You're invited to the celebration!!!

It's that time of life again! We are preparing to go on a summer furlough to get our daughter Allysa settled into college in August and recharge our very depleted batteries just a bit!

Saturday May 30th from 2-4p.m. at Calvary Community Church in Belpre, O.H. 45714 we will be holding a Graduation Open House for our daughter Allysa! Each and every one of you are invited. God has used her as a great asset in the ministry and many of you recall her as a little girl singing at your church!

Having you come by, even just to say a word of encouragement would mean the world to her!

God bless you all and we will have a new update from the United States next month!

Bob and Tessa

All the information you may need is found in our most recent prayer update that directly addresses the moving on of our daughter and partner. 

PLEASE READ...

What breaks your heart?

"And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,"

                                                       Nehemiah 1:4

In our last update we shared with you a lot of the things going on in our lives and ministry right now and throughout 2015. Like yours possibly, it is a long list that has several exciting points highlighted with several anxious ones also. 

But at the end of the day, what is my real goal for this year? What is the end result of my life if I live it out in God's will?

I think the answer to that question is one we should all have an answer for. Recently I listened to a very challenging sermon given out of Nehemiah. As you might know he was a godly man, the cupbearer to the king himself. Yet, upon hearing of the trying time of God's remnant of Israel it did something to him. He heard it, sat down... and wept. It broke his heart. So much so he decided to take action and try to help remedy the situation.

After reflecting upon this it made me think, "What breaks my heart for the kingdoms sake?". We even discussed it as a family. The children's answers varied. It was a very sweet and convicting time. Was 2015 supposed to be all about me? My self? My dreams and my hopes? I don't believe so. I believe our lives should be a reflection of Christ and His life lived: outwardly focused.

Everywhere Jesus went he made a difference. Everywhere. It was change and change for the better. He reached out as only He could and met people where they were. No, he did not take on their sin and live as they did but He sat with the sinners, even worshipped with Pharisees, right where they were. The sinfulness of man broke His heart. It was all around Him and comprehended at a level only to be possibly understood by us on the other side of eternity. 

For some very odd reason, God has chosen this little ole' broken family from the hills of West Virginia and put us right square in the middle of 3rd world poverty. Right in the middle of people who are just like you and me. They love, they laugh, they hurt and they cry, all while living on around $1-$2 a day. They try their best to make it through. Some navigating the inner-city's gritty streets in Guatemala City while others speak foreign Mayan languages in villages just 30 minutes away while walking the dusty roads of Guatemala's heartland. 

They have no hope. Not only do they struggle to eat more than a handful of handmade tortillas daily or that a chicken bus passes by so they can travel 1-2 hours to wait on a doctor that may or may not see them on any given day... they pass their lives just trying to survive life itself. Hopelessness.

And it breaks my heart. 

We came here with the aim of reaching as many souls for Christ as He would allow while also building the local church and making disciples. Thankfully, we are accomplishing this goal and calling. But to some it may not be enough. Maybe it's not quite what they envisioned God's plan for us to look like here. Whatever it is, we are grateful for this opportunity that exceeds monetary value. It is a priceless call. How could we ever be sorry we took up the calling of the Spirit and where He has put us? How can we not reach those around us, right where we are? How can we not extend the love of God to those that made us sit and weep, and broke our hearts?

Allison's teacher recently asked the students in her class a simple question: 

Where is the most wealthy place on planet earth? 

As you can imagine the answers varied greatly. They ranged from people, to countries, to cities the world over. But, the answer he gave was quite surprising and thought provoking. The answer, he said, was found at the nearest cemetery. 

What? The cemetery? Yes, the cemetery. For within those solemn grounds lie the dreams, hopes and will of God that were never accomplished for millions of souls. They are without value. Worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox. Priceless.

My I challenge you this year? Could you answer the question: What breaks my heart?

More importantly, what will you do about it this year? Remember Jesus? Everywhere He went people were changed and positive difference was evident. Will the same be said about us and our lives this year?

What God has laid on our hearts here in Guatemala is no more sacred than yours. It is priceless indeed but so are the things that break your hearts for Christ's sake.

Think about. Act upon it. Don't feel like you have to defend it or reason it out. God has you where you are, for a reason.

