Scrolling through the news headlines each morning it is easy to become focused exclusively on what is going on here in the USA – so many political opinions, calls for justice, micro-details of trials…..and of course a liberal sprinkling of celebrity gossip! We can literally pick and choose how we want to “keep up with the news” and it is easy to forget how the rest of the world is doing!

Soon after I sent out the last newsletter, I was again blessed to be able to lead another team from our church on a week-long mission trip to Guatemala. As with all mission trips, we were challenged by several obstacles, but if we are certain we have heard from God to go on the trip, we can always trust that He will help us overcome them all! Storms, delays with flights and lost luggage combined to make our outgoing journey last almost 22 hours from door to door! But our team of 11 (over half were first-timers) were awesome and worked well together throughout the week – including doing some bible skits for the children at two different Happy Tummies locations.

The week in the mountains was filled with sharing the Bible and God’s love with the Mayan people of all ages – excited children in Happy Tummies groups and also in school visits; elderly “Abuelitos” who only speak the local Mayan language and in some cases have NEVER been outside their own community; and young mothers eager to learn in a weekly sewing class so that they can start their own small business at home.

We particularly focused on Pastor Julian’s church in Santa Clara, with whom our church is partnering to start a new Happy Tummies program. He’s been working with church members every day for two years constructing the new church which will also house the program (seen here), and hopefully it will be ready in the next couple of months as he has already identified over 80 children who are in great need of the daily meal and Bible teaching.

We visited several homes, taking groceries and meeting families living in desperate situations, as seen in the following photo. It was a reminder that no matter what the latest news is, Jesus’ last words to us were to go into the world to share the Gospel! Let’s continue to pray for guidance as we seek to do our part! Blessings, Shirley.

Pastor Sika in Togo – He sent us this photo of Matthew, a Joseph Project orphan who recently started his apprenticeship in masonry in Lomé. He is shown making cinder blocks for the construction of a house. Two more of the orphans take their baccalaureate exams this week and hopefully will be able to start university. What amazing opportunities these young people have as a result of being rescued from poverty and hopelessness and taken into the Joseph Project some 10 years ago!! Our sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you who have faithfully supported the JP through the years!

Pastor Sika again requests our prayers for his country, which has been in a very precarious political situation since the beginning of the year. He reports that this month there has been increasing civil disobedience and violence, with demands for the departure of the president – a corrupt dictator who is mistreating the Togolese people by making life expensive and very difficult for everyone. A particular protest is planned for June 26-28. He asks prayers for his country and their security during these troubled times. We keep him and his team in our prayers as he continues the many different aspects of his ministry – weekly radio programs, church-planting in remote rural areas; pastoring the church in Lomé, evangelism in schools, and of course overseeing the Joseph Project.

Pastor Honoré in Central African Republic – Unfortunately he slipped in the shower and fell down a couple of months ago, seriously hurting his leg, which is still causing him pain. But thankfully the ministry is still going well. The school year ended last week, and already 100 orphans have been registered for school next year. He is praying for people to sponsor them to cover the costs of tuition and supplies. He and his team attended a training session by Samaritan’s Purse, and they finally received a shipment of OCC shoeboxes. These were distributed to many very excited children, as seen here. They have just begun a six-week Children’s Bible study as follow-up. We continue to pray that God will provide healing and protection, strength and wisdom, and meet every need as he and his team continue this wonderful ministry.