The Purpose of the Institute

We have had a team here for the last week. Besides that we have been nearly overcome with issues and situations in just about all areas of our life the last 10 days. Hope this period is almost over, but it's probably not. Some things were painful but led to a purpose that God had chosen to complete in our lives and ministry. He does promise to work all things out for the good IF we are actively choosing Him.

I'll share some of the nitty gritty of mission life over the next couple posts, but first I want to share about this great team we just had. They were an evangelistic team that worked in villages with no work, a very young work, or a struggling one. 

The first day of outreach the kids and I got to go too. Usually when we don't go it is a space issue. This time since we were traveling by large boat, there was plenty of room!

{One of my children is a ham!} 

{Jonah in Daddy's hat}

It was a 2 hour boat ride to the village of San Martin. There has been a mission there for 7 years. Just to be clear, we call church plants "missions" until they become self supporting with a pastor and then they are a "church". 

This mission is so difficult to get to that Domingo hasn't been in 4 years. They do not have a pastor, only a "man in charge" who listens to the Kekchi Baptist radio station and then preaches what he learns. It is a very small mission because of this. The purpose of the institute (KBI) is to train men who have been called to preach to go pastor new or even struggling missions like these so that they can disciple more believers. 

The mission had a meal ready for us when we arrived. The team left an offering to cover the chickens we ate. This was the team's first caldo meal! 

Some were fans, some where not. I think it's truly delicious. This caldo had rice and white potatoes in it which the Kekchi call "the foreigner's sweet potatoes". It isn't very common in caldo. 

My boys are fans!

This was the team's first experience with other things too!

{The line for the bathroom!}

 The ladies were so sweet to Eden. Do you see how fat she is now?! Fat is good for her little growing brain, so I'm happy! Full term babies are SO different from preemies. 

 This is the first team we have ever had that learned songs in Kekchi. The people really liked it. I thought it was sweet!

At first the people from the village were a little shy, but they eventually came inside.

 The team had a wordless skit and then shared some testimonies. Pastor Rick finished it off with a clear presentation of the Gospel. 

Pastor Rick came down 2 Christmases ago to teach a KBI module. It meant a lot to us that he wanted to come back and bring people form his church this time to see the work here too. 

{Silas & Jonah making friends}

Our time was short, it was hard to leave. 

 Several walked down to the river bank to see us off. 

 The team sang most of the way back down the river. 

 Jonah sat next to pastor Rick the whole time he was playing the guitar. Jonah loves making music. This team was so sweet to my boys. I was so grateful for that! 

Please pray for the village of San Martin. Pray that God will call a national pastor to work with them and that more people will come to know the Lord there and grow in their relationship with Him.