Greetings to all in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I write to you today with mixed feelings. It has been a tough week, but also a week with moments of joy and peace. Our co-pastors, Enrique and Miguela, are expecting their fourth child. They have three sons: Leo, Elías, and Leandro. They are expecting a daughter. Miguela has high blood pressure and other issues. Last year, on the very day we opened our Santa Ana campus of the church, she has a major seizure, out of the blue, and almost died. With her blood pressure and anti-seizure medicines and her age, she is a very high-risk pregnancy. Last Friday, she was admitted to the hospital because she was having the same symptoms she had before she had the seizure. It has scared them and their family.
Most of you can probably imagine that the public hospital system here is not that good. There are four beds in her room (if you can call them beds), and the hospital was built in 1943 and has been condemned. In fact, in just a few weeks, they will be demolishing it to rebuild a new one. So, it's not that nice. It's not that clean, and yet, they are happy because they know that God is providing for them.
God is using their lives to minister to other families that have had children and/or are awaiting the birth of their child. Enrique told me that on Monday a young man, who lives only one block from our church, came in to visit his sister who had just had her baby. He is a drug addict at the age of 17. No hope, no desire to live, and struggling with daily things like finding food to eat or water to drink. Things we take for granted. Enrique and I will be visiting him this weekend or next depending on whether or not we can find him. Please pray with us that he will allow God to free him from his prison of sin and drugs. That is our hope! That is our prayer!
God please help us to minister to Mathias and his sister. Please free them from everything that is holding them back from having a personal relationship with you.
Blessings to you all,
Charley
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
Update on the New Church Plant
It's been an amazing couple of months to start the year 2014. It has been incredibly hot and humid here in Asunción, but we have had some incredible time with the Lord.
At the first of the year, we started a prayer service on Thursday nights. Since that time, we have had many "small" things happen to us and those who attend our churches. This is not meant to be complaints or trying to make you feel uncomfortable or sorry for us. I just want you all to see what we have been up against and how God has poured His amazing grace upon us, His servants.
I am just going to list, in random order, all of the things that have occurred since we began the weekly prayer service: broken down motorcycle (which a member relies on for work), busted windshield (very random), loss of work, loss of money, nose-bleeds (major with no warning or explanation, doctors still can't figure out why), air-conditioner breaking down, another one breaking down, business owner not being paid for the work he has done, truck breaking down, car breaking down, accidents at work, family problems (major ones), stitches, random & weird illnesses, deaths of family members, people of the community speaking ill of us, people saying we are preaching false doctrine (btw, we preach Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected), etc.
Now, many of these things, and much more, happen on a normal, daily basis; however, we have seen an increase in these "small" things happening to our small group of church people. We average around 18 people on any given Sunday. It seems like, every day, we are seeing things happening that are out of our control. What do we do? How do we handle all of these things that happen to us?
Our church is rejoicing! We count them all joy, as James says. Why? Because we know that all suffering, all trials, are for our good. They benefit us, as a church and as believers, because they teach us that it has nothing to do with us. It's all about Jesus! We know that we are doing something right because we have seen opposition grow and become more vocal. The neighborhood witch is not happy, at all. The priest is beginning to stir up trouble, too. Even some of our own denomination and pastors from another denomination are beginning to stir up some trouble for our small church.
Sometimes, we ask ourselves, why, but then, we remember, it's not about us. It's about HIM! We keep ourselves focused on Jesus, and we allow Him to respond for us. It's been amazing watching Him work on our behalf. He is solving all of these problems right before our eyes. He has begun to give us favor with so many families and businesses. He is working in Asunción, and I know that He can work where you are at.
Counting it all joy, my friends,
Charley
At the first of the year, we started a prayer service on Thursday nights. Since that time, we have had many "small" things happen to us and those who attend our churches. This is not meant to be complaints or trying to make you feel uncomfortable or sorry for us. I just want you all to see what we have been up against and how God has poured His amazing grace upon us, His servants.
I am just going to list, in random order, all of the things that have occurred since we began the weekly prayer service: broken down motorcycle (which a member relies on for work), busted windshield (very random), loss of work, loss of money, nose-bleeds (major with no warning or explanation, doctors still can't figure out why), air-conditioner breaking down, another one breaking down, business owner not being paid for the work he has done, truck breaking down, car breaking down, accidents at work, family problems (major ones), stitches, random & weird illnesses, deaths of family members, people of the community speaking ill of us, people saying we are preaching false doctrine (btw, we preach Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected), etc.
Now, many of these things, and much more, happen on a normal, daily basis; however, we have seen an increase in these "small" things happening to our small group of church people. We average around 18 people on any given Sunday. It seems like, every day, we are seeing things happening that are out of our control. What do we do? How do we handle all of these things that happen to us?
Our church is rejoicing! We count them all joy, as James says. Why? Because we know that all suffering, all trials, are for our good. They benefit us, as a church and as believers, because they teach us that it has nothing to do with us. It's all about Jesus! We know that we are doing something right because we have seen opposition grow and become more vocal. The neighborhood witch is not happy, at all. The priest is beginning to stir up trouble, too. Even some of our own denomination and pastors from another denomination are beginning to stir up some trouble for our small church.
Sometimes, we ask ourselves, why, but then, we remember, it's not about us. It's about HIM! We keep ourselves focused on Jesus, and we allow Him to respond for us. It's been amazing watching Him work on our behalf. He is solving all of these problems right before our eyes. He has begun to give us favor with so many families and businesses. He is working in Asunción, and I know that He can work where you are at.
