Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Belize prayer update 5

This came in at 5:50 PM Tuesday but seems to have been written Monday evening. Perhaps it was 'hung up' in an email server somewhere? The joys of sending electronic mail internationally!
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Today was a National Holiday in Belize, which worked out great for us because it meant that there was no school. The team headed out to two groups and began to set up for a children's/youth outreach day. After we were set up, part of the group split off and began to work on the construction of a youth outreach/recreation center in 8 mile. Currently there is no where for the youth no go once it gets dark, so this will give them a safe place to be.

The rest of the group, alongside the 8 Mile youth group (really led by a very impressive group of youth), led the outreach day. We started together with a time of worship, prayer, and teaching before everyone from the community arrived, and then launched into a full day of games and kite making (kite making is very important on this particular holiday so we had brought down supplies for all the kids to make kites).

Tina is still in the hospital, after her car accident in Belize last Thursday. She was asking to see some of us so Suzie, Michelle, Rob, Sophie, and Scott all were able to see her at some point during the afternoon and evening. She and her husband, Kenny, will be leaving for the States tomorrow (Tues), so that she can get proper medical treatment at a hospital in Amarillo.

That is the same hospital where Tim Tam and his wife, Lisa, are still being treated for injuries they sustained in a car accident in New Mexico a few weeks ago. Tim had surgery on his leg today, and Lisa is still recovering in ICU.

Please join us for praying for all of them. Kenny and Tina have two young children that they have asked us to look in on after school hours. They have never been away from their mom from is long - they are staying with extended with family, but this could be a hard time for them.

Tomorrow we start our time at YES. Please be praying for our first interactions with them. We will start our morning off with worship, devotions, and then break into the classes we'll be teaching to students and staff.

The construction team will be back at 8 Mile tomorrow.

And tomorrow evening we will be back at 8 Mile for another youth outreach activity - we will have a bonfire (complete with s'mores), games, worship, and Bible Study.

They have been full days, but we know God is at work and that your prayers sustain us!
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Let's be praying for this evening's activities!

For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you
and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Romans 9:17

Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

Belize prayer update 4

Today (Tuesday) we begin our work at YES (Youth Enhancement Services).  We'll be working with the girls of the school again this year, leading devotionals for them, teaching some crafts and classes, and  continuing to build on the relationships we have already started.  We have team members who will be working with the staff to move their accounting/bookkeeping programs over to computers. 

Please be praying
    * for Tina and her family. (Kenny and Tina Logan are in charge of the youth ministry, Tina was in a car accident last week)
    * for a good initial time at YES.
    * for continued relationship-building in tonight's activities at 8 Mile.
    * that team members' minds and hearts would be open to God's Spirit; that they would be living examples of God's love and strength to the people of Belize.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people... Ephesians 1:17-18

...so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Monday, March 11, 2013

Belize prayer update 3

From Sophie:
Praise God for a good first day!
Praise God for a safe day of travel!
Praise God that we got settled into our fun, dorm style
accommodations!

We spent a good part of the afternoon at 8 Mile. Kenny and Tina Logan
are in charge of the youth ministry, but Tina was in a car accident last
week, and Kenny is spending most of his time at the hospital with her.
The youth from the youth group have such ownership of the group that
they are invested in it and are determined to make sure we have this
children's/youth outreach program tomorrow. We met first with the youth
group president, Yensi (an amazing leader at only 17 years old). She
began by introducing herself to us, and then began introducing the rest
of the youth to us. We learned all about their various ministries and
community service projects.

The rest of our day was spent in worship, planning, playing some games
with the kids at 8 mile, and now we are thrilled that it's bed time!

Tomorrow [a holiday in Belize] we are meeting up with the 8 Mile youth
group for a full day of youth and children's activity. Depending on the
size of the group we attract we might be able to start our weekly
construction project.

Thanks for all the prayers! Love always!!!

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Please pray!
* for good attendance at the planned events; that Christ's love
would be clearly modeled and presented, that those attending would come
to know Him
through the stories, activities, and interactions.
* that God would be glorified through team members' thoughts,
words, actions, and reactions as they seek
Him on this trip.
* that God would use the team's efforts to bless the people of
Belize, drawing them closer to Himself.
* that team members would serve with good attitudes - in humility -
as they work.
* that team members would truly learn what selfless serving is like.
* that team members might know Jesus Christ more because of this
experience.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ
Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself
nothingby taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human
likeness. Phil. 2:5-7

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of
yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with
sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each
of you. Romans 12:3

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Belize prayer update 2

Just received from Sophie...
"We made it safely to Belize. The only hiccup on the way down was a two-hour delay on the tarmac in Houston. We are getting settled, ready for lunch, prepping for tomorrow, and heading over to 8 mile to meet with some of the youth to plan for tomorrow's all-day youth activities (and worship with them)."

Praise God for His protection this first day of travel!

