JAMA Ministries

God is just amazing to me!  It never fails when we are getting discouraged and things don’t seem to be happening the way we want them to go or fast enough we have a meeting that blows our socks off!  Last night we had the privilege to have dinner with some friends that we have not visited with in a long time.  It is always fun when you can be out of someones life for a long time and when you see them you can just pick up where you left off.  They have  a brand new baby so all of us got turns cuddling a sweet bundle of Joy (Jon included as he loves babies). 

Life at this house is busy and has a rhythm all its own, there are children constantly going in and out and parents checking and reminding and scolding and praising.  But joyous the whole time.  Sharing our hopes and dreams with them was fun but full of interruptions.  Not knowing if we had connected at all Jon and I knew that God was going to do what God was going to do! 

God moved us last night, yes we were financially blessed but that was second to the overwhelming support of this couple.  They shared our vision, they got it, they wanted to invest their hearts and lives into what God is doing.  A lot of people have been blessings in many ways through this journey but last night was a huge boost for us.  There are others that are so un-supportive that I have been brought to tears.  When God asks you to do something no matter the opposition it is a good idea to obey.  I know not everyone understands and many are concerned, so are we.  But our faith is bigger than our concern.  

Last night we did not know what to expect!  We went with open hearts once again to share this vision, and when we needed it God showed us once again that HE is in control and if we lean on him and look to HIM for our strength, emotionally and spiritually we will not be let down. 

Thank you to all that are supporting us!  What a blessing it is to have people standing beside us lifting us to our Holy Father!

So like a lot of Americans we have amassed debt! Some would think it is a huge amount others would laugh at at the amount.  For the average person it is just too much, we can explain most of it away, we built a house and ran out of finances to finish it, our baby had RSV and we had no health insurance and then there are the vacations!!  Yes I admit it the vacations.  So what to do about it when you are called (that is one reason you should not have debt so when HE calls you can GO!), well you get super serious to pay off that debt.  We have been making as big of payments as we can and knew that if we stuck to the plan (which we have) we would be debt free by the end of 2012.  Well let me tell you what, GOD has other plans!!  We had a smashing success on our garage sale, debt went down.  We got our 2012 taxes done, nice refund, debt went down!  The tax lady noticed that our 2011 taxes had been done incorrectly so she did an adendum, another chunk towards the debt!  And to top it off, we have been paying into a insurance policy that refunds all the money after 20 years and that time is up!!  Yep we get all the monthly payments back in one lump sum!!!  So debt goes DOWN, Down, down!!!  God is good, when He has a plan for your life it will all come together even if we do not know how!!

We have started a new phase in our life where we must live by faith.  God is good and faithful and his blessings abound everyday!  Some days we can just see it more than others.  Right now Jon and I can see the blessings and know that all of these blessings are just added confirmations of what we are called to do.  Mexico is waiting for us, Pro Vision is waiting for us, some days it feels like we are waiting for us.  Gods timeing is perfect even if we want to be there now!  But for today we will rest in the knowledge that God is getting this done. 

Jon and I decided a couple of weeks ago after I heard a message by Joyce Meyers that we were going to start living like the miracle is coming, so when it comes we will not be surprised and we are ready to GO!! God has asked us to sell most everything and join Him in spreading the gospel to children around Latin America.  The excitement is overwhelming, and waiting on His perfect timeing is HARD!!  But in faith we wait and all the while prepare for that first day of our new life!!!

Update as of 4/2/2012

This morning I sold the Land Cruiser. We did lose some of the profit we had made on the Mazda 6 because of my mistake, but we will be ok.

After pulling the valve covers and droppiong the oil pan I talked with Angie and even though I was convinced I could do the engine swap she told me that we cannot afford for me to spend my time working on a truck. After talking with several very knowledgable people about options for the Land Cruiser I decided to sell it as-is without a functional engine. So I listed it on Craigslist.

As a result of the listing I sold it to a gentleman looking for a Land Cruiser that he can put his good engine in. This was exactly what he needed. As we loaded it up on the trailer (Note that it was making horrendous noises and my counsel all said that it was not likely repairable) it blew a pushrod through the side of the crankcase leaving big chunks of metal on the driveway. Other buyers may have been disheartened by this turn of events, but since God had brought me a buyer with an engine it made no difference to him. We pushed it up on the trailer and shook hands.

