40 Days.  As we wrote before, God has used this unit of time throughout history as a period to receive God's testing, judgment, refinement, preparation, purpose, deliverance, and fulfillment of promise.

 

We pray this time has been just that for each of you. Our prayer is that you have been blessed, challenged, stretched, encouraged, and inspired in your walk with Jesus Christ.  If you have been, you are not alone - we have been as well. These 40 days have drawn our staff and girls closer than ever before.  As a ministry, we can praise God for the ways we have seen His hands at work each day.  His Word is alive and never returns void.

 

When the girls asked why we were praying like this and what the purpose of these 40 days was, I could sense their underlying concern.  I posed the following question to them: "What is Casa de Ester?"

 

One gave the response of "a home", and another "a safe place", and another "this house".  So I took it further - "What happens if we take away this house, but kept every one of us together?  What would happen to Casa de Ester?"  One correctly responded, "It would go on."  So, I asked again, "What is Casa de Ester?"  "Us!" they replied.  "That's right," I said. "Just like the people (not the building) make up the church, this family and everyone around the world who is a part of this ministry make up Casa de Ester."

 

Thank you for being a part of this family.  Thank you for joining us in these 40 Days of Prayer.

 

So, what now?  It's Day 40!  Shouldn't there be some big reveal, complete with fireworks?  Well, I can say for certain that God is faithful!  He always has been and always will be.  At no point has He ever been unfaithful.

 

We have seen the impact of your prayers.  New connections are being formed and doors are opening into new relationships for the ministry.  We are also receiving new financial contributions and commitments, as well as welcoming first-time visitors to the campus.

 

Yes - the operating gap still looms.  We currently have just shy of $10k in monthly recurring commitments toward our monthly operating expense of $15k.  Further cuts will be challenging cuts to discern and make.  God will lead us, and He will provide our needs.

 

With November 30 less than three months away, we had to responsibly submit our 90-day notice to vacate our current campus this past week.  Our current location is seemingly ideal for the ministry.  It is especially difficult to consider moving from the home that the girls have come to know.  If the financial gap is closed, we reserve the right to cancel our notice and stay.  But, we are the real "home", and we trust God to settle us where He desires - whether He makes the way for us to stay here or takes us to a new place unknown to us.

 

While the seeming reality of the circumstances might lead some to give up hope and concede to closing down the home, we believe in the God who creates opportunities.

 

In the midst of the ministry's greatest trial to date, our passion and commitment to His call have never been stronger.  He continues to ask us to walk in faith, despite trying to navigate financial challenges.  He has intersected our path with lives in need of rescue and told us to take action.  We have obeyed, and our family and our joy have grown because of it. 

 

Our team is dedicated to keeping this family together.  We believe we will see God respond to our collective prayers over the past 40 days.  We believe He will continue to lead hearts and stir His people to act in ways bigger than we could imagine.  We trust that He will lead us through.

 

In leading you through these 40 Days of Prayer, He has called us to look at ourselves first and ask how we can do more to reflect Him in our own lives. 

 

To share our heart with you - it is tough to live in the midst of a broken city of a country in disarray that is merely a piece of this hurting world.  Never before have Paul's words echoed so truly in our hearts, "To live is Christ and to die is gain."  Oh, the joyous day when we will be with our Savior!  But our work is here and now, and it is His purpose for us to remain in this body until our last breath, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving as His hands and feet to bring His love to the world. "To consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" is a beautiful yearning of the Spirit, one we will continually struggle to fully realize but should never grow weary in pursuing. 

 

We hope you have been uplifted by these 40 Days and have received:

• A glimpse of God's heart for the oppressed and fatherless (Psalm 68:5-6; Psalm 10:14-15; Isaiah 49:15-16)
• A reminder that He is the source of all we have (Deut 24:21; Matthew 7:7; Phil 4:19)
• A hope for those who are weary (Isaiah 40:28-31; 1 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 41:10)
• A call to act without fear in light of our future (Luke 12:32-34; Matthew 6:33)
• A guide in what He seeks from us in our actions (Isaiah 58:4-11; Matthew 25:40; Micah 6:8; James 1:27)
• A refuge for those in the midst of oppression (Psalm 27:10-14; Psalm 146:7-9)
• A challenge to do great things in His name (John 14:12-13)
• A verdict on the justice He demands (Proverbs 24:11; Deut 24:17; Isaiah 1:17; Exodus 22:22-23)
• A promise of His provision for and work in us (Phil 1:6; Phil 2:13)
• A model for us to follow (1 John 3:16-18; Acts 20:35) 

As author Scott Rodin conveys in "The Third Conversion", God is the fundraiser, not me.  He is the true owner and source - all is part of His One Kingdom.  We may try to create our own little separate kingdoms, but in doing so we ignore and neglect His reign over our lives.  When we accept His reign and give generously to where He calls us, we are giving back to Him, the owner.  We can give joyously to the One who has met and continues to meet our needs from His abundance. 

 

Our responsibility as a ministry is not to contrive ways to manipulate you to give to us, but to challenge you to grow as a faithful steward of His Kingdom and to provide opportunities for you to exercise that stewardship in obedience to His lead.  Whether He leads you to give through us or another ministry should have of no impact on our role to be a blessing and a catalyst to you.  There is no need for a "scarcity mentality" when it comes to the Creator and His chosen people.

 

What now?

 

Continue to grow in relationship with Him; boldly strive to follow His lead and to trust in His ways; be a part of His work in this world. 

 

Bono (of U2) put it well, "Stop asking God to bless what you're doing.  Find out what God's doing.  It's already blessed." 

 

Please keep Casa de Ester in your prayers.  If God puts it on your heart to partner with Casa de Ester or leads you to act in a certain way, please follow His lead and join us in the work He is doing here.  To find detailed information on current projects and needs of Casa de Ester, please visit www.casadeester.com/projectcentral.

 

Take a moment to view the new "Casa de Ester To Me" video at www.casadeester.com. Starting Monday, September 15, you will also find the new CDE Vision video and CDE Missions video on our website.  We hope these will be great tools in sharing about the heart and ministry of Casa de Ester.

 

Let us live to be a blessing to Him for He has blessed us immeasurably in Jesus Christ.

 

 

Love,

 

Michael and Valina Perry

The focus of these 40 Days of Prayer will be asking our Heavenly Father for the following:

• OPEN DOORS as we seek partners and support stateside and in Honduras.
• DIVINE CONNECTIONS through the networks of current partners and new friends of the ministry.
• FINANCIAL PROVISION to maintain the current level of operation and to advance the front lines of the ministry.
• STIRRING TO ACT from the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of His people to further the fight for the orphaned, abused, and abandoned - in Honduras, stateside, and abroad.

• Day 40 (Sept 9) - 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
   
  "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.'  
   
  Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  
   
  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.  And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"