NEW YEAR 2025! – Vanrenterghem Update December 2024

The heart of man plans his ways, but the LORD establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Dear Friends, Family, and Loved Ones,

Happy New Year everyone! What a blessing it has been to look back over the year and see God’s amazing faithfulness, love, and provision. This concludes my last month before moving full time to Peru, and I am so excited for what God is going to do. But I also want to share some amazing things that happened in December!

First of all, in the beginning of the month I had the opportunity to go with a group from Calvary Chapel Saving Grace to a sister church in Pedregales, Mexico! During this time we helped them host a yearly children’s day-long VBS and shoebox gift giving. We went for a Friday and Saturday. Friday evening we also got to help with setting up and serving a group of women who came for a lady’s dinner event at the church.

I had the awesome role of leading the kids’ games! My custom the last two years when visiting my home church in Texas is to lead their games at the VBS, so I have gotten lots of experience leading games with kiddos! It is always an exhausting, but a very fun time. At the end of the VBS we handed out about 100 shoebox gifts for the children to open! It was so cool to hear all the screams of excitement and joy. It was actually so loud that it took me a solid minute before I could get them to quiet down as I got to give all the kids a goodbye message before they left. It was a challenging, but exciting little endeavor as I am improving my Spanish speaking skills.

Mid-December I went with Paul Rygalski to a safe home for girls out of trafficking located in California. Paul is a board member of Olive Crest, a faith-based foster organization on the West Coast. I believe God used that time greatly to help prepare me and give me practical advice and experience on how these types of homes function. Working with children and teenagers with severe trauma is no easy task. It takes a large team of people to make sure that they are recovering, safe, and able to grow and eventually transition to adulthood. While I was there I got to see a panorama of girls at different stages in their recovery. Each individual has different needs and different coping mechanisms, and being able to see how to handle different situations was a great help to know ways I will be able to organize, assist, and support the caretakers and psychologist when we begin the home in Peru.

Before Christmastime, my brother Jonathan finished his last semester at CBI Joshua Tree in Yucca Valley, CA. I got to go with my mom to his graduation! It has been a huge blessing to see him grow and change from where he was a year ago just coming out of rehab. Afterwards we brought him home and spent Christmas together. Then, after New Years, we dropped him back off for his new season as an intern at the school!

Christmastime this year was exciting, but also felt so different. It was just my parents, brother, and I at home, as one of my sisters moved to Missouri, and the other one is serving in the Middle East. The most difficult part about moving to another country is leaving family. But I realized that I need to make the most of this time while I am still here! Regardless of this big transition coming, it was an amazing season celebrating the birth of Christ, who is worthy of all our sacrifices in life. Now, with New Year’s past, God has been comforting me with Proverbs 16:9 as I look forward to His plans for me this year.

Finally, this season God has abundantly provided for me spiritually, physically, and financially. I am all set and ready to move the 18th of January to Peru and begin assisting this new children’s home with Cory. The main thing to be praying for right now is for the right property for the home; we are still looking!

Calling All Partners!

I will be moving to Peru January 18th. If you believe the Lord is calling you to be a part of this work He is doing through me for the children and church in Trujillo, you can do so through the “Financial Partner” button below! It is my honor to connect you, my sisters and brothers of the American Church to all God is doing on the mission field, and show you the fruit of your work through me.

Praise Reports

  • The wonderful time spent with family and friends during my last Christmas and New Year’s living in the USA.
  • All the continued prayer, encouragement, and financial support I have been receiving!
  • All the little ones in Mexico who got to enjoy presents for Christmas this year!

Prayer Requests

  • God to be glorified in the calling of rescuing children, and that many children will be saved and able to grow up in a Christ-centered home.
  • Legal and financial provision for a property that will have space for the church, Bible school, and children’s home.
  • Safety, strength, and an easy passage as I move down to Peru this January.