Ready or not Nebraska, Here We Come!

Good morning everyone! 

Today we want to highlight a Play. Story. Eat. Experience in Nebraska, but before we do, I want to update you on the latest on Cesar's health and tell you about other friends who need prayer. 

In the last update, I shared that Cesar Gonzalez, our leader in Guatemala, had emergency prostate surgery. I have talked to him almost every day since, and he is doing really well in his recuperation process. While he is at home, he is being confined to his room and taking it easy. But he is feeling good enough to burn up his cell phone minutes with me and is making calls to many of our friends and leaders--including our new Brazilian friends.

In other news, Rick Watson, our friend and dedicated cowboy church leader from Roanoke, Texas, informed me this week that his wife Peggy passed away after her long battle with Huntington's disease. By the time you read this, we will have gathered to celebrate her life and be reminded of the enduring hope we have because of Jesus. Please be in prayer for Rick and his family.  

As a sidenote, I see God's wisdom and grace in directing our goings and comings that is related to both Rick and Cesar. A couple of months ago, our plan for the first week in October was that Cesar and Rick and several others, would be in Honduras together. Because of hurricane Harvey and other calendar challenges, Rick and his Texas friends felt a need to postpone the Honduras trip and focus on helping folks in Houston and take care of other commitments at home. Today, I see God's grace; knowing that we all could have been in Honduras when Cesar had his emergency and Rick would have been far from home. Apparently, even when we are unaware of what is coming, God is working to put us where we need to be in His timing and in His gracious care for us.   

Grieving in Honduras

Speaking of Honduras, when I called one of our leaders there to inform them about Cesar and Rick's wife, he added, "Esteban, you must know that we have had a tragedy here this past week." 

"Que Paso'? What happened?" 

"One of the University students who has been coming to the Christian Rancher group was murdered this past week," he informed. "He was going somewhere to meet his girlfriend, and some men ambushed him and shot him." 

"What's his name?" I asked, believing that I would know him. 

"He is new to the group," my friend said. "You wouldn't know him. But please pray for us and for his family, and I will get people praying for Cesar and Ricardo and his family."

As we pray for our friends in Honduras, may all of these happenings remind us that life is short, and what we do to share God's message of salvation has eternal ramifications.  

NEW DATE: NEBRASKA PLAY. STORY. EAT. EXPERIENCE, NOVEMBER 3-4

Nebraska, I don't know how you did it, but you have me burning up the road between you and me, and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to stop! Well, I kind of know how it happened. Fifteen years ago, there was a group of cowboys from Burwell, Nebraska, that took a chance with me and started making friends with cowboys in Guatemala. Then my eldest son decided to go to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. There he fell in love and married an Omaha girl. Then they set up shop for her to start an optometry business in said Omaha. And now, our first grandson resides there. Need I say more!

Diehard Nebraskans, Josh and Kristin Reed rooting for the Huskers along with son (and Steve and Nola Reed's grandson) Brayden. 

Ever since we started doing the Play. Story. Eat. Experience, I have been itching to bring it to our friends in Nebraska. Now, thanks to Joel Wentworth, it's getting ready to happen! Joel has arranged for us to be together at Camp Witness near Long Pine, Nebraska. It will take place Friday evening, November 3rd, and Saturday, November 4th. Cost is $45 per person and includes food, and lodging at the camp and materials. Here is a flyer with all the information. Please print and pass this on to anyone and everyone in Nebraska. Contact Joel Wentworth (see flyer) if you have questions. 

Joel and Linda Wentworth (holding sign) with fellow Nebraskans Gene and Vicki Rahn and their son Seth (kneeling on the left) and daughter Christa (standing to the right of Linda), share a laugh with a ladies group in Jalpatagua, Guatemala.

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Please continue to pray for Cesar in his recuperation process, for Rick Watson and his family, and for our friends in Honduras ministering in the context of the senseless death of a young man in one of our groups.  

INVEST

We are still collecting money for Cesar's surgery. I will be sending the first bit of that this week. I will keep you posted on how much comes in.

