The following is our most recent e-mail update sent out last week on June 12th. Sorry it is late in getting posted.
Greetings from a cooler Baja. We enjoyed an unexpected break from the heat yesterday with a fairly cloudy and cooler day which was a definite blessing for us. We hope that all is going well with you in whatever part of the world the Lord has placed you today!
A brief update on our friend "M"...we recently received the sad news that she attempted suicide and has been admitted to a facility by the govt. agency our people have already been in contact with. More information has come to light regarding her situation. The man who allegedly attacked her is claiming that those are lies and that she is a drug addict. It is really difficult to know who to believe. Regardless, we know that she is a very lost and hurting young woman and there is only one person who can truly heal the wounds she has. Please, pray with us for opportunities to reach out and help show Jesus to her. Pattie is hoping to visit her soon with at least one of the ladies from the cell group. Pray for wisdom and for her to see His love in them as well as her need for Him.
While our particular cell group has fluctuated in our attendance, we are seeing some maturity in our core group of believers. One of the results of the situation with "M" has been that they have acknowledged that they have become closed in with regards to only having friends in the church or what they said were "good folks". They are seeing that there is a lost and hurting world outside the walls of their homes and the church and are becoming motivated to do more to reach them. This is incredibly exciting for us and a huge answer to prayer as we had mentioned previously, the church having become so ingrown. Wonderful things are happening through the new cell group ministry and it is a great place to see the Lord working in the lives of our church people but also their friends, neighbors, co-workers and families as they reach out to invite them to the groups. This past Sunday we had 7 new visitors in church from the cell groups. We have also had three professions of faith. Tomorrow night, the leaders of the groups will be presenting the Gospel message and giving an invitation. We would appreciate your prayers especially that those we have invited will come and that their hearts will be open to the message.
Please, continue to pray as we seek to reach this city and surrounding area with the Light it so desperately needs.
By His Grace,
The Eager Family
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Keep Praying
Below you will find the most recent update we sent out via e-mail.
Thank you so much for the notes telling us you are praying for the situation with our new friend “M”. We appreciate all the prayers so much. We wanted to give you an update and ask for your continued prayers for this situation.
She is a very scared young lady right now and unfortunately is not thinking too straight as a result. She decided amidst their protest to leave the house of the family from our cell group because she knows that the man knows where they live and she is afraid because of that. She has chosen instead to spend some nights sleeping in one of the Catholic churches which really is like being on the street or has stayed with other friends from work. She has also made comments that lead us to believe that she is suicidal. The two sisters from our group, Lina and Irene, pleaded with her on Saturday to come back and stay with them when she returned for some clothes she had left behind but she would not. They are very torn for “M” as they really care for her, yet they cannot force her to stay with them either. So, this is where we are at with “M” right now. Please, pray for her safety and for more clarity in her thinking. Pray that she will realize most of all her need for the Lord and that we can continue to minister to her as she will allow.
The Lord has brought another sad situation into focus through our cell group. Lina had invited another woman from her work to our cell group this past Friday. When she went to pick up the woman and her children for the group, her abusive husband had returned to the home (he had left the family a few weeks ago) and asserted his control over the family, making many threats to his wife, children and Lina. Please, pray with us for Lina’s friend “I” and her children. That He would protect them and that she would have the strength and resolve to remove herself and her children from such a dangerous situation. Pray for Lina and our group to have wisdom in how best to reach out to this family.
Our hearts are so saddened by what we have been a witness to these past couple of weeks…the evil that people will do to others. It definitely gives us motivation to keep doing what we are doing yet is also frustrating because we wish we could do so much more. Would you please also pray with us that the Lord might bring more people to work in the harvest here? There is a great need, especially for a shelter ministering to abused women and children in this area like our co-workers in La Paz helped to begin there. It would be such a blessing if we could have that to offer to women like “M” and “I”….a safe place where they can be ministered to and experience Jesus’ love in tangible ways.
Thank you for your continued prayers….we firmly believe it is no accident that the Lord brought these ladies into our lives and we will seek to show them Jesus as much as we are able. By His Grace, Phil and Pattie
Thank you so much for the notes telling us you are praying for the situation with our new friend “M”. We appreciate all the prayers so much. We wanted to give you an update and ask for your continued prayers for this situation.
