Sleep. The one thing I lacked greatly during our time in Spain. Sleep. The one thing I seem to not be able to get enough of since I returned to NY. Sleep. A blessed gift not to be taken for granted. Arriving back in NY late Friday, August 9th, yet another anniversary of my 29th birthday, I found myself ready to hibernate. Twelve days of intense ministry in Spain, preceded by short sleep as packing and last minute trip preparations left me and my team mates ready to catch up on some rest.
Sleep. A small sacrifice for the gains. Outreach in Puerta del Sol, Las Aguilas park, Robledo de Chavela, and San Martin de Valdeiglesias and a daily VBS meant that the gospel was shared with a good number of people in Madrid. We had opportunity to make good connections and build relationship between the Iglesia Evangelica at Las Aguilas and our home church of SGT. We were encouraged to see progress made in the Spanish church construction, the very site we had prayer walked last July during our time in Madrid. We were blessed to be a small part of a bigger outreach, as the adults and youth from Las Aguilas church came out in droves to be part of the ministry that took place in the parks, using testimony, music, drama, dance, puppets, and clowns to share the Good News.
Scripture admonishes us both to sleep (Psalm 127:2) and stay awake (Mark 13:36, I Thes. 5:6). The importance both of being alert to wiles of the enemy and opportunities to share the gospel as well as of making sure we get the rest our physical bodies need are not to be denied. I am glad for the time to stay spiritually awake and sow seeds while we were in Spain, and for the time of physical renewal of rest as I wait on Him for direction for the next step.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Biographies
One of the projects we have during our Mission Bridge training is to read two missionary biographies. During the month of May, in school I did a unit on missions biographies with my students. Had the opportunity to read to my students the Heroes of Faith Young Readers book about Jim Elliot and the other four who lost their lives on that tragic day in 1956. Because I teach a number of different classes, I got to read the book over a number of times, and we finished the unit by watching the Torchlighters video on his life.
The advantage of reading something over and over again, is that you really get to absorb it quite well. Back in college, I had read quite a few of Elisabeth Elliot's books, including the Journals of Jim Elliot, and Shadow of the Almighty and they had deeply impacted me. In more recent years, I had even read a thick biography on Nate Saint. As I shared the Jim Elliot story with my students I was struck by the fervor of these families who were willing even to die to bring the gospel to an unreached people group. I think I saw some different things this time around, just how strong a personality Jim had, his impulsiveness, and the influence he had on his friends, both good and bad, which made me curious about other perspectives of the story. It made me interested in Jim's good friend Pete Fleming's story, and to see the long term impact of these men and the sacrifice they made. I hunted around on the internet to find out if there was anything written by Olive Fleming (Liefeld), Pete's widow. I found Olive's Unfolding Destinies and Steve Saint's movie End of the Spear on Amazon and ordered them both. As soon as I began reading Olive's account, I had a hard time putting it down. I loved her very human look at things -- including how she and Pete's relationship developed as they learned to communicate deeply and openly with one another. It was such a wonderful thing to see how her family (though she and Pete had no children [she suffered two miscarriages during their marriage] she remarried several years after returning to the States and had several children by the time of the writing of the book) embraced and accepted her past and connection to such a significant event in missions history. I appreciated her perspective writing more than 30 years in hindsight, having had years to process that whole portion of her life. It is a powerful read, especially for those who are familiar with the story, and have read any of the works of Elisabeth Elliot. I highly recommend it.