Don't go to sleep among our forefather's with a coffer full of the priceless, unfulfilled, will of God.

All Things New: The fight and the fear

Is it just me or did 2014 go by in a blur?

Today was our first service at the Los Seguidores Childrens Church in Comunidad, Guatemala. Believe it or not, we have suffered a degree of grief for our focus on all these poor and street children God has brought our way. He has brought so many that it is literally overwhelming. What can one do but love and suffer them to come unto Jesus? How do I turn away from such an opportunity?

As I ponder this and the myriad of upcoming changes in 2015, I am so very thankful for the promises that God gave us in His word. Especially today after preaching on heaven in John 14. There is a constant hope of newness that only Jesus can give us.

What drives me as a Christian and a missionary is not making men happy or getting some nice seat on the stage of well-dressed pastors. It is the future and the hope God has laid to my charge to share with others. This message is one that will be spread among thousands here in Guatemala this year through our family, Lord willing. 

Please pray for us as you will be seeing and hearing about the many changes and opportunities that are afforded unto us this calendar year. 

For instance:

-We are preparing to have a national Guatemalan helper in the discipleship academy, Marvin.
-We are in February preparing to launch a major village outreach of epic proportions. Of the which we have shared virtually nothing about with you to this point.
-We are expanding our ministry at Los Seguidores in Comunidad to house more people and increase the capacity of our discipleship academy.
-We are planning to host many more teams to reach people with the Gospel via medical groups and local church groups that come here to Guatemala.
-We will see a total change in our ministry logistics in the U.S.
-We will take our oldest daughter Allysa to Pensacola, FL this summer to begin college!

Most all of these things are major changes and advancements as a ministry and as a family unit. 2015 is truly a year of 'All Things New' for the Yeater family. I would dare say the most important one yet.

This year we will need your love, prayers and faithful support more than ever before. More doors are open now than ever but with that has come more opposition too.

"For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears."                                                                                                  II Corinthians 7:5

We know only perfect love casteth out fear. Please pray we have the love and faith to be made perfect unto every good work in the weeks and months ahead.

We love you all- Bob and Tessa

Christmas to me.

There is just something about December and the time we really focus on the birth of our Savior. I know some people just LOVE Christmas time. The decorations, the lights, the parties... all that is part of the 'season'.

I enjoy those things too, to a degree. Probably more than anything just the thoughts of Christmas' past with loved ones who are no longer here on earth. 

My father absolutely loved Christmas. He was Bob. Bob the gift-giver. Dad would glow like a child and we would spend countless hours on December 23rd and 24th making sure he had all the gifts he needed. The last few years of his life we would travel to a nearby city just to buy decorations and old-fashioned Christmas decor for our homes. Even on furlough, it never failed as each December would find us doing the same things.

One of the things he loved most was old Christmas music. In particular was an old cassette tape of the gospel group, The Statler Brothers. There is a song that is engrained in my mind as I heard it year after year growing up that was called 'Christmas to Me'. The theme is pretty evident. Each member would sing their part, telling the listener why Christmas is so special to them. What it meant to them as a person.

Family, friends and the snowy landscape. All those things are mentioned as you would imagine. But the last verse was the best one. "Christmas to Me", he says, "is a new born baby."

As Christians we know that to be the truth, but at times in my life I know it's not 'Christmas to Me'. I let the gifts and get together's be the focal point. Even here on the mission field it's easy to get side-tracked. 

This week is a major week for us. We have folks that have and hopefully will be participating in our Christmas outreach. Our goal is to share what Christmas really is with hundreds of children and families in the inner-city and villages of Guatemala. 

We plan to have a small gift and the unadulterated gospel to give to each person. That IS 'Christmas to Me'. Sharing what He did, when He came and how He came. It's too precious of a story to keep in the family den this year. I encourage you to share it with others. Use this opportunity to give away the greatest gift YOU ever received. 

Jesus.

*If you would like to participate in the Christmas outreach, there is still time. Follow this link for more information:

Guatemala Christmas Outreach

November 2014 Update

The powerless, waterfalls and a miracle

What an amazing few months it has been! 

