We are the Virags, a family of Christian missionaries working in Guatemala in the areas of construction, orphanage, and skate boarding outreach for youth. We are thrilled about who God is and what He is doing in Guatemala.
Our event next week will be a very important event. We have Ezekiel Ministries with Pastor David Buckles and Barachel Bike and Skate with Tim Fake coming from March 23-31. They are bringing with them a team of youth which includes professionals in BMX and Skateboarding. We will be visiting local schools the 2 days before the event to promote our event but more importantly, share the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will speak to approx. 4000 students in those 2 days and if the estimates are right we will see approx 3000 people at our Saturday event. Please pray for this event. We are using this event to share our vision to build a skate park in our city and we will have some very influential people attending like: The mayor of the city, city council, important businessmen, lawyers, doctors and many more.
Please pray for divine connections and many salvations!
God is great and we love to serve Him full time in Guatemala!
The ViragsMissionaries in Action SoZo Skate www.thevirags.com
Mail Canadian donations to:WIA151-10090 152nd St, Suite 314,Surrey, BCV3R 8X8write VIRAG on separate paper tax receipt providedor use PAypal at www.thevirags.comMake
US donations to:Shining in Florida Inc.PO Box 120966 Clermont, FL 34712tax receipts provided or through PAYPAL at www.thevirags.com
I am wanting to read the book Radical by David Platt. It is about taking back your faith from the American dream. I think this is imperative. Since I have been in Guatemala I will never be the same. Christians in North America alone have the resources to transform this world and impact it with the love of God. Instead we build our little personal empires, use faith for acquiring more stuff, and we are not willing to be uncomfortable and get out there and really serve and make disciples. God please change us so that we can be all that we are called to be. It is not enough to just go to church on Sunday. Being a christian comes at a great price, or at least it is suppose to cost us everything. It cost Jesus everything and He is our example. We are made in His image and He said we will do greater things than He did. Why aren't we?
The Virags Missionaries in Action SoZo Skate www.thevirags.com
Mail Canadian donations to: WIA151-10090 152nd St, Suite 314, Surrey, BCV3R 8X8 write VIRAG on separate paper tax receipt provided or use PAypal at www.thevirags.com
Make US donations to: Shining in Florida Inc. PO Box 120966 Clermont, FL 34712 tax receipts provided or through PAYPAL at www.thevirags.com
We are going to be sharing Jesus with thousands through skate and BMX demonstrations at three schools and at two community outreaches in Xela and Guatemala city. Please pray for hearts to be changed for eternity and for God's plans and purposes to be embraced. We are believing for the team to have an encounter with God and to leave impacted and forever changed. We are grateful for this opportunity and we are expecting great things.
Updates will follow so please stay tuned. We would love for you to share this with us as well.
The Virags Missionaries in Action SoZo Skate www.thevirags.com
Mail Canadian donations to: WIA 151-10090 152nd St, Suite 314, Surrey, BC V3R 8X8 write VIRAG on separate paper tax receipt provided or use PAypal at www.thevirags.com
Make US donations to: Shining in Florida Inc. PO Box 120966 Clermont, FL 34712 tax receipts provided or through PAYPAL at www.thevirags.com
We started out skating every Saturday back in September 2010 because of the please of a sweet young man nick-named Chino. At the time of his request we did not have a place to skate until a dear man volunteered his mechanic shop for us to use for free. We skated and shared God in the midst of vehicles and went from 8 youth to 30 in a matter of 3 months.
We had outgrown that location and during Christmas break our Pastor Mike offered his to-be-constructed-church-location for us to use until construction is to begin. We are there now and are averaging 90 youth per Saturday and are in awe of God and this exponential growth.
