We had a fantasy of Utupampa. That we would bring something to them. I brought my attitude, appetite, and opinion. I brought my fat belly, whiny attitude, and american entitlement. I left having been shown a model of character, service, and love that I have never seen before.
I just love the people in Utupampa, Pastor Marino and his family. Tomorrow I will wake up early and hike there with a pack full of bibles. We were also able to bless them with a cash donation, which we have been doing regularly.
We as a team have decided to tithe, or give gifts equalling at least 10 percent of the support we raised for our time in a place. I believe God is blessing this, and for all our supporters to know, the money you have given for our support is also going to support work in each place that should last long after we are gone.
Pastor Marino, I am assuming, will use the money we gave to help support his love of feeding the hungry kids before sunday school each week. We gave enough money to support this ministry for another 42 weeks, not factoring in how God mulitiplies. This math is only based on my finite faith.
The people in Marino´s church also share bibles and meet everyday. After tomorrow, his church members will have been given 40 new bibles, which they are so hungry for and so happy to receive.
one more thought, which I shared with a buddy in an email. For the people who don´t understand what an amazing gift a bible is, that maybe we should use the money in more practical ways….. These people are enslaved to other people´s beliefs. Religion and the Church (catholic) totally capitalize on the lack of education in this population. The people truly are slaves to fear and to those who hold some mysterious knowledge. Bibles provide the means to free so many people from this brainwashing. People are so confused by religion, even that taught by other christian missionaries, the legalism is incredible, and the people here accept every teaching as truth. So hopefully, these bibles will help them to understand the life of freedom and love that Jesus was teaching.
Jesus came to give life, not take it. To ease the burden, not make it more difficult.
