Thank you for your prayers for Ruben!

Rueben_RochaThank you for your prayers for Ruben!  The surgery was successful and he is in the hospital recovering.  Here is the latest news from Ecuador:   (THANK YOU CHERYLL CLARK!!!)

Hi Joel, I just talked to Ruben and Amaparito. She went with Henry to Quito yesterday after the Pastors’ retreat. He’s feeling much better, he says. She says he has 4 drains, and she hopes to see the doctor tomorrow. He won’t be released yet, for a while, she thinks.  She also say that his face is a bit swollen but they are both much calmer after being able to see each other.

 

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New Ministry Calendar

  • October 30: Pleasant Community Church, Warren, PA
  • November 2: First Covenant Church, Willoughby Hills, OH
  • November 3: St. John’s Church, Millsersburg, OH & Faith Covenant Church, Westerville, OH
  • November 4: Faith Community Covenant Church, Youngstown, OH
  • November 10: Hope Covenant Church, Indianapolis, IN
  • November 16: Bay Evangelical Covenant Church, Green Bay, WI
  • November 17: Lost Lake Covenant and Bethlehem Covenant, Stephenson, MI
  • November 24: New Harvest Christian Church, Oregon, OH
  • December 8: Covenant Community Church, Fairfield, OH & Redeemer Covenant Church, Hamilton, OH
  • December 15: Sojourner Covenant Church, Evanston, IL

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Please pray for Ruben!

Rueben_RochaWe’ve just heard from Ecuador that Ruben has been readmitted into the hospital, this time in Quito.  His pain has increased again and they have decided to perform the surgery to remove the liquid that is surrounding his pancreas.  This surgery is considered to be high risk, but there is a strong prognosis that it will be successful and it will greatly help with his pain and discomfort.  Please pray for Ruben on Friday when he will be having this surgery!  We’ll keep you updated here.

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Special Prayer Request

Praying_HandsIf you all could be in prayer today, there is a church in California that TODAY is reviewing our application for help with funding for Language School once we return to Ecuador.  This will help with our Setup Costs that we need to raise.  This scholarship could be as much as $5,000 towards our language school needs.  They are meeting TODAY to decide upon our application as well as other missionaries’ applications.  We aren’t sure when we will hear of the decision but today they are making the decision.  Thank for your prayers!

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New Ministry Calendar

  • October 27-30: Ashram – Pastor’s Retreat for the Covenant East Coast Conference – Swanzey, NH
  • October 30: Pleasant Community Church, Warren, PA
  • November 3: St. John’s Church, Millsersburg, OH & Faith Covenant Church, Westerville, OH
  • November 4: Faith Community Covenant Church, Youngstown, OH
  • November 10: Hope Covenant Church, Indianapolis, IN
  • November 16: Bay Evangelical Covenant Church, Green Bay, WI
  • November 17: Lost Lake Covenant and Bethlehem Covenant, Stephenson, MI
  • November 24: New Harvest Christian Church, Oregon, OH
  • December 8: Covenant Community Church, Fairfield, OH
  • December 15: Sojourner Covenant Church, Evanston, IL

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Thank you Pleasant View Mennonite Church!

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We just wanted to say a Big Thank You to Pleasant View Mennonite Church for hosting us last night during a special Missions Night service.  Thank you to everyone that came out and for everyone that helped in the preparations and setup for the evening.

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Thank You Cross Fellowship!

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We just want to say a real big THANK-YOU to Cross Fellowship Covenant Church of Chicago.  They had us in this past Sunday and we had the pleasure of sharing our story and vision for Ecuador and being with them for their worship.  It was a lot of fun!  We really appreciated meeting them and spending time with them.  They are a fun bunch and a devoted community of Jesus followers.  God bless you!

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New Ministry Schedule

  • October 20: Pleasant View Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN (Missions Night service)
  • October 27-30: Ashram – Pastor’s Retreat for the Covenant East Coast Conference – Swanzey, NH
  • November 3: St. John’s Church, Millsersburg, OH & Faith Covenant Church, Westerville, OH
  • November 4: Faith Community Covenant Church, Youngstown, OH
  • November 10: Hope Covenant Church, Indianapolis, IN
  • November 16: Bay Evangelical Covenant Church, Green Bay, WI
  • November 17: Lost Lake Covenant and Bethlehem Covenant, Stephenson, MI
  • November 24: New Harvest Christian Church, Oregon, OH
  • December 8: Covenant Community Church, Fairfield, OH
  • December 15: Sojourner Covenant Church, Evanston, IL

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Update on Ruben

Rueben_RochaThank you for your prayers for Ruben!  Since the last time I posted, he had been released from the hospital because the pain had diminished quite a bit and he seemed to be doing better.  However, the doctor in Santo Domingo still believed that surgery would be necessary to remove his pancreas.  His pain never diminished completely and his condition never was fully restored.  He actually has lost 60 lbs over the course of this whole ordeal.  He decided to get a second opinion and went to Quito to see a doctor there.  The doctor in Quito is giving him a much better prognosis, saying that he will need another checkup in one month and if his condition is not better at that time then he will need surgery but only surgery to remove liquid around his pancreas.  Again, thank you so, so much for all of your prayers for Ruben!  We’ll keep you updated in the meantime!

