Chesney News and Updates

Emmanuel, God With Us!

2011-12-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas time! People seem to be a bit more open to things of the Lord. I can put up my tree and think of fond memories as I hang each special ornament. I like baking Christmas cookies and taking them to my neighbors! They actually roast chestnuts on an open fire down by the train station...one of my favorite outings this time of year! It is also one of the most effective outreach times we have had through our Christmas program we put on each year! It all gives me plenty of reasons to be thankful and to worship the Lord for His great goodness.

This year we had a choir of 12 and 2 narrators. It was quite a challenge to get everything together but the Lord blessed our efforts and He was glorified!

John

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless you all with more of Himself.
Much love,
John and Patti

Pastor Dave and Marsha Minister Life in Spain!

2011-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

Pastor Dave and Marsha arrived at the Malaga airport on Nov. 9, 2011!

We have been sooo blessed to have Pastor Dave and Marsha here with us this past week!!! John and I have been very encouraged and the church loved having them as well. Here is a glimpse of their time with us!

A quick trip to Gibraltar.

A journey together!

No resemblance there. None.

The joys of shopping!

What a blessing to have Pastor Dave in our home!

Two of my most favorite preachers!

Our folks loved them!

Pastor Dave and Marsha with Eduardo and Isabel.

Getting a glimpse of Spanish history in Cordoba.


Marsha shared a great word with the ladies on Tuesday. We will be doing our spiritual exercises more and more.

We spent our last day in Mijas, about 15 minutes from our home.

Wednesday evening we were blessed to hear Pastor Dave share his testimony and truths about God's grace and great love for us. We were all moved as his powerful prayer of release and blessing went out over the congregation.

They are on their way back to CLG.

We are so grateful for this time we have been able to have with Pastor Dave and Marsha. Their words of encouragement and direction have helped us to focus in again on the plans and promises the Lord has for us, helped us to see the church from a new perspective and encouraged us to keep pressing on. Thanks to all of you who have prayed for this time, it has meant more to us than we can express. We love your pastors and CLG! Thanks for standing with us for Spain and the Lord's dear ones here in this needy land.

Vision Cast for a House of Prayer in the Province of Malaga

2011-11-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

There are people all over the world who have a heart to see God move mightily in Spain. John and I had the privilege of meeting with Norman Prysbyslski, Pastor Fidel from Gibraltar, Myra Mesa, Paco and a few other brothers and sisters in November to pray and discuss how we could see a House of Prayer raised up here in our area. We know that the Lord hears the cries of His people. Hopefully, this dream will become a reality in the near future.

God´s Great Faithfulness -Celebrating Nine Years in Spain!

2011-11-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Jóse Manuel y Susana

It is hard to believe that we have been working now in Spain for 9 years! The time has flown by and we rejoice to look back and see God´s amazing work and faithfulness in the life of ICAM! What a great God we serve! Our celebration was filled with much emotion as different ones helped to decorate the church, worshiped the Lord, gave testimonies of His work in their lives, preached and had fellowship together.

We thank the Lord for all the dear ones who have become family to us here and for all of you there in the States cheering us on with love and support.

Yannett Ortega

Pastor John

We are very grateful for the team God has given us and for God´s continual guidance, provision, and favor.

John and Patti Chesney and Vicente and Merry Cazarin

Renewing Relationships Summer 2011

2011-08-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

God has been very gracious to us this summer along with the many family members, great friends and churches that we were able to be with. It was wonderful to reconnect with folks we had not seen for years and to meet new brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our State side trip started in Hampton, Virginia where we were able to reconnect with some of the dear ones at New Covenant Church and where I had a wonderful 3 days with my sisters in Williamsburg!


Pastor Mark and Mary Johansson

Pastor Bo and Donna Stuart, Duffield

We were able to travel up to Duffield, Va, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
It was wonderful to be with Pastor Dave and Marsha and many of you at CLG.

Marsha and Patti

Grace Wood and her family!

We were also blessed to spend some time with John´s parents, Patti´s folks and with Rachel, Alena and Will, and Dave, El and our new granddaughter, Wyatt!

Thanks to all who kept us in their homes, had us for meals, generously gave and prayed for us. We arrived home on August 9th tired but very grateful for all the Lord had done for us and showed us while we were State side. We have come back full of faith for what God is going to do next here in Spain and are excited to be a part of what He is doing. Thank you so much for your prayers, support and love. May His Kingdom come and His will be done here on earth as it is in heaven and may He use us to accomplish His purposes.

Much love, John and Patti

Go into all the world and make disciples

2011-04-27T02:34:00.000-07:00

Our discipleship program is still in full swing. We have come up with a booklet to teach the basic doctrines mentioned in Hebrews 6. We are now having folks who have gone through the basic teaching sharing with others. Our hope is that each person in the church will have at least a basic understanding of what the Bible teaches about our faith and where to find it so they can effectively share their faith with others. We want to be ready to receive the harvest that is on it´s way! It has been exciting to see how the Lord has already been using this little tool. We have had several receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and many who have grown in their faith. We even had one young man who wanted to go through the teaching who received the Lord as his personal Savior! The one on one contact has been great to minister to the specific needs of those in the church.

2011-04-27T02:11:00.000-07:00

The doors of opportunity are cracking open here in Spain! During the Christmas season our small choir was asked to sing at the Port during one of the celebrations! It was exciting to be singing ¨Praise to the King¨ for all to hear!

We were so pleased to have the opportunity to host the showing of the Jesus film at the city´s Cultural Center in March. The hall was full...holding a bit over 200 people!

Amazingly we were given permission to hand out free literature and Bibles.

Our free food was a big hit. We even had a lady come to the church asking for a cookie recipe! Hopefully she will be back soon!

We are trusting the Lord to water the seeds that have been planted in these past few months and to bring in the harvest. What a great God we serve!