She is a very scared young lady right now and unfortunately is not thinking too straight as a result. She decided amidst their protest to leave the house of the family from our cell group because she knows that the man knows where they live and she is afraid because of that. She has chosen instead to spend some nights sleeping in one of the Catholic churches which really is like being on the street or has stayed with other friends from work. She has also made comments that lead us to believe that she is suicidal. The two sisters from our group, Lina and Irene, pleaded with her on Saturday to come back and stay with them when she returned for some clothes she had left behind but she would not. They are very torn for “M” as they really care for her, yet they cannot force her to stay with them either. So, this is where we are at with “M” right now. Please, pray for her safety and for more clarity in her thinking. Pray that she will realize most of all her need for the Lord and that we can continue to minister to her as she will allow.
The Lord has brought another sad situation into focus through our cell group. Lina had invited another woman from her work to our cell group this past Friday. When she went to pick up the woman and her children for the group, her abusive husband had returned to the home (he had left the family a few weeks ago) and asserted his control over the family, making many threats to his wife, children and Lina. Please, pray with us for Lina’s friend “I” and her children. That He would protect them and that she would have the strength and resolve to remove herself and her children from such a dangerous situation. Pray for Lina and our group to have wisdom in how best to reach out to this family.
Our hearts are so saddened by what we have been a witness to these past couple of weeks…the evil that people will do to others. It definitely gives us motivation to keep doing what we are doing yet is also frustrating because we wish we could do so much more. Would you please also pray with us that the Lord might bring more people to work in the harvest here? There is a great need, especially for a shelter ministering to abused women and children in this area like our co-workers in La Paz helped to begin there. It would be such a blessing if we could have that to offer to women like “M” and “I”….a safe place where they can be ministered to and experience Jesus’ love in tangible ways.
Thank you for your continued prayers….we firmly believe it is no accident that the Lord brought these ladies into our lives and we will seek to show them Jesus as much as we are able. By His Grace, Phil and Pattie
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Urgent Prayer Need
The following is an e-mail we just sent out this morning. We appreciate your prayers.
Dear Praying Friends,
We apologize for not getting an update out sooner. We are working on our Spring prayer letter which we hope to finish soon.
We have a more urgent prayer need right now that we want to share with you. We don’t want to go into all the details but we need prayer for a young single gal, “M”, who has visited our cell group and is a co-worker of one of our members. She was living on the mainland with her mother in a very sheltered existence (her mother had taken her out of grade school to have her help make and sell blankets). Her mother got cancer and died recently and “M” decided to come here to get work. Upon her arrival, she was not met at the airport by the people she was to work with and so took a taxi to a neighborhood where she was told that she could find a room to rent. After walking with her suitcase for much of that day, she found a house where the lady rented her a room. It turned out to be a very bad situation as the lady’s brother (whom she believed at the time was the lady’s husband) began to show inappropriate interest in her and became very possessive of “M”. We found out about this when she tried to come to cell group for the second time and he would not allow her. Our group immediately began praying for her and seeking how we could help her. The family, who had invited her, ended up taking her into their own home to help her escape such a potentially dangerous situation. (In reality, having been so sheltered, “M” probably did not really understand how dangerous it was.) Tuesday night, while we were meeting at the house to plan for the next cell group meeting, the lady from whom she had rented the room came by the house and asked for “M” to come out and talk with her in the car. “M” went to talk with the lady and she drove off with her. This poor girl was taken to the man and spent that evening being violated by him. Please, pray for her. This situation grieves us all so deeply and we fully believe that the Lord brought her into our paths so we can minister to her in such a horrible time in her life. Right now, all she wants to do is get her money from work and go back to her hometown which could be another dangerous situation as well since she has no family to be looking out for her. Please pray for wisdom as we minister to “M” and most importantly that she will accept Christ into her heart who is the only one who can truly begin to heal the wounds she has. Thank you so much for praying with us!
By His Grace,
Phil and Pattie
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4
Dear Praying Friends,
We apologize for not getting an update out sooner. We are working on our Spring prayer letter which we hope to finish soon.
