Youth Retreat 2015

In this game, each team had to build a pyramid 

and the team that held it the longest won! 

Definitely one of their favorites!

Let's get honest, the news coming from El Salvador now a days is not good.  In fact, it can be downright depressing or even terrifying.  Stories of massacres, staggering youth homicide statistics, and government corruption can cause even the best of us to feel discouraged. Galatians 6:9 tells us, "Let us not become weary in good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Through God's grace, we were able to see some of this harvest in our recent youth camp.

On August 7th - 9th we held our 2015 youth camp with the theme "Follow Me" based upon 1 Corinthians 11:1 that says, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." Each of the youth was placed on a team that competed in various games over the course of three days trying to earn points.  The winning teams received medals and will be treated to dinner at Pizza Hut.  The teams also performed dramas, songs, and ate meals together.  We were blessed this year with some of the strongest team leaders we have ever had, each doing an amazing job of leading, and loving, their team members.  With exactly 90 youth split up into 10 teams, as well as numerous other youth and adults who served as cooks and helpers, we had over 100 people in attendance.  

In addition to the games, we also had awesome times of worship and teachings each morning and evening.  On the last day, we closed out the camp by having a time of baptism and taking the Lord's supper. Four of our youth were baptized and we rejoice in the Lord for each one of them!

Bobby baptizing Marcela on the last day of camp

So many of the youth have shared with us how the camp was such an encouragement to them.  Our hearts are overjoyed as we hear stories of how the youth were challenged through the messages and even the games and their teammates that rallied them to step outside of their comfort zone or go further than they thought they could.  

As we reflect on the camp, we know, without a doubt, that there is a great harvest here. There are numerous youth who want and desire the hope of Christ. Satan has lied to them, stolen their hopes, killed their dreams, cheated them, and is destroying their homes and families.  Even while at the youth retreat, we were reminded of the battle that Satan is waging here.  Just 3 days before the retreat one of the camp's security guards was murdered on site by gang members. As a result, security for the camp was increased and as our youth ran around participating in games, they were constantly being watched and protected by newly hired guards with military style weapons and arms.  On the second day of the camp, during our evening worship, gunshots were fired on the camp grounds so Bobby and another leader had to quickly move the cooks and everyone who was outside of the worship center into the church, not allowing them to leave until security gave us the okay.  We are not discouraged, however, because the Word tells that we WILL reap a harvest if we do not give up!  The youth are awakening and we believe that the Lord is doing a new thing!  The Good News is being preached, the captives are being set free, people are being healed, and hope is being restored!

Saturday night worship at the camp

See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  Isaiah 43:19

Do the Next Thing...With Joy

Swarms of people trying to get to work pack the back of a pickup truck in the middle of the national bus stoppage

The past two months have been a little crazy for us, to say the least.  Last month, Britney was hospitalized for a few days with Typhoid fever and spent a few weeks after that slowly recuperating and getting back into her normal routine.  Shortly thereafter, we suffered the tragic loss of one of our youth to gang violence.  The circumstances surrounding his disappearnace and murder were unbelievable and we felt like we were living in some sort of fictional story instead of real life.  To top it all off, El Salvador has grown increasingly more violent and unstable over the past few months. Murder rates have skyrocketed and are similar to what they were during the civil war.  Just this week, gang members imposed a national bus stoppage on almost all bus routes in the country. Gangs threatened to kill any driver who attempted to take his bus out, and they kept their word, having killed 9 drivers in the past 4 days.  In this tiny poor country, most people rely on the extensive bus network to get back and forth to school and work so a stoppage of the routes severely impacts the lives of millions of people here and the economy as a whole.

Last night, when we picked up the paper, the news stories read:

21 year old woman murdered in Nejapa News article here
Gang members shoot at a group of Canadian tourists News Article Here
Whole country at risk for being affected by volcanic eruption News Article Here
Grenade thrown into parking lot of a major hotel in San Salvador News Article Here
Attempt of government overthrow News Article Here

It would seem as if the whole country has gone mad and it is easy to get discouraged. Admittedly, there are days when pulling the covers over our heads and taking a nap until all this over seems like a better option.

