Happy Easter!It’s Friday, but Sunday is ComingMore than 2,000 years ago, followers of Christ were hopeless. On a Friday, their Savior had been crucified on a cross, the most terrible way to die. The message for Christians is hope. It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming — and with it is resurrection and life eternal! God gave HOPE to the world for those who believe and have faith in Him. Isaiah 61:1b tells us why Christ came. “He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.“ This all was sealed by the resurrection of Jesus, which we celebrate every Easter. Merry Christmas from SIFAT!During this Christmas season, I want to thank our staff, supporters, board members, international mission teams, Learn & Serve participants, work teams, volunteers and our training graduates who are serving in hard places of the world for joining us in SIFAT’s ministry! Thousands of SIFATers across many countries are working together to share God’s love in practical ways through SIFAT. Those of you receiving this letter are part of that global fellowship with us. God’s Kingdom work is empowered and multiplied when we are united in our efforts for Him. I am deeply thankful for you and wish you a Merry Christmas!  Merry Christmas from the SIFAT staff! Merry Christmas 2020!Dear friends of SIFAT, When we sat down to write a Christmas letter last year, we were filled with excitement to start our 41st year of ministry. Plans were coming together for our international training events, teams were preparing for trips to Bolivia and Ecuador and our campus staff was scheduling groups throughout the year. Who would have imagined what transpired just a few months later! Our world completely changed in a few weeks. But, we’ve seen good things come from these trying times. In our local communities, we see neighbors helping neighbors through food drives and shopping local. We have seen a push for “good news” stories that highlight caring for one another. You may have even started following new social media outlets that share these stories or forwarded an email to send someone a smile. Happy Easter from SIFATDownload a PDF copy of this Easter 2020 mailing from SIFAT Written by Kathy Bryson, SIFAT’s training director I have met many incredible people who have overcome adversity and are determined to make a difference in the lives of others. I want to share Anner Sagustame’s story with you. Anner is from rural Honduras and has been doing an agricultural internship with us in Costa Rica, helping to set up demonstration models for family gardens and conserving soil and water. He will return soon to graduate at his agriculture college in Honduras. He wants to learn more at SIFAT about appropriate technologies in water purification, solar energy, simple water pumps for irrigation, preventing malnutrition in children and community development.  Anner and his grandmother Merry Christmas from SIFAT!“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 At this time of year, we want to THANK YOU for helping SIFAT share the love of Christ to so many people around the world. We sing the song “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year”, but without people like you that have supported SIFAT in 2019 (and for the last 40 years) with your time, talents and treasures, there would be hundreds of people around the world that look at December 25 as just another day of struggling to survive.
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