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Mercy Mission

Newsletter August-September 2005

Dear friends and family,

Do you know Shadrach, Meshach und Abednego? These were those three friends that refused to fall down and worship the image of gold. They were the men who remained faithful to their God. Therefore, they were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. But they were not alone amid the flames, a fourth person was there with them - Jesus Himself! He kept them from danger. Jesus is like this. With this, I learned that Jesus is with us everywhere, even in the fire! This reminds me of the scripture verse in Isaiah 43:2 - when you walk through the fire, you won't be burnt and the flames will not set you ablaze. You find the story of the three friends in Daniel 3:8-25.

* In the last months, I somehow felt like those three friends at times. When my appartment was full of people for 6 months and I didn't know where to retire a bit.

* When with four people, we had to clean the filthy appartment afterwards for seven hours and during the following two weeks repaired the damages. Jeison was diligently helping in this.

* When two staff members changed from our ministry to another.

* When Marta, Paola, Tatiana und Diana bid goodbye with tears in their eyes, in order to start work at the ministry of an american brother.

* When all of a sudden, my nice digital camera was missing, because someone had stolen it from inside the drawer of my bedside table.

* When Laura became very ill and we thought it was cancer in the bones. All symptoms alluded to this. What a relief it was to hear the physician tell us after some more tests that this was not the case!

* When two of our new girls swallowed a large amount of tablets shortly ago.
* When Hermes freaked out completely and we did not know what to do with him.

* When we were looking for houses, but others pre-empted us because they got their papers done before we did.

* When Luz Marina, one of our girls, told us she's pregnant. She was the first girl I took in seven years ago. She only had one relationship and got pregnant right away. The baby is due coming February.

* And finally, when my small personal financial support from a friend and my family did not come between April and September 2005.

Yet I also have very good news: Amid these trials, where tears often fell, Jesus was there and made me mature and grow. He showed me once again that I depend completely on Him. Often I literally felt His nearness!

And now talking about the victories that we also were allowed to experience:

1. Last May we moved to a bigger house with the girls. It is right opposite a beautiful park.

2. God gave us two female staff that do an excellent and qualified counselling job and on top of it are having the gift of teaching our other staff members. Both are leaders in our church in Bogotá and are very well trained. And both their names is Marta.

3. Teresa is a staff member that God has given us for House # 2. She is a mom full of love for the boys.

4. Three of our big kids have graduated from school successfully last june: Camilo, he is serving now at the guards of the presidential palace. Paola, she is now in the other unit, doing a computer course. Angelica-María Romero is studying English intensively, thus preparing for college in the US. She is greatly gifted as a teacher and leader. It is her dream to have a school for poor kids.

5. Andrés Mejía returend to our ministry, since his mom threw him out of home. Momentarily, he earns his money with a small business that he built up himself. He is selling super delicious waffles, some sweet with fruits, others with mushrooms and chicken and again others with a variety of veggies for vegetarians. In the morning hours, he studies german at the Goethe Institute and English at another Institute. He is very talented in languages and it is his dream to become a professional translator. As soon as he knows enough german, his sponsors want to help him go to university in Germany.

6. María Alejandra, who I have introduced to you in my last newsletter, is working for a short time two afternoons and two nights a week with some norwegian missionaries. Next to her normal schooling, she is doing an english course. The family has given her the consent of going to Norway next summer as an aupair. They are having 2 little kids aged one and three. María is doing an excellent job with those kids.

7. Since April, people from our church in Bogotá visit regularly to minister to the kids. Once a month they come to the girls and once to the boys. Every boy and girl has their own personal spiritual guide. The program is as follows: Time for welcoming and exchange, joint singing and prayer, topics, prayer for the kids and joint snacks. All topics mainly deal with inner healing and sexual abuse.

8. A home group is visiting us once a month. They bring food and exchange with the kids.

9. Two of our girls have started a nursing training.

10. I have been encouraged very much by a personal special donation of a church in South Germany.

11. Lossburg of the Black Forrest area: Candidates for confirmation lobbied and gathered money for us. Thank you so much for all your effort!

12. Others sent extra donations and written greetings. We were very glad to receive them and are very encouraged by it all.

13. Since July our work has grown by 6 more kids: Camila, 11 years. Her mom was killed December 31st. Her dad married another woman that rejects Camila. Yet he helps us with a little sum so that Camila can live with us. Yeimi is 13 years old. A lady from another church asked us to help Yeimi. Her mother was on drugs and died in a car accident. Yeimi does not know her father. Her grandmother misstreated her so badly that she preferred living on the streets. Her godfather is helping us with a little sum so that we could take Yeimi in. Judy, aged 13 and her sister Erica, aged 8, came to us via Youth with a Mission. With their mother, they stayed at a brothel at night and at daytime, they were either at a school for street kids or just on the streets. Youth with a Mission is helping us with the costs for transport and education. John Fredy, 14 years old and Cristian, 11 years, were emergency admissions. They were living in the ministry of some danish missionaries. While those were outside the country, house and ministry degenerated so badly that authorities would have accomodated the kids in governmental units. So we had to act fast. Each boy gets a small support of round about US$ 30,00. You should have seen John Fredy's eyes when I bought him some clothings as his shoes and T-Shirts had more holes than fabric. I will never forget the glow in his eyes.

14. In the months of June and July, I was an acting home group leader while my beloved leader Sara was on a journey. God has blessed this time and given me wisdom and grace. We could experience His presence and work.

15. In the meantime, I was on a leadership training weekend as I have passed all tests of the church. In November, all faithful staff members that have their daily time with God and let themselves be guided by Him, will be put into leadership by the church. One condition is yet for me to submit to a home group leader. Up to now, I'm fulfilling all conditions.

16. I was in Peru with Liliana for two weeks. We spent a very nice time with the pastors and dear friends of the church in Aalten/Holland. Did you know that Peru is even poorer than Colombia? It is a very dry but very beautiful country with many mountains.

We need your prayers for the following concerns:

* In December, our boys will need a new home, as the owner wants his house back. Again we are on the search for a house...

* In the next weeks until mid October, I'll have to take an important decision. Please pray with me that it will be the right one.

* Another two girls are looking for a home - shall we take them in?

* Please pray for enough sponsors for all new kids and for my personal support.

* For a male staff member for House # 2, where the boys are living.

I am so glad that you are my friends, it is a very big blessing indeed!

Many greetings from all of us here in Colombia, especially from your Angelika

Angelika is dancing a cumbia. This is a typical colombian dance. The dress is a traditional costume worn at coastal fiestas.

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