Essence of Ekklesia

2011-03-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

A lot of people are frustrated with the idea of Church. Some say ¨well I watch some preaching on TV, that´s my church¨, or, ¨I like to go out into nature with some friends, that´s my church¨. There are lots of different expressions being called church these days so I thought I´d look into the scriptures to try to find some definition and answer some basic questions.

What things are essential in a church?

What are the things that if lacking make a church not a church?

Is it necessary for a Christian to be part of a congregation?

The Greek word for Church is ekklesia, strong´s number, G1577, ἐκκλησία, ekklēsia, ek-klay-see'-ah
From a compound of G1537 (out) and a derivative of G2564 (calling); a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

Here are some references that give clues to some important questions regarding the church.

Who builds the church?

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church… Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Act 7:38 This is he(Jesus), that was in the church in the wilderness… (referring to the Hebrews who left Egypt with Moses).

Where can Christians resolve conflicts and address sinful behavior?

Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

If you want to contact Christians to persecute them or whatever, where do you find them?

Act 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad

If there is Kingdom business to attend to, who will do it?

Act 11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Act 13:1-3 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Act 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

Where can a believer sit under good teaching and receive discipleship training?

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

When things are going really badly, who will pray?

Act 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

How can the church avoid confusion and paralysis?

Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders (leaders) in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Who will pay for important things like missions?

Act 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

Where do you go when you want to find Christians and communicate with them?

Act 18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

Where is spiritual nourishment provided for individual Christians?

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

What reference can be given to individual Christians?

Rom 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Is a special, dedicated ¨church¨ building necessary?

Rom 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

Where does God place gifts and ministries?

1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Where do Christians get built up?

1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Where is God worshiped and glorified?

Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Are church leaders really supposed to keep things in order?

1Ti 3:1-5 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Acts 2:42 describes the first church, how the were and what they did.

And they were continuing steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and in fellowship and in the breaking of the loaves, and in prayers.

The verses following it speak of the results or attending manifestations such as fear, generosity, and miraculous signs. Remember, the church doesn´t follow the signs, the signs follow the church.

Here are the key words of Acts 2:42 in the Greek with definitions. From these words and the above references we will see the essential ingredients of a biblical church.

a. Proskartereo, continue steadfastly, constant, long-term involvement
b. Apostolos Didache, the instructions, teaching, preaching, doctrine of the apostles (leaders).
c. Koinonia, fellowship, communion, partnership, participation, social intercourse, meeting together, financial contribution (Romans 15:26, 2Cor 9:13), communication (Philemon 1:6)
d. Klasis Artos, breaking bread, eating together, celebrating together, building community around the table.
e. Proseuche, prayer, worship, adoration, spiritual service, hearing God´s voice, letting Him hear ours.

An individual church body glorifies God by Christ Jesus, under the banner of God´s love and redemption by the Lamb of God. The church is the powerful blend of God´s redeemed gathering together unto Him in obedience to His Word under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

A church is not a church unless it has or is;

1. Established and built by Jesus Christ according to God´s will.
2. A structured, recognized, and respected leadership team empowered to establish doctrine, clarify vision, govern, give counsel, address and discipline sinful behavior, and keep order.
3. Regular gatherings for edifying Worship, Prayer, Preaching, teaching, and Fellowship.
4. Long-term commitment of time, effort, and financial resources by the members towards ministry goals and church life.
5. Sacraments and Ordinances; marriage, baptism, Lord´s supper, funeral services.

Is it necessary for a Christian to be part of a congregation?

It is generally understood that there is one church, the body of Christ that consists of every Christian from every place from the beginning until now. That is referred to as the Universal Church. That church has contemporary tangible expressions in the form of local congregations, also called churches, that meet together all around the world. This study is concerned with the latter, not so much the former.

If a person is truly born again they are part of the Church Universal. They are saved by the grace of God, which is activated by placing their own faith in Jesus and His atoning work on the cross. Since salvation is not received nor maintained by works it would not be correct to say that for a person to be truly saved they must be a member in good standing of a local congregation or attend a certain number of times per year.

Nevertheless, committed involvement in the local church as described by the scriptures above is clearly God´s plan for every believer. The church is the base to which practiced Christianity is anchored. The church is where discipleship happens. Despite the many examples of bad churches in the world, God places the solitary in families and God places His children in biblical churches. Any Christian that permanently exiles himself from the church takes himself out of God´s perfect will and seriously hinders his own growth, discipleship, and fulfillment of God´s callings and development of his gifts. The work of the Holy Spirit will be frustrated in his life.

In conclusion, you watching a preacher on TV may be wonderful, but it is not church. That preacher may have authority, but not in your life! You may worship with your friends in the park, but if that gathering doesn´t have all five things listed above you´re just hanging out with your friends. And, while not being part of a local congregation may not keep you out of heaven, it certainly will keep you out of the life God intends for you to have. As with all things there are exceptions; health reasons, work reasons, living in a place where there is no church, and other reasons may keep you out of a local church, but where you work and where you live is not as important as where you worship.

Maybe the church God has given you is lacking in some areas, or has some people in it you don´t care to relate to. The answer? Go and give humble, loving, faithful support until God releases you to a different church where you can go and give humble, loving, and faithful support. Don´t be a complainer or a thorn in anyone´s side, rather be someone who, by your loving and faithful service makes it better.

John

Christmas in Spain

2010-12-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

As most of you know the Spanish have created what they call a modern, secular society. It means that practically no one believes in God, or if they do, they believe more in a positive energy. There are also a lot of Muslims around with their beliefs and their culture. A young exchange student from Brazil who is attending our church said, ¨When I told the other students I was a christian they looked at me with pity like I was some poor miserable thing and they said ...You don´t have to be that way, you don´t have to believe that, you can just be normal like us!. The Spanish high school kids looked at her like she had never used a telephone or seen a television before. They wanted to help her to come around to their non-believing ways. They wanted to un-evangelize her! I had a conversation with a young neighbor named Jesus, he said he thought his namesake was just a good man who helped people and then a lot of myths and stories built up around him. He said he preferred the Buddhist philosophies.

