August 2016 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that each of you are doing well. Things are going much smoother for us this month. As for the ministry of the local church plant, it is firing on all cylinders. Besides the normal services, Sunday School, and visits during the week, we are still continuing to move forward. In the public school, we are preaching the Gospel in the classrooms every Friday. Many teenagers listen attentively and we are building relationships with people in the community. Last month, we also held our first youth service. About 15 teenagers came, and after the preaching, 8 responded to the invitation. The next day, there were a couple new faces in the youth Sunday School class. On Saturday afternoons, we are now teaching condensed training courses on the topics of visitation/evangelism and the various topics of discipleship course. After the training course, we all go visiting to put this into practice. In the past, there were only a couple people that joined us on visitation. Now, there are 10-12 people visit with us each Saturday. This is an investment that will strengthen the church and help prepare them for our furlough or the day when God moves us to start another work.

Last month, we were encouraged by those who sent us emails letting us know that they were praying for us. Many of the problems we faced last month are now resolved. Last month, there was much sickness. This month, we are doing much better. Day by day, we are becoming more accustomed to life here in Nicaragua. When we first arrived, it was so difficult to understand and communicate. While there are still many difficult moments, they are now fewer and farther between. Like a muscle, our Spanish is exercised daily. We find it funny that, until Jeremy opens his mouth, he is sometimes mistaken for being Latin American.

This month, please continue to pray for God's work here in Nicaragua. Please pray:

1. That God guide us daily and give us wisdom in His work.
2. That God move in each heart as the church plans its first missions conference.
3. That God continue to bless as we save funds towards our building project.

In Christ,
Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, and Ellowyn Blanz