Eye for an Eye in Paraguay

Justice has taken a new twist here in the 2nd Department of San Pedro, Paraguay. A little over a week ago Claudalina’s (our Land lord Hipolito’s wife) brother-in-law was killed by several knife stabs to his heart. He had been cheating on his wife and the husband of the woman he had been with several times had warned him to get out of the community or he would be killed. He was warned several times the way I understand and at last the threat was completed and he was stabbed to death.
 
Less than two weeks later Hipolito talked to a man that works at the Public Office that takes care of death certificates and other such official paper work. The official told Hipolito (is there any privacy laws in Paraguay?) that three more murders of the same nature have taken place since. One other jealous husband had killed a man that had been with his wife and left his body near the highway close to 6 mil. Two other husbands paid other men to do the murdering for them and got rid of the men that they thought needed to die.
 
Hipolito and I talked a little of what the Bible says regarding “and eye for an eye”. This was the way in the old testament but now we are in the new dispensation. I was inspired to see what the Bible said regarding revenge and the “new law” of love....
 
Exo 21:24  Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Exo 21:25  Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Exo 21:26  And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.
Exo 21:27  And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
 
1Jn 2:7  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1Jn 2:8  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1Jn 2:9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1Jn 2:10  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
 
Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
 
Please remember us and the People of Paraguay in your prayers,
missionaries in Paraguay

Wiebe Quotes: Devotion

The gap between a holy God and mortal man is beyond words. If we should put forth enormous effort to climb the highest mountains, we would there discover that we are not much closer to the nearest star. The closer we come to the light, the more we discover our lack. Yet we also receive a vision of God's grace and mercy. Consecrated souls are humble, and they tremble at God's word…
…A heart that is given to God will always be given to prayer, always feel a need of Him, and ever desire to worship Him. Our highest purpose on earth is to honor the living God. It is not enough to be a devoted or dedicated person, but we must be devoted to God. May our spirits reach out to God so we may say with David, "I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land" (Ps. 143:6).
Dedicating My Temple
Lesson 3 - September 16, 2012
Adult & Youth Sunday School Lessons

