My dear family and friends,
Greetings from Montevideo!
After several JAM-PACKED months of life and ministry here in Uruguay, I finally have the opportunity to update you on all that has happened and all that the Lord is doing in this beautiful country!
LA MISSION – ATLANTIDA
The missions school that I am helping at here in the costal city of Atlantida has been absolutely bursting with activity over the past few months. The Lord has been moving and bringing about huge, powerful changes in the lives of each of our students, as they spend a significant part of each day in pure discipleship. They are learning to truly listen to the voice of God, and that has taken them to incredible new levels in their relationship and intimacy with Him. It’s been such a joy to share in that process – to journey with these passionate youth as they fall more in love with their Savior, and at the same time, are being trained and equipped with the tools and skills to be sent out and develop ministries of their own! God has also burdened a few of our students with a burning passion and call to overseas missions, which, as you can imagine, thrills me beyond belief! I’ve been able to encourage and pray with one student, in particular, who is now pursuing a future in missions and learning how to be obedient to the call God has given her … she is 13 years old!
When the students finish their classes and discipleship, they spend the rest of the day preparing for ministry. God blessed me with the opportunity to teach them dramas and choreographies for our evangelistic ministry, which are then taken to the streets, to churches, and right down to the beach. We also developed some awesome children’s programs that are done throughout our city and taken out on the mission field, as well as weekly service in local Assisted Living homes.
In April, a large team of American youth arrived to spend a week serving here in Uruguay, where I worked as a translator. The team was a huge blessing to this country and a great encouragement to the church here as well.
We recently returned from our second outreach trip to the interior of the country and Brazil, and WOW – God did HUGE things! We spent a lot of time ministering specifically to the Pastoral family of the church we were partnering with, as they find themselves incredibly alone and in need of support and love. We brought a Circus to the children of the town, complete with fire-juggling, unicycling, and some amazing Bible story re-enactments, and saw more then 30 children give their lives to Christ! One of my fellow leaders and myself were able to encourage and support the worship ministry of the church, and, through the street evangelism and dramas, numerous youth living on the streets accept Christ as well! Both trips were fantastic, and gave the students some awesome first experiences in missions.
La Mission was also asked to participate in a massive event in Montevideo for the World Day of Prayer at the end of May. The students performed a powerful, live-painting drama, and I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship for more than a thousand people. This was yet another awesome chance to bring La Mission’s unique talents and ministries to the people of Uruguay, and God blessed it immensely!
We are now in our last 2 weeks of the students’ 6-month school, and will be busy until the very last day. Myself and two other leaders have just been called, last minute, to serve as translators/interpreters for a large missions team from the U.S. that arrived two days ago. We will be assisting in medical clinics and translating during their weeks of service projects and evangelism. On the 5th of July, our students will graduate, and each will then be heading back to their homes – some to the interior of Uruguay, others to the Unites States.
Thank you SO much for your support, letters, and constant prayer. It truly has been sustaining me here. I love you all SO very much, and look forward to seeing many of you soon!
His,
Katie
“Now to Him who is able to do FAR MORE abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!” ~Eph. 3:20-21
