God gave us the “ministry of reconciliation” so that He could reconcile the world to himself in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18). He gives us this sweet opportunity to work alongside Him and other believers to strengthen, encourage, and grow the church. This summer some of our church members were able to take this opportunity in one of our first family-friendly mission trips to El Paso, Texas.
Read MoreMike and Laurie Heath already had two children when their son, Kevin was born. Their son, Jason, was about six, and their daughter, Bethany, was about four. They thought they knew what to expect. However, a short time after Kevin’s birth, they got unexpected news.
Read MoreMike would typically get up, have his morning coffee, and have a devotional time with his Bible. When Kevin got up early, he would get a cup of hot chocolate, grab his beloved Bible, and sit reading near Mike. The Heaths knew that Kevin was mimicking Mike’s behavior just like any child would, but deep in their hearts, they wondered if more was going on. They prayed that Kevin would know, understand, and accept the gospel. They also prayed that when he did, God would allow them to know about it.
Read More“It was about three years ago now that I was sent to a place called Cenikor, a long-term rehab program. Charlyn, my girlfriend at the time, dropped me off. When we were saying goodbye, I honestly thought it was our last. Making the long 100ft walk to the doors is when it hit me. It’s just me now.”
Read MoreMiriam went on to share with us a little more about her husband. He had grown up in the neighborhood where they lived. Most of the people in the neighborhood were related to him in some form or fashion. Cousins, second cousins, uncles, aunts. He earned the nickname “Papo Fuerte.” Papo’s mother’s maiden name was “Fuerte.” But that is not solely how he got the nickname. Papo was a welder by trade. But basically, he could fix, or build anything he put his mind to. You name it, Papo had built it. He built the entire concrete house 30 years ago where they were living to this day. He built the water tank used to irrigate all their land. At one point Miriam told us the story of how he built a private elevator in someone’s personal home. Papo would also repair and build for everyone in the neighborhood. If anyone ever needed anything, he would not hesitate to build it for them and take care of his family. Family is everything in Puerto Rican culture, or at least on the surface it is. Fuerte means strong in Spanish, and Papo was the neighborhoods strength… was.
Read More
