older boys' home

Tony took this picture last night on his visit to the children's home for older boys (13+) - a ministry he's started here recently.

(blurry on purpose, all the kids have cases in court)

Isn't that weird? A ministry he's started here.

But it's so easy to start ministries here. We have started several so far: a slums ministry, a movie ministry, a children's home ministry. It's really not that hard; so much easier than in the United States. You don't need a degree, seminary, or an FBI background check.

We have found that all you need is a desire to actually do something and the gumption to go ahead and just do it.

You don't have to be super spiritual or exceptionally talented. God uses ordinary people. Peter was a fisherman. The differentiating factor?  He was recognized to have been with Jesus.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

Not that I'm poo-pooing degrees, or seminary, or FBI checks. These are all good and helpful things. But they are not a requirement to do God's will or His work. God can't wait on possessors of these things in say poor, rural, mountainous Tibet. The Bible shows us time and again that Jesus doesn't need these things to use us. He used Peter and John, and Andrew his lowly fisherman brother, and many, many others - who were all just ordinary people.

Blue-collar Joes.

Tony and Facundo went last evening to the home together. Facundo is one of the youth from church who plays the drums.

We are enjoying working with the young adults from church. Some are not involved in any kind of outreach or ministry - they're just kind of there. Tony is working hard at encouraging them to get out there and we often invite them to various different things we have going on. It's so sweet to see their eagerness to do something for the Lord.

This was their second visit to the home. The boys were looking forward to their return, and asked them last time if and when they were coming back. Tony projected the John Bunyan Torchlighters movie onto the pale, green, smudged wall of the inside of the home. As usual, there was dead silence when the movie was over. The movies are powerful, and they have that effect on just about everyone - believers and non-believers alike.

Afterwards, they did a little reflection and discussion of the movie. They are slowly introducing the study of God's Word. The boys are very open and receptive and thankful for the notebooks Tony brought for each one. In them they write down their memory verses to study, questions, notes, and prayers. He is teaching them to pray, to think about eternal things, to open up about their lives, and pointing them to Hope, to the One who longs to rescue them from the pit. The church we attend also gave us eight small, pocket-sized Bibles for each one. After their visit of course they played a round of soccer. Because what's ministry and evangelism in South America without a game of soccer?

Truly, we can say, God is richly blessing us in all things. It is our one, main, sustaining grace, all this that we see the Lord doing. 

Some days we ourselves fall into a pit, despairing when we look at all the challenges and difficulty of our journey in the Way - but as Christian in The Pilgrim's Progress, we often find ourselves climbing the Hill Difficulty only to happen upon, midway to the top of the hill, a pleasant Arbour, made by the Lord of the Hill, for the refreshment of weary Travellers.

We continue to be so amazed at all the doors that have opened up for us here. Tony found this particular place walking home one day - back when we didn't have a car. He was walking down our dirt road and walked up along side an older man, also walking. And, of course, Tony can not not start talking to everyone he meets, so they struck up a conversation. Pedro loves to talk almost as much as Tony. Turns out Pedro worked for 20 years in homes for troubled youth. When Tony shared that that is something he would like to do as well, Pedro took Tony to this nearby home for troubled youth. Pedro now comes to our weekly Bible study, has from the first day we opened up our home. Pedro lives in a tiny, three-room house nearby. He has been a Christian his entire life, and we enjoy listening to his observations and the wealth of knowledge that only years of living and years of Bible reading can impart.



Pedro welding a wheelbarrow for us in his back yard



Are you living for THIS?

A video for you. No matter where you are, no matter what country you live in, no matter what you do, Christian - are you living for THIS?





We also want to send out a BIG THANK YOU to all the people who support us (I feel we've been kind of bad at this, communicating it properly). In heart, with your words, with your prayers, with your example, with your finances. We could not be here without you.

THANK YOU.

No matter where we go, no matter what we do, no matter which country we live in, overseas "missionaries" or not - we are all called to live for Christ, in all we do. So thankful for the people, our examples, we know who do! Some people say we are an inspiration, but we know plenty ourselves! Truly. Thanks. :)

busyness, drunkeness, and other general weirdness

Life is busy here. And sometimes a whole lot of weird. I feel like my head's going to explode trying to process it all sometimes.

