James September 2020 Update

Hello from Cleveland, where we started our Home Assignment a month ago. We have spent wonderful time with family, and in the past week have started getting involved in meetings and activities at Parkside Church. At the same time we are still involved in ministry in our church in Bolivia -- preaching, teaching, small group meetings, evangelism and discipleship via Zoom.

I continue meeting with many ESI (Equipping Servants -- Disciples Making Disciples) groups as they continue to meet and others start a new cycle. ESI Temuco, Chile even did an entire ESI Facilitator training online last month!! And ESI Guatemala is planning to begin their ESI Zoom meetings in a couple of weeks. Please pray for continuing gospel impact in the lives of many pastors and church leaders involved in the ESI mutual-discipleship process in the 15 countries where we currently meet.

Please pray for the ILC Church in La Paz as believers seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus to many still struggling with sickness.

Pray for Debbie as she supports our daughter Heather who is finishing up her Masters in Biblical Counseling -- Debbie is working with our grandchildren weekday mornings so that Heather can complete her internship. Our plan is to return to Bolivia in January.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for gospel impact,

Kep

Kep & Debbie September 2020 Prayer Requests

*Please continue to pray for the COVID-19 situation in Bolivia. Hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with inadequate supplies of oxygen and medicine. Many businesses have failed, leaving families destitute. The ILC Church family is active providing food to struggling families. In the midst of many challenges, God is drawing people to Himself. Please pray that the Lord will use our Bolivian church as a useful instrument in His hands to point many people to Christ and His Word.

*Pray for the ESI (Equipping Servants –Disciples Making Disciples) leaders and groups in the 15 countries where we currently meet. Over half the 180 ESI groups continue meeting by internet – the rest have no internet access and are waiting to resume in the near future. The newest country where we are starting ESI (which is Guatemala) plans to begin new groups in September. Please pray that the Lord will transform many lives as pastors and church leaders study Romans. Pray that these men and women will become gospel-centered in their thinking, passionate about Jesus in their living, and faithful in their service – because no one should live or die without having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.

*Pray for the ILC Church leadership team in La Paz, for wisdom deciding when and how to return to meeting physically as a church.

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Update on Juan Cardenas

A quick note to thank you for praying for our good friend Pastor Juan Cardenas in Bolivia. We spoke with him a moment ago. He was released from the Covid hospital 2 days ago, and is now in a government quarantine area in La Paz during the next 21 days before he can go home. But he feels strong and is encouraged. He asked me to thank you for your prayers! Honestly we did not think he would make it at first when he got sick. We are thankful to the Lord for the life of Juan.

Kep

James Update August 2020

Hello from Cleveland.

Thank you for praying for us in these past few weeks. We arrived in Cleveland one week ago. We decided to come up earlier to the States than originally planned to begin our Home Assignment. We struggled to make this decision, but finally decided to come since Bolivia continues in lockdown (and most of our ministry we were doing online and can continue doing this from here). And because Heather asked for our help to watch her 2 kids in August during an intensive course she has with her Masters program. So here we are. We plan to be in the USA through the end of the year, before we return to Bolivia.

Thank you for praying for our friend Pastor Juan Cardenas. He remains very weak with Covid. We thank the Lord he has been slowly gaining strength. He has been in the hospital in La Paz for 2 weeks now, and they expect he will need at least 2 weeks more. He struggles to breathe. His oxygen level got down to 60%, and we didn't honestly know if he would make it. He remains on oxygen all the time, and 2 days ago the hospital ran out of oxygen for an entire day -- so he continues to struggle. Please pray for Juan's wife Rita who is displaying all the symptoms of Covid -- and the hospital where she gets kidney dialysis 3 times a week has been hesitant to receive her for that treatment.

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Kep & Debbie August 2020 Prayer Requests

*Please continue to pray for the Covid situation in Bolivia. Hospitals are overwhelmed. A high percentage of patients have died, and cities are even burying people in mass graves. Ongoing business shut-downs have left many financially destitute (many businesses closed; many have lost their jobs). The ILC Church is providing food to many struggling to put food on the table for their families. Our numerous phone and internet meetings/ conversations indicate to us that God is drawing many people to Himself and showing others their need for Christ. Please pray that the Lord will use all these difficulties to bring many Bolivians to faith in Christ.

*Pray for the ESI-DisciplesMakingDisciples leaders and groups in the 15 countries where we currently have groups. About half the 180 ESI groups continue meeting by internet – the other half who don’t have internet access are waiting to resume after things open back up in their countries. Please pray that the Lord will transform many lives as pastors and church leaders study Romans. Pray that men and women will become gospel-centered in their thinking, passionate about Jesus in their living, and faithful in their service -- committed that no one should live or die without having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.

*Pray for the ILC Church leadership team, for wisdom deciding when and how to return to physically meeting as a church.

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James Update July 2020

Download the James July 2020 Update

Hello from La Paz!

Thank you for your prayers. We need a lot of prayer right now. Attached is our July Update.

Please let us know how we can be praying for you,

Kep and Debbie

James Family July 2020 Prayer Requests

*Bolivia has extended the Covid-19 lock-down through the middle of July, and most likely this will extend through the end of July. There is much fear, and the lack of work has left many financially destitute. Please pray as we teach and encourage many via internet.

*Pray for the ESI-DisciplesMakingDisciples leaders and groups in the 15 countries where we currently have groups. About half the 180 ESI groups continue meeting by internet – the other half who don’t have internet access are waiting to resume after things open back up in their countries. Please pray that the Lord will transform many lives as pastors and church leaders study Romans. Pray that men and women will become gospel-centered in their thinking, passionate about Jesus in their living, and faithful in their service -- committed that no one should live or die without having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.

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James Update June 2020

Download the James June 2020 Update

Hello from Bolivia!

Thank you for praying for us. We trust you are well and safe. Attached is our June 2020 Update explaining what is happening in Bolivia and with Equipping Servants-Disciples Making Disciples during the pandemic.

Partners with you in the gospel -- Kep and Debbie

James Family June 2020 Prayer Requests

*During the continuing Covid-19 lock-down in Bolivia, please pray for us as we meet with many people by internet. We meet regularly with ESI-DisciplesMakingDisciples leaders and groups in the 15 countries where we currently have groups. About half the 180 ESI groups continue meeting by internet – the other half who don’t have internet access decided to wait to resume meeting until after things open back up in their countries. Please continue to pray that the Lord will transform lives as pastors and church leaders study Romans. Pray that men and women will become gospel-centered in their thinking, passionate about Jesus in their living, and faithful in their service -- committed that no one should live or die without having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.

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James May 2020 Update

Download the James May 2020 Update

Hello from Bolivia!

Thank you for praying for us and our ministry. Attached is our May Update reporting on how we are doing in our current quarantine in La Paz.

We are thankful for our partnership in the gospel together,

Kep and Debbie James