Monday, June 27, 2011

The Story's Not Over Yet...

Coming back from furlough I was a little discouraged. I felt like we might as well be going to a different field. We were almost starting from the same place as when we arrived 5 years ago... learning a new language, starting a new work, knowing hardly anyone. We had already invested into 2 communities only to be rejected in the end. Now we would be working with the Kekchi exclusively. That meant that until I finished learning the language I wouldn't be able to have what I thought of as hands on ministry, so what good was I. Jimmy at least had the pastors' training, but I had nothing but an out of date Kekchi grammar book who no one could help me understand. Plus all of my national friends were in a village I was no longer allowed to enter and the two missionary families we were friends with would be leaving Petén soon. So that was my mind's talk, not from the Lord or even true, but still in there none the less.

Jimmy and Lico had to run an errand together the other day which provided them with lots of time to talk. We knew Lico had been going to church somewhere while we were gone because last week he called from the hospital where he was visiting someone from his "church".
{The church in Santa Ana Vieja}

This church he mentioned is located in Santa Ana Vieja, about a 40 minute walk from New Horizon. We found out that now there are 5 families attending this church from New Horizon, all families from our Bible Study! Alquilino is one of the men who takes his family. The first time we met him he was wearing a hat because he didn't want Jimmy to sneak up on him and put 666 on his forehead and after the Bible Study was over he asked Jimmy to prove to him that he wasn't the Anti-Christ. Didn't have a course on that in Bible College! Walking his family 40 minutes one way on the highway to church is a long way from that day and we are so thankful.

Jimmy also found out that Lico is taking classes so that he can be baptized next month (something we were not allowed to do in NH)! Then he casually said, "I don't know exactly why, but I just have this feeling that I should be a pastor," and he asked Jimmy to teach him how! So now they will have weekly lessons at our forever house to give more foundational doctrines.

Then we found out that since these families are coming to the church Lico is attending, the church felt led to try and reach out to the rest of New Horizon. Churches and even Bible studies now are illegal, BUT... the farm next door has recently become available to buy in small pieces and the church got a piece. Brilliant! Remember, we had tried to get a piece of the farmland across the street from NH and were turned down.
It's about a 15 minute walk from the houses, but still much closer. On his days off Lico has been helping put up a covered area on that spot so that soon they can start holding outreaches just for New Horizon.

This is so unbelievable to me. I honestly thought God was done with New Horizon. I thought that they all had rejected God for the last time. I had no desire to go back into that dark place, so I figured God didn't either. Why does God let me be a missionary?... because God is as long-suffering with me as He is with those in NH!

Because of all this Jimmy stopped by with Lico to meet the pastor. He immediately knew who Jimmy was and our story with New Horizon. (Is it good to be known as the ones crazy enough to work in NH... haha!) He is even going to let Jimmy baptize Lico next month, so that is very special to us. We offered to help in any way we can with the church's outreaches to New Horizon. Be looking for more posts about this endeavor in the months to come. We are excited that God isn't finished with this story and has brought somebody else alongside to reach out to these very hard-hearted people. We are also excited about Lico's tremendous growth and his future in ministry. (You can read more about Lico's story here.)

CUTE ITEM OF THE DAY: Ever since Jonah and Silas were little when we ride in the car they like for me to be touching them.
When they were younger I would hold the sides of their heads and then they could fall asleep.
Now I guess they are "big boys" so they just reach over and grab my hand instead. Wherever we go I usually have a hand in each of mine. I know this will end one day, so I absolutely cherish it now.

5 comments:

  1. How exciting to see what you thought was dry ground bearing fruit!!!!

    As always, the twins are adorable. It's so sweet to hold little hands. :D

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  2. God continues to bless, sometimes even in spite of what we think or feel. This is all such good news!!!

    I am glad you cherish the times you get to hold these little hands. Hopefully it will be for a long time to come.

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  3. So I'm sitting at work reading this bawling my eyes out. That's the best news I've had all year! Oh, wow! God is so AWESOME!! When will Lico be baptized? I'm selfishly hoping it's the last week of July!!! =)

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  4. Well, it's good to hear that God is further initiating you guys into the Christ life. He likes to knock out our crutches time and time again so that we learn to become deeper indebted to grace and more regularly dependent upon him. I'd be more concerned if everything went smoothly according to our so called plans. It just fills me with excitement to think of how much more God is going to use you guys there in Guatemala.

    It is also great to know that he has already proved himself faithful in what initially seemed to be discouraging circumstances. May the Lord greatly bless your new efforts there in his jungles for his glory!

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  5. God is so good...His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations.
    May God bless you and keep you safe. Love you all! Pat Williams

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