Something in the Water

Written by Brooke Coon

Sunday evening I had the great joy of watching Salma, one of the Teens Adelante girls, get baptized. I will never forget sitting on her porch in the intense heat this summer, the only place where we could talk in private. She was asking questions about traditions and liturgy done in quinceaneras (the coming of age party for Hispanic girls) as well as the meaning of baptism. Salma is a fiery, passionate girl, and she doesn't want to do something that she doesn't believe in. But when she is in, she is 100% in. The blessing I've received through Salma has been watching what she decides to put her 100% in. The things that she commits to are becoming more and more righteous.

Sunday night after her baptism, I stopped by her house to drop something off, and she didn't want me to leave. So she corralled Jessica, another teen who lives next door, her little sister followed, and we sat on the floor in her bedroom. She was flipping through her newly gifted pink bible and firing off questions about how God changes us, how we still fall, and how we are a new creation. She talked about what it meant to die with Christ and be resurrected in Him. She talked about how she has started to control her cussing and asked me if there is anyone on earth that has never cussed. She asked if there was anyone who has ever read the entire Bible and I could see in the fire in her eyes that she just couldn't get enough. Suddenly, the Bible had become very real and interesting to her and she couldn't believe all the topics she was coming across.

The girl was on fire for God that night. She was the one asking all the questions and pondering God. I was overwhelmed by her passion (the 100% thing) and I could hardly answer one question before she posed more. I want to say there was something in the water, but I know the truth is that there was something in the blood of Jesus Christ. He has been pursuing Salma and her mom Mayra as well, in the midst of traumatic loss and pain in their family this year. The blood of Jesus has given them new life, and Mayra made that public declaration by being baptized that night, too. Something very special happened in their baptism, and Salma's heart was lighting up her bedroom that night in a way that marveled the other three of us girls.

In other news:

• Mission House, a partner ministry in our neighborhood, hosted a super bowl party that was attended and enjoyed by several Bhutanese people and Bhutanese Outreach staff and volunteers. This type of events is so helpful with establishing genuine friendships with those we seek to minister to.
• The Latino church had our second baptism service on Sunday evening, at which three people were baptized and two children were dedicated.
• The Latino church continues to emphasize discipleship by helping mature believers get paired with new believers in order to help them grow in their faith.
• This is the third week David Stetler will meet with five teenage Bhutanese boys. As they study the life of Jesus together, they've been challenged, and we're hopeful that their faith will grow to the point of trusting Jesus.

Prayer needs:

• Pray for the people on the Disciple Making Team to continue to pursue the individuals in whom they're trying to invest.
• Pray for hunger for growth in the Latino church.

Current needs:

• Some items that have recently been requested in our Resource Center are 3 twin beds, 2 dressers, blankets, a blender, and pots and pans. The Resource Center is also low on cereal and canned soup. To donate any of these items, please contact Molly Merrick at mollym@missionadelante.org or 913-961-2984.