One more try

Checking things out on the iPad. Looks like all is a go! Stay tuned for our zaney adventures as a family...traveling... this should be good.

Getting ready to head back to Colombia this week. Making a practice run on here to be sure that I remember how to do it.

Saturday in Colombia.

Wow. What a day. But I'll get to that in a minute. My first update needs to be about our friend Wilson. He is still in the hospital, but he is doing well. He was sitting up in bed today eating soup. He looked very much like himself in the pictures that we saw. Praise God he is in such good shape. As of now, he is scheduled to have screws put into his broken vertebra on Monday. At this point, it is doubtful that he will return before we head for home at the end the end of next week.

Today we dug. And dug. And digged. And dug some more. I would hate to estimate the tonnage of dirt we've moved, but is has been incredible. Most of us can barely move our arms. The other group has repaired or replaced every window in the "Hilton."

In the morning I will be preaching at Nueva Esperanza church. I hate not being able to speak Spanish any better than I do. I hate not being able to tell stories. Just look out, when I get back home I will be telling stories to anyone that will listen.

Got to go to bed for now. Keep praying for us. We need it. Seems to be a little opposition to our work. No weapon formed against us!!!!!!!
Be a blessing
Jeff

I'm desperately fighting the urge to go to sleep, but I want you all to know what's going on. We arrive in Cali last night on schedule, and with minimal chaos we made it onto our bus. The drive to camp was as expected...just a notch under out of control. It was so good to be reunited with our friends here. We enjoyed soup and soda at 10:30 pm. We then went to set up our quarters. The apartments we made last year were all supplied with new furnishings and linens. It was such a beautiful sight to see so much hard work from 2 different groups come to fruition.

Today began our work. We quickly saw that the area for the house was a bit too small. We relocated the place for the foundation (to the only available spot). However, we quickly noticed that we will be required to move a sewer line and a bunch of electrical lines. This is causing us many problems. Hopefully tomorrow we will come up with a workable plan.

The new site also had a huge tree in the middle of it. The plan was for Wilson to shimmy up, secure a pull rope and we would fall it in the direction of our choosing. The plan was working until Wilson lost footing and fell landing first on his feet, thn his back. He was unconscious for about 10 minutes. We got him on a backboard and waited for an ambulance. About an hour and a half went by before the ambulance arrived. Wilson was moving some and did not like our efforts to keep him still.

As of now, he has 2 broken vertebra according to scans. They are doing surgery tonight. Our minds and prayers are directed to him. He is such a great man and friend. We are so thankful it wasn't as bad as I outlive been.

Tomorrow we will be problem solving and waiting on news from the hospital. God is good and he has a plan for each one of us, and a purpose for each event that unfolds. Already we have met many new people. They have seen our faith and who knows what will come o this.

Tonight lance and keith led us in our devotions and we were blessed by what they shared. It will be a good trip and we shall overcome, after all, we are much more than conquerors.

Pray for us...be a blessing.
Jeff

Gearing up!

We are heading out to South America again next week. Since this will be my primary means of communicating, I thought I'd better try a practice run. Good thing...couldn't remember any of my log in info. At any rate, if you'd like to keep up with our crazy antics and daily joys as well as an up to the day prayer list...keep coming back here and checking this out. Go ahead and throw out a prayer for me know if you don't mind. I have so much stuff to take, and so few pounds allowed by the airlines!
Benediciones!

Glory..............

I'm working on a sermon for Grandparent's Day that will be upon us this Sunday. I am fairly certain I've never covered this from the pulpit before, so I've been working pretty diligently today. I've read some great quotes...watched some hilarious youtube stuff. While reading along I came to Proverbs 14:6 - "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."

WOW! How awesome is that. That verse is a preachers dream. As I began to postulate a statement that would incorporate this little nugget of wisdom it hit me like a ton of bricks. From out of nowhere it came. I'm minding my own business, envisioning this great oratory for the older and the aging. WHAM! (Insert old Batman Caption of your choosing here) A Mike Tyson right hook to the body....AND THE GLORY OF CHILDREN IS THEIR FATHERS!!! My countenance dropped. My heart sank. I nearly fell out of my chair. I'm heartbroken.

MY KIDS ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF! If indeed I am their glory, they are rarely getting a glimpse at the Eternal One. They seldom get to fix their eyes upon the Majesty of God. The very grace that is supposed to hold them, carry them, drive them on...its rarely ever seen, if indeed I am their glory.

