April 2016 | english

Prayer letter - April 2016

Madrid, April, 26th, 2016

Greetings

Dear brothers, sisters and friends:

Time flies, and we are already near to the end of the course… But that does not mean to stop working, but the opposite. The last few weeks have been really intense and I want to update you.

From the last time I wrote you, we have had many interesting subjects. The Pentateuch class, with Manny Fernandez Sr., the director, was one of the most interesting scenes about the first five books of the Bible. The Pentateuch establishes the beginning of all things, both revelation, human history and history about the relation between God and man.

After that, holidays came, and when we came back, we took the class Theology Proper, which introduced us into the study of God, his nature, his relation with the mankind, etcetera, that will be continued alongside Christology and Pneumatology classes, and also with Anthropology, a subject we took the past course.

Last subjects

Moving forward

ICEA’s project is growing. For this reason, as part of the project, we the planters team went to the first weekend of M4 Spain. M4 is an European ministry, which was born in Norway, that wants to give tools based on the Bible for planting churches, also with the experience of many other planters from lots of churches around Europe, and that is being done for first time in Spain.

This meeting, however, had a previous work of four online formation sessions of one hour of duration, added to read the written material. During the M4 weekend we have had four working sessions with our team that had a duration of more than an hour, in which we had to take decisions and make the action plan for the next six months.

The prayer topics are the same they were on the last letter, as the objectives are still the same:

To be able to serve correctly in every place, and to be humble, specially working in the different projects.
Next steps on ICEA’s project.
For the souls who meet Jesus.
Wisdom for I can apply all what I study at Sefovan and do not forget it as just theory.
Thank God for all what He does.
A job that may help my parents in their economic situation.
My ministry contract (Read it here).
The different ministries:
- Social work at ICEA: Every Tuesday in the morning the gospel is shared and food is given to needed people.
- OnTheRedBox®: From Monday to Saturday, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. they share the gospel in many different ways at Puerta del Sol.
- Barajas Biblical Church (IBB): They are now open! On January the church made its first service and they continue impacting the neighbourhood with the Gospel.
- Sefovan evangelism campaigns:
  - March and April have been months for sharing the Gospel in Madrid. For this reason, we went to Lavapiés neighbourhood, sharing with the people about the new church that is being established there and sharing the Gospel with them.
  - Summer campaigns were three originally, but only one of them is confirmed. There are no people because there are no resources for the people to take their holidays and use their money and their time in serving God. I myself have to say «no» this year for the same reason.
- #ChuecaParaCristo (#ChuecaForChrist): Erika has been working in Chueca for more than a year now by showing Christ’s love. The invisibles’ list has reached 87 names, every name with their history and failure, addiction and desperation. But God wants to be visible and that is why they continue. Pray for Rebeca, and for Betty and Rubén, a couple who lost their daughters because they could take care of them. Also pray for God to send more workers.
My economic situation: I still need economical support. The situation is not the best, and I do not like to do it, but I have to ask for support.If you have in your heart to make me an offering personally, go to the Support me section on the webpage.

Prayer topics

Farewell

That is all for today. Every time is getting harder to write these letters. Sincerely, I am sad for the situation that is around me. I would like to do more of what I already do, but I feel limited for the circumstances. Pray for it. Pray for my parents. Pray for me. Because God only can change situations and to show a plain way for his work.

Blessings,

Josuè Blasco i Vernedas.

«Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way. Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. » Hebrews 13:18, 20-21 NIV

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ICEA

Not only in Aluche

My family

Talking about me is also talking about my family and its situation. They are not in a good moment. My father was fired from his work because of things no related with him, and he is looking for but does not find a job. Actually, their economic situation is getting worse, so I need you to pray for them. Share it with your brothers and sisters, so they can pray for them, please.

Praying for the summer

This summer I would not be able to do what I would like to do. Sefovan summer campaigns have been reduced from three to one as there are no enough people. And one of the causes for what I am part of the cancellation of the campaigns is my family’s situation. This summer I need to take the time to work so they get some sustenance for them. I also have to obtain my own sustenance for the next course, so I would neither be able to work in ICEA’s project during summer months for this reason. And it hurts me that the economy is what is limiting people, not only me, to work for God.

Pray for a job for me and my parents, so I can help them. But pray even more for those campaigns in which I would not be able to be and for ICEA’s project, to which I will come back in October. With hurt I have to say that, because of today’s situation, I cannot be working on it.

What did surprise us about M4? Plurality. M4 does not impose a work method, but gives tools to the different teams so they can follow their call and their own mission.During this weekend we were more than a hundred people working for impacting Spain by planting and establishing churches. Teams from every part of Spain – Cardedeu (Barcelona), Zamora, Ribadeo (Lugo), Sarria (Lugo), Ourense – working in their own projects for impacting this country, and we need

you to pray for all of them, and for the M4 project during the next two years, and for the work of M4 with the next groups after us.

Next steps

Next steps have to be fast for we can work and advance in the project as fast as we can. At the moment, we have to clarify our vision in the team and know each other more, so me can share the vision with the team, and for we can make all ministries work for the vision and come back to ICEA origins: evangelism, carrying Madrid to Jesus, and doing it through the Gospel, through His Word, so they become part of the Church.

The past Sunday 24th we already had the last team meeting, just one week after the M4 meeting, focused in knowing more each other in different ways. The activities for prayer and intercession for the project are being made, but we need that there are more and more compromised people both in action and in prayer for this mission.