A New Perspective

It had been an exciting week in March.  The mission team was resting at the mission base while one team member, a dear friend for many years, sat on my sofa sharing a cup of coffee and catching up.  Her cheery smile, calm manner and twinkling eyes filled our living room with friendship as we talked about what the Lord had been doing in each of our lives for the past years.

As we discussed the current week she opened her heart concerning something the Lord had spoken to her.  She shared with me how she had prayed for the outreach to the Senior Citizen Center and the Lord had spoken to her about its importance and that for many of these seniors it would be the first AND LAST opportunity to hear the gospel.  What a profound - and simple- truth to grasp!

Brazos Abiertos in San José Pinula (the ministry my family founded) is dedicated to the evangelism and discipleship of CHILDREN.  We rarely strayed from that focus.  Sometimes I was quite adamant! 

As I stood in the entryway of the Senior Citizen Center last Friday with the mission team from Iowa, those words rang in my heart.  Those words had changed my perspective.  Although the unsavory aroma of 50 un-bathed adults wafted through the doorway and assaulted my senses there was a knowing deep down on the inside of me that we were indeed appointed and anointed to go into this place with the gospel. 

The young people reached out with love and served the "grandparents" in a way that I am sure Jesus himself would have done.  They were patient, kind, and loving as they interacted with each individual. 

interacting with love and affection

serving lunch

The group shared the simple message of God's love through a craft.

They had a time of prayer.  Almost every person requested prayer.  There were testimonies of alleviated aches and pains. 

The young people of Iowa infused life and happiness into the hearts of so many.

I am so glad that God changed my perspective through the wise words of a good friend.  Now I see that Brazos Abiertos is called to visit the widows (and widowers!) in their distress just like the Word of God admonishes us!  We are reviewing our schedule to see how we can add this outreach on a monthly basis.

Corban and Cohen accompanied us that day.  Nothing brings a smile to an older person's face like the antics of young children!

A Visit from Iowa

This morning as I sat and gently rocked my FINALLY napping toddler, I let my mind wander back over the past week (which has flown by, by the way) and pray over the mission team that is here.  I am learning to really take advantage of "down time" and use it to move mountains with faith and prayer.

First of all, Monday was my first day back on the job so to speak.  Yolanda and I wrapped up all the final details for the team from Iowa that would be arriving late that night.  We went to the retreat center where they will be staying and looked over the rooms, assigned beds, ironed out last "wrinkles", etc. 

AND THEN CAME TUESDAY.  My mom, who flew back with me to help with the kids on the plane, signed up for a day of work and fun.  Together we left home at 6am to pick up the interpreter, then we hurried to the retreat center to have a staff meeting before the 7am breakfast.

Staff meeting

aaahhh, the little known details of mission team preparation!

Henry, the driver,and I talking over the route

After meeting the team and being reunited with team coordinator- Justin (I had worked with him previously when we were both younger, I was just an interpreter and he a team member) we ate breakfast and got busy.

Let me take a moment to say that I learn something from every team that comes.  This team is no different.  I have so enjoyed working with a group so excited to be sharing the gospel.  These young people have no pretensions, they have no ulterior motive, I have seen no haughtiness.  I have only detected sincere and humble hearts. 

The boys!  Justin is in the back on the right

The girls!

one of the games

These young people are awesome at keeping the atmosphere exciting during the outreaches.  I suspect they must have worked with children at some time and some place before because they do it with such ease.  Their program consists of exciting, novel games which have kept the crowd of children eagerly participating.  Dramas which paint a simple picture of salvation.  And a message which is concise, to the point, and expertly delivered.

Pastor Josh's message

I am only just now meeting the famous Josh!  He is a fantastic youth leader.  If I lived in Iowa and were under the age of 18 I would definitely be sitting under Pastor Josh's teaching.  His message is clear and made alive by object lessons and examples.  His language is easy to understand.  He is excited about what God can do for us and this excitement flows over into his teaching.  Pastor Josh is sincere in his love of God and love for others.  I am glad to have met him and hope to count he and his family as friends in the future.

The first morning was very, very full with 3 public school outreaches- reaching nearly 1,000 children (not counting teachers) just that one morning.

As the week progresses I continue to hear amazing testimonies of how the youth on this team have been touched and how they are touching others.

Although at times tiring, my family and I really enjoy hosting teams.  Truly we are thankful that they are here.  God has blessed us with an amazing staff to carry the torch so to speak as I get my family settled back into "real life". 

His hand is in this and we shall see the fruit.  I look forward to sharing testimonies.

a warm-up worship song to get everybody excited

My mom helping to pass out candy as children leave

happy children after the program

As you read this, please pray for the team this week. Pray for divine guidance, divine protection, and for God's anointing to set the captives free!!!!!

children reciting the pledge at the first school we visited

Tug o' War

There it is again... that feeling of being pulled into a thousand directions at once.

I often ask myself if all mothers feel caught in this constant battle or if it is limited to working mothers only.

We arrived a few days ago after 5 weeks in Virginia.  The grace of God covered us.  Prayers lifted up on our behalf were answered- I could see the results.  We changed homes 10 times in 5 weeks- sometimes packing up 3 suitcases, crib, stroller, 2 backpacks, diaper bag, carry-on luggage, plus personal items for just one night in a new place.  (yes, I actually had to travel with all of that and more!)

relaxing at the Chesapeake Bay

Still, there were times when the children hadn't let me sleep more than a few hours a night for several nights and I thought I would absolutely collapse with exhaustion- and just then both boys would sleep for 7 to 8 hours and I would at least feel alive again (if not totally energetic).  There were 4 and 5 hour car trips in which both boys miraculously slept most of the way.  There was that week towards the end of our stay when I felt like lifting and lugging all those suitcases to the car ONE MORE TIME was too much of a mountain for me- and my nephews stepped in and did all the heavy work.  There was the bout with Strep throat which left me with a toddler who cried nonstop for 3 days- and somehow God provided the strength I needed to also deal with a preschooler in the midst of all of that.  And thankfully the preschooler never got sick!

before my husband had returned to Guate

And every time I would hear my husband's voice over the phone and long for home I would feel the Lord tug on my heart and whisper His promise to me that I CAN do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.    And I was strengthened. 

a ride in Papa's dump truck

We saw friends we hadn't seen in years.  We visited churches we hadn't visited in a long, long time.  We were blessed to be able to enjoy activities with friends and family.  It was a successful trip full of glory.

Cohen "singing" at VBS

And now we are home.

And we hit the ground running.  Just in time to meet a mission team.

This team is awesome.  I am so glad I have met these amazing people.  More about them and all they are doing in the next blog.  For now let me just say that Monday was a long work day followed by Tuesday- a day which I began way before dawn.

As I worked with the team yesterday I knew that I couldn't subject my boys to yet another long week of no rest and no routine.  We have just come from 5 weeks of that.  Corban is just now getting back into school after missing several weeks.  They need to rest.  I need to "rest" (as if that really exists in my life right now).  Corban has make-up work, Cohen has a doctor appointment, We have personal and ministerial errands to do... so I made a decision to lay low with this mission team and only join them on occasion.    

I can now see that despite those mixed feelings I always get when I feel as though I need to be all places at once- this was the right decision for now.  Cohen was up for about 4 or 5 hours crying last night and he hasn't stopped crying today.  Makes me wonder if his strep throat isn't trying to make a reappearance. 

I can see how God's hand was in the decision made to let my staff handle this mission team and let me handle my family. 

It is the same old game of tug o' war- this time the family won!

p.s. more about all the awesome things that God is doing through this mission team in the next blog.