I followed that shortly by watching End of the Spear -- Steve Saint's (Nate's son) story. That too, was powerful, and helped spotlight another facet of the story specifically how the families were affected after that sad day in 1956, and about the time that Elisabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint went to live with the Aucas, and even over the decades that followed. There is so much to be learned from missions history -- to see what those who have gone before did right and their blaring mistakes. I think I am most impressed with a desire to look at the whole picture and avoid a pendulum effect. Too often when faced with consequences of the failings of a previous generation, the next one sets about to correct them, without taking note of the things that were done right by that previous generation, creating a sort of pendulum affect -- swinging to an opposite extreme to compensate for the shortcomings, without properly acknowledging and incorporating the things that were done well. I am impressed with the importance of seeing as much of the whole picture as possible to get perspective on the past, and provide some direction for the future of missions. The passion that led Jim, Pete, Nate, Ed, and Roger to bring the gospel to the Waoranis (Auca Indians) also led them to overlook some important cultural points that struck fear in the tribal people and led to their deaths. Even still, God is faithful, in that He blessed their sacrifice by using it to personally impact tribes people so that they got a living and deeply personal illustration of what forgiveness means. Was the loss of these lives necessary, or did these men take an unnecessary and foolish risk? Regardless of how one answers that question, there is no escaping the fact that the message of redemption was communicated powerfully to an unreached people group, and that our Redeemer, was able to use the strengths and frailties of a group of men who were sold out to Him to save and transform a people group. If He can do that for them, how can we not have confidence in His ability to use us, with our strengths and weaknesses, as we fumble along seeking to serve Him and allow Him to use us to draw others to Himself.
The advantage of reading something over and over again, is that you really get to absorb it quite well. Back in college, I had read quite a few of Elisabeth Elliot's books, including the Journals of Jim Elliot, and Shadow of the Almighty and they had deeply impacted me. In more recent years, I had even read a thick biography on Nate Saint. As I shared the Jim Elliot story with my students I was struck by the fervor of these families who were willing even to die to bring the gospel to an unreached people group. I think I saw some different things this time around, just how strong a personality Jim had, his impulsiveness, and the influence he had on his friends, both good and bad, which made me curious about other perspectives of the story. It made me interested in Jim's good friend Pete Fleming's story, and to see the long term impact of these men and the sacrifice they made. I hunted around on the internet to find out if there was anything written by Olive Fleming (Liefeld), Pete's widow. I found Olive's Unfolding Destinies and Steve Saint's movie End of the Spear on Amazon and ordered them both. As soon as I began reading Olive's account, I had a hard time putting it down. I loved her very human look at things -- including how she and Pete's relationship developed as they learned to communicate deeply and openly with one another. It was such a wonderful thing to see how her family (though she and Pete had no children [she suffered two miscarriages during their marriage] she remarried several years after returning to the States and had several children by the time of the writing of the book) embraced and accepted her past and connection to such a significant event in missions history. I appreciated her perspective writing more than 30 years in hindsight, having had years to process that whole portion of her life. It is a powerful read, especially for those who are familiar with the story, and have read any of the works of Elisabeth Elliot. I highly recommend it.
I followed that shortly by watching End of the Spear -- Steve Saint's (Nate's son) story. That too, was powerful, and helped spotlight another facet of the story specifically how the families were affected after that sad day in 1956, and about the time that Elisabeth Elliot and Rachel Saint went to live with the Aucas, and even over the decades that followed. There is so much to be learned from missions history -- to see what those who have gone before did right and their blaring mistakes. I think I am most impressed with a desire to look at the whole picture and avoid a pendulum effect. Too often when faced with consequences of the failings of a previous generation, the next one sets about to correct them, without taking note of the things that were done right by that previous generation, creating a sort of pendulum affect -- swinging to an opposite extreme to compensate for the shortcomings, without properly acknowledging and incorporating the things that were done well. I am impressed with the importance of seeing as much of the whole picture as possible to get perspective on the past, and provide some direction for the future of missions. The passion that led Jim, Pete, Nate, Ed, and Roger to bring the gospel to the Waoranis (Auca Indians) also led them to overlook some important cultural points that struck fear in the tribal people and led to their deaths. Even still, God is faithful, in that He blessed their sacrifice by using it to personally impact tribes people so that they got a living and deeply personal illustration of what forgiveness means. Was the loss of these lives necessary, or did these men take an unnecessary and foolish risk? Regardless of how one answers that question, there is no escaping the fact that the message of redemption was communicated powerfully to an unreached people group, and that our Redeemer, was able to use the strengths and frailties of a group of men who were sold out to Him to save and transform a people group. If He can do that for them, how can we not have confidence in His ability to use us, with our strengths and weaknesses, as we fumble along seeking to serve Him and allow Him to use us to draw others to Himself.
