Fall 2024 Newsletter

 

Hi everyone!

 

Here is a brief update on what has happened in the last few months.  The Revised Standard Version of the Bible says in Probverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established.”  My last letter had all the summer plans for the trip to the States. In April I made plans for one more trip up river to participate in a celebration with the church in Caballo Cocha.  After arriving in the port in Caballo Cocha, I prepared to disembark from the launch when in the act of sitting on the deck my right hip dislocated.  This was the same hip that dislocated 2 years ago after the total hip replacement in Bogota.  I was rushed back to Leticia and taken to the ER where the orthopedic surgeon popped the hip back in place and gave me the option to be sent to Bogota for a revision or to have the revision done in the States.  I chose the States. To say the least, the next few months were quite challenging.  I made all the appointments to meet with the surgeon that replaced my left hip last year. The day of the appointment the right hip slid out again. To make a long story short, I was taken to emergency in Detroit and was attended to by team members of my surgeon. The hip was popped back in once more and the surgeons office brought me in and set up the date for a revision surgery.  July 2, 2024 the surgery was excellently done and for the next 2 and a half months I focused on healing and therapy.

 

Even though I was not able to visit with the churches or attend the family reunion in Myrtle Beach, God continued to show Himself very caring towards me during the time of convalescence.

The four major blessings that God gave to me (among many little ones) were:

1. To be able to attend my niece's quincinera coming of age party
2. Receive better health care insurance coverage
3. Attend my oldest brother's 70^th birthday celebration
4. Continue with discipleship and Spanish classes with my students on the What'sApp application

God used my baby sister and her husband also, my friend Monifa (who visited with me last year here in the Amazon) to show me great hospitality by providing a place to stay while I was going through all the processes of hip revision surgery.  A special thanks to them and to all that were praying for my speedy recovery.

 

The doctor released me to return home to Colombia 2 and a half months after the surgery.  I arrived in Leticia in time to host the group of leaders from Caballo Cocha for the Pastor's and Leadership Conference.  I was also asked to host a young man from Switzerland as he was getting experience learning about the ministry of the church and disciplining the people here in the Amazpm.  It has been a joy having him visiting.  The seventh of December we will be headed up to Caballo Cocha to help prepare the church for a regional wide crusade with guest speaker Brian Bolt and about 29 persons more from the States.  We will be celebrating the new church building that has been built to accommodate the new members, and baptizing those who have been recently added to the church.  What a joy it is to be apart of what God is doing in Caballo Cocha.  Thanks to the Greater Damascus Church  in Hazelhurst, Mississippi that gave generously to this project and thanks to those of you who have been praying for the discipleship of this church.  I truely believe that God is going to reach many lives through the pastors Maritza and Fernando who are training and equipping their members to reach the unreached in this region of the Amazon.  Your prayers and giving are making this possible.

 

The next few months I will be working very closely with our brothers and sisters teaching the basic fundamentals of the faith as found in Hebrews 5-6:1-3.  Please pray that God will bestow upon me wisdom and anointing as I teach these young babes in Christ.  Alexandre will be going back to Switzerland to complete his civil service obligations.  Pray for him as he will be making some great life decisions in his service with the Lord.  Also, continue to pray for Nataly (the daughter of the Pastors of Caballo Cocha) She has returned home to help out there and continues to seek God's direction for her life.

 

I pray that you all will have a wonderful holiday season and that you prosper as your soul prospers.

 

 

Adventuring with Christ,

Min. Orchidy T Boyd

Exec. Director African American Mobilization Services (AFAMMS)

Spring News Letter

 

 

Wow! Wow! Wow! God is moving big time here in The Amazonas.  Since the pandemic, the church here in Leticia has grown.  Mission Ministries (MDM) is the covering of AFAMMS here in Leticia Amazonas. I have been watching God move with great excitement. This newsletter will share with you the highlights of what God has been doing here.

 

Last year we hosted the Pastor's and Leadership Conference at our church.  I shared in the last newsletter how God allowed us to bless the indigenous pastors who work in hard-to-reach places on the Amazon River and its tributaries.  This year Pastor Julio gave a challenge to all the leadership at MDM and the Houses of Faith to do an evangelistic outreach to a minimum of 50 persons including refreshments.  WOW God! The leadership took up the challenge which resulted in over 1,000 persons receiving the gospel message, over 1,000 persons receiving refreshments and a major growth in the local church at MDM. Good Friday was encountered with the great revelation that the church building where we have been meeting can no longer host major events.  The church was so packed full that about 100 persons were seated on the floor, the chairs were placed to the edge of the wall with only a small isle for walking, the back doors were opened out toward the street and still people were standing. Therefore (of course), we are in a major building project.  The present building will be used for youth and children ministries. We are now feeding over 100 children on Saturdays. The challenge has been given to as many as desire to sow $130.00 as many times as they are moved to do so until July 31^st for the purchasing and foundations of the new building that they sow.  (Luke 7:4-5)

 

The churches that are under MDM are all growing to the extreme.  Besides serving on the praise and worship team, I am working with 3 churches on the Peruvian side of the Amazon. The church in Caballo Cocha Peru has been ministering in San Juan. We are all in building projects and exploding with people.  Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to the harvest. I believe that these are the end times. There is much to do before the rapture. We need people, money and PRAYERS! What is God saying to you?  How can you be a part of what God is doing here in Leticia?