So what about Christmas? Surprisingly it´s a pretty big deal here, probably fueled by the retailers. Lots of decorations and music. The city even had a special tent set up at the Puerto Marina and invited flamenco schools and kids´ choirs, and even our Church Christmas choir to come and sing. That was fun.

As a church we celebrate Christmas for a number of reasons. Even though the Bible doesn´t tell us Jesus was born on December 25th, and even though the Wise Men probably didn´t show up on the same night as his birth, that birth, His birth is worth celebrating. What could be more worth celebrating? Also in this land where evangelism is particularly challenging we have found that neighbors and friends who are usually uninterested in God and the church may well come to a Christmas program where someone they know will be singing or acting. That one small attendance can break the ice and become the start of something big in their lives.

At our Christmas party for the youth a couple of new faces showed up. Actually there were several. Some young women and two young men. The youth have been studying Proverbs for the whole year and they each began to share their favorite proverb, one by one. Well that was too much for the new girls, they made like they were going to the bathroom and just kept on going right out the door! The two guys stayed, listened, ate, and stayed through the games and all the way to the end. They were both self proclaimed atheists. The next day was Sunday and there they were taking it all in. One has made a profession of faith, the other is still hanging around, still listening. It´s not spectacular, but this stuff really works!

What does the Lord want ?

2010-11-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

I know a young man who is going through a very rough time. His mom and dad are in the middle of a bitter separation. His dad is unstable and abusive. His mom is overwhelmed with providing and caring for the family. He has chosen to be angry and rebellious. He used to be a really sweet kid who loved the Lord. Now he his hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting to trouble with drugs, etc.

What does the Lord want for him?

As his pastor I think I have a pretty good idea. I believe the Lord wants him to know that just because things are rough right now, they won´t always be that way. They don´t always have to be that way. I believe that God wants for him to experience heaven on earth even in the midst of all this conflict. God has an amazingly wonderful future planned for him. The funny thing is that it wouldn´t be that hard for him to see God´s plan happen.

I´m quite sure the Lord wants him to to apologize. For all the bitter words, for all the disobedience, for all the lying, for making a bad situation a lot worse, for turning his back on those who love him the most... After the apologies, there is still a lot of anger, conflict and unhappiness to deal with. The Lord wants him to bring those things to Him, pouring out his heart in prayer, not just once, but every day. He also needs to talk to his family about what he is feeling, process the anger, the frustration, and the pain. As his pastor I would love to help him with that, if he would only give me the chance. The pain, the anger and frustration can all be healed.

Then there is something else I believe the Lord wants. He wants my young friend to ask; ¨what can I do to help?¨ He can ask it of his mom, his dad, and the other members of his family. He can ask it directly to God, who certainly has many ways he can be a help to his hurting family, and to others. My young friend could live knowing that in the midst of a terrifying storm, he is an unwavering beacon of light, love and hope.

Please pray for my young friend. He needs divine intervention. Of course, the dangerous part about asking what God wants for someone else is that you inevitably start asking what He wants for you and your special situation. So while you´re at it pray for yourself, and ask God...

Lord, what do you want for me?

A Glimpse at the Church in Spain

2010-10-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

We have been away for much of the last several months, primarily tending to our family in the States. Here is a recent video showing the ongoing life and ministry in the church we planted and are currently leading. We will put up more in the near future. We love you and appreciate how you stand with us in prayer, financial support, and encouragement in this journey of following Jesus.

Blessings, John and Patti

They Called Us Pilgrims

2010-07-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

I will never again see the scriptures in the same way. Our trip to Israel was amazing. On every turn God was with us affirming us, teaching us, opening up His word to us in such precious ways. It was wonderful to walk on the mountains that Jesus once walked, to swim in the Sea of Galilee and walk along its´ shores. (no, we didn´t walk on water!) We saw the mustard plant and marveled at how extremely tiny the seed actually is...about the size of that period! and saw the thorns that reminded us of the parable of the sower. We saw the walls and gates of the city of Jerusalem and felt the tension of the different cultures and religions trying to live within its´ small area. There were new smells, new foods. We were able to see the City of David, walk thru Hezekiah´s tunnel, and pray at the Western Wall. It will take a life time to take it all in. I just hope that as I close my eyes I will always be able to see the Sea of Galilee...one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and to remember the precious moments we had there with the Lord. One of my favorite moments was in the garden tomb. After our tour they prepared a place in the garden where John and I were able to go aside and take communion. Oh! what a wonderful Lord we serve! How great is our God! How very great.

Giving testimony on the "Costa del Sol"

2010-07-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

I love baptisms! It is such a great picture of the new life we have in Jesus and such a great way to share His saving power with others. Saturday we baptized 7 people at a big beach party! We drew a lot of
attention and were able to share with some curious on-lookers! Please pray for the couple, 3 young women, and 2 boys that were baptized that they be truly strengthened in their christian walk and allow the Lord to use them mightily to extend His kingdom.

Milestones!

2010-06-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is a sight I will miss seeing! It is hard to believe that 4 months can go by so quickly. We have really enjoyed having Grace with us. It is amazing how well (and quickly) she fit in to ours lives here, both in our home and in the church.

Yesterday goodbyes were said and many hugs given as Grace gave her farewell message to the church. Today the suitcases are out and filled and last minute details are being worked out for the journey home tomorrow. We are very grateful to the Lord for sending Grace to us and for the things He has accomplished in and through her during her time here in Spain.

Once a year John and I feel the need to get away to rest and reflect. As we began praying and looking into options for a good get- away- plan for this summer we once again began to talk of our desire to visit the Holy Land.

To make a long story short, we are heading to Israel this Wednesday for a 2 week visit! This is truly a dream come true for us...what a big God we serve!

