Puerto Rico Celebrates

The environment in the national office of My Hope Puerto Rico is one of celebration. One year ago this small team of Christians began what has become the largest evangelistic outreach in the history of the island. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and 1804 local churches partnered together to train Christians to use a three night TV broadcast in April as a tool for personal evangelism. 19,068 Christians were trained, and reports and testimonies from those three days in April arrive to the office each day. Today’s totals show that with just 57% of the participating churches reporting so far, 10,093 people have reported making decisions for Christ.

Along the way the office has heard hundreds of inspiring stories. Below are just three.

20 year old Melito helps lead a weekly bible study called Solomon’s Porch in San Juan’s university area every Thursday night. Thursday, April 22nd was the first night of the My Hope Broadcast, so he and his friends invited anyone from the building to watch the program with them. Through the testimonies, music videos and Billy Graham’s message, four semi-professional wrestlers accepted Jesus Christ for the first time. After making that life changing decision, one of the wrestlers decided he wanted his fans and spectators to hear about Jesus too. He invited Melito and the other young adult leaders to his wrestling match to share Jesus during a break in the wrestling. Melito shared Jesus with the fans, and 10 more people made the life changing decision to except Jesus as their Savior.

Pastor Santana is the pastor of the Iglesia Casa de Adoracion Shalom (House of Adoration Shalom), a church of about 100 members in Humacao. Santana called the office to report the results of his church’s 10 Matthew homes this week. The first night of the broadcast there were 34 guests in the various homes that were participating. 21 people made first time decisions to follow Christ and four others rededicated their lives to him. The second night was equally amazing. Another 21 people made first time decisions to follow Christ. The final night there were 30 guests in the Matthew homes. After hearing the testimony of Yasmin Mejias, a well known Puerto Rican comedian, and a powerful message by Billy Graham, 25 people made decisions to follow Christ and three others rededicated their lives to Him. This small church saw 74 people make decisions to follow Christ, in just three days!

Pastor Fernando Ramos is the pastor of the Iglesia Cristiana Casa de Amor (Christian Church House of Love) in the city of Ponce. 17 families in the church opened their homes to be Matthews for the My Hope project. They hosted 86 guests, and were thrilled to have 32 first time salvation decisions, and 14 rededications. Pastor Ramos said that in one the of the Matthew homes, a guest brought her 27 years old cousin with her who had been diagnosed with cancer. After watching Franklin Graham’s message about the prodigal son, she accepted Christ into her heart. As if that wasn’t enough, before she left for the night, the family prayed for her healing from cancer. The following Tuesday she had an appointment with her doctor. The Doctor performed a few routine tests and then said, “What happened to your cancer? It’s gone!” Ramos says she has been faithfully attending church ever since the broadcast.

Hope to Puerto Rico!

Last week was a wonderful week in Puerto Rico! On Thursday Friday and Saturday night, over 20,000 Christians opened up their homes to their friends, family and neighbors to watch the My Hope broadcast on national TV. The program addressed an issue that is often overlooked in the media, hope.

We hear so much on the news about wars, earthquakes, financial struggles, crime, corruption, betrayal, and plenty of other negative yet very real issues. However hope is rarely mentioned.

Through interviews with well known Puerto Ricans, music, and short messages from Billy Graham and Franklin Graham the My Hope TV broadcast explained that true hope is only found in a relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ. The programs clearly explained what it means to be a Christian.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” - Romans 3:23. We’re not perfect. We’ve committed sins against God, our friends, and family. Our sin separates us from God because he’s holy and perfect. We can’t be good enough to be with God in heaven.

That would be a hope-less piece of news, “but God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8. God saw our situation. He saw we could never be good enough. He decided to act. He sent his son Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for your sin, for my sin.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. All he asks is that we receive the free gift he’s giving us. He gives us salvation. He gives us everlasting life. We just have to admit that we’re sinners, that we’re in need of him, and be willing to turn from our sin and accept his free gift of eternal life. When we do, he gives our life purpose, direction, and above all, Hope. It’s a hope that doesn’t spoil or fade, because it’s not a hope in a career, a relationship or comfort here on earth. It’s a hope in something that God has already done for us. And what we do with it has eternal repercussions.

After hearing the clear explanation of what Christ did for us on the cross, Christians all across the country shared with their guests what God had done in their personal lives. They invited them to put their hope in Jesus Christ, and follow him with their lives.

We’re in the process of collecting all the reports of what God did in Puerto Rico. We look forward to celebrating with you how he brought new life, hope, and salvation to thousands on the island of enchantment. We love you and appreciate your friendship and prayers.

Praise the Lord for Dominican Republic

I was so thankful when Joe called and told me he had updated the blog and sent out an email update to everyone! I was already in DR, when I received that call from him. The week went fast but it was amazing. I am always shocked by how Jesus keeps his word. He took our prayers, interceded to the Father and Dominicans were saved. My favorite testimony from the week was from one of my drivers, who was also a pastor.

