EDM, along with some of the pastors of Nagua and a few of their church members, drove out to the community of Pajita to support the pastors of that community for a one night evangelistic meeting.  The EDM mission truck was filled to capacity with people singing and playing drums as we drove the 19 kilometers to Pajita.  The service was held right next to one of the main streets, and soon spilled out onto the street as the crowd grew.  The worship was great, and the preaching was powerful.  Two people came forward to surrender their lives to Christ admist much rejoicing.  During the service, all the pastors were called up to the front.  It was amazing to see such a large group of pastors from all different denominations and churches united together in the common goal to reach their cities and communities.  That night, EDM had the wonderful privilege of praying for this large group of pastors, who we know and love, that God would continue to unite them, protect and provide for them, and encourage, equip and empower them.  It was an exhausted group of people who drove back in the mission truck later on that night, but they still filled the truck with singing and playing drums as they rejoiced in God for another great night in His presence.       

For five nights the basketball court in Las Quinientas was filled with praise and the preaching of God’s Word, as EDM and the pastors of Nagua came together to reach out to this community. Over the course of those five nights many people, young and old, came forward to surrender their lives to Christ.  It was exciting to see so many people from the community come out night after night to hear the preaching of God’s Word. One of the local churches was filled to capacity the following Sunday, as many of those who came forward during the crusade visited his church for the first time.  It was exciting to be part of another great outreach, and to see God move through the power of the Holy Spirit changing and transforming lives for eternity. 

An energetic group from the great state of Minnesota visited us this past month.  They worked on a church in the community of Puerto Rico el Pie. One of their assignments was to “panete” the walls of the church. What is it to panete? I am glad you asked.  To panete is to put together a very loose cement/fine sand/water mix and then trowel it to the walls.  After troweling it to the walls you go back over it with a rubber trowel to smooth it out.  It may sound easy but it is not, there is a real art to doing it correctly.  When the week was done every team member was an expert in the art of panete.  The church looks great and is now ready for paint.  So “Twins’ hats off” to the team from Minnesota.

What a week! A team from Minnesota just left and we had an amazing time ministering together and building for the Kingdom of God. The community of Puerto Rico a Pie was strengthened in many ways. We partnered with Pastor Jaime and his wife Deysi. They have a heart and vision for the children of the village. It was a blessing to witness their genuine love for them. The children were also very responsive to this Pastoral couple. One night we showed a children’s movie in the Pastor’s home. At first there were 30 children and the Pastor told them they had 15 minutes to round up all their friends…over 100 children and many parents showed up. Pastor Jaime and Deysi managed to squeeze all of the children in their home! It was very impressive to see how this Pastoral couple opened their home for ministry of the children. There wasn’t a concern for what might get dirty, but the concern was that no one would be left out. We held another event in the public school. As we pulled up in the mission truck, the children’s faces lit up with excitement. The team had put a puppet show together for the children. They shared a message of the “Good News” we have in Jesus. Then they shared another skit about God’s incredible love for each of us.  In between skits, the puppets and children together sang songs of God’s hope and love for each of us. The children’s faces were lit up with joy as they clapped and sang along with the puppets wholeheartedly. Afterwards Pastor Jaime spoke with them and it was such a blessing to see many hands eagerly go up in response to the opportunity to receive Christ as their Savior! All heads bowed and together they all prayed a beautiful prayer. It was a prayer of commitment and acceptance of the Lord’s love for them. Seeing those precious children and their precious faces lit up with joy and hope…brought a joy to our hearts as well. The team from Minnesota had a hard time saying “good-bye” that day. They had made an investment for eternity in the hearts of those children…it was something to never be forgotten.