God’s Gift To Eachother

by Jon Keehn | Sep 27, 2016 | Blog, Missionaries

God’s Gift To Eachother

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV)

What do you think of when you hear the word unity? Do you see a group of people acting as if they like each other simply to keep the peace? Everyone wearing the same t-shirts as they file through the potluck line? Far too often when I think of unity I think of what could be, not what is. The word unity itself is interesting because it is something that each individual must work towards, but you have to have a group to be able to have unity. This is something that can be difficult to navigate because each and everyone of us have our own thoughts about how things should be done. I have my own ideas of how a people should be unified and I unfortunately assume too often that my way of getting there is the fastest way to do so. I want us to be there now, forgetting that there is work that God is doing in each of the people around me individually that in turn affects the community of people here.

Last week at El Faro we decided to have “La Semana De Unidad” or Unity Week among our staff and missionaries. Our kitchen was closed, we had no groups, and we asked everyone to clear their schedules so that we could work, eat, have fun, and spend more time together than is normal for us. We began the week with our Monday night devotion where we started a new study taking us through the book of Hebrews. Tuesday we all gathered in the parking lot and headed out into the village to construct the outside walls and kitchen for one of our very own cooks, Sebastiana. Wednesday we had a morning full of games and in the afternoon we all cooked and threw a dinner for one of our own who is saying goodbye to us this week. Thursday found us taking a boat ride up the river to Finca El Paraiso and we all had lunch together in Rio Dulce. Friday morning we got our work boots back on to pour the concrete floor in the house that we built on Tuesday. The goal of the week was not to simply work and have fun, rather it was to get our entire team together to work and do things that we normally never get to do altogether.

Since everyone works in different areas of El Faro it was nice to have a week where we all came together to work and play. I really enjoyed seeing everyone’s unique personalities and talent come out in different ways each day. And to be able to have the whole El Faro community serve one of our own was awesome!

Katey Erickson

I felt really great…and happy! What I enjoyed the most throughout the week was the construction because I found out I can help in a way that I had never done before.

Mirza Santos

As I was praying for us and thinking through the different ways that we might be able to be more unified as a body here at El Faro it was as if God slapped me right in the face through several different conversations with people and one class lecture I was listening to…The Church (universally) and more specifically the people in close proximity to me are all a gift from God helping to sanctify me, or make me more like Jesus. I love when God smacks me in the head with a truth that I have known for a long time but had forgotten.

Are you living in community with other Christians? What is your relationship with them like? Do you see the people that you go to church with as a gift from God to help make you more like Him?

Reaching The Nations

In 2012 the founder of El Faro, Phil Ephraim, presented a challenge to the staff of El Faro. A missionary had recently traveled to his church in Chicago and shared about the issues the local church faces in Cuba. Because of the oppressive government, the churches’ are regulated by the government and are very limited on what they can speak about. However, if a church service takes place in a “home” that is owned by a pastor, they are free to do what they want and speak about. This missionary presenting the project explained he was helping pastors purchase “church homes” with the support of churches around the world.

Each ‘casa pastoral’ cost around $3,000 and so we made it a goal at El Faro to take up offerings during our Monday night services and also raise money through “Pacas”, garage sales, to go specifically toward the church in Cuba. This year we finally met our goal and actually surpassed it and we had the opportunity to send one of our own all the way to Cuba to give the money to the pastors. Jonathan Lopez has been an employee at El Faro for four years and works in the office alongside his wife Brenda. Since being at El Faro his life has been transformed and God is doing amazing things through him especially with young men in the villages. We chose him as our ambassador and he traveled with a pastor from Guatemala City to meet with various Cuban pastors to hear their stories and provide financial assistance to help with their churches. Over the course of five days he met with six pastors in different areas within Cuba. Before going Jonathan really didn’t know what to expect. “I thought Cuba would be similar to Guatemala with a lot of churches and also a lot of Christians”. Jonathan was shocked when only after a couple of hours of being in country he saw the oppression. “Many of the pastors are in a constant struggle and it is hard to be a Christian there.” One pastor, Armando Lezcano, has a very small and shabby ‘casa pastoral’ and has 50 members in his church. The day that Jonathan arrived he was able to listen to the needs of the pastor and also learn about the Church in general of Cuba. The pastor had no idea that Jonathan was going to give an offering from El Faro and when Jonathan was presenting the donation he was in shock. He shared with Jonathan that God’s timing is perfect because it took him two years and a lot of money to receive the legal papers to construct a new pastoral house and he had only five days left to begin construction. He had no money to start and with the donation he was able to break ground.

