{"id":4179,"date":"2021-06-04T16:19:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-04T21:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=4179"},"modified":"2021-06-04T16:19:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T21:19:01","slug":"helland-newsletter-june-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/helland-newsletter-june-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Helland Newsletter: June 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Since 2017, we have been serving Spanish-speaking sex workers in Amsterdam\u2019s Red-Light District. Out of this, we started a church called Iglesia Vida Nueva. Here is one of the many amazing stories we have seen taking place at our church. Read what Mayra[1] has to say:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was 22 years old, I came to the Netherlands with the idea of becoming a nanny. When I got here, I realized that the people who brought me here had no work for me as a nanny. The only option I had was prostitution.<\/em><\/p>\n

I remember the first cold fall day where I found myself going to the street for the first time as a sex worker. I had been dumped at a house where 24\/7 women came and where all kinds of things were taking place. I wanted to go back home and found myself in a situation I did not desire.<\/em><\/p>\n

After a while, a man came into my life who helped me get out of prostitution. Yet, later, I decided I wanted to buy my mother a house back in Latin America. This meant that I would go back to working in the sex industry. However, as my son grew older, I decided that I had to get out of that work. I began working at restaurants, cleaning offices or helping at nursing homes. I decided to do whatever necessary to not have to work in sex work any longer.<\/em><\/p>\n

As a young girl, I loved to go to church, yet my mother forbade me from going to church any longer. This is a decision both she and I now regret.<\/em><\/p>\n

When the corona pandemic began, I started suffering from a very dark period of depression. I have always enjoyed drinking a lot of alcohol, yet suddenly this drinking habit became much worse.<\/em><\/p>\n

I felt like I was drowning and that the devil was pulling me under. I was scared and felt a huge emptiness inside of me that alcohol just could not fill any longer. I felt like I was unlovable, ugly and a horrible woman. As if I should rather give up and quit on life. The enemy was getting ready to just hang me up and destroy me with despair.<\/em><\/p>\n

One day, I decided, \u2018Today I am going to church.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

I went even though I felt like a worthless ant; small and unimportant.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Pastor Matthew saw me, he began praying for me. I started crying like a baby all the way from the church to my house. I told everyone at home that I was now going to church and was going to serve Jesus. I felt great happiness and peace. The corona pandemic has not been good, yet it has been very good for me in that I have had time to go to my church.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have always been someone who loves to drink and loves to party. Yet now, I do not have that desire that I had previously to drink and to party. The Lord is changing me daily, and I am seeing his hand of blessing on me. I am having unexpected favor with new employers and experiencing blessings I could never had imagined. I do not feel the rage and hurt in my heart that I felt earlier. Without even realizing it, God has been working in my life and has given me a peace I did not have before.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

We want to thank you all for your prayers and financial support. Because of people like you, we can continue to reach out weekly to many sex workers and help them quit prostitution and get to know Christ. In the last few weeks, we have gotten many messages from people who are able to get new work and no longer be sex workers. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF WHAT WE ARE DOING!<\/p>\n

OTHER MINISTRY: RUAH School of Prophecy<\/span><\/h2>\n

Not only is our church and ministry with prostitutes continuing to develop and grow, but our online Bible School is growing as well: RUAH School of Prophecy (www.ruahnetwork.com). This school continues to spread all around the world. In September, Matthew will be going to the USA to do live conferences in Oklahoma, Georgia, and California. If you would like more information, you can go to our website to see how you can be a part of one of the conferences.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

[1] Name changed for privacy reasons<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew, Femke, Judah,<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\nHannah, Levi, & Benjamin Helland<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since 2017, we have been serving Spanish-speaking sex workers in Amsterdam\u2019s Red-Light District. Out of this, we started a church called Iglesia Vida Nueva. Here is one of the many…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":4180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,1,4],"tags":[407,120,304,223,31],"class_list":{"0":"post-4179","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-missionary-newsletters","8":"category-uncategorized","9":"category-world-missions","10":"tag-407","11":"tag-helland","12":"tag-june","13":"tag-matt-femke-helland","14":"tag-missionary-newsletter","15":"entry"},"title_es":"Bolet\u00edn Helland: abril de 2020","content_es":"

La nueva vida de Miguel en Cristo<\/strong><\/span>
Un domingo, cuando Mateo estaba concluyendo su serm\u00f3n, Miguel se acerc\u00f3 al frente de la iglesia y dijo: \u201cQuiero entregar mi vida a Jesucristo ahora mismo. Quiero arrepentirme de todo pecado y vivir para \u00c9l ". <\/p>

Matthew or\u00f3 con y por Miguel, lo abraz\u00f3 y desde entonces ha disfrutado viendo el cambio que ha tenido lugar en su vida. Escuche c\u00f3mo Miguel describe su nueva vida. <\/p>

<\/p>

\u201cAntes de entregar mi vida a Cristo, viv\u00eda de noche. Me iba a la cama todas las ma\u00f1anas a las 6:00 am y luego me levantaba a las 6:00 o 7:00 pm para empezar de nuevo. Mi vida estaba llena de fiestas, drogas y bebida. Realmente no pude hacer mucho m\u00e1s porque luch\u00e9 contra la depresi\u00f3n y el miedo. Cada vez que volv\u00eda a casa, sent\u00eda que el vac\u00edo y la oscuridad ven\u00edan sobre m\u00ed, y clamaba a Dios: 'Quiero vivir otro tipo de vida'. <\/p>

