Gualeguay Flood and Ministry Opportunities as a Result

Gualeguay, April 8, 2007

The team from Kinchloe/Newberry/Ludington, which numbered 23, came to the city of Gualeguay, Argentina to help put up a church as well as bring dramas for plaza evangelism... but God had another plan. During our time there, Gualeguay experienced the worst natural disaster of its history, where about 20 inches of rain fell in 5 days, (after two weeks of rain) swelling rivers and flooding the whole Province (their word for state). The Lord spoke to us that we were in Gualeguay "for such a time as this" and we made ourselves available to the municipality to help with cooking food for refugees, collecting data for the authorities to find out who needed what, helping the volunteer fire department stuff bags w/ necessities, and taking our drama team to many refugee centers to bring hope and encouragement to those who had lost everything. In a country that is as completely secularized as the States, suddenly we had freedom to talk about the Lord in every school and club that was used for refugee centers.

One man who was broadcasting live for the radio who happened to be at a center the same time, reported that, "this team has brought such life and joy into this center. They are playing with the children, turning sad faces into smiles, it is just amazing how they are affecting this place!" The team performed dramas gave personal testimonies, performed tricks, and at the end would give an invitation for those who wanted to invite Jesus into their lives. People responded at each place, (no, we were too busy praying to count) and only heaven has the ultimate count of those who heard and saw Jesus in action through the many diversified activities of this team.

Meanwhile, we had a few from our team join up with a team of four Argentines from a city 10 hours to the North and put the roof on the church building, make the pastor's home livable and in general, work from daylight until after dark, trying to make up for lost time that the rain stole. By the time we left, the pastors' were completely blessed, the team had stolen the hearts of the people from the city, and we believe that Jesus was glorified.

There has been a neighbor of the Pastor who has complained about the music, cussed him out, and caused problems in the past. Monday night, he called him out to the street after the service and apologized for everything, said he was astounded at how the kids worked so hard, volunteered to help in anyway that he could, and promised to invite him to an Argentine barbecue. WOW!!! The Pastor was shocked and blessed! Kim is also expecting the hardware man to give his heart to Jesus, he was so close before we left!

We had a prayer meeting during the rain where three people got baptized in the Holy Spirit and received their prayer language. The first service we had, the Holy Spirit fell and we had an awesome time of prayer afterwards. It started raining as soon as the service started, but we moved the chairs under the existing piece of roofing and continued on anyway. What a memory!! All the services were blessed!

UP Team, Gualeguay Flood

Slideshow

Oct. 25, 2006
We were told that we were the first North American family to ever go into the Impenetrable to minister to the Wichi people. Our whole family, Becky included, had gone in the end of June. While there, we met a pastor's wife who had been hemmoraging for 7-8 months. She'd been taken to a hospital (three hours away) and after a couple of weeks, they had released her, not knowing how to help. When we got there, she was too weak to walk alone, but her family helped her outside where we prayed for her. After we left, we had no way to contact them (no phones, scarcely any water) so not until Kim went back up two weeks ago did we hear what happened. The pastor told him matter-of-factly, "After you prayed, she stopped bleeding and is completely back to normal."


Nov. 3-5, 2006

We went to Chaco for a Conference on the Family. First night was rained out so we ministered at the church that was sponsoring the event. It was a team effort with a singing group from Santiago de Estero and Presyter of Chaco, Daniel Lopez and us.

The next night we ministered in an open area in the middle of town. Using the town’s sound system, we were heard all over Coronel DuGraty. About 600 people were in attendance, besides those in town who could hear from their front steps. People came from other small surrounding towns as well. Many people came forward to accept Jesus and receive ministry after Kim preached. Rachel and Shari prayed for one woman who was delivered of many unclean spirits. Rachel really grew in the gifts this weekend.

Sunday, Shari taught on the family during the afternoon at the church, and then she and Kim ministered to all the married couples and afterwards to the ladies standing alone for their families. Then we ministered again that night. Each night Shari read a prophetic proclamation over the young people of the area and Luci, our traveling muppet, shared as well. Good things happened! God was very faithful to use us in spite of our imperfect language abilities.

Nov.26, 2006

Kim was asked to preach in Monte Grande. He hadn't been to this church since he'd been invited to preach there a year before, when the whole family had gone with him. But tonight, he went with an Argentine friend while Shari went with the kids to their local church. After Kim preached and ministered to the people, a well-dressed woman approached him. “I have something to tell you,” she informed him.

“Last year, when you were here, I was a mess. My husband had left me, I was in depression, and for some reason I decided to climb on my bicycle and go to church. That was the first time I ever came to this church. During the time of ministry, I went forward and your wife prayed for me. She spoke that my husband would return, that God would restore everything that I had lost and bring blessings as well as complete His purposes for my life. Since that time, I have become a part of this church and my husband has returned. I now work in three brothels, rescuing women out of prostitution. My business is prospering and God has blessed me in many other areas as well." (She went on but Kim didn’t catch everything she said.) “I just wanted you to know what God completed everything that your wife spoke over me and I want to thank you for coming."

July 2006

We have had a busy winter down here in Argentina...summer to all you in the Northern Hemisphere. Becky was able to be with us for six weeks so she jumped into ministry with us as we went 20 hours north to where the Wichi Indigenous people live. Our family teamed up with five Argentines and we traveled to five different village, feeding the people in three of them, ministering the Word of the Lord and prayer in all five. Many children prayed with us to receive the Lord Jesus into their lives, and at least three adults. Many other adults came forward to receive prayer for healing, deliverance, for broken relationships to be mended, and broken hearts to be made whole.


Wichi children are teaching Rachel words in their own language as we wait for the food to cook.



Wichi hut


We were also able to work alongside of Rocky and Sherry Grams to help with a team of 42 AIM kids from Nebraska. Becky, Jonathan and Rachel were able to help translate during their evangelistic meetings in the plazas, street corners and church. We were really impressed with the quality of this team. Nebraska is now on our list of vacation spots. Ha!

We added a few pictures of the Nebraska team to our slideshow.

Family Picture

January 2006

We just got back from a trip to the South where we visited two new churches, one in San Antonio Oeste (which is about a 12 hour drive from Buenos Aires) and Villa Regina, which is 3 hours farther Northwest. Both churches are holding services near the middle of their towns, which is no small feat for a non-Catholic church, and becoming known for loving people and meeting needs in their community. The pastors are paying the price by living very sacrificially, but both families are committed to seeing a strong church raised up to glorify God and bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We encountered temperatures of 100 degrees, (no air conditioning), lots of mosquitos, and a bout of food poisoning (Jonathan)but the Holy Spirit anointed the services and poured out a refreshing upon those who attended and gave us sweet communion with the pastors and their families. Kim will be going back with two Argentines in February for a week of services throughout both communities.