Also, we are collecting Brazil money as well this week. See last week's update. This past week we wired money to help Renato obtain his plane ticket for meeting us in Guatemala in January. So if you have a desire to invest in the beginnings of this, please let us know.      

ENGAGE

Let's meet in Nebraska! And help us spread the word about the upcoming Play. Story. Eat. Experience at Camp Witness, November 3-4.      

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

Cesar's Hospital Trip and Brazil Connection

Good morning everybody! 

I have an update for you on the developing connection in Brazil, but before I do that I need to inform you that Cesar Gonzalez, our leader and primary mover and shaker in Guatemala, had emergency prostate surgery last Friday. He called me Saturday from the hospital in Nueva, Santa Rosa, to share the news, and in typical Cesar fashion, was joking around about all the blood and guts part of his procedure. He was scheduled to get out of the hospital later that day. According to the doctors, there is no cancer and he should recover just fine. Right now, his instructions are to lay low for a couple of weeks, which means Elba will have to put up with him more at home. Pray for her!

Cesar and his daughter Mirna at the hospital.

I found out that the cost for the surgery was about $6000, and Cesar said he had about half of it. So I am passing the hat here to see if we could get about $3000 in the next week or so to help out. If you send money for that, be sure to earmark it for Cesar's surgery. 

Brazil Story Continued

In our last update I shared how the connection had been made with a rodeo guy from Brazil named Renato, and how we needed prayers for wisdom in responding to him and his desire to reach fellow Brazilian cowboys and ranchers for Christ. We are continuing to pray and gather information, and considering our vision that every person in the Americas has a friend who loves Jesus, we are seeking God's direction on how we are to respond. But there was a hitch in our process in figuring it out. 

A little over a week ago, Renato wanted to see if we could come to Brazil in late October for some big evangelistic events he would be participating in and for him to introduce us to rodeo and ranching leaders in his region. To pull that off, it would mean a short turnaround of getting a Brazilian travel visa for me ($240) and then come up with about $3000 extra to fund plane tickets and expenses for Cesar and me. I was gung-ho, and Cesar was too, but Bill Burrows, our Play. Story. Eat. coach, thought we were moving way too fast. He reminded me that it would mean that our behind-the-scenes planning for organizing our advisory board and following through on some fundraising tasks that a coach was helping us with would be put on ice, and he couldn't see when we could reschedule before December. 

So I slowed down and asked Cesar for a week to figure it out. After due diligence, it made more sense to me that the most strategic first step would be for Renato to meet us in Guatemala in January when we are doing our big rodeo stuff, and he could see some of our Christian Rancher groups in action. Then in March, Cesar and I would "pencil in" a trip to Brazil when I could go straight to Brazil directly from Guatemala and avoid complicated plane schedules. Also, during this year, if we can get Renato a U.S. visa, he could come visit some of our cowboy friends here. From an economic standpoint, it would streamline our travel dollars and give us a few months to raise the extra funds. Once I suggested that plan, both Bill and Cesar liked it and felt more relief that we weren't having to jump too quickly. Cesar passed the word on to Renato, and we are waiting now to see if that works for him. 

When I was talking with Cesar in the hospital, we both realized that his prostate would have dictated a delay in any of our projects in October. We just didn't know it yet! As has been the case so many times, God is taking care of us. Thanks for your prayers on this, and keep praying as we proceed. 

Decisions When Folks Disagree

For us, we work hard at a specific method of making decisions. You can find an outline of the method by scrolling down to Value #5 Oneness here. Our vision that every person in the Americas has a friend who loves Jesus also has implications on the way we organize and do business. If I had wanted to a couple of weeks ago, I could have disregarded Bill and made a decision to proceed on the October trip. But because we value friendship and unity, I slowed down. In the end, I think we made a wise move, even without all the information at hand, and more importantly, we all proceeded together and with stronger bonds of friendship. I know that not all organizations can operate this way, but I am grateful that we can. And I pray that our unity is never taken for granted. 

