When we moved to Joco, we were humbled, hurting and open to absolutely whatever it might be that God would give us the opportunity to do. We probably had it in our heads that it would be continuing on the path of helping the poor and needy in whatever way we could find to do so. Funny how God can accomplish that very thing but without it looking anything like we might have pictured it.
Last night, we held our third Bible study...which actually feels more like a sort of church...in a new building provided for us totally from God. We weren't even looking for this building. In fact, whenever Britt and I have discussed the future of this group, it has been Britt's vision to split the group up in to more centrally located houses for those attending. It went kind of like this: Britt would leave around 6:00 and start picking people up. He often had to wait on different ones depending on when they would be alerted to his arrival. He would fill the car up with as many as he could and return home about 2 hours later. We had several problems in our thinking with this arrangement. Not to mention, we live in a private not-so-easy-to-enter neighborhood. So unless they were invited to come and at the invitees house upon pick-up, they didn't come.
So when the opportunity came up to use this new building, we were all pretty excited. At first the attendees were all questioning why we changed meeting places. But by the end of that first meeting, they were all totally into the new arrangements. They got so excited. And the best part, they were making it their own. Some of them got excited about the location, because it's right where all the bus flow happens. Others volunteered to come early to help get it all set up and stay later for clean up.
Every week we've seen new faces. Granted, this is not entirely our goal. We really want these people who have been coming to become grounded in God's word. But we certainly are open to growth. Last night, as we were singing (because apparently, even though it's just a bible study, you still have to sing...which is why I say it's like a sort of church), a man who came last week, showed up again. Next to him was standing a very drunk man. I was dying to see how our people were going to react to this. The guy from last week, I was informed later, was drunk as well. Apparently, I'm not that great at noticing when it's not all out obvious. I mean, before Guatemala, I was never really exposed to drunks other than at extra-curricular high school events (many many moons ago). Anyway, this very drunk new guy was beyond obviously drunk. One more sip, and I'm pretty sure he would have been sprawled out flat on the street next to the other ones we saw on our way home.
Amazingly, and might I say a bit to my relief. The drunk guy was welcomed in and given a seat. He likely won't remember that he agreed to meet the leadership men this week, because he said he wants to change and needs help. We've seen this often here...what they say while drunk compared to when sober. But he had his friend there that can remind him.
As I look back over the past few months, I see a pattern in our journey. It's been working with a lot of alcoholics. We've been involved in the local rehab for drugs and alcohol since shortly after moving down here in May. And this new location puts us smack in the path of anyone going to the local pub. They have to pass our new location to get there. How cool is that? The building where we meet is the local soup kitchen run by some Canadian missionaries. Both the drunk guys know the missionary that runs the soup kitchen. Can you follow the connection?
I'm so often amazed through life's journey how God uses us to accomplish his purpose so differently than we could ever imagine or envision. I love how we are just equipping the locals and they are making it their own. It just seems to work out better than trying to make it our thing, which brings up a whole other topic about Gringos thinking we know a better way. We can be rather arrogant, can't we?
Last night, we held our third Bible study...which actually feels more like a sort of church...in a new building provided for us totally from God. We weren't even looking for this building. In fact, whenever Britt and I have discussed the future of this group, it has been Britt's vision to split the group up in to more centrally located houses for those attending. It went kind of like this: Britt would leave around 6:00 and start picking people up. He often had to wait on different ones depending on when they would be alerted to his arrival. He would fill the car up with as many as he could and return home about 2 hours later. We had several problems in our thinking with this arrangement. Not to mention, we live in a private not-so-easy-to-enter neighborhood. So unless they were invited to come and at the invitees house upon pick-up, they didn't come.
So when the opportunity came up to use this new building, we were all pretty excited. At first the attendees were all questioning why we changed meeting places. But by the end of that first meeting, they were all totally into the new arrangements. They got so excited. And the best part, they were making it their own. Some of them got excited about the location, because it's right where all the bus flow happens. Others volunteered to come early to help get it all set up and stay later for clean up.
Every week we've seen new faces. Granted, this is not entirely our goal. We really want these people who have been coming to become grounded in God's word. But we certainly are open to growth. Last night, as we were singing (because apparently, even though it's just a bible study, you still have to sing...which is why I say it's like a sort of church), a man who came last week, showed up again. Next to him was standing a very drunk man. I was dying to see how our people were going to react to this. The guy from last week, I was informed later, was drunk as well. Apparently, I'm not that great at noticing when it's not all out obvious. I mean, before Guatemala, I was never really exposed to drunks other than at extra-curricular high school events (many many moons ago). Anyway, this very drunk new guy was beyond obviously drunk. One more sip, and I'm pretty sure he would have been sprawled out flat on the street next to the other ones we saw on our way home.
Amazingly, and might I say a bit to my relief. The drunk guy was welcomed in and given a seat. He likely won't remember that he agreed to meet the leadership men this week, because he said he wants to change and needs help. We've seen this often here...what they say while drunk compared to when sober. But he had his friend there that can remind him.
As I look back over the past few months, I see a pattern in our journey. It's been working with a lot of alcoholics. We've been involved in the local rehab for drugs and alcohol since shortly after moving down here in May. And this new location puts us smack in the path of anyone going to the local pub. They have to pass our new location to get there. How cool is that? The building where we meet is the local soup kitchen run by some Canadian missionaries. Both the drunk guys know the missionary that runs the soup kitchen. Can you follow the connection?
I'm so often amazed through life's journey how God uses us to accomplish his purpose so differently than we could ever imagine or envision. I love how we are just equipping the locals and they are making it their own. It just seems to work out better than trying to make it our thing, which brings up a whole other topic about Gringos thinking we know a better way. We can be rather arrogant, can't we?
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