It has been a hard few days. It can be a roller coaster when you are ministering to broken people with difficult pasts. Just yesterday one of the men we have been helping out as a church decided to leave town. He struggles with alcoholism and had recently come out of a rehab centre. Well he fell off the wagon again, lost his job because of it and decided that he was getting on the bus and leaving town. So he did. I am not sure where he went or if or when he is going to come back. Please pray for him!
On another front, the Tuesday and Thursday bible studies are going well. Tuesday nights I (Lane) get together with a young married couple who I met at the gym, they both work at that gym. They approached me and started asking questions etc and so one thing led another and now each Tuesday night we go through a basic discipleship book. They have many questions and it is fun to see them discover truths in the bible, especially as those truths relate to their marriage – they have been married for one year.
The Thursday night bible study consists of University students from our church. There are about 8-9 each Thursday night and we are studying “Experiencing God” Henry Blackaby. The study has been really good. I knew they would benefit from it greatly as I did the study some 10 years ago or so, but this is my first time leading this study, in Spanish none the less! Their eyes are being opened to how God leads in their lives and how they are to respond to him.
Please pray for the things mentioned above and one more as well. I am in the process of turning the leadership of the Youth Drop In Centre we run over to the University students. Last Friday was the first time that they were in charge of it and there were some rough spots. I guess that is to be assumed. Please pray that they would “own” this ministry and not wait for someone else to do what needs to be done, but rather take it upon themselves to do it as for the Lord. There are 6 of them on the leadership committee.
Thanks so much for your prayers! We are grateful!
Have a look at what the Elliott's are up to in Northern Mexico
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, December 20, 2010
Youth Drop In Centre Christmas Party/Outreach
Thank you so much to all who prayed for this ministry last Friday night! I was so proud of our youth! This party was their idea, they put it together, they worked hard to make it happen! There were about 60 or more adolescent kids at our church who don't normally come to church. They saw God's love in action and they heard the gospel message! It was great to be a part of it! May God continue to grow and use our church youth for His glory!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
1st Anniversary of the Soup Kitchen - "El Comedor"
Today was a great day, and it isn't even finished yet! Today we celebrated God's faithfulness to the kids of who come to the Soup Kitchen - "El Comedor". The Comedor has now been in operation for one year!
We started with about 90-100 kids when we began this ministry and as expected, we dropped down some, but one year later, we continue with 50-60 kids each and every week. This ministry is special to us because it is work that God is doing between 2 churches, and from different denominations! We work together because we believe God wants to change the neighborhood that we share. The vast majority of the kids that come to the Comedor live in very humble homes, consisting of some tin for a roof and nothing more than tar paper for walls. The community is full of drug and alcohol abuse, not to mention the unseen sexual abuse that takes place. It is a hurting place to say the least. However each Saturday morning there is excitement and hope!
We sing with the kids and pray together and then we split the olders ones from the younger ones. The older kids come to our church to play soccer and hear a devotional and the younger ones stay at our neighboring church to do a craft or color pictures and hear Bible Stories! Then we reunite both groups and finish our time with a meal that has been prepared by members of our neighboring church. This ministry is fully funded by the two churches as members of both churches give so that we can purchase the food. It has been such an encouragement to us to see the people of our church giving regularily to this ministry.
It was great to see how God has used "El Comedor" to touch the lives of not only the kids (some are now coming to either of the 2 churches) but also the volunteer leaders who help out each week. There were tears of joy today on the faces of some and big wide smiles on the faces of many!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sheri's Ordeal and God's Faithfulness in it
What a crazy last 2 weeks! I left last Wednesday for meetings in Mexico City. On Friday I received news that Sheri was not in good health. We were sending messages back and for via cell phone. Things got progressively worse as she ended up in emergency at the hospital a few times and finally got admitted into the hospital.
I changed my flight and came back a day early arriving on Monday morning (just over a week ago now). The diagnosis came in shortly after I arrived, Hepatitis A. So we went on that advice from the doctor. We left the hospital on Wednesday but Sheri’s stomach pain came back in waves after eating. On Thursday Sheri endured a growing pain in her stomach for hours until we went into emergency again. She was at the point of fainting from the pain it had got so bad. I had to carry her in my arms to our vehicle and then from the vehicle into the hospital emergency room. The security guard and the doctors had really big eyes as they saw me carrying her and her head laid against me, unable to support the weight of her head herself. The pain then went away on its own and after confirming that there was no impending danger health wise for her, they sent us home again.
The next day – Friday- a familiar pain began again and after a few cell phone calls to the doctor and a few new medications tried, he sent us to another doctor on Friday for an appointment. We still were being told it was Hapatitis A. However after an exam from this new doctor, he told us it was likely not Hapatitis but rather a stone caught perhaps in a bile duct. His plan was a blood test and then the following Wednesday an ERCP (Endoscopy). However the next day – Saturday –again Sheri started with pain after eating only a quarter of a bowl of oatmeal. I called the Doctor (the doctors here are so accessible and give you their personal cell phone numbers etc). He told us to meet him at the hospital and that they would speed up the whole process of getting to the bottom of her pain. So they admitted her again on Saturday and Sunday morning they did the ERCP and indeed found what the ultra sound could not find- a stone in her bile duct.