New Date: Nebraska Play. Story. Eat. Experience, November 3-4

Look for details in next week's update.

10:02 PRAYER (LUKE 10:2)

Please pray for Cesar in his recuperation process, and pray for us as we continue to do behind-the-scenes planning. And keep up the prayers for wisdom and resources to respond to this ongoing Brazilian request. 

INVEST

Let's take care of Cesar this week. By the end of next week I'd like to send money to cover what he lacks on that surgery.    

ENGAGE

Note that our next Play. Story. Eat. Experience in Nebraska has been rescheduled from November 10-11 to November 3-4. Stay tuned for those details and pass the word to all your Nebraska friends.     

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

Prayer Team Alert! Yes, We are Alive and Well!

Good morning everyone! 

Family Updates

Justin & Paige Jacobson

I know that it has been about a month since I last communicated to you, and a lot has been going on! On the family front, both Bill Burrows and I have taken some family time off for vacations, big events, and painting jobs. Bill and Joyce celebrated their daughter Paige's wedding in August.

Nola's and my second grand-baby was born this past Sunday (a beautiful baby girl named Bridget!), and I have been in construction-worker mode on the home front, helping family members paint and roof and fix stuff.

Steve and Nola welcome little Bridget into the world! Proud parents not pictured are Ryan and Bobbi Reed! 

Friends on Mission

Before I go much further, I would like to welcome about 20 veterinarians from the Christian Veterinary Missions group to the update. Welcome! In August I had the privilege of sharing a testimony with that group at their annual meeting that happened to be here in Kansas City this year. Special thanks go to long-time friend, Dr. Natalie Beck, for setting that up. 

The last time I communicated with you in this format, a team of ours was in Guatemala helping Cesar Gonzalez finish the construction of a medical clinic. As of yesterday, Cesar told me that they just lack a little painting, then it will be completely ready. We hope to show you finished pics soon. Special thanks goes to the teams from Second Baptist in Springfield, Missouri, and First Baptist of Avilla, Missouri. 

Speaking of First Baptist of Avilla, Bill and I went down there this past weekend to train them in our Play. Story. Eat. process. What a great time! Special thanks go to their pastor, Lance Green and Melfin Buchanan for helping our time go smoothly. Also, thank you to the food crew for making the "Eat" part of the Play. Story. Eat. weekend a delicious highlight for all of us who attended. 

New Play. Story. Eat. Missionaries! First Baptist Church of Avilla 

Disaster news...During the past month there has been a lot going on with Harvey, Irma, and a big earthquake in southern Mexico that rocked Guatemala, too. Cesar informed me right after it happened that even though it shook them pretty good, those in their area withstood it okay. More of an ongoing issue has been the torrential rains that have created many mudslides. Electricity has been off and on a few times, but according to Cesar, there has been little to no loss of life. On the U.S. front, some of our friends are gearing up to help in Texas and in Florida, so there are ongoing needs to continue to pray about and help with.

Possible Expansion of PSE in Brazil

Brazil opportunity...as I write this update, I need prayer for wisdom on an opportunity we have for Cesar and I to travel to Brazil. In July, when we did our Play. Story. Eat. training in Guatemala, a pastor of one of the churches attended. His name is Junior, and he also happens to be Brazilian. Junior came to Guatemala with his family as a missionary several years ago and has been networking with other pastors to do evangelism together. After the training, he remembered hearing the story of a noted rodeo announcer in Brazil who had come to Christ. In the training, as we told of how this process came largely out of our work with cowboys, he felt compelled to find this guy on Facebook and contact him. This past week he got in touch with him and was informed that the rodeo announcer had been praying about this very thing and had been given a word from the Lord that someone would contact him within three weeks to help him know what to do next! 

