You know the "good news, bad news" phrase. Well, I've got good news (praise) and bad news (reason for petitions). Which do you want first? Ok. The good news. Recently a volunteer group worked in the Puriscal area distributing the gospel and making contacts (see earlier pictures and article). Many good contacts were made, and, as always, the task is to follow up on them. Our prayer was for God to raise up national believers to work with new groups in that area. It appears that He has done that. The pastor of a church in a nearby town has the vision of training church members to go to the villages and lead Bible studies. Pray that we can wisely work with this church in starting new groups and developing leadership.
Now...the bad news...well, it appears that way now, but only God knows the final outcome. He can take what appears to be bad and turn it to good. Oh. You want to know what I'm talking about. Ok. The young pastor of a new and growing church has been (falsely) accused of embezzeling money from an employer where he worked six years ago.
Why now? Who knows? An attack from the enemy it seems. The pastor says he can prove his innocence, but the system here is that an accused person is guilty until proven innocent. If the charges aren't dropped, in order to hire and pay a lawyer to defend him, a process which could take years, he and his wife will have to leave the church and move to where they both can get jobs to earn enough to pay the lawyer. Please pray...first that the family will have faith and strength; secondly that the church will be strong and supportive; that if this continues, God will provide leadership for the church; that the charges will be dropped, and soon, before he has to resign and move his family.
