Their Biggest Cheerleader

By Jill in Spain -

So, the fall season is starting to crank up here in Spain. The majority of folks have returned from their summer vacations and have started back to work. The university classes will start in a couple more weeks. Today was the first day of school for many school children. Ministry with Agape is no exception.

This week we had our first virtual meeting as a group. There are 5 of us on the Ministry Team Development Coaching Team (MTD Coaching Team)  and we are spread out all over the Iberian peninsula: Málaga, Portugal, Valencia and Catalunya...so 21st century team meetings happen via the internet.

(As a matter of interest, 3 of the 4 teams represented on this team are also in the process of having babies. The first, Evelyn Ana, was born August 27. The second should be ours--Aaron Daniel--who was supposed to be born September 14...but he´s taking his own sweet time. The third, in Valencia, is due to be born some time in November.)

The Spanish Agape staff are some of the most courageous and most talented people I´ve met, many of whom could have gone into any number of professional fields where they could have earned great salaries and collected instant perks. However, they have chosen to trust God to bring His Good News to their peers in a ways that are fresh and relevant, while maintaining the true essence of the gospel. I am so excited about doing whatever I can to help thembe successful in the ministry that God has called them to.

For too many staff, especially Spanish staff, the tendency has been to jump right into ministry before acquiring the adequate financial support. Although some financial support training has been offered in the past, Agape wants to place a higher value on the importance of trustin the Lord in this important area of ministry, laying a Biblical foundation and some very practical coaching to ensure that our staff have the very best chance of reaching 100% of their financiall support raising goals.

Next week our national director, Edi Souto, will begin meeting with staff all around the country to confirm their commitments to the ministry and the need to work hard and trust the Lord for 100% of our financial support rather than continuing to live in survival mode, merely scraping by. Edi will communicate the goals and the assigned mentor to each staff person. Once they have all been contacted, our MTDC team will start taking steps to work with our assigned staff.

Please pray for us and for the staff that each of us will be coaching. When it comes to developing a ministry support team, some staff are more motivated than others; some have a clearer perspective than others. Our task will be to solidify their biblical understanding of raising financial support, motivating and praying for them and providing practical goals and accountability to help them connect and invite new investors to join them in ministry.
If things go according to plan, I will have the privilege of meeting with and coaching the following 5 staff women:

(not pictured)
Gloria Rosado -a Spaniard on the field in Cádiz working in Hospital Ministry


Loida Mejías (on the right) -
a Spaniard on the field in Argentina working in Social Work Ministry




MariAngeles Bootello-a Spaniard on the field in Barcelona working in High School and University ministry







Ellen Quarles-an American, married to a Spaniard, on the field in Barcelona working in High School Ministry





Donna Cannella-an American, married to a Spaniard, on the field in Barcelona working in University Ministry.








Please pray for these women. Pray that they would be encouraged by the news of having a mentor as they raise financial support. Pray for their hearts, that the Lord would whisper to them of their incredible significance as His daughters and of His faithfulness to provide for their every need.

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