When we began our ministry with the house churches here in Palenque
I assumed it would be team Pi and the pastors wife visiting each house.
However, on the first day we had at least five extra 
church members join us. It
didn´t think much of it. Maybe they had the day off and just wanted to tag
along. Little did I know they weren´t just there to be uninvolved bystanders,
instead they actively participated by praying and even worshiping alongside
us. As we were singing our English worships songs I looked around and saw hands
raised, eyes closed and mouths quietly singing praises to God in their own
language. It was an encouraging site to see and one that has repeated itself
many times.
Now, almost two weeks into our ministry I am completely blown away
by the faithfulness and dedication of the church here. I´ve begun to call them
our posse. Everywhere we go, whether
it is to the church itself, to a house a few blocks away or to a house across
town, our posse joins us. The group consists of church members both young and
old and it seems like each day the numbers grow.
Every time we come to the church (which is 6 days a week for various
services and house churches) they are there. They pray together, they worship
together, they seek God together, and even prepare meals for us together. Not a
day goes by that I don´t see them portraying what it means to be a family of
believers.
Yesterday was another fantastic example of family living. The pastor
and his wife invited team Pi to go to a nearby river and spend the afternoon
swimming. Foolishly I was thinking it would be just us. But no, the church here
not only works together, they also play together. When we had all gathered and
crammed into the back of a pickup truck I counted and realized there were 22 of
us. 22 of us! It´s not like in the states where a family of
five takes three
different cars to go out and eat. All of us, young and old, scrunched into the
truck together and headed out for a day of fun. We swam together, we ate
together, we had fun together. We were what a family should be.
community of believers here at El Olivo church has accepted us into their tight
knit family. They are no longer our posse, but our family, truly our brothers and
sisters in Christ. This is the way community should be and I feel so privileged
to have been allowed to join in for the past couple of weeks.
