SUMMER UPDATE 2016

We just started working on our new album Rimas 3R which stands for Rhymes that Redeem, Renew and Restore. We are hoping to have it done by next year to continue ministering to the youth through music. 

This year for the youth retreat, we invited our first international rapper, Manny Montes. We are excited to celebrate our 8th year for our Cristo Urbano youth retreat. This year we are expanding the camp to people who have never attended before. We have been talking to different churches and leaders who have never been before, getting them excited about what is coming.

Our goal for this year is to have at least 15 solid small groups around the community. We just launched this program the first week of March with 10 small groups. We divided small groups around the neighborhood and each small group has two leaders and one or two apprentices. The goal is for the leaders to disciple the apprentices and to multiply the small groups in the future.

One of our goals for 2015 was to empower the youth group so they can reach others in the community. We are very proud of them for stepping out of their comfort zones. And in this year they are all continuing stepping up into leadership roles. It has been great to see how many people in the church, not only the young adults, have started leading people in small groups. For many of these groups I have been working on the curriculum and equipping them in January and February through leadership training.

 So in this last 3 months, it’s been super cool to see lives being change in our community through these groups. It’s priceless! Now not only do we have people becoming Christians but they are also receiving the proper follow up within their groups. They have their leaders within their groups that they can trust with individual conversations that are going to help their walk with God become stronger              

We are adopting the vision of church planting so not only are we getting our people involved in small groups but also some of those leaders are looking to plant churches. It is a blessing to jump into this vision with the church and it has been neat to see the church embracing it and wanting to expand the kingdom.

 Also, as you guys know, this year has been an interesting one for me and Lenae. Being apart for so long was not easy. You guys know that during her pregnancy (because of the zika virus) she has been in the States since February. I thank those of you who prayed for us and were always finding ways to encourage us during this time.

Our little guy was supposed to come on July 7^th, but one night on JUNE 19^th, while his dad and his granddad where watching LEBRON JAMES winning game 7 of the NBA FINALS, our little guy  decided to come to the world, 3 weeks earlier, to make us super happy. TROY ANTHONY GABRIEL was born the morning of JUNE 20^th-19in -7lbs at 9:01 AM.

We are so thankful for this kid, I couldn’t be any happier. I really don’t have words to describe the feeling… I hope you guys can meet him soon, please keep praying for us as we try to get his passport so we can go back home soon. I already got my ticket to go back on July 28^th so I can finish up preparing CRISTO URBANO camp. But Lenae still hasn’t been able to get hers because we are waiting on the baby’s passport. I hope he can get it next week so they both can go back home the 28^th with me. My family and friends back home can’t wait to see him. Thanks for everything you guys do for us, and may God bless you.