It took some time and a lot of garage sales, but we are so thankful that our goal was met and we were able to bless the church in Cuba. Thank you to those who also gave clothing for us to sell and also gave in our offering box during a service at El Faro. We see this as just the beginning and we look forward to coming together as a community at El Faro and help our peers around the world.

We have so much and yet do so little…the people in Cuba do so much with the little that they have

Jonathan Lopez

The Missionary Experience

In 2011 when Luis Pedro first came to El Faro to serve as a missionary God put on his heart to begin a project to prepare missionaries for their work around the world. That same year he designed a 10-day “missionary group experience” program that he was able to present at different churches and missions conferences in Guatemala City. Much to his disappointment there was little response and the project fell through. However, two years later when he least expected a church in Guatemala who remembered the presentation contacted Luis Pedro to bring a group from his church who were interested in missions so they ended up coming for four days. The following year the same church came again for four days but this time brought 80 people with them.

Luis Pedro realized that’s God timing for the project had finally arrived and just a few months later two youth with missionary callings who had come with the church arrived to El Faro to start their missionary experience.

The purpose of the missionary experience is the give a person the experience so that they can be prepared spiritually, intellectually and emotionally for what is ahead by having different scenarios of what the mission field will look like and be able to solve problems that will happen when they are abroad.

“I think God is about to do something with this project because we haven’t done any publicity and He is sending the people.”

What Luis Pedro is most excited about is that Guatemala is sending out their own missionaries to different parts of Latin America for a short period of time to do missionary work and this will open up spiritual doors for them. “I see this project coming alongside churches, colleges, and missionary agencies for them to send us their missionary candidates for 3-6 months so they can prepare themselves not only in a classroom, but in a field where they will encounter situations that they will have to face in their mission field: a different culture, a different language, a spiritual challenge, disciple making opportunities, living in a close community, live with roommates, etc.

Raquel

I went to El Faro because we believed it was wise to have a time of separation from my family before I traveled all the way to Cambodia. I had never left home before and I am very close to my family. I also went to learn from the different missionaries at El Faro through seeing and listening about their experiences, work, troubles, and spiritual life.

During my time that I was at El Faro I was able to help in different ways with my gifts that God had given mi through education (tutoring and library), hospital visits, Crafts, sports, bible clubs, and most important to me being able to share with young girls and encourage them to grow in their faith.

In reality it was an important time for because God prepared my heart, body, soul, and spirit to be able to serve in Cambodia. It was a time of preparation where God equipped me in the areas that I needed help.

Juanito

It was in El Faro in a youth camp where I decided to follow Christ with all my heart and changed the way I was living my life. It was also in El Faro where I had my first experience getting into missions as a volunteer beginning the first stage of becoming a missionary. I was able to take what I learned in El Faro, a place where the presence of God is present and a place where there is opportunity to serve God in the communities . I can’t think of a better place being surrounded by missionaries and people that love Him and encourage you to serve Him.

During my time that I was at El Faro I had the great opportunity and blessing to help the already existing ministries that the missionaries work in. That included being with kids, bringing food to the elderly in the village. It was time of a lot of work and service to the community where you can see normal people reflecting God’s love to people in need. If I could sum up my time in three words they would be love, service, and friendships

I can’t imagine how difficult my transition to Israel would have been without the preparation that I had in El Faro. They opened up their doors for me to be a volunteer and wanted to help my spiritual life as much as much as for the people in the villages. I experienced times of good advice, teachings, and missionary work that have remained with me during my time in Israel.

Who is the right person for the missionary experience?

Someone who has a calling from God to go to the nations and make disciples, that is strong in his/her faith, and that already has a plan to go to a specific mission field even if they don’t have all the details sorted out yet.

If you are interested in coming down to do the missionary experience or have a calling and want to explore more what that means, please contact Luis Pedro at misiones@fundacionephraim.org

Northern Hills Construction Team

How many days does it take for a family’s life to be drastically changed. Last month we found out that it can take just four days when a youth group comes together to raise a roof…literally. Northern Hills Church from Brighton, Colorado, traveled to El Faro with their group on a mission. Dona Julia is 70 years old and lives in small quarters with many members of her family. As part of the elderly food program, Tommy and Katie Matthews saw the need to build her her own space where she could comfortably take care of her own mother as well as her five grandchildren. After being abandoned by their mother, Julia stepped in to care for her grandchildren on the little means she has.

On the first day, the team hit the ground running by laying the cement ground and placing all the walls on the house and exterior kitchen. They continued on the second day by digging trenches for water lines and set trusses and purlins on the house and kitchen. The third day included putting the metal roof, finish the exterior walls, make doors and windows, and begin the interior walls and start the bathroom. By the end of day 4, they finished the bathroom, the water line, cleaned site, ran electricity, set the doors and windows, and finished the interior walls.

