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