Thursday, April 28, 2011
it's that time again!
Thanks to the wonderful limits that Guatemala places on a tourist VISA, I will be heading back to Michigan for a short visit beginning tomorrow, Friday, April 29! I will only be home for a month or so, but I am looking foward to seeing my friends and family before jumping head first into another full summer of ministry. Although a large part of it, the VISA is not the only reason why I'll be making the trip home for the month of May. During this time, I will have the privilege to take part in numerous activities and opportunities that the Lord has blessed the ministries of Paradise Bound with. On May 6, Tim Hawkins, a Christian comedian, will be putting on a benefit concert for PBM at Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI, and at the end of the month, I will be traveling to North Carolina to take part in a two-week long medical missionary intensive training course. Please join me in praying not only for safe travels tomorrow, but for the Lord's name to be glorified at the Tim Hawkins event, in my studies at the medical missonary course, and in all other aspects of Paradise Bound Ministries!
Friday, April 22, 2011
...faith like a child...
“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18: 2-4).
Faith like a child. For a while now, this concept has been bouncing around in my head on a frequent basis, as a reminder of always seeking after God with a fervent and unwavering passion. What does it mean to have faith like a child? What does that look like?
Well, a few months ago, I had the most beautiful image of what it indeed looks like to have faith like a child. On the last night of devotions, with the last team of the winter, we were all gathered together in the great room of the mission base. I had the pleasure of sitting in between Emanuel and Debora, the two children of our Guatemalan staff members, who had also been asking ALL day when devotions would take place. =)
As we wrapped up a time of singing and studying the Scriptures, we entered into a time of reflection where the team members could also give their lives to Christ for the first time or re-dedicate their lives to Him if they felt so led. After some time, I heard a whimpering cry coming from my left, and I realized that Debora was crying as she was praying and raising her hands in praise to God. Soon thereafter, she made her way to the cross and nailed a piece of paper deep into the wood. I asked her later what she wrote on that piece of paper, and through her sobs, I was able to understand that she had asked God for forgiveness from all her sins. She remained in her seat for only a little while before returning to the cross, this time falling on her knees in prayer. I stayed in my seat for a little while longer, holding her brother who I realized had begun to cry on my right. After a while, however, I returned to the cross with Debora. Dan Smith was there as well, and he led her to writing her name on another piece of paper before nailing it to the cross, signifying that she was giving her life to Christ for the first time. Praise God!
Looking back towards Emanuel, I noticed that he was peering at the cross through red and swollen eyes. I invited him to join us down and the cross, which he did so without hesitation. After holding him and letting him cry for a while longer, I asked him if he too wanted to accept Christ into his heart for the first time. He nodded yes, and as we gathered together a pen, paper, nail, and hammer, he wrote his name on that paper and drove it deep into the cross.
By this point, tears of joy were flowing all around. Both kids returned to the cross numerous times, letting go of numerous confessions and sins. What a privilege it was to bear witness to that event and to be a part of their commitment to Christ, both in that moment and in the weeks and months to come! They shared their experience with their parents, and since that day, it seems like the kids have been running around here with a new passion and joy for life. They even willingly offer to pray before meals, and they both have read through their new children’s Bibles in less than a week.
I don’t know about you, but that is the kind of passion I want to have. I want to have a faith that is always growing, always seeking, and always excited to discover God at work in new ways every single day.
Faith like a child. For a while now, this concept has been bouncing around in my head on a frequent basis, as a reminder of always seeking after God with a fervent and unwavering passion. What does it mean to have faith like a child? What does that look like?
Well, a few months ago, I had the most beautiful image of what it indeed looks like to have faith like a child. On the last night of devotions, with the last team of the winter, we were all gathered together in the great room of the mission base. I had the pleasure of sitting in between Emanuel and Debora, the two children of our Guatemalan staff members, who had also been asking ALL day when devotions would take place. =)
As we wrapped up a time of singing and studying the Scriptures, we entered into a time of reflection where the team members could also give their lives to Christ for the first time or re-dedicate their lives to Him if they felt so led. After some time, I heard a whimpering cry coming from my left, and I realized that Debora was crying as she was praying and raising her hands in praise to God. Soon thereafter, she made her way to the cross and nailed a piece of paper deep into the wood. I asked her later what she wrote on that piece of paper, and through her sobs, I was able to understand that she had asked God for forgiveness from all her sins. She remained in her seat for only a little while before returning to the cross, this time falling on her knees in prayer. I stayed in my seat for a little while longer, holding her brother who I realized had begun to cry on my right. After a while, however, I returned to the cross with Debora. Dan Smith was there as well, and he led her to writing her name on another piece of paper before nailing it to the cross, signifying that she was giving her life to Christ for the first time. Praise God!