However, in the middle of all of the crazy headlines in the paper, there was a photo that caught our attention.  The photo is of a group of Salvadorans crammed into the back of a pickup like cattle trying desperately to get to work and school.  In the middle of the jam-packed truck there is a young lady who is smiling brightly. She doesn't seem to be too grumpy about the fact that she has to pay inflated prices to travel like a sardine wedged in a can in the middle of the 95 degree heat.  She has chosen joy, and we can too.

Psalm 118.24 says, "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."  The very fact that the Lord has granted us another day should be reason to rejoice.  The apostole Paul, who was no stranger to suffering, said in Romans 5:3 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they help us develop endurance." Endurance. That is what we see in those Salvadorans, who in spite of every obstacle, keep moving forward.

Elizabeth Elliot is often quoted as telling people to "do the next thing." When asked how to move forward in the midst of unimaginable circumstances, she would say that you just "do the next thing." Great advice from a woman who, like Paul, was no stranger to hardship and suffering.

So, what do we do when our lives and health are threatened by typhoid fever, gang violence, government overthrow, volcanic eruption, and the everyday trials of managing a family and ministry in a developing country?  We choose joy this day, rejoicing in the small blessings.  Due to the stoppage of buses, our small town of Nejapa has been quieter. In the mornings we can now hear the birds singing instead of the loud noise of the buses running.  We "do the next thing" by continuing forward in the daily activities of our ministry and family and focus on the tasks at hand trying not to concern ourselves too much for the problems of tomorrow.  We trust that "the faithful performance of today's humble task will enable us to accept tomorrow's assignment."-Elizabethe Elliot

Hope

Recent headlines caught our attention of a church shooting in South Carolina where 9 people were killed. Our Facebook  newsfeeds were filled with images of the victims and prayers from those around the world for the families and community affected.  Although saddened to hear the news, our attention quickly returned to the violent bloodshed that daily affects our own backyard.  In the month of May alone athere were 641 homicides in El Salvador. Just to give you some reference, El Salvador has an estimated population of 6 million people and our home state of Ohio has an estimated population of almost 12 million.  Ohio, a state with almost double the population of El Salvador, experiences an average of just over one homicide a day while El Salvador experiences just over one an hour.  Recent homicide rates mimic those of the civil war in the 1980s and they are only getting worse.  What is the answer? Is there hope?

The beginning of our mission statement says "Fearlessly reaching the forgotten youth of El Salvador with Christ's love, restoring hope to their lives.."  Love and Hope. The very things that are lost here in El Salvador and were missing in the shooter's heart in that South Carolina church.  Psalm 71:14 says, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."  When the world seems to have gone mad and the news seems more than what we can bear, there is hope.  As Christians, we always have it and Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that hope, along with faith and love, will always remain.  So, what do we do? We continue to run the race marked out before us, loving those who are, by the world's standards, unloveable and forgiving those who are, by the world's standards, unforgiveable. We are able to do this because it is Christ who lives in us and not ourselves.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  2 Corinthians 4:8-9  We believe that a life filled with Christ's love and restored hope is a transformed life, which leads to a transformed family, community and nation.  We continue because we believe in our core that Christ truly is the hope of the world. 

And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end...Hebrews 6:11

Bible Drive Update

We would like to just take a moment to thank everyone who has given so generously to the Bible drive!  Since January, we have given out 5 study Bibles, 21 regular Bibles, 53 gift Bibles, and 2 discipleship books.  It has been such a joy to bless so many youth with such a powerful tool in their Christian lives.

We love Rick Warren's book, "A Purpose Driven Life" for discipling our youth. Day 24 of this 40 day devotional is entitled, "Transformed by Truth" and Rick says:

"The Bible is far more than a doctrinal guidebook. God's Word generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the Devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever!  We cannot live without the Word of God!"