This past week, church construction started for Pastor Mike's church and we find ourselves in need of a new location once again. To make matters more exciting we had until March 3 to have a new location lined up in order for a group of professional ramp builders to commit to a short term mission trip in June to build our skate park with us. We were all expecting God to do something to meet the need and of course He did not disappoint us. (Thank you all who have been agreeing with us in prayer.) Yesterday, Shawn had a meeting with the mayor of Xela and city counsel and they all voted unanimously to donate the use of a building for our skate park. This is such a huge gift and we only now need to know how long we are able to use the facility. We are believing for five years minimum. We ask for your prayer of agreement and God's will to be done. We do need to renovate such as clean, paint, replace doors, put in electrical, repair the roof and bathroom, etc. Please prayerfully consider financially supporting this project so that we will have a place to minister to and disciple these youth. We are thrilled to be a part of how God is drawing these young people to Him. Please be apart of this with us.
The Virags Missionaries in Action SoZo Skate www.thevirags.com
Mail Canadian donations to: WIA 151-10090 152nd St, Suite 314, Surrey, BC V3R 8X8 write VIRAG on separate paper tax receipt provided or use PAypal at www.thevirags.com
Make US donations to: Shining in Florida Inc. PO Box 120966 Clermont, FL 34712 tax receipts provided or through PAYPAL at www.thevirags.com
Today(written January 19th on Facebook) has been a horrible day filled with strife, pain, uncertainty, tears, disappointment, health issues, fear, stress, and anxiety just to name a few things. It is all apart of culture stress, marriage and parenting growing pains, ministry growing pains, disappointment of the 125th negative pregnancy test in the last ten years, and doctor visits for potentially serious health issues. I know my God has it all under control and I have nothing to worry about, but I am moved by sight today. Yes, I know only I can change it and I will, but there is something else that I saw in me today.
Through the tears and in desperation I heard a voice cry out, "I just want to go home!" I then realized that the voice was my own. And thus the question, where is that exactly? I am presently in Guatemala because we as a family have decided to follow God and live life as He has purposed and planned for us to live it. We are not pursuing the American dream, we are living to serve and wanting to make a difference in our world for God. Seeking some geographical relief is not the answer, even my two youngest all on their own know that and are willing to be here for the sake of the many at the expense of themselves. I know that the closest thing to home is where I am with my husband and with my kids, where ever that may be on this planet. Moving is not what I long for. This Earth will never really be my home. Deep inside of me I long to be in the arms of my loving Father and to see my Jesus face to face. That is the home I long for. That is the home I live and die to see. This pain and frustration is but for a moment. In retrospect, soon and very soon I will be in the presence of the one I call my beloved. For tonight, I will just breath, close my eyes, and dance with and worship my Saviour.
I want to encourage you to get what you need in His presence right where you are now.
Since I wrote this a month and a half ago life has returned to normal and I am doing great again. Without the North American distractions and comforts of familiarity, things come to the surface and have to be dealt with. This is a benefit of missions even though painful at times. God has been faithful to encourage me through his Word and through brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you dear friends for your support, direction, and prayers. I am up and running the race and looking forward to each and every day on the mission field. Jesus is the joy set before me as I run.
Here is my rhema word, my sword from the throne room of God. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be castintothesea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." (Mark 11:23) I am believing and speaking what God has promised my family and I and I am expecting to reap a harvest. I am concentrating on intimacy with God and savoring my relationship with Him. I am guarding my heart and mind against thoughts that go against God's Word and resisting disappointment at all cost so not to delay or block God's blessings in my life. I am dreaming big because I know the mighty God I serve.
Thank you all so much for sharing this journey with us. I just want to encourage those of you who are in a trial right now. James 1:2-8 "2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Persevere until the end that you may reap what has been promised to you. I am here if I can help in any way.
Your sister in Christ, Chantelle
The Virags Missionaries in Action SoZo Skate www.thevirags.com
Mail Canadian donations to: WIA 151-10090 152nd St, Suite 314, Surrey, BC V3R 8X8 write VIRAG on separate paper tax receipt provided or use PAypal at www.thevirags.com
Make US donations to: Shining in Florida Inc. PO Box 120966 Clermont, FL 34712 tax receipts provided or through PAYPAL at www.thevirags.com