We are grateful for the technology of today (they went down her throat with a camera etc and made a small incision in her bile tube, pulling the stone into her small intestine where it won’t cause any more trouble). The care we received from the 2nd doctor was really good and we are so thankful that the medical care available here is so good. Not only is the medical technology good, but with high speed wireless internet in the hospital room, a flat screen tv and Starbucks and Walmart across the street we were pretty pampered. It is safe to say that I didn’t feel much like a “Hard-Core Missionary”!
I think one of the things that stands out to us the most is how we received such wonderful support via emails from so many of those friends of ours who follow our ministry. We were overwhelmed to know that no fewer than 5 or 6 churches prayed for Sheri during their Sunday morning service not to mention the numerous emails we received from so many friends and family! I read every email to Sheri and she was so encouraged to know so many people cared and were praying!
We recognize now that what was wrong with her was not a medically complicated thing to fix, but for much of the time we weren’t sure what was wrong with her. That is what was hard to deal with, not to mention Sheri’s pain! I could only take so much of seeing her in so much pain, never mind how she felt through it all!
God really showed us how much He cares for us through this all. He had our friend and team-mate Shelli Neufeld here to take care of Sheri (trips to the hospital), and He had other friends and team-mates-Jack and Lucy Vogt- here to look after the kids for us (Thank you Lucy!). God also showed us His love through all of you who took the time to send an email and tell us that you cared enough to pray. Thank you! We truly are so encouraged by your prayers! How many people can say that they have literally hundreds of people praying for them? It is a privilege to be Missionaries here and to have so many of you on our side!
Please continue to pray for Sheri as she recovers. The stone likely had something to do with causing Pancreatitis from which she is still recovering. She hasn’t eaten much of anything yet and is still really hesitant to do so, but little by little she will increase her meals. She will be on a no fat diet for a time.
Once again, thank you for your countless prayers! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful team of praying people with us as we continue striving to extend God’s kingdom here in Northern Mexico!
I changed my flight and came back a day early arriving on Monday morning (just over a week ago now). The diagnosis came in shortly after I arrived, Hepatitis A. So we went on that advice from the doctor. We left the hospital on Wednesday but Sheri’s stomach pain came back in waves after eating. On Thursday Sheri endured a growing pain in her stomach for hours until we went into emergency again. She was at the point of fainting from the pain it had got so bad. I had to carry her in my arms to our vehicle and then from the vehicle into the hospital emergency room. The security guard and the doctors had really big eyes as they saw me carrying her and her head laid against me, unable to support the weight of her head herself. The pain then went away on its own and after confirming that there was no impending danger health wise for her, they sent us home again.
The next day – Friday- a familiar pain began again and after a few cell phone calls to the doctor and a few new medications tried, he sent us to another doctor on Friday for an appointment. We still were being told it was Hapatitis A. However after an exam from this new doctor, he told us it was likely not Hapatitis but rather a stone caught perhaps in a bile duct. His plan was a blood test and then the following Wednesday an ERCP (Endoscopy). However the next day – Saturday –again Sheri started with pain after eating only a quarter of a bowl of oatmeal. I called the Doctor (the doctors here are so accessible and give you their personal cell phone numbers etc). He told us to meet him at the hospital and that they would speed up the whole process of getting to the bottom of her pain. So they admitted her again on Saturday and Sunday morning they did the ERCP and indeed found what the ultra sound could not find- a stone in her bile duct.
We are grateful for the technology of today (they went down her throat with a camera etc and made a small incision in her bile tube, pulling the stone into her small intestine where it won’t cause any more trouble). The care we received from the 2nd doctor was really good and we are so thankful that the medical care available here is so good. Not only is the medical technology good, but with high speed wireless internet in the hospital room, a flat screen tv and Starbucks and Walmart across the street we were pretty pampered. It is safe to say that I didn’t feel much like a “Hard-Core Missionary”!
I think one of the things that stands out to us the most is how we received such wonderful support via emails from so many of those friends of ours who follow our ministry. We were overwhelmed to know that no fewer than 5 or 6 churches prayed for Sheri during their Sunday morning service not to mention the numerous emails we received from so many friends and family! I read every email to Sheri and she was so encouraged to know so many people cared and were praying!
We recognize now that what was wrong with her was not a medically complicated thing to fix, but for much of the time we weren’t sure what was wrong with her. That is what was hard to deal with, not to mention Sheri’s pain! I could only take so much of seeing her in so much pain, never mind how she felt through it all!
God really showed us how much He cares for us through this all. He had our friend and team-mate Shelli Neufeld here to take care of Sheri (trips to the hospital), and He had other friends and team-mates-Jack and Lucy Vogt- here to look after the kids for us (Thank you Lucy!). God also showed us His love through all of you who took the time to send an email and tell us that you cared enough to pray. Thank you! We truly are so encouraged by your prayers! How many people can say that they have literally hundreds of people praying for them? It is a privilege to be Missionaries here and to have so many of you on our side!
