Kallestad Ministry Update April 2016

April 22, 2016
Kallestad Update April 2016
“Be still, and know that
I am God; I will be
exalted among the
nations, I will be
exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
Greetings!
Doug just returned recently from
Ecuador. Eight ministerial candidates
graduated from the Iberoamerican
Bible Institute! What a celebration!!!
Doug also taught an intensive
Theology of Ministry class to 30
ministerial candidates.
God is working in some amazing
ways and we are so excited to be a
part of it! We wanted to take some
time, remember and be thankful…
Have you ever wondered why
God says so many times in the
Bible, “Remember”?
After spending last year caring
for Doug’s parents who have
lost so many memories;
constantly reminding them who
they are and how we are related;
When God says, “Remember”,
it now stirs something much
deeper in my heart.
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So I have been working on
my memory. In my efforts,
I have been reminded that
in order to remember
something I must focus,
pay attention and
concentrate really hard.
When God says,
“Remember”…
Maybe He is trying one
more time to get our
attention. Maybe by
challenging us to focus, to
concentrate, to remember
what He has done; God is
also challenging us to pay
attention to how He is
moving in our midst now.
Maybe God wants us to
remember once again
who we are as His
children. Maybe He is
reminding us who we are
as the Body of Christ and
all that we can be
together.
God’s heart is for the
nations.
The world is full of
people who have yet to
know His tender love.
Somehow we need to
stop the chaos in our
lives and pay attention.
April 22, 2016
We need to remember.
In this letter, we want to
look back and try to
“Connect the Dots”...
By remembering what
God has done, maybe we
will have a better
understanding of what
He is doing now; and
how He desires each one
of us to be a part of
moving forward.
We need to “be still and
know that He is God…”
ECUADOR 1991
In 1991, three
Chilean Pastors met
a team from Christ
in Youth (CIY) in
Samborondon,
Ecuador. Taking the
Gospel to those
who had not yet
heard, that was the
goal.
A number of
Ecuadorians
accepted Christ and
the trip ended.
That was back in the
days when phones were
only land -lines and
letters were sent by mail.
There were no
computers. There was
no internet.
Communication with
Ecuador was even more
complicated! Two years
passed.
There was growing
conviction among
the Chilean Pastors
and leaders…
What was
happening in
Ecuador? What
about the new
believers???
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CHILE 1993
Within the ICI (Iglesia de
Cristo Iberoamericana)
movement in Chile, at that
time there was the mother
church, Libertad, and three
young daughter churches, El
Encuentro, Los Heroes and
Oriente.
These churches were
accustomed to receiving
teams to help extend God’s
work here in Chile.
Now God was calling the
Chilean Church to step out
in faith and go.
“Go and make disciples of
all nations” Matt. 28:19
As you can imagine there
was still a lot to be done in
Chile; people yet to know
the Lord, everything it
means to be growing young
churches, buildings
unfinished. The Oriente
Church at that time had a
concrete floor, a roof and no
walls.
And yet God was saying,
“Go.”
Whenever we know what
God wants us to do we are
faced with a choice, to be
obedient or not. Often times
our obedience means
placing the needs of others
above our own.
April 22, 2016
In our obedience God
moves freely to
accomplish His perfect
will and we are blessed to
be a small part of what
He is doing.
If we say no, if we choose
disobedience, God will
work through someone
else and we will have
missed an amazing
opportunity to know Him
better.
Maybe that is what Jesus
is talking about in
Luke 9:23
“And He (Jesus) was saying
to them all, “ If anyone
wishes to come after Me, he
must deny himself, and take
up his cross daily and
follow Me.”
At the cross Jesus chose to
be obedient. Every day we
are given opportunities to
walk in obedience. The
question is…
what will we choose?
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April 22, 2016
In 1993, a team of about 35
youth from Chile traveled by
land from bus to bus through
Chile, Peru and finally into
Ecuador… five days and
nights on buses, one way,
nonstop to help share the love
of Christ.
In Ecuador, the Chileans
once again met up with CIY
who brought a team of about
30 youth.
Together they set out to find
out what had become of the
Ecuadorian believers?
In a bamboo hut on stilts over
the river, Luis Flores had kept
the small group of believers
together.
Luis was a shoemaker by
trade. God has used this man
in amazing ways over the
years to extend his kingdom!
A Chilean youth from that
first team became our church
planter. Marcelo married and
together with his family
served 13 years in Ecuador.
Today there are 5 churches
with Ecuadorian Pastors!
A young Chilean couple is
now serving as part of the
team, working with the
churches and Casa Amanecer
(Sunrise House), a ministry
for kids at risk.
You may think that is the end.
Not a chance!
On a trip to Ecuador getting
stuck in Tacna, Peru turned
into a new church planting
opportunity.
There are now 4 churches in
Peru and a medical clinic.
One of the churches is in
Cusco.
On a visit to Chile, one
of the Ecuadorian Pastors
kept hearing about the
work in Sierra Leon. He
became fascinated with the
similarities of that distant
country to his own culture
and climate.
As he prayed and pondered
the possibilities, God
confirmed what He had put
on Pastor Giovanni’s heart…
The Church in Ecuador is now
equipping a couple to be sent to
Sierra Leone.
Fabricio and Landy have
already met with Chad, the
team leader from Sierra
Leone who was invited to
Ecuador to encourage and
challenge the church.
And the challenge continues…
Landy, Chad and Fabricio
Ecuador
Earthquake
While writing this letter
there was a 7.8
earthquake in Ecuador.
The team and church
members are safe,
however, there were over
600 people killed,
thousands injured and
extensive damage. On
the IAM website http://
iamweb.org there is
current information on
how you can help!
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Go and make disciples. Obedience. A step of faith…
April 22, 2016
Going beyond her borders to Ecuador was a HUGE step of faith for
the
Chilean Church. It was as if God was asking, “Do you believe that I can
and will use you to bless the nations?” Do you believe it?
What is going on in Ecuador is only one example of how God is moving.
That step of faith has also taken us to Peru, North Africa and the Middle
East.
A step of faith…
What is the step of faith that God
has placed before you? Do you trust
Him? Will you choose obedience?
We hope so.
There is no greater adventure and
joy than “La Bendita Locura”, the
blessed craziness, of our life in
Christ!
We need to remember and be
thankful that somehow by God’s
grace we get to be a small part of
Being thankful. Something I
learned from Grandpa last year.
When all the filters are gone and
our hearts are at last revealed
before God and men may we all
be found faithful in our obedience
and thankful.
We pray you will make time to
remember, to Connect the Dots in
your own life and be thankful!
“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in everything give thanks;
For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
A special family note… In January
Christy married Sebastian Palma!
All of the kids were able to come to Chile
for the wedding. Being together was
incredible! We are so excited for Seba and
Christy!
Thank you. You are an important part of
our lives! Blessings! Doug, Shelly and family
IAM ~ PO Box 1493 Monroe, WA 98272
(360) 805-2885
www.iamweb.org
Email: [email protected]
Chile cel: 56 9 76089930 US cel/whatsapp: 1-509-720-3147
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