TESTIMONIALS

# 006 October - December 2023

Break the fast after the ten-day prayer.

Come to me, all you who labor and suffer under your burdens! I will give you peace. Matthew 11:28 (Hope for all)

Dear friends,

Ten days of prayer time Monday morning, six o'clock. The tenth day of our prayer meetings ends today at our home. We usually meet on the terrace container on our property, but today we want to surprise everyone with delicacies from Hählen's kitchen. After ten days of prayer and partial fasting, which we do once a year (see https://www.10days.net), we end with a breakfast together. We have time to talk about the ten days behind us.

On each of these days we met for an hour and a half starting at five o'clock. We are also missionaries from Mexico, Colombia, India and Venezuela. This “prayer team” has very different shapes. We find it very enriching. Also that after a year some “Lamanenses” (that’s what the residents of La Maná are called here) joined. They had received the consent of their church pastor. Here it is common to ask your boss, superior or pastor for permission to go to other meetings outside of the usual meetings. This morning we look back and ask ourselves: What have we experienced? How were our prayers answered? What happened to the people of La Maná? Some shared that they felt the rejection of the gospel increasing. Signs of this include an increase in drugs, alcohol addiction and quarreling families. We experienced how sick people were freed from their pain, Marianne* from an ulcer and Oliver* from bronchitis. (*name changed) We invite you to pray for the 4 alcoholic men who live on the street in front of Pastor Chamba's church (third from right) and for the prostitutes near the city park of La Maná. Pray for the pastors' marriages, Carlos and Lorena (second from left), Javier and Teresa (fourth from left), so that they continue to be good role models in their surroundings.

Pastors’ Association “Cuerpo Pastoral” Three years ago, Daniel and Carlos Niño (second from left) met for the first time to pray for the unity of the Protestant pastors in La Maná. It is so important that there is unity among the local Protestant churches. The network of the “Cuerpo Pastoral” pastors’ association now consists of ten pastors who meet once a month.

They come from various denominations, the Bible-believing church, the charismatic and the Pentecostal movements. They organize an alliance service five times a year, which is attended by up to 200 believers and takes place in turn in a different community. Experiencing faith together, witnessing the Gospel together, having lunch together – that’s what motivates this group.

Three months off From February 12th to May 12th, 2024

we will travel to Switzerland for a quarter of a year on a “home vacation”. Delia starts her school holidays in February, so we can travel as a whole family. During this time we will live in the J-Point seminar center in Steffisburg. So we can also spend time with Pascal. It is important to us to recharge spiritually, to continue our education, to look back and to visit family and friends.

We are happy to visit our friends in person at home, in a home group or in the community. Please contact us immediately with a specific date suggestion. (Eastern Switzerland April 8th - 13th / Germany April 15th - 27th). -->SPECIAL: Warm invitation to our friends meeting on Sunday, March 3rd at 4 p.m. at J-Point/Steffisburg. We will tell you about our six years of missionary work in La Maná: what God has moved and changed in and through us. If you want, you can bring a cake or a delicious dessert. Plates, cutlery, coffee and tea are available.

Information about the “young generation” Corina: Our oldest is still recovering from her gastritis, she was diagnosed with lactose intolerance. During periods of pain, she finds comfort in singing hymns and reading the Bible. In January she wants to be baptized in the river near the 7 waterfalls “Las siete cascadas”, which is also a tourist resort in the region, and testify that Jesus is her savior. She invites a few friends and her dad can baptize her.

Pascal: Our son started his community service in Oberhofen in November. In the Park Hotel above Lake Thun, 70 war refugees from Ukraine find accommodation for a few months. Pascal has had pain in his hip area for a few weeks. The diagnosis: hip impingement, he is treated medically. Thank you if you pray for his healing.

Delia: will try out several careers during our stay in Switzerland in order to be able to apply for an apprenticeship in summer 2025. She has internships at health and fitness centers, as well as in various drugstores. She is interested in the profession of “exercise and health promotion specialist”.

We would like to thank you very much for your support over the past year and wish you God's blessings for the coming year 2024. We look forward to meeting you in Switzerland or Germany. Kind regards from La Maná, your Daniel & Conny

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Thanks: ► God's protection that surrounds us every day, even when we hear about increasing crime in the media.

Request: → Health of Pascal →Daniel Noboa, the 38-year-old newly installed president and his government.

God's wisdom and protection as he seeks ways to regain security in the land. → Preparation for your stay at home

Further INFORMATION please contact: DANYHAEHLEN@JESUS.CH
DANIEL +593 96 748 17 53
CONNY +593 99 560 75 09
Current
PRAYER REQUESTS: https://chat.whatsapp.com/IOW1KYk20qd9ZMaSgPrhxl
New HOMEPAGE: https://www.cabna-de-refugio.net

We live mainly from donations that we receive every year. Payment slips can be obtained from Matthias Lüscher +41 79 917 95 45. Subscription and unsubscription to the newsletter is possible at any time.