Haiti Clinic Moves Beyond Isaac Storm

Sept 12, 2012
We have been constantly amazed by the way God has been opening doors, and working, and providing for us here. The clinic has been running very well lately and is steadily getting busier and busier. We love being here and everyday is a gift from God. We feel blessed to have good clinic workers, and that things run so smoothly. We love the people here and admire them so much. There is something so incredibly beautiful about these people and their strength of character that is an inspiration just to watch them and interact with them. Many times I marvel at the emotional, spiritual, and physical beauty of the simple (yet incredibly complex) package of a mountain woman with a baby in her arms. It’s like... WOW!
There are so many things to write about and tell you that I feel inadequate. Actually... we feel inadequate many times here. We can treat and heal many of this community’s sicknesses and problems, but the social and emotional problems we run into are almost beyond us at times. Like how should we council a teenage mother (a rape victim) who brings a baby to us and wants us to take it because her father hates the child so much that he threw him on the ground and tried to kill him by stomping? How do we comfort a church sister who one week finds out she is HIV positive (likely from the dentist who has pulled 4 of her teeth in the last yr and doesn’t bother to use new needles, grrrrrr!!!!), and then the next week comes to the clinic all battered up because her former boyfriend tries to kill her for not coming back to him? How do we comfort parents who take their sick baby to the witchdoctor and then the next day she dies from the potions and ignorance of the wicked charlatan? To show these people love and point them to a loving and caring Jesus is the best answer we have for them. Prayer is a wonderful thing. For example... Monday was an extremely busy day where I was running hither and yon... to keep the clinic flowing smoothly, the workers building the new clinic, Minister Nason was up for several visits in the area that he felt I should be in on, and then sooo many others needing my attention and help all day long too, that I was running all day trying to keep ahead of the Mack truck on my tail. I was stressed to the max. Then as darkness was coming and yet another man standing in our yard asking us to come visit his wife who had a new baby... I felt I had had about enough. But I told Candace “lets go!” So we walked across several hills to his house. His name is Dewdew. He is 25 and his wife is 20, they have 3 children. His 6x11ft house was barely standing on the edge of a cliff. The tropical storm Isaac from 2 weeks ago had taken his whole roof off so it is now covered with a holey tarp (not holy). The mud packed rock walls had softened in the 14 inch rain and 70 mph wind and one wall had fallen into the house... landing on the bed the four of them were hiding under. As we went into the darkness of the place we were honoured to realise that they were inviting us here to “name the baby”, and bless their home with a prayer. I told them the Bible story of Daniel, his steadfastness in prayer to God which resulted in him being thrown to the lions, and then how the angel protected him. I then pronounced his name to be “Daniel”. We prayed together, leaving encouragement for them to come to the clinic for treatment for several of their family’s issues, and I left there feeling like my stressful day was changed into a happy blessing.
Our nurse Heather, from Alberta, has been doing an awesome job, and she cheerfully goes thru her days duties. She’s been here 5 months and she is learning the Creole language fairly well. She has a full time translator at work yet. She and Ozias are very busy stitching wounds, dealing with burns, diagnosing all kinds of normal and strange illnesses, doing prenatal classes, delivering babies, etc. The clinic is open 5 days a week but often there is things to do on the other 2 days if we are around. About the only way to give Heather a break is to send/take her away for a day or so. Recently a newborn came in with a knee bent backwards. Just like this link... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1297692/Blue-Peter-doctor-fixed-newborns-twisted-leg-sticky-tape-wood.html .  Heather is trying the Ponseti style treatment to correct it. I told her that if this works like we think it will... her whole time here in Haiti would have been worth it on this child alone, preventing the child from being a cripple the rest of her life! Honestly, there would have likely been no other place the family could have, or would have, ever gone to for help. I could tell you lots of stories! We really could use an ultrasound machine. If anybody knows of a good machine available, please let me know.
Our ambulance has been a great service to this community. We try to get patient’s families to cover most of the gas money for a 6-8 hour round trip to a hospital and back. That has worked well for the most part. We feel very blessed and are very grateful to Jeff Hageman for providing the vehicle and also for providing a mechanic who comes around on a maintenance and repair schedule. This mechanic is John, an American living and missionarying  in the DR. John and his lovely Dominican wife just spent a few days with us doing some servicing on the 1982 Pinzgauer Ambulance. It’s in tiptop shape again.
We as a family went back to Ontario for 2 weeks in Aug. We enjoyed meeting friends and family again and stocking up on a few things. We were unable to take our 2 yr old foster daughter Ketli to Canada with us so we were very happy to get back to her happy little self again. She is such little heater in our house. Helps keep our house warm and filled with love. The night we got back to Haiti was the night Storm Isaac hit Haiti. Alot of houses are damaged, and gardens too. The wind blew 50-80 mph for most of the night. We spent a week cleaning up our trees and yard, but we had no house damage. We are happy to tell you that our son Cam (13yrs, in 8th grade) was baptised here 2 weeks ago together with 7 Haitians. Christina, Cam and Chase are all back in school as of today. Our new school teacher Sallie Minninger is from Wisconsin and is a real winner. She has been with us less than 2 weeks and is already a good fit in our family. Missionaries Dallas and Linda Koehn have spent their year here and are now gone back to Kansas. We miss them and the mission house is empty, which is very sad. We also miss our oldest son Trev (almost 20yrs old - YIKES!!!) who is living and working in United Center KS for the time being. Nurse Heather is living with us now and with Miss Sallie and our son Zack (soon 18) and the Chadek CSI youth boys often here, our table is often surrounded by happy laughing youth. Right now Sam Willhite from Walnut Hill Florida is also with us for a week or so, helping out on the new clinic.
The church here is in serious need of a full time missionary leader. The congregation is courageous and in good spiritual health overall, but this is a large congregation already and there are challenges in their relatively new Christian lives that they need a pastor to help us with. We don’t always understand Gods will or why there is no one to fill the spot as of yet.
Our new clinic is almost done the construction phase. The rock front is being jointed and the exterior is being painted. There is still lots to do... floor tile, interior paint, plumbing, electrical, counters and shelving etc, before we can move in. We (or I should say ‘this community” ) has been incredibly blessed by generous funders that have taken this project into their hearts and out of their wallets. There has been other times too where it is amazing how God provides... like the day we had a child who needed a surgery that would cost 500 dollars. A couple hours later I got an email from a stranger back home.  They said their child had died and they had 500 dollars left in the memorial fund, and that they wanted to donate it to our clinic to help some child. THAT was a God moment. Thank You!
Today I was impressed with this verse from Joshua 22:5. But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Key word for me was “cleave”. Am I “cleaving unto Him”? I need to, I want to. And I want to walk in all His ways. Pray for us that we can do just that.

