Caribbean Islands

Steve V. Christmas 2003 Island Update

Here's a copy of my most recent prayer update.

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Dear Family and Friends, December, 2003

Hello once again. I hope all is well with you. All is well with me. Alas I am coming home in two days for 2 weeks over Christmas. I thought I would send one last update this year to wish you all a Merry Christmas and to share how your prayers have been making a difference here on the island.

If you recall, and it's okay if you can't because I had to look it up too, but I closed off the last letter asking for prayer for two services one where I was speaking in Spanish and the other one on November 30 where I was speaking in English. Gloria a Dios. Glory to God. Both services were incredible. Curtis' mom and aunt were able to be at the service in Spanish as well and between trumpet playing, testimonies and butchered (yet usable) Spanish the people were blessed and even two people gave their lives over to him for the first time that night. Even more exciting I went to visit my friend of that church today, Ernesto the quizzing man, and he told me both of those people were continuing and growing in the church. AMEN.

And the other service. Curtis and I were asked to plan a youth outreach service. Well I thought this would be easy as it was in English. But God wanted to show me that I needed to rely on him Spanish or English. I was seeking him for the message for this service and God really taught me to wait on him for the message. It was tough. The day before I still didn't have the message and I had spent several hours each day for the previous week and a half in prayer. Plus by this time I had invited people from classes where I study and from the Monday night English class where I help out. But he is faithful and on the day of the service he was there in a powerful way. The attendance doubled to 100 people and even some of the people I invited showed up. Every part of the service fit together. Between the worship, the drama, the verses Curtis and I proclaimed from memory, and the message God spoke to the people. Some of my friends from the university came and from the English class as well. I was surprized even my Muslim friend Alli from my class came and praise God he said he really liked the service. Two other guys from the English class came and they both said they were seeking and they felt the presence of God at the service. So you can pray for Elizandro and Jose-Luis as we continue to meet with them.

Also from that same service, Oswaldo, the English professor, absolutely loved when Curtis and I proclaimed the salvation message from a selection of verses from the Word. He lamented to me that he didn't have a video camera to show it in his English class so I suggested we come and do it in person the next day. So on Monday away we went and shared the same verses with the English class of about 60 people. It was well received and after we announced that if anyone wanted we had free Spanish/English books to give them during the break. We came back at the break and before I could set my bag on the ground all 24 books were gone and there we at least another 20 people who wanted one. So a new order is on its way for after Christmas. Wow, things you never thought you would have had the opportunity to do here. Only by him and through much prayer.

We also have started going to an early morning prayer service at one of the churches we attend. Most days it is just us and one other lady Miriam, but this is no small thing. Miriam is the most faithful person I have met in prayer. She is there 5 - 7:30 am almost everyday. Incredible. And she has faith that moves mountains. She takes on the biggest strongholds here and faithfully day in and day out prays them down.
It hasn't been always easy to pray in Spanish for this long (we usually get there a bit after 6) but it has been good. Plus we are still continuing with our second hour of prayer at night. I need it drilled into my head over and over again - pray more, do less. It has been really good for me to place a priority on prayer. What a difference.

Classes are not always the most exciting thing in the world, but they are nonetheless necessary to legally stay here and they do provide good opportunities to meet other people. I am not disappointed however, that today was my last day of classes and I get a break for Christmas.

Well we have been doing many other things as well but I will save you the details. Thank you so much for your prayers. I know beyond a doubt that God has used them. Please continue to pray. Thank you.


And now some random observations:
- The good news - a huge, beautiful, golden ripe pineapple for only 40 cents.
- The bad news - After eating it one day, I ended up spending more money on the cost of the resulting necessary toilet paper than the pineapple.
- Ever feel like you have ants in your pants? Apparently, unbeknown to me my towel was crawling with ants one morning as I dried myself off with it. Nothing quite like having ants crawling on your body all day and biting you at inopportune times.

Classical Spanish blunders:

Also I was joking with Curtis that you know your Spanish is brutal if you are apologizing in front of a congregation for your poor Spanish and you can't even get the apology right. Nothing like self-fulfilling prophecy. On Thursday, November 21 this was fulfilled as I was speaking in front of a church apologizing for my poor Spanish (I even had the apology memorized) and I told them the equivalent of "One day, with his help, I will speak much more better." It was at this point that I saw people bow their heads and fervently pray for the Spanish message they were about to endure.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. I have tasted and seen that they are making a difference here. Thank you. Have a Merry Christmas.

In Him,
Steve V.

For you quizzers and those involved in quizzing. The quizzing director here, Ernesto is very sick. He has stomach problems and needs surgery right away. It would be a huge encouragement to him to hear from some of you. This is how it can work:
1. You send a short note of encouragement to my email [email protected] . Included could be your name, a verse, and a note of encouragement. Also I challenge you to pick one day of the week and commit to praying for Ernesto and his wife Mildrey and the quizzing program here on that day of the week for the next year. You can also pray for Feb 20-21 is the next quizmeeet with all 9 churches on the whole book of John. Also my parents and small group will be coming down that seem week.
2. Then I take your notes to him (he can read some English), translate them and make a list with the names of people that are praying for him on each day of the week.
3. Just because people need incentive, the deadline for this is January 10th when I will return to the island.

Thanks a lot. A little encouragement makes an eternal difference.