A Love for Those Who Hate

I have to admit, being so far away I was even shook up a bit due to the events that happened yesterday, the 27th. I woke up this morning thinking, “life goes on, and who now is hated most of all in Chardon, Ohio?” Yesterday, as I was scrolling my Newsfeed on Facebook I saw much of the same: “sending out prayers for the families of those lost,” or “prayers for the victims in this tragic day.”

Is that how a Christian should respond? Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t one of Jesus’ main teachings about love for your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)? Not once did I see anyone mention that they were praying for this boy who killed innocent classmates in cold blood. Clearly the answer to my question is that this boy is the enemy of many right now. Someone who kills innocent people in cold blood usually assumes the position of “enemy” quickly with a number of people.

Our reactions as Christians should be to pray for this teenager T.J. Lane and his family, for the families of those he murdered, and any others suffering. It’s hard for the families of the deceased, but T.J. just realized today that the sun still rises, and what he did has changed his life and the life of others forever. This is some rough stuff for both sides now, but both need to find grace in us Christians. It’s time to not be Christians who shun and cast down, instead it’s time to be Christians who love and are compassionate to those who deserve to be hated by everyone else.

Think about it. Who’s receiving dinners from their neighbors today? Who’s getting cards mailed to their house today? T.J.’s family or the families who lost children? Who’s sitting alone in their house? Who’s afraid to leave, or to answer the door? T.J.’s family or the families who lost children? It’s easy to love those who’ve not done any harm, but much more difficult to pray for those who would never pray for you. I’m not saying forget about those who're the victims, but rather to pray for both because I guarantee that there are 2 sides in this morning that are hurting.

If all you can do is pray (and yes it is possible to do more) I challenge you right now to get on your knees and pray for T.J. and all your enemies, don’t just change your Twitter or Facebook. Continue in your prayer for those who are suffering today. Then go put a walk to your talk.

Too Soon?

Is it too early to start thinking and preparing for the end? From today there are just under 5 months left until the project is over (about 4 months for me personally). Well, it’s not good to focus on the future and hope upon it, but I still am North American, more organized than most, and intelligent. For me, it’s time to start thinking of how this whole “leaving” thing is going to go down and that it goes down in the best way possible.

We’ve recently upped the evangelism (as a team) in all of the districts where there are churches, or soon to be churches. That has to taper off here soon (probably after the short-term impacters come), and we really need to focus on the people we already have. Make the strong stronger, and the weak less weak, and then the strong to help the weak. If we keep adding multitudes of people in these next months, we might never reach a possible peak with these that are already grasping the Word. So step one is to slowly dedicate more time to just befriending our contacts more, and evangelizing less. Kind of like a stick shift car: ease off the throttle as you ease in on the clutch, then vice versa, with the goal of shifting up a gear.

The second thing to do would be to leave leaders in our place, so that our work doesn’t just undo itself. There are three options here: one of us stays longer, someone else comes along (native or missionary), or nothing gets done. I’m not in charge of this, nor do I have much of a say but my recommendation at this point would be for my compañero Geremías to stay until these churches that we’re planting get established. Rinconada is still very weak, and Salcedo is showing strength even through it’s finances. Not enough strength to meet the “goal” (I use that term as if it’s not mine, because it’s not) but enough to continue with these new believers. So of the three, what I want is what I think is best and what God has been leaning my heart to, but I’m not the one who has to make the big sacrifice. I would never have considered staying before, but now I kept myself open to that option and have been praying for awhile now. I just don’t feel like that’s what God is leading me to do.

Really these decisions determine the future of the lives of people, so we need to take them with utmost care. We need to dedicate our time in a way that pleases God, not letting up at all.

So I guess I’m asking myself what the purpose of this blog is. I think what I’m trying to get to is prayer. I want to ask for prayer from you guys today. Please pick one of these things to start praying for:

1. Wisdom and responsibility in knowing where to dedicate time in these next few months: more contacts or stronger contacts.

2. Guidance on appropriately wrapping up any loose ends that we would otherwise leave behind.

3. A strong leader to rise up in each church plant to take charge and help us out.

4. Strength and willingness for me personally everyday of the week to carry on.

5. And my parents are coming down, so pray for that whole impact group, construction of the new church, travel safeties, and open minds and hearts.

Your prayers will not be in vain, and are a valid reason for the success we’ve been able to have until now. Only now is not the time when we stop praying, but when we pray more dutifully.

P.S. I always try to include pictures. These are from Saturday when we went to the country, out in the Andes.

P.P.S. I always try to include a song, this one just happens to be what I’m listening to.

What’s in the Bag?

Having worked here for over a year as a missionary, I’ve learned to have the same essentials in my bag at all times. Now’s the time to share what and why.

