A New Year and Some Updates
Miriam’s Story
Hey everyone! Bless you this new year!
I wanted to share the above video with you for those of you who haven’t already seen it when I posted it on the ministry’s Facebook page a few weeks ago. We feel an extra bit of sentimentality overcome us concerning especially this video testimony because we have known Miriam for almost 7 years or so and have personally given witness to what she shares in the video.
We can vouch for the struggle Miriam and her sweet family have endured in order to make sure there is food in their bellies and a place to lay their heads at night.
We have been there when Miriam’s second oldest daughter left home to move in with her boyfriend at only 14 years old. We were there when Miriam was laid-up for months after having two major surgeries to remove over 80 kidney stones from her intestines and her recovery was slow and delicate.
We were there when Miriam was broken, hopeless, and frustrated after having spent herself trying to please and appease God through dry religion and dead works. We were also there when Miriam decided to place her faith in the saving grace of our beautiful Lord and Savior and watch her blossom in the light of His love and abiding peace that only He can give!
So I hope you enjoy the video and are as encouraged by her beautiful testimony as we are!
In December of 2018 we also concluded our 3rd installment of the Beginner’s Sewing Program with 10 more students graduating the course!
We are very proud of our ladies and are excited to report that the great majority of the women who graduate the course begin working from the home right away repairing clothes and even designing and selling their own creations to earn extra income for their families! In the above picture you can see our ladies wearing dresses they made themselves, which is pretty awesome when you know that before the class began they had no prior experience operating a sewing machine!
A very sincere and heartfelt thank you to all of you who have supported the Beginner’s Sewing Program with your giving and prayers!
We couldn’t do this without you and want you to know your partnership is indeed making a difference in the lives of these women!
As you probably already know we have kids graduating from elementary school every year and this year was no different, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less meaningful.
In 2018 we had 4 kids from our ministry graduate from elementary school. I often tell folks who wonder why such a big deal is made of graduating grade school here in Nicaragua and I explain to them that it’s comparable to graduating from high school in the United States.
The sad reality is that most kids will never finish high school here in Nicaragua due to the plethora of challenges that growing up in a 3rd world country presents them.
So we celebrate the moment with them, all the while instilling in them the truth that by no means does their education have to end there and that the sky really is the limit! In the above photos you can see Miriam and myself posing with Berman, Miriam’s oldest son and 1st high school graduate.
Quite a moment for the family! Berman also graduated with the distinction of being one of the very best students in his class and we know that great things are in store for him as he continues to mature as a young man.
In 2019 we continue living out LOVE to the best of our abilities and as you provide prayer, support, and partnership with our efforts you enable us to bring a little bit of joy and comfort to all the brokenness that surrounds us here in the lives of our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters.
It could be a new pair of tennis shoes to beans and rice; or even a little pocket money and hugs to a hard working street-clown; no matter what it looks like it all counts in love! Thank you for helping us Love Out Loud in 2018 and considering partnering with us in this new year to continue shining our light bright for Jesus in love and good works!
As you may have seen on Facebook or by email we are believing for big things this year! There is a piece of land that we believe would be perfect for building a ministry center to better fit our needs and hopes of casting a wider net in reaching out to our community.
Publicizing a need/desire of our hearts of this size is not something that we are accustomed to doing, as those of you who have been partnering with us over the years will know, but we feel that the Lord is asking us to believe and trust in Him to provide us the funds to purchase the land (Step 1) and then to begin building a center (Step 2).
We made a short video you can watch below if you are interested in knowing more and possibly partnering with us in making this God-sized dream become a reality!
Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to stop-by our blog and stay connected with what we have been up to and what God has been doing here in Nicaragua.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for this country as well! Nicaragua is still going through a trying season politically, socially, and economically and we really do feel that we are here for times such as these!
Hope, encouragement, and faith are needed more than ever in these difficult times as we walk hand in hand with our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters experiencing the growing pains necessary to arrive at the desired goal of seeing a Nicaragua free of oppression and tyranny.
Lots of love, grace, peace, and joy to you this new year!
To partner with Fervent Fire Ministries in our efforts to BE LOVE and share the HOPE of the Good News, you can do so in various ways.
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