God is good all the time, even when I make mistakes. He is also gracious, loving, and sometimes gentle. I appreciate it when He corrects me gently.

From December 22:
I bought a pickup to drive for a few weeks while I sold the Mazda 6. Continuing to pay the car payment on a car that is not suitable for Mexico did not seem in line with our goals.

Once we sold the car we had a lump of money with which to buy an SUV, so I purchased a 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser. However, on the way home the engine on the Toyota died a couple times and by the time I got home it was making horrendous noises from the engine. The guy that sold it to me claims he knew nothing of the problem and that it was an as-is sale, so he will not take it back and will not return any money. I have had 3 different indications that I should not pursue a legal recourse (This song- verse 2, A verse of the day, My wife). So now I have a Land Cruiser with a bad engine. Dave the mechanic says it is really dead. So now I am waiting for a quote on a couple options. If we get a decent engine in there we should have a great truck with 3 rows of seats and good towing capacity. Of course, it will cost us more than we wanted to pay, but perhaps we will have a better engine than we were expecting to get.

In the meantime I have been driving this pickup (a steal at $650) for about a month now. I am becoming a little fond of it. This week I will transfer the title and register it and maybe even buy it a new battery and a tire. Dad has offered to buy it, so it will be in the family for a while (although I think I will sell the canopy). I will just keep driving the pick up until the SUV is ready for Angie to take it over.

 

I am praying for good weather!!  Friday, 30 and Saturday, March 31 we are having a monster garage sale!!  All four of us have gone through every room in this house and purged out all unecessary things and things we do not absolutly love!  Part of the process of leaving one country and going to another is downsizing!!  That is what we are in the process of.  Honestly I thought it would be painful, but it is not!  Keeping the items that make me smile when I see them helps a lot, and the girls being able to let go of things that are not treasures was easier than I ever thought possible.  I have been shocked and amazed at the amount of “stuff” we have obtained in 12 years.

I thought that going through everything would be much more painful than it was.  As Americans we have been well taught to “treasure” our things.  There are new commercials all the time that are telling us of some new storage unit for rent.  Honestly we were just about there!  The closets were stuffed, the garage has too much in it and who knows where it all came from.  Actually I have been thinking a lot about that lately, where did it all come from?  I have deducted this:  that we have recieived a lot of gifts, I mean we are in a large family and gifts are a part of our life.  But this is the big one, I like to shop!!  A friend of mine admitted to me the other day that she is a shop aholic!  I sat there and thought, hmmm I can relate to that!  So I decided right then and there that I was going to cut back!  Actually I cut back months ago when Jon put us on a “get out of debt so we can go to Mexico” plan!!!  But I am going to rein it in even more now! 

I am focused!  I have a goal! I have a dream!  I have a vision! It is so much bigger than shopping ever can be!! 

Now that all that is said if you need anything, I probaby will have it at the garage sale!!  LOL

Hope to see you there!  March 30-31  9am-2pm rain or shine!!!

Kristi forwarded these emails to me to show some of the encouraging emails she frequently receives. Note the following countries:

Spain
Guatemala
Colombia
Puerto Rico
Chile
Peru

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From: Eulalia Rodriguez Gonzalez
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 5:03 a.m.
Subject: MATERIAL INFORMATION

May God pour abundant blessings on your ministry.

We write from Seville (Spain) because we have seen their materials for Bible Schools we find very interesting. The “Brave as a lion” (megapackage) interests us very much, but we do not know if you can ship up to here.

The price we see in Mexico is $ 500 Mexican. which to change in euros we assume that they are about 30 €. We know that when you send it represents a higher price, we would be grateful if you could report the additional expense

We would very much like our children to study this material this summer.

Thanks in advance and greetings blessed.

Eulalia Rodriguez
2 Cor. 3:17
C.E.C. Baptist Church

Montequinto-Sevilla

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From: ♡ ღ ◕ ‿ ◕ ღ ♡ † ت þα … … ♡ ღ ◕ ‿ ◕ ღ ♡
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 11:15 a.m.
Subject: DLB!

Hello!

