Other than a few minor delays, the trip from Memphis to Houston to Panama to Lima, Peru was uneventful... Even going through immigration at 1:00 am was a lot more crowded than I expected... It seems a lot of flights arrive in Lima between midnight and 1 AM. I got to the hotel around 2, got checked-in, emailed Sandy that all was OK, and tried to sleep, knowing I had a 6 am meeting with some of the teachers from Peru.
Daniel, Rolando and I got the 8 am bus to Bagua Chica, arriving at 4 am (that's right, 20 hours on the bus!)... At least the seats reclined a little further than your standard airline seat, but not much. We then hired a car to take us one hour to where we could find a truck (4X4) to take us to Santa Maria Nieva. After the first two hours, the next 7-1/2 hours were on dirt and rocky roads. We finally arrived in Santa Maria Nieva, but the town was on the other side of the river from where we were, so we had to take a water taxi. We found rooms in the third hotel/ hostel we checked and stayed the night.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Isn’t Marriage Universal?
I am planning my first visit to Peru in August and was recently chatting with Jaime, our country coordinator there. One place we will visit is the Amazon region, where we will be teaching a class on the Old Testament.
Jaime and I were talking about what I would do there, and I told him I could teach some of the OT lessons, but would also like to share some lessons on apologetics and marriage. He told me the lessons on marriage would be especially useful because none of the pastors in this region are married: they are living with their “wives” and have families, but have never married. Jaime has already taught two classes in this region, and spoke to them about God’s plan for marriage, and told me my lessons would help give credibility to what he has already told them.
Jaime got an email from William, one of the men in the Amazon region, a few days later and passed it on to me. The pastor said that seven of the men wanted to get their lives right before God and decided to get married this month (May). [I wanted to send this post a few weeks ago but was waiting for a photo of the group] Since this would be the first marriage ceremony in this area, they asked Jaime to send them information how to perform a wedding.
We are able to reach into this area because of your continued prayers and financial support. Thank you!
Jaime and I were talking about what I would do there, and I told him I could teach some of the OT lessons, but would also like to share some lessons on apologetics and marriage. He told me the lessons on marriage would be especially useful because none of the pastors in this region are married: they are living with their “wives” and have families, but have never married. Jaime has already taught two classes in this region, and spoke to them about God’s plan for marriage, and told me my lessons would help give credibility to what he has already told them.
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| The TPI class in the Amazon region of Peru |
We are able to reach into this area because of your continued prayers and financial support. Thank you!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Is It Level?
I was recently on a mission trip with the youth from our church, Trinity Baptist, helping to complete a bathroom/ shower building in the mountains of western Honduras. We were using blocks, mortar, levels, trowels, gloves, and other tools we thought we needed.
We set a level on top of each block to make sure each block was good, and then placed another block next to it and made sure it was level, also. By the time we got around to the other side, however, we discovered the last block we laid was about 1-1/2 inches higher than the first block! How could this be? We had made sure each block was level, yet the result was such that the final block did not match the original block.
The guys that knew what they were doing did not use a level the way we did; instead, they got the corners right, then used a string between the corners and measured each block against the string. Instead of making sure each block was level individually, they used an external standard. When all blocks were correct to that standard, they were also correct within themselves.
Sound like any scripture you might be aware of?
When we use short-term standards, like a level on individual blocks, small errors can creep in and we may not end up where we so desperately tried to reach. Using an external, long-term standard, we do the same work and KNOW where we will end up, and we get level blocks thrown in as extras! When we seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, we know where we will end up and each day takes care of itself!
We set a level on top of each block to make sure each block was good, and then placed another block next to it and made sure it was level, also. By the time we got around to the other side, however, we discovered the last block we laid was about 1-1/2 inches higher than the first block! How could this be? We had made sure each block was level, yet the result was such that the final block did not match the original block.
The guys that knew what they were doing did not use a level the way we did; instead, they got the corners right, then used a string between the corners and measured each block against the string. Instead of making sure each block was level individually, they used an external standard. When all blocks were correct to that standard, they were also correct within themselves.
Sound like any scripture you might be aware of?
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well
- Matthew 6:33
When we use short-term standards, like a level on individual blocks, small errors can creep in and we may not end up where we so desperately tried to reach. Using an external, long-term standard, we do the same work and KNOW where we will end up, and we get level blocks thrown in as extras! When we seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, we know where we will end up and each day takes care of itself!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
God's provision
We are in Honduras with a mission team from Trinity Baptist Church in Southaven Mississippi. We want to share a little about how we have already seen God working:
The issue:
Our team was struggling with having too many bags because we had a lot of supplies and a lot of clothing that had been donated. We were each allowed one checked bag and we were struggling with getting all that we needed into those 13 bags. Even after many of us shared a suitcase so that we could use the other one for supplies, we still had two bags that we were going to have to pay for in order to get everything there.