June 9-11 We will be staying in Tel-Aviv. Some friends of ours from Holland have a friend who lives here who will meet with us the first day to prep us for our stay in Israel!

June 11-18 Lord willing we will make our way to Tiberius where we will rest and tour.

June 18-23 Five days to walk the streets of Jerusalem before heading back to Spain!

We would really appreciate your prayers. The Cazarins will be taking care of the church family while we are away.

Repenters and Prodigals

2010-05-20T23:45:00.000-07:00

We have been teaching and preaching a lot about faith lately. Even when we go to events outside the church they seem to be always talking about faith. I believe God wants to strengthen our faith for the challenges that lie ahead. Romans 12:3 says that God has dealt to every man the measure of faith, so we have it, we just need to use it, exercise it, and stretch it to full power!

We´re also urging people more and more to respond to the Word by coming to the altar or in some other tangible way. Sunday a young Brazilian woman ¨A¨ came forward to give her life to Jesus. She had been part of a cult called the Universal church. She said, ¨they drained all my money and all my family´s money and left us bankrupt financially, emotionally and spiritually. One of our members chatted with her in the shoe store where she works and urged her to come to church. I spoke firmly but lovingly with her, reminding her that this was not just a prayer, but rather giving one´s life to God and his eternal purposes, without knowing that Patti had just given her the very same speech! Tears rolled down her cheeks as she asked for and received full and free pardon for all offenses past, present and future and invited Jesus to enter her life and be her Savior and Lord.

Wednesday night we started two nights of special meetings with John Steele, a senior leader from the New Life churches of New Zealand. John preached on faith (of course) and had prophetic ministry for everyone who desired it. A brother ¨C¨walked in whom we have not seen for 3 years. Before he wandered God had miraculously healed him from a deadly post operative staph infection. Thursday night a woman ¨A¨ came in with her two daughters. She received the Lord in the church back in its infancy. I baptized her in water and she was well on her way to being fully discipled when her faith walk was derailed due to a large part to some people who tried to split the church. We had not seen them for 4 years. They were all smiles and tears. I was so proud of the church as everyone received them with tenderness, love and affection. Only problem was, nobody wanted to leave. It was about 10:30 when we finally started to flash the lights and herd the excited and happy congregation out into the street.

Thank you for praying for the above mentioned people and for the church in general.
It´s an honor to have you as our friends and coworkers,
Pastor John

If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray...

2010-04-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

This past week was very rewarding as we entered into a time of prayer and fasting as a church, humbling ourselves before the Lord and crying out for more of Him. I love His word and His great faithfulness to fulfill His promises to us! The end of II Chronicles 7:14 says.. then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. As we "prayed through the temple" using different pieces of the furniture found in the temple as a tool or guide to see how it represents different areas of our Christian walk, we began to see the Lord breaking down barriers and strengthening foundations as we worshiped Him, prayed for forgiveness, healing, purity, transformation, salvation for loved ones and the crying needs we see all around us. We prayed for family, friends, the church, the city, the country, the world and its leaders and ourselves. We had times of laughter, rejoicing, weeping and silence as different dear ones came to "sit at His feet and hear His word" to their hearts. We don´t often read II Chronicles 7:15..."Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place."...but I think I heard Him whisper it to my heart. There is no doubt that the Lord lives and delights in the prayers of His people.

Off to a good start in 2010

2010-04-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Chesney News
Church Planting in Spain April 2010
This year started with a time of prayer, fasting, and looking forward to
what God will do in 2010. Last year was a growing and strengthening
time, the church is now stronger than ever. Forty four people have
completed the membership process and are still in the church, 9 of them
in the first quarter of this year. The house is regularly quite full on
Sundays.

It has been a great blessing to have Grace Wood from Church of the
Living God in Manchester, CT living with us and working for the church
as an intern. She has been a help to the youth ministry, worship
ministry, administration and many other areas. Recently her friend
Julie also visited. The prison ministry is also ongoing, Gary and I are
going into the different cell blocks every Thursday, sharing with the
inmates and teaching guitar. About once a month we are allowed to have
a service in the multi-use hall and invite male inmates from almost all
the cell blocks. This large prison is closed to all but a couple of
Christian ministries. We had a special opportunity to participate in a
joint worship service in the city hall´s 230-seat theater. The mostly
English worship time was standing room only.

The youth ministry continues to grow and strengthen thanks to the hard
work and commitment of the Cazarin family and Marco and Lorena.

We continue to get to know our area, we drove a couple of hours to the
north and visited a town called Baeza.

From what we can tell it has no evangelical church. What it does have is
much religion and superstition.

We presented a Passover Seder again this year complete with roast lamb
and bitter herbs. The different steps of the Seder all foretell the
coming of God´s Messiah, Jesus.
The Easter service was a great blessing. The dance group presented a
powerful hip-hop piece and the drama group also outdid themselves with a
drama that combined previously recorded video with live action. We
presented Jesus Christ as the one God anointed to bind up the broken
hearted and proclaim liberty and hope to anyone who´s life feels like a
prison. Many responded to the preaching by coming forward to receive
prayer.

Again we offer our heartfelt thanks to all of you who stand with us in
this labor of love. It is a great honor to have you as our friends,
family, and partners in ministry. We love you very much,

John and Patti

Mail: C/Paloma 2 1D, Benalmadena, Arroyo de la Miel, Malaga, Spain 29631
Tel: (34) 952.96.46.99 Email: pastorjuan@eml.cc or pattic@sent.com
Support: Dollar checks to New Covenant Church with note attached “Spain
ministry” mailed to New Covenant Church, 1079 Big Bethel Rd, Hampton, VA
23666
Support from Europe: Bank transfer to; 2098 0260 01 0372004044
IBAN:ES73 2098 0260 0103 7200 4044
Look for us on facebook
Skype; john_lowell_chesney

It´s Great to have Grace!

