International church!

Our pastor has said on many occasions that he doesn't have a problem with English, he doesn't understand a word! :)
Yesterday we were more international than usual! There were people from Nicaragua, the US, and Venezuela praising the LORD together at Arbol de Vida church in Tabarcia!!
What a wonderful GOD we serve, knowing HE leads us even when we don't recognize that HE is in control!
Our pastor Olger started pastoring here at Arbol de Vida about 13 years ago. When he came on at our church it was made up of about 20 members, many very hurt and hardened by things that had happened in past years.


So he came on, took the church and started to work for the first year and a half without salary as the offerings were almost non existent. Olger also started praying for help, GOD to send him someone who could work alongside him and Guiselle his wife and be a help to the church. 3 years later we came tot he church for the first time. GOD sent our pastor someone who at the time couldn't understand half of what he said! But through the years Franklin and our Pastor have had a wonderful working relationship, working together, praising he LORD together and standing firm when needed!


So yesterday was no exception!
We got a call from Olger Saturday morning about a lady from Venezuela, Patricia and her daughter Tiffany. They are refugees here from the atrocities their own country is suffering right now. Patricia's boss in December left to go back to Venezuela, leaving her without a job, she was administrator for his business! So they were used to a high end house, all the commodities of life.
Thursday the lady she was renting from, locked her out and wouldn't even let her in to get their clothes, because she owes them 2 months rent!
So she went to the authorities and they made the lady give Patricia her things, but she doesn't have all of their things, some important papers etc. that she had in her apartment, Tiffany's only toys she brought with her in their escape to Costa Rica, and personal items!
So she was brought to our church Friday, and asking for help!
Our pastor and his wife met with them and prayed for them, and Patricia has accepted JESUS as her Savior! Praise the LORD!


Yesterday afternoon our team of leaders from church met to see what we could do. Vilma and I went and looked at apartments with her, the first one we looked at was a dingy place, and as Patricia looked in the bathroom, she burst out in tears! As we left there she said; "animals shouldn't even live in those conditions, and he has renters paying him for that!"
By this time it was 2pm and it was getting ready to rain!
We went to look at another place farther up the mountain, but it was unfurnished and dirty, would need some work, and she needs to move in today! And as we were arriving there to look it started raining and the apartment is on the second floor. The steps going up to the apartment are now a rushing river! No this one won't work either!


Thankfully the very next place we looked at was a wonderful little apartment that a friend of ours has, we will rent it for her for a month or 2 till she gets a job and gets on her feet! It is furnished and even has a fridge and washer!
We helped pay the rent and Vilma gave her groceries, and the church helped give her pillows, towels and things for the kitchen!


Pray for Tiffany she is going back to High School to class this morning, and her biggest fear is changing high schools, because when they came here from Venezuela, she was in 5th grade and although they speak Spanish they pronounce words differently, and she suffered at the hands of the kids. So she is worried that she'll have to change schools and go through that again! They are coming up on Easter week so they will have off most of that week and this week they only have class 3 days, so that will help her a lot to get acclimated!


Thank you for your support and prayers, because of your support we are able to help out Patricia and Tiffany and be there in their lowest times, standing with them in prayer and also giving of what you have given us paying the rent and helping while they are getting settled in!




JESUS BLESS YOU! Franklin Evelyn Mary & James