News & Outreach

<--- By clicking on the blue links to the left, you can view reports from our outreaches to those nations.

We are excited to announce that we are in the planning stages for a trip to BRAZIL this summer! Check back for more details later.

Kurt met Candice (not her real name) at one of our local outreaches. Almost immediately into our conversation, Candice mentioned that she was going into rehab soon for alcoholism. Kurt then shared about Christ's power to set her free. She was very eager to experience that power. Kurt (and two visiting Norwegians) prayed for her for deliverance from the bondage of alcohol. They also prayed that she would receive a powerful touch from the Holy Spirit. Candice said she REALLY felt the Holy Spirit touch her - a wonderful feeling that started at the top of her head, went down to her heart, and then all the way down to her feet. She said it felt like "hugging her grandchildren". After this experience she was even more open, and Kurt asked her if she had ever received Jesus as her Savior and Lord. She said no. So he shared the gospel message, and tried to answer a couple of questions she had along the way. Kurt then led her in a prayer of salvation. Afterwards, Kurt talked for a while with Candice about the meaning and implications of what she had done. She left after getting a hug. Candice was extremely sincere and open and truly invited God into her life. We gave her a copy of the New Testament and encouraged her to follow up her decision. It turns out that her rehab is going to be through Teen Challenge, a Christian-based program, so we believe that will help her greatly in the discipleship process.

We had an amazing Valentine’s Day. Our family has devotions every morning in which we worship God, have a short teaching, and then pray together. Valentine’s Day morning our teaching was about the life of St. Valentine, after whom the holiday is named. He was a Christian man who was known for showing extravagant love to his fellowman. On at least one occasion he prayed for the daughter of a Roman nobleman, and the blind daughter’s eyes were opened! The nobleman’s family all became converted. As a family, we talked about how it is important to share the love of God with other people.

Later that day I (Marla) took Bryan (5 years old) to visit a friend who was renting a house. The landlord was there also, and after we left, Bryan asked me, “Mommy, does that lady know Jesus?” I replied that I didn’t think so. Bryan said, “Mommy, we have to turn around and I have to tell her about Jesus!” We were almost home, but, convicted, I turned the car around and we drove back to the house. Bryan was disappointed to find that everyone had left. He wanted to walk around the neighborhood looking for her. I told him she was probably gone and we wouldn’t be able to find her that day. He said, “Mommy, could we knock on these people’s doors and tell them about Jesus? Because it’s Valentine’s Day and we have to tell them that Jesus loves them.” And so our impromptu V-Day outreach began. We knocked on five or six doors. The first lady who answered the door was surprisingly rude to little 5 year old Bryan, who explained our visit by saying, “We just came because we want to tell you that Jesus loves you.” She replied coldly, “I’m not interested.” Bryan expressed disappointment, but resolutely led his mother to the next doorbell. The other people we met were very pleasant, and one lady had a bad skin cancer on her face – for which Bryan and I were able to pray. We expressed the love of God to people, in a very simple and straightforward way. It was a beautiful, precious time. And I am starting to realize that the Lord really wants to use our children to speak to us about His heart.

Our hearts continue to be touched and even convicted as we witness the working of the Holy Spirit through our children. It is true that we encourage our kids to share the gospel with those around them. They see it modeled every day. However, the Lord is now working in them independent of us in ways that are even challenging us!

The other day we were at Red Robin. Our two-year-old, Steven, upon hearing that our waiter spoke Spanish, promptly reached behind me and fished a Spanish book about Jesus out of our diaper bag (I didn’t even know it was in there!) and handed it to the waiter! Needless to say the waiter was surprised, and pleased as well.

God’s heart is longing for the lost to hear how much He loves them. This is being expressed through children – unafraid and without the “formalities” we adults are used to when we engage in conversation. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And the Bible continues: At once they dropped their nets and followed Him. (Matthew 4:19-20) The disciples left their pursuits immediately and followed Jesus. I pray our hearts will burn with passion to share the love of God with those who are perishing, and that we would follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit every day as we go throughout our daily lives.

Our family was in the San Diego area on a ministry trip. One of the churches we visited was quite unique – they call it “beach church”. The congregation meets on the beach on Sunday nights. After the service, we were chatting next to the bonfire on the beach, when Bryan, our five-year-old, suddenly left, scaling a 15-foot dune that separated us from the ocean. Initially, we were annoyed that we were forced to interrupt our conversation to go chase him down in the dark! When Marla reached the other side of the dune, she found Bryan sitting in the dark with a lone figure. Her first and normal instinct was to have Bryan get up, and for them to leave. But she felt the Holy Spirit tell her to go down to the person. It was a young girl by the name of Calysta. Marla sat down and talked to her, and shared the story of how Bryan had been healed. She asked Calysta what she thought of Jesus. She replied, “I’ve never really considered that, but tonight, after hearing about your son, it just seems so right.” Marla asked if she’d ever heard the whole story about Jesus and she replied, “No, but I’d like to hear it now!” The presence of the Lord was really strong at that point. Marla shared the gospel with her for five or ten minutes. When Marla explained that Jesus took all her sins on the Cross, she exclaimed, “What an awesome power!” Marla asked Calysta if she wanted to commit her life to Jesus Christ. She said – YES! Marla prayed with her to receive Christ, and she was a brand new person. She kept exclaiming how great it was to be saved! Calysta was so joyful, felt so refreshed, and was so excited to immediately tell others of her new faith in Christ, that it was obvious that she was truly born-again. We gave her a Bible, got her information and spent some time together, then said goodbye.

