Feliz Navidad! December Ministry Update

As we near the end of the year and look back at what the Lord has done, we are in awe. God has been so faithful! We've seen his hand move over us in many, many ways.

We had an awesome month of ministry to end the year with Zona Cero Youth Camp, a Happy Tummies Reading Incentive party, and Christmas celebrations with our Happy Tummies and their moms, Abuelitos, Impacto workers (HT staff, PL staff, construction workers, etc.), and the Pastors. Everyone left each celebration feeling very blessed from the great time of fellowship, giving, and receiving. Thank you to each person who sent gifts or left things behind like shoes and extra things when you were here on a mission trip. It was over-whelming to see the gratitude of everyone as they took home shoes, clothes, toys and hygiene items for themselves and loved ones. Pictures from these events are shared near the bottom of this update...we hope you enjoy them!

'Tis the Season for Giving

As many of you know, school here starts in January. We are so thankful to God for providing donations for the children's school supplies. However, talking with parents and teachers, one of the biggest reasons for a drop in GPA is, believe it or not, PE class. The reason points are deducted: Not wearing the right shoes! The government supplies them with a uniform but no sneakers. This is really troubling because they work so hard to get good grades and we don't want their grades suffering because of something like a pair of sneakers. In 2016 we want each HT kid to be able to own a pair of sneakers. This is where we need your help. We need US$50 per kid to buy them shoes. While it would be cheaper to get them in the USA, the shipping would make the cost be right at the amount it is to buy the shoes here. If you would like to donate you may mail checks to our office in Maryland (address below) or go to our website (click below) and follow the instructions at the bottom of the first page. Make checks out to Impacto and please write Sneakers on the memo line. Thank you very much for donating to help the children.

Luis & Dinora Martinez

GP Missionaries

Pastor Luis' Corner

"God's Wish List"

Recently I read a survey pointing out the most used word of the holiday season. Surprisingly, the most used word is not Santa , tree, or lights. U n fortunately it's not Jesus. The most used word is gift . It seems that this word absorbs our time, our energy, our money, and even adds stress to our lives.

This morning I heard on the radio that the parking lots of shopping centers in Guatemala City were overflowing due to people searching for gifts for loved ones. People were stuck in their parking spaces, cars could not get in or out and it was a huge mess, all because so many people were out shopping for gifts! If we would look to God's wish list with the same eagerness that we look for gifts for our loved ones, we would have the best reward imaginable.

God gives us His wish list but He wants to give us something big in return. We can find His wish list in Deuteronomy 10:12, "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Let's take a quick look at His Wish List:

To fear Him - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7
To walk in obedience - "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To
obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."
1 Samuel 15:22
To love Him - "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37
To serve Him - "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Deuteronomy 10:13 tells us what our reward is if we are true to His list: "and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good." To give God this gift you don't have to drive through the heavy traffic of the season, waste your energy or your time, or add stress into your life. It is a decision only made in your heart.

Feliz Navidad,

Pastor Luis

HT Panyebar

T he Panyebar Happy Tummies site is ready! We are in great need of monthly or one-time donors to equip the kitchen and, beginning next month, to feed the children. We are beyond excited to embark on this new minister! Prayerfully consider donating to help and please lift everyone in this new Happy Tummies in your prayers. Thank you.

We would once again like to thank you for your constant prayers and support in 2015. We have many new ideas for ministries and for improving our existing ministries. Please join us in prayer as our staff is not fully funded for 2016 but, as Pastor Luis always says, "we don't have the funds but we do have a mighty God who will provide." We are so excited to see what 2016 will bring and we pray and hope that you will join us in prayer, financial assistance, and lead a team or come on one to minister alongside Impacto.

I n Christ's Love,

Impacto Ministry Staff

Contact Us!

Email: Impacto Ministry

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Website: Impacto Ministry

Impacto Ministry

9690 Shepherds Creek Place

La Plata, MD 20646