Born Free

A story that is waiting to be told:

“Mommy and Daddy had to run for their lives  because they loved Jesus in a country that did not allow it.   Because they were running they could not use their real passports to show who they really were.   They had not done anything so bad that others have to go to jail for  but the judge  put them there for safe keeping.  While in  jail my mommy met Grandma Brenda who helped her and took her to her home.  My daddy also was freed from another prison where he was scared because he was locked up with people like the ones who wanted to kill him.    A couple of years later I was born free in a country that said we could become members and love Jesus like we want to love Him.   Why do people hate Jesus?  Why did mommy and daddy have to run?  Daddy says he wants to learn more about Jesus so he can tell others about the love of Jesus that Grandma Brenda showed my mommy.    I am glad that Jesus loves us all.   I am going out to play.”

Rebecca

Entrust to others what you have been given

This week we got two photos.  One taken 30 years ago when we were starting our ministry in the olive growing region of Cordoba.  This picture was the original group that we had to work with when we moved to Puente Genil in 1979.    Of that group 6 are leaders in their respective churches today.

The other photo was taken of Rachel and BJ with Pastor Antonio Gomez, who was our mentor  and watched over us as we began our ministry in Puente Genil.     Pastor Antonio will also be a mentor to Rachel and BJ as they begin their ministry.  The Lord continues to use the Young and the Old to Build his Kingdom!       Entrusting to others what you have been given is the rhythm of discipleship.

1st ECM Member Care Workshop

The first ECM international member care workshop in Madrid was a success. Thank you for praying for us.  The 16 who came together from all over Europe are excited about implementing some good member care practice on each of their fields, working with the field leader and myself as member care coordinator.  Rod Rumble was our trainer for 10 hours of introduction to pastoral care, and we worked together on the next steps to take to implement better mutual care in ECM.

Some came wondering if this was right for them, and went away feeling empowered to begin a job that is quite a challenge, for which I am grateful.  Pray for me to be able to lead the way in getting everyone in the Mission on board and excited about bearing one another’s burdens and caring for one another.    Brenda

Songs of harvest joy!!

In his recent newsletter Francis Arjona,  Spanish ECM field leader,  gives a quote from an important Spanish newspaper of the 29th of April, stating that evangelical churches are as numerous as Catholic churches in Barcelona.  Protestant temples have past from 74 to 119 in the last three years.

Jack Murray, former ECM International Director and my mentor wrote.   “I have taken note of some information about Andalusia because that was the region that my colleague Ron Anderson had focused on and with the goal of starting 30 new churches.  Here’s the quote.  ”One area where growth is being observed even by the Spanish Secular Press is in the evangelical church in the Andalusian region of Spain.  Numbers of churches have risen almost tenfold from 59 churches in 1970 to 546 in 2008 with the total number of baptized believers recorded as 40,000, up from 16,000 in  1970.”

Psalm 126:6  “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”

click on “European Ministry” above to read another very exciting report of growth.

Holy Week in Southern Spain

The band played a solemn dirge and when it stopped the unceasing beat of the drum accompanied the procession through the streets of Aguilar de la Frontera in the Province of Cordoba, Spain.    From the vantage point of our friends balcony we watched as the hundred of penitents filed in two lines behind the “Virgin”.     “She” was adorned as one would expect a queen to be.  Her head was adorned with an immaculate gold crown, and draping from her shoulders was an expensive gold embroidered train that was meters long.  Her expression was one of deep sorrow highlighted with the visible tears falling from her eyes.   This expression was reflected by many of those who looked on as she was taken past them.   Their hope is in some unique way tied to her and her ability to intercede for them as a mother would for the good of her children.    They are her children and greatly devoted to her as where their parents and grand parents and great grandparents.    Somehow the lump of plaster, wood, paint and precious clothing is transformed into the real object of their faith.   “She” is not just a representation of the “real thing”.      Fastened to a hand crafted wood platform amidst a sea of hundreds of long wax candles, she was carried by dozens of men who where in formation under the very heavy float.    They too formed part of the mystery as they showed their penitence and solemn devotion to “her” but hidden from the gaze of the crowd by a skirt dangling around the base of the platform.