2010-03-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

It´s hard to believe that a month ago, on February the 4th, we were picking Grace Wood up at the airport! Time flies when you are having fun...and working! We had heard many glowing reports about Grace before she arrived and are now ready to concur with all of them! We are very blessed to have her in our home and working along side us in the ministry here.

We have kept her pretty busy...besides adjusting to Andalusian Spanish,which is always a challenge for new arrivals, Grace has fit in well with the worship team and youth group and has been helping me in the office with filing, organizing, copies and errands.

About a year ago I wrote a little book entitled "Tea Time with a Theme...Esther". I had the priveledge of homeschooling our girls for a number of years when we lived in the Dominican Republic. To make science, math, home ec. and learning manners a bit more fun (all homeschooling moms can relate I´m sure!) we used to have teaparties! When my girls moved away I began having teaparties with the little girls in the church! One day as I was reading through the book of Esther, the Lord dropped this idea of teaching the book of Esther through a teaparty! So! this past month I decided to try it out on Grace and 2 of our young ladies in the church in hopes that we can have a tea for the younger girls in the church in the near future. Who says you can´t enjoy your work!

Rodrigo´s Passing

2010-01-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

Sonia and Rodrigo were the first ones to get married in our church. We didn´t know they would only have two years together. Now he is the first member of our little church to go home to be with the Lord. He came from a large family from a small town and rural area outside the old city of Cadiz. He moved and bought an apartment here in Arroyo back when they barely cost 10,000 dollars. He had some land outside the city where he cared for donkeys. He also collected and turned in recyclables for some income. As his illness progressed he had to sell the donkeys and give up the collecting. He didn´t talk much but he liked to pray and to sing. He had been in the hospital only a few days for treatment of pneumonia. Patti and I went to see him on Friday. I read to him Psalm 103...

He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. Psalm 103:10-14

Though his eyes were closed he was listening and breathed an amen after just about every verse. The next night around 10:30 he had been asleep for some time. He opened up his eyes and looked at Sonia, shed a few tears and quietly slipped away.

He was a day and night at the Velatorio, a type of mortuary and cemetary run by our city. The service was held there at the chapel Sunday afternoon. Eight or ten family members were there and around 40 from the church. Patti led his favorite song, ¨Tu Majestad¨ and I shared from Psalm 31 about how our times are in God´s hands. I took the opportunity to urge everyone there to trust in Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation.

That evening their apartment was filled with church members wanting to show their love and support. Most of them only heard about Rodrigo´s death that afternoon in church and went directly to the funeral so practically no one brought food though I´m sure they all wanted to. Vicente and Merry had to go get some roast chicken to feed everybody.

The next morning Rodrigo was cremated at the same facility by a Spanish man with a haircut right out of the 60s. He rebuked the widow for not having her cell phone on earlier in the afternoon. I guess crematoria workers here don´t get sensitivity training. Sonia is quite used to all that and took it in stride. She seems to be doing fine. She has inherited the apartment from her husband and will receive a portion of his social security benefits. She and Jhonathan her son will press on working and serving God.

Thanks so much for all your prayer and encouragement.

John and Patti

Rodrigo and God´s amazing miracle power!

2009-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Once again, the doctors were floored as they sent Rodrigo home yesterday to enjoy the Christmas holidays! Just 2 weeks ago they were preparing the family for the worst. It was great to see him sitting up in his bed this afternoon, praying and giving thanks to the Lord. And even though he is still a bit weak he managed to break out with a big smile! The whole family is glad to be together again.

We have had 2 dedications this past week! One of little Anna!

And a new business that a family in the church just opened, a bakery!

This past week they gave us huge bag of different breads to give out to the folks in the church...we trust the Lord will bless them as they sell lots of bread and give out freely the wonderful news of the Bread of Life!

D., L. and their daughter I.

John and I were blessed to be a part of the youth Christmas dinner. The group continues to grow...in number and in the spirit!

Trials always come, are you ready?

2009-12-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

One of the men in our church has been admitted to the intensive care with severe pneumonia. He has leukemia and has survived a long difficult medical journey. The doctors are preparing the family for the worst. He and his partner were the first live-in couple in the church to willingly separate and work through the process of getting legally married out of a sincere heart to please God.

While this is certainly a difficult time for the church and the family, the thought quickly comes to mind, how rough would this be if they didn´t know the Lord and have hope in Him? How much worse would the situation be if there wasn´t a church family ready to come to the aid of this faithful family? Here´s the clincher for me; how much better off is this young wife facing this trial as his legally married partner and not just his significant other?

You see, they could have continued to postpone doing the right thing. They could have given a long list of problems, complications, obstacles, expenses, and inconveniences to put off getting their lives right with God. But they didn´t. They separated, he got baptised in water, (she already was), and before you know it the papers came through for their civil ceremony.

The trials test our relationships, our obedience, our discipline, and our work. You can get away with a lot of marginal stuff when everything is going great. But then the surprise trial hits like a tsunami and either you are ready or you aren´t. Either you stand or you fall apart.

Please pray for Rodrigo and Sonia.

John

A very good Sunday

2009-11-09T01:05:00.000-08:00

After the wedding Saturday evening the church was in a bit of a mess and there was an impressive perfume of garlic and grilled meat from the Argentinian style wedding feast. Eduardo and Isabel, two faithful servants from Bolivia came in early Sunday morning as they always to to tidy up, air out, and make the place presentable for the service. They are always gone before the first member of the worship team arrives. They show up later all showered and nicely dressed to begin ushering.

I expected a smaller than usual crowd (in fact some of the key players at the wedding did chose to stay home) but as the worship began the house started to fill up. Patti led us in one of my favorites, our translation of ¨grace like rain¨ and she surprised everyone by pulling out her flute and helping us all soar up to the 7th heaven. By the time the preaching started there were only a few empty seats. It has been like this for several months now.

