Others God has led us to . . . . . God is so good at bringing the right people to willing individuals at the right time.
Below is a list of organizations, or individuals, that have been accepted by
Amazon Charities to be affiliated with to
minister through Jesus Christ.
Merry
Christmas and Feliz Navidad from hot Buenos Aires.
I hope you are all enjoying this time of year and remembering why we are
celebrating. Hopefully you will have many opportunities to share the love of
Christ with others.
Wanted to give a bit of an update on things. Last weekend we had a sharing time
at the Sinai Church about the mission trip to Villa Maria in November. It was so
exciting to hear how people's lives were really touched and changed and to see
how more and more people are seeing the importance of missions. Looks like I
will have a few more people to disciple in missions in the coming year.
Exciting. Plus they are planning at least three trips a year to go and support
the work in Villa Maria. Looks like some will head back the last part of
February. There is also talk of wanting to purchase land near where the
Bolivians live and work to start up a church. So that is all so exciting. Please
keep that in your prayers so right decisions can be made along the way. Also for
all the work currently that Hilarion and Eusebio have going on in the ministry
there.
Roberto Cruz is in town this weekend as the church bought him a ticket to come
and celebrate what he has done as a missionary along with the celebration this
weekend giving thanks for all that has taken place this past year. Please pray
as he shares and also continues to decide what God wants him to do next.
Last weekend went to Lujan and we planned for some training to be done for
leading groups to work with the Bolivian community in that area beginning in
March. Please pray that the right people will come to the trainings that will be
able to relate well with the Bolivian community.
On a personal note I am heading to California and Arizona for a few weeks. I fly
to LAX leaving late Wednesday night the 21st of December and will be in southern
Cal visiting with Jessica and her family along with my parents until the 29th
and then we will head to Arizona until the 11th of January. Please pray for
safety and health as we will be quite busy during this time visiting. I am
really excited about it. Looking forward also to seeing some of you hopefully.
The time in California is quite packed since it is during Christmas.
Thanks for all your prayers and support during this past year. We had many
wonderful people come down and serve and left many lasting memories and changed
lives for so many people. As you can see it has also sparked a great interest in
missions amongst the Bolivian community. I give God all the praise for all the
wonderful blessings throughout this past year and how He always supplies beyond
what we can even imagine. God bless you all and have a very nice Christmas and
New Year. Please keep in touch.
Howard
November, 2011
Here are
pictures from this past weekend in Villa Maria, Cordoba with a team of 32
Bolivians from the Sinai Church in Buenos Aires. An amazing weekend with a lot
of people participating. There is a lot of work to be done there so please pray
for people to rise up and be trained to work amongst the Bolivian population in
Villa Maria. Please keep Hilarion and Eusebio in your prayers as they
follow up on the new people who received Christ in to their lives. Also as the
Sinai Church prays about their future supporting role with the work in Villa
Maria. It is exciting to see.
Thanks for all the prayers for the weekend.
Thanks for
all the prayers for the pre-mission trip to Villa Maria. It went really well as
it gave us a good idea of what all we should do and also making some contacts
and decisions on where to stay and do things. It was so exciting to see the
people that I took there stepping up and making some decisions and coming up
with some nice ideas. So now the preparation begins and locking in on who will
be going. Sounds like there will be around 25 people so quite a large group but
very exciting. There is some good interest there also for us to come and share
and have activities. So the dates are Nov.26-28. The plan at least for now is
during the first day Saturday go and visit 3 different areas of cortaderos
(where they make bricks) and take a typical Bolivian refreshing drink as it
should be hot by then. While sharing this drink also passing out sandals for the
kids. During this the idea is to invite them to go to one of the cortaderos that
night to watch the Esperanza (The Hope) movie outside. Then Sunday morning will
go and make visits and in the evening invite them to a church where Eusebio and
HIlarion attend. There the plan is to do various Bolivian music and share the
gospel. Through all this we are hoping that more small groups will open up in
homes to study the Bible. Also during this time we plan to take some people that
work with children to help teach some people some things to do with all the
children there. Then a very exciting thing is that we are planning a baptism on
Monday morning which is a holiday in the river. And there are a few people that
already look like they are ready to be baptized. Looks like Eusebio and Hilarion
will have their first baptisms and people from their supporting church will be
able to be part of it. Please pray for nice weather for the weekend.
