Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Goodbye to some great missionaries
The above photo is of our IMB team in Costa Rica. We were gathered for a despedida (farewell party) in honor of Lloyd and Wilma Mann, seated in front. They will be leaving the field in December and will actually retire a year later, after having served with the IMB for 38 years. (We had the despedida early because two of our families are going on furlough for a year in July and didn't want to miss honoring the Manns.)
Lloyd and Wilma have served in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Actually, they have made full circle. Lloyd started out in Costa Rica as a Journeyman (a young person with a two year assignment), where he met Wilma, a Tica (term for a native Costa Rican lady) Yes, they had a mission field romance, which was a little difficult because Journeymen aren't allowed to date. They swear they didn't date, and I believe them, but at the end of Lloyd's term, they got married.
Lloyd's responsibility in the last few years has been to promote foreign mission involvement by Latin American Baptist churches...in other words, to try to motivate and mobilize Latin Churches to send missionaries to other countries. Wilma has been responsible for testing language students and newer missionaries as to their proficiency in Spanish and helping them increase their abilities to communicate. Our joke is that I have only gotten to know Wilma in the last two years because before that, I was always avoiding her, hoping she would somehow forget to test me if she didn't see me. (Not completely untrue.)
Wilma and Lloyd are precious servants of God. Their faithfulness has been evident in their work and family. All their children serve the Lord, some as foreign missionaries in challenging places. It's been a blessing to know them and work with them for this short time.
Lloyd and Wilma have served in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Actually, they have made full circle. Lloyd started out in Costa Rica as a Journeyman (a young person with a two year assignment), where he met Wilma, a Tica (term for a native Costa Rican lady) Yes, they had a mission field romance, which was a little difficult because Journeymen aren't allowed to date. They swear they didn't date, and I believe them, but at the end of Lloyd's term, they got married.
Lloyd's responsibility in the last few years has been to promote foreign mission involvement by Latin American Baptist churches...in other words, to try to motivate and mobilize Latin Churches to send missionaries to other countries. Wilma has been responsible for testing language students and newer missionaries as to their proficiency in Spanish and helping them increase their abilities to communicate. Our joke is that I have only gotten to know Wilma in the last two years because before that, I was always avoiding her, hoping she would somehow forget to test me if she didn't see me. (Not completely untrue.)
Wilma and Lloyd are precious servants of God. Their faithfulness has been evident in their work and family. All their children serve the Lord, some as foreign missionaries in challenging places. It's been a blessing to know them and work with them for this short time.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Where is God?
Actually, this title is a hook...to get your attention. Of course, God is everywhere. Ok, get technical. Is He in hell? Well, that might raise some interesting theological questions. But my purpose isn't to have a theological discussion...nothing that heavy. Although there may be theological implications in my observations, what I really want to do is relate a recent experience...patience, patience...I'm getting to it.
A couple of weeks ago, actually three now, Mitzi and I were driving through the country side on our way to Barbacoas, a quaint little village with a beautiful Catholic church with intricate wood work throughout. Our purpose wasn't to see the church but rather to do some mapping for a soon arriving volunteer group.
As we drove through the mountains, we spotted a village way down in the valley. We could tell there was a village because the prominent Catholic Church building stood out clearly. We decided to drive through the valley, taking a detour that would still get us to the originally intended destination.
As we came to the village of Tabarcia, we spotted a sign on the side of a building indicating there was a church to the right down an unpaved road. Being curious, we took the road and within 50 meters arrived at nice little building with a sign over it..."Iglesia Arbol de Vida" (Tree of Life Church) [See the pictures above.] There were a few people outside the church painting the walls. After stopping and greeting them, we learned that included in the painters were the pastor and his wife, a gringo missionary and his wife, and two gringa ladies from Kentucky, along with a couple of other members of the church.
OK, now my point. Here was a small village in the valley, really out of the way, with an active evangelical Christian church. Our assumption was that there was no church there, but we were wrong. God had somehow reached into that little village and touched lives. Every place, every person is important to Him.
After visiting with the people for a couple of hours, we made plans for the group that was coming to spend a day there going door to door passing out the gospel of John in that village and two others which are close by. It was a wonderful experience, and we were all encouraged that God is at work even where "we" have not been. We aren't alone, and God is working in places other than those we know about.