 

The last 2 months I have received the daughter of the pastors in Caballo Cocha.  Her name is Nataly.  She is staying with me to complete her schooling in order to study economics here in the university in Leticia.  This is a 3 – 4-year commitment.  When she finishes, she will have a higher education than most of her family and peers in her community.  Since their church is growing so much, there is great need for someone who can steward the blessings of God that is being poured out on this church. Please pray for divine wisdom on my part as I am teaching and supplementing her training and discipleship.

 

The middle of July to the middle of August I will be in the States to work on AFAMMS documentation, visit with some churches, assist my niece's quincinera, attend a women's conference and see family and friends. Continue to pray and give. Remember “The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” KJV If you would like to participate in the financial challenge of sowing, My contact info is above. I hope to see many of you soon.

 

Giving Link http://afamms.blogspot.com

 

Adventuring with Christ,

Orchidy T Boyd

Executive Director AFAMMS

 

African American Mobilization Services (AFAMMS)

Min. Orchidy T. Boyd— AFAMMS— PO Box 39803 – Redford, MI   48239-0803

What's App or Call Colombian Cell: +57 312.557.5379

United States Phone Number: 1 313 903 5662

PayPal address: safricanamericanmobilization@yahoo.com

E-mail: orchi41@gmail.com  Website: http://afamms.blogspot.com

November News Letter

Wow!! It is so good to be back in Colombia. Since April 14 th until September the 19th , I was in the USA receiving a total hip replacement and therapy. All went so very well! Some of the problems with the right hip replacement from last year were corrected and now I am just working on strengthening the muscles. God is good! Thank you to all who were praying for me during that whole process.
While in the States, I was able to visit with a number of friends, family and churches who have been an encouragement to me over the years as I have been ministering abroad. Some of the highlights were spending time with my oldest sister and her new missionary friends. Time spent with her allowed me to get reacquainted with old neighborhood friends and family. Thanks Chrys for drawing us
all together. One of the special things of which I became aware was, even though my communication with you all since the pandemic was very sparse do to the lack of good internet signal here in Leticia; your prayers and giving actually increased. I would like to share with you all some of the things that God has been doing through AFAMMS as a result of your prayers and giving since last year. He has done SOOO much! Last year after I returned from the States my desire to minister up river grew strong. I spoke with my pastor in Leticia and he expressed a need to have someone to do discipleship with two of the churches under the covering of Ministerio de Misiones (MDM).  I was very willing and God had already given me the teachings that were to be used from the discipleship manual that I had written during the pandemic.
I stayed for about a month in Caballo Cocha Peru teaching on the 7 fundamentals of the faith as found in the last section of Hebrews chapter 5 and the beginning of Hebrews chapter 6. I also taught basic music with the praise and worship team and those who desired to learn more about music. I believe that God formed a special bond with these pastors in Caballo Cocha. The time spent there was also
a time of encouraging the pastors and developing the vision that God has given to them. As I taught, God was confirming His word with signs and wonders of healing and deliverance as He said He would in Mark 16. WOW! WOW! WOW!  I got back in time to host pastors and to participate with the worship team in the first International Pastor's and Leadership Conference in MDM. Brazil, Colombia, Peru and various Indigenous tribal groups participated, were challenged and refreshed. Through the
offerings we were able to give a boat with motor to one of the pastors who worked in a very remote region. WOW! WOW! WOW!
In January of this year, I traveled to the second church which was in Iquitos Peru. There I taught the 7 fundamentals of the faith and ministered the same as led by the Holy Spirit. The music classes and the time spent with the pastors and youth of this church were awesome. We gave certificates and had a joyous time baptizing those who placed their faith in Jesus. WOW! WOW! WOW!  Just before coming to the States for my left hip replacement Frontier Gospel Ministries asked if I could do a Praise and Worship
Seminar in Caballo Cocha. I said yes. The joy of seeing your students understand that praise and worship is not just something that is performed on a stage but rather an expression to God through an intimate relationship with Him was awesome. Song, dance, instruments, giving of our time, talents, money and obedience to His will in one's life with a willing spirit and spending time with Him brings great joy to our Father. One of the students used his creativity to make a drum set out of tambourines, buckets and kitchen pots. Check out the video and pictures on the web: http://afamms.blogspot.com WOW! WOW! WOW!
I was able to connect with many of you (even if for a brief time) while in the States recuperating from the surgery, Two really neat things happened. One of the 2 girls that AFAMMS sponsored for girl's camp returned with me to Colombia with her mother to better acquaint themselves with the ministry here in the Amazon and to assist in the preparations for the second Pastor's and Leadership
conference. Which, by the way, was off the chain!! This year about 14 different tribes were represented and many of these pastors take the gospel to extremely remote areas of the Amazon. We were able to bless 14 of these pastors with hand made boats and Peki Peki motors. You did this with your giving and prayers. The other neat thing was that one of the churches that have been supporting me for years made a commitment to not only financially support but to come visit for a short-term outreach in 2024. Please pray for them as they take on this endeavor. WOW! WOW! WOW!
 

