Someone is Always Watching....Our Life...Persevere
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| Word Buoys -Life Preservers © 2015 Debbie Turner Chavers |
I am posting a copy below of a newsletter update from Missionaries Jason and Nicole Fitzpatrick. I want to encourage you that someone is always watching our daily life. This story below is an example to persevere. Keep on keeping on! Make a positive difference while you can. You never know which seed sown will grow with God's help.
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Luke 10:1,2 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Missions in Mexico
If you would like to help the Fitzpatricks in their mission effort, contact information is at the end of this newsletter.
Isaias, Joel, Matilde, and Marisol enjoying life together at Village 1, Puebla
An Amazing Revelation
Santiago lay on a filthy cot in the shadows of a home that was more like a shack. He was paralyzed. I still remember, 10 years later, the depth of sadness in his eyes.
The accident happened in 2005 while Santiago was working at a construction site, trying to make enough to lift his family out of their extreme poverty. The 17-year-old young man, so full of promise, lay motionless with a broken neck and back. He despaired of life.
Santiago had a brother named David. I met David behind bars in 2004, when I had been regularly visiting the prison in Huauchinango, Puebla; Mexico, and had the privilege of leading him to Jesus Christ. After his release in 2005 we began to meet every Friday for prayer. It was during one of those times of prayer that I met his brother Santiago.
We prayed for him and, together with my wife, Nicole, began driving him twice a week from his village to receive therapy. He started to improve, both physically and emotionally—even to the point of enjoying our times together. Almost weekly, we were greeted by several little boys playing outside his home, and Nicole would always try to remember to bring candy, soda money and, one time, a Matchbox car for each of them. They would many times join us, or at least stand outside of Santiago’s shack, as we held our weekly service.
This continued for about 6 months, but then David went to work out of town and his family began refusing to answer the door or allowing us to take Santiago to therapies anymore. This was very hard for us to accept, but we could not force our charity.
Nicole was tired after a full day of hospital visits and raising funds to help 2 gravely ill children. She was laying down to rest late that evening when Isaias, one of our orphan sons who lives with us along with his two sisters and his youngest brother, knocked on our door—a very frequent occurrence. (Read his story at https://www.heavensfamily.org/special_reports/205-05/separated-siblings.)
During the day our teenage boys act like typical boys—working, cutting up, and being as loud as we allow. But every evening at least one—and sometimes up to 8 or more—will invade our room just to “chat”. Sometimes they just sit there, waiting for Mama (Nicole) to break the ice…which she does well. On this occasion, she decided to start off by commenting on how big he is getting, and said, "I still remember the first time I saw you, leaning against the tree in San Lorenzo as I was driving there to teach Children´s Church just over 3 years ago now." Isaias then spoke, “That is not where you first saw me. When I was 6 years old, you and Bro. Jason would carry my oldest brother´s best friend, Santiago, to your truck twice a week. You always greeted us, gave us candy and, once, a car to play with. I watched you take care of him and would often sit outside listening as you all would have church." Then Nicole and Isaias began to talk about what happened next. While David was away, his family no longer wanted to hear the gospel, nor would they allow us to take Santiago to therapies. Then Isaias stated, "His parents began to lock the door and not let anyone from outside take care of him. He soon died after they did that." We were very heart broken when we learned of his death many years ago, but also remember very clearly the day he was born again and know we will see him again.
We never knew Isaias was that little boy watching 10 years earlier. We never would have thought he would soon lose both his parents, suffer abuse and live on the streets…and we never knew that one day he would be our son, sitting in our bedroom telling this story that had taken many years for his quiet nature to reveal. Isaias´ older brother was shot to death last year, but 2 years before that tragedy he had encouraged his siblings to all go to The Village because we had cared for his best friend and he knew he could never care for or educate them all in the abject poverty in which he lived.
Living on planet earth we are bombarded with so many obstacles, disappointments, and daily stressful situations. We can easily fall into a negative disposition and even grow so weary in well doing that we stop doing well all together. The Lord renews our strength day by day and the Spirit convicts when we forget that our mouths and lives are to be a daily light to many young eyes and ears. Your prayers and support strengthen us and help us to continue on. Thank you so much. Blessings, Jason
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6:2
Jason and Nicole Fitzpatrick
www.thevillageglobal.orgheavensfamily.org/fitzpatrick
All writing, poetry, posts, art, and photography, copyright © 2015 Debbie Turner Chavers. Protected by US and International copyright laws. All Rights Reserved. Scripture references taken from the King James bible. Would you like to see what I am currently painting? Click on these links http://artparables.com or http://debbieturnerchavers.com