Magdalena Project
In 1998, God spoke to a young impoverished Bolivian Pastor name Ruben Duran, telling him that one day he would return to his birthplace of Magdalena and build a Christ-Centered Community College and school. For a married man with four children just struggling to survive on an average of $50.00 a month...that vision seemed quite impossible. In 2006 however, after years of prayer; God again spoke to Pastor Ruben saying that now it was time to return and build.
I met Ruben Duran and found both the man and his vision 'interesting.' My interest however rapidly changed to captivation. And though I didn't understand much at the time, I did see divine connections lining-up between us.
God has always used me to seek out the nobodies; (those people that have no value to other people, ministries, or churches because they have nothing to give back...) So when I began to investigate Pastor Ruben's vision in the Northeastern Amazon Basin; I found out some interesting facts.
Magdalena is the capital of Itenez; a province of 23,000 persons. In terms of 'ministry energies', it is a high maintenance region to evangelize. Its communities are classified as 95% unreached by the Gospel. Not so much because they are inaccessible, but instead, much like the poor man Lazarus laying at the doorstep of an otherwise rich world ...they are simply undervalued and ignored.
Faith Action Steps
In my original call to Bolivia, God took ten months to persuade me to come. When I came however, I was sure of what I had heard from Him.
Now; after a second orientation visit of three months to the Province of Itenez (and over sixteen months of prayer); I am fully convinced that God wants us to split our operational energies between our present works in Santa Cruz, and the new, expanding works taking place in the province of Itenez, Bolivia.
God's mandate is that we should support Pastor Ruben's project in every way possible and begin now to lay groundwork for missions outreaches into the river basins of the Northeastern Amazon in 2010. Pastor Ruben's family has re-located from Santa Cruz to Magdalena in faith, where they have been lived the last 36 months in temporary quarters until their house could be built. (Completed in April 2010)
Both Pastor Ruben and myself have many questions, but the Bible teaches us that, in truth: We only "know in part." And instead of leaning on our understanding, we are to trust God with our hearts. Thus, as simple children of God, we and our families are not so much concerning ourselves with what we do not yet know, but instead, we are acting in faith on what we do know. (Prov. 3:5-6, I Cor 13:9, James 2:18)
Having completed a three-month orientation circuit in the North; I first returned to Santa Cruz and then traveled in the United States to:
Communicate our joint-efforts of vision to others for broader prayer reinforcement and intercession
Communicate our need for 2009-2010 financial support personally to others (and coordinate the flow of those resources to their strategic purposes)
Meet with the Universidad Evangelica de Santa Cruz to discuss possibilities of operating the planned community college as a satellite of UEB
Seek greater financial and volunteer assistance from local churches and buisnesses in support of our Urban Youth & Family outreach in Santa Cruz
Project Needs
We are trusting God for the immediate resources necessary to build a home for Pastor Ruben's family (wife and four children 10, 8, 5, & 2) as soon as possible. They are presently living without sanitary water or toilet facilities. (Completed in April 2010)
We have located an appropriate portion of land and are trusting God for a flow of resources with which to build the New Church & Mission Headquaters in Magdalena and establish our initial, temporary base of mission operations
We have initiated an Institute of Leadership & Advanced Sciences for pre and post-graduate high school students in Magdalena (Operating at present in a large private home at night)
We are trusting God daily for the prayer and financial support to purchase the land we have found for the Magdalena Project. (Community College) For when completed; not only will this College be a blessing to this rural region, but it will also generate thousands of dollars of income monthly for use in other missions -oriented works in Bolivia and beyond.
Prayer & Financial Support
I will not even attempt to explain the challenges of building an evangelical private College/School and Bible Institute in a radically socialistic 3rd World country. I do believe however that God is smarter than we are and asks nothing unjust of us. And that His timing is critical, because the Bible says that there will come a day when "no man can work." (John 9:4)
Please read the Project FAQ and consider investing in this tremendous Project as you watch and pray with us.
