I (Anna) awoke this morning at 6:30am when the rays of the morning sun that entered my room. A hug and words “Happy 22nd Anniversary” from my best friend. I started to talk about the first time we met and how Pastor Harold Arbo came into our lives and later married us. He has shown us so much compassion and been there for us throughout our marriage. Pastor Harold has been a pastor, friend and mentor to us and has had a huge impact on our lives. We have seen Jesus’ love through him and learned from his example.
Relationships are important and growing here in Manos Extendidas. When people are given hope they start to believe in their dreams again. Today, Gordon and I celebrated our love with friends at the river and saw a wonderful example of this as we watched some of them being baptized. This was the best present for us! Knowing that we will be spending eternity with Jesus and these new bothers and sisters in Christ.
I also see how sponsors are having such a wonderful impact on their sponsor children and families. For a parent to know that their child will receive a well-balanced meal every day and an education, is a dream come true. But it is even more, much more than that! For example, David, is a boy in the Manos Extendidas Child Sponsorship Program. Because of the love and support of his sponsor, Becky, his mothers dream has come true. David’s mom then started going to church, ultimately accepting Jesus into her heart! She was baptized today. Praise the Lord!
Another girl who was baptized, Merlin, is daughter in a family who’s father left to go to the United States illegally. It was some time after her father’s leaving that she invited Jesus into her heart, realizing that she could trust him to never leave her. The truth is, we’re all broken spiritually until we receive Jesus in our hearts. Question, is there someone in your life you are, or have been, thinking about reaching out to? Let me encourage you to start (or continue) working on that that relationship, one that God will use to draw them closer to Jesus.
We have so much to celebrate! Our prayer is that we, together with God’s help, will find a sponsor for every child in our Manos Extendidas Child Sponsorship Program! So that they will be cared-for, well-fed, and educated, with the chance to come to know Jesus’ love in a personal way!

Pastor Alvin, Michael, Marvin, Pastor Gordon, Pastor Victor (Missing from picture is Pastor Marco)

Today 12 people were baptized! Each has a story of how God touched and changed their lives!

God is Amazing!