Living A Life of Faith: L’Chaim Pura Vida Part 2
In part 1 of Living A Life of Faith: L’chaim Pura Vida (CLICK HERE for part 1) you were introduced to the ministry Family Gospel World Missions, more specifically, the Montañez Family. Two weeks ago we posted about the visit of one of the 119 families visiting them and how they had met a couple of the people mentioned in this week's post, as well as pictures to go with it. (CLICK HERE to see that post) This week we are going to hear a little more from them about the people they help as well as projects they are currently either working on or planning for the future.
Living A Life of Faith: L'Chaim Pura Vida Part 2
In addition to the poor, fatherless and the widows, we would like to be able to bring even more blessings to those that know and respect us. Those people who know and respect us are those who we would like to bless more. Those who have defended us against the attacks from the church; they shared with us when we had only bananas to eat while we found the finances to meet the requirements to be able to apply for our visa. These people such as Eulogio and Benilda; hardworking people desiring to be a blessing to others even when they have been taken advantage of.
THE PEOPLE
Eulogio and Benilda Obando
Ever since the day they came to our door seeking the Truth, we have spent a lot of time with this couple. When we first met them it was hard to see them struggle as they slipped through the mud in order to reach an outhouse. After we had shared about their outhouse online, Eulogio and Benilda received an indoor bathroom thanks to a donation from 119 Ministries. We
now meet with them regularly to share Torah, help one another, and to fellowship. Their support to our family means much more than what we can do for them.
They have started keeping Shabbat. Through many videos and teachings we have shared with them, they now understand much more. Eulogio continues to work hard at his age of 65 and is stronger than 
many young men. Unfortunately, they still face their own struggles such
as their wooden house is falling apart due to termites. They have had issues with the water supply this year, but we were able to get hoses for them so they could have steady water. Despite these and other struggles, they continue to persevere and grow in their walk with Abba YHWH.
Filiberto and Selmira
They are an elderly couple that we met when we moved here. They had no walls, electric, or water, and the outhouse they had was very rustic. They had moved to the city, but Filiberto had gotten depressed and would not eat. He had to stay inside all of the time. After a few trips to the hospital they decided to come back to a plot of land they had, but they ran out of money. They used pieces from other old abandoned houses in the area that were given to them to build a floor and a roof. 
We saw their need and felt compassion for them. Thanks to donations from our brothers and sisters in Messiah, we were able to get materials so that they could have walls, water, electricity, and a bathroom instead of an outhouse. They have also received the materials for a kitchen floor, but have been unable to find someone with 
the expertise to lay the foundation so the flooring can be installed. Although they do not keep Torah, we live the Torah in front of them so the love, righteousness, and justice of our Elohim may be known to them.
Geronima del Carmen Bermudez
A true widow is hard to find. She allowed us to stay at her home when we visited Nicaragua. She has no children and is a widow with no pensions. In her old age of 73, she can’t do much and living alone makes her fear of death. As we support her and share her afflictions we have been able to teach her Torah. She says, “I know what you teach me is the truth”. 'Tia' Carmen comes and stays with us every time she visits our area. Some churches invite her to share the word and when she sees their rejection of YHWH's commandments, it saddens her. Please pray for her needs.
Our Little Friends
In addition to those already mentioned, there are the needs of little ones who are not responsible for the walk of their parents. We have helped some of these in need in whatever way we can, whether it is hospital needs, school clothes, etc. These children are an inheritance from YHWH and greet us with shalom; they know the name of Yeshua when we visit them.
There are others we meet with and help including some local indigenous tribes up here in the mountains.
Our Current and Future Projects:
Wonderbag/oven
We are always praying about ways to help others. A recent idea came from a dear friend who visited the farm. Our day-to-day activities reflect that of the local people. Most of what we eat comes from the farm, our water comes from the stream, and while we do have gas to cook with we also do a lot of cooking on the fire. We are always looking for ways to save money; using what we have and teaching others to do the same. The Wonderoven has been a blessed addition to our kitchen as well as others. The idea comes from cooking in a hole under the ground or in a haybox. Its shape is similar to a bean bag. Since we do our best to recycle and reuse what we have, ours are made with cotton fabric, well-used cotton sheets, and denim material. It is insulated with blankets and broken pieces of old foam.
The children and families receiving the Wonderovens have been 
helping in breaking up the foam and doing some of the sewing. If you live in the city you might not think about how you are going to cook your food, but there have been times during the rainy season when we have run out of gas and have had to try and cook with damp wood. The Wonderoven saves on gas and electric and reduces the amount of wood needed for cooking. There are no firehazards for the wood kitchens or to young children. You just bring your food to a boil, place the pot in the bag, close it up and your done. Using the Wonderoven has blessed others in several ways, such as spending less time in the kitchen, not having to cook over fire in hot temperatures, and it can save up to 50% on gas and electric, money that can be spent on other things to help their families.
Future Plans for the Wonderoven
There are several things we would like to see done with this project. Our first priority should be that the families who need it would be able to receive one. We would like to make them available for purchase and for every one bought, one will be donated to a needy family. Selling the Wonderovens helps to offset the cost of the materials as well as provide a little extra income to the local women that help in sewing them enabling them to help support their families.