I took the kids fishing last night...that didn't go so well. Glory took the bait and somehow got away from us. When its time for bed and they just want to giggle and wrestle and pass gas...that doesn't go so well either. Glory escaped again. When they wont do this, or they dont do that...at least acccording to my standards or my schedule...no glory on the horizon either, if you catch my drift. What the hell am I doing? I suck at being GLORY. I'm inclined to believe that my kids eyes will rarely, if ever, light up with Joy and Awe and Wonder in the presence of the King, especially if dad's presence at home doesn't cause more than an occasional spark. Father please, help me know GLORY.

Reposting: Church Life in Popayan

Reposting this as it has been the topic of a few conversations lately.


Church Life in Popayan
October 10, 2010

So I said the other day I'd take a few minutes to describe church life in Popayan, so here's my attempt.

Like much of Colombia, the Payanese are very energetic and celebratory in their worship...much like the rest of their lives. One of the things that stands out to me the most is how deeply personal their worship is. Corporate prayers usually last upwards of 15 minutes...its embarrassing when us gringos cant even preach as long as the opening prayer...and you certainly don't call on a Colombian to pray before a meal!!! Much like contemporary worship in the states, repetition is a big deal. I would swear to it that we sang "Agnus Dei" in Spanish at least 25 times this morning...then we did it about 8 more in English. It was the same way with most of the songs. When the offering is collected, givers go to a designated location and place their money in a basket or some other such container. It is a much more active part of the worship. The sermon is longer....much longer than American sermons. Part of it is due to the fact that it just seems longer because you don't have a clue what's being said, the other part is that I think it takes twice as many words to say something in Spanish than it does in English.

Today, we worshipped at a mission church in a very poor village. The sanctuary was about 10 feet wide and 30 feet long. It felt like we were meeting in the back of semi trailer. But it was a great service and we were treated like VIP's. These folks who possess almost nothing lavished us with gifts and food and love. The Colombian people are the most hospitable people in all of the world, and they practice that gift to the extreme.

Following the service, we were taken to an elders home where all the furniture had been taken outside to allow room for us to eat within the house. It was a home of meager stature, but it oozed the love of Christ and we feasted on sancocho de pollo, rice with aji, and salad with 2 different kinds of very intense juice. Good stuff.

Following the meal, we got on the bus that seats 15...all 31 of us!!! I felt like the middle weenie in a can of Vienna Sausages!!!! and went into an artisan festival in the town square. It was a festival featuring the products of "Women Heads of Households" who were plying their craft skills with the hopes of selling their goods to provide for their families. I bought Miss Bert a really nice purse-thing (oops, there goes the surprise) and did not feel like bartering to lower the price, knowing that whatever profit the lady made would help feed her children today. Yesterday at the market place I was wheeling and dealing like Bob Barker, but my heart wouldn't allow it today. As we were leaving they announced over the PA system that there Americans in the city today....like that needed to be done. The city welcomed us and celebrated us like we were somebodies. Little did they know we're all just a bunch of average Joe's, most of whom drive mini-vans back in the States.

For those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, life is radically different from those who don't. Jesus is EVERYTHING. He is their focal point, their origin for all of the rest of life. I am likening it to a bicycle wheel. In this analogy, for the typical Colombian Christian, Christ is the Axle, the church is the hub and everything else radiates out from there. The addition I've made this trip to this analogy is that the tire on the wheel is the Mission of Christ. Their jobs, their hobbies, their recreational time...even their leisure time is designed ON PURPOSE to have some sort impact on the world for Jesus. In this, I think the Colombians understand the Gospel far better than most American Christians who insist on partitioning off a tiny segment of their in which to express their faith, all the while keeping the rest for themselves and their pursuits.

The element of the church being the hub is really impressive to me. When folks get off work, they go to church. Discipleship groups, small groups, planning meetings, choir and drama practice, church maintenance...everybody...every day. And everyone is smiling and humming or singing and they're genuinely glad to be there. Nobody complains about "having to do everything at church." Instead, they consider it pure joy to serve...to exhaust themselves...for the sake of Christ and His church.

Anyhow, this is just the little glimpse I can provide you of what its like here. It's wonderful. Come see for yourself.
He Has Made Me Glad!
jeff