One more big praise and celebration!! In the month of October MDM baptized over 100 persons in the Takana River. ALELUIA!!

Still Adventuring with Christ,
Min. Orchidy T Boyd
Execu. Dir. AFAMMS

March 2023 News letter

Yes I am still here in the Amazon! This past year was full of challenges.  

From the wedding of my daughter Neivy and Junior Santana in February to my return from the States in September, God's care and encouragement for me was evident.

 

After the wedding, I left for Bogota to receive a total hip replacement. The month of march was all about the surgery and recuperation. At the end of the allotted therapy sessions, my brother Lusire called to let me know that my father was in his last days so I decided to go to the States instead of returning to Leticia.  Praise God that I made the right decision to got to the States.  I arrived on March 30^th  and had a chance to talk with my Dad.  A few days later on April 4^th my new hip slid out of position and I was rushed to emergency.  I praised God that I had come home to Michigan. If I had returned to Leticia I would have died.  There is no technology in that region that could have handled my situation.  God is Good! Then on April 8^th my father went home to be with his Father. In the same week that we were burying my father, Benjamin (the boy who helped me raise money for the boat that I had when I lived in the jungle) also went home to be with the Lord at the young age of 17.  His parents who support and counsel me on my Board of Directors and his younger brother along with many who loved him and were ministered to by his life grieve his loss but with joy because we know that we wll see each other soon when the trumpet sounds.

 

The summer months were filled with God's presence as I was ministered to by family and friends.  Even though the recuperation and the emotional losses were challenging, God provided times of refreshing and healing as I got to spend quality time with camp friends and family. A special thanks to Huron Forest Camp CedarRidge for continuing to minister to boys, girls, teens and families. You have blessed me greatly! The National African American Mission Conference was also an encouragement to me as pastors and church leaders met in Virginia to plan and discuss ways to more effectively reach the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ through a network of organizations committed to helping one another in that task and vision that God has given each one. And last but not least, the opportunity to attend the virtual mission conference with the People's Community Baptist Church was a highlight of continual blessing.

 

The summer ended with an opportunity to share AFAMMS with a group of friends and family in the K.C. MO area, a new pastor in the Southwest Detroit, MI area and a celebration of my nephew and new niece Alexander and Felicia Boyd's wedding. AWESOME!!!!!

 

My niece Grace returned to Colombia with me to help me settle in and to get to know my life and ministry here in Leticia, Amazonas Colombia.  We had a great time being tourist and she had an opportunity to minister in music with the Praise and Worship team.  She was a real blessing to me as my body was adjusting anew to the life here in the Amazon.

 

After Grace left, my focus has been on strengthening my muscles for the next hip replacement in May 2023, discipleship of the churches under the covering of Pastor Julio Arley and Jenny Pacheco in Iquitos and Caballo Cocha Peru.  I taught from my first discipleship manual that God placed in my heart to write. Sorry but, I wrote it in Spanish so it will not be available in English until I can get it translated. I will be returning to Caballo Cocha March 30, 2023 to teach a 4 day Praise and Worship Seminar. Please keep me in your prayers so that I may teach what is on God's heart with wisdom and creativity.

 

April 12^th I will be returning to Detroit, Michigan in order to have the left hip replacement which is scheduled for May 11, 2023. After my time of recuperation, I pray that I will be able to visit with some of you before I return to Colombia September 19, 2023.  Imagine! It has been a year since I have been able to send out a newsletter because of the almost non-existent internet service here in the Amazon.  In the last month, it has finally improved. Yaaay!!! For those of you who have been able to keep up with my Facebook page, you are mostly up to date.  Remember! Your prayers are making a difference in the Three Frontiers (Colombia, Peru and Brazil).  Thank you!!!

 

 

Adventuring with Christ,

Min. Orchidy T Boyd

AFAMMS Execu. Dir.

Leticia, Amazonas Colombia