Thursday, June 29, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Teresa and the cutie.
We made some new friends in Argentina as well. And the little girl was cutie. Not only the little blonde girl but the one she is holding as well.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
One of those biggest fears.
| I guess one of the biggest fears that you face, or I face anyway, as a missionary is that time when your parent or parents will pass on. No one has passed in my family but a scare has happened. My dad is in ICU with blood clots in his lungs. Everything is stable and I’m praising God. But back to the topic... I can still look back at the days I didn't have that hope in the Lord. When I didn't think about what will happen after death. Or what will happen to my loved ones after this time on earth. Will I see them in eternity? Man, how do people without that Hope live with those thoughts? I am so thankful for the Hope I have and the peace I have in the Lord. I read something today from A.W. Tozer that said.” God cannot use a man until he has hurt him deeply.” I don’t have the whole context to what he was writing. So I wonder is that a general statement or was he referring to something specific? When my brother told me of the news of my dad, a world of questions went through my head. Did I witness to him enough, hard enough, or direct enough. Are the ones that believe my dad is saved, from knowing him in his younger years, are they right? Just one of the fears we face on the field. I’m thankful for our Lord… 27 May peace be with you; my peace I give to you: I give it not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled; let it be without fear. John 14:27 (BBE) |
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Some thoughts or Questions.
Why is it that most missionaries go home during the first year on the field?
Why do so many suffer during their first year on the field?
Why do kids not want to go to Sunday School at their church?
Why do the missionaries find it hard to accept the way the church is worshiping?
Are there answers or are these things that we have to accept?
I read Step’s blog on https://www.blogger.com/atom/19596668 “Some of us shouldn’t be here”. And I have posed that question to myself. Should I be here?
Looking at the first question….I think I will be very open here and share what I’ve been going through as of late. At the moment my wife and I are as far apart emotionally as we have ever been. When back in the states when would get to this point we always blamed it on the fact we didn’t spend enough time together. We would spend time together, work on our relationship and things would flourish once more. Now on the field we spend more than enough time together. Where is the break down? I think we have started rebuilding but we both don’t seem to be eager about doing it. I think she is dealing with some emotional stuff and I know I am. Now before everyone gets worked up and says “oh, just give it over to God” or “You are not where you need to be with God” or any other spiritual answer, I have been and will continue to pray and study with God on what I should do next. When at home I would always talk with my close friend/pastor and my wife would do the same. We would talk together about issues that we dealing with about each other and work them out. We have done that as well, most of the issues dealt with me and I agreed that I needed to change some things. Marriages go through the ups and downs. I know this. Maybe I’m over reacting. Maybe I’m using this form of communication to vent. Or Maybe God is going to teach me not to be so transparent to the world. This is probably God’s intent. I’m sure I will find out within a few days. But this is real stuff. Living on the field is not a bed of Roses. My pastor always said that Ministry was all about Pain and Sacrifice. I only thought ministry was tough in the States.
Now the next question….Why do so many suffer during the first year on the field?
Well let’s eliminate the first year if you went to language school. For us that wasn’t much of a transition. It was like living in a big city in the states and you were confined to “little Latin America”. The next year that you are actually at your place of service that is the first year. I only say this for clarification. Now let’s eliminate the culture. I know this adds to the mix but I don’t want to talk about that in this post. Let look at the church aspect of it. First we have been advised not to get involved with any leadership positions. We have been advised to only participate on the level of helping with small projects but not to teach, lead or have any direct impact. (Financially speaking). So at the moment our Baptist church is about as dead as you get. I don’t see any spiritual growth. I don’t see them worshipping God in such a way I think is pleasing to Him. And if I was a visitor seeking God, I wouldn’t see him there. Now my next statement might alarm some but by no means does it state my doctrinal view. But if I (visitor) was searching and come across a congregation that was enjoying God’s love and expressing it in such a way that I thought it was pleasing to God I believe I would have to go there. Now that those churches do not stand doctrinally where I stand so as a mature believer I choose not to worship there even though it is tempting.
Now with our kids they don’t want to go to the Sunday School. Our girl doesn’t like to go because the other kids are so disorderly and boys hit girls and it is permitted. So we struggle with making her go. Our son doesn’t like to go youth functions because basically it is not any better than the Sunday services. Dead as a door nail. Now I was taught if you not going to help be a solution to the problem. Do not complain. Well I’m not complaining just stating the facts. I would love to be a solution to the problem but I’m not allowed and I’m not the pastor. (I wasn’t a pastor in the states either so I doubt I could help in that area any way).
Well this has been long enough. I apologize if this has been like rambling. I didn’t answer all the questions. But have touched some. Maybe I post another later.
