H E L P!
I'm not crying out for help. I'm saying we have HELP in the form of wonderful, passionate, loving, Godly people who are coming alongside to offer long awaited relief to our weary minds and bodies. You can't imagine the feeling this relief of responsibilities is to us.
Wilber, our very close friend and more like a family member to us, has caught hold of the vision for what we are doing. He has so much passion, which is giving us a boost of adrenaline. God comes exactly at the right moment to tend to our minds and bodies and provides what we need.
Wilber is a born evangelist, which I may have mentioned before. He cannot help himself. He loves to go out to the highways, byways and neighborhoods that most of us would never step into. His job and he knows it so well in his spirit, is to reach the lost. Two years ago, he was in the streets, his life spiraling into eternal hell. He grasped onto God's outstretched hand and pulled himself out of the gutters. His life's work is to tell others about the transformed life offered by Jesus.
We also have pastors and a transplanted American paraplegic that are giving their time to help mentor and disciple the guys. Do you see what I have written - they are giving their time. There are no requests for financial assistance, they too have a heart and passion for what we are doing. Weekly they come and each spends 3 hours one day a week with the guys.
Two of the volunteers travel a great distance - 15 plus miles each way. We feel led to pay for their transportation and just that small gesture has found great appreciation within them.
Preston has been teaching the Friday morning classes. However, this will be short lived because in January we hope to have the vocational cabinet shop up and functioning. If God has provided us with the current volunteers, He will provide someone for the Friday classes at the due time.
Oh, the sweetness of relief! It allows us time to devote to other matters, formulate programs and Preston's expanding teaching opportunities in other churches. I love to teach English and felt like I never adequately prepared my twice weekly lessons. Now I can devote more time to that preparation.
Can you hear the relief in my words and the gratitude for the people who have chosen to come alongside us?
Before I leave you, I need to tell you about needs for the ministry. The expenses for the Restoration House are heavy and once again we are having to pull from my social security, We have had long term, faithful partners but in the last 2 years as is common with ministries, some have left us because their time has come to an end. We are now operating with a $700 monthly reduction. We have never taken a salary, the ministry provides for the operation base which is also our residence; but we pay for personal expenses as well as many of the events associated with our Nica sons. Now with us having to help with ministry expenses, our personal finances are in poor shape. Our savings account was emptied for medical costs when Preston nearly lost his finger a year ago and we've not been able to kick-start it again. Because of our work load and the exorbitant costs to travel to the States, we have not been able to meet with our partners or potential partners.
Would you prayerfully consider either increasing your donation, become a new partner or share our needs with your friends and your churches? This entire "adventure", that's what God invited Preston to take, has been totally by faith. When you no longer have the ability to work and earn money, it puts the meaning of faith to a test. Before coming to Nicaragua, we always said we had faith, but what we learned was we had faith in our bank account. We've come to know faith in a different way.
We would now love for HELP and RELIEF to come in another way - increase in available funds for the mission we are on. Giving is easy and simple using our donation site. We are always mindful of costs to the ministry and making donations via ACH, costs only 25 cents compared to the almost 4% charged by debit and credit cards. There are several projects and needs from which to choose to specify your donation allocation. They are featured in a drop down list on the site.
https://connect.egiving.com/restoration-house/restoration-of-the-nations
Thank you for your continued partnership in Restoration of the Nations. It's an exciting time for the ministry and we need you to join with us to fulfill all that is before us.
