PREPARE THE NATIONS EMBASSY

We arrived at Iglesia El Refugio and as we all do when coming home we toured the grounds. Looking to see what has changed, looking to see what needs to be done and looking at the improvements. Puerto Rico is tropical and we seem to always have something in bloom. In the churchyard there is a banana tree, plantain tree, mango tree, guava tree, avocado tree, lemon tree, and starfruit tree.

The verse John 15:5,8 has been dear to my heart since the Lord gave us this property in 2017 that says,

“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” By this is my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

It is as if He had provided continual reminders in the yard of this verse coming alive. The ground has produced fruit, yet the church through storms and circumstances has had moments we were not sure it would survive. Then, on this mission, I looked at the lemon tree that was pruned in 2018. After all these years it was bearing the first fruits.

This was the personal God that I serve talking to me. I love lemons. I love anything flavored lemon. I love yellow. It's my favorite color. So to see this tree bearing fruit was a message for me to not grow weary in well doing, but in due season this church will reap a harvest. Mark and I were told by Holy Spirit in 2017, “Do not despise small beginnings.” How loving is our Father to send a reassuring message that He is the God of the Harvest. We can do nothing without Him.

As we continue to Abide in Christ, our heart’s prayer is for the nations to bear much fruit. Ask me, and I'll give you the nations,(Psalm 2). This we are asking of God. He said in John 15:16, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another (verse17).

We are continuing to pray for pastors in Puerto Rico that are desiring to see more fruit. Our hearts are called to do all we can for the manifested presence of Jesus to transform lives and make disciples. He is worthy of it all. May the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the seas, (Habakkuk 2:14).

Angela East

“LORD, INSTILL A HUNGER FOR YOU”

Our first Sunday during this Puerto Rico mission trek was January 6 It alsoThree Kings day. Puerto Ricans boast that they have the longest Christmas celebration in the world. We came to support our neighborhood’s Three Kings Day event. It was to be a day of giving gifts to children, eating rice and beans, family fellowship, and the real reason - JESUS.

I (Angela)was following the lead of our missionary, Diana Guanipa, who had been volunteering at the community center which was hosting the community event. She sensed a need to join the community celebration which was being held on Sunday at the same time for our normal services at Iglesia El Refugio (Refuge Church). It was a challenge for me to break with tradition and move out into the community; yet, I followed.

As Mikayla East, Diana, and myself had volunteered to coordinate games for 150 children. As we prepared we also prayed. It was a simple prayer that came from a new devotional book by the College of Prayer on the Lord’s Prayer. It was based on Matthew 5:6.:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

So we prayed as we prepared the games for the children, “ God, will you put a hunger in these children to seek you earnestly and have them thirst for you. May they follow hard after you!”(Psalm 63:1)

                                         What do you think happened?

Yes, we played games with the kids, we ate rice and beans, we celebrated the King of Kings- JESUS. Yet, as we were closing down the fun by cleaning and packing up we were approached by the director of the event. The director had attended Iglesia El Refugio in 2018. She grabbed Diana and said,

                              “This lady wants to ask Jesus into her heart”

It was a divine appointment and an answer to prayer. Our God is so amazing and wonderful. My heart is rejoicing at the privilege we have to co-labor with Him. She, on the spot, asked Jesus into her heart. Alonzo and Diana followed up with them the next Tuesday and the entire family was saved! Praise Him! We felt as if we were living out the book of ACTS.

This was one of several opportunities to pray for people on the spot. It was also a time of taking care of the church and the mission house (Life House). We added in 2023 an inverter air conditioner to the church, new curtains, new interior and exterior paint. We remodeled walls and door frames. We added stair rails and a second bathroom. Open Doors Missions accomplished many of these projects. At the Life House we added all mattress covers for the beds, new dead boltadded, new stove and refrigerator, new living room furniture, and two new air conditioners. So, God is setting us up to keep mission teams and missionaries in Puerto Rico.

Thank you for your continued support of prayer and finances. We appreciate you all.

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“LORD, INSTILL A HUNGER FOR YOU”