Cardona´s on Christmas 2021 (Our prayer letter, December 2021)
Christmas, according to the biblical account (not in keeping with the "spirit of the season"), can only be explained by the intervention of God. As Luke says: "For nothing is impossible for God!" (1:37) It is one of our favorite verses, for Christmas, while we eat “buñuelos” (like salty donuts, or chess balls), “Natilla” (corn pudding) and fill ourselves with lights everywhere, as is customary in our Colombian land. From here we pray that you have a Christian and merry Christmas.
Our good God is working among us, allow us to tell you :
A new group of elders (6) were presented to the church for recognition. Not only in the local church in which we serve (El Redil Estadio) from where we are planting new churches, but also in other churches of the Fibec-Redil (the network of Baptist churches that Diego presides over), we are promoting the formation of elders, some of whom in the future will serve as full-time pastors and others as bivocational pastors.
Several churches such as "El Refugio", where we help our Redil Laureles Church to reach out the community through a girls soccer tournament, are going very well in their church planting efforts . And also Redil de Caldas, which is the new church plant and is progressing very well.
A church that needs to be revitalized (Redil of Manrique) after several traumatic situations during covid time is going very well. Above all we thank God since it is a learning context for the elders of the church to grow in their ability to care for and love the church.
Baptisms: Two precious groups of baptisms, with more than 30 people we have seen testify of their faith in El Redil Estadio, this year. Listening to their testimonies, which they write as part of their preparation course, one cannot help but be amazed at how God attracts, saves and sanctifies his people.
Especial project: One of the unique opportunities God has given to us during the last year is that Diego's voice was selected for a new audio Bible in Spanish. Now it is available in apps as well as in Amazon. Please pray for this important resource, especially for those with visual impairments such as the elderly and the blind.
Keep our family in your prayers, please. Tania, our daughter, Daniel and his wife Sara, and our three grandchildren. All of them are doing well, they finished their school a week ago.
For some of you who have known my dad, "Don Jaime" (who was one of the first believers in Colombia, when the Fellowship sent first missionaries in the sixties), I tell you that he is better after many hospital visits for different health conditions (heart, prostate, kidneys). He is at home on permanent oxygen and a urinary catheter, but in high spirits and trusting in God. His prognosis is reserved due to the heart complications he has, but we are very grateful for the support and prayer we have received in these particularly difficult months.
Finally, with the message of Merry Christmas, we want to thank God for each and every one of you, churches and brothers in Christ who from Canada faithfully make it possible for us to serve in Colombia to promote social and missionary work, start new churches and accompany the formation of new pastors.
Dios los bendiga, (God bless you) and FELIZ NAVIDAD (Merry Christmas)
Diego and Claudia Cardona
Fellowship Missionaries in Colombia, S.A.
Here are some pictures you can relate with our prayer letter. Thank you so much for taking this time to think and come along with us living for the King and serving His kingdom.
New Elders of El Redil Estadio: Sebastián, Adam, Arnubio, Deiby, Jovanny, and Jairo. And their wifes, plus three pastoral couples in our home!
Girls soccer tournament at El Refugio
Baptisms at El Redil Estadio, 2021
Our family
(Left to right: Tania (our daughter), Emiliano (our oldest grandchild), Lucas (second grandchild), Diego, Daniel (our son), Miguel (youngest grandchild), Sara (our daughter in law), Claudia. Thanks for keeping our family in your prayers!
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