In order to make their trip possible, each student sent out support letters to church members and friends. In addition, they sold breakfast burritos made from the students coming on the trip for 12 weeks. And finally, each student paid a little from their own pocket so they could have ownership on coming on the trip. Ryan Singleton, the youth pastor of the church, said “It is a life-changing experience for the students and also for the family that we are serving. This trip has turned the youth into disciples in one week. It has also helped each one of them to find God in a more profound way than they did before. I am sure that they will take the challenge on not letting their relationship with God die but instead share it and teach it. We will come back”.

Isaac Holtorf, age 17, said of his trip, “It has put my life into perspective and I am thankful for what I have. It has been a great way to reconnect with God.”

It is amazing what this young time were able to accomplish in one week that will affect the life of a family forever. Thank you Northern Hills for working so hard when the heat and humidity were strong and for also being open to receive what God had for you.

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Manning-Up With Our New Missionary

El Faro is an amazing place and that lasts an impact on many people that come to serve. One of the reasons that El Faro is special is because of the people that live and serve here. This year John Keehn came and has already inspired many of us at El Faro through his servants heart and the beautiful projects that he is beginning.

How did you get to El Faro to serve as a missionary?

By plane, bus, and boat. Haha! But seriously, that’s a long story. I was first able to serve at El Faro in January of 2014 when I, along with the other youth pastor at our church, brought 17 students and adults for a week-long short-term missions trip. It was during that trip that God opened my eyes and allowed me to notice some things in the local villages as we were out working with the people. I returned home after that trip and was completely heartbroken. After about a month of prayer I decided to reach out to El Faro and see if it were possible for me to visit over the summer of 2014 for one month to see if there really was a need for what I had seen. While here for that month, God opened my eyes even more to the problems of fatherlessness and the lack of men taking responsibility in their families. It was during my month here that I began to feel God nudging me towards having a conversation with the leaders of El Faro to see if something longer term might possibly work out. I returned home that summer and after a short conversation with Peter Rios in Chicago in September, two more week long visits in November 2014 and January 2015, and much prayer and seeking God’s will we made the decision that I would come serve at El Faro as a missionary.

What ministires are you beginning at El Faro?

I am beginning two ministries here at El Faro that revolve around the men in the villages specifically, and the pastors of several local churches. The first ministry is a Men’s Discipleship Program. This ministry consists mainly of me building relationship with men that live in the village and then spending time with them in different ways. I visit them in their homes. I spend time with some of them where they work (several work here at El Faro) In the coming month I am beginning a bible study with two of the men. Several others I am doing one on one English lessons with because they have a strong desire to learn English. In all of this I am being intentional in the questions that I am asking and the conversations that I am having with these men. The reason that I felt that this ministry was needed is because this is the main thing that God has continually broken my heart over every time I have been to El Faro. I know that with the Gospel nothing is impossible and even if one or two men in the village come to know Christ and truly see that their first call as a Christian is to make disciples, that these communities could be changed forever. The other ministry that I have begun is a Pastor’s Training “Program”. I put program in quotes because it is more of a natural relationship type process than it is a program. I am currently meeting weekly or once every other week with 3 pastors (at different times) from several different villages and spending time with them at their home and visiting their churches to see what some of their greatest needs are as pastors and how I can best serve them. During my time with them I am and will be offering pastoral care for them, hands on practical training, and theological training as needed.

What challenges have you seen so far?

Two of the greatest challenges that I have experienced thus far are how closed off many of the men here are and my inability to fluently speak Spanish. As far as the men being closed off, this is not a surprise to anyone. Men everywhere are closed off. However, as I have been introduced to more and more people they are seeing me in a pastoral light as well as seeing me as a foreigner. These two things coupled together are challenging because I can see how many men are putting up walls and not allowing me to see the real them. They are showing me who they want me to think they are, not the real them. This coupled with only being able to speak what would be considered a low-intermediate level of Spanish can be very frustrating. I am learning more everyday and all of the people that I am working with are very gracious towards me and are helping me learn more but it’s absolutely a challenge at this point.

How can people help you?

People can help number one by praying for me. Pray for me that I, in all that I am trying to accomplish, love my Savior more than the ministries that I am serving in. Please pray for my learning skills as well. I want to learn more Spanish every day and this can be one of my biggest frustrations at times. People can also partner with me in these ministries financially. As I grow closer to men and their families there are specific needs that arise that I feel called to help with. As well, talking with many pastors, there are families in every church that do not have the resources to buy a bible in their own language. I have currently delivered 45 Spanish language bibles to two different churches for the pastors to give to their congregations but there is a need for more and when buying bibles in bulk there can be a considerable cost. Lastly, I always enjoy encouraging notes and corresponding with those that have similar desires and passions that I do. If anyone wants to write back and forth with me my email address is keehnj@gmail.com.

