THE
NICODEMUS PROJECT, GUATEMALA CITY
MARCH
2013
What
a great pleasure it was to meet two faithful readers of the prayer letter when
I (Carol) was at the Arkansas House last week. And thank you to those who I have not met yet, you
faithfully read and pray for the requests each month! Thank you!
As
I (Carol) write this, I want to tell you a personal testimony of how I was one
of “o ye of little faith” as the disciples were in Matthew 8:26. Last week I received news that I was
put on an alternate list for a CPE program of study which I really wanted to get
into. I was disappointed. I
started making other plans. The
program leaders had said “we’ll let you know by February 27th if a
position comes open”. I thought
that isn’t going to happen.
Usually I have more faith but this time looking back I can say that I
didn’t have faith that it would work out.
However,
on the 27th, I opened my email and I was so excited. Why? Because I had an official letter from NC Baptist Hospital in
Winston Salem, NC, inviting me to begin the CPE Chaplains program of study. I was so excited. I said thank you God. It was truly God who worked it all out.
I’ll go on STAS (furlough), April 4.
I’ll begin the studies May 28 and they will take about a year and a
half. Then at that time I’ll see
where God leads.
Pray
that the each one of us on the Nicodemus Team would keep the faith. Pray that each one of you reading would
keep the faith in whatever situation you might be facing. Pray that we would all be faithful in
what God has given us to do.
Friday,
March 1: Today the Guatemala Baptist Seminary finishes the first cycle of its
on-site 2-week Master's courses. There were several students from
Honduras that joined the program this time. Pray for safe travels as they
return home. Pray for each student as they now must do their follow-up
assignments. Pray that these studies will help them to be better servants
of God, for His glory.
Saturday,
March 2: Today, the Baptist
missionaries in Guatemala are having a farewell lunch for Larry and Sarah
Plyler and Carol Wilkinson as they return to the US and their next place of
ministry. The Plylers will be leaving behind the Gospel Outreach Project
that did prayer walks and scripture distribution in many parts of the country
where there was no Baptist work, while connecting with local Baptist churches
to do follow-up. Praise God with us for the many new churches that were
started as a result of their efforts and pray that they will be established on
a firm biblical base and continue to grow, prosper and reach out to others.
Pray for Carol's disciples that she leaves on the private university
campuses and the seeds that she has planted to take root and result in more
souls for God's Kingdom.
Sunday,
March 3: Pray for Manuel and Siomara and the leaders of Impacto Biblico
Church. Pray that they would have
wisdom in decisions and plans they are making. Pray for each one of the churches represented by the
Nicodemus Team members.
Monday,
March 4: A meeting has been scheduled for March 5 at Marco Antonio's house (where
the Impacto Bíblico Church meets) to see if there is interest in beginning a
new Crown study group. He, Ana and Judith have said that they have
friends who are interested in the study. Pray for the Lord to once again
use this as an opening for a new Bible study group.
Tuesday,
March 5: Sharon Cook gives thanks for a successful card class with the Wednesday
group. On Ash Wednesday, she had a chance to talk about accepting the Lord and the
truth about Easter rituals. It was really a good time. Pray that the members would come to
understand the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and having a personal
relationship with Him.
Wednesday,
March 6: Nathan and Claudia Hardeman will be in Guatemala this month hosting
teams that are helping them with construction of the Engadi Refuge, a ministry
for young boys in precarious living situations. Pray that the building
permits, that have been held up in the Antigua City Council, will come
through. Now the neighbors are trying to have their water cut
off. Pray that the Lord would change hearts and open doors so they
the work might move forward. Pray for the financial support they need for
building materials. Pray for them as they return to the US and work there
on getting Claudia's citizenship and continue forming their Board of Directors
for the ministry of people who are passionate and dedicated to seeing their
vision carried out.
Thursday,
March 7: Thank you for your prayers last month for the Intermissions
Conference! It was a good weekend
of fellowship, worship, seeing old friends and making new friends. It was a time when the participants
where encouraged to “Maintain Joy in the Trenches”.
Friday,
March 8: Pray for Elvin and Jacqueline as they try to begin a Bible study group
in their neighborhood. Usually, just getting started and getting people
to come the first time is the hardest part.
Saturday,
March 9: Last month the Impacto Biblico Church celebrated Pastor's Day and
Manuel's birthday. Pray that he will be encouraged in his ministry and
that the Lord will bless him and his family spiritually, emotionally, and
financially. Pray that he would find time to prepare each week to lead the
church and take care of his work and other ministry opportunities. He and
Siomara have been trying to visit different families each week, but his time is
really stretched thinly.
Sunday, March 10: Continue to pray for
Noemi Macumber’s mom. She needs to
have a portal put in which will make dialysis safer and easier for her. Pray that it would all work out in
God’s timings. Pray for her mom as
she waits to have the portal procedure done.
Monday,
March 11: “I think that if they knew Jesus they wouldn’t want to go drinking and
partying every weekend. Drinking
is boring.” This was an
observation made by one of the university students. Pray for the continuing spiritual growth of Roger. Pray that he would continue to grow in
his understanding of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for him as his classmates invite
him out on the weekends for drinking.
Tuesday,
March 12: Thank you for your prayers last month. Twelve pastors' wives met on
February 16 for fellowship and to pray for and encourage each other. It
was a good beginning and the women were very enthusiastic about the time
together and want to continue meeting. There is a pastors' retreat
scheduled in June and the president of the pastors' association has invited the
wives to join them and then have some additional time apart. The women
were also encouraged to go back to their areas and try to organize the pastors'
wives there in local groups in the meantime. Pray for these servants of
the Lord as they minister with their husbands in many challenging situations.
