“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O LORD, hear my
voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a
record of sins, O LORD, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I
put my hope. My soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen wait for the
morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in
the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.” Psalm 130
Since returning to Bolivia one week ago, I have felt very
hopeful. New and good things are happening with the ministry here. We have new
staff members, new volunteers, new funds, and many new plans for the future.
There are women responding to the gospel in new and exciting ways and there are
plans to bring more women into the business. We have a great ministry team,
full of talent and faith. And I truly believe that the Lord has great things to
come for Word Made Flesh Bolivia in this year.
Today, we had our weekly staff devotional time, which we
dedicated to praying for one another and for the ministry. Three different
staff members shared about how they had been having very frightening dreams
about the fate of the ministry. Three different people… and dreams that seemed
so intense that none even wanted to share details. It was immediately clear
that we were under a spiritual attack. As I mentioned above, great things are
happening in the ministry. I believe that the enemy is noticing and doing his
best to put up a fight. Please pray with us that his schemes to tear us down
would not be successful. Please pray with us for protection for the staff and
all the women and children among whom we minister.
After our prayer time, two big and unusual events occurred.
First, a couple of our staff went to visit a friend from the ministry to study
the bible together. I guess during their first bible study visit, this friend
was very closed to the bible and to hearing anything about God. My co-workers
left feeling sad and defeated. But today, the Lord did something new. He was
definitely at work in our friend and was revealing the truth of the Word. She
saw the gospel with new eyes and was amazed by the love and sacrifice of Jesus.
Finding new life through the Scriptures, she is now excited to continue to
learn and seek. Praise the Lord!
The other event was much more dramatic. One of the ladies
that works in our mirco-business cares for her grandchildren. One of them had
been left home alone because he was sick and couldn’t go to school. During the
morning he went for a walk around the neighborhood by himself. A passing
vehicle grabbed him and drove off. At a police checkpoint, one of the officers
noticed him crying in the backseat and pursued the vehicle. Under pursuit, the
kidnapper got nervous and dropped the kid off by himself in the middle of
nowhere. A passing woman noticed him crying and took him to the police. The
officers were able to take him back to his neighborhood and contact his
grandmother, our friend.
When her grandson didn’t answer the phone at home around
lunchtime, our friend immediately felt that something was wrong. She left work
and rushed home. We began to pray. We prayed for the Lord to watch over this
boy and to bring him home to his family. It was hard to know what could have
happened to him, and when we heard the story, it was nearly unbelievable. I
never imagined that he would have been abducted. I cannot imagine the feelings
of fear and powerlessness that his family must have felt and must continue to
feel. I truly believe that the Lord heard our prayers today. That this boy was
safely returned to his family truly is a miracle. We cried out, and the Lord
answered. We are so grateful.
I pray that today you also would put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
