Rocks in the Road

A couple of days ago I was coming back from a short trip to Guapiles...a trip which takes me over the mountain and through the cloud/rain forest. It's a pleasant drive most of the time. The scenery is great...forest, waterfalls...nearly always is raining. Driving at night is a little more precarious because of the curvy roads.

This time it was just dusk, not yet dark and I was making good time. As Costa Rica roads go, this one is pretty good. There are passing lanes for up-mountain traffic, which is nice because there are lots of eighteen wheelers and slow vehicles. I was passing one of those trucks on a curve when the truck suddenly locked his brakes and came to a tire smoking stop. Naturally I was shaken out of my driving stupor and at once became alert, not having time to even wonder what was happening. As I passed the truck I saw the reason for his lurching halt. Were it not for his alertness and quick reactions, his cab would have slammed into a rock about the size of a two drawer filing cabinet. Apparently it had fallen off the side of the mountain onto the road.

I stopped in front of the truck, as did another car, and we all got the rock off the road, along with some smaller ones that had accompanied it down, and then we all proceed on our journey.

OK. Allow me to wax philosophical a moment...make a metaphor, if you will. There are times in this life when we are just ginning along at a good pace. Things are going well. Then suddenly, through no fault of our own, there is an obstacle in our path. Fortunately, in this case, the driver of the truck was alert. Was he expecting to see a rock in the road? Probably not. But he was aware that the unexpected can happen, reacted quickly, and stopped. Then he had some choices. He could sit there and bemoan the fact that a rock had fallen in his path. It wasn't his fault. Just rotten luck. Poor me. He could back up and go around the rock, leaving it there for the next vehicle to deal with. After all, again, it wasn't his fault the rock was there. Let every man look out for himself.

Or...he could get out of the truck and move it out of the way. That's what he did...or tried to do. Maybe he could have eventually moved it, but it was so much easier with help. He could have told us, "Hey. It isn't your problem. It's in my lane. I'll deal with it." But no, he gladly accepted extra strength, and together we had it out of the road in a couple of minutes.

Interesting. Not only did the rock get moved and the lane cleared. There was something else that happened. In that two or so minutes, there was sort of a bond created between three complete strangers. We had participated in a team effort to do something that needed doing...something good. We were all thanking each other and smiling.

OK. Applications: Unexpected obstacles and/or events come into our lives. One shouldn't live scared, but should be alert to danger. We can let them wreck us, or we can deal with them and proceed on our way. We can try to do something that will help the one coming along behind us. Sometimes we need help to get the problem solved.
Helping others is a good thing. Removing rocks from our road could just help someone coming along the same way later.

A Busy Three Months

The last three months have been pretty crazy...but productive. Here is a summary for those interested.

In September I showed a children's video for a church in Ipis. The next week we began a project with a volunteer group from FBC, Middleton, TN in conjunction with that church in Coronado, an area near the church. The team distributed 1000 gospels of John. There were 3 recorded professions of salvation; 8 homes indicated an interest in a Bible study, and several more (maybe 12-15) indicated some interest in further contact. My hope, and my discussion with the pastor, is that they will follow up and begin cell Bible studies. This area was somewhat less receptive because of being a city area.

October: I preached in Atenas, at the church of a young pastor with whom we work and at PIB, Guadalupe, the church we attend.
We worked with the group from Central BC, Meridan, MS in Upala. Upala is a small town with no Baptist church. near the Nicaraguan border, There are several Pentecostal churches. There we distributed 1100 gospels, working in the town of Upala and the rural area of Moreno Cañas, where there is a small Baptist church. We showed two videos there. Also, we were able to acquire use of the central park of Upala and showed the Jesus film in the Kiosko there. An estimated 250 people viewed that showing. In all, approximately 30 people indicated a decision for Christ, most of which we got good follow up information. The pastor of the rural church in Moreno Cañas will follow up on the decisions. As a result of the effort, he already is leading 20 young people in a weekly Bible study.

I spent one week in Tennessee with my mother, who had knee replacement surgery.

Three days were spent with a research group from Mt. Airy BC in Easley, SC. We went to several villages and talked to various people about world views. Interestingly, we found that one town had two fairly large and active non-denominational churches that we knew nothing about. (I wonder how many more there are out there.) We had the opportunity to talk to the pastor of one of the churches and a member of the other one. Both indicated what seemed to be sound doctrine.
November: We spent a week in Panama attending a meeting and doing some sight-seeing.
Spent 3 days in San Carlos with a group from New Century BC, Roanoke, VA. 500 gospels were distributed, 27 decisions for Christ registered, 21 people indicated an interest in a Bible study and 12 were interested in further contact.

On November 17 we held a missions conference in San Jose. presenting a Biblical mandate and basis for missions and also the need in Costa Rica and the world.
Also in November, I brought a message at a joint worship service of Costa Rica missionaries and language missionaries.

I worked with a group from Abilene BC, Martinez, GA for a week in Orotina. We distributed 1135 copies of the gospel of John. Four decisions for Christ were reported and many names were taken as possibilities for follow up. A young pastor living in the area, with whom we have a good working relationship will follow up. One interesting occurrence... As we went door to door, one group found a lady who is currently leading a Bible study of 20 people. She stated that she had been praying for someone lead the group. Jaime (the pastor) has already talked to her by phone and has an appointment to talk further. I feel pretty positive about this area. Jaime is an active and progressive young man and I believe will actively follow up.

We also showed videos in one school and at the rural church in Cebadilla. On Friday, the ladies of the volunteer group helped give a baby shower for one of Jaime's neighbors and a member of his church.

I believe that about sums up the last two months.