1 Blue/Orange Nike Pullstring Bag

Light and convenient. The main reason I use this and not a full on backpack is because Geremías sits behind me on the moto, and a large backpack would leave us very uncomfortable.

1 NIV Bilingual Bible

This is the same Bible I use to study with in the mornings. Then I take it out with me all day. It’s falling apart, and it’s only 2 years old. Bilingual is necessary because sometimes people will ask us exactly what stuff means, and every once in a while they ask me stuff that I don’t know what it means in Spanish. I look over to the English translation and there it is.

x Church Invitations

They’ve got an explanation of the church, times and days of services, the address, and on the back a salvation message. I always carry more than 2.

1 Notebook

This is where I record anything but mostly everything. It’s mostly used for noting where people are in their discipleship lessons. On the cover I scratched words similar to those that are seen on the back of vests of government construction workers, “Con Obras, el Reino Progresa (With Work, the Kingdom Progresses.)

1 Ball-Point Retractable Pen

For writing in the notebook and lending to those who need to fill out their information or the discipleship lesson.

1 Literary Work

In this case it is a Spanish book to help me with my vocabulary. It’s not always this book, but it is always something. Usually a theological book if it’s not Spanish. If we get any time, I usually open it up.

1 Tube of 45SPF Aval Facial Sunscreen

Applied to nose and cheeks. The UV index here in Puno is 15 this time of year, anything above 11 is considered “extreme.”

6 Discipleship Books

“Knowing God’s Walk” and “Fundamentals of the Christian Faith.”

1 Manila Envelope

Taped and with cardboard on the insides so not to damage

1 Baseball Cap

My scalp burns  and then flakes and my hair gets super hot. Everyone wears hats here because the sun is so strong, unless you’re my partner who’ll put a Bible, scarf, or his coat on his head before he puts a hat on.

2 Socks

Nothing worse than stepping in a puddle at the beginning of the day and then having to walk around with cold, wet feet all day.

1 Fujifilm 14.0 Megapixel Point-and-Shoot Camera

You never know when you’ll need it. I used to take it out only on days that were big event days but I learned quickly that everyday is a big day.

1 Case Logic Compact Camera Case

To house and protect the camera.

1 Beanie

Because it’s always always cold when the sun sets, no matter what time of day.

 

Not Pictured (not kept in bag):

1 LG Cellular Phone

1 Motorcycle Key w/ Remote

1 Money Pouch

1 Set of 4 Keys

House key. Church key. Other church key. Extra motorcycle key.

2 Black Pleather Gloves

1 HJC Silver Motorcycle Helmet

Updated

A little less than six months to go requires a ministry update for you little readers so here we go.

Our districts are not connected nor within walking distance, but a good thing about them is that if we need a backup plan we can have one for this reason: In order to get to the center from Jayllihuaya or Rinconada, you must go through Salcedo. So if we were to combine anything, we could make a Salcedo a super church (of 12 people lol.) There is only one family that we continue to visit and disciple in Jayllihuaya (we stopped making contacts a while back to focus on Rinconada and Salcedo.) That family can and has come to Salcedo because the bus passes almost right by the church.

If we don’t start seeing some progress in Rinconada, we may end up doing the same for that place, although it would be of last resort. Our hopes are that both churches are able to thrive, but there’s also the necessity to realistic. Once that church in Rinconada was the focus point and pride of our work with many people coming, lots of help, and a lot of promise for a strong church. Then the roller coaster went down. We started out really, really high but now we’ve gone to the valley and we’re seeing poco progress and little promise (which is like opposite of Salcedo.)

Pues, like I said in my last blog that Salcedo is growing. This is truth. Salcedo started out May 22 of last year and nobody came for literally 3 or 4 months, or at least nobody that we knew. I remember how discouraging that was, Sunday after Sunday. Looking back on it I see how much of a depressed state I was in, and how it really was the most suffering that I’ve gone through here in Peru. It gets to you, affects your attitude, makes you want to kill kittens (not really, but really.) I remember saying one Sunday to myself on an empty bench that I was just there in church to worship and serve my God, whether or not anyone was there. And I did, and have since.

Then one day a youth group from Arequipa came and invited about 50 people from the neighborhood, and 1 person came. He, Juan, still comes today, very awkward at first because it would be just us and him. Then finally a lady came that we were discipling. Then the owners of the house where we rent. Then the owners friends. Then friends of one of the ladies we disciple. Then the people from Jayllihuaya. Then who? Who knows, but we have their names written down praying and fasting that these people will be firm in the church, the objective being that they serve God.

I would like you to please pray for my compañero Geremías. He has a decision to make, whether to stay or go. He has said that he will do whatever the leaders tell him to do, whether stay or go. But, I would like the will of God to be done. In our feeble minds, it is best that he stays, but maybe God has something bigger. Please just pray for discernment on our and his part that he would be guided to the right choice, not the just most obvious one or the one that is most beneficial for him but for all.