Counting it all joy, my friends,
Charley
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Feliz Año Nuevo/Happy New Year
We hope and pray that everyone is having a great start to the new year. 2014 has begun and we are in our 16th day of this new year. God has been so good and faithful to our family. I just wanted to update you are where we are all at and what we are all doing.
Charley, Sherry, and Chaz are in Paraguay working in our new church plant, Iglesia Cristiana Hacedores, and we are loving what God has been doing through our church. We are also serving as the new directors for the Mission's Department of the Assemblies of God in Paraguay. With both of these ministries, there are many challenges. If any of you have ever planted a new church or been involved in a new church plant, you know and understand the many challenges and decisions that need to be made. It's fun to be a part of and to see what God is doing through our small community church.
We have seen so many hurting kids and youth in our neighborhood, and God is helping us reach them, one by one. Many do not trust anyone. So, it has been a slow process of earning their trust. When we began our children's ministry in May of 2013, many of the kids would not even look us in the eye. Now, they come running up to us for a hug, each and every Saturday. In this hot weather, we have seen a slight decline in numbers. Please pray with us that we can raise the money to buy an air conditioner for the small space we are renting. We have found that it will cost us about $2,500 to get the size of air conditioner that we need. Thanks for praying with us.
In the Mission's Department, new pastors are beginning to see the need to support their foreign missionaries. We have four families in three countries serving God faithfully. It is amazing being a small part of what God is doing in Paraguay.
Chariti is in Waxahachie, Texas attending Southwestern Assemblies of God University. She completed her first semester with all A's. We are so proud of her, and we are seeing God work through her life as she has been chosen to be the team leader for a mission's trip of a group from SAGU to Mozambique. She just began her second semester and is very busy with schoolwork and ministry activities.
Kaylee spent a few months with her grandparents in California and taking some School of Ministry classes there. The cost of living in California is very high. So, she has decided to move back to Springfield, Missouri to look for a job and begin taking more School of Ministry classes. Her new roommate has so graciously taken her in and is helping her get settled, find a job, and find a church that will allow her to minister while she prepares for her call to missions in the Middle East. We thank, publicly, Pastor Ted Cedarblom, for all his help with Kaylee.
We thank each and every one of you who pray for us, daily. We cannot do what we are doing in Paraguay without your prayers and your support. Although our monthly support has taken a huge blow in the past six months, we continue to trust God for His provision. So far, we are staying afloat. We would appreciate your prayers for our finances. We still have two more years to go on this term, and we would really like to get this church healthy and strong before we head back to Missouri to itinerate. Please pray with us that those who committed to support us, but haven't for the last year, will be reminded of their commitment and help us finish this term strong.
Again, we thank each and every one of you so much for your support. We know the sacrifices that you are making, and we trust that God is blessing you for your faithfulness.
Serving Christ with you,
Charley & Sherry Mattix
Charley, Sherry, and Chaz are in Paraguay working in our new church plant, Iglesia Cristiana Hacedores, and we are loving what God has been doing through our church. We are also serving as the new directors for the Mission's Department of the Assemblies of God in Paraguay. With both of these ministries, there are many challenges. If any of you have ever planted a new church or been involved in a new church plant, you know and understand the many challenges and decisions that need to be made. It's fun to be a part of and to see what God is doing through our small community church.
We have seen so many hurting kids and youth in our neighborhood, and God is helping us reach them, one by one. Many do not trust anyone. So, it has been a slow process of earning their trust. When we began our children's ministry in May of 2013, many of the kids would not even look us in the eye. Now, they come running up to us for a hug, each and every Saturday. In this hot weather, we have seen a slight decline in numbers. Please pray with us that we can raise the money to buy an air conditioner for the small space we are renting. We have found that it will cost us about $2,500 to get the size of air conditioner that we need. Thanks for praying with us.
In the Mission's Department, new pastors are beginning to see the need to support their foreign missionaries. We have four families in three countries serving God faithfully. It is amazing being a small part of what God is doing in Paraguay.
Chariti is in Waxahachie, Texas attending Southwestern Assemblies of God University. She completed her first semester with all A's. We are so proud of her, and we are seeing God work through her life as she has been chosen to be the team leader for a mission's trip of a group from SAGU to Mozambique. She just began her second semester and is very busy with schoolwork and ministry activities.
Kaylee spent a few months with her grandparents in California and taking some School of Ministry classes there. The cost of living in California is very high. So, she has decided to move back to Springfield, Missouri to look for a job and begin taking more School of Ministry classes. Her new roommate has so graciously taken her in and is helping her get settled, find a job, and find a church that will allow her to minister while she prepares for her call to missions in the Middle East. We thank, publicly, Pastor Ted Cedarblom, for all his help with Kaylee.
We thank each and every one of you who pray for us, daily. We cannot do what we are doing in Paraguay without your prayers and your support. Although our monthly support has taken a huge blow in the past six months, we continue to trust God for His provision. So far, we are staying afloat. We would appreciate your prayers for our finances. We still have two more years to go on this term, and we would really like to get this church healthy and strong before we head back to Missouri to itinerate. Please pray with us that those who committed to support us, but haven't for the last year, will be reminded of their commitment and help us finish this term strong.
Again, we thank each and every one of you so much for your support. We know the sacrifices that you are making, and we trust that God is blessing you for your faithfulness.
Serving Christ with you,
Charley & Sherry Mattix
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