Luego, ese domingo, sent\u00ed que ten\u00eda que planchar mi ropa e ir a la iglesia. De repente sent\u00ed que algo como la mano de Dios me empujaba a dar un paso al frente y entregar mi vida a Cristo. Desde ese momento, he disfrutado de un nuevo estilo de vida. Ahora, me acuesto temprano y me levanto a las 7:00 am. Estoy descubriendo una nueva productividad y la capacidad de hacer cosas que sent\u00ed que ya no pod\u00eda hacer. Las drogas devoran tu mente y tu motivaci\u00f3n para hacer cosas. Ahora, estoy redescubriendo mi antigua pasi\u00f3n por trabajar con mis manos y leer libros y la Biblia. Tambi\u00e9n tengo una relaci\u00f3n maravillosa con mi familia nuevamente. Durante a\u00f1os, han estado orando por m\u00ed, y ahora ellos (y yo) estamos muy felices de ver lo que Cristo ha hecho en mi vida. <\/p>

Despu\u00e9s de aceptar a Cristo, vinieron varios \u201cviejos amigos\u201d y me ofrecieron coca\u00edna para consumir y vender. Les dije de inmediato que hab\u00eda cambiado y que Cristo era ahora el Se\u00f1or de mi vida. Dijeron que el cambio no se mantendr\u00eda. Nunca m\u00e1s escuch\u00e9 una palabra de esos viejos amigos, pero estoy disfrutando de vivir mi vida como un hijo amado de Dios. No bebo alcohol ni consumo drogas porque ya no las necesito. Ya no estoy aislado. Tengo a Jes\u00fas y \u00c9l es suficiente para m\u00ed. <\/p>

Ahora le digo a Dios todos los d\u00edas: 'Dios, haz tu trabajo. No quiero volver nunca m\u00e1s '. Entonces, muchas veces, or\u00e9 para que \u00c9l me quitara todas mis adicciones. El lo hizo. El es fiel. Es solo Jesucristo quien se deshace de esas adicciones. Dios me ha ayudado a eliminar toda la depresi\u00f3n, la adicci\u00f3n y la tristeza. Mi vida tiene orden y enfoque ahora. <\/p>

Mi sue\u00f1o es alg\u00fan d\u00eda predicar la palabra de Dios. Siento que hay un llamado de Dios en mi vida. Dios ha sido muy bueno con migo. \u00c9l toma vasos rotos y los cambia, repara, reforma y reconstruye. Esto es lo que Dios ha hecho y est\u00e1 haciendo en mi vida. No voy a retroceder, pero sigo adelante con Cristo porque \u00e9l tiene un gran prop\u00f3sito para mi vida. Le agradezco porque estoy recuperando mi vida y ya no estoy aislado ni solo \u201d. <\/p>

La crisis del virus Corona<\/strong><\/span>
La Crisis del Virus Corona ha cerrado el Barrio Rojo de \u00c1msterdam. Femke ha pasado largos d\u00edas ayudando a las trabajadoras sexuales a obtener la ayuda financiera y social que pueden obtener a medida que se cerr\u00f3 la industria del sexo. Los estamos ayudando con canastas de comestibles y tarjetas de regalo para tiendas de comestibles. Mucha gente de todo el pa\u00eds nos est\u00e1 pidiendo ayuda. Qu\u00e9 oportunidad de ser una voz de esperanza, amor y vida en esta dif\u00edcil situaci\u00f3n. <\/p>

Adem\u00e1s, las conferencias que Matthew iba a dar en Estados Unidos en abril han sido canceladas. Sin embargo, todav\u00eda estar\u00e1 lanzando su pr\u00f3ximo libro, Power Evangelism: Just Do It! Si desea comprar una copia u obtener una tarifa con descuento por la compra de 10 libros o m\u00e1s, puede enviar un correo electr\u00f3nico a info@prophesyandheal.com. <\/p>

<\/p>

Tambi\u00e9n puede encontrar algunos recursos y cursos ministeriales gratuitos en www.prophesyandheal.com. <\/p>

<\/p>

Ministerio latinoamericano<\/strong><\/span>
En febrero, Matthew pudo llevar un equipo de ministerio a Argentina y Chile para capacitar iglesias en el ministerio prof\u00e9tico. En Chile, fueron parte de una conferencia nacional con m\u00e1s de 1.500 j\u00f3venes. Matthew naci\u00f3 en Chile, por lo que fue un placer muy especial poder ministrar en su tierra natal. Muchas gracias por ayudarnos a llevar el amor, la luz y el poder de Dios a \u00c1msterdam, Europa, Am\u00e9rica Latina y m\u00e1s all\u00e1. <\/p>

<\/p>

Gracias por tus oraciones y apoyo. Gracias a sus fieles oraciones y donaciones, personas como Miguel pueden experimentar una nueva vida en Cristo.
Gracias por colaborar con nosotros. <\/p>

Sinceramente, <\/p>

Matthew, Femke, Judah, Hannah, Levi y Benjamin Helland<\/span> <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","author_name":"Matthew & Famke Helland","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/178662540_1505164556482373_1994637950390448633_n.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Ar-15p","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}