Good Friday, Tony spent all day in the slums while I took the kids on a nature walk - our first "official" nature walk in Patagonia - complete with list of things to look for. Since I had spent the entire week with visions of public school dancing in my head, I figured it was time to get out before somebody {Mommy} lost it.

Tony came home from a draining day, hoping to rest and eat something before we quickly headed out again to a meeting then a movie showing, only to get a call from the slums about an altercation with a drunk. Someone (we know) had shown up to "help" one of the families rebuild, but he showed up so drunk he could barely talk. He claims he's a Christian, he was insisting he was there to help, proceeded to walk around the site "praying" in a loud voice, continuing to insist he was there to help and to "do the Lord's work". All he succeeded in doing was making the families really, really mad. One of the dads called Tony asking him to come back and remove the guy before he killed him. We didn't put it past him, so back Tony went. One incident like that, someone showing up wearing the name "Christian" but acting really not, could completely ruin everything we've been trying to build for months.



drunk guy {in the red hat} - sometimes he's sober, like here


That's another new thing for us... flagrantly alcoholic church-goers. Slaves to alcohol who have no self control, but claim to know and love Jesus while getting rip-roaring drunk, all the while not seeming to think this is anything to really be alarmed about. The next day after a binge, they are "doing well, all is well, I'm well, God is good, and Praise the Lord!". It's kinda weird, definately new. At least people in the States who go to church and claim to know Christ but who are really raging drunks know better than to shout it from the mountaintops, at least in my experience. A certain level of shame is a good thing - it means you might have a clue that something is not. quite. right.

We have not-so-infrequent run-ins with inebriated people. It's the nature of the beast. I'm nobody's judge, but I am certainly learning to not answer my cell phone depending on who it is - and definately not after midnight {always bad news}, because then I can never get off the phone. Drunk people just go on and on and on in usually beligerent drunken stupors. There's no reasoning with them. I have better things to do with my time than to talk to someone who isn't listening anyway. Tony's really good with drunks, though. He keeps his calm and is able to take control of the situation; I just get annoyed and kick myself for answering the phone, vowing not to next time I see the number. The last time Pedro called I just told him the truth - You are a slave to alcohol and you need Jesus to set you free. He's the only One who can help you. I must have said goodbye and told him Tony would call him at least ten times. All he wanted to do was ask me how I was doing over and over again and put me on the phone with his grandmother (sweet lady that she is). Six months ago that would have been really awkward. I still think it's weird. But now, it's just kinda normal.

Pedro, Tony, Raul, and Alberto [Pedro was let go for drinking on the job, so returned to his little town up north. He still calls us.]

Fast forward Easter morning. As I was in the bathroom getting ready for church, I heard a gunshot. I heard Tony from the other room, "Did you just hear that?" Uh, yeah. Sure did. The weird thing is, everyone here says we live in a "nice" neighborhood. That wasn't my impression when we first arrived here. But, all things being relative, it is a "nice" neighborhood. For here. A nice neighborhood with gunshots. Yeah... 

Gunshots were just never on my radar, but hey, I guess they are now.

Easter afternoon we spent at the children's home.

But let me preface this with a little rant first- may I? Just humor me.

PARENTS: Don't leave your kids with anybody. Let me repeat myself... DON'T LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN WITH ANYONE. If you heard some of these stories we hear, if you knew... REALLY KNEW... that 90% of sexual abuse cases are perpetrated by someone who knows the victim... you wouldn't ever leave your kids with anyone. Family, friends, your trusted church friends. An.y.one.

Okay, I'm done. Ignore me if you want. It's just some statistics with a suggestion. I'm sure there are people in the world we can trust, surely.

