The generosity in Almirante Grau continued. Unbeknownst to Taylor and I, we each had agreed to eat breakfast at someone's house without mentioning it to the other. I have come to enjoy the simple breakfasts and good conversations. Coffee and bread with a lot of Christ. What could be better? I always learn so much from God during these moments to sit and listen. To hear how God is stirring in the hearts of those around us and their desire to know Him more. Slowly as we listen God guides the conversations and joy is radiating from the small room by the end. God's love and joy permeates through everything. And the best part is when someone notices God permeating they come searching for Him too!
Our last stop for this trip was to the pueblo Nuevo Control. This pueblo is the first pueblo in the Valley of Bombonajillo. Nuevo Control was created as the home for all of the security guards who patrol the road. Taylor met them in December and promised we would be stopping out to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word Service for them since they have never had one before. We were excited to share Christ with them.
We met with Raphael and his wife Exilda in their home. Raphael is a carpenter. We spent the next few hours listening to their desires for Nuevo Control. They want to receive the sacraments and how they desire to have mass. But they shared the desire to have a church was most important to them.
We shared with them our experience of first building Christ in our hearts before a church in stone. How without Christ in our hearts we are empty. Christ doesn't need a physical building in which to dwell He just needs us and our desire to be with Him. We give Him this when we welcome Him into our hearts and build Him a temple there.
Taylor took this time to talk to Raphael directly through his carpentry. When Taylor asked how a bed is made Raphael explained all the detail that is put into it. Taylor then explained that in the same way you would go about building a bed for a person you should also be building your heart for the Lord. It was in that moment that he understood. The moment when the reality of building something by hand is the same way he should be building his relationship with the Lord. And then almost in the exact same moment Raphael realized that he shares the same trade that Our Lord and Savior did. The joy on his face was breathtaking.
We were so blessed to be able to give the gift of God's Word to each of the people we met with their very first Bible. A special thanks for Peace United Church of Christ in Brillion WI for donating the funds to purchase all of the Bibles. Your generous donation has now put God Word into the hands of people who had never had the opportunity to read it before.
Please pray for these communities. We are excited that God has called our family to help minister to them. We are humbled by this opportunity and pray that God will continue to provide all that He is asking us to do. Please especially pray for our family as we prepare to head back next weekend!
Taylor visited the communities that we were unable to visit this time around on Jan 29-31. A blog dedicated to this special visit will follow in the next few weeks.
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