Mission Threads May 09

May 2009 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:7 Dear Friends, We have had an amazing first 2 months here in the town of Parramos, Guatemala. The Lord has really blessed us and has been our constant companion in some difficult situations and we have had a warm welcome from the people of Restaurando a la Familia Church.

The people of Parramos are a mix of indigenous Mayan kakchiquel Indians and people of ladino descent. It is a very poor town and many people are trapped by poverty, despair and hopelessness after years of occult and religious oppression. Many families are employed in agriculture, but the wages are low and

Message from Pastors Abner and Ana Gomez Greetings from Guatemala in Jesus name! It is a honour for us as a church to be connected with you by the Spirit of God, and share with you, through Simon and Sarah, our vision to rescue and restore families in our town Parramos, in Guatemala and the Nations. Our desire is to see

them fulfil their destiny in God and to disciple them to be leaders in the Church. They have already started to work with the young people in Parramos and are doing a very good job. Their focus at the moment is to learn Spanish, which is difficult for them, but God will honour them with this. Thank you for your support,

inadequate for basics such as food, and electricity. Education is free for all children in state schools, but the schools are inadequate, standards are low and many families cannot afford to buy the compulsory uniforms or text books and so do not send their children to school. Private schools, where conditions are better, are unaffordable for most. After school children often work to bring some much needed money into the home. One of the projects we would like to start is to provide a place where the children from poor families can come to and have help with schoolwork, access the internet and learn some basic English. Food is expensive here and as the children sometimes do not have good diets at home. We would like to feed each child. Please pray for this.

please continue to pray for them. God Bless you all, Abner and Ana.

Prayer Needs •

FOR ONGOING FINANCIAL PROVISION

•

THE RIGHT DOORS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO OPENED AS WE COMMIT OUR PLANS TO

•

GOD

FOR REVOLUCION JUVENIL - THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARRAMOS WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR

GOD •

PROTECTION AND BLESSING ON FAMILY IN

UK, PARTICULARLY LLOYD, ALISTER AND CERYS, SIMONS CHIL-

THE

DREN

Why Mission Threads? The name was given to us during our trip to Guatemala in July 2008. There were women weaving the most amazing cloths on long looms. The results are very beautiful, detailed and intricate fabrics. It was while watching this that God revealed the importance of those tiny threads in the outcome of the picture. It is easy to look at the world and think that our little threads won’t make any difference to the world around us, but we believe that those threads will and do make a difference if we give them to God for his use and Glory. Be encouraged that God will use everything we give him, no matter how small or insignificant we feel it is. He takes our threads and weaves them into the bigger picture!

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:7 We have been able to start work with the young people in the Church. There is no youth leader or specific youth work but there are many young people who are hungry for God and willing to stand up and be counted, to make a change in their families, schools and in Parramos. We are so excited to be able to do this, what a privilege to encourage them and be part of this new ministry! We have had 2 meetings now and plan to meet every Saturday. The group have decided to call themselves Revolución Juvenil ! A revolution is defined as an activity or movement designed to bring about change or a fundamental change in the way of thinking. The group want to serve in the church, to serve the people of Parramos and to show the love of Jesus through the way they live their lives 1 Timothy 4:12

We visited a small church in Guatemala city in an area of the city that is very dangerous and controlled by gangs and organised crime. We helped to minister to the people and pray with them. God really touched people and we saw people being filled with the Holy Spirit for the 1st time and giving their lives to Christ!

says Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Watch out Parramos!

Living right in the centre of Parramos is an incredible opportunity to witness to people with our lives (speaking is still a little difficult at the moment!). We have many people coming to our home who need to know that they are loved by our Lord who is alive! We have been able to pray with many people and families. There is much religious oppression superstition, occult practice and false doctrine here, particularly at this time of year, Semana Santa. The parades were very colourful and beautiful to see, but much of it is religious ritual without any reference to the true meaning of Easter, a celebration of Jesus dying for our sins, conqu-

ering death and the promise to every believer of eternal life through a relationship with the living God! People are hungry for God , for the truth. They want to see change in their lives and in this country. Please pray that we will be able to continue to reach the families and children we are in contact with.

The Lord has shown us over the past few weeks, Acts 3:6 - Silver or

Gold I do not have but what I have I give to you. This has

helped us to share with people in difficult situations. Only days after we arrived, a young mother (Jenny, 31) died at home, very suddenly. We were able to help with funeral preparations and pray with her distraught young family. We visited Jenny earlier in one of the public hospitals which was in an appalling condition and barely able to provide basic care. Public healthcare is very poor & many families are unable to afford medication. Jennys children are doing well but please pray for them. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a great light has dawned Isaiah 9:2

Visit our website at www.missionthreads.co.uk

Contact and Support If you would like to receive a copy of this newsletter either by email or post, please contact us at the address below or email us on [email protected] If you would like to support us financially through a gift, or on a monthly basis please contact our home church, who are handling our finances. Mission Threads, New Life Baptist Church, 5254 High Street, Northallerton, North Yorks, DL7 8EG, U.K. Your support is invaluable to us, no matter how small and we would like to thank you, God Bless, Simon and Sarah.