Dear Friends,

In late January I was able to participate in the meeting of the Adult Level of our Sunday school curriculum group. It was unusually cold that week and I ended up wearing my only pair of pants for three days (usually we wear skirts at church-related events). We reviewed the lessons submitted and made great progress on that front. However, some were discouraged because their lessons were totally redone. Their editor even had to meet with a group of them (seminary students) on another occasion to review the rewrites. But praise the Lord; we were able to give them encouragement at that second meeting. The first set of lessons that they had written on prayer were off the press!

Printing schedules have always been a major problem for us. Sometimes we are guilty for the delay by turning materials in late, but at other times it is the printer who either has too much work or no paper that holds us up. I am especially grateful for Milca Ruiz, our new group coordinator, who spent several days at the printer and managed to get materials for adults, preschool and primaries printed by early February. She was assisted by Onel (and his wife who had only recently had a C-section) who picked up the materials and brought them by bus to Santiago. We were able to promote these materials at a Conventional leaders´ meeting. These were key people – they were excited and the materials sold like hotcakes!

Do pray for the youth/young adult group, which wants to get started in writing Sunday school materials. The director had planned several meetings and then cancelled all because of expecting poor attendance. We need to find a way to bring this group together so they can get off to a good start.

Often I complain because the personal stories about people´s lives being changed don’t come my way. But recently the curriculum´s usefulness came to my home! Katy´s Sunday school teacher is using some lessons written by our writers´ group. The class, based on the story of Cain and Abel, was about not letting resentment fester in our hearts. One of the application activities was drawing thorns or flowers on a heart during the week, according to how the students let anger and resentment (thorns) affect them or flowers for the kind things they did.

It was wonderful for me as a parent to see this at work! Every day we would discuss with Katy what provoked the thorns (so-and-so made me get mad) and how we could react as God wanted. For flowers, we had the most helpful girl that week who would ask how she could help me, her daddy or her grandparents. I´m thinking of continuing this great tool! We are just one family who has benefited by these materials!

Thank you for your prayers and financial support of this ministry of discipleship!

In Christ,

Sue Hegarty