We are excited about what God is doing in the life of Jon as well as through it. If you would like to financially support him, please click here

Volunteers

Each year God provides amazing individuals who want to come to El Faro to offer their time and gifts to serve the people of the communities. God continued to surprise of this year with volunteers who went far and beyond to build relationships, teach, and also approach their experience with open hearts to learn. Here are some of their adventures over the summer.

Bethany Van Trier Bethany came to El Faro earlier this year with a short-term missions trip and decided to return to use her gift of music to teach children in the villages. Bethany has a heart for children and was able to set up a singing camp to teach kids singing exercises and learn songs to be performed in a recital to family and friends. The daily classes that she gave for two weeks were a struggle at first with the kids being feisty and goofy, but Bethany quickly gained their respect and many of them looked for her out of class to visit with and be friends. The recital was a huge success and the family members of the children in the choir were taken aback by listening to their children perform songs that they learned in only two weeks. We are so thankful for Hannah and the love that she shared with so many. She also was able to visit the children’s hospital, youth group, and children’s bible club and also sang for a wedding at El Faro. Thank you Bethany for your kindness and stepping out of your comfort zone to be used by God.

Hannah Van Trier Hannah came to El Faro for the first time in 2013 with her high school. Hannah came to El Faro for the first time in 2013 with her high school. After beginning at the University of Pennsylvania she came to El Faro to serve in wherever she could be of help. This included being an assistant art teacher, youth leader, Bible Club volunteer, and a large mix of other things. Hannah was lovable and a joy to serve with. She was a willing participant in anything that we needed help with and she left a beautiful mark with her smile and presence.

Jon Keehn Jon is a youth leader who brought down youth from his church in January on a short-term mission trip. When he was out in the local villages with the group he noticed that a large portion of the men were not very active in their families and God began to break his heart about this. When he returned home to Illinois, he couldn’t stop thinking about the families in Punta de Palma and Santa Maria with non-existent or distant fathers. After praying for months, he made a one-month commitment to serve at El Faro. Being a natural youth leader, Jon helped with the Saturday youth group, Sunday Bible Club, and traveling with the team that goes every Monday to the Children’s Hospital in Puerto Barrios.

The Chinn Girls

Mary Chinn

Mary Chinn has been coming to El Faro for six years. Mary came down with a sewing machine and fabric to teach sewing basics to women in the village. On their first day at El Faro they trekked through the village to invite women to the workshop and on the first day three women were in the morning class and four in the afternoon. By the second day word spread and there were 9 women in the morning and seven in the afternoon. Women who had never touched a machine before were making aprons on the first day and by the end of their second and third day had already made shorts and dresses. Learning to sew is a huge blessing and the women were beaming with joy making finished pieces to take home and use. Mary is a wonderful and loving teacher and we hope that she can come back to continue the sewing project and help the women be able to use their new skill to help their families.

Amanda Secor Amanda is Mary’s daughter and has a huge heart for Guatemala and after visiting for the past two years has been wanting to return to serve. She has a beautiful project called Live 6:10 and makes jewelry out of paper to raise money for different projects around the world. During her time at El Faro she was able to teach girls how to make paper bracelets with paper she brought down. The girls went crazy and enjoyed not only making the bracelets, but also visiting with Amanda and encouraging each other. Towards the end of the week the girls were told to bring their own supplies from home so that they could understand that they could use material found anywhere to do the project. The girls brought different paper and cardboard pieces from their homes and made beautiful neck laces and bracelets. We hope this can be a project that the girls can continue and we are so thankful for Amanda and her love for the people.

Isabella and Carli Isabella (10) and Carli (8) were our youngest volunteers yet and were a blessing to so many. While many mothers were sewing, Isabella and Carli kept their children occupied with games, dolls, coloring books, and also holding babies! They were the best helpers and baby sitters with the limited Spanish and can’t wait to see where God leads them and their beautiful servant hearts.

The Jenista Family

This beautiful family have a heart for missions and came to El Faro for two weeks to serve. Janine had been to El Faro on medical missions trips while her husband Todd has visited El Faro with Champions In Action helping coach soccer to kids from Red Zones in Guatemala City. This time they were able to be at El Faro during the same time and also with their two children, Wesley and Sophia.

God’s Gift To Eachother

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Reaching The Nations

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The Missionary Experience

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Northern Hills Construction Team

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Manning-Up With Our New Missionary

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Volunteers

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