My name is Paty and am a member of a church in a small town in which there are many religions, and because of that we are few members and working people are even less. Economic resources are few, for a while I have been receiving the information from your page and thank God for the work you do and praise God for sharing, we would like to make a little summer school, I’m praying to acquire material and would also help to know what kind of activities do after school for following up so that children are motivated to keep coming.

Thanks for the material you have sent to my mail. It has been helpful.

May God continue to bless you greatly, and renew your strength to continue serving every day! and being a Blessing!

With love Paty!

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From: Debora Alejandra Stone Tortola
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 9:02 PM
Subject: Greetings from Zacapa, Guatemala

Blessings from Zacapa!

Always looking for material to work in Sunday School in the page I found you. Really the material is very good! Thank you for the ministry of support for teachers. Honestly we are often left abandoned, not given greater importance to children’s ministry, some believe it is only time to entertain children, while the adults are edified, SOOOOO SAD! But thank God because he always takes care of his servants and provides what we need to do a better work. I live in Zacapa, Guatemala and wondered how I could buy the set of visual material Heroes of the Faith. I also would like to receive the weekly capsule for teachers.

Thank you very much for your investment of time, finances and Love into the children’s ministry!

Deborah Stone

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From: Evelyn V.
Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 9:32 PM
Subject: Send me the dish with Kristina

Hello sister .. Blessings

that is the prettiest page ..

well I tell you my name is Evelyn Vargas and I am from El Salvador … I have 12 years of working with children of the church

we are having a hard time moving forward with Bible School this year but God has allowed us to organize ourselves better

and I have been appointed General Coordinator of the church. we are a team that is willing to do anything but we are organizing from scratch

so your ideas would be helpful. blessings

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From: arely S.E.
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 4:14 PM
Subject: ordering

Hello Sister. Kristina, let me introduce myself my name is Sanjuan Arely E. I live in the city of Mendoza Veracruz’m as the head of the department of Christian education to children and my sister told me of his website.

Once I saw your material I find it very affordable to purchase and very well prepared. God bless this ministry as we work in a rural area and want to order the material “Heroes of the Faith” for the three units

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From: Esteban Gonzalez Duleny
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 10:22 a.m.
: Information

Sister, I’m from Colombia and found this site so interesting, I’d like your advice as I teach Sunday school at my church and I want all you have to do with improving the presentation of the Word. God save

Duleny
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From: Carmen Maldonado Ortiz
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 12:07 PM
Subject: Enviame la Capsula de Kristina

Mi nombre es Carmen Maldonado
Vivo en Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

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From: Omayda Contreras Arevalo
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 11:46 a.m.
Subject: interest in Sunday school material

Hello sister
Congratulations on this work so special
I am interested in purchasing this material
I would like to inform me more about how it
I can buy.
I live in Colombia

I appreciate your prompt response

blessings
Contreras Omayda

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From: raquel meneses rooms
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 8:43 PM
Subject: School classes domiical

Hello sister Kristina my name is Rachel and I found your page today and I think it is very interesting and creative, I wish I could get my hands on the books of 2012 and would like to know if you make shipments to Chile and costs. We will begin classes this March 15 and we want to attract children and we struggle every Sunday with children of unbelieving parents and this resource you have is very good and we use it.

Blessings and hope for your answer

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From: Norly NATALY P. Ynigo
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 24:38
Subject: “Send me the capsule Kristina” Lima – Peru

Thank you very much for this material being a blessing to my church Sunday school. please i will like you to tell me how to play with the cards that are given by weekly attendance of children.

God prosper and fill you with blessings his Ministry.

Nataly Norly
Ebenezer Church
Callao – Lima, Peru

Starting tonight we start a run of 6 meetings in 12 days. We look forward to each of these meetings to share our vision and enthusiasm about the work we are engaging in. Pray that God would open hearts to hear our message and commit to praying with us as we commit to this ministry.

Wahoo!

From our very first fund-raising dinner it was clear that people who wanted to support us monthly were also very interested in automatic transfers. After the second meeting we realized that we also wanted the benefits of being an automatic bill.

Last week I completed the paperwork and required training to get us set up for automated payment handling from checking/savings. Just today I completed the updates to the Launch Progress  page. If you scroll down past the progress bars you will see instructions for how to set up automatic monthly payments as well as an online form for a one-time gift.

These payment methods are made available on the Launch Progress page, but they are hosted on the banks servers so you can be certain that they are safe, secure, audited etc.