I know God wants to teach me something. Maybe he is showing me that I’m one of those that don’t need to be on the Mission Field.
Why do so many suffer during their first year on the field?
Why do kids not want to go to Sunday School at their church?
Why do the missionaries find it hard to accept the way the church is worshiping?
Are there answers or are these things that we have to accept?
I read Step’s blog on https://www.blogger.com/atom/19596668 “Some of us shouldn’t be here”. And I have posed that question to myself. Should I be here?
Looking at the first question….I think I will be very open here and share what I’ve been going through as of late. At the moment my wife and I are as far apart emotionally as we have ever been. When back in the states when would get to this point we always blamed it on the fact we didn’t spend enough time together. We would spend time together, work on our relationship and things would flourish once more. Now on the field we spend more than enough time together. Where is the break down? I think we have started rebuilding but we both don’t seem to be eager about doing it. I think she is dealing with some emotional stuff and I know I am. Now before everyone gets worked up and says “oh, just give it over to God” or “You are not where you need to be with God” or any other spiritual answer, I have been and will continue to pray and study with God on what I should do next. When at home I would always talk with my close friend/pastor and my wife would do the same. We would talk together about issues that we dealing with about each other and work them out. We have done that as well, most of the issues dealt with me and I agreed that I needed to change some things. Marriages go through the ups and downs. I know this. Maybe I’m over reacting. Maybe I’m using this form of communication to vent. Or Maybe God is going to teach me not to be so transparent to the world. This is probably God’s intent. I’m sure I will find out within a few days. But this is real stuff. Living on the field is not a bed of Roses. My pastor always said that Ministry was all about Pain and Sacrifice. I only thought ministry was tough in the States.
Now the next question….Why do so many suffer during the first year on the field?
Well let’s eliminate the first year if you went to language school. For us that wasn’t much of a transition. It was like living in a big city in the states and you were confined to “little Latin America”. The next year that you are actually at your place of service that is the first year. I only say this for clarification. Now let’s eliminate the culture. I know this adds to the mix but I don’t want to talk about that in this post. Let look at the church aspect of it. First we have been advised not to get involved with any leadership positions. We have been advised to only participate on the level of helping with small projects but not to teach, lead or have any direct impact. (Financially speaking). So at the moment our Baptist church is about as dead as you get. I don’t see any spiritual growth. I don’t see them worshipping God in such a way I think is pleasing to Him. And if I was a visitor seeking God, I wouldn’t see him there. Now my next statement might alarm some but by no means does it state my doctrinal view. But if I (visitor) was searching and come across a congregation that was enjoying God’s love and expressing it in such a way that I thought it was pleasing to God I believe I would have to go there. Now that those churches do not stand doctrinally where I stand so as a mature believer I choose not to worship there even though it is tempting.
Now with our kids they don’t want to go to the Sunday School. Our girl doesn’t like to go because the other kids are so disorderly and boys hit girls and it is permitted. So we struggle with making her go. Our son doesn’t like to go youth functions because basically it is not any better than the Sunday services. Dead as a door nail. Now I was taught if you not going to help be a solution to the problem. Do not complain. Well I’m not complaining just stating the facts. I would love to be a solution to the problem but I’m not allowed and I’m not the pastor. (I wasn’t a pastor in the states either so I doubt I could help in that area any way).
Well this has been long enough. I apologize if this has been like rambling. I didn’t answer all the questions. But have touched some. Maybe I post another later.
I know God wants to teach me something. Maybe he is showing me that I’m one of those that don’t need to be on the Mission Field.
Friday, June 09, 2006
A Busy Time!!!
| It has been a while I know. We spent the last few days of May getting ready to leave for Argentina. Our Church came down to Argentina to work with the Word of Life bunch. We made plans to go and meet and minister with them there. It was a great time. We were there for about 8 days. We were able to see our pastor and his wife. Reinstablish some friendships and make new ones. The Church brought down a great team this year. I was impressed with all of them. But one of the guys really sticks out. His name was Adam. He has M.S. He could use every excuse not to come. Yet he came with enthusiasm, love and a willingness to be used. He has a heart of gold and I pray that he will reach many people for Christ. In working with this WoL group in Argentina, they are trying to teach the churches to evangelize by going door to door. It is a new concept but they seemed to really enjoy talking with the people. They had several of the young leaders interested in sharing their faith door to door. I was encouraged as we were sharing at the homes they (young leaders) were taking notes. I really think they have got a lock on what direction they want to go. In this door to door campain, we shared the Gospel with over 600 people and over 200 of those excepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. I have no doubts they will do a great job in following up with all the decisions. They have a missionary there from the WoL , named Will Herndan (Hope I spelled it right). He really has a passion to see all of Cordaba touched with the Gospel. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)