Renfro Ramblings

The Half-Way Mark

2012-01-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

It has been either 6 months since we've returned home from Chile or 6 months that we have left in the states before we go back...

Regardless which way we look at it it has been GOOD! The Lord has taught us many lessons and reassured us of a lot of things these past 6 months.

LESSON 1: God has indeed called us to Chile and he is faithful in providing the means! Our budget has jumped up quite a bit so we are working very hard to finish raising it in a year. We are traveling, preaching and sharing our vision for Chile to obtain new commitments. It has been our joy to make new friends as we visit churches week after week and meet with potential supporters. It has also been a blessing to catch up with the people that are already part of our support team and thanking them for taking part in what God is doing in Chile. Before we made the move back we where worried about the failing economy and the reports of missionaries struggling to raise their budgets. Our experience has been so positively overwhelming as people are excited about missions and ready to give and invest in the lives of students in Chile! We are currently at 84% and lacking $1400 in monthly commitments.

Lesson 2: God has assured Josh and I that this is the calling he has for us. Stepping back into America after being gone almost 4 years has allowed us to process many feelings and solidify values in our life and in the family we are raising. For me it has allowed me to feel CERTAIN and SATISFIED that this is the way I want to live my life...committed to something bigger than wealth and fame. I want to live for something bigger than myself and the Lord has provided this opportunity for us to live and work in Chile. He has given us a passion to share the love of God with young people that are giving their lives away to everything but eternity. Being back we have also been enticed by a list of plan B's. It has been so easy to conjure up scenarios that involved us serving the Lord back home near our families. All sound so appetizing but not the plan A God has chosen for our lives.

Lesson 3: Our faith in God has grown. As we grow older the Lord has allowed us to experience more of life. We are now raising up a child and all of a sudden faith in God means more than it did just a few years ago. I have realized that it is not just going to church and reading your bible everyday, it is the way you live your life affecting every action and attitude. In the last several months we have lost 2 close friends in separate occasions. Both beautiful you married women that loved the Lord. Their lives were both a testimony of what walking with God means, their deaths both a celebration and a powerful reminder that we indeed live for eternal consequences and that one day we will come face to face with our maker.

No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.

2012-01-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Luke 9:22-23

“The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

This is the story of William Borden heir to the Borden family fortune (Borden Milk). His life paints a picture of what Jesus was trying to say in these verses. Click on link bellow to read his story.

http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/regret.htm

Dietrich Bonhoeffer to His Parents - The Mystery of Holy Night

2011-12-25T16:37:00.000-08:00

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor, theologian and martyr who participated in a resistance movement against Nazism. He was imprisoned and executed because of his involvement.

"I don't have to tell you how greatly I long for freedom, and for all of you. But for decades you gave us such incomparably beautiful Christmases that my grateful memory of them is strong enough to outshine even this rather dark one. It is times like these that show what it really means to have a past and in inner legacy independent of the change of times and conditions. The awareness of being borne up by a spiritual tradition that lasts for decades gives one a strong sense of security in the face of all transotory distress... From the Christian point of view, spending Christmas in prison dosn't pose any special problem. Most likely, a more meaningful and authentic Christmas is celebrated here by many people that in places where only the name of the feast remains. Misery, pain, poverty, loneliness, helplessness, and guilt have an altogether different meaning in God's eyes than in the judgement of men. God turns toward the very places from which humans tend to turn away. Christ was born in a stable because there was no room for him at the inn: A prisoner can understand all this better than other people. It's truly good news for him; in believeing it, he knows he has been made a part of the Christian community that breaks down all spatial and temporal frontiers, and the walls of prison lose their meaning."

Fighting the same Battle

2011-11-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

This past month was quite busy but full of exciting times. It has been our privilege and our honor to be able to spend sweet time with great friends and their XA groups. Many of the people we attended XA with when we were students are now pioneering campus groups all over Texas, the US and the world. We are truly God's army fighting a battle that will have eternal consequences.

Two weeks ago we spent several days in Huntsville, Texas meeting with students and interns from SHSU interested in giving some time on the mission field. Many of these young people are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives and are ready to go where the Lord calls. Amen! Several years ago we were just like those students and it was exciting to encourage them and share our experiences in this great adventure of serving the Lord.

Last week we were on the campus of UTSA with our dear friends Johnny and Amy Hauck. Amy was my college roommate 10 years ago and one of the key people in my young Christian walk. They pioneered XA on this campus just 4 years ago and it was amazing to see the growth of student involvement that has taken place! This week also marked the groups first ever Missions Summit! We along with several other missionaries were able to share our hearts and our missions experience. Many students responded and were challenged to begin a journey in missions! Pictured to the left you will find the precious people we are fighting alongside in this battle.

