I'm back!!!

A great ending to a great 8 months... along with a team of 35 college students from Christ For the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas, TX, I had the opportunity to travel to an island and do ministry for children and crusades every night. We then put on the biggest youth convention that the city of Medellin has ever seen. It made history with over 3,000 in attendance and a big concert with over 8,000.
Then we headed for the war-torn department of Choco where we did different ministries with the army, with children, crusades, neighborhood evangelism and ministry... it was life-changing!

Dear Friends and Family,
4 more weeks and it's back to the States. I am counting down, as I am feeling pretty homesick. Please pray for the peace of God to reign in my heart the last few weeks I am here.

Below are a few pictures of beautiful Colombia, some friends, and the church. We just had a concert to launch the big youth convention in a few weeks, tons of youth came from all the churches here in Medellin to get pumped up for the big conference. It is called, "In Silence, No More," spurring students and youth to stand up for Jesus and make an impact in this city. They are bringing in big names--musicians and speakers that are popular here in Colombia and throughout Latin America... Alex Campos is the biggest name. Pray for the fruit of this 4-day city-wide convention and for those that will be attending it--for fresh excitement, vision, and passion for God and to see this generation turned around for Jesus Christ!

On May 13-June 4, a team of 30 plus students from Christ For the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas, TX are arriving in Medellin to "invade the darkness." The team (and I) will first travel by bus for 10 hours to bring the Gospel to a coastal island where there is no electricity or running water... and little food. There, nightly crusades where will be presented that involve music, drama, and teachings and many miracles are expected to happen. Next, the team will be pioneering a city-wide youth event in Medellin...such as has never been seen in the history of this city! We will be organizing all the churches in a 3 day youth conference ending with an outreach concert/rally in the bull-ring planning to reach over 8,000 young people!... especially all the young people in the streets; the prostitutes, drug-addicts and the homeless. Lastly, we will head to a city of over 100,000 people in the middle of war torn Chocó ; one of the most victimized areas of Colombia….decades of guerrilla oppression have left them as one of the poorest people in Colombia…physically & spiritually. We have the churches of the city organized into a 3 day city-wide youth outreach! There will be conferences and outreaches during the day and concerts and youth rallies in the evenings!

Please pray for last-minute preparations and for these trips/outreaches as they happen!

I spent a great week in Quito, Ecuador, visiting some missionary friends and YouthWorld, a ministry through International Teams. I got to visit different branches of ministry including a Compassion International Orphanage/school, The Refugio (camp ground for youth groups and short-term teams), Ex-Pat Ministry (working with ex-patriots), and meeting the 40 plus missionaries and their families there as full-term missionaries with YouthWorld.

While there, I had the opportunitiy to go to the rainforest and do some hiking and see beautiful waterfalls and I also saw the Middle of the World which was a crazy experience... they had all of the experiements like balancing an egg on the head of a pin and the water in the toliets would not swirl like the do in your toliet, it would go straight down because the pull of gravity was perfect on the equator. I also saw the Basilica, which is a huge cathedral here in Quito, I think one of the biggest in all of South America.

I also saw a procession in downtown Quito for Holy Week, where people walked the streets carrying large crosses to "pay" for their sins. I also got to go to a Good Friday service at a local church and a sunrise Easter service on Sunday morning overlooking the beautiful mountains.

Now I am back in Medellin and ready to finish the last 7 weeks here strong!

Drop me an email, I would love to hear from all of you!

Wow, God is doing amazing things in this city. The other night, after the church service, the people didn't want to leave! The Holy Spirit led us into an extended time of worship and intercession for the city, declaring Jesus reign and victory over the city.

I also attended an all-night prayer vigilia 10 PM-6PM where we simply prayed over the city, recieved words from pastors and leaders, and worshipped. These all-night prayer meetings are common here, and is something I would like to start when I return home. The revival fire here has given me passion to see the move of God in the States. Pastor Jerry and Barb say that the revival starts within us. When we start being changed by the power of God, we can be a power of change to those around us.

My friend Emma Conlon from Chicago came to join Natalie and I down here for a week during her spring break. She got a special touch by God is the two returned today to Chicago determined to take the fire back with them and start something in their schools, churches, and amongst their friends and families. Imagine, Emma only here for a week and Natalie for five and their worlds were turned upside down by the power of God. More vision, revelation, passion, and fire is being given. Something is happening with this generation!! Big things are coming.

As for me, I am learning so much and being so blessed here. I am buckling up for the last 2 months here and ready to receive what the Lord wants to accomplish in me the remaining time I have here in Medellin.

Easy English changed locations and is three times as bigger than it was when we were in the other location in the church. It is in a busy neighborhood, great new location with lots of youth. It is ready to grow and expand and reach out to the people.

Pray for me, for perseverance, for the prescence of God to permeate the ministries here and the power of God to change lives.

Thank you for your support and prayers!

La Macarena bullring in Medellin. We had a service

in the bullring last Sunday and

are going to have another at the beginning of April.

The Encuentro... a symbol of how our sins are swallowed up

in the fire and justice of God... they are no more... forgiven... forever.

The Leader's Encounter retreat... over 130 leaders from the church went for

a weekend of recieving from the Lord. It was an amazing time of prayer, worship,

teaching, and God's fire and prescence amongst us.

Me and Natalie with the beautiful landscape behind us.

English students: Ana, me, Carolina, Mariluz. These girls are the first

students to graduate all 16 levels (a year and a half program!!).

Serving in the Refugio

Hello all,
This past month was quite an experience. I went to an Encuentro called Salida Vida (which is a large retreat for all the youth cell-group leaders in the church). It was a powerful time of God's prescence, worship, prayer, intercession, spiritual warfare, healing, and teaching. God moved powerfully and the youth recieved a lot of encouragement, guidance, and the fire of God!!

The Refugio found a house! Their dream is to have a permanent place for the children to live and one day make it into an orphanage where the children can be adopted. They are praying for the funds to be able to move this year!

Easy English, the institute, is moving onto bigger things! Next week, we are moving into our own building instead of having to rent out rooms from the church. This will make the program expand and open it to people who are not necessarily Christians! God is expanding our territory!

Please pray for:
-endurance/perseverance during the last 3 months here
-more and more desire for God and to take advantage of the time left here
-in May, there are 40 students coming from Christ for the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas, TX, where the Manderfields children go to school. One of their sons is leading this trip where we will be traveling and doing youth conventions and crusades. Pray for provision and favor from God as this is one of the biggest events put on in the last years in Medellin!