Re-use, Re-diret, Re-surrect
While we've been consciously trying to  Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle we've seen similar cycles that apply to our ministry lately.   Really our goals are to Reuse, Redirect, and Resurrect (obviously, God's in charge of that last part).
Some on campus refer to me as the Recycling Queen because I re-purpose a lot of things.  Not only is it an attempt to reduce waste for environmental care, but it is also part or my mentor-ship...showing students creative, cost-effective ways to decorate/solve-problems/etc. 

With over 100 of Jonathan's formula cans at my disposal, I've been working on lots of creative ways to use them...and they are becoming everything from flower pots, to gift containers, to table decorations, to paint cans and more. My most recent project is turning them into color-specific pencil jars for the Center for Family Development (I'll tell you more about that below).  As I was working on that project this week, I began to see how our ministry is also about cycles of re-purposing...with the hope of a much better future!
REUSE

One of the beauties of ministering in different parts of the world is that, from time to time, you can REUSE materials.  In Chile we led two Faith & Business workshops for local businessmen.  Ricardo was invited to speak to a group of what we thought would be university students from all over the country, so he decided to contextualize and REUSE some of that information.  It turned out that the majority of participants were college graduates who have begun their own businesses.  The topic, therefore was very relevant and very well received.  (I suspect if they wouldn't have had other things scheduled, the discussion could have continued for hours!)

Likewise, Beth has been able to build upon and REUSE the skills that she gained at Casa Grande in Chile and is working to pass them on to the newly formed media team at our church in MedellĂ­n, Camino de Vida.   Now that we meet in a movie theater, it is fun to get to work on the BIG screen (though we can't afford to use their projector so it still isn't THAT big).  Most of May was spent doing the time consuming work of testing different programs and uploading information, lyrics, etc. In June I've been able to sit back a little as some of the team members create the audio-visuals and man the projector.
REDIRECT

This is what the Center for Family Development is all about, REDIRECTing children and their families to get them out of the cycles of poverty, drugs and violence that are their norm.   We've shared the sad statistic before...children in Medellin get involved in drugs and gangs at the average age of 8. 

As our church serves the children through integral ministry that includes help with homework, English education (Juliana and Beth work in that area), art education, sports and most importantly, Bible club... the children learn a new way of living.  That is definitely the case for 10-year-old Julian.

Julian at work
Julian's father is a drug-dealer and the young boy has witnessed him physically abuse his mother.  Despite the fact that Julian is one of the brightest kids in the English class and he told me that he wants to be a doctor someday, the traditional cycles in his neighborhood would likely hold him back.  Thankfully, God doesn't operate in the "traditional cycles"!  Julian has been so enthralled by what he's been learning in the Bible Club that he has been reading the Bible at school...and now he's given a Bible to a teacher who showed an interest in what he was reading!  I've enjoyed working with him, encouraging him, and talking about how his English skills will help with his medical studies.

Please keep praying for Julian and the other kids we serve...that their lives will truly be REDIRECTed to the plans that God has for them!
RESURRECT

All of our ministry, really all that we do, should be with that one goal in mind...to redirect people to Christ so that one day, He will RESURRECT them to be with Him in Glory.  We have witnessed God unexpectedly RESURRECT two Colombians in the past few weeks. 

Fernando was pharmaceutical supplier who came to know Christ through the Camino de Vida church here in Medellin.  When the church was presented with opportunity to send much needed medical supplies to a neighboring country, Fernando stepped up and was able to multiply the donations of our people.  He worked diligently with Pastor John Jairo the whole week leading up to the donation.  He was there on the Sunday morning to see the suitcase and bags delivered...the next morning he met his Savior face to face, after suffering a heart attack. 

Carlos was a seminary graduate and the pastor of the church that meets on campus.  He too believed in integral ministry and has made quite an impact in the local community.  We've gotten to know them because he and his wife, Elizabeth, attended the first marriage seminar we led here and Elizabeth is teaching Beth how to quilt.   Pastor Carlos got sick about 3 weeks ago, he was put in intensive care and they finally determined that he had the swine flu.  He passed away yesterday morning.  Ricardo will be participating in his funeral tomorrow morning. 

We know that both of these men lived well and are now in the arms of Jesus however we ask you to please keep their wives and children in your prayers as they mourn and face new realities.
Those are just some of our cycles of ministry.   Like the Apostle Paul, we REJOICE with every REMEMBRANCE of you.  He said, and we REPEAT,  "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.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,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe."  (Ephesians 1:16-19a)

Thank you for being faithful partners...in prayer, in giving, and in love!  

Many blessings,
Ricardo, Beth, Juliana and Jonathan

J and j with animals
PS.  In other news.  We wanted to introduce you to Lucy, our new puppy (kinda).  Since we aren't allowed to have a dog on campus, she is living with Ricardo's sister in Bucaramanga.  Since she is a German Sheppard/Labrador mix, I suspect that next time we see her, both the boy and the dog will have grown quite a bit.   We also all had a lot of fun monkeying this month (yes, Juliana has a monkey on her back).   What fun it was for all of us to have the opportunity to play with monkeys and see a variety of baby animals at the farm where Lucy was born!

Also, Juliana and Jonathan were asked to do a video for the children in one of our supporting churches.  We thought you might enjoy seeing it too...
Gomez Kids Video 2016 
Gomez Kids Video 2016
 
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