Naomi's First Prayer

2011-10-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

These past few months have been quite challenging when it comes to parenting. Naomi has hit a huge developmental stage and we are trying to keep up with her! We have realized consistency (as much as our busy travel schedule allows) and repetition are very essential. She is literally like a little sponge soaking everything in. So we have been challenged to spend more time instructing her, teaching her and of course modeling for her. Thanking God for our food is something so simple we have began to teach her. After months of holding hands and praying at the table she finally got it! We were on a trip as usual and we stopped at Subway in Waco to have dinner. We were all pretty tired and trying to make the best of our pit stop. As we sat down to eat Josh asked Naomi to pray. She bowed her little head, moved her lips as if she was saying something, there were no words just lip movement, then comes the big AME! She cant quite say the whole word yet. It was the most precious thing. Josh and I were filled with such joy at the fact our child had said her first prayer. It was something so simple but a reflection of the things to come. If we do our part and train up our child in the way she should go I believe and trust she will not depart from it!

This is my anthem

2011-09-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

He's always been faithful by Sara Groves
Morning by morning I wake up to find the power and comfort of God's hand in mine. Season by season I watch him amazed, in awe of the mystery of his perfect ways.
Chorus: All I have need of his hand will provide. He's always been faithful to me.
I can't remember a trial or a pain he did not recycle to bring me gain. I can't remember one single regret in serving God only and trusting his hand. Chorus.
This is my anthem, this is my song, the theme of the stories I've heard for so long. God has been faithful, he will be again. His loving compassion, it knows no end.
I absolutely love this song, especially in times of transition and change. It truly is our anthem of God's faithfulness in our lives. It has been 3 months since we transitioned back to the states from Chile and our support raising is well underway. Being away from Chile, the place God has called us to is hard. Our work is there and the people we love, BUT being back for this year is part of the process and we must be faithful to it just as much as being on the field. This is a time to see God provide the prayers and support needed to return. We also get to meet and connect with the amazing people God using to send us! One of my favorite parts about being back is spending time with family. Naomi is enjoying the precious time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins!

1. My sister Cecilia's High School Graduation in June

2. My sister Jackie's wedding in July

3. Meeting Harper our new neice for the first time when we arrived

4. Visiting the grandparents in Pittsburg, TX in June

5. Memorial Day

6. Naomi meeting her great-grandmother, my only living grandparent for the first time

Who will go?

2011-07-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Itineration begins...NOW!

2011-06-24T22:10:00.001-07:00

Exactly one month ago we left La Serena, Chile to come back to the states for itineration. We will spend the next 12 months or so visiting churches sharing about the work we did in Chile these last 3 1/2 years. As hard as it was for us to leave, we have to be faithful to this aspect of our call. We are grateful to be part of a team that is working together to further God's kingdom on this earth. If it wasn't for the churches and individuals that support us we couldn't do what God called us to do...reach university students. So we are here to tell them thank you and share the stories and miracles God did in Chile! We are also here to share the new vision God has given us to extend CONEXION across the nation of Chile. The work is not over it has just begun!

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!

2011-03-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 61:1-3

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Good News. Freedom. Release. Favor. Vengeance. Comfort. Provision. Beauty. Gladness. Praise...is what the students can bring to their campuses. This month thousands of university students began a new school year. Just the other day one of our students was a able to minister to a classmate who was hurting as she remembered the death of her mother, whom had committed suicide exactly a year ago on that day. Nicole was able to pray with her and share the love of God in a beautiful way. Please pray as we equip and encourage students of CONEXION to build relationships with students that will have enternal consequences! Their Christian lives and faith in God is so crucial in this changing world. The university is a place were the nations leaders are formed and our students have a chance to impact the world!

University Student Retreat

2011-02-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

March 11th and 12th we will be having a university student retreat in Rancagua for students all across Chile. This March students return to class and we want to equip them to begin the school year. Not just any school year but a year they can demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthian 5:10). We want to teach them how to stand up for their faith and stand strong with the truth. The retreat will consist of Apologetics workshops and we have the privilege of bringing in campus pastor Ronnie Hoover from Arkansas to challenge the students. We pray for a powerful and fruitful time. And we believe God is going to raise up an army of students to change and impact not only Chile, but the world!

STEPS

2011-02-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Last month Noami took her first steps and by the end of the month she was on her two feet conquering the world! I know it sounds cliche but they do grow up too fast! As much as I am proud of her reaching this milestone I feel sadness because in a certain way she won't need me anymore. I want her to succeed yet not forget me...the one who gave her life. Wow! Do you think God feels the same way about us? God the one who gave us life and the steps to conquer it. He still longs for us to need Him...to continually look back at him as we take steps forward saying, "look at me father, I can do this...thank you for what you have given me and taught me. I am doing this all by myself yet I am doing it for you!"

God had Chile in Mind

2010-12-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 8:6-11

⁶ Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. ⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;

⁸ a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegran

ates, olive oil and honey;

⁹ a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;

a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills¹⁰

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

One of the great things about being a foreigner in a country is that you observe things about that country that those who live there overlook. I still marvel at beauty of this country, at the snow capped mountain range that runs the length of the country, the world's driest desert in the north, and the breathtaking fjords in the far south. I daily enjoy the abundance of fruits and vegetables year round, fresh bread on every corner with every meal, and the warmth of sitting in someone's house for tea time as they treat you with way more love and honor than you feel like you deserve. Chile is a blessed country, with natural resources abounding and wonderful, hospitable people. I notice these things, because as an outsider you see the things that locals don't. You are grateful for things that are second nature to them and as a consequence, overlooked.

