Sunday, February 22, 2009
Persecution
I recently heard someone tell about the deaths of some believers, in Mexico because of their faith.
It is very common practice in Mexico to have large fiestas. The whole village, city or town celebrates. Most of the time this means a lot of drinking. Each family in the village contributes money to fund the party.
There were believers in a town in southern Mexico that refused to give money to pay for the party and the village got mad and killed 3 and injured 6 more. This happened in late 2008. You can click on the following link to get the rest of the story. Please pray for Mexican believers in Chiapas and Oaxaca in southern Mexico.
http://www.persecution.net/mexico.htm
Voice of the Martyrs is well known, and I have just recently been checking out their website. I would encourage you to do so as well. Are you aware of how many of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are suffering for their faith? When was the last time you thought about it? When was the last time you prayed for them?
On the Voice of the Martyrs website you can write and print letters to persecuted believers. Sign up. Write a letter. Part of the enemy’s tactics include trying to keep us in the dark about the persecution of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
Take a break from the thing you do to relax, from TV, from searching YouTube, from reading, or whatever else is it you commonly spend a lot of time doing.
http://www.persecution.com/media_undergroundReality.html
Pray for them; pray that God would make you more and more aware of what is happening to the Body of Christ around the world.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Amazing Things
In the States I don't think there has ever been a time when a group of Christians I don't know stopped into town and we decided to drop everything we had going on and have a spur of the moment Bible Study. It just doesn't happen. I know there are many qualifying statements, and things to be careful of. In the States we are busy, we schedule things. This isn't a bad thing and we should be cautious of anyone who happens to just roll into town and wants to teach, they could be teaching heresy.
However, there you see a few people in a small village who are hungry for the word of God and for Christian fellowship. They want you to talk to them about the things of God. In the States sadly this is not always the case. I know I have never said "Wow, I'm so hungry for Christian fellowship and Bible Study I think I'll cancel my plans for tonight and have a Bible Study." Sadly many times I go to Bible Studies and sometimes even church out of a sense of duty. I am always so blessed and happy to be there but I don't always have the right attitude before going.
Another thing that totally amazed me about this trip is that fact that the people in EZ invited us to stay in their homes, with them when they had never meet us before. Their hospitality was unreal. When ever we extend hospitality to others it is usually on our terms. We do it, when we want to, when it fits into our schedule. Once again there are qualifying statements. I know life in the States is very different from life in Mexico. We can learn things from Mexicans, however I am not saying that we should all adapt to how they do things. I'm simply saying we should evaluate our lives. What does God want us to do??
I feel many times we are simply too wrapped up in our little worlds, doing what we want, when we want, how we want, when what God wants is for us to listen to him and follow him. We have all these convinces and life is so complex that it is hard to make the truly important things priorities. And I will say that I am just as guilty as the next person.
As we were leaving Mexico after this first over night trip, I was really sad as we drove by all the houses knowing that inside most of them were people that are deceived by the enemy.
When was the last time you where moved to tears and truly sad because there are people out there who don't know the Gospel?? Sadly, I think that may have been the first time for me.
And further more when was the last time you where moved enough to actually do something about it?? I know there are times when we care enough to do something about it for a period of time, and then it fizzles out.
I am praying that we would be moved to the point of deep brokenness for the name of Christ. That it would cause us deep agony to know that there are millions and millions of people who have never heard the name of our Amazing God.
Please pray with me. That God would continue a revival and they we would be a part of it. God is moving greatly in the world, in many places. I am just beginning to get a glimpse of the amazing things he is doing. I am just as much in need of brokenness as anyone else.
May God break our hearts (mine and yours) for the nations and cause us to seek after, to crave him more and more each day. May we be moved to continuous action of speaking his name and telling of his wonders to all we meet.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Please Pray!
At the office this morning about 9:10am we received a phone call from Sue Depew. Some of you may remember that I mentioned David Depew in an earlier post. Sue called to say that her husband (David) is in ICU in Houston. He had some tests done and he now had an infection. It is quite serious and will require several weeks of IV antibiotics.
David Depew was a missionary in Thailand for quite some time and was preparing to go for a visit and then meet the team from To Every Tribe in Papua New Guinea next month. He is very disappointed that he will no be able to make those trips as he spends time recovering.
David Depew has been used by God to play a key role in David Sitton's life. David Sitton said this morning that there are a very few men that he would completely drop everything for and David Depew is one of them.
Please pray earnestly for our Brother in Christ, David Depew, that he would be encouraged, that God would give the doctors wisdom. Pray also for his wife Sue that she would be encouraged. Also as I mentioned in the early post David Depew is the President of New Live Advance International. I believe there are only two other people that work in the office, pray for them as they will be under a lot of stress with David not being there.
Pray ultimately that God would receive glory and that many people would hear the Gospel as a result of this.
Monday, February 9, 2009
2 Day Trip to Mexico Day Dos
2 Day Trip Into Mexico Day Uno
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Water
Shortly, after arriving I was to learn that nearly everyone drinks filtered water down here. I thought that was rather odd. In Michigan we drink the water out of the faucet. It tastes perfectly fine. So, I asked if it was safe to drink the water out of the faucet. I was told yes it is safe. I thought maybe the fact that we are so close to the border might have something to do with the fact that the people don't drink the water out of the faucet. But apparently that is not the case.
I tried the water. Tasted fine to me but seeing how everyone else drinks filtered water I figured there must be something to it. (Over the last month I've noticed that the water can sometimes have a rather interesting smell, it is a unpleasant smell I might add.)
Meanwhile I was left thinking that every time I needed water I'm going to have to run to the grocery store and buy it?? No thank you! It was then explained that you buy the gallon jugs, filled with water at the grocery store, and you refill them. At the little buildings in town. What little buildings? Where? You know the buildings. No, I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about...
Well, come to find out that is what all the little buildings (some with windmills on them) are. I'm not sure what else I thought they were. I guess I thought there was a little man who sat in there all day and sold something, coffee or slushies or something. How was I to know there was no such little man and it was for water? This is something we do not have in Michigan.
Needless to say now that we have that figured out, Michele and I get quite a bit of enjoyment and entertainment from loading the bottles into the car, driving there, putting a quarter into the slot, adjusting the filler bar and pushing the one gallon button and watching, in fascination as the bottle is filled.
I do not, however, enjoy carrying all the full gallon jugs back up the stairs to the apartment. It is actually a rather short lived annoyance so we endure. And Michele is very helpful. We both go and get the water and it is quite the trip.
So much for the little man selling the slushies.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Company
Last week we had Fred Zaspel, and this week we had David Depew for dinner. It has been a lot of fun. Between the four singles we figure out what we are going to cook and it very interesting because I think most of us don't have very much experience with cooking. I'm praying that if our attempts at cooking turn out bad that it will not be on Monday nights. However, I am certain that that teachers will be gracious to us, if that does indeed happen.
We had an excellent dinner with David Depew. David is the President of New Life Advance International (I encourage you to google this if you have time) and he is a very interesting man to talk to. David encouraged us to keep learning as we grow older. Tommi told me that he has prayed for an assistant for her for a long time, and also been very instrumental in convincing people that she needed one. It feels very interesting to be told that you are a direct answer to prayer.
Dinner turned out well last night, and I would like to thank Nancy R. for putting together the cook book for me and also for the ladies at my home Church in MI for contributing to the book. I made Marilyn's Chicken Casserole and it was so good. I will be making many more times I am sure.
My Mom finds it very entertaining that I am having to cook. I've called her many times. So far she has enlightened me on how to cook fresh broccoli, fresh beans, how to cook potatoes for her potato salad, sent me her banana cake recipe, told me I won't die if I don't have pumpkin pie spice.
Michele and I have worked out a schedule for cooking. Monday is combine meal with the guys and the speaker, Tuesday I cook, Wednesday we do something quick because there is church, Thursday she cooks. And Friday, Saturday and Sunday we eat whatever. That is for dinners only. We each get our own breakfast and lunch during the week.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Community
As I walked out of the airport door and she walked through security I turned and looked back. I was so afraid to. I wanted to see her face one last time but I didn't. I knew that if I did see her face, she would see mine and we would both start crying. I think that was one of the main reasons we didn't wait long together in the waiting area. In our minds why postpone the inevitable.
So she rode up the escalator and I walked out the door to my car and drove away. Leaving my last family member to be whisked away by a plane. Now my entire family is over 1,500 miles away.
I was happy to get back to my new home, because I knew Tommi would be waiting for me in the office and I could get to work. I expected the transition to be hard. I was hoping to have a lot of time to read since I wouldn't have any family and relatively few people I knew. However, most of my books wouldn't fit in my car.
As it ends up, it doesn't really matter that most of my books haven't made it down here yet, because I've barely had time to read them. So far I think I've picked up a book a handful of times since I've been here. Other than my Bible, of course, which I read every day.
I've introduced you to everyone who lives in the the apartment building however there are still a few you have not met.
First of all our translators, who we use most of the time when we cross the border into Mexico. There are four of them and they are all college aged. There is Irian and his sister Iliana, Burger, and last but not least Bianca. Since they are all about the ages of the singles that live in the apartment building, they frequently come over and hang out.
And the last people you have not met, are people that have offices in the office building. There is Tommi (Office Manager) and her husband David (President or the Chief as we often call him), and there is Ron Sanford (not sure his office title) and his wife Margie. Now you have officially been introduced to everyone here!
When I left home on Jan. 1, I was very sad to leave my family. We all cried. Even my Dad. I had a brief moment when I thought we might all just die. I know this is totally unreasonable, people have made it through far worse things than a family member moving away, but it was pretty intense.
I was excited, but extremely sad to think of all the things I was going to miss. Rachel and Ben has just moved back to Michigan, and Daniel and Marissa (my buddies as I love to call them) and I were getting closer as siblings and best friends by the seconds. I love being anywhere those 2 are. From soccer games, to HPA shows, to KAT programs, to Wendy's for frostys to the kitchen for a late night snacks, those two are my amazing buddies and always will be.
To not be part of all those events was almost unthinkable. I mean who was going to make me laugh until I cried, give me standy upy hugs, get Frosty's with me, and scary me in the bathroom in the morning??
But I know that moving to work with To Every Tribe was the right thing to do. I think I always knew that it was but that doesn't mean I didn't wrestle with it for many months. That doesn't me that it didn't cause me tears, and agony. God was telling me what to do and I had two choices obey or disobey.
I choose to obey. That didn't make it automatically easy. It is a challenge to think that I it could be another 3 months or longer until I see my family again. The longest time of not seeing my family I've ever experienced was three weeks.
But back to the the title of my post. I've mentioned everyone here by name. Even though my blood relatives are very far way I have an amazing family here. They are the body of Christ! We are family by a different kind of blood, the blood of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ!
Tonight was the super bowl. I'm not a football fan but even I watch the super bowl. Usually with the Young People's group from my church. I was slightly worried about who I was going to watch it with this year. I shouldn't have been concerned. Turns out the Super Bowl is an excellent reason to have a community meal complete with wings! Which is exactly what happened. Mark and Alex were out grilling them this afternoon while we waited for the kickoff.
We eat anywhere from one to three meals together a week. Many of the other meals during the week are shared with with two families or one family and some singles. Every day I walk down the sidewalk and here multiple little voices saying "Hi Miss Steph".
I've been asked the question "Does your Mommy let you chew gum?", "Where do you live?" Many of the little kids find it quite funny that I live in the same building as they do. I've pulled little kids around in wagons, had lunch with one of the little girls, showed them how glow sticks work and how to make them into bracelets. I've given hi fives and also received them. The kids still have a hard time understanding that my Mommy lives very far away. Go ahead and try to explain that to a three year old.
Another thing I was quite concerned about when I moved down here was, where I was going to get my hugs from. I love giving hugs and getting hugs from my Mom. I think some scientist somewhere has said that we each need a certain number of hugs a day. Well, I always love hugging my Mom. I spent a considerable amount of time, before I moved trying to convince my Mom that she must move to Texas with me. Sadly, she was not convinced.
However, I get I think on average about 4 hugs a day. Although, if I recalculated I think it might be more. The women here (all of them actually are mothers) make sure I get my hugs. For which I am very grateful. They have also brought over many things for Michele and I to eat.
Michele and I like to lay on the couches in our apartment and read but we also enjoy hanging out and talking to any of the couples who live here. I was over at Mark and Belinda's on Friday night and just enjoyed sitting there with them and watching them put their two daughters to bed. It reminded me of my childhood and being put to bed by my parents.
Every Tuesday and Thursday we have Chapel. I love it. Scott plays guitar and Caleb plays the keyboard and we all sing. The Families bring their children and Ron gives us a devotional. The worship time with the families is amazing and Ron faithful challenges us with God's word. One of my favorite devotionals he has given us went over the attributes of God. It was amazing to be reminded of some of them. Things I learned as a child but had little meaning because I didn't know him personally. It brought me to a place of simple worship and awe of our Awesome God!
Another thing I must mention is the Church I am attending. It is very good. The teaching is solid and I am feed and challenged every Sunday and Wednesday. The name of the Church is Divine Providence. If you ever get down this way, I strongly encourage you to attend. It is just over a year old and has grown a lot. The people are joyful, friendly and you can tell they love God and seek after him daily. DP has Sunday morning Sunday school, and church. A Wednesday night Bible Study, Thursday night Prayer Meeting, their men's group meets every Saturday at 7am and the Ladies Group meets once a month on Saturday.
Also here at To Every Tribe the Ladies have been meeting on Thursdays to pray for each other. I am encouraged by how open the ladies are with each other and how they genuinely care for each other.
I'm continually amazed by the Body of Christ here, I'm encouraged and lifted up countless times during the day. We share each others burdens and joys and pray for each other!