March 2022

And... we're back!

After 2 years of waiting and praying, the plan is in motion to return in-person to the Children's Development Center! Due to the pandemic we have not been able to meet daily with the kids and therefore we have been putting together and handing out monthly food packets to help the kid's families. 

Our current plan is to return the second week of March. For now there is a LOT of prep to do! Before the pandemic we had a partnership with a local kindergarten where we had a second CDI (CDI is the Spanish acronym for Children's Development Center). We will no longer be utilizing the kindergarten space, instead we will be moving all kids to the church location and dividing them into groups. We will host the older kids 2 days per week and the younger kids 2 days. I will be partnered with a local volunteer as we give classes. I'm still not sure what the classes will look like- we have a lot to catch up on with the kids and the schooling they've missed these 2 years! But what is certain is that we'll always start with a Bible lesson and making sure the kids know how loved they are by their heavenly Father. 

This week we'll be meeting with the CDI staff and volunteers to move things from the old kindergarten location to the church and to plan logistics of what the time and lessons will be. 

Needless to say I am overjoyed to know that we are going back!!

Youth Ministry

In January we had our youth retreat! We went to a local park and did lots of games and team building with scattered reflection times in between, then went to the house we rented and spent time in devotionals, listening to a few people share, eating and playing games.

I was privileged to be one of the leaders asked to share during the retreat. I shared on the topic “Identity in Christ” and talked through Romans 8:14-16, and 2 Corinthians 5:17, and then talked about what we should do with our new freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:13-14). God was at work in the hearts at the retreat in incredible ways.. I heard people share who have never spoken in youth group before and several people spoke about struggles close to their hearts. During worship I heard the voices singing so strongly that we almost couldn’t hear the guitar! Praise the Lord!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for this retreat. Since then I've been noticing more guests come to regular group on Saturdays and different people sharing. Please pray now that the Lord would continue working in their hearts and that He would give wisdom to the leaders to know how to continue encouraging this same kind of participation and passion! 

This week I'm starting my 1-1 discipleship meetings with 2 girls F and G. Please pray that the Lord would work in their hearts and spark a fire in them for Him!

Pray with Me

• Youth Ministry- please pray that the Lord would light a fire in the hearts of the youth here and would continue bringing new guests to the group
• Health- Please continue to pray for the health and safety of the CDI staff as we prepare to meet in-person once again!
• CDI- wisdom for planning, a smooth re-opening, and grace as we figure out the new normal
• Discipleship- please pray as F, G, and I as we begin our discipleship book that the Lord would soften our hearts and give us wisdom.

May we never forget that everything we are and everything we have is from the Lord. I pray that He abundantly blesses you for your prayers and generosity towards me!

Bendiciones,
Alyssa

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."