That's why when I read this verse I thought of Chile. It speaks of abundant agriculture, rolling brooks, and and minerals such as copper that they would be able to mine. This describes Chile! They have so many copper reserves that as a nation they have no debt! Are you kidding, no DEBT? What does God ask in return? "Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him". That's it. In light of all God gives us, he simply asks us to obey him and revere him, just to be thankful for all He has done for us! Sometimes we forget or overlook God's goodness in our lives, to the detriment of our own spiritual well being. Sometimes is just takes an "outsider" coming in and saying and pointing out what we've known all along, and to remind us that we have so much for which to be thankful. So, as an outsider to your life and your reality, what good things are you overlooking in the midst of life? Let me encourage you to look up and realize how faithful God has been and all the good things He has done for us!

Naomi is 7 months old!

2010-10-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

April - Nimi on Easter Sunday...this was aoutfil #2. Guess what happened to the pretty dress she had on before?

On May 9th Nimi turned 2 months and was dedicated at church, we celebrated my first Mother's Day and celebrated my moms 50th birthday! I was so grateful my mom and sister were able to come to Chile.

Josh's 1st Father's Day

July - Saturday mornings in Guayakan. We go and minister to the children of this low income area. We teach them about the bible and about how much Jesus loves them.

August - Nimi was my number one fan at my half marathon race. After having Naomi I had to dedicate myself to something to help me feel and look better so I trained for my second half marathon. I was grateful for Josh's support through it all!

September - Nimi's first meal! She's done good so far. A few days ago we added beef to her baby food and daddy was proud!

October - Nimi almost has the whole crawling thing down BUT thats not limiting her from getting around. She's getting into all kinds of things...especially under mommy's desk.

A CALL TO PRAY

2010-08-11T08:13:00.001-07:00

We have less than a year left in Chile before our 3 year term ends. It is overwhelmingly amazing as I reflect on the experiences we've had pioneering campus ministry these past few years. We've had victories and we've made mistakes but most importantly we've learned. It is so easy to get discouraged by the mistakes, then get motivated thinking about the victories but what matters is what you do with them both...and that is to PRAY! God spoke to Josh and I yesterday and called us to pray: to pray more and seek the face of the God that will continue to touch the lives of university students in Chile and to use our experiences and what we've learned to lead us to pray for what God can do in Chile. We've strategized, we've planned and done but the spiritual work can never be enough.

A missionary life as I know it...

2010-06-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

is full of seasons with and without people. The Lord constantly puts people in our path to shortly or sometimes never take them away. No matter how hard parting may be we have to look at the purposes God has through those seasons or times together. In the end if we are really close to God everything will be okay. It reminds me that He is the only thing constant in our lives. If we aren’t grounded in Him when people come and go then we will have nothing. We don’t own anything and we don’t have a right to relationships. Relationships are a gift from God and we must enjoy the best of them no matter how long we spend with the person. If we begin to own relationships then it only makes it harder when the Lord parts our ways. Some of the most beautiful friendships in my life have been long distance. My heart longs to be with those people but I trust that God’s purpose have us apart. I realize that we are fighting the same battle and our hearts are knitted by the call we have obediently chosen to obey. From now I wont hold back from the people God puts in my path. I will take them for what they are worth and search for the blessing they bring.

PROJECT GUAYACAN

2010-05-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

God has opened up the door for us to partner with a local church in planting a new church in Guayacan. This neighborhood is full of young families and only 4 blocks away from the Northern Catholic University of Chile. Our vision is to plant a church that will bring hope to families and will be a beacon of light to the university. We have the land! We have already poured the foundation! These next two weeks students from Sam Houston State Chi Alpha will help us initiate the work with children's services and street evangelism. Last Saturday we had our first children's service and several children and their parents attended. That same night we returned to pass out tracts and offer prayer house to house. We ended with a beautiful time of worship in the neighborhood's main plaza. God's love is becoming present in Guayacan and we can't wait to see the lives that will be touched!

BEFORE

AFTER

Whats New This Year

2010-03-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Leaders Retreat

We recently held our leader's retreat to start off the 2010 school year. It was a purposeful time of prayer, worship, planning and fellowship to help the students focus on meeting people and starting their small groups. This is our second year working with university students in Chile and its amazing how the Lord has specifically lead us through the pioneering process. The students are beginning to take ownership of the ministry and are joining us in the vision of what God can do through university students to impact the country of Chile.

Prayer Walking

We can't do anything before prayer, but we can do everything after it. This month we have been going on several campuses teaching students to prayer walk and intercede for their universities. This allows them to envision what God can do on their campus. Here is a view from Universidad de La Serena giving the students a view of the whole city.

