Dear Praying Saints:
To our friends and supporters on the East Coast that are struggling with digging out from or repairing storm damage, we want you to know we are praying for you and so are the children and teachers at the school. When one member of the Body suffers, we are all concerned.
As I recount a follow-up on the October update, I believe the Lord has a message for each of us. Last month I shared how the school children walked through the sudden death of a former classmate, 8 year-old Cristopher. I sent the update to you before the funeral had taken place and now is the time to tell the rest of the story.
Cristopher had been mistreated by his mother’s boyfriend, become gravely ill and was in the terminal ward of the hospital when the news came to us. Dave and I (Sharman) went on a Wednesday to visit and pray for the semi-conscious child. As we left, I did not know what God would do but I heard the words, “Except a seed fall into the ground and die, there cannot be fruit.” I did not want to believe that Cristopher would die, nor did I want to speak such a declaration, so I pushed the words aside and prayed for healing. Friday, Cristopher died. I called the grandmother and aunt to ask if there was something we could do and they asked if I could come to the wake and/or funeral on Sunday.
It is customary to have a wake in the home for a couple of days before the official funeral and we have been to a few to console and pray for the relatives. The rest of our family could not attend so I went alone just before the funeral mass with the intent to transport family members from the home to the church. Arriving early so I could pray as the Lord led, they insisted I join the mourners in the room with the casket. I stood apart and prayed quietly asking what the Lord would have me do. He said,
“Pray.”
“Do you want me to pray to raise the dead, Father?” I thought maybe since the seed had died, it could now come back to life and bear much fruit.
“No,” came the reply. “He doesn’t want to come back.”
“So, what do you want me to do?” I asked again.
“Pray.”
I opened my eyes and saw that about 20 people had come into the room and they were all standing along the walls, staring at me and waiting. “May I pray?” I asked.
“Of course,” was the immediate response.
I felt the presence of the Lord strongly and prayed aloud for the people present. I paused, searching for direction. “Salvation,” came to my heart. Normally I do not do group salvation prayers as I want each person to be truly desirous of receiving Jesus, but I knew this was from God and needed to be done. Still flowing in the attitude of prayer I offered these precious souls the opportunity to repeat with me a prayer thanksgiving, forgiveness and submission to the King of Kings and Author of Life. Many, if not all, opened their hearts to Jesus that afternoon and the little seed bore fruit. It is our prayer that there will be continued multiplication of souls brought into the Kingdom because of this event.
Thanks for sharing with us in what God is doing in this corner of Ecuador. We so need your prayers and encouragement.
Together for the Kingdom,
The Injerds
Praises
*Souls entered in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
*All three schools are doing well.
*Favor with education authorities.
*Full compliment of teachers for Tambo!
*Outstanding Ecuadorian accountant for the Mission!
*Health and safety.
Requests
*Growth for the new believers.
*2 more first graders to attend in the Tambo school.
*We need a knowledgeable geologist to come down for a couple of weeks.
*Protection for our village, Tambo, from local and government wolves.
*Heart and attitude of Christ in all of our interactions.
*Health and safety.