Lately I have been preaching and teaching on grace. Looking back I realized it had been years. Living in a city where there is so much immorality, lawlessness, promise breaking, and carnal Christianity I tend to preach more on discipleship and consequences of our actions. But, what really causes us to fall in love with God and His Word and His Kingdom is His amazing grace. And when the heart is established in grace we come to abhor thanklessness, selfishness, and empty, purposeless living. This particular word was on Grace that Saves Secures and Sanctifies. Pastor Vicente led us in receiving the Lord´s Supper at the end. One of the things I enjoy most in my life is watching people line up to file past the table to take the elements of ¨la Santa Cena.¨ One of the hardest things about being a pastor for me is that if you are doing your job, really shepherding the flock you get to know them a bit too well. They bring you their failures and weaknesses. You know what that one did to the other one and how the other one is having trouble forgiving. You know about debts, abuse, gossip, lying, cheating and even some criminal behavior. Sometimes it´s almost unbearable. You counsel and pray with them but it can be very slow going. Then on the second Sunday they get out of their seats and draw near to the table of God´s mercy. They pick up that symbol of the whipped and pierced body of Jesus in one hand and that symbol of the blood that freely flowed on their behalf on that dark Friday in the other and they return to their seats trusting completely in God to forgive and cleanse. As I observe it a deep peace floods me and I hear God say, "They are mine, and I am at work in each and every life."

The mother of Facundo, who is a new Christian in the church came up for prayer. She had been visiting from Argentina and was heading back. She had tears in her eyes and without saying a word I knew exactly what she wanted to say. "Take care of my boy, don't let him go back into the drugs." Together we placed that huge burden on the Lord. As usual people stayed after the service for almost an hour talking as those with responsibilities cleaned up and counted the offering. It's early in the month so many paid their tithes; the total was more than usual, 453 euros.

Eloisa, Cecilia, and Marsha came over after the service and had Shrimp Creole with us at home. We sat around the table and talked for hours, mostly about the unusal things we had eaten in the past. Marsha's story of being served a goat's head on a plate in Mauritania took top honors. She said it reminder her of John the Baptist. Since there was no service that evening, as the ladies went their way Patti and I got into our jammies and went straight into rest, relax, and recover mode. Patti did some knitting and then snoozed on the couch while I painted the lettering on my new guitar amp chassis. Then as I started putting finishing touches on the circuit board she got into what she is really passionate about...studying the fundamental principles in Hebrews chapter 6. This time it was "Eternal Judment". She studied good works, rewards, building a life that endures judgement, and Matthew 25; "when did see we thee in prison?" As you can imagine we blew past our bedtime without even touching the brakes and finally crawled into bed around 2am, looking forward to a glorious Monday off.

Testimonies 2

2009-11-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

Cecilia
When I met God as my Savior and Lord He transformed my life ever since coming to Iglesia Cristiana Arroyo de la Miel. I have been coming for 3 years now and I have been spiritually healed and I am filled with joy, peace and love. Thanks to John and Patti for giving me the opportunity to work in the church and also for all the brothers and sisters for receiving me and loving me, you are my family in Jesus. Blessings

Eloisa (received the Lord and was baptized this year)
I started coming a while back and hope I never stop. People who know me say that I have really changed thanks to God. One Friday I was fighting depression and I opened the Bible, God spoke directly to me through what I read, He said I love you, get up and don´t let yourself fall. This meant so much to me I´m sharing it with everyone including my family.

Mariela
I prayed and prayed for God to help me find a church like the one I attended in Argentina. I found a Christian radio station and called them. They told me about ICAM. One day I was out walking and I saw the church´s sign. I went in and a lady was there, I told her my story and she told me about the meeting times and we talked a long time. That´s when I started attending. I stopped coming for a long time and the Lord really got after me. Now I have completely given my life to the Lord and I´m faithful in my church. He´s the way the truth and the life.

Marco and Lorena (recently installed as an elder couple)
We want to thank the Lord, He has helped us grow so much since we came to the church. When we arrived here in Spain from Chile we realized that there are practically no churches here like we have at home. We began to pray that God would help us to find one so we wouldn´t dry up spiritually. He really came through for us! Our daughter was born and I had an accident and couldn´t work for 9 months. We saw the Lord´s hand taking care of us. We are so grateful for our pastors, the Cazarin family and for Conchi, you have blessed us and helped us to grow so very much. We are also grateful for all the brothers and sisters in the church. We love watching the church grow year by year. We love serving in this church, it´s a place where you feel loved, cared about, and where there is unity. We hope that we are always able to be in this church. We pray that God uses our lives and blesses ICAM very much.

Salvador
I´m grateful for what God has done in my life. Eleven or twelve years ago I had a problem with alcohol. My life became a living hell. One day it was so bad I threw my wife and my sons out of the house. Later I asked her to take me to a rehab center. I was given a year off from work, I gave my life to the Lord, like my wife and I was set free from the alcohol. God did all of this. I´m so grateful for our pastors for starting this church which is to all of us such a great blessing. We´re now celebrating the church´s 7th year. I want to thank John and Patti, Vicente and Merry and my family which helped me so much. Also everyone in the congregation. God bless you in the name of the Lord.

Mari (Salvador´s wife)
Twenty years ago I met the Lord through a friend. She moved and left me here all alone. Thanks to God I was able to stay faithful to Him in prayer. Now God has allowed us to have a church. I´m so grateful to God for Iglesia Cristiana Arroyo de la Miel and for the family that we have become. During these 7 years God has blessed so much, we´ve really seen the hand of God working among us. We give thanks for the pastors He has given us. I want to tell you what God has done in my husband´s life. He drank very much and you can imagine all the bad stuff we went through, but God had mercy and touched his heart. Thanks to Him we are now a Christian family. We are trusting, hoping and praying that our sons, daughters in law and many others we know will come back to the Lord.

