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I heard a story the other day that I just can’t shake.

A young man, Jerome, was awarded a scholarship to Wheaton College through the Posse Foundation.  Jerome was transported from his high school in The Bronx to Wheaton’s beautiful campus in Illinois.  He had access to everything he needed to succeed at Wheaton, including a support team supplied through Posse.  But Jerome didn’t make it past his first semester before dropping out.  Why?  In his words, Jerome simply believed he didn’t belong there…wasn’t deserving of a college education.

A young lady, Melanie, attended the same public high school as Jerome and was in his graduating class.  Everyone always told Melanie that she’d be president when she grew up.  She was that smart, and that motivated.  When Melanie arrived as a freshman at this school and found that it had no advanced placement classes or library, she concluded that instead of being prepared for college, she and her classmates were being prepared to, in her words, “flip burgers” for the rest of their lives.  She, too, sadly chose to believe that she was not worthy of a college education or a bright future outside of the poverty-stricken neighborhood in which she’d grown up.  She struggles today as a single mom, and wonders every day what might have been if she’d chosen to believe something different.

The core belief that Jerome and Melanie share is that they are essentially worthless.  They believe that they have nothing to offer the world, and so, are undeserving of anything good in it.

These beliefs are false.  And we Christians, we are the truth-bearers.

How can we communicate to this generation of children that they are valuable beyond what they can imagine?  How can we show them the great love that resides in the Father’s heart for them? 

How can we convince them that He made them for a purpose, and gave them gifts to share with the world and glorify Him?

Well…we’re working on it.  There are so many factors that come into play in a child’s perspective of his or her place in the world.  But we do have the opportunity to become one of those factors…one of those voices in their lives that help form their ideas of themselves and who they were made to be. 

Shine has created a database for the purpose of offering special guest presenters to the teachers at A. Montoya Elementary.  It is our hope that a teacher could look on our database and find a biologist, a lawyer, a business owner, a stay-at-home parent, a chef, a politician, an artist, and YOU…a person who would be willing to come in once or twice a year to speak to his class or help him develop a special activity that pertains to your area of expertise. 

The goals of this database are as follows:

1. Lend support to our teachers. Teaching in a Title 1 school means that you fight the core beliefs Jerome and Melanie formed at young ages.  This is not an easy task.  Help them change these precious kids’ minds about themselves, and give the teachers new depth to their lessons. Show the teachers they’re not alone in their fight for this generation.
2. Show the kids their worth. They won’t believe they’re worth your  It means a lot when you step out of your busy, important life to be with them.  It demonstrates our core belief that God loves them.
3. Encourage the kids to dream. When you, a real person from their own community (NOT a teacher) tells them that a bright future is within their reach, it sticks a bit more than when their teacher says it. In fact, you may be the person that causes them to believe it.

Please consider adding yourself to the list of potential presenters.  We need artists, scientists, writers, stay-at-home parents, crafters, runners, business people, and YOU!  Please click on the following link to fill out the form to be added to the database.  Praise God that we get to be part of His transformative work!

Shine Bright Database

Click here to learn more about Shine and all the ways they serve students, teachers and families at A. Montoya!

Valentine’s Day has passed. Maybe it was everything you hoped for, or a lot less than you imagined. Maybe your marriage is dynamic and everything is going great, or maybe your stuck in a bit of a rut and wondering how in the world that happened? Either way, I want to share some ideas on how your marriage relationship, and you personally, can grow and thrive in Christ.

Ruts are a result of erosion, a natural and dynamic process, yes, but destructive rather than constructive. If your marriage is in a rut, perhaps you are not deliberately protecting it.

The thing about a rut is that you can accidently fall or drive into one simply by not paying attention…but rarely will you accidently get out of one. It takes deliberate and focused effort.

Whether driving, or thriving in your marriage, the main issue is to actively pay attention, close attention so you can stay out of the rut. Make your marriage a priority, stay focused, and at a minimum, devote time to these activities:

Listening: What was your spouse's day like? What was the best part of their day? What were their struggles – what was the " big rock" of their day? Also recognize if things were difficult for them, and they really don't want to talk about it – maybe there something else you can do right now to help them? Ask how can you best serve them, and then listen to the answer? It’s better to ask than assume.

Talking: Good conversation is the lubricant of marriage! If you're the kind of person that doesn't talk much, consider cultivating communication for your spouse's benefit. First, don't expect your spouse to read your mind and second, try not to interrupt!

Proverbs 18:2 tells us:

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”

When you interrupt, people can lose their train of thought and it can be very annoying – so I’ve been told directly.

Praying Out Loud Together: Communication reveals the mind and our thoughts to one another, but prayer unveils the heart, and ultimately the soul.

It is the experience of being in the inner sanctum when your spouse is in communion with God. And you get to share in that! This doesn't happen overnight, especially if you haven't been praying together previously -  but this is the goal, and it is very achievable with practice! Start praying together and watch the Lord bless your marriage, because of your active inclusion with Him at the center!

