An Amazing Week!

God did amazing things in Tarija!  Here are some stats but truthfully, ask someone who was on the trip to tell you one of their stories of how God touched them, that will be more impressive.  We give God all the glory!
The gospel was presented 2584 times
1937 people invited Jesus into their lives
2212 times discipleship was done
1472 people attended a I Am Second group
261 brothers and sisters from local churches walked and worked with us.
Truly a life changing week!

Please Pray

Your prayers are needed.  One of our national workers, Eusebio Barro Burgos was working his regular construction job in the morning on the third floor of a building.  He was accidentally electrocuted then fell off of the building to his death at 11am this morning, Thursday, August 1.
Eusebio worked with one of our e3 teams last year and was working again this year each afternoon after he got off of work.  Team leader Theresa Nichols said that he had lead many people to Jesus this week.
I had the opportunity to go and minister to his wife this afternoon and to some friends at the mother church, Iglesia Belen.  Everyone though so highly of Eusebio.  He was a very active part of his church.  He will be missed by family and friends.
Please take a moment and say a prayer for the Burgos family at this time.

posted by Sam Neugent

Cube - Magical?

I visited a man that mixed medicine, in order for the medicine to work he had to do witch craft. He didn't want to hear anything I had to say and was afraid of the cube. He said it held magic and I was not to say anything about it.  Victor, a national, started speaking to him and asked if he had a Bible. He got up and came back with two Bibles. They discussed with voices raised for thirty minutes.  This man, not wanting to see or speak to me, accepted Jesus.   We left after a group photo. God is good here in Tarija.

posted by Kathy Oakes    

Using Soccer Ball to Share Christ

My first time in Bolivia and wow! Yesterday after another wonderful meal prepared by our host church, we were getting very sleepy and decided we would take our soccer ball and go to the neighborhood field for our siesta. While we were playing, we had several local adults and children join us for game. When we were finished playing, we all sat down to take a breather.  We asked that one of our translators share the soccer ball with everyone, she gladly did so, explaining the meaning of the colors. Everyone sat attentively and listened to her.  I then got into conversation with a mother and small son and had an opportunity to share the Cube with them. She prayed to receive our Lord right there on the soccer field! This "Crazy Old American Woman" is so blessed to be here!

Soccer Ball brings a Smile

Our person of peace, Justiana, has been amazing! She has opened up her home for our meetings every day, and provides us food and drinks without us ever asking. We can tell that they are very poor... But they give us the best of what they have.
     What happened today touched me the most. Justiana has several children who have been very kind to us. Her youngest son, Emmanuel, is 11. This afternoon our translator came over to us and told us that Emmanuel told him that he has been praying every day that when we leave, we will give him the soccer ball we brought with us. I had to fight back tears as I watched this shy little boy smile as if he was the luckiest person in Bolivia when he got his ball. I'll never forget it!

Sisters Come to Christ

Today we were going door to door in our community New Jerusalem and we came across a group of kids. We stopped and shared our testimonies and the cube with them! All 5 kids prayed to receive Christ! The girl in the group asked me to come to her house to share my story with her older sister. So I went and shared my story with the 17 year old girl named Gina. At the end of the cube I was explaining that she didn't have to do anything for God to love her, that he thought the world of her, and she started to cry. I asked her if she wanted to pray to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior and she said yes! After we prayed we started to disciple her and her younger sister! She asked me to please come back tomorrow and continue to teach her more about the Bible. Praise God for these new sisters in Christ! He is working in MIGHTY ways here in Tarija! Thanks for your prayers!

posted by Lacey Entrekin

.69 cent Glasses

What can .69 cent glasses do?  It can draw 147 people in a small village to a new start up home church.  Today in Bario El Salvador we held a reading glass clinic.  147 came to have their eyes checked.  80 of those decided to be followers of Jesus.  Some were already professing Christians and some were just not interested in hearing this life changing story.  Seeds were sown in the lives of this small village.
Would you stop right now and say a prayer for these people?  Ask God to send someone to water and cultivate the seeds.  That those who accepted Christ would truly follow Him.  Pray for our team as we have a huge task now of follow up and for the nationals we are working with who will continue to do this long after we go home.
God is at work in Tarija!
posted by Sam Neugent

I've Wasted 20 Years of My Life

I didn't think I was ready.  I didn't know enough scripture.  I wasn't good at talking to people.  I didn't even put a lot of effort into raising money for this.  Make that NO effort.  Well, God made it happen, He got me to Bolivia.  I still didn't think I was worthy or able.  It didn't take very long for God to open my eyes.  It's not about me it's about God.

I met people that are on fire for the Lord.  They make me want to be like them and yet they are looking to me for answers and guidance.  I was able to witness to people.  People that had never seen a church much less heard Christ.  Yeah, it took only one day in Bolivia to realize I've waisted 20 years of my life.  This is the best day I've ever had.  I've never felt so close to God in my life.
You have no choice while you are here but to be still and know He is God.  I'm humbled by a people that by our standards have nothing.  In reality they have everything.  We should be ashamed.

posted by Shane Stoudenmire