Friday, December 11, 2009

Join a Short-Term Team to Colombia

If you thought about a mission trip for this next year

PLEASE join us

February -Fowler Team

May Teay Valley Christian School Team

May-Campus Crusade Concord U. Team

June -Riverlawn Team

July- Perrow Youth Team

Thursday, December 10, 2009




Vacation good or bad????


Many of our boys go out for vacation

Same has some relatives others has friends

Same time is to much temptation to them to stay long time in the city

Please pray them can support the temptation to go back to their old style of life

Sending away














God has allowed us to raise support, being here in the USA, to send 5 of our youth in a Bible training away from Medellin, to God be the glory

Irinia, Andres, Carlos, John Wilmar, Alejander
















Enoc's English School

God is good, ALWAYS!
For 2 months Enoc was trying to be enrolled into a English school but is so many people waiting for it that he never was called
He was very discouraged until last week when he went to another school where is not a Spanish speaker, it is great, he has to speak only English and he is enjoying it, HALELUYA

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Enoc and Cristina will be visiting USA

Enoc and I will be spending some time in USA with the purpose to raise support to our ministry and to pay off our house

You can reach us in West Virginia, please give us a call: 304 941 4573 or Open Arms office 304 942 2301

We need to make as many as church appointment to present our ministry,and invite missionaries to come, please could you help us?

We are going to see you soon!

Open Arms entire church prayed and blessed our trip

The Open Arms Church


Many sons and daughters are following after our steps faithfully
Each one of them are leaders in diferent ends of Open Arm church












  • Every Sunday God is bringing more youth and children to our church, Glory be to Him

  • We had tree youth baptism this week, Glory be to God


  • Bulleted ListPlease pray that we may be able to purchase a tent for our cell group that meets on Wednesday nights in order to help with our lack of space problems. We currently have between 50 and 60 people and hope that the group will grow even more by the end of the year.

  • Please pray for the upcoming inauguration as we would like to turn the cell group into a Open Arms second church.

  • Please also pray that the Lord would provide the needed funds in order to purchase the property where the cell group is currently meeting so we can also re-open our girls´ home there for the sexually exploited girls.


Friday, September 18, 2009

Purpose Generation (level 5 boys)- Graduated










Andres Adan, 24 year old a men's hair dresser , Juan Guillermo Usuga 20 years old full time with Open Arms Church, Jorge Andre 23 years old guitar player, Mario 19 years old, full time motocycle mecanic


    Juan Guillermo Usuga, Jose Pablo, Jorge Andres lead God's service at the Boys' Farm, Glory be to God


  • Juan Guillermo Usuga is working full-time with the Foundation youth, including the Foundation church and the Robledo cell group. Please pray for wisdom and strength for him with his increased responsibilities, as well as for his economic needs.



  • Jose Pablo is going to start studying music at an institute on Saturdays, and is also working more with the youth of the Foundation church (as well as continuing working as a tutor at the boys´ farm during the week). Please pray for his economic needs in order to be able to study music and continue serving with the Foundation.



  • Jorge Gómez has now become a regular member of the worship team at the Foundation church, and continues studying music at a university. Praise the Lord that he is doing very well spiritually, but please pray for provision for his economic needs.


  • Andrés Adán as he currently has no place to live and is need of a job. Please pray for him



  • Mario has a full time job as a motocycle mecanic near by the Boys' farm


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Boys’ Farm (levels 2-4)-

All the boys got Bibles and they are proud of it
Jhon Jairo broke his arm. He are just boys

Boys are working at the farm's vegetables gardem


They enjoy they bakery classes





  • Enoc and I will have a entire day opportunity with the actual Boys' farm staff to share with them our 8 year of experiency being there, please pray God's wisdom for us to be able to share with them what God touch us as formers directors of the Boys' farm
  • Please pray for spiritual strength and authorith for the coordinator, Jorge Córdoba


  • Please pray for spiritual unity and harmony among the team. Please pray that the boys will have a true understanding of God´s Word.


  • Please also pray that the Lord will continue to free the boys from any temptations of drugs.
  • Please pray specifically for Jhon Fredy as he does not want to have anything to do with the Lord and has a hatred for his father.


  • Please also pray that the Lord will give complete liberation to Marlon and Alexander from their past.
  • Please also pray for emotional and spiritual health for Jhon Wilmar as he has been struggling with depression.

Before arrive in the Foundation! Alive or dead?

Boys' on the streets of Medellin before arrive to the Foundation

Boys’ Patio (level 1)-

  • Please pray that the Lord will make clear which boys should be part of the next group to be sent up to live at the boys´ farm at the end of October.
  • Please also pray for more workers in the Patio so that the work with the children in the “cuevas” (those addicted to hard-core drugs) may be continued.