# 005 July September 2023

Breaking the fast after the ten-day prayer

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5 (Hope for all)

Dear friends,

it's Saturday evening. Half past seven. Emerson and Jennifer's wedding was scheduled for 7 p.m. It takes place in the courtyard of their community “Aliento de Vida”. We, “Daniel, Corina, Delia and I” sit down on plastic chairs. But no sign of the around 70 invited wedding guests. And we thought we were the last ones. There is still a lot of activity in the backyard, where the groom's family lives. The oven chicken smells fragrant from the oven, the groom's parents are still in their work clothes and the bridesman is looking for the groom... For Europeans who love punctuality, absolute chaos. For the people here – completely normal. Just don't stress! Emerson is 24 years old. We met him at one of our first pastoral care courses. At that time he was disappointed in himself: he had turned his back on God and his faith. Three years ago, he found new hope through pastoral discussions with Daniel. His interest in comforting and motivating texts from the Bible also grew. During this time we also learned his

Siblings, Evelyne and Mateo, as well as his parents, Maria and Washington. We have taken her to our hearts. During the Corona pandemic, we visited the family twice a month for a discipleship course. This resulted in a deep friendship. There was great joy when Emerson introduced us to his fiancée, Jennifer. “We want to live according to God’s will and get married,” said the two. That's rather unusual in La Maná: here you live together for the time being and don't worry about how you'll make ends meet as a young family. The parents first take care of the finances. Time passes slowly, luckily there is water to drink. We look at the decorations and the new arrivals. The clock hand is at half past nine. Most of the guests have finally arrived, the red carpet has been rolled out and the music system has been turned on. All the most important guests are lined up at the entrance to the courtyard, who then walk in one by one and stand in line to receive the bride. As soon as the first sounds of music sound, the groom walks forward with his parents. He beams. Accompanied by nieces and nephews. They have flowers, wedding rings and a Bible with them. Then the bridesmaids and their entourage arrive. Everyone waits anxiously until they see the bride. Finally! Everyone cheers and applauds. The adorned bride reminds me of the Bible verse from Isaiah 61: Our heavenly Father takes away our sadness and despair and gives us a new heart. This knowledge motivates us to help the people of Ecuador. They should experience how Heavenly Father frees them from sins, worries, and selfishness.

MARRIAGE SCHOOL IN BABAHOYO

In 2022, our “marriage therapy course” in La Maná also impressed the Jonathan and Isabel Mosquera families so much that they invited us to their community in Babahoyo on the coastal plain. At two weekend seminars we talk about topics such as: “Healthy marriage based on the Bible,” “Who is my family of origin?” or “Resolving conflicts through communication”. In September we started meeting with a total of four married couples (ten married couples had registered but didn't show up).

from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon. Between the respective learning units, the pairs should talk to each other about the topic and demonstrate what they have learned in an example. Everyone then took advantage of the one-on-one discussions with Daniel and me. The second part of the marriage school takes place in Babahoyo in October.

FAMILY TRIP TO QUITO

We drive to Quito as a family three times a year. The capital of Ecuador is around 2,800 meters high. In the metropolis of two million, we can disappear into anonymity and enjoy the mountains on the Andes. In La Maná everyone knows everyone. It's also good to stroll through a large shopping center and enjoy a cappuccino and a piece of cake. For Corina's birthday wish (August 2nd) we visited the Quito Zoo and marveled at the diversity of God's creation. To round things off, we treated ourselves to a brunch with rösti, fried eggs and delicious rolls in the “Swiss Corner” on August 1st. Even Swiss people far away know how to celebrate...

We thank you very much for your interest and all gifts and spiritual support. May God strengthen you and be your daily companion. Connected in Jesus.

Kind regards from La Maná, your Daniel & Conny
PRAYER REQUESTS:

Thanks:

►that we were able to make the roof of the guard's house in July

►for God's protection in the increasing crime in La Maná Request: →that more married couples register for the marriage school→that we, as “Cabaña de Refugio”, gain entry into various denominations and communities

Please contact us for further INFORMATION: DANYHAEHLEN@JESUS.CH
DANIEL +593 96 748 17 53
CONNY +593 99 560 75 09
Current
PRAYER REQUESTS: https://chat.whatsapp.com/IOW1KYk20qd9ZMaSgPrhxl
New HOMEPAGE: https://www.cabna-de-refugio.net

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