Encouraging: Marriage is a team sport! Be the person your spouse can't wait to see, can't wait to be with, can't wait to talk to, and always trusts to be honest with them! Be on their side, even if they do something wrong – maybe most especially if they do something wrong! God extends grace and mercy to us; we certainly need to follow suit with our spouses. You must accept that they, like you, are imperfect and will inevitably sin. In Ephesians 4:2-3 we are given a beautiful picture of how to encourage someone after they have made a mistake,

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We are called to walk together, recognizing that each will sin, but working together toward godliness.

“speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

We can recognize that neither partner is perfect while working together to grow in our relationship with Christ. There is a difference between accepting your spouse as a sinner and allowing them to remain in active sin.

Be graceful as you encourage them to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” as part of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:1).

Playing: Yes, having fun! If you're not having fun in your marriage, get with the program! Plan date nights, play board games or listen to music, go for walks or tell jokes! Having a heart that is open to “playing” yields great joy! Simply watch children, the experts of play! They have perfected the art of joy, naturally, as you likely once did in the beginning of your relationship with your spouse or as a child yourself.

The above ideas can help with creating peace in a marriage. Every marriage is unique, so be attentive and focused on what is, and is not, working in your marriage!

Pray, Play, Listen, Encourage, Talk and see how God draws you together! Put God at the center of your marriage and watch what happens!

If you are looking for some tools or ideas on how to improve and work on your marriage, be sure to watch for upcoming Marriage Matters workshops!

Jorge Alvarez Davila is known throughout the jungles of Peru as a “well-drilling evangelist”. A unique title indeed! It makes you wonder -- how does someone decide to give up their day job and start building wells to serve God’s people and glorify the Lord?

It seems that the Lord used Jorge’s whole life to prepare him for this purpose.

Jorge was born in the small coastal fishing town of San Bartolo, Peru. He studied accounting in college and operated his own construction business for many years. He built houses, churches, and missionary compounds in, and around, the town of Pucallpa.

He is a gentle soul with a huge heart for both the Lord and for the indigenous people of Peru.

In 2000, Jorge and his wife were asked to take part in a full-time jungle ministry by Tommy and Angela Head. With Jorge’s active construction business, he declined, but their friendship and collaborations grew. The Head’s contracted with Jorge to build a compound to house a group of people working on Bible translation.

Angela describes Jorge as a natural evangelist. “You truly see the joy of Jesus in his heart through his smile,” she wrote. “His love of the Lord is infectious.” 

As Jorge continued to help Tommy build churches and make disciples for Christ, a new ministry was born. In 2002, Jorge and Tommy constructed their first water well in the Peruvian jungle. On the first well-drilling team, he encountered someone known as “Dr. Water” in Peru. You know him, too -- MCC Elder Vince Tidwell! And Vince has helped on several more wells since then.

After the drilling of that first well, Tommy once again asked Jorge to join them in ministry, a water ministry, and Jorge said yes.

Since 2002, this quiet man with a heart overflowing for the Lord has personally drilled and installed more than 500 water wells in remote jungle villages. Countless villagers have heard the gospel messages, many for the first time, and many have been brought to Christ by Jorge.

Throughout the years, one thing has always stood out about Jorge; sharing the Gospel is always on his heart. Angela shared that, during their early work in construction, Jorge would often be late arriving to work, which was not abnormal in Peru.  However he usually had an interesting story to share. It always involved Jorge sharing the Gospel with a new believer; somebody in a taxi, a person walking down a dirt road (because there wasn't a taxi), or waiting with a person in line at the store. What a reminder that is to each of us -- to let the Lord use us wherever we are, whatever the inconvenience, even if it means being a few minutes late!

In 2009 their ministry team suffered a devastating loss when Tommy was killed in a dirt bike motor cycle accident in Peru. Angela remains in Peru, leading the water ministry and working through Living Water International. In 2013 she and Jorge formed Asociacion Ministerios Fuentes de Agua (AMFA), of which Jorge is now the in-country director of, to be able to continue providing water wells to remote jungle villages.

While working in tribal culture can be challenging and draining, you would never know it with Jorge.  He is a man of his word, and is sought after as a man of the Lord. Those of us who spent one evening with him during his recent visit to New Mexico and Mountain Christian Church can attest to both his love of the Lord, and his passion for the people living under what we would find as incredibly difficult conditions in remote villages.

We are blessed that God has led our church to support AMFA, led by this jungle missionary who is changing lives with clean water and the Gospel.

MCC continues to support AMFA. Click here to see the latest updates on Jorge’s work with AMFA in Peru.

It was 8 a.m. when the phone rang, a morning like any other, until God interrupted my thoughts with a call from a past prayer partner. When I answered the phone I immediately recognized the voice of a woman I have been praying for over many years. We were connected as prayer partners when she a high school student attending Mountain Christian Church.

She has since moved away, with lots of challenges, and struggles to find confidence in who she is in the Christ.

