January, 2025
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever”. Psalm 107:1
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well and enjoying the blessings of the Lord. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude through this letter for your kind support in your prayers and contributions. Brethren, may God bless you for your hand in His ministry. On a personal note, we are doing well, thanks to God and His mercy, which keeps us filled with joy and encouragement to serve.
WOMEN’S CONGRESS
Our good heavenly Father gave us the wonderful opportunity to serve Him through the Presbyterian Women’s Congress (M.U.P.R.E.F.), which took place in Arica, from November 8-10. Around 230 ladies attended, coming from all over Chile, as well as from Bolivia and Peru. This Congress was a tremendous blessing and a great time of fellowship among sisters in Christ. We worked together with the Manantial Church. Pictured below are members of Berea Church who helped at the Congress. With thanks to God, our vehicle, which had been experiencing ongoing mechanical issues for several months, had no problems during the Congress. This allowed Jonathan to pick up many brethren from the airport, who otherwise would not have had the means or knowledge of the area to get around. Also, it was a great help in transporting the sisters from their accommodations to the Congress venue. We had the privilege of hosting ten sisters at our home, and prepared the pastoral house to lodge another ten. We made use of the church classrooms to house even more sisters and young people. So, we give thanks to our generous God, who supplied all our needs. Praise His precious name!
We would also like to share that, for months, the Women’s Society of our church had been making hand-made souvenirs (pictured above) for the sisters attending the Congress. The sisters loved them, and they were gone in no time. This taught us the importance of serving the Lord, even in small things.
On Sunday, November 10, we held a special evening service, which was memorable for many of the brethren who attended the Congress and stayed over to join either the Berea or the Manantial services. As a result, our church was quite full, and the joy of Christian fellowship was even greater. It was a service filled with praise and testimonies, and Pastor Sergio Gonzales blessed us with the Word of God.
WOMEN’S SOCIETY
The Women’s Society met for the last meeting of 2024. During this event, the sisters had the opportunity to not only spend time together but also share the Word of God, give testimonies about how God had helped them throughout the year, sing Christmas hymns, play games, and exchange gifts. It was a deeply blessed occasion, marking a year in which all were able to grow spiritually and as a community.
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM 2024
Our Christmas program took place on Sunday, December 22. The youth and children of the church participated, and we also received help from some young people from the Manantial Church. Thanks to God, we had a great turnout, especially from the children’s parents, who were able to hear the message of salvation. We are grateful for this opportunity and pray that the gospel will continue to spread.
This Christmas was particularly special for us because, just before the program, Janeth received the news that her brother, Daniel Jara, had passed away and was in the presence of the Lord. Despite the sorrow of receiving this news just minutes before the program began, God gave her strength, and she
remained firm through her pain. Her brother’s funeral took place on December 23, and his burial was on the following day. Though it was a painful time, it gave us the opportunity to conduct the funeral services and offer comfort to the grieving family. We are left with beautiful memories of the time we spent with him and the peace of knowing that he is now resting in his eternal home with our beloved God and Savior.
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Please pray for the children of Daniel Jara, who, though they know the Gospel, have not yet consecrated their lives to God. Their names are: Daniela, Tomás, Elizabeth, and Milton Jara.
- Continue in prayer for the health of Janeth.
- Pray for the parents of the children who faithfully attend Sunday School.
- Pray for good results from our evangelistic activity on Sunday, January 26, where we distributed tracts and flyers, and an invitation to our Vacation Bible School.
- Pray for the VBS, which will be held from February 11- 16.
Once again dear friends, thank you for all your support in God’s ministry here in Arica.
In Christ,
Rev. Jonathan, Janeth, Ruth Meyl, and Melissa Jara
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.