"Winds of Fire" Campaign

From Fort Dodge, Iowa comes Pastor Paul Butterfield... woo hoo!!!!

A revival campaign was held at the "Fountain of Love and Peace" Church in Palmira, Colombia.

Worship band

Pastor Carlos Sánchez

Pastor Francisco Vargas of Palmira was the translators for my dad, Pastor Paul, the first night.

A time of prayer and worship

This funny little couple wanted a picture with the American.  They wandered in off the street to hear what he had to say!

Pastor Carlos leading worship

Pastor Teo Jaimes of Venezuela also served as a translator in the campaign.

Sunday morning was a special service in the church because Pastor Paul's ministry Revival Fire's International became the legal "covering" of Pastor Carlos' church.  In Colombia this is a requirement for a church to be registered as an official church.

Pastors Carlos & Elizabeth Sánchez

Reading his certificate of ordination

Pastor Teo and Pastor Paul preaching the Word

Sunday night Pastora Elizabeth opened the service with a time of prayer.

Claudia Sánchez and the girls performed a dance for the people.

Who gave Pastor Paul the guitar???

And then there's me....

Like in other churches we've visited, it's always fun to sing a couple songs we know in both Spanish and English.  The people love it!!!

All in all, a VERY success and wonderful campaign!!!

Greetings & Thank You's from the El Camino children!

Hello and greetings from Colombia!!!!

I hope that you haven't thought I'd runaway and forgotten about you!  Things have been busy, busy since the moment I arrived, and well, I've been meaning to get a message out to all of you a long time ago.  The good news.... I've got something BETTER!!!!  Attached to this email is a short video of the El Camino children and me.  I hope you can understand it well.  Directed by one of the children herself and translated by me.... it could get a little crazy!  But I hope you enjoy it and know how important you are also to the cause in Colombia.  Your donations and prayers truly do change lives.... and  through this video I wanted to give you the opportunity to see, hear and know the children you are supporting!

A million blessings!

Love,

Sarah & the El Camino Foundation

El Camino children

Carlos Andres

Christian

Andres Mauricio

Juan Pablo

Claudia

David

Daniel

Angelica

Catch-up!

Hello everyone!

You probably all thought you were never going to hear from me again.  Boy, were you wrong!  Things have been crazy busy since the moment I arrived in Colombia, but since I finally have the opportunity to write, I'm going to take advantage of it!!!

I arrived safe and sound January 20th in Cali, Colombia after traveling all night, taking a different route through Texas, to Bogota and finally to Cali.  As soon as I arrived, I connected again with the salsa band, Emmanuel, to play for a wedding and also joined up with my dad and Pastor Teo of Venezuela for a three-day Crusade at the Fuente de Amor y Paz Church in Palmira.

I spent my first week at the El Camino Foundation, spending time with the kids before heading back to my apartment.  The children are all doing so great!  It's amazing how much they can change in only 3 months!  And my little Christian is speaking so much more... we understand each other great (considering I still speak like a child)!

When I returned in January, the children were still finishing up their vacation from school, so we had more time to spend together.  I wish everyone could have seen the excitement at the Foundation when they received their new notebooks for school!  I never could have imagined it... children excited over something like a notebook.  I helped Lala mark each one with the children's names so they were all ready for a new school year.

There is a new child at the Foundation. His name is Andres Mauricio.  He is so sweet and silly, but he really does not like to study.  We're still working with him on this, but he is a fun addition to the El Camino family.  Claudia, 14 years old, has entered school for the first time and is loving every moment of it!  Even little Christian has started going to preschool.  And Juan Pablo... well, he's really love to walk, but just can't get the hang of it yet.

My other big news is that I have started my English classes!  I still can't believe it!  I'm an English teacher... in a foreign country!  haha!  I have a good group of people of various ages, and they really want to learn.  It's definitely a lot of fun!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

In January, my family was struck hard with the news that my uncle, Gene Butterfield, had passed away suddenly.  He was a man of amazing faith and determination.  He was loved by one and all just by simply living his Christian faith and striving to be as much like Christ as he possibly could.  When someone was in need, he did what he could to help.

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States, he and his family moved to Mississippi because he knew that he could not stand by and watch, knowing so many people were devastated.  He not only helped rebuild many homes in the Gulf, but he also shared the message of Christ’s love to those he came in contact with.

The Butterfield family has been connected to the children’s home in Colombia for years, but it wasn’t until this January when I learned about Uncle Gene’s heart for the orphans and for the missionaries that are working so hard, fighting with the financial problems that are forcing some of them to leave their mission field.  In response to this never ending need, he founded a fundraising business to help support not only the El Camino Children’s Home, but also other children’s homes and missionaries around the world.  It is our hope and prayer that Christian Brothers Coffee will continue in memory of my Uncle Gene.  If you’d like any information, please visit the website http://www.cbcoffeebean.com  or contact my dad, Paul Butterfield at 515-570-0131.

THANK YOU, UNCLE GENE, FOR STRIVING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.