The Martha Project

This is a story about a woman, her two children, and an opportunity for you to change their lives forever!

I approached the small shack of a house in search of Martha. I was a little concerned because I hadn't seen her, or her two children for over a month. Molly and I had almost decided that she had moved away. I lightly knocked on the door, fearing the rickety structure might collapse if I knocked any harder.

I heard scuffling behind the door and soon the door opened. A broken shell of a woman emerged from the darkness. Was this Martha? Could this be the strong and bright woman that was always seemed to be smiling? I immediately wondered what had happened? I asked "How are you?", she looked away unwilling to look me in the eyes. I slowly placed my arm around her and asked her again..."How are you?". She immediately buried her face in my chest and started to cry. She explained that she didn't know what to do. She was tired, hungry, and afraid. Her neighbors neighborhood were threatening her and her children. They wanted her to leave, and were determined to make her life miserable until she did. Often times she was afraid for any of them to leave the house. She needed work, but didn't feel it was safe to leave her children home alone anymore. She was broken and could not find the strength to hope or dream for anything better.

Not really knowing what to say, I hugged her and explained that God loved her and so did I. She smiled at this and tried to dry her eyes. "You are the only ones." was her reply. We left with promises to return later with some food for her family.

Later as reflected on my encounter with Martha, it was if God was speaking to my heart. He was asking me "Spencer, Do you really love Martha? Do you love her like I do? Do you love her with more than words? What if this was your daughter, Alexis? What would you do then? Martha is my daughter...do you love her like I do?" I felt challenged to do something...but what?

I had an idea...while there isn't much Molly and I can do alone, but what if God used all of us together? What if we all came together to help our sister in need. I'm praying that together we can raise $5,000 for Martha! Molly and I are going to start by giving the first $100. That leaves $4,900 for the rest of our 6:8 Ministries friends and family. If each person receiving this email gives an average of $15 we should meet this goal.

After all it is Christmas, the season of giving! Instead of giving someone something they don't really need...what if we all pulled together to give this family something they will never forget! We can give them hope, peace, joy and love! What if we did something radical to renew Martha's faith in Christ! What if we gave her Jesus for Christmas? Isn't that exactly what we are supposed to be celebrating?

Here's the thought, we use the $5,000 to rent Martha a house for a year, buy her children some food and clothing, and purchase a commercial grade sewing machine. This will allow her to set-up a micro-business out of her home making t-shirts and clothing! While $5,000 is a lot for one person, $15 isn't all that much. That's the beauty of the body of Christ working together.

Would you prayerfully consider making a donation to the Martha Project? It wouldn't take much, and together we can change a life. Can you imagine her testimony if we raise the funds to do this for her? In her darkest hour, the shining light of Christ came to her rescue! I know that is exactly what He did for me.
Love in Christ,

Spencer

Ramblings - Amazed!

I'm amazed, completely amazed! I don't think any other word could capture what I'm feeling right now...allow me explain why.

I went to visit and pray for Jose Antonio today. To my surprise he was walking! Not completely on his own, but he would hold my finger and walk around the room with me. He would let go, get his balance, and then grab hold again for another lap!

For those of you who don't know Jose Antonio's story, let me explain why this is so incredible.
Two years ago, when we were first introduced to Jose Antonio, he couldn't get out of bed. He was weak, emaciated, and very sick. His house was full of darkness and despair.

Jose Antonio was suffering due to complications at birth that left him both mentally and physically handicapped. The doctors said there wasn't much hope. Basically, resign to the idea that he will be lame and mute for life.

I started visiting and praying for Jose Antonio on a regular basis. I saw a little improvement, so I started taking the mission teams and local pastors down to pray for him with me.

Slowly, his health improved. He began to sit up, crawl, and play. The light of Christ had started to invade the home, and with it came an indescribable hope and love.

While the doctors were surprised with his improving health, they still didn't expect for him to get any better. They knew they couldn't help him, so they told his mother that there wasn't really any reason to bring him back for a year. Basically, go home and don't expect much improvement...see ya next year.

What they didn't know was that God wasn't finished with Jose Antonio. He wanted to show us all that we worship a God that can still make the lame walk and mute talk! Want proof...Jose is getting better, and he is WALKING, and there is no other explanation!

