The Visas...

Week 11
Jeremy Spangler

This is with Stanley, our host in Aruba.

After several failing attempts to find a way out of the country before our visas ended, we finally had it…or not. Thursday (14th) evening, we thought we had it, but it slowly fell from our grips, so we had to try again Friday morning and we had everything in place with Brett in Caracas to buy the tickets, and I was in the church office at eight to call the airline. It all went down as planned, and God worked it out for us to get out of the country by the time it needed to happen. Now it is strange to think of God arranging a trip to Aruba in the last minute, but that is the way it happened and we praise God for his mighty hand in it all. We spent four days there getting to know many different parts of the island, seeing God’s beautiful creation, and experiencing His powerful ways many different times. Upon returning to Venezuela everything went great and they are allowing us to be here another ninety days.
Praises
new visas
seeing that God does have a purpose though at times we do not understand it
Prayer
contiunued team unity and strength by God's hand
open and willing hearts to step out and do whatever God may ask

Hodge Podge

Venezuela Update Week #10/#11

By- Dani Rupp

Please excuse the tardiness of this update, as I have found myself to be quite adjusted to the Venezuelan view of time. According to that, I’m still early. Team V has been busy lately with upcoming events. Here’s an overview of what is happening in the land of arepas and beans.
Carnival- Last week was Carnival, a week of parades, parties and vacation. Though we went down to watch some of the parade and had water balloons thrown at us, we did not participate in any of the stereotypical festivities. It is considered a pagan holiday by the church and therefore they discourage attending the local events.
Lent- We did have an Ash Wednesday service as a team. I have never attended an Ash Wednesday service, nor have I ever really understood lent. I always joked that I gave up lent for lent, but Brett talked to us about the history of it and challenged us to think of something to focus on during the 40 days of lent. On Ash Wednesday we all shared our focus and/or sacrifice and had a time of prayer and anointing with ashes. As a team we are striving to encourage and challenge one another with the commitments we made.
Visas- When we came to Venezuela, our team was only able to obtain traveler’s Visas, which are good for 90 days. After a hectic few weeks of trying to figure out if we could renew them in Venezuela, we found out that is not possible and we need to leave the country, renew our Visas in another country, and then reenter Venezuela. Due to timing issues we will be leaving tonight (Friday) and will be back by next Thursday. The past few days have been full of trying to find a cheap place to travel to. It has been stressful and there have been times of anxiety, but we are trusting in God and we know He has a plan. This situation is teaching us to rely completely on Him. Right now we are planning on taking a bus to an airport and then flying to Aruba. Prayers for our upcoming travel plans and our sanity would be appreciated.
Oriente- At the end of February, Alyse, Jeremy and I (Brett and Kirsten will have family here) will be going with the youth from Shalom to the Aguanape (in Southwest/Central region of Venezuela) for a weekend. We will be working with a church there and other than that I do not know many details. I do know the church has been focusing on spiritual warfare a lot in regards to this trip, so I think it is a place that is fairly dark and needs the light of Christ. Please pray for this upcoming ministry opportunity.
Teaching English- March is full with Kirsten’s family going back home after their visit, Brett’s family coming and a few weeks later Cassie’s family arriving. In between the craziness, we are hoping to provide English tutoring, as well as classes, at the church on Saturday mornings. We are still not sure what this will look like, but we are praying about how we can best use this as a ministry opportunity.
Ninos de la Luz- In April we will be living in Caracas for at least a month with an organization called Ninos de la Luz. It is a Christian-run organization located on a ranch that houses and helps kids from the streets. We are excited about this opportunity and the ability to use the gifts God has given our team. Check out their website- www.ninosdelaluz.org
Amazonas- It is looking like we are going to be in the Amazonas, southern Venezuela, for the month of June. We will be living in Puerto Ayacucho and helping a church there with outreach to other tribes in the area. This is an opportunity to join in Shalom’s vision of planting a church there. We have been told that we need to be prepared for experiences with spiritual warfare. Though this is still quite a few months away, please pray for our preparation for this trip.
Prayer Requests:
All of the upcoming events mentioned above
Continued health and safety
Continued healthy team dynamics
Praises
God working out our Visas situation, maybe not in the way we wanted, but His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8)
Upcoming ministry opportunities
Personal, team, and church growth

Black Market Bologna
Brett Klingenberg - February 3
When you live in a country where food is rationed, going to the supermarket is like playing the lottery; you are probably not going to get what you want, but occasionally you get lucky. However, when the stores do have your desired item, you can only buy a limited amount. Last Tuesday, Cassie and I got lucky and found wheat flour, which is being rationed along with bread, rice, milk, and sugar. The store only permits a family to buy two packages at a time, so we did as Venezuelans do and split up, each buying two. It’s not uncommon for a shopper to pull up behind you in line with a cart full of ‘rationed food’ and ask you to buy for them, while at the same time handing you cash behind the conveyer belt. It’s an interesting system.
Milk is also weird. We buy our milk at the bakery, of all places. When we ask for milk, we do so quietly so as not to alert other customers that there is milk here. Then the bakery guy goes over to the fridge and pulls out (no more than two!) cartons of milk. He hides the containers under the counter as he puts them in sacks. I make the exchange; he nods politely, and we casually walk out as if nothing happened; I guess nothing really did happen.
When food is rationed, panic and fear follow. It is interesting to watch people line up hours before the stores open just to get a couple bags of flour.
I have also been affected. When I go to the supermarket I shop as fast as I can, trying to get everything before someone else grabs it. I’ve become more possessive and unwilling to share.
Despite the rations, the people of Shalom continue to show incredible hospitality. Just today the pastors gave us a carton of milk, for no reason. Yesterday we were invited to a birthday party where the hostess made a huge cake. It probably required an entire bag of flour, yet she shared generously. I know God will bless her for that, and it gives me hope that I can change. Jesus said not to worry about what we eat or drink, but it is difficult.
Every Sunday during offering time, people can give food donations that go to the poor of the church. Cassie and I gave a bag of flour today. I’m making progress.

Praises - we are becoming more integrated with the culture

Prayer Requests - Direction for upcoming decisions regarding our ministry

-new desire to break established routines and be willing to be uncomfortable

-visa renewals