Bible School

The new bible school year has also begun and Josh is teaching the class on discipleship...his favorite! One of the opportunities we both have had since being here in Chile is teaching at the bible school that initiated its third year early this month.

SUMMER HAPPENINGS

(remember our summer is your winter)

LEFT: youth leadership training seminar

MIDDLE: 2010 Small Group Leaders

MIDDLE: Marcela's graduation from medical school

RIGHT: clearing the land for the new church plant we will be helping with

Naomi Faith's Arrival

2010-03-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

The New Renfro Family

Monday night we went to bed around 1:00 am. Veronica and Melody had been over that day. We had lunch at a Peruvian restaurant, came home, had coke floats, watched the movie Up and ate popcorn. It was a fun day off and a great way to pass the time as I anxiously awaited for Naomi to get here. I was 39 weeks and 2 days along. That night before bed I journaled a bit in Naomi’s prayer journal, then fell asleep in Josh’s arms as he consoled my tears of anxiousness and impatience. At 2:30something am I was awakened by a sharp abdominal pain. It wasn’t the type of contraction I had been looking out for. I decided to have a bit of hope and began to take down the time. At 2:45 I felt another one. I thought to myself “can this be it”. I laid there and just waited. 3:00 am, another one. I turned on the lamp and Josh must have sensed something because he rolled over and asked if I was ok. I, surprised at the fact he had actually woken up, told him I thought I was having contractions and that I was keeping track of them. He said “ok let me know what happens”, rolled over and went back to sleep. I had a few more contractions 13, 7, 8, 10 minutes apart. I still didn’t want to rush or get my hopes up. The only thing that kept me doubting was that there was no other signs that I was going into labor. The contractions were also quite bearable if not I would have sped up our trip to the clinic! I decided to gather my things and take a shower just in case. I also informed Josh that this might be it and he too got out of bed. I got in the shower around 4:00 am and didn’t feel any contractions. The warm water definitely brought some relief. But as soon as I got out I had more contractions... 7, 6, 5 minutes apart. I then called my mom and told her of the pattern and she was pretty sure I was in labor and that I better go to the clinic. About 4:50 am the mucus plug was expelled. This is when I decided to call my midwife Nevenka. She said it would be best for me to go to the clinic where she would meet me and check me out. Josh and I walked out the door at 5:00 am. The contractions not only got stronger in the car, but they where exactly 4 minutes apart. Yet, Josh and I remained calm and were just so overcome with excitement that Naomi was finally coming. As soon as we arrived to the clinic and during the check in process the contractions became rather strong and 2 to 3 minutes apart! My midwife was not there yet so the midwife on shift began to examine me. By then I was in PAIN! and to top things off she informed me I was dilated 7cm! “Ok lets get you into pre delivery” she said and thats when things began to happen rather quickly.

When we first arrived. In between contractions I felt fine!

My amazing husband who was the best support!

Nevenka my midwife. She was wonderful and stuck by me the whole time.

The contractions got much stronger and closer. I was still not sure if I wanted an epidural or not. My plan was to go completely natural. My midwife said she was going to call the anesthesiologist just in case. She said I could opt for a really small dose. “What about the breathing exercises” I thought and “the advantage of feeling my body as I pushed.” The pain was just too unbearable and by then I had reached 8 cm. By the time the anesthesiologist got there, got prepped and gave me the medication I must have been close to 9cm. Finally the epidural kicked in. I could still feel the contractions but they became more bearable. In no time I had reached 10cm, but what kept me from going into the delivery room was Naomi’s head. It would not drop far enough into my pelvis to start pushing. This is where things got complicated because the small dose I had wore out and once again I was in excruciating pain. The pain was so strong there was no way I could position myself to make her head drop. They offered more medication, I took it. Except the effect was too strong. My blood pressure dropped, I was extremely nauseous and a strong sleepiness came over me. The medication calmed the pain down a bit too much. We waited a few minutes so that I could regain my strength. By then my doctor checked and decided she was ready and they rolled me into the delivery room. At this point I felt so vulnerable because I could not feel a thing and how was I suppose to push! “Ok Mayra you’re gonna have to give it all you’ve got” I thought to myself. If all I could do was push then I had set my mind to it. Earlier Nevenka had instructed me on what I needed to do and how to push correctly. In a few moments I was ready to deliver. Nevenka close by telling me when I needed to push. I pushed four times and little Naomi was out and by the time I knew it we were face to face. The feeling I felt when I saw her for the first time is one I can not possibly describe. She was born at 10am on the dot, weighed 7.5 lbs and measured 20.5 inches. She was perfect! My heart was overwhelmed with joy and gratefulness to God for a healthy beautiful baby and a smooth delivery. He had answered my prayers so specifically!

The best moment of my life!

Daddy - daughter bonding

2010 YOUTH CAMP

2010-02-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

The Olive Tree

2010-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

PSALM 52:8

But I am like an olive tree
flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God's unfailing love
for ever and ever.

May our lives be like that of an olive tree; standing firm and deeply rooted in God's truth. That we may trust in His unfailing love and not give in when troubles come our way. He has made us strong and our faith in Him will be evident for all to see.