Encarna
Today I want to thank the Lord again for another anniversary of our church, Iglesia Cristiana Arroyo de la Miel. Many of us prayed for many years that God would raise up a church here and while we were praying He was making a way. John and Patti, thanks so much because you are a blessing and you really take care of the flock. Thanks for your prayers.

Conchi
Back in the beginning I went to a church in Fuengirola. My health got bad and I couldn´t go. I was in bad shape, really missed the meetings and felt very lonely. One day I was walking along Dove street and I saw a sign announcing the schedule of a new church. I was so depressed I didn´t even want to go in. I felt bad physically and spiritually. Suddenly something began to move inside me. I remembered how long we prayed for God to raise up a church in our town. Even though I had no strength I went into the service that afternoon. I met John and Patti and a buch of missionaries who were there (from CLG). They prayed for my healing and I went out of that Saturday service very much encouraged. I attended a few more times. I had several operations and was trying to recover enough to return to my old church in the other town. Meanwhile I attended some services and was asking the Lord if this was supposed to be my church. It was discouraging because I wasn´t sure what to do. The church moved to another meeting place and I went to one service where Pastor John shared how he had prayed and felt very clearly to come here and start this church. I remembered how we had prayed and prayed for a church here and the Lord made it very clear to me at that moment that this church was here because we had prayed. I knew from that moment on that this was definitely my church.

Jose Manuel
Once upon a time there were two people living in a far away land. Their names were John, a great leader, a great worshiper, someone willing to do whatever God says, and Patti his faithful wife, a great leader, a great example of womanhood, someone always willing to serve God. They were sent to Spain with a mission; bring the LIGHT to Arroyo de la Miel. Sometime later the Lord sent the Ortega family to help them, among them, me. I began to grow, I got to know the Lord, and I found the true motive of my worship; included in God´s plans is... me. Also there was this church, this town, this mission. The revival started among the young people. God brought Tato, a great friend and brother who was saved and found the truth through me. Then God brought David, and behind him are coming many many other hearts that are being touched. This story is still going on and will continue in the future until the end of time. Amen.

Testimonies 1

2009-11-05T04:14:00.000-08:00

At our recent anniversary some of the people of the church wrote testimonies. Here are some translated for you into English...

Elena Miranda
After many months of deep depression over not having any family here in Spain God brought me to this church. He healed my soul of a deep feeling of lonliness. Now I have a big family here that cares about us and loves us so very much. God bless ICAM and may we celebrate many more years of happy anniversaries.

Angel
I´m 52 years old and I met the Lord in prison. God opened my eyes there through a pastor who shared the message of Jesus and my life was changed. Drugs and alcohol only lead to a dead end. Jesus has helped me leave that life behind. Little by little I am being healed and finding happiness, this is my church and I´m grateful for the ministry of the pastors.

Anni
I´m not ashamed to say that a few months ago I was an atheist. But God had a very clear message for my life that I received through Albert. I struggled with God and the Devil for six days. Then I woke up with the most precious feeling in my heart. I was so grateful to God that He saved me. I have stopped smoking after 13 years. I have realized that money and the party life is no longer important to me. Since that time I never want to look back, there´s no reason, now I have a new life with Christ. Now instead of being a well known lawyer my mission is to help handicapped kids. I´m so grateful for this church and all my wonderful friends here. May God keep on blessing.

Lola
I would like to give my testimony and my gratitude together with my husband and daughters and of course to God and our brethren here in Arroyo de la Miel (my church). I especially want to thank the pastors, John and Patti and the Cazarin family. Also Yannett, Marco and Lorena, really everyone. Thanls so much for loving me and my family. When I arrived here I really needed inner healing. I suffered from anxiety and depression. Even though I´ve been saved 20 years this was affecting my health. Some really bad circumstances had left me with a huge empty place inside. I want to testify that since coming to this church not only has God healed me but He has also done major changes in my life through the preaching of the Word, the womens´meetings and all the different meetings and activities. As a family we have felt so much love and support from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many thanks to God and to Iglesia Cristiana Arroyo de la Miel. Amen

Alida
Dear pastors John and Patti, Thanks so much for your lives, you have really been a big blessing to me and my family. Thanks for your prayers and your support. May God richly bless you with strength to continue this work.

Victories and Challenges

2009-11-01T01:27:00.000-07:00

Friday night we had another wedding. These weddings are a huge victory in a land where most people, even those calling themselves Christians, live together without getting married. This is the fourth such couple to make it legal since we began to seriously address this problem in the church. Mariela and Marcelo have been together nearly 15 years. Mariela has a son in high school from a previous relationship.

Last night I was invited to share with a gathering of men from 5 churches. We had 3 of our guys there, about 25 attended the event. I talked to the men out of Second Timothy where we are called to be vessels of honor and prepared for every good work. I went down the list of works that God wanted to do in and through them including education and training (a man is a disciple), a good work history (a man is a provider), faithfulness and Godliness in all our relationships (a man is a leader), and areas of ministry and christian service (a man is a minister). Then I began to urge the men to fulfill their roles as warriors. I warned them against the mistake of fighting their families, their bosses, their in laws and their neighbors and to start fighting for their marriages, for their kids, and for their churches. Some other pastors shared also. We had a powerful repentance and prayer time.

Patti´s hard drive melted down last night. We have known this was coming as it was making bad noises. We have also been debating about this computer since it´s a few years old and low on memory. At the same time the battery on the car seems to be failing and unusually high local tax bills are due. The dollar is extremely weak and this months income is the lowest in a very long time. Lord, your provision is always perfect. We rejoice in being debt free except for our small mortgage on the apartment. Feel free to pray that God open up the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing! People all over the world are suffering financial difficulties we pray that God will bless His people with good jobs and every provision.

This morning I will bring a word on the Fruits of Grace. I plan to refresh the church´s memory regarding God´s grace and how very much He has done for us without any cost to us but with an extremely high cost to Himself. That knowledge is the most powerful agent of change that can touch our souls. He did that for me? How can I ever begin to thank Him? How can I change my life to stop disobeying and grieving Him? How can I really live for Him? If, on the other hand, I feel that I am working for and earning my salvation, well then I have earned the right to stay exactly as I am. As long as I pay the price and get what I need I don´t really care what the Seller thinks of me.