After speaking with Cesar yesterday, it looks like the initial plan is for our Brazilian announcer to come to both the U.S. and Guatemala to meet us in these two contexts. In addition, he would like for us to come to Barretto, Brazil, as soon as possible to meet key leaders there. I expect to get more information today and would appreciate your prayers about this. Communication could get interesting since Brazilians speak Portuguese, and though we Spanish speakers can kind of understand it, there is a greater challenge. If you have Brazilian connections and expertise, please contact me. As soon as I know something more, I will let you know. 

10:02 PRAYER (Luke 10:2)

Please pray for the wisdom and resources to respond to this Brazilian request. 

Pray for our friends dealing with the latest string of natural disasters.

INVEST

Thanks to FBC of Avilla, Missouri, for your generosity this weekend! We look forward to partnering more in your mission endeavors as we work together to see that every person in the Americas has a friend who loves Jesus.   

ENGAGE

Note that our next Play. Story. Eat. Experience will be November 10-11 in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Stay tuned about those details and pass the word to all your Nebraska friends.     

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

Baby Bridget sleeping after a hard first day of work!  

Construction Almost Complete on Our Medical Clinic!

Hi Everybody! 

Just a quick note to let you know that we have friends from Second Baptist of Springfield, Missouri, and First Baptist of Avilla, Missouri, teaming up this week to complete the construction of a medical clinic on Cesar Gonzalez' property in Amberes, Guatemala. The clinic will serve the poor in the Santa Rosa region at an economical price. 

Pictured around the table with Cesar and Elba Gonzalez is the construction team from Second Baptist Springfield and First Baptist Avilla, Missouri. 

Even in spite of arriving a day late due to a canceled flight, the team has quickly made up the lost time and is scheduled to complete the job before the end of this week. As of Tuesday night, they have nearly completed the electrical and tile work. Wednesday and Thursday they hope to build out the bathrooms and add the finishing touches, making it ready to open. 

Mark Green finishes installing a ceiling fan while brother Lance fiddles with a ladder and friend Bill Buchanan looks out the second story window to admire the view. 

Thanks to donations that came in last month from the churches and friends of this team, the funding for this project is done! Stay tuned for us to announce the grand opening. Plans are to have a team of medical folks involved in that phase of the project. So if you have any interest in that, let us know! 

Dean Kucharski lays tile while a Guatemalan team member looks on.   

10:02 PRAYER

Pray for the safety of the construction team this week, and pray for opportunities for them to share a testimony or two as they work. 

After finishing up their work on Tuesday, they met with a pastors' group that is working with us to start Play. Story. Eat. groups in the region.  Pray for these pastors as well as the construction team, that together we see more and more people come to know the Lord through every avenue possible.   

INVEST

Thanks to Second Baptist Springfield and FBC of Avilla for making this project a reality! I can't wait to see the faces of the people who are going to get the medical care they need because of your generosity.  

ENGAGE

Note that our next Play. Story. Eat. training will be in Avilla, Missouri, September 9 and 10. If you know anyone in Southwest Missouri that might want to join us, let us know!    

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

Open Range Team Connects with Women's Groups

Good morning everyone!

Even though I have been slow to report in to tell you so, your prayers were answered in big ways for the Open Range team that came down to Guatemala a couple of weeks ago. In the six days on the ground, they got to interact with and minister to three women's groups and one senior citizens group. If I had been more on the ball, I could have highlighted how each day many ladies (and a few men) came to know Christ, and you would have heard how each day we shared in lots of fun, food, and laughter. 

Since there are lots of good stories from the week, I will try to spread it out over one or two more updates. Today I want to highlight our first day with a ladies' micro-business group in San Jose Acatempa. This village is a place where 50 to 60 years ago, gypsy families began to settle down to grow coffee in the foothills of the surrounding mountains. Because of the seasonal ups and downs of growing coffee, most of the families also do other agriculture-related work. This group of women gather to learn and encourage each member to come up with entrepreneurial ways to make things to sell.   

The leadership team for a women's micro-business group in San Jose Acatempa, Guatemala, shows samples of the work of one of the ladies. Irma, the president of the group, is the second lady from the left. 