I can't explain the incredible joy I felt today as I watched Jose Antonio walking for the first time. Everyone laughed and smiled. There was so much hope and joy in the room. As you can imagine, his mother is thrilled! If you ask her, she will say that the prayers are the reason her son is walking!

In closing I want to thank all of you who have been praying for Jose Antonio. I also want to encourage you to continue...it's working! If you're not praying for him...please start. I hope for a day that Jose Antonio will walk and talk. A day that he will walk the earth, and tell the world of his amazing God that healed him.

Matthew 15:31
The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.


Simply Amazed,

Spencer

A Tico thanksGIVING...

Costa Ricans normally don't celebrate Thanksgiving. Why would they? What do they care about the first harvest feast between the American Indians and the English settlers? They don't watch much American Football, and they don't eat the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In Costa Rica it's just another day. However, one man is trying to bring Thanksgiving to Costa Rica.
His name is Rob, and he loves Jesus. Actually, he loves Jesus so much, that he's really starting to look like Him. Not in the physical sense. His strongest resemblance is his love and compassion for the poor.
Rob is the mission director at Mason Community Church. He had a radical idea to raise money to feed the poor of Alajuelita. He explained that in view of God's blessing they have received, they wanted to show their gratitude by sharing part of thier bounty with those in need. Wow, what a concept! Sounds just like something Jesus would do.
Rob presented the idea to the church, and God blessed it. The church was able to raise over $1,200 in only two weeks! Did I mention that Mason Community Church is a chuch body of about 200 people, and that Mason Community Church is in Michigan? One of the states hit hardest by our current economic situation. God is truely awesome!
Rob brought the money that was raised, and God seemed to multiply their offering. They were able to purchase almost half a ton of food. That is a lot of rice and beans!
He systematically divided the food for delivery to some of the poorest of Alajuelita.
As we delivered the food to hungry families, the Ticos were overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness. Many smiled though teary eyes, while other were just in shock. God was using Rob to answer many of their prayers!
I'm thankful to God for using Rob to help me understand thanksGIVING in a new way. We are all very thankful for God's blessing and provision. However, rather than just saying thank you, let's show it. I find it a little strange that on the day we set aside to show our gratitude for what we have received, we often aren't compelled to give. We typically say thank you, and then sit around and stuff ourselves!
As your family prepares to celebrate God's blessing this year, maybe you can try something radical in your own neighborhood. This year, let's make it a thanksGIVING. Find someone in need with whom you can share some of your blessings from God. I believe that if we can learn to share what God has given us freely, God will use it to change the world!

Medicines, Missions, and Magic...

Last week we had the awesome privilege of hosting our first ever medical mission team. The team of medical professionals sacrificed their time and money for an opportunity to bless others.
The team came prepared with basic medical equipment and several trunks stuffed full of vitamins and prescription medications. The plan was to spend some time on the front end doing house calls, and then open free clinics in the local churches. Over the course of the week God allowed the team to treat over 550 patients!

It was incredible to watch God work through the team. They compassionately used their skills to treat the people's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. It seemed that every patient was prayed for at least once, which led to several of the patients praying to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Out of all the incredible stories, some tragically sad and others full of joy, one story stands out to me the most. It was the team's very last day, we had closed the clinic and were ready to walk out the door to go home. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. As I opened the door, I recognized the elderly woman standing in front of me. It was Maria. She lives in a small shack down by the river, and had the reputation of being a practicing witch.

Yes, I said a witch, as in black magic, casting hexes, and brewing potions. She came asking for physical healing, but had no any idea what she was about to receive. I quickly explained the situation regarding her reputation of being a witch to the mission team. They embraced the challenge.
As she limped up the steps, and the mission team sprang into action. One of the doctors took her into the closest bathroom, which was suddenly transformed into an exam room. The rest of the team started to pray for this woman. They laid hands on the walls of the examine room, they prayed over the new socks they were about to give her. As they bathed the situation in prayer, God answered! Before long this woman was sitting in a chair surrounded by the mission team. They engulfed her with the love of Christ, and she responded by praying and committing her life to God!Since the incident, we have visited her, and given her food and prayer. She is full of smiles, and praises God for sending the missionaries. I don't know what kind of magic or sorcery Maria practiced in the past, but now she has the awesome power of the love of Jesus Christ in her. Although it's not really magic, it almost always feels magical.

