Baptism Celebration in LA REINA!

"John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16).

Earlier this year, 8 individuals were baptized in the village of La Reina! This special baptism celebration was held as a result of all that God has been doing in the hearts of the people there. From the moment we first entered that village, a spiritual darkness loomed from that place. Now, God has opened the gates and enabled us to not only build homes for the people but also to start a discipleship program that has grown in leaps and bounds! Praise be to our Father in Heaven, who through the baptism of His Spirit, unites us "to form one body - whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free - and we are all given the one Spirit to drink" (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Matthew 11:5

Recently, 6-year-old Henry received his neon green hearing aids. With these devices, he is one step closer to being able to hear and speak for the first time in his life! Please join us in continuing to pray for this precious little boy as the remaining pieces of his treatment puzzle fall into place.

"The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, THE DEAF HEAR, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." Matthew 11:5

Sanctity of LIFE

This past Sunday, January 15, was Sanctity of Life Day.

Today, I got a first-hand glimpse and understanding of what this day truly stands for and celebrates.

Last fall, Yojana and I were introduced to a patient. All of her signs and symptoms hinted at pregnancy, and the pregnancy test confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. She was in denial. The situation was a bit difficult, and she knew that her parents would kill her if they found out. Therefore, she decided it was best to not tell them about the pregnancy and have an abortion.

Our hearts were broken as we heard those words come out of her mouth. Even though it sounded like she had made up her mind, Yojana and I knew we needed to take a few moments to talk with her. We told her how much God loved her, no matter what. We told her that He created the beautiful life that was now living inside of her. We told her that God had a plan for her...and her unborn baby. We assured her that Paradise Bound would help in any way they could, and we encouraged her to give it some thought and discuss it with her parents. She didn't have to go through this alone. The young woman nodded her head in agreement, but we felt hopeless as she walked out our clinic door. We were convinced that our words had fallen on deaf ears, but we continued to pray for her anyway.

Today, roughly 5 months later, this beautiful sight walked back through our clinic door.

What a miracle! All things are possible with Christ! And as you can tell by the smile, this new mother is now so glad she made the right decision. Her healthy baby girl is indeed a blessing and a testimony - to all of us!

goodbye winter wonderland.

At 2pm on Sunday, January 15, I was walking through a winter wonderland in Jenison, Michigan.

At 2pm on Monday, January 16, I will soaking in the 70 degree temperatures and volcanic scenery of Chimaltenango, Guatemala.