Monday, July 22, 2013
It's All Coming Together...
Less than one week to go, and we have been blown away by how God is pulling details together so smoothly. After our last bottle and can fundraising drive, I sat down and figured out how much we received through that fundraiser, and found it was over $1,300 (with more bottles to still cash in). The postcard and plant fundraisers collectively brought in $821 as near as I could figure. Teammates I expected were still going to need to raise support in the last week are already fully supported. God's math is marvelous.
This year, we are also planning a VBS for the church in Madrid. When Kathy and I sat down a couple weeks ago and looked for VBS ideas, we found a few, and agreed to go with the Mighty Kingdom theme. Hours later, I went home and saw a FB message from Pastor Antonio asking what theme we were using for VBS, as they wanted to print flyers. I was able to give him the theme right away. A few days ago, we learned that SGT is using the same concept (calling it Kingdom Chronicles), and coincidentally, SGT's VBC (Vacation Bible Camp) in happening now, and will end one week before we leave. Kathy was able to stop by at church to see a program in action, and get great ideas for our VBS at the beginning of August. She was invited to come back next Tuesday when VBC is over, to get some leftover materials to take to Spain to use for the outreach, which was a totally unexpected provision for us. God arranged timing so that the discards from SGT could be a resource for the outreach to Spain. A few weeks ago, when Art was looking for puppet resources, he found a VBS program in Spanish with puppet scripts and music. He did not know that Kathy and I would be picking a VBS theme shortly thereafter, and we did not know the theme of the materials he had purchased As it turned out, the theme for the Spanish materials happened to be about being a King's kid -- which fits right in with the Mighty Kingdom. We have been blessed too, with several who have cheerfully offered to supply us with some small toys we can give to the children during the outreach and VBS. Totally God-arranged.
We wanted to order tshirts, and our desire was not to have shirts just for us but also for people from the church of Madrid who will be part of the outreach and VBS with us so that on outreach or as we staff VBS we could be "uniform" and match. While searching online for a tshirt design company, I found a discount tshirt place that would allow us to design our shirts and print up 40 shirts for an incredibly great price. Coincidence? An idea for a tshirt design came to Kathy one morning while she was doing her personal devotions, and together with my niece, we got it designed and saved as a jpeg to send to the design company. We really were desiring to have the tshirts before our last team practice on Sunday the 21st so we could take a team picture with everyone from the NY team together wearing their shirts. Our box of shirts arrived via FedEx on Saturday morning and Art was able to set up his camera to take the team photo at our BBQ at the Silva house on Sunday.
God is always at work in our lives, but it is such a faith builder when we see that in such living color. There is no doubt that He is answering our prayers and the prayers of so many of our prayer partners. Praise Him for his faithfulness to the group. We are excited to see how what He will do during the outreach this year.
This year, we are also planning a VBS for the church in Madrid. When Kathy and I sat down a couple weeks ago and looked for VBS ideas, we found a few, and agreed to go with the Mighty Kingdom theme. Hours later, I went home and saw a FB message from Pastor Antonio asking what theme we were using for VBS, as they wanted to print flyers. I was able to give him the theme right away. A few days ago, we learned that SGT is using the same concept (calling it Kingdom Chronicles), and coincidentally, SGT's VBC (Vacation Bible Camp) in happening now, and will end one week before we leave. Kathy was able to stop by at church to see a program in action, and get great ideas for our VBS at the beginning of August. She was invited to come back next Tuesday when VBC is over, to get some leftover materials to take to Spain to use for the outreach, which was a totally unexpected provision for us. God arranged timing so that the discards from SGT could be a resource for the outreach to Spain. A few weeks ago, when Art was looking for puppet resources, he found a VBS program in Spanish with puppet scripts and music. He did not know that Kathy and I would be picking a VBS theme shortly thereafter, and we did not know the theme of the materials he had purchased As it turned out, the theme for the Spanish materials happened to be about being a King's kid -- which fits right in with the Mighty Kingdom. We have been blessed too, with several who have cheerfully offered to supply us with some small toys we can give to the children during the outreach and VBS. Totally God-arranged.