A couple of weeks ago, actually three now, Mitzi and I were driving through the country side on our way to Barbacoas, a quaint little village with a beautiful Catholic church with intricate wood work throughout. Our purpose wasn't to see the church but rather to do some mapping for a soon arriving volunteer group.
As we drove through the mountains, we spotted a village way down in the valley. We could tell there was a village because the prominent Catholic Church building stood out clearly. We decided to drive through the valley, taking a detour that would still get us to the originally intended destination.
As we came to the village of Tabarcia, we spotted a sign on the side of a building indicating there was a church to the right down an unpaved road. Being curious, we took the road and within 50 meters arrived at nice little building with a sign over it..."Iglesia Arbol de Vida" (Tree of Life Church) [See the pictures above.] There were a few people outside the church painting the walls. After stopping and greeting them, we learned that included in the painters were the pastor and his wife, a gringo missionary and his wife, and two gringa ladies from Kentucky, along with a couple of other members of the church.
OK, now my point. Here was a small village in the valley, really out of the way, with an active evangelical Christian church. Our assumption was that there was no church there, but we were wrong. God had somehow reached into that little village and touched lives. Every place, every person is important to Him.
After visiting with the people for a couple of hours, we made plans for the group that was coming to spend a day there going door to door passing out the gospel of John in that village and two others which are close by. It was a wonderful experience, and we were all encouraged that God is at work even where "we" have not been. We aren't alone, and God is working in places other than those we know about.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Sacrifices
The willingness to sacrifice in order that others might come to know the Lord is best guaged not by where or how a person is serving, but by what the attitude of the server is. Yesterday I met a young family living in a very rural area of north Costa Rica. They moved there a little over 3 years ago from the city. They left a good job and comfortable home to live in a small house in the country. I can't swear to it, but it looked like there was a dirt floor. The young man does repairs on small appliances to feed his wife and two children. I can't imagine there is a lot of work in the village where they live.
But...they were glad to be there. He spoke of getting to know the people in the area, ministering to them as he could, and his small congregation of 15 adults plus children. They have two worship services on Sundays, weekday Bible study, a weekly activity for young people and a "kids club".
Why did they go? Probably he could answer that question better than I, but it has to do with seeing a need and feeling that God wants you to fill that need, with His help of course. The hope isn't for personal gain, any kind of advancement or recognition. No doubt this intelligent young pastor could have stayed where he was and gotten a "city" church, but that wasn't what the Lord called him to do.
To me, he's a hero of the faith. I live in a nice house, drive a good car,(He has a bicycle and half a motorcycle...frame, no motor.)and eat out several times a week. Yeah, I go out to the villages and work, but I always come home, take a hot shower, eat a nice supper, watch a little TV and climb into a nice clean bed. Don't attribute sacrifice to me. What do I know about that?
Sure, I want your prayers, need them, but be fervent for Jaime and Carla, Jeremy and Ivet, Elian and Gabriela, and others that I don't know about who are really out there...living the life, and for what? So that people who don't otherwise have a source of the truth will have the opportunity to know it.
But...they were glad to be there. He spoke of getting to know the people in the area, ministering to them as he could, and his small congregation of 15 adults plus children. They have two worship services on Sundays, weekday Bible study, a weekly activity for young people and a "kids club".
Why did they go? Probably he could answer that question better than I, but it has to do with seeing a need and feeling that God wants you to fill that need, with His help of course. The hope isn't for personal gain, any kind of advancement or recognition. No doubt this intelligent young pastor could have stayed where he was and gotten a "city" church, but that wasn't what the Lord called him to do.
To me, he's a hero of the faith. I live in a nice house, drive a good car,(He has a bicycle and half a motorcycle...frame, no motor.)and eat out several times a week. Yeah, I go out to the villages and work, but I always come home, take a hot shower, eat a nice supper, watch a little TV and climb into a nice clean bed. Don't attribute sacrifice to me. What do I know about that?
Sure, I want your prayers, need them, but be fervent for Jaime and Carla, Jeremy and Ivet, Elian and Gabriela, and others that I don't know about who are really out there...living the life, and for what? So that people who don't otherwise have a source of the truth will have the opportunity to know it.
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