Soaps
We try to live with what Abba provides. We also want our bodies to be as healthy as possible. As we learn we share with those around us. We used to buy cheap soap to give away to the poor, soap we would not usually use ourselves. After about a year of making our own soap we have been blessed with some very good and wonderfully inexpensive fats to make soaps for others. Not only are they high quality, they are also nontoxic and contain cow or sheep's milk. Our garden has provided a bountiful harvest of other ingredients as well, like rosemary, lemon zest, turmeric and peppermint. It is one of the small ways we help people get clean and healthy and it gives us another avenue to speak with them about keeping our bodies Spiritually clean as well.
Future Plans for Soaps
Our goal is to sell these specialty soaps with all proceeds going to help the poor and needy in our area.
Underwear
About two years ago, we had a family with several girls living with us. While doing their laundry one day, we discovered that they really 
needed new undergarments. It was not something within our budget to go out and buy, but after much prayer, Abba helped us to remember seeing something online. Wow! We began making new underwear from old t-shirts. All the girls as well as mom got some. Last year, someone came to visit and brought us some fabric that allowed us to make about 40 pairs of girl’s and women’s underwear to give to the local people. Those are things you never really think about.
Future Plans:
Our goal later this year is to be able to make more to give away.
Modest Swimwear
We believe that the people of YHWH need to be modest and stay away from nakedness. At a beach it is difficult to tell the difference between believers and unbelievers. While the culture continues to move more and more towards sexuality and nakedness, we desire to be set apart and to show others to do the same. We have made several modest swimsuits for children in our area.
Future Plans:
In the future we hope to be able to not only sell them but also provide them to the children and young women who have a desire to dress modestly in an immodest environment.
L'chaim Pura Vida Home Improvement
There have been instances when we have encountered people with 
needs beyond comprehension: Times where compassion truly touches our hearts. Usually they are elderly, or widows with no children. We have encountered houses without walls, outhouses far from their houses, no electricity or running water. It is very hard to see the elderly living in these conditions. As we travel and meet people, we encounter some cases that touch us deeply and we pray to Abba YHWH that He provides so that we can at least help. “True religion to the widows and fatherless,” as James called it.
Future Plans:
We pray that Abba provides through His people so we can have funds set aside designated for these type of needs that we consider the sooner the better for them.
The Food That the Farm Produces
We can plant year around in the tropics. Living in Puerto Rico helped us learn about most of the plants that grow here. We share a portion of what we grow with families; especially those with children. Learning what to eat locally and how to make the recipes that we have learned from years of travel helps give us ideas on how to eat the most common crops. We also teach cuisine from our Caribbean heritage and other inventions of our own. Although we sell some of what the farm produces we can do it at very affordable prices. Some ask us why we sell eggs cheaper than everyone and we answer that it is a blessing from YHWH to those who bless us. Few can afford to eat meat in our area and much less lamb. HalleluYAH that YHWH has blessed us and we can share lamb meat with some of our friends.
Future Plans:
We hope that we can expand our garden and be able to adapt to the drastic changes in weather to produce and share more with the help of Abba. Also we would like to improve the lamb-breeding program to have better size and quality.
Herbal Remedies
The remedies our grandparents used has helped us a lot here in the mountains, especially during the rainy season. Our garden serves a dual purpose; it provides us with food and health remedies. We are a generation of Google and WebMD nowadays, but traditionally wild plants have been used by locals for centuries. We strive to learn about these medicinal plants and herbal remedies that have been passed down for generations. We collect plants and seeds and preserve them in our care for when they are needed. Even though we might take something here and there when we feel sick, we rely mostly on prayer and the Name of YAH!
Future Plans:
We hope to be able to propagate and increase the number of medicinal plants so that we can share more of these with those in need. Not only do we desire to make the remedies to give but also to give them the plants themselves so that they can have their own.
Mission Trips
In the future, as YHWH provides, we would like to be able to visit places such as Chile, Dominican Republic and Argentina where some servants of YHWH live. We have been able to share our offerings and teachings with them from here; however it would be great to be able to encourage them in person.
Future Plans:
We would also like to return to Northern Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama to visit some small congregations, communities, and families who feel alone in the faith. In Nicaragua, there is a widow whom we have supported for the last 3 years; she now has some needs that we would like to help with.
CONCLUSION
As a ministry it is our strong desire to teach Torah to all people, but especially to the poor, the widows, and the orphans where we live and any other place YHWH directs. As such, we come across a great many needs. The greatest need is prayer for us and for all whom we come in contact with.
We ask for your prayers. Please pray that Abba continues to provide the strength and resources we need to do his good work, teaching others to follow his Torah and taking care of the poor, the widows, and the orphans.
If you would like to know more about what we do, how we live, or how YHWH is using us to do his work, please visit us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/lchaimpuravida
We will strive to keep this up-to-date and give praise reports as the needs are met.
Shalom
The Montañez family
As before, we hope that you have been blessed by this peek inside the life of a family dependent upon the provision of the Creator.
Shalom
119 Ministries
