Update - Dec 18. It is with a mix of sadness and joy that I regret to inform you that Elvira went home to be with her Lord this past week. Sadness for we will miss her. Joy that her suffering is now over and she will spend eternity now, free from the trappings of this world, with her Saviour, Jesus Christ. - Steve

My thoughts this week are for a couple we know, Denis and Elvira, who have a great health need. Elvira is is dire need of a medical miracle, one that is achievable with your donations. Please read their story below below, and anything you can do, prayer, learning more about their incredible ministry, and yes, financial donations will help.

Thanks all

From https://www.gofundme.com/2phyej0

Elvira is a missionary that fell in love with Guatemala´s children and youth almost 15 years ago. As part of God´s plan she married a guatemalan man Denis Zetino, both together have dedicated their lives to serve the children and youth of Guatemala in Chiquimulilla (Guatemala), they have lived by faith and seen God´s mercy in all ways, they live in a simple way but bringing a great light of Jesus´s love to others, they go everyday to the schools, almost 1,000 kids a month receive the great news of Christ and they give beautiful teachings of God´s principles so they can apply in their lives, their ministry has been done with love and effort and they have given so much to people, they always open their home for other missionaries, or help other ministries in their activities, they are always willing to help and be ambassadors of Christ giving love and hope to others. Right now she is going through a very difficult situation a crisis, unfortunately she got an intestinal perforation, she almost die in that opportunity but God open a way and she got a surgery and a colostomy was done, she had 3 months recovery and then she came back to have the colostomy removed. Unfortunately the intestine was thin and it reaped and she need another surgery to put the colostomy again, after that surgery she had a lot of inflammatory liquid and a bacteria was found E coli, this was a really bad combination because she required another surgery to clean the area because it was infected, she was in a simple private hospital but the bills were too high and she would need more surgeries to clean the infected area, they got a loan to pay the private hospital but now they have to pay that debt. Then she was moved to a public hospital in Guatemala city, unfortunately our public hospitals dont have medicine, there is people that lay down in the floor because there are not stretchers for the patients, our heart are broken for this situation because this a our national reality. Elvira has gotten under God´s wings and there is a doctor that is giving the follow up, he has the expertise but he needs the supplies and medicine, we are raising funds as brothers and sister in Christ, to help Elvira and Dennis in this situation. This is our opportunity to sow into God's. Kingdom. The funds will be used to cover the debt at the private hospital (Originally it was for Q39,000 ( $5,200 ) but we raised Q24,000 ($3,200) right now it is for $2,000 and we have to buy the medicine and supplies that she requires, almost $1,500 for VAC therapy this will help to drain the inflammatory liquid, $2,400 for antibiotics, each ampoule has a price of $120 and she needs 2 or 3 a day for at least 20 days, it is right now a need of $6,000 to cover the immediate expenses and to help cover their meals since they are away from home and very far away. We keep believing and declaring that God will show his mercy, thank you so much for standing up for Elvira and helping these missionaries to raise their hands in this situation. ““When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬. "If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD — and he will repay you!” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:17 "Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:44-45‬ ‭NLT‬‬