I am excited about the positive responses I have been getting from our progress on this. 

 

In the midst of trying to figure out how to move to Mexico there is this little thing called LIFE that still has to happen. The Dog has to go to the vet, the girls in their activities. And I need new PANTS!! I know it seems such a little thing but when do I find the time? There are a million things to do, bills to pay, groceries to get, school to teach, I could go on and on but it really is just life. My daughter turned 11 this week and we had a great time! It is interesting how I can always find time to do everything, well most everything. Stepping out of my duties at Jumpstart our children’s department at church has been a little painful. This is the last month and then I pass it on! I love those kids, I love all my teachers and will miss the “business” of it! But I am grateful to have extra time for our preparations. Speaking of that, purging the house is quite a task in itself. How did we ever accumulate so many things? Then there is the house itself, we are going to put it on the market in the near future and everyone is so concerned about it selling, I am concerned about the amount of work it will take to put it on the market and how much a realtor will cost. Not about how much the house will bring, why??? Because GOD is going to take care of it! He is in control of this whole project and if for some reason the house does not sell He will open a door to rent it or something! On the topic of God , what a great week I have had with Him. Special moments of prayer and devotion, I must make sure I stay connected and I am able to “hear” from Him! We have been so blessed so far in this journey, I am sure that you can see that we are at 16% of our monthly funds needed. And today the very first checks came in the mail to start our lump sum for our move!! Now that is enough of my ramble! Have a great day, I know I am going to with this thing I call Life!!

Working on the specifics of fund raising is an interesting dilemma. Making sure you get all the information that you want included all the while doing your best to not over share or take too much time is something that we will get better at as time goes by. Learning how to ask for a pledge but not forgetting to let people know that one time gifts are wonderful too. My O My, we have had many planning sessions, received a lot of positive feedback and some helpful feedback on how to make things better. We are fine tuning our message and seem to be getting better at it. We truly believe that our timing for our move will be determined by God’s timing on the raising of finances to support our family. We are in the process to figure out automatic deposit and perhaps debit and credit card usage on our web site. Sometimes it is truly daunting to know that we are relying on other people to support our lives as we serve God. But the real truth is that we are relying on God. God asked us to go so God will support our lives. Staying focused and not getting discouraged is no easy feat when you are looking at close to a year before departure. I am the type of person that when my mind is made up LETS GET IT DONE!! I am ready to sell the house and move! But what is God going to do in us and through us in this year??

On most Sundays for the last year my time has been dedicated to Preschool Jumpstart our Children’s program at Branches, my church. Once in a while I get to attend a service or part of a service and recently I got to do that. Knowing I would not get to listen to the message did not deter me from spending time in worship and seeking a special moment with God. So with arms high and heart abandond I gave it all to GOD. Here I am in my life loving all aspects of it! I get to homeschool my kids, live in a lovely house, my husband makes a good living. And we have decided to give it all up and move to Mexico where we will depend on the generocity of others to support our life! This is no easy thing for a gal who has lived my life for the American dream! I was raised in America and have stereotypical American dreams. But God wants me to follow HIM and so I shall. So that day not so many days ago I did just that, with arms High and Heart abandoned I gave it ALL to HIM! I let the American Dream Go! I am ready to sell my house! We have started fund raising for a new life, my side of the family is finally ready to discuss a new and different life. I have begun researching homeschool curriculum, purging our home of garbage and junk so we can see what we really have to decide what to take. To communicate such a change in lifestyle is difficult, to explain why is much easier. We have the opportunity to change a generation. The children that we will affect will someday run their country. We could help change the world. To some it seems such a stretch but when you are in the throngs of a vision it seems so tangable! God is big, his dreams go far beyond what I can ever imagine. So with Arms High and Heart Abandoned I Give it All Over to Jesus. The process is hard and tears have been shed. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, sharing with Jon the nightmare I had. It is hard, so very hard to leave to prepare to leave. To be supportive and understanding to children who don’t fully understand when I am having a hard time too. Yea, I know it sounds like I waffle around in my ideas and thoughts and what I want to do. No, Not really. I am in the process of being ok with grieving what I am leaving. But rejoicing in what God is doing and what I get to do through Him. So Long American Dream, Hello There, Vision of GOD. I come with Arms High and Heart Abandoned!!