As I write this blog, I am sitting in a sweet coffee shop in Huaraz, Peru, where we have spent our two days off. It is Minnesotan owned and feels like home. It is huge, painted in oranges and yellows with comfy chairs, and tables for eating the all day breakfast. The most unfortunate thing is that they are closed on Mondays which are our regular days off, so this is our one day to enjoy this wonderful taste of home.
After our week in Mancos, our two and half days off here have been thoroughly enjoyed. Mancos was and is so different than the ministry in Tumpa where the other teams have been working, and where we will spend our next two weeks. I mentioned in my previous blog that we would be working to help restore a church rather than do fresh evanglism.
We spent our mornings visiting people who used to attend church with the church leadership, either Pastor Eladio, or Israel (one of the leaders) and inviting the people to come back to church. We visited about 10 homes and only one lady we spoke to actually came to church on Sunday morning. We have various services each evening, Tuesday through Saturday and the Sunday morning service.
We did also spend a little bit of time speaking with people who were not Christian believers, mostly Catholics, but the response wasn’t good usually. There has unfortunately been a massive division between the Catholics and the Evangelicals, and since the history of the town is Catholic, most people stick with it, even if they are not practicing. There has been wounding on both sides and a spirit of division is evident in the community, even amongst the Evanglicals themselves. We are aware of three Chrisitan churches that have come and gone, all dissapated within the last 2 years, and none right now, but the one we came alongside to help restore. It is quite sad, because it seems that there is no forgiveness between so many people in this community.
James preached on Monday night about perseverence, staying the course till the end, encouraging the believers to stand next to eachother and spur one another on to finish the race that we are all on. We came alongside to help encourage them on as well. I preached the following night on the need for unity among believers, how God has commaneded it, and desires for the body to work together as a funtioning body of Christ. Wednesday night we held a Bible study on prayer, excellently led by Leah. Very few people ever came, usually only the pastor and his wife, though thankfully, when I spoke on unity, both Israel and Eladio came.
Thursday night, we had separate mens and womens times, the ladies at the church and the men at Eladio’s home. We had the best turnout that evening. About 8 women and girls came and 13 men! Both groups had a good time and several people accepted Jesus. For the women, we played a game, had some worship and Amy shared about how God created us as beautiful women and that God desires us deeply. It was very good, and like the other evenings, obviously led by the Holy Spirit.
I connected with a 13 year old girl, Guadelupe, and her 2 year old sister, Alejandra. Very dear girls. I can’t communicate well with Lupe, but she came on Saturday night she was the only youth that came to our youth event, of the many people we invited. We played games and then one of the local leaders, Jonathan, 21, preached. I spent a couple hours playing volleyball with Lupe and her friends in the last couple days and will visit her again today, and in the next couple weeks. She is a beautiful girl with a heart that desires to know Jesus, and she has found that special little place in my heart.
At times throughout the week, we faced possible discouragement, because we weren’t seeing the ‘fruit’ that the other teams are experiencing in Tumpa, but when our hearts become aligned with Jesus, and our eyes opened to what he is doing, we are able to see beyond our limited understanding. Sunday morning when everyone (about 10 people were there) said goodbye, they shared with tears how much we encouraged them, and helped to bring things together more. It is so amazing what God can do when we are obedient, even if we don’t fully see the purpose or understand how He is working. God spoke to my heart, convicting me to never dismiss what He has called me to do as of lesser value, simply because things don’t look like I would like them to look. He is working always, and I am going to choose to embrace all that He is doing, and continue to ask for a greater understanding, an understanding more like His, and less like my limited human understanding.
Colossians 1:9,10 – And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
