august 2011 newsletter (2

8/4/2019 August 2011 Newsletter (2

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Hey everyone,

Well, we just finished off with the

last teams of the summer, andhad probably the best season

that we can remember.

So much has happened allaround us that it has beendifficult just to process it all.

We have made many newconnections this year, and we arereally starting to see what Godhas destined for this ministry in

the coming years.

We know that God has really been

challenging us and growing uswith each passing month, and itssuch an honor and privilege to bea part of all that God is doing down here.

We truly believe that in thecoming years that God is going tocontinue to use this ministry tochange lives forever, and we areso excited to be a part of it all.

End of the Summer

Special points of interest::

Finished out the summer thisyear with all the teams from theU.S.

Continuing to shape the ministryhere in El Salvador and seek theareas where God would have usinvest ourselves.

God has opened many new doorsfor us here, and we are continu-ing to make new connectionswith leaders in El Salvador thatwant to change their country.

Some of the most memorableevents have been happening tous this summer, things that we

will never forget for as long as welive.

Its also been such a joy and so much fun to be on themissions field in our first year of marriage. God has been

truly blessing us over and over as we learn and grow

together as a family. We truly would not trade the worldfor this wonderful season that God has us in.

Please continue to pray for us diligently. Everydaypossesses a new and greater challenge than the last aswe continue to live and work so far from all the comforts of home and family to finish a great work for which God hascalled us.

God bless you all and we miss you so much,

Doug and Danielle

For I know the plans I have for you, declares theLord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give

you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

August

2011


2/12

Fusion Youth Group, MN

Many Thanks to the last 5 teams of the Summer for all your hard work!!!!

Chris Mancl and ChristianLife Fellowship, WI

River Valley, MN

People of Purpose

Orlando, FL

Emmanuel Christian Center,

MN

Danielle and I have had oneamazing summer this year! This was

the first time that weve led amissions team unassisted for theentire trip. This was such a hugehonor and great challenge that wewere so excited about. God reallypushed us to the next level as we

worked rigorously this summerpreaching and serving all over as wepioneer this ministry here in ElSalvador. It was so much fun inspite of the challenges we faced aswe built new relationships andwatched God do so many miracles inpeoples lives.


3/12

A Story to remember forever!!!!

Every once in awhile we go into a place with the intention of ministering to the people in thatarea, but sometimes, just sometimes we leave way more blessed than the people whom we are trying

to minister to. This is a story of that very same thing, and it left a mark forever on our hearts and onour teams as well

A while back, as we were planning to receive Fusion Youth Group from Minnesota, thepastor/leader of the group told me of a member in his church that was originally from El Salvador.The pastor told me that this particular person would love for us to be able to visit his family andminister in the area where he was born, Santiago de la Frontera, El Salvador. Well, I checked this

town out on the map, and seeing that it was only about 2 hours away, I decided to meet with thepeople in this area and see if we could come and minister. Well, not realizing it right away, I quicklyfound out that the father of the church member living in Minnesota was the mayor of about 20 small

towns in the area we would be ministering in. I was blown away when I had a meeting with thisperson and about 20 pastors and youth leaders from local churches in Santiago. Well, after themeeting was over, we all came together and agreed we would visit several schools and churches in

the area, and finish it off with a big outdoor event with all the townspeople.

Several weeks later, Danielle, our team, and I arrive at Santiago de la Frontera. We werentexpecting it at all, but the mayor, being a devout Christian, was so thrilled to have us that he no less

than rolled out the red carpet for our arrival, and literally opened the entire city to us as well as his

home for us to stay in during our time in the area. I had never felt so welcome anywhere I have evergone. (See Picture Above)

He told us of the incredible love that he had for our country, The United States. He explained to us that he had been the mayor of the surrounding area for almost 30 years, and he had survived in the area during the great civil war in El Salvador in the 1980s. Because during that time it wasextremely dangerous for politicians and even more dangerous for their children, he had to send hischildren to the United States to live for fear that they would have been kidnapped and murdered. He

told us that because our country kept his family safe during these times, hed always had such an


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incredible love for the U.S. Well, it just so happened that ashe was explaining this to us it was July 3rd. On the morning of July 4th, we woke up readier than ever to visit schools,churches, and minister wherever needed. Well, when I firstsaw mayor Martinez, I told him how since he loved our countryso much, he needed to know that today was a SUPERIMPORTANT holiday for all of us. I told him that on July 4th

the entire nation of the United States of America celebrates.He was so shocked to hear this that he offered to cancel all of our ministry events so that we could have time to celebrate. Iwas like, noooo wayyyyy!!!! We are here to minister, to work,and to serve the people of Santiago de la Frontera. We dontneed a break sir, with all do respect. Thank you though.