Fight the Good Fight

I'm sitting in the Orlando Airport reflecting over the past few weeks. As I type this, I'm riding an emotional rollercoaster. I realize that I'm physically very tired, which is probably adding to the waves of heavy sadness that keep crashing over me. I'm fighting off the attacks through forcing myself to remember the exciting ministry God has waiting for us in Costa Rica. The pain diminishes as I'm motivated by God's calling, my strength and joy return, but I fear this is only temporary as I can feel waves building on the horizon.

Our trip to the Untied States was a whirlwind of preaching, meetings, visits, and events. God allowed our time to be very fruitful for His Kingdom. During our stay, Cross Creek Church committed to fund the Children's Feeding Center Ministry for another year. God allowed us to find sponsors for almost all of the children currently in the Child Sponsorship Ministry. We officially announced and celebrated the ministry expansion to Guatemala, and as if that wasn't enough...Celebration Church has committed to start a church plant in Alajuelita! What a great God we serve!

While it's extremely exciting to be used by God in this capacity, it can also be very challenging. The pressure and responsibility of leading can be very burdensome. Part of me would like to stay in Jacksonville, and never have to leave again. However, I know that is the desire of my flesh and not my heart.

This is an ongoing battle between my flesh and my heart. My flesh longs and seeks physical comfort. My flesh believes that my personal pursuit for happiness is the most important thing. I can hear the lie, "it's all about me, I deserve it!" My flesh would rather be first, and it desires the praise of men. My flesh believes the lies of the world that claim that joy is found in physical wealth and beauty. However, in direct contrast my heart knows that my life is not my own, and it's all about Him. I need to strive to put God and others first, and greatness is found though serving. In my heart I know that joy is found in following the call of Christ; even if He is calling you to leave your comfortable life, friends, and family. I know He is calling me to get on the plane and return to Costa Rica.

Isn't that the battle everyday? I don't know about your experience, but I suspect it's the same as mine. The Christian walk is a fight, and most of the time we are our own worst enemy. In the New Testament, Paul exhorts Timothy on a couple occasions to "fight the good fight". This is what I need to remember, I need to be challenged to fight the good fight. Paul realized that we are in a battle, and the fight can be incredibly difficult at times. Sadly, sometimes we forget we are in a battle and simply stop fighting. We give up and start living out the desires of the flesh. Often times it's nothing all that sinister, just subtle changes that change our heart and we become ineffective and discouraged.

I don't think I'll ever understand why God called me to lead His ministry, but I'm humbled and honored by the calling. I know that He likes to choose the weak, foolish, and lowly things, so I know I'm more than qualified. However, it's my prayer that though His grace and power in my life that some day I can claim, as Paul did, that I fought the good fight.

Thank you all for the faithful love and support you have shown to my family and God's ministry here. Please pray that He will continue to use us to bear much fruit and that He will give the strength and faith to keep on fighting.

Guatemala or Bust

I would like to take a minute to share a little more of our vision to expand 6:8 Ministries into Guatemala. The first question to answer is why? Why would we expend our limited resources to risk an expansion into Guatemala? We recognize that It would be much easier to continue to operate at the current level. We could just sit back in our satisfaction and maintain the current ministry.

The challenge is that God has richly blessed the mission model and the operational philosophy of 6:8 Ministries so much that it has created an interesting challenge. We have already reserved twenty mission teams for 2009, and unfortunately I've had to turn away several churches. This is tragic, especially since many have explained they can't afford to use other mission organizations. Proof to us that cost is the number one deterrent for individuals participating in short-term missions. So you have a large number of people willing and ready to serve, but aren't given the opportunity. This expansion will allow us to give these willing participants another option for affordable, high quality mission experiences.

The other issue to consider is the impact this expansion will have on the people of Guatemala. In keeping with our current philosophy we will be targeting areas where there is currently little or no missionary presence. We are planning to provide tangible ways to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of the local people in powerful ways.

Why Guatemala? It's a simple matter of need and opportunity. God has already provided staff and facilities. These are normally two of the largest obstacles to overcome. The Johnson family was strongly considering a move to Costa Rica, but God intervened. They did not know "why Guatemala", they simply heard God's voice and obeyed. Since their arrival in Guatemala, God has been at work in powerful ways. God has broken their hearts for the poor communities, connected them with a local pastor who has a heart for assisting with mission teams, and a team house. God has already provided churches from the United States that are ready to start sending teams! Why Guatemala? Because God is at work in Guatemala, and we want to be part of it.