Back in February, Irma, the president of this ladies group, and her husband Rolando had come to a birthday party that friends near Quesada threw for my wife, Nola, when she was with me in Guatemala. After connecting with Cesar about their group, we scheduled to connect with them at Irma's house on this trip. 

Besides having to learn how to dance the national dance and make tortillas, the biggest challenge for our team was having to eat all the foods that the ladies brought to the meeting! Besides the coffee, there were quesadillas (a cornbread made with cheese), recado soup (that had portions of liver in it), goat cheese, a rice drink, pineapples, papayas, tamales, frozen bannanas dipped in chocolate and lots of tortillas and beans. While really tasty, there was so much food that toward the end of the day, when someone would bring out something else to taste, even some of the Guatemala ladies wanted to cry, "No mas!"

The group in San Jose Acatempa eating together 

During our story-telling times each day, Laura, Linda, or Carla would be called upon to share their faith story, and out of that Cesar would invite them to pray to receive Christ. On this particular day, several ladies did so for the first time, and Irma's husband Rolando did so as well! I know that as a group, we could sense that your prayers were being answered each day as the stories connected so well with those present. 

Linda Wright receives a gift from Irma thanking her for coming and sharing her story with them. 

Laura Slaughter (left) and Carla Macias (third from the right) pose for a pic with the tortilla-making ladies.  

Carla is proud of her tortilla she made! 

For me, one of the big surprises came when Mirna, a leader from El Durazno, a village about an hour and a half away from Irma's house, arrived. Mirna seemed a little surprised to see me, but I didn't pay much attention, because I was busy greeting others who were arriving. After Mirna spoke with Cesar for a few minutes, he waved me over. "Esteban, you have to hear what she just told me!" 

"I don't know if you remember, but you were in my village when I was a teenager!" Mirna began. "Two weeks ago I was speaking with my mother about the many opportunities I have to share my faith in Jesus with the ladies in these groups, but my pastor doesn't understand it and believes I should be in the church's services more often. I feel such a burden to use the platform God has given me, but I don't know how to do it."

Cesar with Mirna as she shows us the coffee produced from her village  

Mirna continued, "My mother then pulled out a picture of you and your family and said, 'These people could help you if you could find them.' I agreed, but how would I find them? So I said a prayer, 'Lord, help me find these people or at least someone who can help me.'"

"When Irma invited me to this meeting and described what you and Cesar were doing with Rancheros Cristianos groups, I thought, This sounds like the kind of thing I need to know about.' But how would I have ever guessed that when I walked up today you would be the same ones from the picture!!"

As Mirna shared her stories, I couldn't help but have flashbacks of being in her village and playing soccer with the kids and translating for Nola as she spent time with other women there. For me, I must admit that I was holding back a few tears and so grateful to God for letting me get a glimpse of what He is up to.

I'm not sure about all that heaven will be, but I figure that I got a taste of it that day in San Jose Acatempa!

More stories to come as Laura has a birthday, Michael and Carla show their dance moves, and we all eat till we feel we will pop! 

10:02 PRAYER

Thank God for the safe goings and comings of our Open Range team. Pray for Mirna and other leaders like her who are being raised up to lead in these women's groups.  

INVEST

Thanks to you and others, God is continuing to provide for all our needs.  

ENGAGE

Be alert to new opportunities to receive Play. Story. Eat. training. We will keep you posted!  

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.

Open Range Team made it to Guatemala!

Hi Everybody! 

The Open Range Fellowship team from Lone Jack, Missouri, arrived in Guatemala late Monday night. Tuesday they are scheduled to be at a senior citizens center in Santa Cruz Naranjo. Wednesday through Saturday they will be connecting with women's groups in the Santa Rosa region. We would appreciate your prayers!   

After a long day of travel, the Open Range team is excited to be in Guatemala! Pictured from left to right are Cesar Gonzalez, Elliott Langhofer, Michael Macias, Carla Macias, Steve Reed, Laura Slaughter, Linda Wright, and Bill Burrows. 

