Blessings from Chile and Happy Almost-Summer to all you in the northern hemisphere!! As it gets colder and I try to stay warm here, I’m reminded daily that it is definitely NOT summer in Chile; yet while the weather may be cooling down, our ministry with Fuego Urbano is definitely not!
FIRST: Our 2 New Community Programs: Sports School & Community Movie Nights have both begun. The sports program is a basketball & soccer school for 3 hours each Tue., Thurs., & Fri. where we teach fundamentals and advanced skills. Once again we’ve partnered with the Municipality in running their programs at no charge to them or the community, and they allow us to run it how we want: including biblical values, principles, verses, and prayer in each hour segment. Yesterday was the first day and about 35 people showed up with very little publicity; this week we’re going to push hard and we expect and hope to have about 50-100 kids each day real soon. The other program we started was our bi-weekly Community Movie Nights where we show a movie and then use it to discuss how Jesus, God, the Bible, faith, doubts, struggles, etc. intersect with culture and modern-day life issues. We watch a movie and then discuss how 2 or 3 different biblical themes, values, or principles are expressed in the films. So far we’ve shown 2 movies and about 25-35 people at each, which is also great since its just beginning. Please pray God would use these programs to continue to draw more people to Him.
SECOND: We’ve partnered with a few like-minded ministries & missionaries in the area to form a group called ‘Sinergia’ (‘Synergy’ in English).Our purpose is to pool together our resources, training, & experience to train & equip Chilean church leaders to meet the current and future needs of Chile. Our goal is not so much to evangelize but teach, train, & equip Chilean church leaders how to reach, evangelize and serve their communities with new, relevant, and effective methods. Our long-term goals have always been much bigger than just planting ‘Fuego Urbano’ in La Serena; it has always included trying to help open the Chilean church up to new ways of doing ministry due to the fact that so many of the churches here have lost relevance with the younger generations. To this end Pepe has already taught a few seminars on using sports as evangelism and outreach, and more and more people are asking for help and training in this area. On top of these smaller and more frequent training events, Sinergia will be collaborating to host an annual multi-day Missions, Outreach, & Evangelism Conference similar to Urbana in the USA, to begin making an even broader mark on the landscape of not only the Chilean church, but the whole region of South America’s southern cone. This will also include writing, publishing, and distributing much needed theological and ministry books, manuals, and literature to fill the current hole in that area as well. Please pray for us and this exciting new phase of ministry: Below is the Sinergia Team just after playing soccer and having bible study with inmates at the local prison.
THIRD: Last week our house was broken into and money plus other things were stolen. We ask you to pray for those who broke in, that God would convict them of their actions and draw them near to Him. We’ve forgiven them and pray for them, and ask you to join us in that. Because of what was stolen we have some extra expenses to cover as well, and ask you to pray about helping us cover those too.
FOURTH: Automatic Monthly Donations to Fuego Urbano are now available here on my Blog. You may sign up for amounts of $25, $50, $100, or $200 per month. Just go to the right side of my Blog where it says ‘Recurring Donation’ and adjust the monthly amount you would like to give; then click ‘Donate’ and it will take you through the process. One-time online donations are still available as well: just click the ‘Donate’ button just below where it says ‘1-Time Donation’.’ Or if you prefer personal checks, the process for those remains exactly the same. I also want to take this opportunity to let you know that our greatest ministry & life need at this point and for the foreseeable future is increased committed monthly financial support, due to the fact that each month in 2011 we’ve averaged about $300-$400 short of our monthly expenses; so if you would like to know the best way to help us at this point, that would definitely be it and allow us to more fully focus on the ministry we want to do.
FIFTH: I'll be coming home on July 28th and be there until the beginning of September, and would love to see, talk with, catch up, and share about this past year with whoever would like to. I'll be in Costa Mesa and will organize a few visiting and sharing events for all who would like to come, and I'd love to share how your prayers, love, encouragement, and financial support have made such a huge difference with Fuego Urbano, as well as hear how you're all doing. And if you would like to meet personally with me during that time, or with some other group to share with, I'd love to do that as well. Just let me know, and I'll get dates out to you all soon about the sharing events I'll be hosting.
SIXTH: I need to buy return plane tickets to Chile and wanted to see if anyone has Frequent Flyer Miles to donate towards a plane ticket for me. One of the greatest gifts I've received so far was a CPC member's generous donation of her Frequent Flyer miles to buy my plane tickets, and that would be a huge blessing if someone were able and willing to do that again. If so, please email me back and let me know.
SEVENTH: As always there are 2 ways you can give financially to Fuego Urbano: 1) Online Payments here on my Blog or 2) Checks made out to ‘Fishers of Men Fellowship’ and sent to: ‘Fishers of Men Fellowship’, PO Box 9284, Newport Beach, CA 92658.
Thanks so much for all you prayers, love, encouragement, and support! We know that without all of you this would all be impossible, and I look forward to seeing you in about 2 months or so.
Greg Haugh & Jose, Gislaine, Gabriel, and Soon-To-Be-Born Baby Eyzaguirre