Before this trip I will be traveling to Salta in northern Argentina to visit
with Roberto for a few days. We plan to do some research and talking about some
ideas for the future with some teammates of mine possibly. I am looking forward
to seeing that part of the country.
The small groups are coming along well from all that I hear. I have stepped out
of some to sit back and hopefully watch them function on their own with new
leaders. That is what is so exciting to see in that they do not need to rely on
me. I am still praying for and seeking out someone for the Lugano group on
Tuesdays. Not sure yet who may step up for that.
On a personal note please continue to pray for my parents as they are now in
Pinehurst, NC for a while trying to figure some things out with the house. It
still has not sold and has been on the market almost a year now. Please pray
that the right person will come along quickly to help release them of this
burden.
Thanks so much.
Dios te bendiga!
Howard
August,
2011
The days are getting longer and soon the flowers will be blooming
as we are heading towards Spring! I am really looking forward to the warmer
weather and guess many of you are maybe tired of the hot weather.
Wow, what an amazing month of August. Where did it go? It was so nice to have
friends here and really spoiling me for sure with all the goodies they brought
plus all the help for the ministry here amongst the Bolivians. It was fun to
show Dan and his son Landon and also of course Jessica around and share them
with many of the people I have been working with here. Also had fun celebrating
Jessica's birthday together on the 26th.
Today was an amazing day seeing 24 people be baptized in the Sinai Church. Most
of whom came from the Piletones Church as a result of the small groups. Please
pray for these people as they continue to grow in their faith and continue to
take more steps of faith in their walk. Several are also wanting to be married
in the church which is also exciting as they are starting to grow and realize
things they should be doing. It has been fun seeing the results of the small
groups and hearing amazing testimonies and seeing especially Piletones grow. We
are hoping to start up a 2nd phase of training some new leaders soon.
Thanks for all your prayers and continued prayers for these groups and also all
the new believers.
Roberto Cruz joined us in Villa Maria a couple weeks ago. It was a joy to have
him join us and see what all is going on there and also encourage them. Attached
is a picture of our time visiting Jose and Carmen, the new couple who received
Christ recently. Please pray that they will be brave to take on some areas of
ministry in the community to help out Hilarion and Eusebio. Abraham also joined
us from the Sinai Church to talk about future mission trips to the area. So now
they have scheduled a pre mission trip in October and then one open for many
more in November. It is so fun to see the interest in missions as over the past
year they have been receiving teams from the US and now they are desiring to go
and serve and how great to go and help their fellow members of their church.
Roberto has spent a few weeks here and is doing a great job sharing his
experience and steps of faith and encouraging many to take steps of faith in
their lives. Roberto plans to take some time to spend with his parents in Salta
and maybe study some with the hope to take a few youth to visit some of the
people he has been working with in March. The Guarayo have started up a church
and several have been baptized in the past couple of weeks. So exciting in this
area so isolated in Bolivia. God is working in many areas and it is fun to be a
part of it. Please continue to pray for Roberto as he makes decisions about the
next steps in his journey as well. He has completed his term commitment, almost
3 years between his training and service in Bolivia. So now to see where God
wants him next but for now to be with his parents in Salta.
On a personal note, please keep me in your prayers as I seek God's guidance for
his timing in the next areas of my life also. There are so many exciting things
and I always want to be in His will for my life. God has and is richly blessing
me in so many ways and I am so thankful for all this. He has also blessed me
with many prayer partners that are a continuous encouragement for me. Please
also continue to pray for my parents as they have not sold their place in North
Carolina yet and also for my mother with the problems with her leg. It has been
a struggle but they know that all has a purpose, but it does get hard sometimes.
Dios te bendiga!
Howard
June, 2011
Well as
some of you know the past week was filled with some really sad news. Ester, the
new baby of Eusebio and Salame had a couple of surgeries as she was not able to
eat, and then last week she passed away. It is a very sad time but Eusebio and
Salame seem to be holding strong as they have a strong faith in God. Some of my
coworkers that live nearby were able to go and visit them and encourage them so
am thankful for that. So please keep them in your prayers. Attached is a picture
of them a couple days before the birth when I was there in April.
Only God really knows the reason that these things happen and we just have to
trust Him through all of these difficult times.
