El Vigia, Venezuela
- Paul & Daphne Chapman
- Dec 2, 2015
- 3 min read
A very warm and humid greeting from El Vigia, where we are still settling in after a safe and trouble free trip from Brisbane just over a month ago. We have finally got our sleep pattern back in order, and also our drawers and cupboards, as after the robbery everything was turned upside down. We are constantly discovering things that are missing, but give thanks to the Lord for those belongings that are still here. It seems very evident that a group of
teenagers were responsible and sad to think that some of them went through the class here and have now turned to drugs etc. Before our arrival, one of the group had been killed, and just this past week another male and female from the group have also been shot. We are looking into installing security cameras and electric wires around the top of the fence, and also adding a granny flat to the front of the house for someone to live permanently. We need to have someone living here to enable us to go away and visit other assemblies and help in other areas of the work.
The border with Colombia continues to be closed, at least until after the elections on the 6th December. The Lord has been faithful yet again in providing other means for us to transfer funds into our account here, and we are thankful for the food items we brought from Australia, and what we had stored before we left. Goods have become scarcer, with much stricter control in the sale of them in the six months we were away, so the Lord alone knows where this situation will end, so please pray on.
The local believers have continued with all the assembly meetings, and it is good to see the development of Darwin and Victor in their participation in all areas. Numbers fluctuate at the meetings, as some live out of town, but we give thanks for those who persevere and help where possible. The assembly is responsible for the bimonthly ministry meeting for the state of Merida on the 21st of this month, so we commence on Monday 9th with nightly meetings for prayer and teaching, with the desire to encourage the believers in these very difficult times.
After four weeks of prayer, the assembly in Chamita, Merida, arranged to evangelize the town of San Juan de Lagunillas on Saturday 7th. At 2:30 am that same day there was an earthquake of 5.1 followed by several others throughout the day, causing minor damage to some buildings and churches, and leaving a lot of people in panic mode. The epicentre was just 7kms from that town, so no coincidence that the Lord desires to awaken souls to the need of salvation. We were unable to help in this effort as planned, due to the road being blocked from the landslides. One man was killed when hit on the head by a falling rock when they were stopped by a landslide on the way up to Merida. The epicentre was just 27kms from El Vigia, so we were woken by the rumbling, followed by a good shaking, which had some of the neighbours out on the street yelling. The apartment building where Moises & Erika live suffered minor damage to wall plastering and everyone was evacuated for the day because of the tremors that followed.
Your prayers for the situation in the country is greatly appreciated, especially at election time on 6th of December. Pray also for the believers as they seek to continue in testimony to our Lord's name, in very difficult circumstances, even for the everyday living.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, as we send greetings in His worthy name.
Winter 2015
Written by Paul & Daphne Chapman - Venezuela