Looking back towards Emanuel, I noticed that he was peering at the cross through red and swollen eyes. I invited him to join us down and the cross, which he did so without hesitation. After holding him and letting him cry for a while longer, I asked him if he too wanted to accept Christ into his heart for the first time. He nodded yes, and as we gathered together a pen, paper, nail, and hammer, he wrote his name on that paper and drove it deep into the cross.
By this point, tears of joy were flowing all around. Both kids returned to the cross numerous times, letting go of numerous confessions and sins. What a privilege it was to bear witness to that event and to be a part of their commitment to Christ, both in that moment and in the weeks and months to come! They shared their experience with their parents, and since that day, it seems like the kids have been running around here with a new passion and joy for life. They even willingly offer to pray before meals, and they both have read through their new children’s Bibles in less than a week.
I don’t know about you, but that is the kind of passion I want to have. I want to have a faith that is always growing, always seeking, and always excited to discover God at work in new ways every single day.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
el mundo de Marcos (MARCOS' WORLD!)
For those of you who don't receive the Intercessor email updates through Paradise Bound Ministries, I thought that it was about time I fill you in on what's been happening with Marcos! Here is your long overdue update:
On April 6, Marcos went in for his operation at Shriner's Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. After waiting for roughly 4 hours, he was ushered into the operating room at roughly 12:10pm. Roughly two and a half hours later, he was escorted to recovery, and roughly four hours later, he was resting comfortably in his own room (with the help of some Morphine, of course)! The surgery went well – just as the doctors expected, and with no additional surprises. Praise God! They had to remove quite a bit of dead tissue, but were then able to close the wound, leaving only two drains in place. Right now, he has a PICC line through which he is receiving general IV antibiotics, but once they receive the lab results of the tissue specimen (which should be anyday now), they will transition him to a more specific antibiotic that will target the exact type of infection he has.
I have had the privilege of talking to Marcos a couple times now after the surgery. The first time, he was exhausted, hardly able to talk, and needing lots of pain medication, but doing well! The second time, he was alert, happy, and joking around while eating popcorn, drinking orange pop, and contemplating when his next came of Mario Cart on the Wii would take place! The pain has subsided tremendously, and he is now turning his focus towards getting better...and getting out of the hospital! Tomorrow, April 13, they will take another x-ray to see how the bone is recovering.
On top of all of this, I am very grateful for his host parents, who have not left his side through this whole process. They are also allowing me to stay with them for a weekend so that I can go and visit Marcos in May. By this time, we also hope that Marcos will be out of the hospital, and recovering at his host home!
Please continue to join us in giving thanks for the miracle that has already taken place, and in praying for continued healing, strength and a speedy recovery. Marcos still has a long road ahead of him, with weeks of antibiotic therapy, rehab, and a possible follow-up surgery. But we serve a Mighty Savior…an Awesome God, and with Him, all things are possible! He is the Ultimate Healer and Provider – our Rock and our Strength - and He will never leave us nor forsake us!
Until a further update is available….
On April 6, Marcos went in for his operation at Shriner's Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. After waiting for roughly 4 hours, he was ushered into the operating room at roughly 12:10pm. Roughly two and a half hours later, he was escorted to recovery, and roughly four hours later, he was resting comfortably in his own room (with the help of some Morphine, of course)! The surgery went well – just as the doctors expected, and with no additional surprises. Praise God! They had to remove quite a bit of dead tissue, but were then able to close the wound, leaving only two drains in place. Right now, he has a PICC line through which he is receiving general IV antibiotics, but once they receive the lab results of the tissue specimen (which should be anyday now), they will transition him to a more specific antibiotic that will target the exact type of infection he has.
I have had the privilege of talking to Marcos a couple times now after the surgery. The first time, he was exhausted, hardly able to talk, and needing lots of pain medication, but doing well! The second time, he was alert, happy, and joking around while eating popcorn, drinking orange pop, and contemplating when his next came of Mario Cart on the Wii would take place! The pain has subsided tremendously, and he is now turning his focus towards getting better...and getting out of the hospital! Tomorrow, April 13, they will take another x-ray to see how the bone is recovering.
On top of all of this, I am very grateful for his host parents, who have not left his side through this whole process. They are also allowing me to stay with them for a weekend so that I can go and visit Marcos in May. By this time, we also hope that Marcos will be out of the hospital, and recovering at his host home!
Please continue to join us in giving thanks for the miracle that has already taken place, and in praying for continued healing, strength and a speedy recovery. Marcos still has a long road ahead of him, with weeks of antibiotic therapy, rehab, and a possible follow-up surgery. But we serve a Mighty Savior…an Awesome God, and with Him, all things are possible! He is the Ultimate Healer and Provider – our Rock and our Strength - and He will never leave us nor forsake us!
Until a further update is available….
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)