The first two weeks of small group leader training in Piletones has gone well.
We have around 15 people participating. Last night we had a practice of doing
small groups and were able to have some good input for the leaders. This is
really fun. I am looking forward to more training groups coming up. Hopefully
this Thursday we will begin training some leaders of the youth at the Sinai
church also. The training goes for 4 weeks and then start up new small groups
with continued training and followup during the weeks of the small groups to be
able to discuss how it went. there are a couple more places we are looking at
doing some leadership training so hopefully those will also start up soon.
Thanks for your continued prayers for this.
Also starting last weekend we were able to get a couple of guys from the Word of
Life School to come and work with the Piletones Church on the weekends. This is
a great ministry of the school with their students so I look forward to seeing
what all becomes of this time. Looks like they may be a big help with the youth
and also one on one discipleship which is greatly needed.
Now a big job is getting things organized for the Cal Baptist group which will
be arriving in a couple of weeks. There are a lot of ideas, the big thing now is
getting things nailed down more and to be sure to be where God wants us to be
working during the three weeks that they will be here. Please keep this in your
prayers as we try to work out the details and also for the preparations of the
team of 11 that are coming.
On a personal note, my laser surgery went well and today, one week afterwards
the scab came off and now looks better. It is great to be able to have great
doctors here also. Also please pray for my parents as they are currently
traveling across country to go and visit my brother and his family for my
niece's graduation and other family in the northeast. They will be gone from
Arizona for around 6 weeks but so glad that they have the flexibility to travel
and see friends and family.
May, 2011
Wow,
God's perfect timing! Just got back from a wonderful weekend in Villa Maria,
Cordoba visiting Hilarion and Eusebio and their families. It was a great time to
see how God really brings things together in His perfect timing. Salame was due
to have her baby any day and there were some things planned during the weekend
to bring some people together to show a movie and also do some home visits. Well
Salame and Eusebio were able to participate in the movie night and also the time
coloring Easter eggs Saturday night and then Sunday morning went in to the
hospital and delivered their baby, a girl Ester but by way of a c-section.
Attached is a picture of the family with the baby a couple hours after she was
born Sunday afternoon. Please pray for them as she heals from her surgery and as
they adjust to the addition to their family and juggle all the things of being
in a new environment still. It was a joy to be able to be there on Sunday and
that she had it just before the visiting hours at the hospital of 5-6pm only.
God worked that all out.
We also had some great visits with several people and now looks like some new
weekly house Bible study groups are going to be starting. Please be in prayer
for Hilarion and Ely along with Eusebio as they start up some Bible study
groups.
Wednesday group: Marcelino and family
Thursday group: Jose and Carmen and family
Saturday group: Clemente and Hilaria and family
Day to be determined: Juan and Maria and family
It is so exciting to see the desire of more and more people to want to learn the
Word of God and also share with their family and neighbors.
We also were able to share the tradition of coloring Easter eggs and hunting for
them. They all really enjoyed it. A new experience for all of them.
Now some big things ahead to be praying for and to get organizing. The Cal
Baptist University group of 11 will be coming May 26 through June 15. Many
details and plans to be worked out still so please keep this in your prayers.
Also on May 4th I will have some laser surgery on my nose to clear up some from
the surgery that I had several months ago.
Roberto Cruz is heading back soon to the community. It is a tough field they are
working in with many traditions still to work through. They are also hoping to
do a training in mid May with a team of locals to hopefully continue to work
when Roberto and his team leave in July. Please definitely keep this difficult
work in your prayers.
Thanks so much for all the prayers and support. Definitely a blessing.
January, 2011
Today
is the last day of Summer so heading in to Fall here as most of you are heading
in to Spring. Hard to believe Summer is over so now things are finally getting
back in to full swing around here. I have enjoyed some nice vacation time this
summer so now ready to get busy with many ministry opportunities in the upcoming
months. It is exciting to see the interest in upcoming volunteer teams coming to
work with the Bolivian community this year.
Roberto Cruz is back in Bolivia and heading out to the Guarayo people in the
Salvatierra area of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He and his two team members have been
sharing Bible stories with the community and it sounds like they are getting
close to having a personal relationship with Cristo and also being baptized.
Please continue to pray for this and for direction for Roberto as he seeks out
what God has for him after his time ends in July of this year.
