Guatemala, April 28, 2009
Dear Prayer Partners,
Life is always full of things to learn, and Sam encourages me to keep learning. With the crisis in the world today, we have ample opportunity to study about what happened, how it happened, and pray intensely that God work mightily in the hearts and minds of the world leaders today. It is said that the United States is in trouble because its leaders left aside the Word of God and its teachings, and are harvesting the consequences.
WRITING AND PUBLISHING
It seems that I spend 8-10 hours a day at my desk writing, editing, correcting. Personal letters are part of my ministry. For several years (until he was set free in December) I corresponded with a Christian inmate, unjustly incarcerated, encouraging him to write; God has given him a wonderful writing ministry now. My weekly column comes out in La Palabra newspaper, where I answer questions related to family, studies, church ministry, health, all kinds of topics, and folks comment how they are helped. Who knew when I took that elective typing course in 10th grade that I would get so much good out of it! November 26 I graduated with my Masters in Pastoral Theology (see the picture above), and the following day I began a blog to train Christian professionals to write, with 53 now signed up.
TEACHING. I just finished teaching another course Techniques of Research to the first year students at the Panamerican University School of Theology. I am honored to invest in the intellectual lives of pastors and leaders who are excellent preachers and teachers, but few know how to write a research paper. Actually my job is to help them organize their thinking as they analyze a Guatemalan problem such as domestic violence, adolescent pregnancy, or a church problem. Four pastors weren't there the day the picture was taken. I have enjoyed photography since Sam bought our first camera in 1967, and consider it a ministry because it blesses people.
FAMILY. I enjoy baking with the grandkids, and attending school events, seeing the kids participate in various activities. But mostly we sit on the rug, get out the blocks and make a garage, and put cars inside it. With some of the family living far away, we installed Skype in our computers to be able to chat with Lydia in Argentina, and Steve in Houston.
DOULOS FOUNDATION: Frederick Crowe Institute and Dr. Núñez Library. Many of you know about the Institute that we founded with so much love and effort 20 years ago. Over 800 students have graduated successfully from the excellent high school program we set up, oriented to pastors and leaders. Sam is there every day supervising and guiding. Our constant prayer is that the many Guatemalan adults who never completed high school, will have the determination to study in our Saturday program.
About 40% of our 170 students are from extreme poverty level families who live on less than $250 dollars a month, such as Florinda (see picture right), who completed her studies with honors; her mother is a Bible translator. You can make a difference in a student's life being a donor. We continue to rent a large house in downtown Guatemala City; the 6 classrooms barely hold 15 students each when our goal is 23. We are considering a building in downtown Guatemala City valued at $160,000 dollars and we have 20% in hand. You can be a part of this important project by designating a gift.
THANK YOU for your prayers and gifts. We invite you to be a part of our ministry by praying and giving, perhaps sponsoring a needy student ($300 per year per student), or a gift towards buying a building.
For a tax deductible receipt, write your check to CMM (Christ’s Mandate for Missions) directed by our close friend, Jorge Parrott, and mail to P.O. Box 7705, Charlotte, North Carolina 28241, USA. Telephone: (704) 225-3927. If you don't need a receipt and it is more convenient, you may deposit your gift directly into our Bank of America account. Write us for details.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10: “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel 'Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!…' And God granted his request". God wants to bless you with a larger territory for His glory.
Prayerfully,
Martha Saint-BerberianTo write to me: marthaberberian@yahoo.com
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