My partner Efrain and his partner at present, Javier, came back from their two week trip to Quchumi. They picked up the work where Efrain had I left off in December. Today we met and talked about all that happened in the community that past time.
Our man of peace, Don,remembered all that Efrain and I told the time before and still had an incredible desire to learn the stories. One night he even went to the little house where they stay and wanted to hear a story. They were blessed to tell stories up to the point of the Passover. To hear some of the comments of Don, our man of peace, was the greatest blessing. In asking him if man was good or bad, Don thought hard and long. Finally, he just said, ¨somos pecadores, pues¨ or ¨we are sinners.¨ Don coming to this conclusion is a magnificent work of the Holy Spirit. In a follow up question (this was the story of Sodomo and Gomorrah) they asked how he could be Lot who was saved by God by the destruction. He once again thought long and hard as he does then finally said, ¨no sé, enseñame, pues¨ or ¨I don´t know, so teach me.¨
They were not without their difficulties. During this time the people of Quchumi decided to make a sacrifice to appease the gods from sending hail, which destroys crops. While these few days of activity took place Don and the rest of the people were very cold and Efrain and Javier didn´t have a chance to tell stories for the people lacked interest. They stuck it out and kept on. After the event of the sacrifice passed Don´s interest was renewed and they made it all the way to Moses.
Efrain and Javier witnessed this event and though it was very pagan in the practice and they could feel the oppression of evil all they could think of was Jesus Christ. The people sacrificed a lamb, which by their description, did not make a sound to the point of death. These people make sacrifices to appease a god that doesn´t exist all for the hope of a good crop on which their physical life depends. Our hope is that when Don hears how Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed His life to propitiate the sins of man, his eyes will be opened to the marvelous light of the Glory of God. The concept of sacrifice is there, but it only serves as a shadow to the beautiful truth of Christ.
I have already been on my last trip to Quchumi and it is now the work of Efrain and Javier. I am actually leaving in a week to go back to the states. My greatest hope is that those who have read this blog and read about the Quechua in Quchumi will not forget about the work that is still going. They are still on the front lines and there is a lot left to fight.
I love Psalm 16. One of my favorites. In verse three it says, ¨As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones in whom is my delight.¨ I think of the missionaries that are working in the land, who are on the front lines, my brothers and sisters of the faith and I immediately think of this verse. They are the excellent ones. My delight is in Efrain and Javier, the excellent ones, for they are in the land continuing the work. I delight to hear how God is still doing miracles there.
Words cannot adequately describe the oppressive feeling when it appears that the community does not want you there. It is horrible, especially being in such a difficult situation in a difficult area that the dark powers have had reign since the fall. It feels like there is a blanket of evil covering the whole place. Efrain and Javier experienced this during the time of the sacrifice, but Efrain told me that He could feel your prayers and my prayers. Please pray for them for God listens. I am sure that the evil who has reigned there for so long will not go down quietly without a fight. They need your prayers so please remember them and delight in these excellent ones who are in the land.
Our man of peace, Don,remembered all that Efrain and I told the time before and still had an incredible desire to learn the stories. One night he even went to the little house where they stay and wanted to hear a story. They were blessed to tell stories up to the point of the Passover. To hear some of the comments of Don, our man of peace, was the greatest blessing. In asking him if man was good or bad, Don thought hard and long. Finally, he just said, ¨somos pecadores, pues¨ or ¨we are sinners.¨ Don coming to this conclusion is a magnificent work of the Holy Spirit. In a follow up question (this was the story of Sodomo and Gomorrah) they asked how he could be Lot who was saved by God by the destruction. He once again thought long and hard as he does then finally said, ¨no sé, enseñame, pues¨ or ¨I don´t know, so teach me.¨
They were not without their difficulties. During this time the people of Quchumi decided to make a sacrifice to appease the gods from sending hail, which destroys crops. While these few days of activity took place Don and the rest of the people were very cold and Efrain and Javier didn´t have a chance to tell stories for the people lacked interest. They stuck it out and kept on. After the event of the sacrifice passed Don´s interest was renewed and they made it all the way to Moses.
Efrain and Javier witnessed this event and though it was very pagan in the practice and they could feel the oppression of evil all they could think of was Jesus Christ. The people sacrificed a lamb, which by their description, did not make a sound to the point of death. These people make sacrifices to appease a god that doesn´t exist all for the hope of a good crop on which their physical life depends. Our hope is that when Don hears how Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed His life to propitiate the sins of man, his eyes will be opened to the marvelous light of the Glory of God. The concept of sacrifice is there, but it only serves as a shadow to the beautiful truth of Christ.
I have already been on my last trip to Quchumi and it is now the work of Efrain and Javier. I am actually leaving in a week to go back to the states. My greatest hope is that those who have read this blog and read about the Quechua in Quchumi will not forget about the work that is still going. They are still on the front lines and there is a lot left to fight.
I love Psalm 16. One of my favorites. In verse three it says, ¨As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones in whom is my delight.¨ I think of the missionaries that are working in the land, who are on the front lines, my brothers and sisters of the faith and I immediately think of this verse. They are the excellent ones. My delight is in Efrain and Javier, the excellent ones, for they are in the land continuing the work. I delight to hear how God is still doing miracles there.
Words cannot adequately describe the oppressive feeling when it appears that the community does not want you there. It is horrible, especially being in such a difficult situation in a difficult area that the dark powers have had reign since the fall. It feels like there is a blanket of evil covering the whole place. Efrain and Javier experienced this during the time of the sacrifice, but Efrain told me that He could feel your prayers and my prayers. Please pray for them for God listens. I am sure that the evil who has reigned there for so long will not go down quietly without a fight. They need your prayers so please remember them and delight in these excellent ones who are in the land.
1 comment:
Great blog. You are no doubt among the excellent ones, and will be missed greatly here in Bolivia.
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