So, I was finally able to go to the Children's Home {where all the kids have a story like above}, now that visitations are up and running again after summer break. We had a great time with the kids - we played Duck, Duck, Goose; Red Light, Green Light; and Freeze Tag - Argentinian versions, of course. Some of the young adults from church shared the Resurrection story as we sat around an outside table talking with the kids. I was amazed that most of the kids had never even heard of the Resurrection before. They thought Easter was about eggs. I took my daughter with me on our visit; she loved it and asks me all the time when we are going back.

my friend Keren with one of the sweeties from the children's home

There's more that's been going on, some that makes me nervous. Like Tony beginning a new ministry in another home for older kids... 13 and up. Kids aging out of the other home with nowhere to go. No one visiting them. No one sharing love and the gospel with them. I asked Tony if he really thinks this is a good idea. I mean, people get knifed in homes for older kids; they are bigger and they have bigger problems. Kids are extremely street smart here, more than most adults I know. A guy that used to work in one of these homes recently showed Tony his scars. So, really, Tony... don't you think maybe we should just forget this one? He doesn't think so.

And there are other things that are happening that are weird, well, more like extremely disturbing. Things that are just unbloggable. Things that remind me why I don't like having neighbors, and why I don't trust anyone. Things that make me shudder and remember that this is a yucky, fallen world. Things that remind me that yes, indeed, this is a battle. A WAR (Ephesians 6). Things that remind me of the very reason we are here. Things that, once you begin to fight them, wake up the someone who doesn't want to lose any ground. Not an inch.

I've been reminded, uncomfortably, this Resurrection week of the Truth in 1 Peter 5:8...

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,

seeking whom he may devour."

Feelin' it. Hoping next week is better.

The Starfish Thrower

There was a man who was walking along a sandy beach where thousands of

starfish had been washed up on the shore. He noticed a boy picking up

starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. The man observed

the boy for a few minutes and then asked what he was doing. The boy replied

that he was returning the starfish to the sea, otherwise they would die.

The man asked how saving a few, when so many were doomed, would make any

difference whatsoever? The boy picked up a starfish and threw it back into

the ocean and said, "Made a difference to that one..."

 

~ Adapted from "The Star Thrower"

by Loren Eisiley



on being ready

It's not about being ready. You'll never be ready.

Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready." ~John 7:6

Be willing to get dirty.

Kisses from Katie

I found Katie's blog about a year ago. Couldn't stop reading. Amazing how God can use one person fully surrendered to Him, simply obedient to His word....

the gift that keeps on giving

Sometimes, especially these days, as we wait for things to happen, I can feel frustrated. Frustrated because we can't leave town with our unregistered van. Frustrated because we could be doing so much more if we had plates for it. Frustrated because so much here seems to be a waiting game. Americans are not used to waiting. And it's been two whole months since we started the process to register the Mission Mobile.

Then, one day - as we drove out of our neighborhood, and through the one next door - I remembered the verse. The verse on the back of our van. The one everyone reads as we drive slowly by. And I was encouraged.

Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  

A strange verse, I thought. Why not John 3:16? Or something more.... gospel-y?

Tony shook his head No. You can not come straight at Argentinians, I know. Trust me. You can not bludgeon them over the head with religion or talk of God or even the Gospel. Slow.... This verse will get people to think. Everybody in Argentina loves to sit down with friends, family, and have a good meal.

This is the way... This verse.

Everyone reads it. We look after them in the rear view mirror and watch them stare. And then, mouth slightly parted, you can see them reflecting. Eyebrows raised. Some furrowed. Squinting. Some puzzled. All affected.

No rocks thrown yet.

Thank you, Alvin, for this gift, for kindly putting this on. A gift that keeps on giving.

When we are frustrated, feeling stagnant, waiting for things to happen over which we have no control, Gods Word continues to go out somewhere in Patagonia.

And a promise goes with it,

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. ~Isaiah 55:10-12

one of my favorite quotes from an old dead guy

"In the long run, men hit only what they aim at." ~ Henry David Thoreau

The Great Commission is not a suggestion

...but a commandment. Don't just watch this and be "moved". Do something. Surely there is something you can do. Go, send, give, pray... pick one, and do it.

"Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." - James 2:17

bonus

One of the great bonuses about walking this missions thing out is seeing how God is using it in other people's lives - to strengthen their faith, to encourage them unto good works, to reflect on their own lives, and to inspire them to obedience. At least that is what people have been saying to us. We praise God for that, and we thank Him for answering our prayers - because that has been our prayer exactly.

