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From the Ends of the Earth
Chile Mission News from Jim and Liisa Tino
May 2022
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You are receiving this e-newsletter because you signed up for it at a church or event where the Tinos spoke about their ministry in Chile. (If you don't recall signing up, I can send you a copy of the sign-up sheet with your name on it.) If you no longer wish to receive it, PLEASE DO NOT MARK IT AS SPAM! Simply click "unsubscribe" at the bottom of this e-newsletter. Thank you!
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TOP: Jim, Liisa, and a few church members show off our temporary chapel - a tin roof on 2 X 6's.
BELOW: Current rented ministry location, a fairly large house on a visible street corner.
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Every family needs a home, and the family of faith is no different. For over a year now, we have been worshiping under a temporary tin roof in the back yard of the ministry/immigrant house. Our humble “chapel” has been under an ongoing demolition order from the local government. The lives of immigrants are unstable enough - they do not need to be living in fear of eviction. The continued harassment by the government is also taking its toll on me as the pastor/missionary and on the congregation. We need a home.
Since we started this second Lutheran church in Santiago in 2017, we have been renting. It started out with Liisa and I paying the rent for a big house where we also lived, worshiped, and housed the immigrants. By 2020, the ministry was robust enough to pay its own rent, so Liisa and I moved to our own place (smaller). Since January 2020, the church and related ministries have been able to pay the nearly $2,000/month USD in rent. Hey, that’s a mortgage payment!
If we could come up with the 30% down payment that the banks in Chile require for a mortgage, the congregation could get a loan and buy a property. Property is expensive in Santiago. We will not be able to find anything for less than $250,000, and most likely will be closer to $400,000! A down payment (best guess) is going to be at least $75,000. If God provides the down payment, I believe that He will also lead us to the right property and help us to secure a loan. If you would like to learn more about this or contribute toward the down payment, click here.
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I’m a missionary-pastor, and the job of a missionary-pastor is to do a lot of “firsts” - that is, things that you (hopefully) only have to do once. For example: start from ground zero; train your first leaders; start a Sunday school; write a constitution; register the church; build a building; and so on. Once the congregation is on its feet, it’s time to call a pastor to continue shepherding the flock and reaching out to others with the Gospel.
It’s time.
Liisa and I have been in Chile for nearly eight years now, four years in one congregation which now has its own pastor, and almost four years in our current ministry which is called “Iglesia Luterana Divina Providencia” (Divine Providence Lutheran Church). It’s time for a pastor to step in and take the reins of this ministry.
So far, we have extended calls to three pastors. The first two declined; the third just received the Call last week and has not yet responded. We know that God has the person in mind for this ministry; we just need some help figuring out who it is! This is not a “money” issue, it is a “guidance” issue. Will you pray that God’s Holy Spirit would guide and direct us to the man He has chosen to be the pastor at Divine Providence Lutheran Church in Santiago?
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* Pray for our two “focus points” - a home for God’s family here, and a pastor to lead them.
* Pray for Katy, Liisa’s close friend in New Hampshire who was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Liisa hopes to be able to visit her soon.
* Pray for God to be with Jim as he is currently working in Santiago without his “better half”, Liisa. She is in the States to handle many family issues.
* Pray for the musicians in Santiago that Liisa continues to train “remotely”. Pray for Betsi, Oscar, Elianeth, and Domenico - that they would understand their calling as church musicians and fall in love with leading worship!
* Pray for our resale shop in Santiago, now called “Bazar Providencia”. Under the leadership of Elianeth, it is now producing about $300 per month in much-needed income for the church. Our goal is to get to $600 per month over the next three months!
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* Praise God for the birth of Kaylee Marie Sipp, our newest granddaughter! She was born healthy and happy on April 14 in Phoenix, Arizona. Liisa was with proud parents Gabi and Daniel and the family for about a month to help out.
* Praise God that Liisa can spend some time in Michigan to help out Mom and Dad Tino for a while. She arrived in Dearborn on May 7.
* Praise God for the seven people studying the Word with Jim and preparing to become confirmed members! Pray that the God would keep the devil far from Oscar, Orianna, Leo, Carola, Zenaida, Ivan, and Ezekiel.
* Praise God for over three years of the Medicine for Venezuela program. Thousands of people have benefitted from this, receiving life-giving and life-sustaining medications sent from Chile. Unfortunately, dwindling support and rising costs (due to more people requesting medicine) has made it impossible to continue. Click here to read more about Medicine for Venezuela.
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“Don’t be anxious about what you will eat… your Heavenly Father knows what you need.” (Mt. 6:32) Those were important words for me to hear, as I see our financial “bucket” dwindling month by month. That cannot be my focus. My heavenly Father knows what we need. He knows what YOU need, as well! Together, let’s turn to our heavenly Father and trust in His provision!
Or, you can mail a check to:
Global Lutheran Outreach
6709 Ficus Dr.
Miramar, FL 33023
(put "Tino - Chile" on the memo line of the check")
Global Lutheran Outreach is a not-for-profit corporation under section 501 c 3 of the Federal Tax code. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by the IRS.
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What are you focused on? At the top of this newsletter, I mentioned the many distractions in our world today - politics, economics, “culture wars”, regular war, covid, and more. Maybe those are important issues, but they are not the Most Important Thing. Not even close. Just ask someone who is gravely ill, or someone who recently lost a loved one. People are much more important than “issues” - even important issues.
What are you focused on? I can’t answer that for you, but I do know this: God is focused on YOU! You are His focus. That’s why He came to us to live among us and to die for us and to rise again as the Firstborn of all believers. God has laser-like focus on making sure that each and every person in the world has the opportunity to live eternally with Him in heaven.
What should we be focused on? War? Rising prices? Jesus tells us this: “Don’t ever worry and say, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them. But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you.” (Matthew 6:31-33).
God says, “Don’t be distracted. Keep your focus on Me.” It’s a good reminder for me. God sent us to Santiago to preach the Gospel for the salvation of souls. People. That’s the focus.
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Do you have a passion to see that the Good News of Jesus continues to be shared at home and around the world? Rather than being spent on immediate needs, a gift to the Global Lutheran Outreach Endowment Fund will be invested under the management of the Lutheran Legacy Foundation, and the gains on the investment will provide resources for Lutheran mission work for generations to come! Learn more here.
GLO CAN NOW RECEIVE DONATIONS OF STOCK!
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GLOBAL LUTHERAN OUTREACH| www.GlobalLutheranOutreach.com |
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