Love to you all, and may you have a fabulous day.


Keith Toews
Administrator- Confidence Health Center
Oriani, Haiti
(011) 509-3783-9058

 

New Birth in E. Africa: Victories on the Battlefield Part 1

  
Phillip and the Ethiopian from the Book of Acts   


These are experinces of real people in our present time of 2012. Christians read to relate and rejoice and searching soul  read for inspiration to follow Jesus.There is no other way.





Oluoch: I did not worship anywhere. When John came he preached good doctrine. I decided to follow God, and am following up until now. I love the word of God. Nothing is greater. I want to learn more of God’s word so I can be baptized. I prayed hard to see the kingdom of God.
On witchcraft: I felt I could not serve two masters. I wanted to serve God, so destroyed witchcraft items even though no one knew I had those things.
I want only salvation. I felt very dirty and sinful which is why I exposed my witchcraft. Today I feel very clean.


Lots of discussion on the way to be saved. He seemed able to identify.


Wife of Oluoch – Mary: Before I was married I prayed, but when I married I found my husband did not. We attended church for a while, but there was no salvation so we left. We were just home until John came. I rejected all the sin in the world.
Oluoch says she used to be much angry but now has changed. They pray together.
Moses: I worshipped before before, but I found after listening to John that I was not born again. I was religious but not born again. Today I feel like I am born again. I loved worshipping with instruments, shouting, dancing and clapping. Now I don’t like these things. They are dead in my life.

When I was a boy I did the things of the flesh. When I received Jesus these things died in my life because I have received the word of God. I can’t dance in the disco, run with the girls, etc... I repented of abuse, etc... Also pride was in my life but God saved me. These things are no longer in my heart. I was baptized but the water did not wash my sins, only the blood of Jesus. I have peace.

The spirit has been speaking to me about walking with people who don’t believe, bad books with murder scenes, music, traditional customs. I testified of my sins to God. After I was born again I testified first to my wife. My friends also know of my change; they would be afraid now to offer me beer.

His wife says that he was angry and cruel but now all has changed.
Moses later read the verse about the merchant man and the pearl of great price. He said he also felt he had found the pearl of great price and sold everything. In the church where he was he was respected. But he counted that as nothing. He returned them their documents and told them he had found something very precious. He also talked small of his plans to get rid of his DVD and radio, and wants to build a house with the money from selling them.



Wife of Moses – Pendo: Before, I prayed but I did not know the light. I heard the teachings of being born again from John. I knew I was not born again. This is why I decided to be born again. God saved me from all the words of the world and the things I was doing. I repented of adultery and music. Now these things are not in my life and I don’t want to remember them. I pray to God for help with temptations.

Sometimes in the night God spoke to me telling me there was a preacher somewhere. Now I desire to be part of the Church because of the teachings.

Moses says she has repented. She no longer does the worldy things she did. She was very bad but now is Ok.


Ochieng: I was religious but had no contact with Jesus. After the teachings I heard, I met Jesus. I was bad, angry, beating people with clubs, I drank and did drugs, loved music, committed adultery. When I heard John teaching about life – any who follow Jesus can have everlasting life- this touched me. I felt bad for the deeds and received a change. I no longer desire those things. Even there was a party nearby but I had no desire to go. Those who saw me sitting at home asked me to go. I said no, I have something better. I cannot mix it with those things. I have left all those things.