10:02 PRAYER

Pray that God will use the stories of each member of the Open Range team in a great way this week. Pray that the unity of this group will be contagious and that people will want to connect more and more with God and others in the Play. Story. Eat. process.    

We will keep you posted!

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org. 

Play. Story. Eat. a Hit in Guatemala!

Hi everybody! 

After a crazy day of travel adventures on Tuesday (and God´s amazing grace allowing us to get on an oversold flight), we made it to Guatemala about 8 hours later than the original plan. After a short night, we hit the ground running today with our first official Play. Story. Eat. training event.

The 35 participants came from probably 7 or 8 different places. Here are a few pics. 

The group enjoys sharing a meal together.

Tomorrow we head to the jungle to spend one day of training with our friends there. 

10:02 PRAYER

Continue to pray for us this week as we travel to various places to train teams in the Play. Story. Eat. process. Pray that the team from today will start new groups and train others as well.   

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org. 

Steve and Bill On Their Way To Guatemala

Good morning everybody! 

Just a quick note to ask for your prayers as Bill and I go to Guatemala. We leave Tuesday, July 18th, and for two weeks we'll be working with Cesar Gonzalez to do Play. Story. Eat. training in several places. 

Steve and Bill with Mike and Roxanne Mathis after painting their house last week to help fund upcoming mission trips

In making the rounds in Guatemala, we will be taking a trip to the jungle, speaking to a group of pastors about the Play. Story. Eat. method, and preparing the way for the Open Range group to come down July 24-31 to work with women's micro-business groups. We will keep you posted! 

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray for us this week as we travel to various places to train teams in the Play. Story. Eat process. Pray that the communication is clear as we train trainers to equip others to use the process to connect their friends to Jesus.

Also, please pray for the Open Range group preparing to come down to Guatemala next week. 

INVEST

Thank God for the generosity of the Open Range family as resources were raised for every participant involved in this upcoming trip. And thanks to you for your continued generosity to Daybreak International! It means more than you can know. 

ENGAGE

If you have a group who might be interested in receiving the Play. Story. Eat. training, let us know! We are able to adapt the material to your group and the time they have available. 

Hope you have a great week! Next time I plan to introduce you to the Open Range Guatemala team. 

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org. 

This July 4th, One More Friend is in Heaven

Happy July 4th! 

Hope you have had a good time with friends and family today. We are enjoying splitting time between KC and Stigler, Oklahoma.

When our family thinks of the fourth of July, we can't help but remember the years we ran a fireworks stand to raise funds for missions and college money. While those were great experiences, we are grateful we aren't doing that these days and can enjoy a more relaxed and less hectic time.

However, raising missions money is still an ongoing reality for us, and last Friday, as I was painting a house with Bill Burrows, I got a call from Cesar. Trying not to get paint on my phone, I answered, "Hola Cesar."

"Esteban, I know you are painting but I needed to call you to tell you that our friend Manrique of Quesada has died." Manrique, a farmer/rancher in his early 50's, has been battling a brain tumor and heart problems the last couple of years. 

"I talked to his daughter Evelin," Cesar continued, "and she insisted I call you to tell you so that you and your friends can be praying for us."

"I will do that," I promised. 

Our friend Manrique, of Quesada, Guatemala. 

As Cesar told me the details of his heart-related problems and of his passing, my mind drifted to January of 2014 when Tom Huffman and Dave Gideon came down with me to do a week of cowboy missions. 

Tom Huffman and Dave Gideon, of Burwell, Nebraska on a cowboy mission trip to Guatemala in January of 2014. 

On one of the days, we were participating in an artificial insemination training in Jutiapa with several cattlemen's associations and a regional dairy association. Since Tom Huffman has been effectively using AI for many years on his ranch near Burwell, Nebraska, he was the out-of-town expert they used to pump up the attendance, while a local veterinarian would do most of the teaching.

A local veterinarian explains the mechanics of artificial insemination to a group in Jutiapa, Guatemala. 

After about an hour of the training, Cesar asked the 55 or so in attendance if they were curious as to why Tom would come to Guatemala to train them. "Si!" several answered. "We want to hear his story."  