Father I pray for everyone who reads this post that you would flood them with a revelation of your amazing grace. Cause them to see and to know how deep and how wide your love is for them and how you have lifted them out of the slimey pit of despair and have cleansed them and placed them securely with you in glorious heavenly places. Give them the power and the desire to live a life that is worthy and true. Amen.

till next time,

John

Seventh Anniversary

2009-09-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

We are recovering from a whirlwind. We took a few weeks off to rest after the wedding and all the travel. We spent the night in Evora, Portugal, then drove to Vigo in Galicia for a wonderful visit with Pastor Carlos and Manoli Rodriguez. Then we drove to Bordeaux in France and had a fun day visiting Chateau Vineyards. Then we went up to Antwerp where another pastor offered us their flat while they were away. Rest is so important. It gives you time to think and time to pray. During these times you realize the mistakes you have been making and you feel more affirmed in the right things you are doing and saying. On the way home we stayed with Leanne Russell in Thun, Switzerland and also spent the night in Barcelona, one of our favorite cities.

As soon as we returned we had a week of ministering in the area of inner healing with Steve and Kathy King from New Zealand. Then it was off to Ciudad Real and Betel´s annual Camp meeting at Betania, the retreat center. Right after that we went into high gear to prepare for the church´s 7th anniversary celebration.

We showed up here in September of 2002 with Alena, Elle, eight suitcases, some carryons, and a vision from God to start a church in this very unchurched and infamously difficult land. Chris Smith, a missionary from our church arrived the same day to support the new work. We worked very hard in looking for the right place to live and getting our paperwork all in order. We looked for a larger town, one capable of sustaining a church large enough to train and send missionaries and church planters. We also felt it should be on the main bus and train routes since most people here do not have cars and do not drive to church but depend on walking or taking public transportation. We also did not want to go to one of the few towns already graced with a strong, Spirit filled church. We finally decided on Benalmádena in the area called Arroyo de la Miel. With a population that varies between 50,000 and 250,000 and nothing more than one small, rigidly non charismatic Baptist church, we started to have meetings wherever we happened to be staying. Publicity was strictly word of mouth. We focused on worship, preaching, and loving the people who came.

It´s now 7 years later. We have been in our own purchased meeting hall for 4 years (we are paying a mortgage equal to about 150,000 US dollars). It has two classrooms for sunday school, restrooms, and a sanctuary that seats between 80 and 90 worshipers. Our last few services have been pretty full. Even better than increasing numbers is the strong sense of love and unity among the core. During our celebration Mark Johansson and Steve Deane, who had flown in from Virginia for the occasion, assisted us as we set in an elder couple (Marco and Lorena) and an assistant pastor couple (Vicente and Merry).

We are a bit weary from all the activity, but we are so very happy and grateful. It is a wonderful thing to work with people you love, and to feel the certainty that the work you are doing is important and makes a difference in people´s lives. Some of our members wrote short testimonies for the celebration. I´ll put some of those up on this blog along with some photos shortly.

John

Spring 2009

2009-07-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever really heard the Gospel message? Michael Jackson´s former
spiritual adviser said ¨he never truly felt loved. Everything he did was
an effort to feel loved and fill that hole in his heart.¨ Here is a guy
who has achieved the ultimate in fame and fortune yet he was miserable.
The Gospel in a nutshell can be found in the book of John, Chapter 3,
verse 16. What it says is that God truly loved the world so much he sent
the ultimate gift; his son. God gave his son Jesus power so that anyone
who received him as God´s ultimate gift would not live their lives in
emptiness and misery. Instead they would have a fulfilling, meaningful,
joy filled, and eternal existence. I´m paraphrasing a little but this is
the nucleus of the Bible and the essence of God´s message to each and
every person on planet earth. If you are truly sorry for your failures
and receive God´s gift, then he will fill that empty space in your life
to overflowing. The words may sound lofty and religious, but those who
actually do it are forever transformed.

Patti and I have recently returned from Elle´s and Dave´s wedding. We
are thrilled with our new son-in-law and feel a deep sense of
satisfaction that all three of our precious girls have married faithful,
strong, men who love them and who will be good to them.
We also enjoyed visiting Mom and Dad Chesney in San Antonio, the
Brighton Church in Houston, TX, Church of the Living God in Manchester,
CT, and Living Faith Christian Church, in Waterbury, CT. Patti had a
great reunion with her sisters, and John got to go hunting with his
brother.

When we returned to Spain we found the church full and the people
excited. Many new faces have arrived and some prodigals have returned.
One new couple, Alberto and Annie are from Hungary. They have both spent
their lives on the wrong side of the law. Two months ago they came to
church and publicly dedicated their lives to Christ. They are starting
a brand new life together and have vowed to use the rest of their days
to help and serve people and not hurt them anymore. They are among 7 who
were baptized in water at a big beach celebration on June 20th.

David and Robyn Elder have been with us from New Zealand for a week.
They have been ministering healing to the many who suffer from broken
relationships and the results of past abuse. It is wonderful to see
people who have been victims all their lives smiling, singing and
dancing for joy because for the first time in a long time they feel
free. At least two have become brand new Christians during this week.
The message of God´s healing love is still changing lives, even in
Spain.

Monday we started our first Vacation Bible School for local kids.
Every day for a week the kids will take a ¨plane ride¨ to an African
country where they will learn many things. We have wanted this for years
and Vicente and Merry Cazarin have done a great job putting it all together.
We are so thankful for each and every one of you who love us, pray for
us, and generously contribute to our financial support. Without you we
would not be able to be here serving this church. Our members are
extremely grateful for this church and for us and also for the way you
have supported us.
Love,
John and Patti