Please pray!
* for group unity to be formed.
* that each person would focus on God and not on themselves.
* that God would be glorified through team members' thoughts, words, actions, and reactions as they seek
Him on this trip.
* that God would use the team's efforts to bless the people of Belize, drawing them closer to Himself.


Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Phil. 2:1-4

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Eph. 3:20

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Belize prayer update 1

Dear prayer warriors,
Our Belize team leaves DFW airport at at 5:30 am on Sunday morning- but with the time change tonight it will feel like it's earlier. 

They'll arrive in Belize on Sunday. They will spend the day preparing for their work week. They will worship with a local congregation and work on getting their bearings.

Pray for the following items:
    * that they will all rest well tonight so that they will wake refreshed and ready to minister in Jesus' name this week.
    * for safety in travels, that all their luggage will arrive with them and without incident.
    * that the team will rapidly adjust to their surroundings and the people they will work and minister with.
    * that they will lay any concerns and uncertainties for the week at Jesus' feet.

 “Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away?  Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord“Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.  Jeremiah 23:23-24


Friday, March 8, 2013

Fwd: Tim Tam writing

>>>
>>> This is my first chance to speak since the accident last week.
>>> Yesterday afternoon I was moved to a rehab facility. Last night got my first
>>> really good nights rest. To day I will get my first bath and work on
>>> mobility so I can safely join my kids and friends at Lisa's side. I
>>> have only see her twice since helicopter took her, both times she was
>>> not conscious. Yesterday was second time when I went to say good bye
>>> when leaving hospital.
>>> Bottom line, Lisa needs prayer for tough surgery today.good news it
>>> that yesterday she started breath inning on her own. She is still
>>> intubated but she for the first time began breathing on Her own power.
>> Progress so far:
>> Thanks to numerous doctors nurses, my children, and faithful friends I fell like I am back. My broken leg is set, Cuts and lacerations across my body have been cleaned up and stitched and look better daily. Other than that just to small fracture on my wrist. I have survived a small stay in what seemed Like hell due to problems from the narcotics. I got a little crazy in the night and ripped off my bandages and pulled out my IV. Then my intestines stopped working and I got bloated and distended. I couldn't eat for a couple of days and struggled to deal with that issue. What felt like days of unbearable pain for me, I was aware that it was just a fraction of what Lisa has to and will have to endure. She is so much worse than I. We are still trying to piece together what actually happened at the accident. One of the doctors said it is as if Lisa's body was smashed on the steering wheel and simply broken through, Breaking her ribs, smashing her sternum, injuring her heart, and breaking her back.
>> They have already done surgery on her broken wrist but today is the big deal, trying to do surgery on her back and she must lie down on her front for that operation, pressure on her heart. the good news is that since yesterday she is breathing on her own. There are so many factors coming together to make this complicated surgery. One of the surgeons is encouraged that she has been unconscious through most of this and that the severity of it along with medications, much of the pain she will not remember.
>> There have been many encouraging signs of God's help through this that I would love to share. But the main thing is to get folks praying for the surgery Right this minute
> Thanks
>
> Little Moises just called me from Belize
> He heard on the news, called to read me scripture, said "as God was
> with me, so he will be with you"
>
>
>
>
>
>> TT
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>>
>>> This is my first chance to speak since the accident last week.
>>> Yesterday I was moved to a rehab facility. Last night got my first
>>> really good nights rest. To day I will get my first bath and work on
>>> mobility so I can safely join my kids and friends at Lisa's side. I
>>> have only see her twice since helicopter took her, both times she was
>>> not conscious. Yesterday was second time when I went to say good bye
>>> when leaving hospital.
>>> Bottom line, Lisa needs prayer for tough surgery today.good news it
>>> that yesterday she started breath inning on her own. She is still
>>> intubated but she for the first time began breathing on Her own power.
>>>

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Prayers for the Word at Work Staff

As we are preparing to send a team of 20 to Belize in just a few weeks for our annual March trip, we are aware that this is a difficult time for the Word at Work staff, and would ask that you would join us in praying for them. 

Tim Tam (who is the leader of the Word at Work) and his wife Lisa were in a car accident last week in New Mexico.  They were airlifted to a hospital in Amarillo, TX for treatment.  Lisa remains in ICU where she is being treated for her injuries.  Tim's injuries were less severe, though he still had to undergo surgery to repair a broken tibia.  He is supposed to be released today or tomorrow to a rehab facility. 

Kenny Logan and his wife Tina live in Belize and work for the Word and Work.  Kenny works a countless number of hours coordinating with teams and leading construction products, and together they have started a youth ministry program for kids in the 8-Mile area of Belize.  Today as she was taking her two kids to school, her Rodeo flipped.  The kids are fine, but she was taken to the hospital by ambulance. 

Please be praying for the continued healing of Tim, Lisa, and Tina.