And, believe me, doing what we are doing has made us reflect on our own faith, as well. You can't do what we're doing and go a day without wondering, "What on earth are we doing?!". We always come to the conclusion that we know exactly what we are doing - we are following the One who commands us to go, who asks us to give back to Him the lives He has redeemed, who empowers us by faith, who strengthens us with grace upon grace, who upholds us with the Everlasting Arms. Walking this out has been the greatest blessing to us because we are getting to know God in such a greater way. We have seen how much we have put the Lord of the Universe in a box. We have defined Him, limited Him, boxed Him, not believed His Word, I mean really believed it - all of it - and He has shown us how dumb and small we really are and how big and powerful and good and faithful and GREAT He really is. I can only assume He will continue to do this even after we jump off the cliff and free fall into South American missions.

"I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth are My followers." -John 18:37 

What is so awe-inspiring about taking your family halfway across the world to follow Truth? Is Truth not true? Is He not Who He says He is? Are we crazy, or just simply believing the truth? I think we are just simply believing what He has said in His very own Word, and we are simply trusting it to be true. Faith is only as good as its object. We are trusting in His promises, trusting in Him. That's all. No big deal.

Like I said before, I don't think missions is some special calling for the chosen few. I know some people believe that, but I don't. I really don't. That's like saying "serving" is some special calling. We are all called to serve, just as we are all called, as Christians, to missions. It may look different for you - you may not go to Argentina - but you are still called to missions if you are a Christian. Matthew 28 is for you, too.

Spurgeon said it so much better...

“I will never leave thee.” -Hebrews 13:5

"No promise is of private interpretation. Whatever God has said to any one saint, he has said to all. When he opens a well for one, it is that all may drink. When he openeth a granary-door to give out food, there may be some one starving man who is the occasion of its being opened, but all hungry saints may come and feed too. Whether he gave the word to Abraham or to Moses, matters not, O believer; he has given it to thee as one of the covenanted seed. There is not a high blessing too lofty for thee, nor a wide mercy too extensive for thee. Lift up now thine eyes to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, for all this is thine. Climb to Pisgah’s top, and view the utmost limit of the divine promise, for the land is all thine own. There is not a brook of living water of which thou mayst not drink. If the land floweth with milk and honey, eat the honey and drink the milk, for both are thine. Be thou bold to believe, for he hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” In this promise, God gives to his people everything. “I will never leave thee.” Then no attribute of God can cease to be engaged for us. Is he mighty? He will show himself strong on the behalf of them that trust him. Is he love? Then with lovingkindness will he have mercy upon us. Whatever attributes may compose the character of Deity, every one of them to its fullest extent shall be engaged on our side. To put everything in one, there is nothing you can want, there is nothing you can ask for, there is nothing you can need in time or in eternity, there is nothing living, nothing dying, there is nothing in this world, nothing in the next world, there is nothing now, nothing at the resurrection-morning, nothing in heaven which is not contained in this text—“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”"

Yes, we are free to go, to follow - He will freely give. He will take care of us; we need not worry. We may go to Argentina (or China, or Timbuktu) and He will never leave us. Never.

Do you believe it?

quote of the day... year

"Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone." - unknown

 

Take a risk for Christ

I love this. Francis Chan illustrates risk vs. safety so. well.

What is a leader?

Leader = one who takes initiative for the good of others.

The best definition ever.

Expect Great Things, Attempt Great Things

"Expect Great Things from God, Attempt Great Things for God." ~William Carey

"William Carey was the pioneer missionary of the modern missions movement. As a young man he found himself in a church where the leaders did not believe the Great Commission applied to them. They told young Carey, "When God chooses to win the heathen, He will do it without your help or ours." Of course, William Carey was appalled at this statement, and he did all he could to refute it. In response he wrote a small book entitled, "An Enquiry Into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens." How's that for a title? Here was his point: In order to reach non-Christians in other countries, we must cooperate, get ourselves organized and plan strategically for these ventures. In the years that followed Carey's book, many missions organizations were formed which sent missionaries all over the world.