We have a more urgent prayer need right now that we want to share with you. We don’t want to go into all the details but we need prayer for a young single gal, “M”, who has visited our cell group and is a co-worker of one of our members. She was living on the mainland with her mother in a very sheltered existence (her mother had taken her out of grade school to have her help make and sell blankets). Her mother got cancer and died recently and “M” decided to come here to get work. Upon her arrival, she was not met at the airport by the people she was to work with and so took a taxi to a neighborhood where she was told that she could find a room to rent. After walking with her suitcase for much of that day, she found a house where the lady rented her a room. It turned out to be a very bad situation as the lady’s brother (whom she believed at the time was the lady’s husband) began to show inappropriate interest in her and became very possessive of “M”. We found out about this when she tried to come to cell group for the second time and he would not allow her. Our group immediately began praying for her and seeking how we could help her. The family, who had invited her, ended up taking her into their own home to help her escape such a potentially dangerous situation. (In reality, having been so sheltered, “M” probably did not really understand how dangerous it was.) Tuesday night, while we were meeting at the house to plan for the next cell group meeting, the lady from whom she had rented the room came by the house and asked for “M” to come out and talk with her in the car. “M” went to talk with the lady and she drove off with her. This poor girl was taken to the man and spent that evening being violated by him. Please, pray for her. This situation grieves us all so deeply and we fully believe that the Lord brought her into our paths so we can minister to her in such a horrible time in her life. Right now, all she wants to do is get her money from work and go back to her hometown which could be another dangerous situation as well since she has no family to be looking out for her. Please pray for wisdom as we minister to “M” and most importantly that she will accept Christ into her heart who is the only one who can truly begin to heal the wounds she has. Thank you so much for praying with us!
By His Grace,
Phil and Pattie
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4
Monday, April 21, 2008
"Profound" Thoughts Inspired by Our 4 Year Old
Yesterday, we took the youth group to the beach for an impromptu youth activity. As we were leaving, Micah was walking with me back to the car as he had on the way out. However, this time, I was carrying Luke so I could not hold his hand like when we came. He kept walking behind me instead of beside me like before when I we arrived. So I asked him to come up and walk beside me. He replied, "But I want to step in your prints." As we got to a stretch of sand where people often park their cars, the sand was more packed down and he was frustrated because he could no longer see my prints in order to follow and complained about it. When we got to deeper sand again, he was very happy to be able to walk in my prints again. This got me thinking about life and how often we follow where God is leading but sometimes, it is hard to see His "prints" but I can trust Him that He is there even when I can't see His "prints"! Micah's comment also made me stop and think about being a mom or dad and the huge responsibiltiy it is. My children are following in my steps and learning from me and will be shaped by me...the good and the bad. How important my example is to them and my need to live moment by moment for His glory so that my children have good footprints to follow! "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3
Friday, April 18, 2008
New Family Picture
Here is a new picture taken by our co-worker yesterday with the whole Eager family. Hope you enjoy!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Cell Group Commissioning & Family Fun
Earlier this week, during our Sunday service, we had a commissioning for those involved in the new cell group outreach of Iglesia Emanuel. They will be starting up this week and all the groups will be meeting on Friday evenings. As mentioned previously, each person of the 7-8 member team for each cell group has a responsibilty within the group (ie: leader, assistant leader, worship, children, etc.). They will also be required to invite at least one non-Christian a week. Each team will be meeting on Tuesday evenings for a brief planning meeting for the cell group as well as to pray for those unbelievers who each member has or will be inviting to the Friday study. We covet your prayers as we initiate this new ministry in an effort to assist our members to be more active in using their gifts as well as evangelism.
Please pray for Pattie as she will be seeking out several of our youth girls in order to begin a new ministry of discipleship with them. With the addition of Luke and her other family and ministry responsibilities, she has had to step back from her regular involvement in Sat. evening youth group, however she will be able to spend some time with several of the girls throughout the week in order to disciple them. She is excited to be starting this new aspect of her ministry. Her main goal is to encrouage the girls to be in the Word and applying it to their lives. As this happens, her prayer is that their lives will be transformed for His glory.
On a family note....Luke continues to grow and is awake more often. We look forward to seeing how his personality develops. The others have adjusted very well to a new little brother and often want to be Mommy and Daddy's helpers which is a blessing. Sometimes our kids come up with some funny and interesting ideas and we thought we would share a few of their recent ones that made us laugh....The other morning in church as we were getting ready for the offering time, I was explaining again to Micah that the coins I was giving him were not for him but to put into the offering bag...that they were for God. He turned to me with a very serious look on his face and asked, "so, what do they do with it then....do they just throw it up there to Him?" Needless to say, we all had a good chuckle. We have been reading in Genesis for school these past few weeks and last week when we were reading about Jacob returning home after his exile, we asked the kids why Jacob was worried to be going home....why his brother Esau was mad at him. Well, Abby replied, "because he (Jacob) stole his (Esau's) beer-right." Now, what do you say to that?!
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