Heather MacKnee, February 2020

Courage Update
February 19, 2020

    How is 2020 going for all of you? As I’ve been praying for Christians in China and Burkina Faso lately who are courageously living out their faith, I’ve been thinking of how all of us need a  lot of courage to live for Jesus in this dark world. I’ve been blessed to visit with some of our former Candelero Kids these past 2 months and I’ll start this update talking about them.

    Roberto went to the YWAM Home outside of Santa Cruz in 2009 after coming to our Support Center for a year. In January, he told me that he is so thankful to God for Candelero Kids and YWAM. “Where would I be if I didn’t know the Lord and have the help you all offered me?”, he said. He is studying engineering in Santa Cruz but goes to the Home 3 times a month to visit and encourage the boys there to persevere and not give in to going back to the street. It was so neat to visit with him when he came to Tarija. Marcial took big steps of faith as he studied medicine in Sucre for the last 5 years. He has stayed close to the Lord and seen how God has blessed him. Reyna lives in Tarija with her husband and 3 year old son but I rarely see her. 2 weeks ago, we got together and it was so amazing to hear her talk about her faith and how she wants her son to grow up learning about the Lord. Her background is tough, so this is God’s work. Luis isn’t a Christian, but he does recognize God, and his passion is to politically help Bolivia by running for a position in the government. Blanca, who no longer lives in the YWAM Home in Santa Cruz, has struggled in different ways, but she has not given in to other’s opinions and is not going to abort her baby. Yes - all of these young people have courage.

      I wish I could end this here, but there are those who lack courage too. Sara did look for my help 2 weeks ago for her and her toddler so they could leave her abusive boyfriend who drinks constantly and, thankfully, God worked out many details. She is living in a Home here for young teen girls with similar situations. But, last Friday, I was so sad to hear that she didn’t listen my advice. She had taken a pill to abort her baby. I have tried to see her but they have strict rules at this new Home and I haven’t been able to visit her again. I saw her brother, Jesus, who lived in our Boy’s Home for several months in 2011, a few times recently and he was in favour of the abortion. So very sad. Abortion is never the answer. I have asked prayer in the past for Alex, who lived in our Home and graduated from High School in Dec. He decided to leave our Home in January, and he is not doing well in many ways. His behaviour and lack of desire to work hard are so contrary to what he learned in our Home. Javier, who left our Boy’s Home 2 years ago, is back in Tarija, but is more streetwise than ever. I know these stories are not unique, but they are people I care about and it hurts to see them make wrong choices.

      Psalm 27:13, 14 says, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” It seems to me that courage is like the “meat” of this sandwich surrounded by the “bread” on both sides which says to “wait”. I like the Spanish word for wait because it also means to hope. Hoping in the Lord is key in having courage to persevere.

      Right after Christmas, my friend Merle who worked at El Candelero Café had an operation on her intestines and there were many complications as she developed fluid on her lungs. Many of us waited much on the Lord and are so thankful that she is recuperating albeit slowly. She is courageous.

      Brayan, our newest boy at the Home, is finding it hard to have courage and I would like prayer for him. He wasn’t accepted into the school where our other boys attend so is alone in a different one closeby. He struggles with reading and understanding and it upsets him. He is 14 and in grade 4. One positive thing is that he is learning more from the Bible and he seems to like the songs we sing at church. He needs the Lord in his life.

      Jhon, who I often mention, received some hard news last week. After waiting almost a year for his trial, his dad was sentenced to 10 years in prison even though there isn’t a lot of evidence to convict him. Jhon needs to keep trusting God with knowing how to encourage his dad and we pray that both will stay close to the Lord.

      Our annual camp for all the kids and teenagers connected with Candelero Kids starts this Friday. Our theme this year is “Origins” and God provided a gifted, fun loving speaker, who will also help with some of the games. I would really appreciate lots of prayer for this camp. Several school friends of the boys are planning to come as well and our desire is that each one who attends will understand their need for salvation and what it means to follow Jesus. Camp in Tarija is so very different from the camps I grew up with as we don’t have near the resources, but it’s also a lot of fun. The thing is that many of us serve in multiple ways at camp here, as there is a lack of helpers. So, please pray for strength us servants (Marcelo, Mirtha, Miriam, Vero, Tonchy and me) as well as the teenagers who will lead the teams – Antonio, Josue, Jhon and Isaac. Camp is from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon and is held at our Boy’s Home. I’m so thankful that Evans, one of our new boys from our Support Center, agreed to go. He’s had a lot of Mormon influence in his life and we long for him to know the truth from God’s Word.

      Thank you for reading this update. Thank you for waiting on the Lord for the needy kids and activities of our ministry Candelero Kids. Thank you for being courageous as you live for the Lord in your part of the world. Thank you for supporting me and this ministry and for praying for courage for me as I reach out to various kids and friends as well.

      I look forward to sending lots of pictures in my next update from camp. Until then, may God bless you and keep you.

Joyfully His,

Heather MacKnee

Giving Shoes for Christmas


Roberto (white T-shirt) and Siblings

Sara's Little Girl

Brayan (in the cap) and Other Boys From the Home

Each restricted contribution designated towards an organization approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or can’t be completed for any reason determined by the organization, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such programs or projects will be used where needed most.

EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF CANADA MISSION
Heather´s personal account # is 2-2380.
Candelero Kid´s account # is 2-5028.
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Heather MacKnee:  Casilla 1315, Tarija, Bolivia S. America

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