We can learn much from William Carey's passionate desire to see the Gospel go to the ends of the earth. The motto of his life was this: "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." God has a great plan to save individuals from every people group in the world. (Matthew 24:14)." [source]

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things of this earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." ~Colossians 3:1-3

 

"...they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them..." ~2 Cor. 5:15

Suffering, risk, and laying your life down

That is the way of Christ.

Where's the LOVE button for this? Another excellent sermon jam by John Piper... WATCH IT.

Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

His is our Advocate.

Our Apostle, our Bishop, Our Captain

The Consolation of Israel 

Our Counsellor

Deliver

The Desire of All Nations

The Express Image of God 

He is Feeder, Foundation, and Fountain.

A Friend of Sinners

The Head of the Church

Heir of all Things

High Priest

Hope

He is Leader, Light, and Life.

He is Lord, Master, Mighty God, Merciful.

He is the Prince, the Power of God, the Propitiation. 

He is the Ransom, the Redeemer, and the Resurrection.

Savior, Servant, Shepherd.

He is Spirit, Surety, Truth.

He is the Way.

The Wisdom of God.

WORTHY!

To see the full list of "A Collection of the Names and Titles Given to Jesus Christ" in Cruden's Complete Concordance click here.

Jesus In Every Book of the Bible

A little encouragement for your day... He was, and is, and will forever be.


 

:)

Never Stop Preaching the Gospel, and Don't Forget the Homeless!

Someone dared enough and cared enough to share with this guy, and now look who the LORD had mercy on.

Beautiful.

(forgive the commercial in the beginning :))

More Quotes from Shadow of the Almighty

[No, I did not post 6 times yesterday. Google clitch or something. Apparently I fixed it - just wish I knew what I did!]


Here are some more, hopefully awe- and obedience-inspiring, quotes from Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot. Jim Elliot writes in his journal and letters:


"Remember that we have bargained with Him who bore a cross, and... His emphasis was upon sacrifice, not of wordly goods so much as of family ties."

"I try to get in what I call 'reprobate reading,' a little every day, just to keep from dropping into the stereotyped and conventional."

"IITimothy 2:4 is impossible in the United States, if one insists on a wife."

"Does it sound harsh so to speak? Consider the call from the Throne above, 'Go ye,' and from round about, 'Come over and help us,' and even the call from the damned souls below, 'Send Lazarus to my brothers, that they come not to this place,' Impelled, then by these voices, I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. So what if the well-fed church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the Prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers."

"So don't lose your daydreams. 'Nothing is too good to be: so believe, believe to see.' In my own experience I have found that the most extravagant dreams of boyhood have not surpassed the great experience of being in the Will of God..."

"The command is plain: you go into the whole world and announce the good news. It cannot be dispensationalized, typicalized, rationalized. It stands a clear command, possible of realization because of the Commander's following promise. To me, Ecuador is simply an avenue of obedience to the simple word of Christ. There is room for me there, and I am free to go."

"My going to Ecuador is God's counsel, as is my leaving, Betty, and my refusal to be counselled by all who insist I should stay and stir up believers in the U.S. And how do I know it is His counsel? 'Yea, my heart instructeth me in the night seasons.'"


For more read the rest of Shadow of the Almighty: The Life & Testament of Jim Elliot and  The Journals of Jim Elliot.

Awe-inspiring.

:)

Don't Waste your Life by Lecrae

I am quickly becoming a Lecrae fan. I just love his lyrics. LOVE his lyrics.

This week the doubts have been creeping in.

Why are we doing this? Why go? Why go there? What difference can we make, anyway? What are we going to do? We don't have enough training. Or studies. Or skills. Maybe we should just stay. I mean, what if the kids get sick? What if we get hurt? What if we die? Or one of the kids does? No.... no, maybe we should just hang around here for a while...

Then encouragement comes at just the right time, in just the right way. Today it was a Lecrae post on FB.

I think I'm his #1 fan. Watch it. (The ending ROCKS.)