Hi guys! Brief update on the past few weeks: such special things happening. I feel like the theme is just divine appointments from the Lord. This is something we have been praying for and God has been providing at every turn. Prayer is powerful -- being bold and praying for specific things, even things that may seem silly, is so important. Our ministry has been so much more fruitful because of these prayers and also the prayers of our friends and family. Thank you so much for interceding for us from afar!
We are most definitely homesick. We won't return to the US until March of 2023, which will be 10 months away from home. Luckily, we get to see our family at Christmas in Colombia (most of Rory's family lives there and the O'Keefes are flying out to meet us there), but we are feeling the ache of missing our dearest people. Ministry full-time can be so exhausting, emotionally and physically, but we are trying to find time to rest and recooperate. Love and miss you all so deeply.
We've also been experiencing some spiritual warfare in the form of mental health flare-ups, discouragement, exhaustion, and fights right before we are about to do big ministry. It is frustrating, but better now that we have brought it to the light. Please pray for spiritual protection over us, we would be so grateful.
The Story of Home Church
We have been praying for a while to start a home church/life group for people who don't know Jesus. We specifically prayed for divine appointments for us to meet people who would otherwise not encounter the Lord or show up in church. And the Lord said yes! First, Rory met a friend playing basketball who got into a motorcycle accident (mentioned in our 2nd blog post!), then met another guy who wandered into a worship night days before he was supposed to go to trial for a crime he committed. The court trial has taken longer than expected, and in that time he has accepted Christ and is walking with the Lord. We don't know the results of the court's decision yet, but we just can't believe how good God's timing is. Next, I met a girl at a coffee shop who was recently beat up by her boyfriend. Her entire community abandoned her when it happened and she was in need of hope and support. One Monday morning, Rory had an idea. He asked me to invite everyone I knew that didn't have a community to dinner. I was so nervous because most of the people I knew I had barely met. Natalie and I went for a walk in the park that day and met two medical students and the Lord told me to invite them to dinner as well. I laughed and said okay, Lord, but they won't come! Then the next day while I was volunteering at the foundation, the Lord spoke again, telling me to invite all my coworkers to dinner that night too. Some of these people I had barely spoken to. I was nervous and resisting and eventually gave in, again thinking they would not come. That night I made a huge pot of chili and left the front door open. Rory and I prayed and waited. And waited. 30 minutes after we had planned, someone showed up. Then another, then another. Soon our table and our house was filled with strangers we barely knew. It was awkward at first, then people began to loosen up and laugh and sooner or later everyone was acting like old friends. Rory shared his testimony and I sat at one end of the table with tears in my eyes, thinking about how the Lord knew exactly who would be at this table. Thus began the start of our Tuesday night home group. It has been so beautiful to experience people hearing of Jesus for the first time, and still coming back every Tuesday. The Lord gave us a divine appointment for each and every person that came. To God be the glory.
Youth Conference
Rory and I also recently got asked to speak at a youth conference about God's intentions and heart regarding sexual trauma, abuse, relationships, God's design for us, social media, and pornography. It was so powerful to get to share truth with these young adults, many of whom have experienced very difficult sexual encounters and hard examples of relationships. Watching students hear that their trauma wasn't their fault, the God heals all, and that his grace is boundless was so powerful. I sat with tears in my eyes as so many women bravely opened up about being raped, molested, or abused in their home. Them getting abused is the difference between food being on the table and shelter being over their heads or not. Many women stated that if they reported their abusers, they would be homeless. It was shattering to hear. We prayed and offered resources and just loved on these kids as much as possible. So many people accepted Jesus and were educated and it was so special to be a part of.
Photo Updates!
Franklin got baptized!! This is a young man that Rory has been discipling and Rory got to baptize him last week. Praise the Lord! Pray for Franklin's new walk with Christ: being a believer, after living a certain way for so long, is so hard. Navigating friendships, relationships, work, etc. Pray for strength, courage, and that He would feel the Lord walking with him every step.
Rory started doing lunch time devotionals at the Family Health Foundation! It is so fun to see him sharing Jesus with my coworkers and seeing how the Lord uses him. Every week has been so good and people have been so involved, interested and listening so intently. Thankful for the boldness Rory has for Jesus.
