It's been a little while since I've connected and lots has been happening! More than I can cover in just a blog posting, so I'm hoping to put together a more thorough update sometime over the next week to let you know what's been going on.
In the meantime, I wanted to just highlight one particular need, mostly a need for prayer, but also a way that you can help financially, should you want to! There are many good things happening in Arizpe with Benny's ministry of the rehab centre as well as the church. The church continues to grow and strengthen. The members are encouraged and new people are coming as well. Being able to spend some time there every so often one feels the life and fellowship of a healthy church.
In respect to the rehab centre, there have been about half a dozen individuals who have come through now, most of them heading out encouraged and ready to step back into the real world, changed, genuinely wanting to move forward and not fall back into the traps they once knew. Of course you can be praying for these individuals, as this transition is always hard! Unfortunately a couple of those who started out in the rehab centre decided to leave partway through, perhaps because they figured they were already ready to face those same temptations head-on or because they just didn't have an interest in continuing. This too, unfortunately, is part of the struggle and happens from time to time.
This brings me to the first major area of concern, that you can be in prayer for. Pray for the direction of the rehab centre. Most rehab centres operate on the basis of those entering in are under a "lock-down" situation, where they may come by the own accord or they may have been brought by a family member. Either way, there often comes a point where the intern wants to leave, perhaps because they want to return back to their lifestyle or just can't take the rehab experience. I know of a friend who spent some time in a rehab here locally and I remember visiting him on occasion and even after 1 month he was feeling ready to return back. However, the original agreement had been for a minimum of three months. The danger in returning back too soon is that one may think they are ready when in reality, there bodies of just begun to get used to being drug free! This is the reason for the lock-down approach.
Up until this point, Benny has only been taking in people who come entirely on their own will and are allowed a lot of freedom (including leaving, if they wish!) And a couple of those who have started have done just that. He's got many contacts of people who want to bring their loved ones but it would have to be in a lock-down type situation, because of their types of cases.
This brings us to another issue. The facility where the rehab centre is being hosted right now is a large gymnasium with bedrooms and a kitchen. This is the same gym where the church that Benny is pastoring meets for their services. If the rehab centre were to take the direction of more of a lock-down type facility, the church as it stands now would be somewhat displaced. So we are looking into alternatives, ways we can make both work. Benny's desire is to move in this new direction but we are seeking the Lord's guidance in this, for the good of both the church and the ministry of the rehab centre. Please pray along with us as we seek God's direction in these very important ministries!
I'm always inspired by Benny's example as he faithfully serves the Lord. To think of the past that he came from, the violence but also the prosperity and how he was able to leave all behind. Now faithfully serving the Lord, I know there's no other place that Benny would like to be! But with it comes its challenges. The church is fairly small and the people are poor. There isn't a lot for Benny to survive on. He takes on odd jobs when they are available but in reality between the rehab centre and the church, he already has more than a full-time job! The situation is compounded with his three children whom he has to provide for as well. Here lies the other opportunity...if you would like to help Benny out financially, he is needing to help with his children as they enter into a new school year. Right now he doesn't have the means and these things need to be taken care of in the next couple of weeks. If you would like to be involved and help him out, let me know and we'll make it happen.
Meanwhile, keep praying for Benny! Look for an update coming soon! Dios les bendiga!