He left it at that, and didnt say another word. Well, weproceeded with all the events that we had scheduled, andworked harder in one day than just about any other day I canremember. (See Pictures) Well, mayor Martinez called us upon the phone, and told us that he wanted us to come backover in the afternoon to his house, so that he could introducesome city officials to us and tell the story of Santiago. We hadno idea what we were actually being invited to come to

Upon arriving to the mayors house, there were severalofficials from the city already there waiting for us. Also,waiting for us, was a huge sound system set up with a wholebunch of chairs for us to sit in. We werent sure what wasgoing on, but the mayor had us sit down while he spoke.

He then began explaining that he loves our country andhe wanted to honor us during our special day, July 4th. Hesaid, so we have a little surprise for you. The next thing weknow, one of his officials starts up the sound system, andcoming through the speakers, louder than ever, was The Star Spangled Banner !!!!!! We all stood with much honor and pridefor our country as the song was being played. Next thing weknow, another official from the city comes out of nowhere andstarts lighting off these huge fireworks/rockets right in front of us!!!!!!!! We were all freaking out in complete and total

disbelief, and we were all screaming our heads off for thisunbelievable surprise on the Fourth of July in a country thatwas not our own. And if that wasnt enough, the next thing weknow, the mayors wife comes out of their house carrying ahuge cake that she just baked. But it wasnt just any cake.She decorated it in the form of the American Flag, and it hadwritten on the side, Happy Fourth of July. I can never in mylife remember a time where I or the people I have been withhave ever been so welcomed and blessed in someone elses


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home or in someone elses town. We were all cheering likenever before, some of us shed tears, and we were sooverwhelmed with emotion for this blessing that a completestranger had given us. There was no way that we could repay

this back. It was too great a thing!!!!!!

That night we proceeded with the big event that wehad been planning for a few weeks. Its so crazy when amayor is on board for what you are doing, because when thathappens, nothing stands in your way...

The city, on their own expense, decided that theywanted this to be a special night for the people, so theyrented a massive flat-bed semi and used it to block of themain streets of the city. They rented a huge tent, and placedit in the middle of the road, and they ordered a sound systemfor us to use during that evening. (See Bottom Pic)

That night was an unbelievably powerful event. Several

churches in the area cancelled their normal services, and their entire congregations showed up. Also, hundreds from the city came walking by to see what was going on and stayed.There were about 400 people present that night, and manywho were there received from God like never before. It wasone incredible event.

As we left Santiago the next morning, I felt a certainsadness in my heart that I had not felt leaving anywhere else Ihad ever been. It was hard to leave such a place, such apeople, who had welcomed us with arms wide open even

though we were complete strangers. I know that I will neverforget this as long as I live. I also believe that God hassomething special for the people of Santiago and for ourfuture relationship together.

This was an incredible lesson to me that I dont everwant to forget, and I pray great things for the people there

that blessed us many times more than we could have everblessed them back through our ministry.


6/12

Another Powerful lesson, another incredible story!!!!

This is another really cool thing that happened to us this summer which I doubt that we will forgetfor a very long time.

There is a church in a tiny village about a mile and a half from the base in El Salvador. One of ourworkers, Antonio, goes to this church, and his brother is the pastor. Well, for one of our ministry eventswith one of our teams this summer, we decided that we wanted to do a childrens service. I talked to thepastor of this church real close by, and we agreed on a time and date.

A few weeks later we showed up to the church ready to have fun with the kids and share a littleabout Jesus. Well, what we did not know is that Jesus had a little something in store for us that wewerent quite ready for

As usual we did our part of the service which lasted about 45 minutes or so and included songs,games, teachings, stories, etc. Well, after we were done, the childrens pastor asked us if the children

could pray for us for safety, strength, and Gods provision as we continued to travel and do missionswork with the team. We were all very much in agreement for that.