We later asked Bryan why he had run over the sand dune and talked with Calysta. He replied, ‘I felt like God wanted me to.’ Considering the fruit of his action, we can only conclude that Bryan was indeed obeying the Holy Spirit.

Kurt went to a local hospital to pray for someone who had requested prayer. However, upon arriving at the information desk, he was informed that the patient was no longer in the hospital. About to leave, Kurt’s attention was drawn towards a man walking by. In his spirit, Kurt felt the Holy Spirit prompting him to go talk to this man. After Kurt introduced himself, he said, ‘I came here to pray for a woman who turned out not to be here, but I really feel like Jesus wants me to pray for YOU today.” The man was immediately touched deeply. It turns out that Dennis had been in the hospital for five weeks, and was struggling with feelings of discouragement, loneliness, and had become convinced that God had abandoned him. He had just moments before been crying out, “Where are you, God?” After receiving prayer and some words of encouragement, Dennis felt much better. Needless to say, God answered his prayer and showed that He truly cared about him.

When we approached Brandon , he was friendly, but couldn't think of anything he wanted prayer for. So we prayed that God would bless him and touch him. By the end of the prayer, he was wide-eyed! He said he felt something powerful that he had never felt before. It made all his hair stand on end. We told him that that was the power of God touching him. Suddenly he was very open to more prayer! He accepted the Lord as his Savior. We brought him a Bible. He also received prayer for deliverance. He was a changed person. I saw him again on Saturday and he was radiant, smiling from ear to ear.

Two pre-Christian ladies were visiting our home recently. We happened to be having devotions with the children at the time. As we worshipped God, His presence was very strong in the house. The ladies allowed us to pray for them and impart blessing. A while later, before they left, they said, “Could we have a little more prayer? We could use more of whatever that was!” Both of them ended up receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior that day. Glory to God!

Beth and her baby son Jason received prayer and encouragement in their struggle to establish a new life free from abuse. Beth is a solid Christian, and Marla and I have returned to visit her several times for prayer and encouragement. We've also provided her with a Bible, some Christian literature, and some worship music. We also prayed for healing for Jason who struggled with asthma. Beth said that before we prayed, Jason typically had several asthmatic coughing fits per day. Since then, he hasn’t had a single one. His asthma is dramatically improved! We’re contending for a complete healing!

At a local place in which we have led outreaches regularly, two children whom we have come to know well over the months requested prayer for their father, who had disappeared the day before, and no one knew where he was. About an hour later, while the outreach team was wrapping up by sharing testimonies of what God had done that day, Tara , a teenager whom we’ve been ministering to, came running into our circle yelling, "I've got another one! Their dad came home!" Tara and the two children were blown away by this rapid answer to prayer. We really emphasized to them how much God loves them and how He really does answer prayer and really does have power. When I saw the kids the following week, they literally smiled the whole time. They were so happy to have their dad back and they clearly had tasted the goodness of God. I think the message that God cares about them really is sinking in.

As we were walking on the street recently a lady selling flowers was highlighted to us. When we prayed for her, God really touched her. One of the things we prayed for was osteoarthritis of the knees. She didn't feel any immediate change in her knees, but she was touched by God and clearly moved. A little while later, as we were walking past her again on the way to our car, she was jumping up and down! Her knees were healed and she had no more pain! She was crying and giving glory to God. There was a bit of a language barrier, so we were unable to lead her to the Lord on the spot, but we gave her a booklet in Spanish about how to be born again. She received it eagerly and promised to read it.

At an outreach to the poor, Kurt had a conversation with a man, Bill, whom Kurt had encountered before. On this day Bill was wearing a T-shirt glorifying illegal drugs, but soon confided that he would like to be free of them. He had tried before to quit but couldn’t. Kurt explained the Gospel and Jesus’ power to set us free from the power of sin. Bill accepted the Lord and was delivered from drugs on the spot. He rejoiced saying, “I know I’m never going to want those things again!” As he left, Bill sheepishly said, “I guess I need to get a new shirt!” Praise God! Bill is in the process of getting plugged into our church so he can grow in his new-found faith and freedom.

Lori, a local shop owner, has been suffering with pain and numbness in her neck and arms ever since a neck injury 20 years ago. After receiving prayer, she said she had feeling in her fingers for the first time in a long time. She said she felt power touching her neck. We’re believing God for a progressive healing and a complete resolution of her symptoms.

Tooth pain gone!

Dick, received prayer for a badly aching tooth, and was healed on the spot – all the pain left. After experiencing God’s love in this tangible way, he rededicated his life to Christ.