Satan tempted me in the night. I saw Satan’s power. It came as if to strangle me. Before I received Jesus, I heard a voice saying, "If something strangles you, ask in the name of Jesus for help." When those spirits came I forgot to use the name of Jesus and used my own power. After the teachings I began to pray. Now I am free of that thing. One day I saw the light and I know Jesus is in my life.

He says he has not confessed to anyone yet, but is ready and willing. He reads the Bible and finds answers there.

Wife of Ochieng – Molly: Before before I prayed. I was baptized but did not understand. When John taught about baptism I felt to be born again. After John’s message on the new birth I understood and accepted. I have told my friends. I left the bad things after hearing the gospel. I felt bad, prayed to God, telling him all my sins. I now feel meek, not angry. Before when I prayed my prayer did not go to God, but now I feel I am talking to God.


Ochieng says she was born again before he was. He saw that now they could work together well; before she did not obey him. Now they always agree.


Ezron: I met Jesus in ’64 in Pentacostal. I was a sinner, I was fighting. Nobody dared to fight me, even with a stick. I was bad. When I met Jesus these things left my life. From then to now I am in Jesus. When John came he found me in the Holy Spirit and I received his teaching. Some temptations had come to me between, and when John came I remembered and realized I was going back to sin. Now I am free and have found salvation. I don’t fear to die because I will die in Jesus.


Philemon: I used to be a fighter and a drunkard but left all of that and chose blessing instead of condemnation. I also left playing ball because of the witchcraft practices there.
In a vison or dream, I went into a church and found all the people in darkness, sleeping. I asked , "How can I find a true church?" I was taken to a small place, and saw two people kneeling in quiet and sorrowful prayer. There were tears. My guide told me, "You need to worship like this."
I saw another thing like the end of the world. I was taken to a large plain full of weeping people. There was thunder among them. I was led to a river. We passed the troubled waters and I saw I was dipped in the blood. I saw a big and beautiful town of gold. The man told me, "If you work hard you will be here in this place."
God has been good to me but my heart is troubled when I see those in darkness.
I was very bad. I was suffering from anger but now I am free. When asked if he had requested forgiveness from those he beat, he said: They are now my friends. Ezron was my enemy but now is my friend. I went to far places to ask forgiveness and some I even paid 100, 000 shillings, because they did not want to forgive me.
Later he talked of how white missionaries in Mwanza offered him a vehicle and place to stay to join them and spread the word of God. He refused.


Wife of Philemon – Rojeana: I am in God and have done nothing bad in him. I was a sinner but when I heard the word of God I am in the word of God. I am born again because I am not sinning. I was angry but now I am not. I loved the world and was making my hair fashionable, but now I don’t like these things. Now I am not doing wrong. I love God.
I heard the word of God and realized sin is bad. I knelt and prayed to God. I asked God to take my heart and life, because the world remains here. I testified to Philemon the things I did in darkness, things he did not know.


Philemon says he saw a vision of him and Jared worshipping God with their wives. The wives were in darkness, while they were in light. They fasted and prayed. They knelt together and prayed and asked all bad spirits to leave them. Out of Philemon’s wife went three spirits. After this his wife came to him and testified of having met God.


Jared also says she has changed. She used to abuse him. Now they love each other.


Mama Philemon says that before Rojeana’s change when she talked with her Rojeana would shout at her. Now if there is a problem she is just quiet.

