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🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
END OF 2019 UPDATE!!!
🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
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Dear <<First Name>>,
We are rapidly approaching Christmas Day and the celebration of the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. With that is mind we would like to thank you for taking the time from your busy schedules, not just during the holiday season but all year long, to read our updates and pray for us.
The following is part REVIEW, part PRAYER REQUEST, and especially an opportunity to say THANK YOU!
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David and teacher, Yasna, at language school with Certificate of Completion of Intermediate Spanish
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LANGUAGE SCHOOL
I, David, have now successfully passed both Basic and Intermediate Spanish. This was through your prayers and a lot of hard work and studying. Language does not come naturally to me but I have made great progress and continue to practice through daily outings into public and interacting with shopkeepers, paying bills in person, and several other activities. I am feeling more confident and I am planning on a return to classes early next year for advanced Spanish. Please continue to pray for my studies and for opportunities to speak Spanish.
David took December off from classes to spend this busy month with my family as we prepare for Christmas and the new year ahead. It’s been great to be able to be more active in family life as language learning takes much energy from me. We will be spending the week of Christmas in Viña del Mar and Christmas Day with our teammates, John and Cathy Rug and their family. We will also do some exploring and relaxing away from the giant city that Santiago is.
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Demonstrations in Santiago, Chile, November 15, 2019. Credit: Orlando Barria/EPA, via Shutterstock
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UNREST
Thankfully, the daily protests which included much violence from both the protesters and the police have subsided greatly. I believe they could spring up at any moment if the government does not come up with real solutions in a timely manner. This is a very complex situation that has been building for the past 30 years or so. It will take time to untangle the mess. Please pray for the people of Chile and for the elected officials, especially the president, Sebastian Piñera, I believe he truly does want to do the right thing and he is under tremendous pressure from all sides. (The language of the protests)
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Elijah and our friend, Angelica
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"NOT" MINISTRY NEWS
It is always interesting to us to see how God works in our lives. While we are in Santiago for my language learning, MTW has told us we are to avoid “active ministry” and we are heeding their words. But, God has still chosen to place several people in our lives who are at various levels of belief in Him or complete disbelief. (Many have been at my language school.)
I have met and befriended three atheists, several Roman Catholics (RC) including two priests - one from Vietnam and the other from Italy - and a host of others from many countries. Some of these countries I grew up believing were the enemy of the USA and therefore my enemy. So, God has also been working on me and whatever is next. It’s great and I am so excited for that.
One person in particular is an elderly woman who is one of my teachers - her name is Angelica. She is RC and I believe her faith has been damaged by all the recent RC abuse scandals, including in Chile. Our whole family has become good friends with her and recently she had us over to her house for a barbecue. We just talk freely with her and I pray she is witnessing Christ in us. Please pray for her she is a special person.
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We pray you all have richly blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
In Christ,
The Grottons
grottonsinchile@gmail.com
Skype # 860-748-4912
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