On Calories and Confidence

Friday afternoon: Auri just called between classes at the university. She’ll stop by after class to continue our study of the book of Ephesians. I know she’ll come with pages of written observations from the text—she’s an overachiever! I pull out my notes to review the next chapter, wondering if I’ll be able to answer her challenging questions! As we study, munching on almonds, we talk about how she can teach what she’s learning to the church youth group.

Monday night: Jackie, Josefina, and I stand around the kitchen table, chatting and snacking on bowls of tropical fruit and yogurt after our weekly small group meeting. Tonight, half of the ten people present are teenagers (who are sad that we’re having fruit instead of nachos). Bob is taking a few weeks to cover biblical prophecy—teaching this week about the Tribulation. The questions continue to flow as the group gravitates toward the table. Jackie suddenly turns to me and asks, “Can we study the Bible together?” Those are words I have been waiting to hear!

Tuesday: Bob and I are invited to lunch—a long-promised lasagna—at Alex’s apartment. Alex is the younger “elder” at church. As the lasagna finishes baking, Alex and Bob are searching the Internet for Spanish resources (after checking the NBA statistics of course). They are both excited to have 15 men in the church who want more biblical training.

Wednesday night: Henry and Blanca join us at a local restaurant to make long-range plans for the couple’s ministry at Central Church. We’ve been working as a team for three years now. As the conversation takes a turn, Henry asks, “Why don’t you consider working with us for the next 20 years?” Food for thought!

Thursday evening: We meet with a young couple who are unhappy and stressed in their marriage. As we share a pizza (comfort food), we gently explore with them what causes them to feel unloved or disrespected in their relationship. Over the course of the last few weeks, their anger and defensiveness have decreased in intensity. They have actually followed some of our suggestions!

These and other opportunities to build others up are coming our way more often now that we are beginning our sixth year in Santiago. We are tasting the sweet fruit of trust—trust built over shared day-to-day experiences (and an unhealthy consumption of calories!). It takes time for people to know these two “foreigners” in their midst—time to see if our words and actions match up; time to see if we can keep a confidence; time to see if we are teachable ourselves and willing to serve the national leadership.

We realize that this time—the time it has taken to earn confidence—is a gift from those of you who pray and give so that we can minister here. Just as confidence builds over time, spiritual growth also takes time. Thanks to you, we have the joy of seeing God transform people—starting with us. We appreciate your prayers that God will continue His work in and through us, and that we will be worthy of the trust that people place in us.

Earl Turned North and Psalm 19; Our Vacation

Thank you so much for your prayers for us as we traveled from Santiago, DR to Richmond VA and then Dallas. Earl gave us no problems and we arrived at Reagan Washington National Wednesday afternoon Sept 1. We had more trouble with I-95's traffic in Fredericksburg VA than Earl--the backup at Route 1 Massaponax exit was two miles in the right-hand lane. I winced at the commute. I helped dad take off a few things from the oil truck he wrecked last year. Helping him was pure joy especially since he could have been easily killed in his accident.

We flew to Dallas Sept 4 and took Judy's mom to Colorado. We visited Denver and the Rocky Mountain National Park outside of Estes Park. Trail Ridge Road gave beautiful mountain vistas. The road runs 12,000 feet above sea level and above the tree line. Due to the cold wind, we even saw snowfall Sept 10.

As I write, I'm reading Psalms 19.1-6, "The heavens declare the glory of God!" AMEN!! They do just that in the Rockies!

We flew back to Richmond Sept 18 and then took my parents to western North Carolina. My mom's family comes from Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain, NC--my grandmother told me that my great-grandfather was born on GF mt. In my case, GF mt is well-named. Continuing Psalms 19.1-6, God gave us a group of butterflies that had landed just below the Blue Ridge Viaduct Bridge at GF Mt, along the path under the bridge. Judy got good pictures of them.

We visited the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte NC the next day. The Spirit of God is at work there as I came away touched by a man who in giving his life totally to Jesus Christ has touched millions with his message and humility.

Many years ago he struggled with the Bible's claim of inspiration (meaning that God spoke it) and inerrancy. He made a faith-based decision that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. Remembering that, Psalm 19.7-14 states, "The law of the LORD is perfect."

Now that we are back in the DR, how can I apply what I've seen and heard? First, due to Mr Graham's life and ministry, I must be bolder in sharing Jesus Christ, taking every opportunity to do so. Second, Psalm 19.14 states, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." AMEN!!