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Neuendorf (Puerto Rico) Update – May 2022

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0% Self Powered

This month we had the incredible blessing of being able to use some of our last remaining disaster response funds to make some major investments in our future capacity to respond to future storms. Besides a host of repairs and renovations, we were able to have solar power installed at both campuses. I have to admit that my inner nerd checks the included Tesla app far more often than needed; I love seeing how much our solar production and consumption are shaping up under the different weather conditions. The system is working even better than our expectations, and a week-long power outage across the entire island also gave us a handy reminder of how important it will be in the event of another disaster. 


Besides all of that, there is something extra satisfying about seeing those words, “100% self-powered today.”

It’s a lie though.

It is the Lord who grants the sunshine that we need, and who could take it away with a thought. It is God’s gracious mercy that gave us the funding, the technological advancement to make this possible, and it is only by God’s mercy that the “hurricane-force-rated” panels will not simply be torn off in the next storm. We are, as always, 0% self-powered today. We depend 100% on God’s providence and love for every breath of this life. As I taught our current batch of catechism students this month, this is what it means to have the true God, to recognize Him as the only source of all we need in this life. 

What good news it is then that the Lord who makes His rain fall on the righteous and on the unrighteous, has declared us His beloved children! Everything that God does, is for the good of His church, His treasured possession. Even the faith that clings to His promises is a gracious gift from His hand! We may be 0% self-powered, but the Lord is the one who daily and richly provides for our every need in this body and life. As we gratefully use the gifts He has given to us through His church for the service to our neighbor, we rest in these promises and in God’s gracious and good will. 

Hurricane season is about to start again, but we enter into this time of national anxiety trusting in the promises that our Gracious God goes with us in the boat. We are 0% self-powered, but the Spirit’s power fills His dear children!

 

Right after Easter, we finished up our last round of  in-person ESL. Missionary Ruth Maita continued another round of classes online before we took our final Summer Break. We are hoping to stay in touch with our students over these next couple months. One of those ways is through our weekly English newsletter. If you are interested in receiving what we send our students, we’d love to have you sign up here

Fridays continue to be our day of fellowship. We are thankful for this time where members and friends of the church can come, hang out, play some games, eat, and end their week in the Word. 

Before and After! A big thank you to Our Redeemer from Wichita Falls, Texas! They did a remodel of the upstairs of CARD along with many other things around the property! 

Below are more photos and a video of the continued work being done on CARD. Our hope is that by the end of June all major projects are complete!

Luis counting the inventory hurricane supplies. 

At the beginning of May, we received a storage container (old shipping container) to store our hurricane relief items as well as some tools. Never a dull moment.

James took up his long neglected hobby and photographed the neighborhood a bit this month. A few weeks ago, Missionary Johanna Heidorn came to photograph and document the work here in PR and so James had a morning to walk around the neighborhood behind the church with her and capture some of our vecinos. Belgica (name of the neighborhood) is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Ponce. These images capture just a small piece of the beautiful people and places we see every day. 

Are you a Mission Sender? Mission Senders committ to praying and supporting missionaries on a monthly or quartely basis. Find out more here.

We are tremendously thankful for our Mission Senders. They give us the blessing of continous encourgament and financial support. 

  • Evangelism walks.
  • Final construction projects at CARD.
  • Catechism Classes

Send James and Christel

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Text LCMSNEUENDORF to 41-444