The Voice of the Lord

2009-11-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

PSLAM 29 - A psalm of David.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes

with flashes of lightning.

⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;

the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks

and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;

the LORD blesses his people with peace.

The voice of the Lord is an immeasurable power that can transform. I remember when I first began to hear the voice of God. It has the power to encourage, to bring light, to break chains and strongholds. His voice breathes life into a person who is spiritually dead. How can we doubt Him when His voice soars over mighty waters. when it breaks cedars, when it strikes like thunder, when it shakes desserts, when it twists the oak, and strips the forest bare!

Wow that is the power of the voice of God, so majestic. This is what it can do in our lives if we listen! "Lord I want to hear your voice. Help me to be silent so that your voice has authority in my life. Help me not to miss out on the privileged of hearing you speak. I want to hear you!"

When God speaks man must harken. Each time God's word is preached we are personally addressed by Him. Then always our small self is directly confronted by His great Divine Self, and every such time is an hour of decision. A decision is made weather we mean to hearken or not, to obey God or ignore Him, to harden ourselves or recognize in practice His claim and redeeming authority over us. Whosoever posses an ability to perceive the things of God in his heart, whosoever posses the spiritual organ to receive God's word in his soul, must hearken. Whosoever, indeed, has "a receiving station" in his spiritual life for the "waves" from eternity, must hearken. When God speaks, man must listen. He must acknowledge that it involves and hour of decision.-Erich Sauer

Revelation 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Hebrews 12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks

HALFWAY POINT

2009-11-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

Psalm 22:9-10

Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you

even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;

from my mother's womb you have been my God.

We are halfway through our pregnancy and we're having a girl, Naomi Faith! It has been a sweet time for Josh and I as we enter the world of parenthood. Our lives change everyday as we prepare to bring little Naomi into this world. The Lord is teaching us to pray for our daughter and challenging us to become a family centered around God's word and truth.

HAPPENINGS

2009-11-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

ENCOURAGING MARCELA

Marcela will finish her medical degree at the end of this month! We met Marcela a year ago when we arrived in Chile and since then we have been able to establish a close friendship and encourage her through her last year of medical school. Marcela's heart is to demonstrate the love of God in the workplace bringing the name of Jesus to this much needed place. Marcela will move back to Santiago where she is part of a church family.

STUDENT CONFERENCE

Last week we had the opportunity to put on a student conference at her church . It was a wonderful time of sharing the importance of having a contagious faith, as well as the importance of leaving a mark on your campus. Marcela's vision is to help her church establish CONEXION and serve her pastors in reaching university students!

LTC - We are halfway done with our second leadership course. It has been a fruitful time for our 5 students as they learn about the method of Jesus and his teachings on discipleship. We are excited to see their commitment and motivation to see God do something big on their campus. Please continue to pray for them as they trust God to use them in making an impact! To the right is a picture of a beautiful day we had our course on the beach!

In one of the rooms in the university...

2009-08-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of the most prestigious universities in the area is Universidad Catolica del Norte. This a law, medical, and theological school. The Lord has given us tremendous favor on this university! He has opened many doors for us to be on that campus, but most importantly He has touched the hearts of many students on that campus! Marcela is a 7th year medical student about to graduate at the end of the year. She has been one of our key students and over a month ago she expressed the desire to start a girls small group. She said "I want to make the remainder of my time here count for something!" She invited several of her classmates to meet every Wednesday at 5:30 in one of the rooms of the university. We have now been meeting for nearly two months and the Lord is doing something big at Catolica del Norte. Several girls have arrived to learn about Jesus, the bible and the meaning of a life with Christ. Several girls have also given their life to the Lord and it has been so beautiful to watch Marcela disciple them and love then into the Kingdom of God. The Lord is answering prayer and students are understanding His heart for discipleship and that they can impact eternity right on their capus!

Ministry Update

2009-08-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

It will be almost a year since we arrived in Chile and the Lord has exceded far more than what we asked and prayed for. Our heart and prayer was to help the students have a vision for discipleship along with getting small groups established and funcioning. We are gateful for the students the Lord has enabled us to work with and there is testimony after testimony of how the Lord is using each one of them on their campuses and in their small groups. The second semester just began and we currently have 4 solid small groups meeting every week. This September we are also starting our second leadersip course for the students that will lead small groups next school year in March.

Another prayer we had, was the ability to share the vision with the National Church in Chile. We have had several opportunities to present the vision of CONEXION at several pastors meetings and conventions. This work cannot happen without the support of the National Church! Last month we had our very first students conference and 50 students atended from all over Chile. We were able to share the principles of university ministry and most importantly challenge them to leave a mark on their campus. For the remainder of the year we will travel to key cities in Chile sharing the vision of CONEXION and how the pastors can take part in encouraging their students.

Please join us in prayer for the following things:

Each small group and that lives are being transformed every week.
The 7 students that will be taking the leadership course.
MAPS workers, Veronica and Melody who have been a blessing to the work here. Their language comprehension and the 7 months they have left here.
Our travels as we meet with pastors and train them to work with the university students in their churches.

