Hello Everyone,
Attendance was a bit down on Sunday, but I felt that we had a good service nonetheless. Sra. Ofelia, of whom I have written before, brought an unsaved niece, Sonya Barragán. She is married to a Chilean man, but hopes to be able to come while he is away. As we were taking prayer requests tonight this woman was mentioned, and it seemed that the fact of her husband's chilleanness suffices as an explanation to people that she can only come while he is away. I rejoice in knowing that our God can save even a chileno. Sra. Ofelia also brought a younger lady called Alma, this evening. Supposedly she has just been saved (I got the impression that that was this afternoon) and has a very big but unspecified problem. I am planning to go see Alma tomorrow. Please pray about that, as well as for Sonya's salvation.
Please continue to pray for Silvia and Tere (two sisters, spoken of in Update # 5). On Sunday Silvia was in tears as she was telling me about all the turmoil in her family, and the burden she is carrying. Her son did something to her granddaughter, and somebody called the police; she arrives home, knowing nothing, and there is all this turmoil; her husband, in the meantime, had engaged in the tremendously useful activity of coming out to the bus stop to wait for her. As I said previously, she is a new believer and is under a huge amount of strain.
Tere was able to bring two of her grandsons to church the other Sunday (another one is a pretty open and aggressive homosexual) and seemed very pleased that I invited them to play squash (as soon as I find the squash court supposed to be located near the church: I looked today but it was not on the street I'd been told). Having spoken to several people about this, I think there will be much fruitful opportunity to spend time with kids and teens in that setting, and their relations seem very thrilled. Please pray that the times I have with various young people in the avenue will bear fruit. I don't expect them to be helped simply by standing in a court with me and hitting a ball. It is rather my hope that I will be able to establish and develop a relationship with them by hanging out together in a relaxed environment.
I have never before run into so many problems in so many families. The vicious cycle of sin has been unchecked for too long here. Please pray that God will work through His word to transform these situations, to redeem many of these young people out of the bondage of sin and enable them to establish godly families. I need prayer as well. I have never been so called upon to deal with so many extremely trying and complicated situations from a Biblical perspective. At the same time, though, that these people bear burdens that I can hardly imagine, they are filled with humility, gentleness and concern for others. Just tonight a couple ladies were assuring me of how highly they think of Heidi and how much they care about her and miss her when she isn't there, even if their communication with her is still limited by language constraints. The more I learn both of the burdens that these people carry and of what they have in their hearts, the more I am convinced that being useful to them in even a small way is an exceedingly great reward.
Ruben
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