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Finding wholeness in the Healer

It’s been a couple of months ago that I had the idea to write this particular blog.  Don’t ask why it has taken so long; I suppose this is the time God wanted me to write it-as God seems to be pretty amazing about that whole timing thing ya know… If you know me or have read my blogs, you know that I absolutely LOVE the worship music of Kari Jobe I was listening to one of her songs, Healer.  I have listened to this song 100 times before, but when I listened to it this specific time, it’s simple and known words, I realized that I was seriously missing something.  We humans pray for healing, we pray that God will heal, that He will heal our bodies, our land, our minds, our hearts.  I think of times that I have so desperately prayed for healing for others, not doubting at all that Christ can do it if He so chooses.  It was a little different when I started praying for healing for myself.  Joel and I have been trying to have another baby for about 2 years or so now and have been unsuccessful.  This has been a struggle, a deep one for me and I feel like my body is broken because I can’t seem to easily do what so many women can so easily.  In my work, I see women all the time who are so disappointed when they get pregnant and it hurts me and my heart breaks a little because we so desperately want another child.  Infertility issues are common nowadays.  I know so many women struggle with it, and each one deals with it in their own way.  Some are angry, and don’t think I haven’t been there.  But I really have felt like I’m just not whole because this part of life has been difficult.  This is not meant to be a pitty party, it’s not.  I do know that God has a plan.  I do though, want to tell you my journey in infertility and how wholeness and healing started with the simple words of a song. As I listened to this song Healer and really thought about the words, I realized the way I looked at healing all my life may have been wrong.  Of course God can heal at any moment, He does, He has and He will.  I have never doubted that at all.  However, the process of healing and the way a person is healed may not always be as expected.  In the words of the song, I realized that wholeness is in Christ.  It is not if your body or your mind is whole, but understanding that wholeness comes through Christ.  I asked myself the question, “Am I OK with Jesus being sufficient enough for me, even if we can’t ever have another biological baby?”  AM I OK WITH THAT?Because if I can’t be fulfilled  and have enough with Christ, it’s not going to matter if we have another baby.  Now, maybe this is elementary for all of you saints and biblical scholars.  However, to really understand that and to really be whole and healed and have Jesus as your portion and to actually do it and not just say it is difficult.  Initially, I didn’t like my answer to the question.  It meant being OK with giving that dream and wish and hope up.  It meant being OK without more biological children.  That was hard for me to swallow.  But, if every, and I mean EVERY area isn’t given to Christ, is wholeness possible?  So, I had to make that choice.  Do I pray for healing in my body, or do I pray for wholeness in Christ?  Am I OK with NOT being healed?  Does this happen overnight????  Of course not.  Giving up something you have held onto so tightly is never easy.  But as much as I have to give Simeon to Jesus daily, so do I have to give up each aspect of life to Him as well.  I encourage you… WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING ON TO? Is it healing for yourself or someone else?  Whatever it is, God can take care of it better than you can.  He wants what is best for you, but we have to trust that He knows better that we do.  It’s not easy.  It’s a journey, but He wants to walk with us, not make us carry it on our own.  Her are the words and the song by Kari Jobe.

“Healer”

You hold my very moment You calm my raging seas You walk with me through fire And heal all my disease I trust in You, I trust in You I believe You’re my healer I believe You are all I need I believe And I believe You’re my portion I believe You’re more than enough for me Jesus You’re all I need You hold my very moment You calm my raging seas You walk with me through fire And heal all my disease I trust in You, Lord I trust in You I believe You’re my healer I believe You are all I need Oh, I believe I believe You’re my portion I believe You’re more than enough for me Jesus You’re all I need Nothing is impossible for You Nothing is impossible Nothing is impossible for You You hold my world in Your hands Nothing is impossible for You Nothing is impossible Nothing is impossible for You You hold my world in Your hands I believe You’re my healer I believe You are all I need Oh, yes You are, yes You are And I believe You’re my portion Lord I believe You’re more than enough for me Jesus You’re all I need More than enough for me Jesus You’re all I need You’re my healer

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