Juan Guillermo (graduated) teaching the boys' Patio as he was taught 10 years ago when he started with the foundation as one of them

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

New Friends


Our boys once get graduated from the Boys' Farm they don't need to go out and look for new friends because the youth from Open Arms Church are their good friends
The youth from the Open Arms Church and Boys' Farm are leading the Service of Open Arms Church once a month
Last week we had a wonderful worship lead by Jorge Andres and Jose Pablo, both graduated from the Boys' Farm and Jose Pablo touch for the entire Church

God still doing miracles


Andres Montes, 22 years old
The oldest of 7 soblings, is deaf and barely could speak
But God still doing miracles among His people, after one year being part of the Children's church we are helping his to get education on carpentry treads, he is helping around the Foundation, , teaching bible studies to his younger brother and sister at his small house (shack) at Moravia, the trash dump neighborhood we work with

Youth worship and teach the youth

OUR SON'S THAT HAS GRADUATED FROM THE BOYS' FARM ARE LEADING THE WORSHIP AT OPEN ARMS CHURCH AND TEACHING THE YOUTH AND ONCE A MONTH THE ENTIRE CHURCH

Monday, August 17, 2009

God does miracles


Andres Montes is a deaf leader at Children' Church that God is raising him up and he is teaching Bible studies every week

Boys are sick, we pray, God heal and our faith increase

Taking the Gospel outside the Church







Every week boys and girls from Boys' Farm and Open Arms Church we take the Gospel into areas were no one wants to go, but God's Word is changing lives

Friday, August 14, 2009

Our home is God's home for daily prayer, teaching, counseling...

Once a Begger and now God's worshiper

This is a history of each one of us. One time was totally lost in sin, God tool him (OAF), touch the love of God and His people, it was not easy, but God didn't let him go and now JORGE ANDRES is a worship leader at God's house. Only God know the end from the beggining. PRAISE GOD!















Redeem (the program for sexually exploited girls)-

This is Kelly,14, she is one of the girls that is at our daily program

Please pray for additional workers as the number of girls and families has greatly increased with the opening of the new girls´ prevention program last month.
Please pray that the spiritual area of the Patio program will be strengthened, for wisdom and spiritual strength
for the workers, and for the families of our workers.
Please also pray that we may be able to reopen our girls´ home in God´s timing.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR BOYS







1.Our boys need more Skill training on bakery, garden, carpentry, computer

2.Please also pray that there will be more harmony among the boys, God gives them the Spirit of brotherhood and not competition



3.Please pray they will have a greater desire to study



4.Their desire for God be more them a desire for food



5. Almost every week some boy is delivered from a strong hold of a wrong life style, it can be from homesexuality, abuse, robbery, rebelion, please pray that they can fulfill themselves with the Holy Spitiry

6. All of our boys were abused (physical, sexual, emocinally,etc...) please that God can give them a heart that can forgive their abusers

7.Please pray for more resources for the boys—especially shoes for playing/sports.

8.Please pray for wisdom for the team at the farm, and that they will have more time to meet together for devotions.

9. Please pray for more volunteers at the farm—especially men







Boys’ Patio (level 1)

Juan Guillermo,14, doesn't know how to write or read. He is only one of many that still on the streets. We teach God's Word every day for them.
Please pray that the Lord will bring more street boys to the Patio between the ages of 7 and 13. Pray for donations of clothing for the boys. Please also pray that the Lord will continue to give strength to the educators so that they may continue to show the love of Christ to these needy children.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Generation for Christ

  1. Please pray for these first new generation for Christ
  2. Open Arms church is bringing God's good new and hope for more than 150 children every week
  3. We had a evangelical day for 47 children from 9 to 12 years old last Monday
  4. They are a first Christian of their families
  5. Children that were abuse
  6. Children that were rejected
  7. Children that are changing their behavior at home and at school

Changing from night to day

  1. Please pray for our girls that are part of our daily program during the day
  2. They just play at our pool as normal kids
  3. During the nights they became part of sexul abuse (sexual explotation)
  4. Please pray that we be able to have a bigger house for the girls

Boys' Farm retreat with Riverlawn Church

  1. God was glorified in a two days retreat we made with all 37 boys from the farm
  2. Riverlawn church was part of our retreat
  3. Our boys behavior and actitud were very good at the retreat
  4. Made boys had a real encounter with God
  5. Many boys had been delivered from evil spirits at the retreat

Boys' Farm testemony


Name: Arnulfo Torres Florez


Date of Birth: August 2nd, 1997


Arnulfo, 11 years old, is from the coastal city of Santa Marta. He left his home because he was being mistreated. His family used to send him to the streets to sell cookies. However, one day he lost the money and was afraid to return to his house since they would beat him very hard for this, so he decided to run away to Medellin. Soon afterwards, he began to attend our Patio day program, and then was able to move up to the boys’ farm in January of this year.

