Silent Friends Mission Trip 2007 -- Puerto Rico

First Update from the Group (received 6/24/07)

Dear Brother’s and Sister’s,

            We arrived in Puerto Rico with out a hitch in the plan.  We were met by Pastor Jorge and Pastor Jose along with many of the members of the church. We were greeted by many of the women of the church and they fixed us an amazing meal.  A man in the church, Nelson, has joined in the ministry for the deaf there in La Iglesias De La Fey.  He his wife, daughter and three grandchildren are very precious members and are all working on learning sign.  Nelson has taken off the entire week to aid in our VBS and tote us around in the van.  We are staying at a camp that is in the jungle and I mean it’s just carved out of the Jungle.  But it is very wonderful to have such a well supplied facility to stay at.  Hey Brandon I think I found the next place for ya’ll to have youth camp!!

Friday morning we began to work on preparing for VBS and the transformation of the whole church began.  Mark and Russell from Pleasant Hill began working with the men of the church.  They are working on a fence that will surround the church.  Everyone is so excited to have us and just the most precious people.

Sunday Morning we began with a short service with the deaf and then we all met together in the larger sanctuary.  We had a wonderful worship service in thee languages, sign, Spanish and English.  It was a slice of heaven all together in harmony.  I don’t have words to express the amount of love and gratitude people have for our presence here.  We were presented to the church and welcomed by the congregation.  Rhoda Perez helped present us to the church and Joel, that comes to visit every year with Terry, interoperated for us.  The Senor Pastor of the church gave a beautiful sermon about faith and how we must have faith to accomplish the will of God. 

After the service we had a fellowship dinner with the deaf church and I met many different people.  A grandson of one of the ladies that will be helping us came excitedly to talk about VBS, his name is Edgar.  Edgar told us “I have been so excited about VBS that I have been thinking about it all year.  I was so excited that I didn’t even sleep last night knowing that it starts on Monday, and I have a friend even that I am bringing.  We start in the morning and we are so excited to serve these amazing people.  I ask that you be praying that God will strengthen us daily and break down the barrier of language.  It is highly likely that we will be able to minister to this church, community and families all around.  Ask God to give us the right words to say to point those we come in contact with to Him.  Until the next update Hasta luego!!!!!

09/03/2008Send mail to mlrushing@myav.net or  rich@firstbaptistog.org with questions or comments about this web site.