Serving at-risk families

SARF Prayer

The leadership team of Serving At Risk Families (SARF) would like to thank all of you for your faithful prayers and support of this ministry. In our last prayer update we requested prayer for new members who were considering becoming part of the SARF leadership team. Praise God for His provisions and please join us in welcoming the 5 new members of the team:

Frank & LeeAnn Miller

Dave Corzine

Breanna Corzine

Jennifer Gianato

We are so blessed to have them all join us and we are grateful for their hearts to serve the families of Guatemala along with us!

Below are our most up to date prayer request for the SARF ministry.

Prayer for SARF leadership team:

Jon Pelen is a native Guatemalan who serves part-time as a missionary for the SARF ministry. Jon’s work as a liaison between the SARF leadership team and the Guatemalan families we serve is vital and irreplaceable. Please pray that God will continue to lead and guide Jon’s work and teaching. Please also pray for financial provisions for Jon to continue being a part of this ministry.

We also ask that you continue to lift all of the SARF leadership team members, Trent, Paul, Christina, Chris, Bobby, Consuelo, Kathy, Kathy (yes there are 2 ), Frank, LeeAnn, Dave, Breanna, Jennifer, Dylan, and Missy up in prayer. Please pray that they will be open and willing to do whatever God calls them to do to serve in this ministry. Also pray that they will continue to have the time to serve as this ministry encompasses such a large part of their hearts and that they will be strengthened against any attacks as this ministry grows.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. (1 Timothy 1:12)

Prayer for the families:

The SARF ministry has been able to come alongside and develop relationships with another family since our last update. We now have the privilege of serving 6 families in Guatemala.

The Fuentes Family

In January of 2012 the mother, Modesta, passed away leaving Yanira (13), Dincy (9), and Jairo (7) orphaned. Their older brother Walter moved in with them for a few months to take care of the children but found he was unable to care for the children and work to adequately support them. Dincy and Jairo were living with one neighbor family and Yanira with another neighbor family. However, we just received an update that Walter has decided to move back in and will be working together with the neighbors help to care for his siblings. We praise God for the change of heart in Walter and the willingness of the devoted neighbors to care for these children. Please pray for strength, peace, and wisdom, as these adults work together to care for the Fuentes children. Please also pray for continued financial partners as caring for the children puts additional strain on Walter and the neighbor families who were already struggling to care for themselves. They currently need provisions for clothing, shoes, and medications. The children are currently all able to attend school thanks to financial support of partners with the SARF ministry. Please pray for the children to learn and grow through this opportunity and for any struggles they may face with schooling to be easily overcome. Most importantly please pray for Jesus to heal the hearts of these hurting children, to continue to show us opportunities to share with them about Him, and to make Himself known to them so they know they are never alone regardless of their circumstances.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:18)

The Godoy-Alvarez Family

This family is struggling with alcoholism, and unemployment. The mother, Madelin, and father, Erick, both has been divorced and each bring multiple children to the family. The children's names are Luis (12), Oscar (12), Erick Josue (10), Marlyn (8), Erick Alexis (5), David (3), and Emerson (2). The father has struggled with alcoholism and the family was on the brink of divorce. Thankfully, a local pastor, Jorge Cerritos, was able to get the father involved with the church's Celebrate Recovery ministry. The family continues to attend this church and has a strong desire to learn more from the bible. Please pray for the father, Erick, to be completely delivered from the temptation of alcohol and for continued healing for all the family as a whole from the impact that alcoholism can have on a family. Madelin and Erick are still struggling to find adequate work to support the family and be able to send the children to school and provide for basic needs. One of their biggest physical needs is having enough food for the entire family. Please pray for jobs/provisions, as having such a large family is a huge responsibility.

But the Lord’s love for those who respect him continues forever and ever, and his goodness continues to their grandchildren (Psalm 103:17)

The De Leon Family

The members of this family are Patricia, Rafael, Scarlett, Jeaqueline, and Sarah. This family has endured poverty, health issues, and physical attacks. Patricia was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and does not know Jesus as her Savior. Please continue to pray for healing from illness and salvation for this family. Please also pray for healing from the emotional wounds resulting from the physical attacks and mistreatment of this family. They often feel alone and rejected by others. Please also pray that their hearts will be open to Jesus as we continue to share about Him and show His love to them.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

The Monrroy Family

The members of this family are 2 sweet sisters, Maria Margarita & Maria Olivia, who felt like the world had forgotten about them. They are 60 and 85 years old and live by themselves. They struggle with health issues and have had great difficulty trying to pay for essential life sustaining medication. They operate a small tienda (shop) out of their home to try to sustain themselves. They have expressed to us that they feel all alone because they have no family members or close friends to help them and it is tough trying to do everything they need to do to care for themselves. Despite their struggles they are sweet, loving women who are so grateful anytime someone comes to visit them. Please continue to pray for comfort and healing for these sisters from their continual pain from illness and loneliness. Please also pray that their hearts would be open to Jesus and that they would feel his presence always so they know they are never alone. Please pray that God would continue to provide a way for them to obtain the medications that are essential to keep them alive.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Ms. Emilia’s Family

This family is made up of 2 sisters who live together along with their 3 children. The sisters' names are Emilia & Dipoli and their children's names are Jaime (11), Fabiola (16), and Jorge Mario (19). This family has experienced betrayal by its own members. Emilia and Dipoli combined their life savings with their brother to buy a piece of land on which they were going to build a home and all live together. After all the money was paid, the brother only put his name on the deed leaving Emilia and her sister with nothing. They still struggle to find work to support themselves. Emilia’s son, Jorge Mario, is now at the point where he is old enough to move out of the house and possibly marry. Emilia is distraught because he is her only son and it’s hard to let go. He is also the only source of income in the family so if does move out Emilia is worried her sister may kick her out because Emilia has no job. Please pray for God to ease any worries in Emilia’s heart and for her to have peace. Emilia asks that we also pray for God to guide her son in finding the right woman to marry. She also asks for prayer for her daughter, Dipoli, who does not live with them and does not know Jesus as her savior. Emilia tells us she wants to be faithful and serve the Lord all of her life but she also wants the same for her family. Emilia did nothing but thank God for everything He has given her when we visited her. Please pray for healing within the family and provisions as they continue looking for work.

So we can be sure when we say, “I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper. People can’t do anything to me.” (Hebrews 13:6)

The Guidel Family

Our final family is the newest family that the SARF team has had the opportunity to partner with. There are 8 members in family the mother Carolina Ruth and her 7 children Daniel (16), Byron (14), Ammer Fernando (9), Ammer Eduardo (6), Cindy (21), Katherine (19) and Andrea (18). This, single parent, family faces the challenge of having enough to provide for their basic needs as Carolina, the mother, continues to search for work. The family attends church together but not all members are believers in Jesus Christ. Please pray that their hearts will be opened to His love and saving grace. Please also pray for a job for Carolina. The family is in needs of clothes, shoes, and eyeglasses for 2 of the boys so please pray for God to provide the resources to have these needs met. Carolina also asked for prayer for patience with the children and that they would be surrounded with love, as it is difficult having 7 children and being a single parent.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalm 68:5)

Prayer for future development:

We have done quite a few fundraising events to supply the resources needed for this ministry. We would like to again thank those of you who participated/donated to these events. Please continue to pray that God will continue to provide for this ministry and that He will show us all what part we play in His provision.

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. (2 Corinthians 8:3-4)

Thank you again for all of your faithful prayers! If you would like more information on any of these prayer requests please do not hesitate to contact us at Melissa@Servants.org.