CHANGES

2009-08-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

"First comes LOVE,

then comes MARRIAGE,

then come Josh and Mayra with a BABY CARRIAGE! "

Josh and I are excited to announce we are having a baby! The Lord has given us a wonderful gift of life and we are looking forward to this journey. Little Peanut is 8 weeks along and will be here in March to meet everyone. Please keep us in your prayers as the pregnancy advances and that little Peanut will be as healthy as can be.

The Supernatural Power of God

2009-06-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

We are called to live a supernatural life now, by faith. Eternity will be wonderful, but there is one thing heaven will not contain, and that is the call, the possibility, and the privilidge of living a supernatural life here and now by faith, before we see Jesus face to face. -Schaeffer

Lately, the Lord has been teaching me about His supernatural power and how as Christians we are called upon to be a demonstration that the supernatural, the normally unseen world, does exist. We currently live in a world where naturalistic ideas are setting in more and more impeding ones comprehension and grasp of a supernatural God. BUT...

The more we get involved in ministry the more we see Gods power moving in the lives of students and transforming their hearts. It is a previldge to be part of this. People who seemed so hardened to the truth of Jesus Christ are being touched by his love day after day. Families are being restored, sadness is being transformed into joy, life after life is finding its purpose, and hearts are being mended.

Lets us open our eyes to the supernatural, it's all around us! Lord, I'm sorry for limiting you to "my world." You created this world, shine through us and use us to make you supernaturally known.

SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST

2009-05-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow evening a team of students from Sam Houston State University Chi Alpha arrives in Chile to help us with a week full of outreaches. They will be going with us to various universities to do cultural exchanges and at night doing events to connect further with the students. All this will be for the purpose of encouraging our student leaders here in Chile and connecting students that are not Christians with CONEXION, the name of our student group. Below are the events you can help us pray for. Most universities invited us on their campus with the condition we don't proselytize so we will mainly go and connect with the students to invite them to our evening events where we will be free to share more about the love of Christ.

Monday, May 25: INACAP University/ Coffee Shop Event

Tuesday, May 26: Universidad Catolica del Norte/ International Festival

Wednesday, May 27: Univesidad de La Serena

Thursday, May 28: Universidad de Pedro Valdivia/ Soccer Night - Soccer is the religion of the culture so it will be a great opportunity to connect with the students!

Friday, May 29: Universdiad de Santo Thomas/ our major event, a Coffee House where we will invite the students we meet throughout the week

UPDATES

2009-05-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

SMALL GROUPS

Small groups have been underway for nearly 2 months now! We are so excited to say that we prayed for 2 solid small groups and the Lord has answered our prayers with 4! It has been a joy watching the students not only be faithful in coming every week but also bringing their friends who do not know the Lord. Small groups are effective in helping us build relationships with the students and it gives them a place to grow more in their knowledge of God. Overall 26 students have been involved with small groups! Please pray for our small groups and that students lives would continue to be changed.

VERONICA AND MELODY

The Lord is doing something big here in Chile and everyday he confirms it more and more. Last month Veronica and Melody arrived to help us is in pioneering university ministry. They are devoting a year of their life, after completing their degrees at Sam Houston State to come be a part of this work. They have been a tremendous help already and we see their lives being an encouragement to many of the students. We are grateful for the team God is putting together, but more than anything for the community of believers that is being established among the students.

Maraton de Santiago

2009-04-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

University Ministry in Chile

2009-03-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

What race are you running?

2009-03-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! -Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message

This passage in Hebrews has been on my heart these last couple of months so much that it has challenged me to train for half a marathon. One of our challenges in starting ministry here is teaching the students about passion in what they believe in. So the Lord lead me to show passion by dedicating myself to train and run the race April 5th. It has been a challenging 7 weeks so far and I have discovered a few things along the way.

First of all that our walk with God is like running a race. A race that requires discipline and training. A race that is not easy and requires lots of hard work. We ourselves determine the speed we run by our determination and dedication. I have also realized that in our walk with God we don't compete against the world but against ourselves, our own flesh. As I run and my body gets weary it wants to stop. My mind and heart want to keep going, but my flesh holds me back. It is a constant battle to get our heart, mind, and body on the same level. This we can only accomplish by focusing on the end of the race. The reward that awaits. This encourages me and my flesh to push harder and harder to get to the finish line. Its a constant battle within ourselves that we must conquer. The world with no doubt will always be against us. The victory for a follower of Jesus comes when we finish the race giving it all we have after crossing that finish line into eternity!

First Student Retreat - Summer 2009

2009-03-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend Josh and I had the privilege of taking 5 university students on our first ever retreat. The students that attended were involved this summer in small group and took our leadership training course. It was a wonderful time of prayer and planning before these students head back to class during the month of March. The retreat was also purposeful in solidifying their commitment and helping establish an identity that will be present in 5 major campuses this school year. We are grateful for their dedication and desire to take part in reaching their campus. We are in awe as we see these students begin to establish a vision for what God can do on their campus.