Since moving up to the farm, Arnulfo says that he has learned many things. He has learned to respect the other boys, to live in peace, to be content with all that he has been given, and, more importantly, has gotten to know God our Father. He is a very happy and intelligent boy who is interested in his academic classes. He is learning to read better each day, and does well in mathematics. He really likes to play soccer and to participate in the soccer training twice a week. He also enjoys going to church. He shares that his favorite person from the Bible is Jesus Christ, and he especially likes the praise song “It is good to praise the Lord”.

Please pray that Arnulfo will continue to grow in his relationship with the Lord and for reconciliation with his family. Since living at the boys’ farm, he has now been in communication with his mother who plans to come to Medellin to visit him. Thank you for helping make a difference in Arnulfo’s life.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR BOYS



  1. Wilmar,15 is playing in a soccer camping with the possibility to go and play in Europe

  2. Please pray for his self-esteem, fear, insecurity

  3. He is orfan

















  1. They come from broken families, drug addiction background, sexual abuse and satan uses all these to control their lives, emotions and behavior





  2. Pray for the teaching, that God can speak to them and bring the changes He wants in their lives





  3. Pray for deliverance from satan spirits that still controling them





  4. Pray for freedom for their emotions and minds





  5. Pray for restoration of their identity





  6. Pray for them to receive the forgiveness Christ offer and be able to offer forgiviness for those that made wrong against them

Jose Pablo is waiting on God

Please pray for Jose Pablo as he feels a desire to serve as a pastor and would like to prepare himself by studying in seminary. Pray that the Lord will provide financially so that he can begin his studies. Juan Guillermo Usuga has almost completed his 6 months of work at the boys’ farm as planned, and would like to work full-time with the youth in the church beginning in July. Please pray that this would be financially possible for him.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Life changing experience

  1. Our girls from our daily program receive God's word every day
  2. Our girls are learning that they are important for God
  3. Our girls are learning that God has a big plan for their lives

Our girls are bringing their families to church

Redeem (the program for sexually exploited girls)- Please pray that we will be able to increase the number of girls attending our Patio program as required by the new contract, and that we will have the needed workers and volunteers to attend to the greater number. Please also pray that the Lord will give us strategies and wisdom so that we can help the girls stay at the home and that they will be able to overcome the temptations of the streets. Please also pray for a new home for the girls as the contract for the home they are currently in will be expiring soon at the end of June.

Boys' Farm

)- Please pray for obedience among the boys, that they will value the things and opportunities that they have, and that they will have self-love. Please also pray for spiritual discernment for both the boys and the educators. Please pray that the educators will have a special sensitivity and understanding of these boys as they seek to guide them.

Seeking the lost

Open Arms Church Update

Please pray for the spiritual and numerical growth of the cell groups for adults, youth and childrem, and for the development of leadership. Please also pray as we would like to start cell groups for the older youth so they can have edifying activities and healthy relationships not only on Sundays but also during the week. Please also be praying as we would like to send two of our youth to a special missionary training conference in December. Our Girls' Program did a dance presentation. They enjoy being part of the Church. Daniela's entire family came to church to visit her. Parents are coming to church because of their childrem are coming first.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Two Different Views of Medellin - What it's really like in our city.

Recently, a friend of ours, Andrew Burnett from Oregon, spent several days here in Medellin getting acquainted with our town and ministry with Open Arms Foundation. Check out his video to see some sites and sounds of the city.



About a year ago Medellin was visited by Anthony Bourdain and his production crew for an episode of No Reservations which aired on The Travel Channel. Here is one of 5 parts of the Colombia episode which can be found on Youtube.com.



Of course, there is a different side to Medellin, one that is not very attractive. You won't see this side on the Travel Channel, but we see it everyday. Maybe some time soon we will show the darker side. Each day Open Arms Foundation reaches out to little boys and girls who live on our streets. Drugs, prostitution, hunger, loneliness, fear, poverty, desporation. These too are also the sites and sounds of our beautiful city.

Please pray for Enoc and I, that God would continue to give us His Grace as we face each new day.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

OPEN ARMS BOYS' FARM







Join us in this "REFUGE" at the Boys' Farm, where lives are changed, once dead in the drugs and now renewed by the love of Open Arms staff, missionaries, volunteers. Christ's forgiveness changed them into a new creation.

CHRIST'S CHURCH IS CHANGING A GENERATION




Our Chuch is growing, we had two babies dedicated this month.

We are going into the neighborhoods were no one wants to go and reaching those that Jesus came for: the children, the poor, the outcast.

Every week many children come to Christ by the teaching of God's Word and Bible Studies.

These are some children that will will someday become leaders and are helping us to change their own neighborhood.

Monday, March 23, 2009

OPEN ARMS GIRLS' HOME







Before the girls' house




and 8 month later
















AS YOUNG AS 7 YEARS OLD