Please continue to pray for Sheri as she recovers. The stone likely had something to do with causing Pancreatitis from which she is still recovering. She hasn’t eaten much of anything yet and is still really hesitant to do so, but little by little she will increase her meals. She will be on a no fat diet for a time.
Once again, thank you for your countless prayers! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful team of praying people with us as we continue striving to extend God’s kingdom here in Northern Mexico!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Musings
Do you know how they say that a Doctor needs to not get emotionally attached to his or her patients? I think it is accepted practice that a doctor does not perform surgery on a loved one as they may not be able to perform well. I wonder how much that applies to a missionary........................maybe a little, maybe not at all.
To be completely honest I have been having a hard time, stressed and just not myself. The reason? I am sure it is more than one thing but part of it is that some "patients" of mine haven't been doing too well in the areas I have been attending to. I know I just need to do my best and pray and leave it to God but like some doctors, I have been taking the stress of it home with me. I don't want to become cold and seem unloving - afterall isn't that what we are here for? To show Christ's LOVE? I know Christ calls us to love and that is my goal so I need to keep loving but it is hard to not fall with people when they fall. Maybe I am supposed to fall with them in some sense though.......... If we are to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ", it is hard to not feel it big time when the one you are carrying the burden for falls.
Sometimes Deut. 1:12 seems very real in my life - "But how can I bear your problems, and your burdens and your disputes all by myself"? I know I am not alone, that you are praying for me and my family, but sometimes it just feels like the load is heavy. I guess I just want to see people succeed so much. However God has been patient with me, so I need to be patient with others.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer, we need you!
I also ask for your prayers for Sheri and the kids and me as well this week. I am leaving for Mexico City tomorrow morning (Wednesday) for a denominational conference and won't be back until next Tuesday. Pray for Sheri and the kids in my absence as well as for safety on the trip. I will be flying with my teammate Greg Neufeld.
Blessings.
Lane
Deut. 1:12
To be completely honest I have been having a hard time, stressed and just not myself. The reason? I am sure it is more than one thing but part of it is that some "patients" of mine haven't been doing too well in the areas I have been attending to. I know I just need to do my best and pray and leave it to God but like some doctors, I have been taking the stress of it home with me. I don't want to become cold and seem unloving - afterall isn't that what we are here for? To show Christ's LOVE? I know Christ calls us to love and that is my goal so I need to keep loving but it is hard to not fall with people when they fall. Maybe I am supposed to fall with them in some sense though.......... If we are to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ", it is hard to not feel it big time when the one you are carrying the burden for falls.
Sometimes Deut. 1:12 seems very real in my life - "But how can I bear your problems, and your burdens and your disputes all by myself"? I know I am not alone, that you are praying for me and my family, but sometimes it just feels like the load is heavy. I guess I just want to see people succeed so much. However God has been patient with me, so I need to be patient with others.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer, we need you!
I also ask for your prayers for Sheri and the kids and me as well this week. I am leaving for Mexico City tomorrow morning (Wednesday) for a denominational conference and won't be back until next Tuesday. Pray for Sheri and the kids in my absence as well as for safety on the trip. I will be flying with my teammate Greg Neufeld.
Blessings.
Lane
Deut. 1:12
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
God is Working
It is such a blessing to be involved in a ministry that God is using! It is a joy to see the people of the church begin to reach out and really care for others. Let me give you an example.
A few months ago a family in our city experienced a tragedy that no one should have to experience. Their father and husband (a police chief) was murdered right in front of their eyes by assailants as the family played at a neighborhood park. This man leaves behind his wife and 4 children ages 6 or so up to 14. As you can imagine the children and wife are struggling mightily.
One of the ladies from our church is a hair dresser and one of her clients is the wife I have mentioned. Well our church member reached out to her and invited her to a ladies retreat that was held about a month ago. At this retreat the now widow gave her heart to Christ! She has now started to come to church with her kids and the older 2 kids have also started to come to youth on Saturday! It is such an emotional thing for me to see this family in church on Sundays learning about Christ in the midst of their heartache.
God is so good, he can bring new life out of tragedies! Please pray for this family. They are going to need much love and support and I believe the body of Jesus Christ - the Church - needs to meet these needs. Please pray that our church accepts them, loves them, and shows them Jesus.
God is working!
A few months ago a family in our city experienced a tragedy that no one should have to experience. Their father and husband (a police chief) was murdered right in front of their eyes by assailants as the family played at a neighborhood park. This man leaves behind his wife and 4 children ages 6 or so up to 14. As you can imagine the children and wife are struggling mightily.
One of the ladies from our church is a hair dresser and one of her clients is the wife I have mentioned. Well our church member reached out to her and invited her to a ladies retreat that was held about a month ago. At this retreat the now widow gave her heart to Christ! She has now started to come to church with her kids and the older 2 kids have also started to come to youth on Saturday! It is such an emotional thing for me to see this family in church on Sundays learning about Christ in the midst of their heartache.
God is so good, he can bring new life out of tragedies! Please pray for this family. They are going to need much love and support and I believe the body of Jesus Christ - the Church - needs to meet these needs. Please pray that our church accepts them, loves them, and shows them Jesus.
God is working!
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