We finally started home visits!! Natalie, my dear friend and social worker extraordinare, has started up providing social services for families in need in our city. Tons of families have reached out to the church for help and so we have an every growing list to continue working with! Essentially, Natalie goes with Rory and I to homes of families requesting help and does an assessment of needs: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, etc. Addressing their safety, food security, access to healthcare, mental health resources, community, education and tangible needs, then consolidating a list and providing for each one as well as we can. I go along as a public health nurse to provide physicals and assess their needs for medical care, and Rory helps translate for Natalie, provides some physical protection just in case, and is so good at connecting with the families, praying for them and telling them about Jesus. It has been so fruitful and exciting!!! Pictured above is a sweet family from Venezuela who currently live in a carwash. They have 2 young kids and are such good parents. We were able to provide their kids with physical therapy (specifically for the son who has had several falls and head injuries from slipping on wet floors), vitamins, and bring them food and personal hygiene supplies, as well as connect the parents with a life group and pray over their family. We are working on bring the parents some new clothing and find them furniture for their space. This ministry has made such an impact already and its only been a week! We are seeing 2-3 new families a week, as well as following up with previous families we have seen.
Rory was asked to be a substitute teacher for 3 days and the kids loved him so much that they drew incredibly accurate portraits of him and traded world cup trading cards with him.
Pictured below: Taking our youth leaders out for dancing at a rooftop bar with a stunning view of Cuenca
Leading Bible study at the Recyclers Foundation in the photo below! Explained in a previous blog, essentially a program empowering underpriviledged kids to finish their education and break through generational expectations to recycle for a living.
Pictured on the right is Rory with his Venezuelen basketball team! Refugees are usually not allowed to enter tournament, so the boys mad a tournament of their own for all the people being excluded from tournaments. Rory's team got 2nd place! Just so you know, the people Rory is pictured with are considered tall in Ecuador... yeah.
Santa Rosa Medical Brigade!
We spent a week on the coast of Santa Rosa, Ecuador putting on a large brigade. We had several general pracitioners, two dentists, an eye doctor, and 6 nurses! It was a stacked team and we saw and helped copious amounts of patients! We really loved this team! They were from Ohio and quickly became good friends.
This tent was constantly filled with people waiting to be seen. We worked all week from 7 am to 6 pm! We set up at another Arco church location and they had an incredible evangelism team praying over people and sharing the gospel. It was one of my favorite brigades yet!
Photos & captions below!
While Santa Rosa is a humid, hot, misquito ridden beach town (team Cuenca all the way), we have now been there several times and have really connected with the people. We've gotten to be good friends with our Arco team members down there and it's a joy to get to go see and spend time doing ministry with once strangers, now sweet, sweet friends. It reminds me of how in the New Testament, there were church members and churches all over the world that encouraged each other and helped each other. It's freaking cool.
Jungle Brigade!
Last week we went to the jungle again to provide medical care to another community in the Shuar tribe. We drove again, this time with no car troubles (!!), and got to bring Natalie with us!! This was extremely special because the jungle teams can be very exclusive, only allowing Ecuadorian healthcare professionals and people who live in and are dedicated to Ecuadorians due to the fragile and carefully kept relationships with the tribes. She was an ASSET. Our team was the smallest we have had with the most patients seen in a day. 285 patients with me as the only nurse and then 3 other doctors. Insanity. Miracles were had in the name of Jesus!
Started off with an eventful drive. Found a man sprawled in the middle of the road unconscious with his crumpled motorcycle a few yards away. He was breathing and alive, praise the Lord, but was heavily intoxicated and unable to properly follow commands. He had a probable R femur fracture and some other small wounds. His cousin arrived at the scene a few minutes later, and the man began to blame our team leader for hitting him with his truck. This was obviously not the truth, but our team leader told us we needed to leave him with his cousin because it had become dangerous for us due to the advantageous attitude of this particular group that he was familiar with. The justice system in Ecuador is guilty until proven innocent, so the odds of us getting thrown in jail if we brought him to the nearest hospital were very high. This was extremely hard for me, going against all my instincts as a nurse, but it made a lot of sense. Praying hard that he made it to a hospital and is okay.
We made it to the Chichis community within the Shuar tribe and set up shop! I did a lot of wound cleaning, injections, and assisted my friend Federico in procedures. Natalie got really good at taking vital signs really quick so I could be free to assist in other areas. She was amazing!
Rory did eye exams all day and shared the gospel. The people in the jungle always love Rory because he is so tall and fun. He's always the best with the kids and they always beg him to come play soccer.
The photo below is him sharing Bible stories with eager, silly kiddos.
Natalie & I with some new friends!
An amazing woman made all of us hand-made earrings as a thank you. They are truly exquisite and one of the best gifts I've recieved. We danced with them and ate with them with joyful, tired hearts. Our hearts are very joyful and tired these days- haha!
Thank you all for your continued love and support. We could not do this without you. I hope you see all these beautiful things happening and know that you, whether prayerfully, financially, or through encouragement, are serving the kingdom of Heaven with us. All we desire is for all people to know Jesus and be loved the way He loves us. That includes all of you. If there is a way we can be loving on you or supporting you or showing you Christ better, call us or message us. We would love to talk and learn and grow with you.
Let the joy and peace of Jesus Christ be with you always.
Love,
Claire and Rory Angulo
Comments