Wednesday, April 13, 2011

An April note

Dear Friends,

You are some of the most patient people I know! This entry is late...but we are making progress! The latter part of March and the first part of April have been just a little hectic...but your life is crazy also...right? I just returned from the Philippines so let me fill you in on the happenings.

I traveled to the Philippines with one of the Elders from Boulder Valley Christian Church. We went there for two purposes. The first was to visit and work with a ministry to street kids funded by BVCC. The second was to connect with JONATHANS working with least reached people groups. We were able to accomplish both objectives.

Kids to Kids was that first ministry. BVCC became involved in this ministry to "squatters children" many years ago. The end result is that the Gospel is being preached to a least reached people group.

The "squatters" (and by the way there are such communities in all of the mega cities on the planet and they are unreached by and large) are people coming to the BIG city looking for opportunity. When they arrive they discover that they are not trained for any job and that living in the city is way different than the village they came from. End result, one Squatters village we visited- which was just a few blocks from the financial district of Manila- is 42 square blocks and approximately 200-400 families live in each block! (Question: How many people live in your block?) The poverty is overwhelming. The desperation, despondancy, discouragement is all in the air and is very real. Most people could not leave even if they wanted to. As a general rule they sold all they had just to get to the city.

We met some spiritually powerful people who are living in the middle of these Squatter's Villages and who are making a difference. Kids to Kids is one of those ministries. The JONATHANS who live in the Villages are planting churches like crazy. People meet in the open air or in their very small houses- usually one room and usually smaller than the smallest bedroom in your current home here in America. People are receiving HOPE...through Jesus Christ. And as HOPE wells up within, then slowly, circumstances begin to change.

We have very high hopes for all of these ministries. And we see where the JONATHAN TRAINING along with HEART AND SOUL90 are really making a huge difference...among these unreached people.

Remember that we have a date set for June 3rd to report all that God has done through these ministries- THE JONATHAN PROJECT and HEART AND SOUL90 as well as give you a birds eye view of what is happening with other partner ministries. We will also be able to give a full report on the web site which is nearing completion and which will be the main catalyst for what we are doing among the least reached people groups.

That June 3rd date will be in Orange County, CA. If you would want to know more hit me with an email and we will give you the particulars. In the meantime thank you so much for your prayers and your support as we partner together to reach the least reached among us!

Blessings,

Graydon and Judy Jessup
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
714.488.7922