Wednesday,
March 13: Pray for the discipleship time with the young couple Mario and
Kathy that Jeff and Noemi meet with every Wednesday. Pray that they will
continue to grow in their obedience to the Lord and find places of service to
exercise their gifts within the body.
Thursday,
March 14: Ellis and Judy Leagans appreciate your prayer support as they work on
plans for the future. Their IMB retirement date is June 1.
Friday, March 15: Pray for Josiah and Kaila Macumber as
they will be attending a conference in the Dominican Republic March 14 through
the 17th. It is for the
Harvard Association Cultivating Inter-American Democracy (HACIA) XIX Summit of
the Americas. This is a conference where they will be debating different
subjects that pertain to topics that affect the Americas. Kaila will be
participating in the Hemispheric Security Committee, and Josiah will be in the
Pan-American Health Organization Committee.
Saturday,
March 16: Today is a Conference for
"Ministerio Juvenil Bautista de Guatemala". A group of
Guatemalan Youth Leaders will be doing a conference in Cobán and Noemi will be
the Missions Representative for the Conference. Pray that we will be
inspired to share what God wants to teach these young men and women in regards
to missions, youth ministry philosophy, the ABC's of youth ministry and
leadership character development and relationships.
Sunday,
March 17: After flying all night a team from Canada arrives early this morning
to work with Carol Wilkinson. Pray
that they would arrive ready for the week. Pray for the different activities which they have
planned. This afternoon they are
going to have an activity in the neighorhood where the hotel is located which
is also the neighborhood where Manuel and Siomara live.
Monday,
March 18: Please continue to pray for the Monday group as they finish up
the Fruit of the Spirit study by the end of March. Also pray that Kathy,
one of the members, will find a way to change her tutoring for Monday night so
she can come back to the Monday night group.
Tuesday,
March 19: Pray for the work in La Comunidad. There are leaders that
will be starting to take care of that work and their names are Alexander and
Wendy. Pray that the families from the Bible Studies there will see
themselves as one body and that the work will flourish there. They are looking
for a place to purchase that will be more central to all the families there.
Wednesday,
March 20: The men from Impacto Biblico have been meeting for breakfast
and Bible study once a month. Now the ladies would like to begin meeting
to share and pray together. Pray for Siomara and others as they try to
find the right date and place to kick this off. Pray that it will be a
blessing for the women and bring new women in.
Thursday,
March 21: George has been asked to teach in the
next cycle of the masters program at the Baptist seminary in June. Pray
with him to know the will of the Lord. Also, remember him as we works
with the logistic coordinators of the various countries to prepare and refine
their work plans for this year.
Friday,
March 22: Pray for the team and Carol today as they finish up the week. The team flies out tomorrow. Pray for the contacts which have been
made. Pray for those who have made
decisions to accept Christ.
Saturday,
March 23: Pray that Gaby and Roger would continue to grow in their
spiritual lives. Pray that even
though Carol is leaving soon that they would still get together on a weekly
basis. Pray that they would
continue to grow more comfortable in their talking to God throughout the day
whether it is when they are in the car, between classes, in the store or
wherever they may be.
Sunday,
March 24: The Impacto Biblico Baptist Church will be beginning a Sunday
school program for adults and continuing classes for children and adolescents.
Pray for each teacher to prepare well and for each participant to arrive
on time eager to learn more about God's word.
Monday,
March 25: Pray for a Ladies Bible Study that Noemi is leading at a new
church plant in San Cristobal. They meet every Tuesday. They are going
through Beth Moore's Breaking Free Bible Study. God is using this Bible
Study in the lives of these ladies in amazing ways. There is a need for a
Men's Group and God is touching the heart of one of the men of that
church to start a men's group. Praise the Lord! The ladies are also
reaching out to their families and wanting to bring the Bible Study to their
families. So, there will be other Studies started hopefully by the middle
of March where these ladies will bring the study to others in the community.
Tuesday,
March 26: As usually happens during Holy Week, many people from Guatemala City
will travel to the beach or other places throughout Guatemala or outside of
Guatemala. It is a nice week of
less traffic in the city. Pray for
the Guatemalans to come to know the power of the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. Pray that those who
know would share the truth with others.
Wednesday,
March 27: George’s trip to Belize was frustrating. The paperwork
was not ready for his signature because there are several more issues.
The man who originally was helping needs to give a clear report of what he did
before, but he avoided George while he was there. Pray that the real
estate agent will be able to finalize the sale of the property. George is
planning to travel to El Salvador this month to finalize the transfer of some
property. Pray for a fruitful trip.
Thursday,
March 28: Continue to pray for Manuel, Siomara and Samuel. Pray that they
would feel the strength of many people praying for them today.
Friday,
March 29: Happy Birthday Kaila
Macumber! May you have a day
filled with God’s blessings. May
He bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you both now and
forevermore.
Saturday,
March 30: Pray for Carol as she is
cleaning out, packing, visiting and enjoying her last days in Guatemala before
her April 4th departure. Pray that it would be an enjoyable time for
her. Pray that all the loose ends
would come together.
Sunday,
March 31: Celebrate the Resurrection on this Easter Sunday! Pray that those who
don’t understand the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ will come
to know Him today.
To join or
leave this prayer list group, please include your name and email address and
send your request to prayerlist@multilingualservice.com.
