[Photo: Ana with her new friend in the city of J. Agusto Saldivar]
Dear Family and Friends:
Last month we requested prayer for the summer camp for the New Horizon School’s oldest students. Judging by the outcome of the camp, we assume a good number of you prayed. The keynote speaker shared about his own experiences with abuse and abandonment. His message resonated with many of the students. When he made the invitation to receive prayer for healing from past and current sufferings, a crowd of students poured down the aisles to the altar. The following day, there was over an hour of student testimonies about how God was helping them through their circumstances.
The
majority of New Horizon students live in dysfunctional homes. We heard about one student who was beat at
home days before the camp. I prayed at
the camp with a young man who wishes he could know his father beyond Facebook
chats. Addictions, marital infidelity
and parental irresponsibility are common stories in our students’ families. Similar family situations also afflict the
lives of the youngest Nuevo Horizonte students. Margarita believes that almost all of her 4 to
8 year old students’ learning disabilities are linked to neglect and traumas.
Based
upon the students’ testimonies at the camp, God is encouraging them to not
react to their environments in unhealthy ways, but instead to hold unswervingly to the hope they profess in Christ, because He who promised is faithful. Please
pray for strength and wisdom for the oldest New Horizon Students. Likewise, pray for a safe summer vacation and
for their families
In spite
of the obstacles, the New Horizon students made great academic achievements in
the 2012 school year. Many of the middle
and high school students now surpass their parents’ educational levels. Over one sixth of the elementary school
students finished the school year with all A’s.
Almost 20% of the school had perfect attendance. The students at New Horizon are truly impressive.
On a personal
note, sickness hit our family in the past couple of weeks. First, I was laid out for a day due to
fever. The following week, Ana endured a
12-hour puke-fest that prompted us to take her to the hospital. A few days
later, Margarita caught a cold that lasted a couple days. Then, Margarita’s father was hospitalized for
an infection. All this occurred during
the preparation for last weekend’s Evangelism and Missions Ministry event. We praise God that we all recovered and will
be able to celebrate Christmas with Margarita’s family.Additionally we thank God for His work through last weekend’s event in a new church plant in the city of J. Agusto Saldivar. Many children and few adults attended the first night. The most fruitful activity of the day was a sewing/conversation circle with neighborhood women. Like the first day, few adults came to the service on the second day. However, on the second day the service was outdoors and dozens of neighbors sat in front of their homes and on the street corners, listening to the music and message. One neighbor gave her life to Christ after a volunteer crossed the street to talk with her. The service was packed on the third and final day. When the music and presentations ended, about twenty people came forward to begin or renew their walks with Jesus.
This season is a time to rejoice for God has done great things for us throughout the year. Recent tragedies and family difficulties understandably cause grieving. Christmas, though, reminds us that God is mindful of and present in our circumstances. For, in an afflicted world, a Savior has been born…He is Christ the Lord.
Merry
Christmas! Ana, Margarita and Tim
*If
you receive the LAM magazine be sure to check out my article entitled “Facing
Tacumbu,” which describes my first visit to the prison. You can also read and
comment on it at http://stories.lam.org/2012/11/facing-tacumbu