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Can you believe we are already at the end of March? Just like that, we're at the start of the 4 th month of 2019! There are days that feel like the year is just starting and then there are days that feel like it’s the 100 th month of this year. Nevertheless, no matter what time of the year it is or what we feel, one thing is sure: We have seen God do mighty things this year and we have faith that He will continue to use IMPACTO for His glory!
 
Thank you to those of you who have joined us in the effort to win more souls for the Kingdom. Thank you to those who have traveled with various teams, those who have supported us financially, and those who have prayed. We hope some of the things you will read below will fill your hearts with joy towards our King. 
Last week we had around 10 seventh graders come and knock on our door. We knew a few of them from town and a few had been part of our Happy Tummies ministry when they were in elementary school. All of them are part of their school’s soccer team but there was no money in the budget for uniforms.

They came to us asking if we would be willing to sponsor their uniforms saying they would proudly add the IMPACTO logo to the uniforms. Our response right then was to tell them that we needed to talk to a few of our staff to make the decision.

Then we asked if they had prayed and they all shook their heads, “no.” We encouraged them to go home and pray for provision while we made a decision. One of our former Happy Tummies kids spoke up in that moment, and in front of his soccer team said, “well, can we pray right now?”

Can you imagine the joy our hearts felt to hear this child ask for prayer right then and there and in front of his school friends! Of course, we quickly formed a huddle with them and prayed. As they left, we again encouraged them to pray some more that night and then come back the next day.
The next evening, they all came back with looks of anticipation stamped across their faces. When they had come in and settled down, we asked who had prayed the previous night and most hands shot up in the air proudly displaying they had prayed the night before. With great joy, we informed them that God had provided enough funds to pay for their uniforms. They collectively let out their breaths and smiled from ear-to-ear!

When talking about how to get the funds to the store, they told us that the price they had mentioned the day before had changed. We became a pinch worried as we didn’t have more funds. Then the kids shared with us that on the way to see us they had stopped in the store and asked for a discount since 17 uniforms would be needed. The store owners agreed and gave them a 25% discount! We told them they truly lived out a promise from the Bible, “ask and you shall receive.” After a time of rejoicing and congratulations we asked if one of them wanted to pray to give thanks to God for such awesome provision. One kid, not from Happy Tummies, volunteered to pray. We can’t help but wonder if the rest of the team would’ve been so open to praying out loud and talking about God so freely if the Happy Tummies kids hadn’t set a precedent the day before.
 
This is one of the many ways we still connect with the kids from Happy Tummies even after they’ve left. They have faith and confidence to come to us when they are in need. Maybe silly soccer uniforms don’t mean much, but that time of prayer and speaking of God might have planted a seed in one of the other kids and reminded the past Happy Tummies kids of Christ’s love for them. 
But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him but he will not return to me .
2 Samuel 15:23
2 Different Funerals

As many of you know, about 20 days ago I buried my mom. It was a blessed and celebrated funeral knowing where she was heading. King David had two different kinds of funerals. He buried two sons. One was “good” and one was “bad.” One of His son’s was Absalom and we find part of his story in 2 Samuel 18. Absalom wanted to take the throne from his father. What did this mean? It meant he wanted to destroy God’s plan. For it is written that Jesus would be a descendant of King David and Absalom was going to get in the way of that. Absalom did not fear God. He wanted to mess up the Divine plan.

The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept.
As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only
I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”  (2 Samuel 18:33)

This was a funeral without hope, for it was a man that did not fear God.

The second funeral was totally different. It was a funeral filled with hope. You can read this story in 2 Samuel Chapter 12.

“After Nathan had gone home, theLordstruckthe child that Uriah’s wife had
borne to David, and he became ill.   David pleaded with God for the child. He
fasted and spent the nights lyingin sackclothon the ground.The elders of his
household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused,
and he would not eat any food with them.

On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him
that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he
wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the
child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves,
and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.

“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and
changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then
he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child
was alive, you fasted and wept,but now that the child is dead, you get up
and eat!” 

He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought,
‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live .’ But
now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back
again? I will go to him but he will not return to me ." (2 Samuel 12:15-23)

Verse 23 impressed me the most. 

This funeral was full of hope because he knew that through the baby’s innocence and his own fearfulness of God they would meet again. The only way to see those who are waiting for us in heaven is by having Jesus in our hearts. And we will say, ‘they can’t come to us but we will go to them.’
English as a Second Language [ESL]
 
This month we’ve had the pleasure to start ESL classes once again! There are many who are eager to learn English. The plan was to have classes once a week; however, the students asked if they could meet twice a week! In the weeks and months to come we will be sharing any specific need we may have for this ministry. Thank you to all who are always so willing to give.
 
We are happy to start this ministry once again and hope that through it we can share and show more of the love of Christ. Our prayer is that in addition to learning English, the classes will be a conduit for reaching each student with the Gospel and souls will be won for the Kingdom. 
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36
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