He received a phone call from a member of his church who said they didn't have power in their area. Gilberto, my driver, told this person to start praying and if they received power, wonderful, continue with the project. If they didn't receive power, he told them to apologize to the people who came, invite them back tomorrow to see the program and give their testimony. Gilberto called this person back after the broadcast and the memeber of his church told him they did not receive power. But the member of his church gave his apologies about not having power, invited them back the next night, and then gave his testimony. The member of his church had 17 people come to his home and 5 of them prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.

It is testimonies like this that remind me that I am so lucky to be able to work for the Lord.

In the past few weeks we have heard many similar stories, but also the staff in DR are reporting more than 6,000 Decisions for Christ. Gloria a Dios!(All glory to God)

Two weeks from today we will begin our own Broadcast in Puerto Rico.

Please pray for the pastors, matthews, and those who will hear the Gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move in a mighty way throughout Puerto Rico.

Pray - My Hope Dominican Republic

Hey Everyone! I wanted to send out an urgent prayer request. As you know, Melissa and I have been working in Puerto Rico for the last year. We've been preparing a nation-wide TV broadcast that will share who Jesus Christ is, and what he's done for us on the cross. Across the country thousands of churches are participating. In each church, members are planning to invite their friends, family members, and neighbors into their homes to watch the broadcast. It's a way of sharing what this whole Christianity thing is all about. Our broadcast is right around the corner, April 22, 23, and 24. Please be praying for churches to continue to get trained to participate, and for the members to be praying for their friends. We're also finalizing the editing of the programs this weekend. Pray that God guides us as we edit.

However the more urgent prayer request is for our neighbor, the Dominican Republic. They also have been working for the last year, and their broadcast is already here! Tonight (Thursday the 18th), tomorrow, and Saturday at 8pm, they will have their program on national television. Over 40,000 homes will invite guests over to watch the broadcast. Pray that there will be no energy black-outs (power outages are common there). Pray that God speaks to the hearts of each person watching, and that they will see the amazing things that God has done for us through Jesus. Pray they will admit their sins, and accept God's free gift of salvation!

Thank you all for your prayers!

Much love to all of you,

Joe

Personal Air Show

As some of you know, Joe and I live every close to the airport, so close that we can see planes land and take off, and now with the super dooper awesome camera, we can even zoom in and read the names on the airforce planes. So on Saturday they had several really cool planes(I think all refueling/reloading and heading to Haiti).


These first two photos are of Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey's. I am a girl and thought it was so cool. They look like a plane but take off like a helicopter.

These last three photos are of a C-5. Largest plane the air force has. This one is the "Memphis"(As the tail reads). Again super cool, on the ground this thing looks like a beached whale on the runway, but it was super quite, surprisingly quiet taking off. Just compare the sheer size of this plane to the poor airtran flight next to it. There was also a school of 6 or 8 smaller cargo planes but much less exciting after seeing these others.

Lauren and Sarah

While we were home, Joe and I had the amazing privilege to have two of my favorite people take pictures of us. They are amazing photographers! If you are looking for a photographer I recommend them, just email for their info! P.S. It was FREEZING that day!

Where do I begin

I can't believe that we are already in the middle of January 2010. Where did 2009 go? I also need to apologize and ask for forgiveness for being MIA for the past 2 months, we have no good excuses so I won't give you any bad ones either. God has done some amazing things in 2009, I am always shocked and awed by him. A year ago we were celebrating the more than 500,000 decisions for Jesus made by Brazilians through the My Hope project. In the past year we have moved to a new country, I began working with the project, and we have faced new battles and challenges with the project. Also in the past year, I think we have visited ALL of our family spanning from NC, Chicago, San Antonio, Louisiana, and California(now it is your turn to come to us), and we attended and participated as both my sister and Joe's sister were married. As my mind thinks through all the wonderful events of this past year, my mind stops at a tragedy that has struck at the beginning of this new decade. I know you all have heard about maybe even gave money or resources to help those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. The My Hope staff began its work in Haiti several months ago meeting with leaders, denominations, different christian organizations. They began praying and probing for God's direction, if God had ripened Haiti for My Hope. As the earthquake hit on Tuesday many of us searched for itineraries to figure out if any of our staff were in the country, by God's grace they were not, but little communication has been possible. I want to challenge all of you to pray mightily for Haiti in these coming weeks, pray that as new infrastructures are set up, that as people are searching for answers and reasons, that they will only find Jesus at the end of their searching. Pray for a mighty revival! Pray for our fellow Christians and leaders in Haiti. Pray for the future of My Hope in Haiti.
Thank you so much for your faithfulness, with out your prayers and words of encouragement, we would not be able to do this.
For more information on what BGEA is doing go to: http://www.billygraham.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=766