New Birth in E. Africa: Victories on the Battlefield Part 2

Ethiopian baptized by Phillip in Book of Acts Jared: I am thankful I found Jesus and he saved my life. I was a sinner – a drunkard, smoker, druggie, lier, even cheated my parents – my life was a lie. No one knew when I was lying. This was when I was 16. I married my first wife, who is now dead. After she died I left home and went to Kenya. I travelled many places there. I went to Mbita and stayed two months. I heard the word of God- salvation for sins, and healing for people. I saw my life was not good. I said, I will listen to this word. I went to church and heard the preacher teaching. I felt judgement in my heart. I said, I want to search until I find Jesus.
At this point he requested that everyone in the group but us and his family leave.
Before I was saved, Satan infected me with HIV. When I heard salvation being preached I decided to follow Jesus. After three Sundays I found a pastor from Migori. I heard him say three things. (1) Jesus can take us from ignorance and tradition. (2) Jesus heals. (3) You will be ok (?) I wanted to follow Jesus and purposed to find him. I knelt and held my hands up and said, "Jesus, save me, I am a sinner." (He was told to say this.) I felt clean and shaken, and fell unconcious. In the darkness appeared light. I saw a hill and two people and a dog. The dog was going out of me and running. The people went with him. I was in the light and all those things vanished. I awakened. People were around. My heart was sad so I sat down. When the service ended four preachers asked me to remain. They asked what I saw, or what happened. They said, "You have found salvation, but not the Holy Spirit." They told me to cry to God for it. I was friendly with that pastor and visited him in the evenings. The third day in the eve I called, "Jesus save me, I am a sinner." There came a light like an arrow and blood like a torrent covering my life. I talked in a language I didn’t know. I was told that now I was saved and had the Holy Spirit.
I remembered Jesus’ healing, and decided to be tested for HIV. I tested negative. Went to another hospital and tested the same. After a month I went again, and still tested negative for HIV.
I came home then, and God gave me this wife. I didn’t go to church much as it was far. Last year in Shirati I heard the word of God had come to my place. My brother told me of John coming. He told me, "As they teach, as they walk, I see they are saved. " I wanted a church like the one I was saved in. One day I saw John with Moses and Joseph. I heard the teachings. I said, "This is of God." I received the word into my heart. I continued to ask God if this was truly His word that had come here. The answer was yes. In a vision I saw John in the light. We were in that light together.
I have many temptations. I testified to those I lied to when I was saved. Now I don’t lie. I pray every day that I will not go back to lying. I don’t desire it. I still speak in tongues.


Philemon: This my brother was not a good person. He was a liar and drunkard. He was ten years younger than I but had many ways to cheat me and lose my money. Now he is a good person. If I gave him 5000 to buy something, even if the change was only 50 he would bring it back to me. He has changed.



Philemon also testified against speaking in tongues.


Mama Philemon (also Jared’s mother) testified of Jared: Before receiving God he was a bad child. He had HIV. After receiving God he is well. He left his bad deeds. I can sleep in peace. If I go astray he helps me find the way of God.


Mama Philemon- Lucia: I was a sinner. Jesus found me and saved me. I was sick and healed me. I love Jesus. My friends with whom I was drinking, they left me. I’m alone with my children. Still I love Jesus. When I was praying and asking God why my children were going to a strange church, God told me that this was His church. These people were His people. I want to be with my chidren there. I want to know more of the word of God. I want to go to Heaven.
My heart was pained when thinking of my sins. The word of God cleansed my life.


Jared testified of a change in his mother.


Philemon says that before she was saved he felt shame over his mother. She was an awful drunkard, and would lie in a stupor where she fell. She used tobacco. She was always sick and much money went to cure her. She was angry. Now she is a good mother. She has left the teachings of the other churches. For twelve years she has not smoked or drunk.


Wife of Jared – Halima: I am not in worldly places. I want to be a Christian.
Philemon says that both she and his wife were Muslim, but now are Christians.

Haiti Clinic Needs Skilled Help

 

Keith Toews has informed us that he needs some help finishing a building for the health clinic. He needs someone that can lay tile flooring, make some shelving and an electrician. If you can do one or more of these things and are interested in volunteering, please contact Kevin Bronson or email me. He can use the tile layer and the builder as soon as you can get over there. The electrician will be needed at the end of September or first part of October. Thanks for your consideration!

Good News

Dan Jantz
209.409.4597
Atwater, Ca

The Fate of Ukrainian Orphans

 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." Matt 18:10 NIV

These are waiting children in Ukraine…orphans wanting a family to love them and give them a secure home of their very own. Right now they are mostly available to Ukrainians due to the current laws.

http://www.sirotstvy.net/ua/child_needs_family/?pg=30

After these children leave the orphanage…

*10% commit suicide

*60% of the girls are sold into the sex trade across the world

*70% of the boys end up in prison

Sent to me by reader 

At least we can pray......