Youth Camp 2009 - IV Region Chile

2009-02-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

It was a wild four days as Josh and I where able to take part in Iglesia El Puente's Summer Youth Camp where youth all over the surrounding regions attended. Josh and I both were assigned to lead about 10 youth each in growing closer to God and having a significant 4 days that would impact their walk with the Lord.

2009-01-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredible time as we have begun working with university students here in Chile.

Josh and I are so grateful for each one of the students that have committed part of their summer to take part in this ministry that will prepare them to be a witness on their campus! The girls meet every Tuesday at our house for small group and the guys on Thursdays. We are on our 4th week already! On Wednesdays we have our leadership training course that will enable the students to build their own small group when the school year begins in March.

Meet some of our new friends! From L to R. Tammy is a bible school graduate with a heart for discipleship and has decided to take part in helping us train the students. Areli is a high school graduate who will begin her first year of college at la Universidad de Santo Thomas. Francisco is currently a student at INCAP Technical Institute. Jano is a 3rd year medical student at la Universidad Catolica del Norte and Carolina will also begin her first year in college at la Universidad Central where she will major in Psychology.

There is so much potential in each of the students lives to do something so great for the kingdom. Our prayer is that they would grasp that the way they live their Christian lives and love the people surrounding them on their campus will impact eternity!

Christmas time is here... and so is summer time!

2008-12-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is here and so is the hot and sunny weather. The seasons in Chile are reversed so Christmas falls during the summer time. Instead of drinking hot chocolate by the fire people grab their beach gear for a long day at the beach. Instead of getting sweaters, scarfs, and gloves for Christmas, people get surfboards, beach towels and flip flops! The summer time also means the end of the school year. Students face finals and turning in projects to finish of the year. For those that finish high school December is a crucial month because they take the PSU a very important nation wide test that determines which university or institution they qualify for. For many their future depends on this test. Many of the students we are working with had to take the PSU so we were able to encourage and pray for them. To make things more interesting they find out their results 3 days before Christmas. HO HO HO Merry Christmas! The summer time will also be a busy time for us as we gear up to start our discipleship course with university students. Because most students live with their families while they go to school they don't leave the area for the summer, so we are able to spend more time with them during the summer months. We will meet twice a week with the students all in preparation for the school year that starts in March. The course will be geared to equip them and help them be a witness on whatever campus they attend. Please pray for us as we begin the course in January.

We have arrived in Chile

2008-10-25T12:49:00.001-07:00

WE ARE FINALLY IN CHILE!!!!!

And can't express the gratitude we feel for all the prayers and support of everyone who have helped us get here. THANK YOU!

It has been quite a busy 2 months, as we left Costa Rica and transitioned to life in Chile. The Lord has opened door after door and we are in awe at the way He has prepared the way for us to begin university ministry.

The need is huge here with over 15 universities in the cities of La Serena and Coquimbo of which we live in between. We can not do this alone and the Lord has already put key people along the way who He will use to make this possible. But we can not do this without the church.

We are grateful for El Puente, the church we attend and has opened its doors to help with this pioneering work. We can't do this without the body. Pastor's Marcelo and Carolina are amazing people who we are privileged to serve alongside.

El Puente is home to several university students who we have focused on spending time with. They have expressed a willingness to take part in this work and we are so excited to invest in their lives. This summer, which is December, January, and February, we get to teach an intensive discipleship course preparing them to be witnesses in the university setting. We have learned that being a Christian is difficult and people are afraid to profess their faith for fear of ridicule. We will help encourage them and prepare them to evangelize their campuses!

Marcela is one of those students the Lord has blessed us with. She is a medical student at Universidad Catholica del Norte, where doctors and lawyers go. She has expressed a heart to help. She is a precious girl who loves the Lord and is already being salt and light on her campus. Just think in a few years she will be done with school and find herself in a place of influence, the workplace, sharing the love of Christ. Please pray for students like Marcela. And please pray for the course we will begin with the students in December.

Youth Destroy University Building

2008-08-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

A week ago several youth destroyed a university building and surrounding businesses and homes. They were infuriated after they weren't allowed into a concert that could not fit in anymore people. They began to throw bricks and rocks at the buildings as a protest. The area looked like a war zone. Every time we drove by it, since its on our way home, I began too feel such a heavy burden for the youth that participated. I felt like the Lord was reminding me that these youth are living without a purpose and that He desires for them to know Him! it also makes me think about the passion that these youth have to live for something or to give their life over to a cause. In this case they gave into vandalism and destruction. But what if they invested that passion into walking with God. They would do the unimaginable to share His love with the world! This also reminds me that there is so much work to do and students through out Latin America are searching for a purpose in life. The Lord is challenging us to look at these young people as POTENTIAL, not as troublemakers.

