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We pray that you and yours had a wonderful
Christmas and that the New Year will bring a renewed yearning to
serve Him.
Watch my new favorite Christmas song here.
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Before you go on to read our news, would you
please pause and pray.
Lisa (Trisha's sister) continues her battle with
an ongoing health issue. Many of you have been praying for her
and we ask that you continue to lift her up. While there has been
some improvement, it is painstakingly slow.
Carol who had received the news that her cancer
had returned has received an amazing report. Carol's recent tests
revealed she is in remission once again. To God be the glory.
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Report About Nicaragua - Please
Pray for Us
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In
October we traveled again to Managua and we were two of only a few
North Americans on the flight. Along the way to our house we saw
that even more changes were noticeable. In the few weeks since our
last visit, things had declined even more. More streets were
impassable and the police were at every rotunda. Several news
outlets had been shut down by the government and some of the
leaders of the protest movement had been arrested or had fled the
country. While a protest took place near our house, we watched the
internet live-stream and witnessed the government para-police
drive by and shoot into the crowd, wounding several.
After
much prayer and counsel with our partners we know that we cannot
continue our work in Nicaragua as before. In God's perfect timing,
our church partners are at a place where they can carry on without
our physical presence. After 14 years of work in Nicaragua, we
have left our house in Managua and returned to ministry in the
U.S. (more about that below).
Meanwhile,
we continue our partnerships in Nicaragua by sending money
(prayerfully and wisely) to our church partners for supplies,
events and infrastructure. In addition, we continue to help our
staff and pastors meet the needs in their families for food, medicine
and other things. We also continue to provide the money for 9
children of pastors and staff to attend Christian schools.
At the
moment, conditions there are continuing to decline. Nonetheless,
we are prayerfully waiting for another opportunity to go to
Nicaragua and personally encourage and help our partners.
Please
keep praying and supporting us during this crisis. All help given
to our Aid Nica project goes to providing needed help to our
partners and partner churches.
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If you
want to help in meeting the needs of our Nicaragua partners'
families and our partner churches, donations in any amount will be
used wisely to meet the essential needs. To donate, use the
button or mail your check to Jody Kennedy International, PO Box
6802, Fort Worth, TX 76115.
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Panama
City, FL (Hurricane Michael)
As you
read this newsletter, we are on our way to Panama City, FL to serve
as chaplains (Rapid Response Team a ministry of Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association). Samaritan's Purse disaster relief teams
continue to help those who were devastated by Hurricane Michael in
October. We will join other chaplains in ministry to the
volunteers, home owners and families, and first-responders. Please
pray for us as we share the love of Christ and His gospel with
those we encounter.
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We have
reconnected with Behind the Walls (formerly Bill Glass Champions
for Life). Since April, we both served in the High Desert Prison in
Susanville, CA, the Harris County Jails in Houston and the Tarrant
County Jail in Fort Worth.
In the
coming weeks, we are scheduled for several other prison events in
Texas, Louisiana and Ohio.
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Operation
Christmas Child
We made
our annual trip to Charlotte, NC where we spent 5 weeks serving in
the Operation Christmas Child processing center. We were privileged
to serve with our beloved OCC family in shipping more than 2.4
million shoe box gifts (a part of many millions nationally). Each
one represents a child (and their family) who will receive a shoe
box gift and hear the gospel message.
If you are
not already participating in this great opportunity, make it a part
of your personal ministry in 2019 (read
more here)
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Appreciating
God's Providence
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While we
mourn for Nicaragua, we can see God's hand in keeping us busy in
the U.S. The Lord has put in front of us several unexpected
opportunities to minister to others in crisis. We are grateful that
while we yearn to go back to Nicaragua, the Lord has seen fit to
keep us busy in various ways.
If we can
serve you, we are ready to be in front of your congregation, Bible
class or small group to preach, teach, share testimony, instruct on
mission, or simply share God's word.
Please
contact us to schedule a date and time. (We do not require or
request any offering for this service).
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Links that might interest you.
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