Well, the childrens pastor had us all kneel at the alter while the children laid hands on us andprayed. (See pic above) Well, I was expecting child like prayers to come out, soft spoken, sweet, and

tender hearted. Well, that did not happen. Next thing we knew, these children were laying it all down in their prayers for us. We were hearing all kinds of powerful words coming out of their mouths: IN THENAME OF JESUS CHRIST I JUST PROFESS THE PROTECTION OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS ON THESEMISSIONARIES, THAT THEY WOULD GO PROTECTED, THAT NOTHING WOULD HARM THEM, THAT THEY WOULD HELP HEAL PEOPLE AND SET THEM FREE. I PRAY FOR THEIR PROTECTION LORD JESUS. GUIDETHEM. HELP THEM IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

We were all stunned beyond belief as the children prayed. Even those of us who did not knowSpanish could feel an incredible amount of the Holy Spirit flowing through these children and theirprayers. We stood up after they were done, and many of us wiped tears from our eyes, and all were indisbelief at how powerful these children were for the Lord. It was unreal!!!!

Well, I had to ask the childrens pastor after the service about these kids and their incredible faithand power in Jesus. I was very impressed with the words that the pastor gave to me about children in


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the kingdom of Heaven, and this has been a very important lesson to me since that day.

The pastor explained to me that when we are young children, we believe anything that our parentsand leaders teach us. We have a child-like faith to move mountains. In this church, the pastor explained

to me that they teach the children that they are mighty in the Lord, that the children can lay hands on thesick and heal them, and miracles can happen through their prayers.

It was very much demonstrated in these kids. Ive never heard such boldness from a child, and

its been such a lesson to me ever since. Imagine what we could do if we all had child -like faith to movemountains. Children do not doubt the teachings of Christ, but somewhere along the way to adulthood,we stop believing what God can do through us. We doubt the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The last thing that stunned me more than anything else was this Antonio told me that thechurch brings the sick to the children for the children to pray for them, and they heal them. Thatsincredible! What a completely different way of doing things! The adults actually come to the children.

God is really working through this church, and we were all so blessed to be a part of their ministry.

Busiest Summer Ever!!!


8/12

Just relaxing after some ministry in a couple of beautiful rocking chairs and loving the adventure God has us on together!!!!

Sometimes you just gotta show off your double dutch skills withthe girls at the orphanage. :)

Going to the orphanage is Danielles favorite thing to do. Sheloves the kids so much.


9/12

A little hard work in a very hot sun!!! :)

Feeding The Children In The Area

Chris Mancl being his crazy self.

Just a cool pic of us on a boat on Lake Atitlan headed to a church to doa service.


10/12

This little guy just had to come over and sneak a peek at one of our ministry events, so we painted his face

through the fence and gave him some candy.

Danielle making her very first pupusa ever. Pupusasare the most popular common food in El Salvador.

They are essentially handmade tortillas stuffed with whatever you want. Usually they have cheese,

beans, pork rinds, or a mixture. They are awesome,but I dont like the ones with pork rinds. Yuck!


11/12

Hey Everyone,

Well, its been another incredible year for us to say the least. So

much is happening around us constantly that we have to stop at times just to think about it all. Summers are by far the most fun time of the

year and also the most work, so we are now enjoying a little bit of a

slower pace but are always geared up for more.

We are so excited about all God is doing in our lives and in the

ministry. Please continue to keep us lifted up as we continue this work for

which God has called us.

We miss you all so much, so please write us whenever you can.

God bless you all,

Doug and Danielle

Click on video above to follow a link to a message from Danielle and I.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H350mV8jiiMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H350mV8jiiM


12/12

Support Address:

Douglas Burwell/Teams Commissioned forChrist International

2300 Jetport Drive

Orlando, FL 32809-7895

Contact Information:

Doug and Danielle Burwell

Telephone:011-503-7949-9304

(El Salvador)

Email:

[email protected]

Skype:

Username: christslove7

Facebook:

Search same info as above

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation online, you maydo so here:

http://stores.nathanielshopestore.org/-strse-155/2.-Donation-to-the/Detail.bok
http://stores.nathanielshopestore.org/-strse-155/2.-Donation-to-the/Detail.bokhttp://stores.nathanielshopestore.org/-strse-155/2.-Donation-to-the/Detail.bokhttp://stores.nathanielshopestore.org/-strse-155/2.-Donation-to-the/Detail.bokhttp://stores.nathanielshopestore.org/-strse-155/2.-Donation-to-the/Detail.bok

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