Tom told of how in his 30's he was having marriage troubles, he was drinking too much, and his life was a mess. Tom went on to tell how he found Christ and that because of his faith in Jesus, he has had the privilege of meeting people in other countries where he can share his story and invite others to experience what he did.

"Would you like to do what Tom did?" Cesar asked those in attendance.

"Si!" several responded.

Cesar then explained more of what Tom did and led them in a prayer to receive Christ. Of the 55 or so there, 50 of them prayed to receive Christ.

And guess what? Manrique was one of those guys. In fact, Manrique came up to me and gave me his tear-off sheet that indicated his decision for Christ.

Since then we have done a lot in and near Quesada. Even that week we had a trail ride and picnic with Manrique and about 100 friends from their cattlemen's association. At the picnic, more prayed to receive Christ there. 

Our first meeting with friends and family of the cattlemen's association in Quesada, Guatemala. Manrique is in the light green shirt and black cowboy hat on the far right. Standing to his left is Cesar Gonzalez. 

The year following, several youth groups got started, and we had a group of college students from the University of Nebraska in Omaha come be with them. Then ladies groups started spinning out of that same Quesada group. In a few weeks, we will be with them again, and I could go on and on about how one thing has led to another.

But today I want to stop and celebrate the reality that our friend Manrique is in heaven because of your prayers and the faithfulness of a couple of Nebraskan ranchers going on a trip to Guatemala in January of 2014.

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray for Manrique's family and for the work to continue strong and that many others like Manrique would come to know Christ because of the testimony of our friends in Quesada.

In addition, remember to pray for the team from Open Range Fellowship that will be preparing to go to Quesada in a few weeks.    

INVEST

Continue to be on the lookout for those needing financial help for their upcoming trips. Bill and I will be finishing up our paint jobs for mission money in the next couple of weeks, Lord willing. Thanks for your continued generosity to Daybreak International!  

ENGAGE

If you know someone who has AI or veterinary skills, let us know. Unbelievably, God can use this kind of know-how and ability in ways that can go beyond anything we could dream up.

Hope you have a great week! Next time I plan to introduce you to our July Guatemala team. 

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org. 

Play. Story. Eat. Experience a Hit!

"This was the best church experience I have ever had!"

That was just one of the unsolicited responses we got this past weekend as we packed up to leave from our Play. Story. Eat. Experience held at Open Range Fellowship in Lone Jack, Missouri.

Friday night at the Play. Story. Eat. Experience, participants go through the "wagon wheel"--an exercise for everyone to answer five get-acquainted questions in two minutes or less.   

While first planned as the initial training for a team that is going to be in Guatemala in late July, we decided to open it up to anyone interested, and wow! We received great feedback from those who aren't planning on going to Guatemala this year but who were curious to see if the Play. Story. Eat. format might work for them.   

"This helps me see that I can do missions wherever I'm at," another shared.

"I can't wait to start a group!" still another chimed in.  

"I can't go to Guatemala in July, but I definitely want to go in January!" 

The PSE Participants take a break Saturday afternoon for a group photo before the last session.   

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray for the PSE missionaries who are going to be starting groups as a result of the training at Open Range this past weekend.   

Pray for Bill and I as we get out this week to paint for our upcoming mission trips! 

INVEST

Be on the lookout for those needing financial help for their upcoming trips. Thanks for your continued generosity to Daybreak International!  

ENGAGE

If you know someone who attended the PSE Experience in Lone Jack, ask them what they thought! And if you haven't been to one yet, get in touch. We have more coming! 

Hope you have a great week! Next time I plan to introduce you to our July Guatemala team. 

Love y'all!   

Steve

PS... Investing Information

You can mail checks to:

Daybreak International, 11628 Oakmont St., Overland Park, KS 66210

On PayPal, you can give using the email daybreak.international@gmail.com.

On our websites, you can give at www.PlayStoryEat.com or www.DaybreakInternational.org.