We wanted to order tshirts, and our desire was not to have shirts just for us but also for people from the church of Madrid who will be part of the outreach and VBS with us so that on outreach or as we staff VBS we could be "uniform" and match. While searching online for a tshirt design company, I found a discount tshirt place that would allow us to design our shirts and print up 40 shirts for an incredibly great price. Coincidence? An idea for a tshirt design came to Kathy one morning while she was doing her personal devotions, and together with my niece, we got it designed and saved as a jpeg to send to the design company. We really were desiring to have the tshirts before our last team practice on Sunday the 21st so we could take a team picture with everyone from the NY team together wearing their shirts. Our box of shirts arrived via FedEx on Saturday morning and Art was able to set up his camera to take the team photo at our BBQ at the Silva house on Sunday.
God is always at work in our lives, but it is such a faith builder when we see that in such living color. There is no doubt that He is answering our prayers and the prayers of so many of our prayer partners. Praise Him for his faithfulness to the group. We are excited to see how what He will do during the outreach this year.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Aura's Pennies
The heavy package arrived at our bottle and can drop-off table while I was inside the church attending second service. It was wrapped in a small, folded over yellow manila style envelope held closed with a rubber band.
Today (April 28th) was the date of our first bottle and can drive for the Spain Summer Mission Outreach of 2013, and we were taking turns manning the drop off station near the baseball field, and going into service. Kathy and Art were working the table when it arrived and Kathy mentioned it to me when I got back. She said a young man had dropped this weighty bundle of pennies and some other coins off as a donation and that they had come from his grandmother.
Kathy was immediately intrigued, and suggested we look through them in case there were any old pennies in the bunch. I opened the packet, but quickly decided it was too big a project to tackle at that moment and set the whole thing aside.
Carla arrived about that time, and so she and I took our turn manning the table to allow Art and Kathy the opportunity to go in to the Third Service. Bottle drop off was pretty slow by that point, so after chatting for a while, I mentioned that I was going to count the donation money we had received this morning. Counting the bills, and silver change went very quickly, and Carla willingly double checked my totals. We moved on to open the envelope and count out the weighty change. I am a little "Adrian Monk-ish" with counting pennies -- I create piles of ten pennies, and line them up in rows with ten piles in each, so I can figure out how many dollars in copper pieces I have before I roll, or package them again -- and Carla joined me. There were ninety piles, a few extra Canadian pennies, and a few stray wheat pennies, all totaling up to nine dollars and about ten cents. We wrote our totals down on paper and began cleaning up the whole things shortly thereafter.
It was also the day of the Spanish Ministry Luncheon, and Carla, Art, Kathy, and I went in for that. Once inside I was chatting with the Nunez family, and learned that the pennies were delivered by their son, Daniel, and had come from his grandmother, Aura, who passed away last July. Those pennies took on a whole new meaning for me as I remembered a godly woman, who tirelessly served others, and poured herself out for her family. One who, though she spoke no more than a couple of words of English, insisted that I come out for the Spanish Ministry luncheons the past two years and when I arrived, made sure that I did not leave without getting more than enough to eat. She was strong as an ox, walking miles each day and surviving stage 4 cancer for years before the Lord called her home last July. She was a lady who also saved pennies and bottles for her church. When she passed away, she left a pile of pennies and other coins on her dresser for her family and some deposit bottles in their shed. They decided to donate the bottles and pennies toward the Spain outreach. It touches me so much to think that Aura is still giving to the Lord's work through the pennies and bottles she left behind, and of her heritage, demonstrated in the generosity of her family.
Today (April 28th) was the date of our first bottle and can drive for the Spain Summer Mission Outreach of 2013, and we were taking turns manning the drop off station near the baseball field, and going into service. Kathy and Art were working the table when it arrived and Kathy mentioned it to me when I got back. She said a young man had dropped this weighty bundle of pennies and some other coins off as a donation and that they had come from his grandmother.