Her faith – whether she had any and what her destination is – was challenged by her parents.

That morning we talked a long time about faith.

I reminded her that the main issue is always who and what our faith is in. Is it yourself? Your ability to cope, to be in control, to fix things? Your family? Your mentor? Your pastor? Your intellect or knowledge? Or, the Rock, who is Christ? (1Corinthians 10:4)

The one who is the solid foundation on which to build our life (Matthew 7: 24-27). The one who has brought the Kingdom of God to earth, to dwell within His children (Matthew 17: 20-21, Colossians 1:17). The One who asks us to count the cost (Luke 14:25-35), deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23-27).

As we talked and prayed together she examined herself (2 Corinthians 13:5) and acknowledged that it is Jesus Christ, God’s Son in whom she is trusting and longing to be with. The Lord turned our hearts to thanksgiving.

So many things to praise Him for, and He gave us hope.

When I hung up, I thought to myself, “Wow, Lord!” Thank you for the encouragement and fellowship you give us when we join with you in prayer. (Matthew 18: 19-20). You are awesome!”  

How has God used your prayers to speak His Word and love into the lives of others?   

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Mathew 19:14

These beautiful words of Jesus are experienced by Food for the Hungry volunteers as they step off the plane and onto the hard tarmac in Sucre, Bolivia. As they look up to the upper level of the airport, they can see the eyes and sweet faces of hundreds of sponsored children who can’t wait to see them, hug them, and get to know them! It can be an overwhelming and emotional experience for volunteers - but it’s also the reason they’ve come. Just ask Nathan Deterding.

 “A major part of my going to Bolivia was to meet our sponsored child. It was central to my reason to go,” Nathan said. “I really wanted to meet him and make that connection.” But, Nathan had no assurance that he would get to meet Efraim in March of 2016. He knew that Food for the Hungry was going to try to set up his meeting Efraim but that they couldn’t guarantee it. The days and months leading up to his trip left him feeling down and a little skeptical.

The night before flying out, he rolled his ankle and sprained it badly. With just 10 hours before he was supposed to leave, Nathan looked at his new set of crutches, and asked himself,

“Is this God telling me not to go?”

“I was upset that I probably wouldn’t see my sponsored child,” he said. “I could barely walk, and I wasn’t feeling connected to the group. They had been meeting for months but I was living in Colorado at the time and didn’t even know who was on the team.”

It wasn’t until 2 a.m. that Nathan decided that he was going on the trip. “Even if it meant that I just stayed in my hotel room and prayed for the team,” he said, “it would be worth it.”

And he was right! It would be worth it. God would affirm Nathan’s decision in a way he never could have expected.

“When we got to the airport, it really hit me.” Nathan explained, “We had landed and exited on the tarmac and looked up and saw all these kids on the upper level looking down, waving at us and they just couldn’t wait to get close to us. It was at that minute that it became real. I realized I wasn’t just here for my one sponsored child, we were here to see and support all of those kids.”

Within a few minutes of picking up their luggage something phenomenal happened.

“This woman, who literally come up to about my belly button, kept pointing at me saying ‘Nethen, Nethan.’ I didn’t even realize that she was saying my name,” he recounted. “I finally made the connection and in broken Spanish said, ‘Yes, my name is Nathan.’  She turned around, grabbed a kid out of the many children there, and said ‘This is Efraim!’  I thought, that’s cool. Thanks for introducing us!”

Nathan didn’t even realize that this was his sponsored child for a few seconds. First, the situation was not at all how he was told he would be introduced to his sponsored child (if it happened at all), and second he didn’t realize until then that he had been mispronouncing “Efraim” for months.  

“Then I really looked at that little boy and realized who it was! I had been pronouncing his name wrong but could clearly recognize his face! It took me a moment to catch my breath and realize, ‘This is my Ephraim!’” Nathan exclaimed. “It was unbelievable that God met me right there at the airport,” Nathan said, “just minutes after getting off the plane!”

The next day Nathan had another chance to see Efraim, as well as to meet his family in the traditional setting. He gave Efraim’s mother a basket of food, and then was able to take Efraim to play soccer. “The whole experience was just amazing,” he said. “At the end of our time together, he was clinging to me and made me promise that I would come back and see him again. My trip to Bolivia this year is to fulfill that promise to him”

Nathan’s perspective is totally different after meeting Efraim, talking to him, seeing where he lives, and spending time with him.

“For me, it hard now to even imagine that I considered not going. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to miss out on that experience. What would have happened if I hadn’t gotten on that airplane?” Nathan asks aloud.

Luckily, he will never know. He listened to God’s calming voice, followed it, and had the experience of a lifetime.

Child Sponsorship through Food for the Hungry is an absolute gift, to those sponsored and to those sponsoring. The knowledge that you can profoundly bless a child, family and community through a simple monthly donation of $38 is powerful. Visit MCC Food for the Hungry Child Sponsorship page to learn more or talk with Jennifer Ward this Sunday, she will have a table set up in the foyer.