Home » Blog » Christmas Outreaches! January 4 2020

Christmas Outreaches! January 4 2020

Happy New Year! Can you believe we made it to 2020? I know the Lord has amazing things in store for this year.  On the site, I featured Jack’s great New Year message. Our outreaches continue in Mexico and India! Continue reading to see a glimpse from our outreaches this week as well as a recap of all the posts on the site.

This post will be a long one. We held Christmas outreaches in five separate areas. We can’t share all of them here, but the ones we can share are a lot! Grab a cup of something warm, and pray through the incredible things we did together this Christmas!

First up, our Children’s Church in India

The transformation the Lord has given us in this area is unbelievable. He has taken the least in society, those denied basic necessities, not allowed to attend school or hold a safe job. Most only ate each day what they could beg. Alcoholism was common because it’s cheap, and can help you forget about the horror of your existence for a short while. I’m in awe of what the Lord has done in the lives and hearts of our people here n the last two years. Our Christmas outreach in 2017 with them was the first time they ever celebrated Christmas. You can see that here.

Instead of begging in the streets, every child is in school! We taught each mom to read! We listened to the Lord together for work solutions for each family, and He provided generously. So many were able to start small businesses, selling items in the markets, breeding goats, and repairing home appliances. In this new year, I’d love to begin more skills training, offering sewing and other classes so each family has multiple options for income. I’m overwhelmed by God’s goodness and so excited to see what He’ll do next. Thank you for partnering with us. Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement. In a world that seems to get crazier by the day, and many things seem up in the air, I’m so grateful to see real, tangible outcomes from following the Lord.       

Little Joel

This little guy is a living testament to the goodness of God. One of these days I’m going to put the progression of photos together in one post for you, showing the miracles the Lord has done in this little one’s life.

A friend wrote after her 10-year-old nephew saw this picture of little Joel. She told me her nephew asked about him and said how much he likes little Joel’s face and especially his eyes. This little boy looked at another little boy across the world and could see the goodness of God. Joel’s eyes, that bulged so much from a grapefruit-sized tumor, were the source of pain, isolation, and fear. Neighbor tribes told his mom when he was born to leave him to die in a well to prevent his bad luck from affecting them all. Even though she was young, had been widowed while pregnant, was alone and had no resources, she refused. After two surgeries and a lot of follow up care, look at him now. Look at that face. You can look into his eyes and see the glory of God. The Lord used the family of believers from all around the world to care for this little one. We followed Him, and together, changed his story from someone rejected who can only bring harm with bad luck, to someone who brings hope to others and is filled with love and joy.

Each Sunday School class was excited to make signs to wish you a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Gifts

Clothes are always the request for the kids at Christmas. We had fun getting their sizes and picking them out new clothes. For the adults, this year we wanted to do something new and special. None of them had ever been to a real store to pick out clothing. They don’t have much, and most of what they have are cast-offs from others. And I love a good second-hand store! But we wanted them to feel loved, pampered and provided for this season. So we first took the ladies to a nice store and let each one pick out the fabric for new sarees to be made for them!

Then we took the men to pick out shirts!

After this, many who we helped start small businesses had been blessed enough to get new items to sell over Christmas! They brought them all into the church one night so we could pray over them and their merchandise together. Thank you Jesus! This is exactly what we’ve been praying for. That the Lord will bless their businesses so much that they have enough to provide for their families and enough to reinvest into their businesses to keep them thriving.

Each one knows that it is the Lord who has increased their businesses and they praised God together and asked for continued blessing and favor over Christmas and all through the new year.

Our Christmas party!

We had an amazing celebration. We worshipped, acted out the entirety of the life of Jesus, put on dances and singing, ate a special Christmas meal together and had presents!

We made sure to celebrate this little one whose birthday was this week too!

In all the celebration, we took a moment to honor our volunteers. They work tirelessly, sacrifice so much and are truly the hands and feet of Jesus in this place. They are a gift from the Lord and I’m incredibly grateful for each one!

Along with our volunteers, we honored each of the women from the villages who help out each week as well.

The kids put on special performances!

 

Gifts

Our Christmas meal together

 

 

Christmas Stars

Along with new sarees and dress shirts, we got each hut a lighted star for Christmas! It was just earlier this year we were able to get electricity to the villages so that each house could have a light. Now they also have little Christmas stars lighting their way this season!

Mexico Christmas Outreach

This was the 15th year we’ve held a Christmas outreach in Mexico! I can’t believe how much the Lord has done in this area in one and a half decades. We’re encouraged by the growth and blessings the Lord has poured into this area. This place where He’s had us putting down roots and being neighbors to those we serve. It’s been such an honor to live and work and serve side by side with those the Lord has put in our path in Mexico.

There are more locals and refugees in need than ever before, and it’s often overwhelming. Lately, with the great need everywhere, the Lord has had us focusing on making sure people don’t starve. We always do special groceries for families in need on Christmas. The necessities plus extra special things for Christmas dinner. And this year, because of your generosity, the families we were able to help quadrupled! Thank you.

We have many helpers, and some are quite small!

Escualita

For our after school kids group, we were able to give each child a special children’s Bible. There was a Bible Story book we got for Aidan when he was little. It was special because instead of just telling the children’s stories, it shows how every story pointed back to Jesus. I found it had been translated into Spanish and generous donors gave one to each kid! We asked the older kids if they thought it was too little for them, but they were so excited that the books helped them look to Jesus. They loved taking them home and reading them to their families.

Our first Christmas in South Africa

Many of you had it on your hearts to show love to those in need in South Africa for Christmas. We planned with the church we’ve been working with there and were excited to bring groceries and presents and a fun party to families in need. We paid special attention to the widows in the community and the kids we knew who would go without.

We held two events, one for the kids and the other for widows. In each, we loved them, honored them, and tried to show how much the Lord loves and cares for them. Just like in Mexico, we try to provide the necessities at Christmas, plus a few extra special things that they would love and wouldn’t get normally.

Thank you for your love, your prayers for those we serve around the world! It’s absolutely amazing what happens when we come together and follow the Lord’s leading. I’m beyond grateful for you all!

If you’d like to see more than we can share here, email me for access.

Thank you for keeping us, this ministry and our outreaches in prayer, and thank you for your support! We couldn’t do any of this without you.

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God bless you!
♥ Samantha

Here’s a recap of this week’s featured posts, in case you missed any:

Articles

Commentary on the Psalms

Q&A