If you have kept track of recent news events then you know that violence in El Salvador has skyrocketed.   Click here for news story  There is a battle being waged here. Thank you for helping us to arm our youth with the most powerful weapon there is...the Word.

 Britney blessing Gabriel and Celin with new gift Bibles on their first visit to church

Britney and Bobby with Mario as he shows off his new gift Bible

If you feel led to support the Bible drive, you have a few options for how you can give:

1.  Send your donation marked "Hibbs Bible drive" to:

AME International

P.O. Box 670631

Northfield, OH  44067

2.  Click on the PayPal button above and give through the online Paypal account.  If you choose to give this way, please do us a favor and send us a quick email or Facebook message stating that you are giving to the Bible drive through Paypal so that we can earmark those funds especially for this purpose.  

3.  If your small group or church would like to purchase Bibles directly, then please let us know. We can work with you to have the Bibles brought down to us through a visiting team.  

4.  Pray that God's Word will transform the lives of Salvadoran youth.  Isaiah 55:11 says, "so is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Bible Drive

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." 

Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God.....so simple yet the most powerful weapon there is.  When Jesus was being tempted in the desert, what was his weapon of choice? The Word.  As believers, we are instructed to put on the full armor of God and what is our weapon, or sword? The Word.  So many times we look to projects or programs for change, and not that these things are wrong, but let's not forget that we have already been given the most powerful weapon there is!  One that goes straight to the heart.

We truly believe that the Word of God is a powerful tool in our fight against all the evil that we see.  Jesus's final words were to go, baptize, and make disciples.  This is not only our mission, but the mission and standing orders for every believer no matter where you live.  We strongly believe that personal quiet time with the Lord and individual discipleship transforms lives more than anything else.

One of our goals, as we enter into 2015 is to get God's Word into the hands of as many youth as possible and with that, to baptize, disciple, and teach.  In order to accomplish this goal, we are going to need your help. First and foremost, through prayer. Pray that all this seed will fall on fertile ground.  Secondly, we need individuals to partner with us in the purchase of Bibles.  Our goal is 350 Bibles, which we have broken down into 3 categories:
   

1. Outreach Bible

Our goal this year is to give out 300 outreach Bibles, These Bibles will be given out when we are out inviting youth to church, during events, or to just anyone who is in want or need of a Bible. They can be purchased at our local bookstore for $3.99.

2.  Member Bibles

Our desire is that every youth who regularly attends ourchurch would have a quality Bible. These Bibles are available at our local bookstore for $24.99 each. Our goal is to give out 25 of these quality Bibles to youth who regularly attend our weekly services.

3.   Study Bibles

Many years ago close friends of ours gave us a study Bible as a gift. Early in our Christian walk, we did not see the value of investing money in a good study Bible.  We are so grateful to our friends, however, for that precious gift because it became an invaluable tool in our daily quiet times with the Lord.  Our goal this year is to give out 25 study Bibles. We want every youth that we disciple and every youth leader to have a study Bible.  Our local bookstore offers these study Bibles for $46.99.  

4.  Discipleship books

We love Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life" and believe that it is a great book to disciple new believers in Christ.  Our goal is to purchase 25 of these books for youth discipleship.  They are available at our local bookstore for $11.99.

If you feel led to purchase one or Bibles or discipleship books, you can:

1. Send us a message either via Facebook or email loveandhopeyouthministry@yahoo.com and let us know which books and Bibles you would like to purchase and how many.

2.  Send your donation marked "Hibbs Bible drive" to:

AME International

P.O. Box 670631

Northfield, OH  44067

In addition, if you would like to purchase Bibles by the case, please let us know!  The price per Bible goes down significantly when they are purchased by the case.  You can personally purchase a case of Bibles and we can arrange to have them shipped to someone who can coordinate bringing them down to us.  If your small group or church would like to join together and purchase a case of Bibles, please let us know and we will work to coordinate the details with you!

Minimum wage in El Salvador is a little over $200 a month, so the purchase of a Bible, particularly a study Bible, can be a great financial burden.  Your support will help get a Bible into the hands of many who might not otherwise be able to afford one.  Thanks!