I can't help but feel and urgency and a need to pray your students all over the world. They are the future of God's church and the shapers of tomorrow. We graduate from language school August 14th and will be in Chile to start working with university students in September! Pray and believe with us that the Lord can transform young lives and that we would see the potential they have to do the unimaginable for the kingdom of God. I've been praying for God to prepare Josh and I that He would renew our passion for our call. I think He has answered our prayers!

RENFRO UPDATE

2008-07-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

It has been 6 months since we arrived in Costa Rica. In a little more than a month we will graduate from CINCEL and make the big move to Chile. It has been a fruitful and purposeful time and aside from Spanish grammar, the Lord has taught us so much and blessed us with amazing opportunities.

Back in April Josh had the privelidge of traveling to the southern zone of Costa Rica to meet the pastor of an indigenous group called the Bri Bri. The village was pretty far into the woods, so much so that the only way to get there was on a boat used to transport bananas. Needless to say it was quite a trip!

I was also blessed when Faith, my bestfriend's parents flew me to India to be in her wedding! It was an unforgetable experience and an honor to witness the marriage of Faith and her new husband. They will remain in India as they embark in a life of ministry.

One of our major tasks for language school is a research project pertaining to the Costa Rican culture. I have chosen to research Dos Pinos a dairy corporation that provides dairy products to most of Central America. This involved visting a dairy farm and familiarizing myself with the process from where it starts.

BUSES AND COFFEE

2008-03-15T01:22:00.001-07:00

We've been in Costa Rica for almost 3 months. We finally feel pretty adapted and pretty blessed with the opportunity to be here. It's amazing how living in a different country makes you think a lot about your identity and values. God is teaching us so much about people and culture! We wanted to take the time and share a little about our lives here. Costa Rica is a country of 4 million people, which is equivalent to the city of Houston! And 1 million of them live in the the province of San Jose, where the capital is and where we live. It is a pretty advanced country and we have almost everything we need. In some cases not what we are use too, but hey it works. Something that we've had to adapt to is not having a car. So buses have become our common mean of transportation. I've really grown to enjoy it because we are exposed to people daily and through it I have learned a lot about patience. Having a car you can get in, drive to, get out, do what you have to do and head back. Ridding the bus to us means having to wait for the bus that passes by every 15 minutes sometimes more, then sitting and sometimes standing to the the desired bus stop. Now buses are not small in Costa Rica. Imagine a charter bus, no wait many charter buses traveling on one way two lane roads. You are not getting anywhere fast! The ups is not having to worry about parking and gas! I've also labeled the driving here "the order of disorder." No one hardly obeys streets signs and signals. The "oh crap" handle has become survival when ridding anywhere. The crazy thing is that this disorderly driving works for them. It's almost like you have to become un-cautious to be safe!

"Alrededor de un cafe se aregla el mundo" is what I've learned. This culture is centered around coffee and it tastes good. Costa Ricans can drink a good cup of joe and we are not complaining. I think our addiction has gotten worse since we've been here. I don't know what we will do when we get to Chile and have to drink instant coffee! Coffee is the countries main export and the perfect climate conditions allows it to be cultivated. Josh and I were so in awe the other day when we drove through a coffee plantation. Who knew the plant was pretty too. There is also so many ways to prepare it The picture to the right is called "cafe choreado", dripped coffee. It's also neat to see how coffee will bring friends together and be the reason to unite people. It is really true "a cup of coffee makes everything all better."

The Lord's Timing is Perfect

2008-02-15T00:34:00.001-08:00

Our biggest task in Costa Rica is to attend school everyday. One of my favorite parts about this is the people we are privileged to be surrounded by more than 25 hours a week. Our class is mainly made up of people who have a grasp of the language and can speak Spanish pretty well. One special couple in the class is Don and Jacqui Cartledge (center) who have been missionaries to Chile for 25 years! The reason they are in our class is that next year they will be the school's new directors and they are wanting to experience what being a student at Cincel is like. God's timing is good! They have been a huge blessing as they have been able to offer so much insight and wisdom on being a missionaries to Chile. We can't thank God enough for this privilege! Something else the Lord has taught us is the value of being in language school. We have realized that even though we can speak Spanish, learning the correct way is so crucial to ministering to a culture. In our case we will be working with college students pursuing a higher education. Being able to communicate on their level is so important.

We have arrived in Cost Rica!

2008-02-03T21:15:00.001-08:00

Our goodbyes have been said and our trust has been place in the Lords hands. Now we begin a new season of our lives! We are finally settled here in the beautiful country of Costa Rica where we will learn and perfect the heavenly language of Spanish. We feel such awe and gratitude as we think of all the people that are obediently giving and praying for our ministry to the university students in the country of Chile. After being here exactly one month we still at times stop and think "I can't believe we are here!" Its been a long year as we spent our time raising a budget to get to the field. Our new season involves advanced grammar, translation, interpretation, and Latin American Literature. Sounds like a lot but we have realized how much of a blessing this will be as it will prepare us for our future in Chile.

Josh and I have gotten in tune with the culture and started shopping at the "feria" Saturday mornings. Here people come buy and barter fruits and vegetables for the week for half and sometimes one forth the price as in the supermarkets.