New Update

Salutations! Thank you for support and for praying for me and the work God is doing in Colombia and throughout the world. I hope that each of you is doing well and staying safe during these ever-increasingly strange times in which we live. They have often been called ‘uncertain,’ but we know that they are not uncertain to our Lord who remains on His throne. He is still sovereign. He is never taken by surprise. And we can trust in Him always. He is faithful in all his promises to us

Here in Bogota, we continue to be on lockdown—a shelter-at-home—with limited travel in the city. The city has been on lockdown for over 100 days now. I can now go out every other day. (This restriction is based on the last number of my identification card). Each city in Colombia has its own set of regulations. Masks are required in public. As of now, the lockdown has been extended until July 15. Regulations are expected to become stricter next week.

Please pray that the pandemic would subside. Colombia has over 95,000 confirmed cases; Bogota has almost 30,000. Since most of my everyday work involves visiting people in their homes and since many of the people I visit are older and/or have multiple medical issues, I have been unable to continue my work as usual. I have done the best I can to continue working from home using phone calls, WhatsApp, and Zoom.

Please continue to pray for the “Corey” family I mentioned in my previous newsletter. It has been really difficult for them, but they are beginning to see a recovery from covid-19.  

Please continue to pray for “Ted & Amy,” who are still dealing with covid-19. In addition to covid-19, they have several other medical issues and can’t receive treatment for those needs until they recover from covid-19. 

Thank you for supporting me with your prayers. Pray that the Word of God would speed ahead and be glorified (1 Thes 3:1) despite all that is going on now. Pray that God would use all of this for the spread of the gospel and the growth and health of His church.

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Matthew 11:25-30 

At that time Jesus said, 

“I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 

that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent 

and have revealed them to infants. 

Yes, Father, for this way is well-pleasing in your sight. 

All things have been handed over to me by my Father; 

and no one knows the Son except the Father. 

Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, 

and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 

and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. 

For I am gentle and lowly in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

This world in which we live is filled with people who are weary and heavy-laden. We live in a broken and fallen world. People are worn down by poverty and pestilence, violence and death, and many other things. Ultimately, we are all devastated by our own sins, failures, and guilt before a holy and just God. Left to ourselves, we are hopeless and under condemnation. But there is hope to be found in Christ, and He bids sinners to come to Him. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were crushing people with the heavy burden of the law (Mat 23:4). False religions continue to do the same today. The heart of Jesus, however, is gentle and lowly. And in missions, we are to call the nations to come to Jesus. The yoke that Jesus promises to give those who come to Him in simple faith is peace in the assurance of absolute forgiveness for all their sins and the promise of the Spirit’s sanctifying work in our hearts. Look to Him! When you see your sins and brokenness, look to Him. He is gentle. He is lowly of heart. He is tremendously tender, kind, and patient with us. Rest in Him. He has carried away your sins on the cross. He lived a life of perfect obedience, and all those who come Christ are clothe with His perfect righteousness. All who come to Him, he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37). And we keep on resting in Him and His finished work on the cross throughout our Christian life as we struggle against sin. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence and find mercy to help in a time of need (Heb 4:16).  

For further reading…

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund

The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbs