Philippians 2:14

What a blessed week! Our first team from Oak Park and Westwood Baptist churches just left and our next team arrives soon. This week we served in the village of Santa Louisa. Our projects were to concrete the floors in the new bathromms for the village. When completed, these will be the first bathrooms with plumbing in the village. We also began the foundation of the Pastor’s house. Pastor Carlos will be moving to the village when his house is complete, to be with the people God has called him to make disciples of. In the afternoons, we also ministered to the children of the village. We had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them, share Bible stories with them, make crafts, sing praise to the Lord, and just build relationships with them for the purpose of showing Christ’s love. We prayed that our actions would be fragrant offerings to the Lord. However, we know we did not make sacrifice. It is our delight to share Christ with the nations. He is our hope and He must be shared.

This week God taught me mucho. He taught me that every good thing I do is the Christ in me. One day I was sick in the village. I can’t remember feeling that sick many other times in my life. And one of the village ladies who attends the church made a tea for me and loved on me, welcoming me into her shack. Later when I had recovered, I thanked her for taking care of me. She simply answered it’s the Christ in me. I was so humbled. She didn’t say your welcome, or I was glad to do it, but “It’s the Christ in me.” Wow. Every good thing I do is the Christ in me.

God also very vividly showed me how He is greater than any barrier. I struggle with the lanugauge barrier when I am overseas. I want so badly to communicate. And the first day that I met Telmar, one of the village ladies, she told me I needed to learn Spanish so I could talk to her. Haha. Well, feeling intimidated I continued to try to communicate with her all week. But I didn’t go home and learn a lot of Spanish. I didn’t have time. I just tried to love her. I played with her special needs sons. I shared my favorite Bible verse with her. I asked her all the questions I knew in Spanish. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would love through me. And on the last day as I hugged Telmar goodbye, both of us in tears, she told me 1. That my Spanish had improved and 2. That I would forever be her sister in Christ. Praise God that He is not hindered by any cultural barrier! He is God of all!

God is sovereign over the weather and over our health and whether we are on time or not. God makes all things new. God answers prayers according to His will. Nothing compares to knowing Christ and making Him known. I pray that everything I do will be a reflection of HIM.

our make-shift potty 

Glori a Dios!