Eusebio and Hilarion are getting settled in to Villa Maria in Cordoba,
Argentina. Sounds like they have been having some great opportunities to share
with people and soon to be starting up some small groups in homes. Please
continue to pray for them as they continue to get settled and also as Eusebio's
wife Salame has her baby in the coming weeks. I plan to go and visit them on
April 5th and see how they are doing.
Attached is a picture of the volunteer group coming this next week from Immanuel
Baptist Church in Highland, CA. From left to right is Veronica, Vickie, Mark,
Jessica, and Doug. They will be leaving California Thursday March 24 arriving
here on Friday morning. Then the team will stay until Sunday April 3 and a
couple will be staying a few more days and going with me to Cordoba. Please pray
for them as they prepare and all the last minute details that need to be taken
care of with their lives and jobs before traveling. Also for health and safety.
Please pray for me as I work on organizing the time while they are here and that
we will seek out where God wants us to be and what He wants us to do. Also for
Veronica as she will be helping a lot with the translating and this will be her
first time for that. I am really excited that she can help with that and as she
is Mexican, she has a better accent than me. During their time here we plan on
working and encouraging leaders and getting some excitement going for starting
up home study groups in the coming weeks. Please pray for God to raise up some
new leaders that we can start training.
Here are some videos that I posted of the Bolivian ministry and also from
Hilarion and Eusebio and Roberto. Hope you enjoy.
The last year has been a whirlwind of ministry. It is
amazing what God has been doing, but a time where I have literally been on the
move every day. Even when I got a day off or so, it usually fell on a Sunday
where I was the one preaching and ministering at a church. Literally, this
year I have spent less than one month in my home.
First of all I want to thank everyone who has continued to
support me and send in regular gifts to the ministry. I am so busy that I have
found the easiest way for me to keep up with people is through Facebook and my
blogsite. (Facebook:
www.facebook.com/steve.hyde and the blog:
www.stevehyde.wordpress.com )
In the last couple of months there have been huge
ministries open up for us, but none have been more special than the addition of
a new family member. Odom was a little boy who was trafficked to Malaysia from
Cambodia as an infant. We intended to raise him in our Poipet center, but once
we met him we realized that this little boy who spent nearly 3 years in prison
in a foreign country needed special love. The love only a Mommy and Daddy could
give. Odom, was repatriated to Cambodia on June 9, so we are thinking to use
that as his birthday (2006). Anna (now 6) is not real happy about the date
because her birthday is June 10! But it is a special day for him. Both of my
kids Paul (11) and Anna (6) love Odom too. He came to us with no name, no
documents, and no birthday. It has been a joy to see him explode with life
after being very introverted and shy when he first came. Odom means
“Magnificent” and we gave him that name because we believe God has a
“magnificent” plan for his life!
Additionally this year, we have been able to hold
post-abortion counseling training with Life International, several VBS (vacation
Bible school programs) with between 300-800 at each VBS, and in the coming weeks
will hold four more. God has given us the opportunity to speak into the lives
of thousands of children with the love of Jesus. We have had dozens of people
come out from Malaysia, the US, and Australia to help us in all these
ministries.
We also helped refurbish 3 public schools in Poipet city
thanks to funds from BGR International (Baptist Global Response). Each school
flooded annually and so we installed drainage systems for the city, paved roads
to the school, paved sidewalks and entranceways into the schools, repainted
buildings, brought in hundreds of trucks with fill dirt to raise the
properties. School will be opening in the next few weeks and each one looks
like a brand new campus. Each school has between 700 and 1,000 kids (nearly
2500 kids in all). We also had a chance to share the gospel multiple times with
the kids in these schools and continue to have ongoing relationships with all
the schools.
This is just a quick “snapshot” of the last few weeks
really. So now you know why I am so busy!! Currently I am in Singapore
teaching Church Planting at Bethany International University to leaders from
around the world and this week I will be presenting a paper for my Ph.D., which
I am also doing in Singapore. Next week I am taking a making trip to the US to
speak at the McClellan Foundation in Chattanooga, TN and visit Bellevue Baptist
Church in Memphis, TN before returning for four more children’s VBS’s in
Cambodia!
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.
Truly we are in such a great harvest now and there is no time to rest! All
glory be to God!
