By Aaron White, Storyteller
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Matthew 13:44
As we move into the middle of the year we are reminded once again that life is short. I can’t count the times I’ve heard a variation of “Hard to believe it’s May already”. When life feels it’s speeding by, I find myself most in need of a reminder of how precious the Gospel is. And if you’re in need of that reminder, this verse is the place to get it.
Can you imagine what kind of advice this guy would get from family and friends? Be reasonable. Not the car. Keep the house. It’s only a field. What a treasure it would have to be to keep him gladly blowing past his doubts and the temptation to moderate his joy. And the gospel is truly that rich. The fact that God sent Jesus to die for our sins and raise us up with him to be a part of the family of God instead of forever objects of wrath is huge. It’s more than a gold piece. It’s a chest full of jewels and coins and gemstones and bullion. And Jesus illustrates the appropriate reaction to its discovery in this parable where a man gives everything away in a fit of joy—just to have this treasure.
But we don’t live in a parable. We first needed God to show us the worth of the Gospel, and even now that our eyes are open, we still need reminders that this Gospel we have received is worth staking our possessions, relationships, and lives on. When we find ourselves questioning whether we should have bought the field all that time ago, consider these reminders a call to open the treasure chest again and dig in. Look through the Bible and see the promises God has made, the gifts He has given. Ask Him to show you anew the beauty of the treasure.
That’s WEGO’s heart for all our staff, and the kids and communities we serve, and for you, too. We want to hear stories of people so overcome with joy they sell it all to buy the field. As you pray, ask that God would reveal the precious worth of Christ to everyone in this guide.
Join Us in Praying for Our Home Build!
This month we’re praying for the boy’s bathroom. Our current home has major septic issues that force our children to frequently use an outhouse. They will now be able to use working toilets year-round.
How You Can Pray
Pray for who the boys see in their bathroom mirror. May their entire identity be wrapped up in Jesus and His voice.
Tower Church – Gachuurt, Mongolia
About Tower Church:
Tower Church is a group of four house churches with a church planting mission. Batzaya has been their pastor since 2014, and since then they have been focused on training Christian leaders to serve in their own communities and lead small congregations.
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray that God would keep Batzaya and his family in good health and rich faith in Christ.
2) Pray that the leaders and members of Tower Church would be strong in faith.
3) Pray that God would open the hearts of their community to the Gospel.
The Church in Nicaragua
These pastors are from different denominations who have a heart for missions. In this picture there are 5 pastors and the other are leaders from their churches who are heading to share the gospel on the Atlantic Coast. Join us in praying for those who have the passion and compassion to leave their homes to do God’s work.
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray God would continue to unite the churches of Nicaragua with his heart.
2) Pray that more people would be willing to reach out to those in their communities.
Aaya – Children’s Home Director, Mongolia
About Aaya (right, pictured with Ariuka):
If you look up “servant leader” in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of Aaya. She’s humble and soft-spoken but full of wisdom and initiative. She’s gentle and firm with kids and staff alike, always in on the fun and a joy to be around. We love the way her Christ-centered leadership has created a thriving environment for growth and freedom at New Hope.
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray for her health. Her legs and joints have been bothering her.
2) Pray for her as she leads the staff and kids.
3) Pray for her faith and spiritual life.
Vicente Vado – Security Guard, Nicaragua
From Vicente:
“I am 60 years old now. I worked for WEGO for 17 years and 4 months, and on July 27 this year I will be retiring. To be honest, being a part of WEGO’s ministry was the most wonderful thing I ever did. I feel thankful for God, and for Zach, Lisa and some others whose names I don’t remember. I have diabetes and am taking medicine for it. I am well—as you will see in my pictures I have lost weight but I feel okay. I pray every day that the Lord will give me life to see my youngest son Mainor grow. Two of my youngest daughters live with me and my wife Adilia. We have 10 kids but only 3 live with me. The rest have their own families. I will always thank you for all you have done for my community and WEGO’s workers too. I will miss being there at the entrance of the gate but I will enjoy my time with my family—I will be able to take care of my cows now, and just rest at home. Love you, brothers and sisters.”
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray for the spiritual growth of WEGO’s workers.
2) Pray that God would improve my health.
3) Pray for those who are older like me, who don’t have food on their table.
Ariuka – New Hope Children’s Home, Mongolia
About Ariuka (center, pink jacket):
We love the chance to praise God for answered prayer. We’ve had the pleasure of caring for Ariuka for several years. Now we are overjoyed to announce a Christian family in Mongolia family adopted her on April 30th after a long, prayerful process. There is nothing like a family, and though we will miss Ariuka, we are elated to see her so loved by her new family.
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray that God would bless her and her new family as they build memories and trust together. Ask that she would grow up in Christ in her new home surrounded by joy and love.
2) Pray for the other kids at the Children’s Home as they process her adoption and moving out of the home.
Michael Antonio Lopez – New Hope School, Nicaragua
From Michael:
“I am 15 years old and in the 10th grade. I live in Dolores with my parents and my 2 sisters. My dad’s name is Vismarck and my mom’s name is Johana. My dad works in construction and my mom’s a stay-at-home mom. My oldest sister is 20 and is at university, my youngest sister is 11 and in the 6th grade. I love playing soccer with my friends at home. With my friends at the school I love sharing stories with them like when we were younger. I enjoy my math class. I also love the chicken they make here. I love this school because the teachers teach us good values so we can apply them in our daily lives.”
How You Can Pray:
1) Pray that my family would remain healthy.
2) Pray my dad could find a job.
3) Pray for the kids who are suffering in the world.