God’s answer:
Because Bill and I fly a lot we occasionally get upgraded. Usually this happens at the last minute when the airline has filled all the coach seats and will move us up so they can sell more coach seats. This trip we got notified of our upgrade the day before we left (this has not happened before). The upgrade allowed us to take four more bags without paying for them! Even better: they could be over the 50 lb limit without penalty! So we were able to take all the supplies and clothes without paying for them.
The issue:
Due to some weather problems and the presidential visit to Houston, our flight was delayed by four hours and we were going to miss our connection to Honduras. If we missed our flight, the next flight with available seats was Monday.
God’s answer:
The airline had told us that they were aware of our situation and they were working on possibly holding the flight to Honduras for us (that almost never happens because the airlines get fined thousands of dollars if they do not meet their arrival and departure times). They told us they could hold the flight up to twenty minutes. We were too late. When we arrived in Houston it was thirty minutes past the scheduled departure time for our flight. When we landed we were informed that the flight was still there and we rushed through the airport in hopes of making the flight. When we got to the gate we heard that the crew that was scheduled to fly that plane went “illegal” (possibly too many flight hours, etc.). In all the flying that we do, we have never heard this before; they were trying to get another crew to fly the plane. They found a crew and we were off to Honduras. God delayed that flight long enough for us to make it and get to Honduras. How awesome is that?
We are watching God pave the way for our trip, and as usual, we are in awe of His great power, and humbled that He would deem us worthy of carrying out His plans.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
God Uses Our Mediocrity
Today I saw a picture on Face book; it was of a child in Paraguay receiving a quilt. My heart leapt with joy and God used it to teach me another life lesson.
Last summer I was in Paraguay on a mission trip. One of the pastors we were working with took us to a children’s home that he works with. As we toured the facility and interacted with the children I thought: What can we do to help? When I got back home I started a group at church to make quilts for the children. I’m not an experienced quilter; I had only made a couple of very simple quilts. We took in donations of fabric and dove right in! That is my personality, when I get an idea, I don’t research options or even think through the consequences, I just jump right in and deal with the fall-out later. Not generally a good tendency but occasionally God uses it to His advantage.
Last week our merry little band of quilters went to a quilt show. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves. We had just sent eight quilts to the children’s home in Paraguay. We were accomplished quilters! Once we entered the show it only took a few minutes for my bubble to burst. I suddenly felt like a little girl holding a drawing behind her back because she had just ran up to the front of the class to show her teacher and saw that the drawings of the girls in front of her were much better than hers.
These women were REAL quilters, we were just mediocre. We weren’t in the same league as these women; I’m not even sure we were playing the same sport! I felt alternately awed and deflated as I ogled the incredible creativity on display. Over the next few days the feeling didn’t subside, it settled in a little deeper. Until today. Today I saw the face of a child who had received one of our mediocre quilts. What that child’s face reflected was not mediocrity, it was pure joy.
I dream of being an author. I dream of what it would feel like to be on the best seller list or at a book signing. I think my writing is pretty good until I pick up a James Patterson or Nora Roberts novel and realize how mediocre my writing is in comparison. Then I think this is stupid, I’m just wasting my time pretending to be a writer.
Today God showed me once again that when I take my eyes off of Him and begin to compare myself to others I will always be disappointed. He reminded me that He has never asked me to be James Patterson, or an expert quilter; He has only asked me to use the talents He has given me to do the best I can to show His love to the world around me. God has used my mediocrity to comfort children who have been battered and bruised by life.
Although I don’t know what it would feel like to be an award winning author, I’m pretty sure it would pale in comparison to the feeling of knowing that you made a child smile.
What lessons has God taught you when comparing yourself to others?
Last summer I was in Paraguay on a mission trip. One of the pastors we were working with took us to a children’s home that he works with. As we toured the facility and interacted with the children I thought: What can we do to help? When I got back home I started a group at church to make quilts for the children. I’m not an experienced quilter; I had only made a couple of very simple quilts. We took in donations of fabric and dove right in! That is my personality, when I get an idea, I don’t research options or even think through the consequences, I just jump right in and deal with the fall-out later. Not generally a good tendency but occasionally God uses it to His advantage.
Last week our merry little band of quilters went to a quilt show. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves. We had just sent eight quilts to the children’s home in Paraguay. We were accomplished quilters! Once we entered the show it only took a few minutes for my bubble to burst. I suddenly felt like a little girl holding a drawing behind her back because she had just ran up to the front of the class to show her teacher and saw that the drawings of the girls in front of her were much better than hers.
