This month we have been very blessed with some comforts of home such as a hot shower, flushing toilet, mattresses, and decent WIFI! This month ministry involves teaching English to 8-12 graders at a local Montessori school. At first I was nervous because my teaching experience is usually with younger children, however I have been having a blast getting to know these teenagers! We have been playing games such as Pictionary and train wreck and splitting up into small groups for conversation. They have been very welcoming and respectful. We do not have a translator on our team so conversations involve lots of acting, spanglish, and laughter 🙂
Teaching English at a Montessori School in Calama, Chile.
Ministry has also been intentional prayer. This month I want to deepen my relationship with Jesus and grow in my prayer life. Our host Pastor Marcos shared with us that prayer should be as common as breathing. As I thought about that statement I realized my prayer life at times seems almost forced or I am easily distracted. My desire is for prayer to become as natural as breathing. Praise Jesus that He has provided many opportunities this month to make this desire a reality. As a team we are praying over Chile. We have prayed for the seven spheres of Chile and specifically Calama (government, religion, education, family, business, media, arts/entertainment) and if you feel led to join us in prayer for this country below are some suggested areas, however please pray as the Holy Spirit leads you.
- Addiction-alcoholism and drugs
- Sex and human trafficking- Chilean children and women from other countries
- Prostitution and sex bars
- Unity in the church- Catholic and Baptist
- Increase in missionaries and revival in people to reach out to their community sharing the gospel
- Government to make decisions that honor God because they have a history of military coups overthrowing their government and in the 1960-1980s over a thousand Chileans disappeared and were killed/tortured at a National Soccer Stadium
- Men to rise up and follow Jesus and lead their families the way God calls them to. Unity and healing in families and for men to be faithful and have their identity in Jesus
- Calama is a mining city, so pray for the miners safety and for their finances to honor God
The other night we went around town giving bread and coffee to people sleeping on the street and offered to pray with them. It was a bit windy and cold as were walking around and stray dogs are everywhere you look. The people we met owned very little, however I was taken aback by their generosity. One lady shared her bread with her two dogs and another man gave us a couple packages of his mints. They gave without hesitation and openly expressed thanks for what we shared with them.
On Saturdays we go to the neighborhood market and offer to prayer for people. We passed out balloons to children that had a message about Jesus and an invitation to church. We offered free blood pressure checks and prayer. This week our goal was to write down the names of the people God leads us to and continually pray for them.
Ministry at the market.
This Sunday will be our first time helping in the service but we have challenged ourselves to reach out to one person at church and ask if we can pray anything specifically for them this week. We also attend youth meetings and this week with will sing a couple songs for them and have conversations.
Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this journey both financially and in prayer. I am able to serve others because of your support! I am still in the fundraising process, so please prayerfully consider partnering with me. Every donation makes a difference! Thank you and God bless 🙂
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:18
