Bolivia Spring 2010

Saludos Hermanos!

I pray you are all well and blessed in the Lord!
As for me I am home with my family! I had to return before the scheduled return date (April 16). I will share more. I want to thank you for your prayers and share with you how the Lord has answered to our prayers for this trip. With every trip I take, I always pray that it would be in the Lords will. God is in control, no need to worry! I do not have to worry about changes and circumstances. This last trip was no exception to this desire, and there were great changes in plans!

BOLIVIA 2010
I left to Bolivia March 4th and arrived to Santa Cruz on the 6th of March. Two doctors and brother Dan Finfrock (founder of Intensive Care Ministries) joined me on this occasion.
Brother Dan and I gave the IBS Seminar on the 8th, while we taught, the two doctors checked a few people. In two days they saw 35 people and felt very discouraged that they were not seeing more people. Both doctors have there own offices and see many patients in a day. There goal and desire was to serve by giving free medical consultations. As we talked about this I translated this to a brother sitting with us. This brother took the initiative and spoke with the principal of a christian school that has 2,400 students! The doctors were able to see 1,700 students at the school! Praise the Lord!

The principal of the school was interested in our ministries and asked brother Dan and I to share with the teachers about what we do. This opened doors for an IBS seminar to be scheduled for a future trip. The principle would like for all the one hundred teachers to attend. I was able to witness to one of the teachers and lead her to Christ! Praise the Lord!
As for the marriage conference the principle scheduled for April 13th and 14th were approximately 600 people would attend, between teachers and parents. Because of my early departure we will be rescheduling for my next trip to Bolivia. There is a tremendous need in Bolivia for couples to have godly guidance, as in the rest of the world. What a wonderful opportunity to witness and declare God's name and desire for marriages.

MARCH 31st
Speaking of marriages! March 31st marked 47 years of being married to my beautiful friend and partner, my wife Yolanda. My wife's health has not been well, we are praying the Lord would do a miracle.
She is a great support and helper in the ministry the Lord has given us. I returned sooner then my original scheduled return date to be with her, although it might seem contradictory that I had to return to the States sooner because of my wife´s illness, I see it as a plus, since the brothers in Bolivia were able to see our priorities in action. I believe my wife comes before the ministry events, she is my first ministry, because with out her I will not be the same. She is my friend, companion and help mate.

THE REST OF THE TRIP:
The doctors and brother Dan returned to the States after the first week and I stayed along for the rest of the month to continue with IBS seminars and Marriage Conferences scheduled. A good friend of our family Jay Doty arrived to Santa Cruz on the 19th of March to accompany me for the remainder of the trip.

Jay and I started off our adventure together flying on an old Cessna plan to a village located in the Amazon jungles in Bolivia. It was the rain season and the temperature fluctuates between 95 to 100 degrees every day and night. The second night of the IBS seminar there was a black out and I thought for sure the seminar would be canceled for that evening session. To my surprise as I walked into the church building that evening all the brothers were waiting with candles in there hands ready to continue the study! This is not the first time this has happened in Bolivia, but it never stops touching my heart to see the interest and hunger for God's Word. Nothing is an obstacle for these brothers! What a beautiful example of being a living sacrifice!

We continued our journey to another jungle village, Riberalta, close to the border of Brazil and Peru. The transportation in these villages is mostly done by motorcycles that are called "taxis". I smile when the brothers say "We will get you a taxi brother Carlos". The brothers also have their own private transportation, which are also motorcycles. With this transportation a couple of brothers took us to a small village deeper into the jungle were 25 families live. The purpose of the visit was to see the needs of the brothers there and pray about the possibility of returning with doctors and medical supplies in the future.

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR BOLIVIA:
1) Please continue to pray for the brothers that they would use the studies they have taken and teach their congregations.
2) Please pray the Lord would provide for another trip to Bolivia within this year.

FUTURE MINISTRY:
As you know the focus of our ministry is taking IBS Seminars and various Conferences to Latin countries.
Last November I was in Chiapas, Mexico were we stared our ministry 24 years ago. It was a pleasure to see brothers that we have discipled that have continued and others that have started their own ministries.
Recently a brother e-mailed me about the persecution they are under. Many brother are being tortured and many killed on a daily basis. In the same cities were Lord willing I will be holding conferences in June and July.
There is nothing glamorous about being a Christian, we have a responsibility. Our love for the Lord to seek and serve starts in our hearts and in our homes. We need to stay together and pray together and seek to help one another and those less fortunate in other parts of the World, where persecution is more evident.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Please pray for my wife's health, that the Lord would provide for medical care.

2) Please continue to pray for funds for this ministry. We know the Lord has opened doors and He will provide. If you feel the Lord is leading you to financially support the ministry, please let us know!

3) Please continue to pray for the brothers in Latin countries, that they would continue to be bold in there walk with the Lord.

The Lord bless you and keep you!
--
Seeking His Kingdom,
Carlos and Yolanda Casco
Matt. 6:33