These women were REAL quilters, we were just mediocre. We weren’t in the same league as these women; I’m not even sure we were playing the same sport! I felt alternately awed and deflated as I ogled the incredible creativity on display. Over the next few days the feeling didn’t subside, it settled in a little deeper. Until today. Today I saw the face of a child who had received one of our mediocre quilts. What that child’s face reflected was not mediocrity, it was pure joy.
I dream of being an author. I dream of what it would feel like to be on the best seller list or at a book signing. I think my writing is pretty good until I pick up a James Patterson or Nora Roberts novel and realize how mediocre my writing is in comparison. Then I think this is stupid, I’m just wasting my time pretending to be a writer.
Today God showed me once again that when I take my eyes off of Him and begin to compare myself to others I will always be disappointed. He reminded me that He has never asked me to be James Patterson, or an expert quilter; He has only asked me to use the talents He has given me to do the best I can to show His love to the world around me. God has used my mediocrity to comfort children who have been battered and bruised by life.
Although I don’t know what it would feel like to be an award winning author, I’m pretty sure it would pale in comparison to the feeling of knowing that you made a child smile.
What lessons has God taught you when comparing yourself to others?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
In the Field, Again!
One of the benefits of being “in the field” is being away from home. Duh!
Being away from home means seeing things in a different light, seeing people you don’t normally see, and simply adding to your list of experiences to share… not necessarily when you get “back home”, but even while still “in the field.”
Last night we went out for ice cream and I posted a picture of Sandy and Rosy, Luis Rodriguez’ wife, enjoying some “late night” (10:30 pm) ice cream here in Argentina. Interestingly enough, I received comments from the US, Paraguay and Honduras. As if that wasn’t enough, the comments from the US and Honduras asked me to send greetings to a friend of theirs here in Argentina, Luis’ pastor!
As big as our world is, once you start traveling to meet with other Christian brothers and sisters, you realize how many connections we have and how far our relationships stretch. No wonder the New Testament is so full of commands that we fellowship with each other… the benefits far exceed anything we could ever imagine. What an amazing God we serve, amen?
I will include some pictures of what we are doing here, but they only show part of the story. They cannot show the interactions we have had talking, teaching and learning with our brothers and sisters here.
Bill helped teach a class on Doctrine using the excellent material TPI uses from the Bible Training Center for Pastors (BTCP), spoke at a local church, and is preparing to speak at graduations this weekend.
Sandy spoke to a group of ladies last night from three churches and
had a long lunch with two of the pastor’s wives here in Santiago del Estero.
And we are just 1 week into our 2-week trip!
We are so thankful to God that we have the time to minister like this, and to our supporters that assist us in prayer and finances.
Being away from home means seeing things in a different light, seeing people you don’t normally see, and simply adding to your list of experiences to share… not necessarily when you get “back home”, but even while still “in the field.”
As big as our world is, once you start traveling to meet with other Christian brothers and sisters, you realize how many connections we have and how far our relationships stretch. No wonder the New Testament is so full of commands that we fellowship with each other… the benefits far exceed anything we could ever imagine. What an amazing God we serve, amen?
I will include some pictures of what we are doing here, but they only show part of the story. They cannot show the interactions we have had talking, teaching and learning with our brothers and sisters here.
And we are just 1 week into our 2-week trip!
We are so thankful to God that we have the time to minister like this, and to our supporters that assist us in prayer and finances.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Process or Purpose?
Do we sometimes confuse process and purpose? Do we say “I am going through this stage of my life to become a better counselor, a better father, a better whatever. God’s purpose for my life is that I become a better husband, a better messenger, a better missionary for Him.”? No. God’s purpose for my life is that I become more like Jesus, and that is a process.
What’s the difference? We say I am going through this (a process) so I can become a better ________ (a purpose); instead, the process of our life is God’s purpose for our life. God has not called us to be a better counselor, husband, or father (end goals, or purposes). God has called us to be (a process).
Why is this important? If we merely endure what we are going through, thinking the goal is to become a better whatever, we may miss the real purpose God has for us; that is the process itself that we go through. The people we interact with, the place we live and work are all part of this process, and that is God’s purpose for our life.
If we become better whatevers, we may think that’s all God had in store for us and start to rest, and that can be dangerous!
What’s the difference? We say I am going through this (a process) so I can become a better ________ (a purpose); instead, the process of our life is God’s purpose for our life. God has not called us to be a better counselor, husband, or father (end goals, or purposes). God has called us to be (a process).
Why is this important? If we merely endure what we are going through, thinking the goal is to become a better whatever, we may miss the real purpose God has for us; that is the process itself that we go through. The people we interact with, the place we live and work are all part of this process, and that is God’s purpose for our life.
If we become better whatevers, we may think that’s all God had in store for us and start to rest, and that can be dangerous!
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