Guatemala... the door is now open and we're about to walk through it. Our first mission trip. What a great feeling! I will be honest, the road to get to this point has been dark at times and seemingly endless. If it were up to me, we'd have done this a long time ago. But I know God had to prepare us and I know His timing is perfect.

There were those times when giants we faced seemed so enormous that they could never be defeated. But then we overcame them... not by our own strength, but by the awesome power of our Living God. He truly is all-powerful. There is nothing impossible for Him. Absolutely nothing! For if He is for us, who can be against us? After all, the Guatemala ministry was His idea and so He has provided.

Of course, He loves to work through His creation... through all of us. There have been so many of you that have prayed for us. We thank you. There have been many of you that have sent along financial support. We thank you. There have been some of you who have given clothes, medicine, Christian materials, Bibles and so much more. We thank you. There have been churches that have allowed me to come in and share this incredible God-story that continues to unfold. We thank you. There have been some of you who have offered encouragement along the way. We thank you.


At this moment we're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel and it seemed a perfect place to pause and say "thank you." As you know, it takes the entire body of Christ working together to accomplish God's will in this world. Some people to go and some people to send. Some people to pray and some people to give. Some people to build and some people to heal. Fingers, feet, legs, ears and every other part of the body are very important to the success and health of the whole body. No one part is greater than another. As each body part needs the other... so The LORD Will Provide will always need you.

Please continue to pray for us and to write. We love to hear from you.

In Christ,

Steve