Kathy was immediately intrigued, and suggested we look through them in case there were any old pennies in the bunch. I opened the packet, but quickly decided it was too big a project to tackle at that moment and set the whole thing aside.
Carla arrived about that time, and so she and I took our turn manning the table to allow Art and Kathy the opportunity to go in to the Third Service. Bottle drop off was pretty slow by that point, so after chatting for a while, I mentioned that I was going to count the donation money we had received this morning. Counting the bills, and silver change went very quickly, and Carla willingly double checked my totals. We moved on to open the envelope and count out the weighty change. I am a little "Adrian Monk-ish" with counting pennies -- I create piles of ten pennies, and line them up in rows with ten piles in each, so I can figure out how many dollars in copper pieces I have before I roll, or package them again -- and Carla joined me. There were ninety piles, a few extra Canadian pennies, and a few stray wheat pennies, all totaling up to nine dollars and about ten cents. We wrote our totals down on paper and began cleaning up the whole things shortly thereafter.
It was also the day of the Spanish Ministry Luncheon, and Carla, Art, Kathy, and I went in for that. Once inside I was chatting with the Nunez family, and learned that the pennies were delivered by their son, Daniel, and had come from his grandmother, Aura, who passed away last July. Those pennies took on a whole new meaning for me as I remembered a godly woman, who tirelessly served others, and poured herself out for her family. One who, though she spoke no more than a couple of words of English, insisted that I come out for the Spanish Ministry luncheons the past two years and when I arrived, made sure that I did not leave without getting more than enough to eat. She was strong as an ox, walking miles each day and surviving stage 4 cancer for years before the Lord called her home last July. She was a lady who also saved pennies and bottles for her church. When she passed away, she left a pile of pennies and other coins on her dresser for her family and some deposit bottles in their shed. They decided to donate the bottles and pennies toward the Spain outreach. It touches me so much to think that Aura is still giving to the Lord's work through the pennies and bottles she left behind, and of her heritage, demonstrated in the generosity of her family.
All About Redemption
9For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 1:9-14
From July 28 through August 11th, we are going to Spain. With Andy ministering more intensely to unreached peoples, I find myself in the role of team leader this year, and coordinating our first fundraiser of collecting and cashing in bottles and cans for deposit money. Team members need to raise $1,800 each, which means trusting God in a big way, and collecting as many bottles and cans as possible!
As I walked past the bottle redemption center at Target, I was struck by the word "redemption" and it's biblical meaning. I can't stop thinking about that word and am glad that our fundraising project will keep it at the forefront of my mind in these next few months, as I remember the people of Madrid who need to come to know Christ, redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of sins.
The work continues, as we partner with Pastor Antonio Amigo and our brothers and sisters in the Iglesia Evangelica at Las Aguilas once again for a special two week campaign to bring the gospel to the people of Madrid. I am praying that we would be blessed to see fruit from last year's outreach, and continue to plant more seeds that there would be a great harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God. Please pray with me that God would prepare souls to receive the message of the Gospel, and for divine appointments when we get there. As team leader, I need wisdom in handling what comes my way. I appreciate the great example provided last year in Andy Schmalfuss in that very area, as I observed him praying for God's direction, even in the small decisions. Pray too, for all stages of planning and preparation, as we expect once again to minister in music, through sharing our testimonies, and with puppets and drama.
If you have any deposit bottles or cans, or care to make a donation in support of our team, you can drop bags of bottles and cans off at the backstop near the SGT/SCS baseball field on any of these dates: May 19th, June 30th, or July 14th. Checks can be made payable to Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle, with a note enclosed or attached indicating a designation for "Spain Summer Outreach 2013". If you wish to designate it for support for one of our team members, be sure to include that person's name on the note. Donations can also be mailed to us at:
Spain Summer Outreach 2013
Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle
1 Higbie Drive
Smithtown, NY 11787
Thank you in advance for standing with us in reaching the people of Madrid for Christ.
Blessings, Tricia
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