The discipleship academy is going full steam ahead and even with no room we took on one more child, Mynor, to bring our total to 13 children! They are doing well and little by little we are sowing the seeds of faithfulness and growth into their lives. Some of the children are very well behaved while others struggle. As you know in the U.S. we quickly divide the children: The above average, the 'normal', the 'slower learners' and the unruly. 

In Latin America there really are no such options or classes per se of children. They are all children. All together. All the time. We have recently been just overwhelmed with the powerlessness that they feel. Their home life, their social status... like they are stuck and will just never get out. 

I praise God He has called us to the poor and powerless. We have the power they need. All the answers to their problems, everything. In spite of the way they feel, we know God teaches us we literally have the power to move mountains if we but have the faith in Him to do so.

As each day and class passes, pray we see these children overcome and become empowered by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

How goes the day-to-day here? Ah, there comes the waterfalls! We are overwhelmed with open doors and growth right now. We average between 50-60 children each Sunday in our 12'x14' room. Most every Sunday there are 5-10 on the streets looking in. They listen to the bible lessons, sing with us and do the memory verse from where they can. Please pray we get more room soon.

Another door that is continuing to open that is little talked about is the opportunity to work and minister in the village of Yalu. It is completely indigenous and like stepping back 40 years in time. Our prayer is to possibly do the same thing we are in La Comunidad and also begin evangelistic outreaches via gospel and medical teams. This is a big step and a lot of undertaking but we fully believe God has us here for such a time as this.

In closing, as you know, we have been praying for some time for a vehicle to be able to better reach the inner-city and the villages. Cars are outrageous in price here, even for a 'beater' car. Today God miraculously opened the door to possibly purchases a good pre-owned car from another missionary.

The miracle we need is an awesome one. We are believing God will provide the $1,500 we need to go with what a couple folks have already given us. These opportunities are hard to come by here and we must see this happen by Wednesday of this coming week! Please pray God's will be done in this MUCH needed area intensely. 

God bless you all and keep your hands to the plow!

Bob and Tessa

God of Wonder

As each day passes here on the mission 'field', it is more and more evident to me that in no way to I belong here. 

I don't fit in. My Spanish is not where I want it to be. It is quite easy for me to become fearful. I find myself full of doubts at times and ready to conquer the world in the next. Unstable in my ways would be a fitting description without a doubt. I am a man. I am a vile sinner. In the midst of the war of the flesh and the spirit I can fold like a cheap tent with the best of them. It is really a miserable thing to behold.

But in spite of all these things which would aptly describe a life failure, stands a man... a family, on a mission. This mission we are on is seeing unbelievable great open doors and possibilities to grow leaps and bounds. How on earth is this even possible? How or better yet why would our Great and Righteous God want to and ultimately do use someone like me? It truly defies all human reasoning.

This is the point that all I, we, can do, is stand in amazement at our Wonderful Savior. That's MY King!

At the current moment we find ourselves in the midst of the most gritty, dangerous, large, exhilarating and soul-satisfying mission of our lives. On the one hand it's all we can possibly handle and on the other it is just the tip of a God-sized ice burg. What other God but ours can do such things and accomplish them through seemingly so little? The answer is quite simple: none. 

The Los Seguidores discipleship academy has been running full steam for some time now. Not with it's hiccups and cultural clashes, it's going quite well. So much so that we have a folder full of children begging for admission. Our Sunday morning children church is also beyond capacity. In the inner-city burrow on Guatemala City we minister in it is nothing for you to see over 60 people crammed into a space the size of an average size master bath in the United States! Needless to say we are praying for more space!

With this wonderful King it does not end there. In the many villages that dot the nearby countryside we have open doors to reach these indigenous Guatemalan people with the light of the Gospel, mainly through strategic medical evangelism teams in these hard to reach and hard to breech places.

How on earth will we ever do it? Well, we never will. From the beginning we were set-up for near inevitable defeat. The great news is that I don't have to do it. God will. The God of this great universe who created all from nothing, has the hairs of my head numbered and cares even for the erratic landings of a sparrow will handle it all!

Prayers are always needed and much appreciated. The mountain is big and small all at the same time.

Tonight I ask that you simply rejoice with us in the Great God that we serve. Be in wonder this evening...

Be in wonder at the God of Wonder.