Thursday, April 03, 2008

March 2008

MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS:
Basically, we just got back from the last National Youth Retreat. It was great, in our youth group with had a lot of first timers and they just loved it. It´s awesome to see them share with other youth group from the country. This year we were a total of 500 youth I believe, from my church we had about 25. It was a big blessing. While we were there, I had the oportunity of teaching a class about Ïnfluences¨ I was very honor for the oportunity of teaching in such a big setting. This picture that you see in the right was taken after we won the CUP for number one place in Volleyball. Yeah, that´s right, our youth group wasn´t even ready before the retreat to play volleyball and we kind of just signed up for it at last second, and we made it. My youth group is very proud of winning that award; in the picture you can see the happy faces. This video below was taken during a time of praise and worship the second night we were there. It was crazy, fun and you feel God´s presence in that place… check it out.

This month we also had the oportunity of visiting Nico´s Youth group. This is a new church that needs all the encouragement they can get, we are trying to be there for them. For this year we have some big plans that have them involve, it´s going to be good for them to grow out that experience.
A new girl just got baptize. Her name is Albania and she is very exited about growing into a new creation. She began visiting the youth group about two months ago, and just a few weeks ago she decided she wanted to be baptize. I´m really exite because since the day she was baptize she has been reflecting Christ in her life and she has been giving testimony about what the lord has done for her. I have seem how some of her friends from the neiborhood treat her now that she is a christian…Many of them have been teeling her that she is not going to make it, but she has been proving them wrong. I´m happy for her and for what the lord has done or her. She is an impact in the youth group and now everyone looks up to her because of her humbleness. Praise God!!
PROJECTS WORKING ON:
We just started last week a new bible study with the girls and the guys separately to help each other out and keep accountable. Now we are working on geeting the books ready for next month because we have to get them in the States.
Next coming Saturday I´m hosting a meeting for youth ministers from all over the country. I am gonna try to find as many as I can because we want to make a National impact but in order to do that we have to be well connected first. Also we have to share our goals and be in the same page, so I will meet with them with the purpose of connecting everybody and work together for the kingdom. Because there are many things that we could be doing great in this country for our youth but we haven´t because we haven´t take the time to analize them. I know that once we meet with all those youth leaders we are gonna be able to help each other out figure out new plans for reaching out the lost. Also this meeting is going to open the doors for all of us to collaborate in each other´s ministries (going in mission trip around the country, preaching, etc.).

PRAYER REQUEST:
1. My trip to the States at the end of April
2. This week our church in going to be celebrating its 25th aniversary. This entire weekend we are hosting a revival from Thuersday to Sunday.

MINISTRY CHALLENGES:
This year we have been teaching that God has to be in the first place of our life. If he is in the first place, then we won´t have to worry about following a bunch of sets of rules like the Pharisees. As this year goes by I want everyone in the group to live their live according to what God wants not by what the world says.
FAMILLY NEWS:
1. My mom has a doc appointment in may about her surgery from a few years ago.
2. Pray for some of my extended family in the U.S. They are going through hard times with some love ones in the hospital.
HOW IS GOD WORKING IN YOU?
Little by little the youth group of Hoya del Caimito is spreading out Nacionally. I´m very proud to e part of it because I know God has been preparing me for this moment and I´m willing to take on the responsability. This coming meeting with different youth pastors from all over the country is going to be very important. This meeting might change the results of our work in the kingdom this year. God has call me to unite everyone and work together, and I know these leaders have been wanting to get together and colaorate in each other´s projects; they just haven´t take the time to do it. Please keep me in your prayers because I have been planning a lot of stuff for that meeting and I just want everything to go smoothly. I will keep you all update in the results of the meetings, so please just keep praying for me and thank you very much for the support you provide to make everything possible.
In Christ,
I.G.