The next day we joined the Christian Easter Retreat in Priego de Cordoba, another Andalucian village.     The scene we saw was totally different.   This time we were greeted by brothers and sisters in Christ who by the grace of God have seen the fallacy of their one-time-belief and have turned to Christ as their one and only Savior.    Several of those present are Christians that  we had a part  in either leading them to the Lord in years gone bye or we have been part of their discipleship process either directly or indirectly.      It was a real joy to get caught up with them and praise and pray together over the Easter weekend.     Only God can convince the Andalucians that He alone is worthy of all Praise.    All we can do is continue to make his Love story know to the multitudes that would rather believe a lie than accept the free gift of salvation.    Continue to Pray for us and for these needy people.

Hope for Kosova

My visit to Kosova last week coincided with the 10th anniversary of the NATO bombing that changed the course of the country. It was also the first anniversary of their declaration of independence. It was obvious to me that it takes more than just a declaration of independence to bring about hope amongst an exhausted, worn-torn, people.    The sign welcomes in both English and Albanian, but not all feel welcome.    The 4:30 am call to prayer from the local mosque is heard by all, but not all heed it.   Burned and destroyed houses are still to be seen as their owners are either too poor to rebuild or they have fled the country. The challenges facing the new nation are many:   political stability and international acceptance; massive unemployment; drug abuse; need for reconciliation; growing apathy regarding life , God, the future.

But their is evidence of Hope.   The ECM church plant in Peje is amongst several projects that evangelicals are committed to in the greater Peje area.      A kids club provides a safe playing area for orphans and other needy children.    A women’s exercise club provides a safe meeting place for women who are seeking fellowship, self-worth and identity.   Youth activities provide a safe place for young people to come and express their fears and questions as they face an uncertain future.    Those who have been touched by the message of love and reconciliation of the Gospel reflect the Hope that only Jesus gives.

I was so proud of the ECM team and all they are doing and planning to do in the future.     Pray for them and for an outpouring of the Lord’s Spirit in the greater Peje area.   Pray for more workers to join them as they show the Love of God in this needy area of Europe.

Our permanent Citizenship is in Heaven, but until then….

There is no doubt that our permanent citizenship is in heaven, but until then we are bound to being mear mortals tied to the rights and obligations that earthly citizenship gives.  When I was born I had citizenship in both Guatemala and the USA.   I lost the Guatemalan citizenship when I turned 18, now at 54 I just got a new citizenship to replace the one I lost.   On March 16  Brenda, Mark and I signed the final papers to become Spanish Citizens.   We did not lose our USA citizenship and continue to be very grateful for all that being a US Citizen means.   Having Spanish citizenship opens new doors of opportunities for work and ministry and reduces the hassels of paperwork that is a very big nuisance to our being in this country.

A Madrid Valentine Story

For the full story on this Valentine event click on the Family button above.

Equipping church planters for the long-haul

Brenda facilitating a session on Member Care

It is not an easy thing to go out into the European mission field and consistently see little fruit.   A little bit of training and exchanging of experiences can go a long way to help church-planters put their lives and ministries into a new perspective.    This past week,  Brenda and I were part of the trainers that facilitated a week-long course for 10 church planters from 6 European countries.    We covered many themes dealing from cross-cultural issues, to transitioning, to singleness in ministry, to how to submitt a financial project proposal.     One of the participants came to the course very discouraged.   During the week she felt renewed and exclaimed,  “Now I am ready to go back”.     Another one said  “Now I understand the big picture of what I am supposed to be doing”.     It was a real joy for us to pass on to others some of the experience we have gleaned over the past 30 years.

The night out to Madrid included a squid sandwich!!

Christmas at the prison

The concert with the well known Spanish Christian singer was well attended and the Lord used the event to bring many closer to Him.    The program was split between the singer himself,  his wife preaching to the ladies, and 2 songs done by the choir made up of inmates.   At the end of the concert I (Ron does not normally go but I was invited by Brenda to go along for the special event) saw a young Colombian lady who looked like she wanted to talk, but was not brave enough to approach any on the team.   I went up to her and within minutes she was more than willing and ready to pray to receive Christ.   I called Brenda over to talk to her and as together we talked to the lady, she began to cry.    “Why am I crying” she asked.   “That is the Holy Spirit working in you” Brenda answered.  Just then one of the other more mature Christian inmates walked bye and we encouraged the older one to care for her.

Pray for her to grow in her faith.