I would like to share a story of the lady above.

I have been struggling with the thought of evangelizing to people and in order to escape from doing what we’re called to do, I invite them to church or ask if they want to study the Bible. Normally the hope being that we can meet again, and then at that point after studying a lesson in the Bible we can offer them salvation. I understand that in the States this would be a large step, but I don’t agree with it. We are to offer salvation, because this person could be lost tomorrow. We had done this in the past, but then found it easier to escape by inviting them to church or open a Bible. It just weighed down on me too much.

We met the lady above, Brigida (Bridget, for you English speakers), while she was visiting one of the ladies that we disciple. We conversed, said what we were doing here, then invited her to church and she said that she would be there (before continuing on, everyone says that they will come to church and then 1 in 1000000000000000000 actually do come.) Job done? Well that may satisfy you, to invite one of your friends to church, but God has been working in my heart. I thought that she has a soul, that could be eternally damned if I do not act now. We were about to leave, but I awkwardly started the conversation again. I gave her machete (as they say here, in other words very strongly), and then she told me she had seen this coming in a dream 8 YEARS ago. She wanted to give her life to Christ, and we prayed with her.

Her daughter told us that she came home and wanted her to meet these 2 young people that “made her feel happy all the time.” We disciple Brigida, her 22 year old daughter Carmen, her 28ish year old son Edwin, her 15 year old son Juan, and their cousin Wagner.

I firmly believe that what we reap is what we sow and in this case it’s obvious. These people needed a reason, a thirst, to come to church and we gave it to them in that instant which is what this mission is all about which is Jesus Christ.

Well that’s all, you’ve been updated. Until next time, keep up the good work and check out this song.

Christmas: Came and Went

It was definitely a Christmas season that I’ll never forget. It was more different than anything I’ve experienced, or even dreamed I would be doing. I have to be honest and say that I would rather have passed it with my family in our warm home in my pj’s but I think in hindsight it was worth it. I am after all a missionary, and I couldn’t help but think that this season is all about giving, especially when our contacts need it most.

Let’s look at the biggest events for Geremías and I this holiday season:

We planted potatoes with a family for the church. They had the idea that Geremías and I could plant potatoes in their field and then we could invite everyone to harvest the potatoes and eat them as a community of brothers and sisters. The only catch was that we had to do all the work. We tilled with pick axes one Friday from about 7:00AM to 4:00PM. Then the next Saturday, in about an hour the two of us and two of them planted the seeds. Now we’re just waiting for the potatoes to grow so we can harvest them, make an oven out of the ground, and eat them with the other church plants!

I also killed and ate a chicken that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did a “chocolatada.” This same family always does a “hot chocolate” for the public. But this year they wanted to do it with us so that we “could add brothers and sisters to the church.” Perfectly fine idea for me. On a Sunday morning in Salcedo at about 10:00AM we put kids Christmas music on for about an hour as the kids started coming. It was a hit! About 70 kids came and I got 10 names of parents to visit in their houses and share the news of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We handed out clothes/gifts to families. To those 10 families I told that we could come by, we gave out clothes/household accessories for the parents and coloring kits for the kid on Christmas Eve. So even if they had nothing, they could at least have something this holiday season. Even greater that that, we were able to share the great news that the Savior was born in Bethlehem and he contains the gift that keeps giving. From that “chocolatada” we have been able to arrange visits for 3 new people to study the Bible with them.

 

On Christmas Eve, we went to a very needy family of the church in Rinconada. There are 4 of them: a grandmother, mother, a little 11 year old girl, and an 8 year old boy. They literally have nothing because the father abandoned them and the mother doesn’t have a job, and the grandmother just underwent surgery. It was the idea of Chad and Amanda to give out gift baskets and we chose this family. We entered their house and surprised them with a basket of rice, sugar, oil, fruitcake, yogurt, and other goodies. They were so taken back and couldn’t even thank us with words. I was so glad to be able to bless this family with something this Christmas season.

We did a Christmas Day service. Although few people came, it was good to be able to be with the few people from Salcedo that did come. Geremías and I split the sermon and we preached on the good news of the birth of Christ. We sung Christmas hymns and ate traditional Peruvian Christmas food afterwards (awkward fig salad, rice, maize and mayo salad, peaches…) It was a real “Peruvian Christmas” for me, not just a “Christmas in Peru” where I could’ve easily escaped to an American Christmas inside this country.

Salcedo grows. As a result of almost all of this work in Salcedo, we’ve seen a turning of the tables in Salcedo. We’ve got a good group of people coming to the services (possibly a direct result of the pain we had to endure for many, many months before.) I remember walking in Salcedo one day this month and saying to God, “Why? Why are you blessing us? What have we done to deserve this? and why now?” Well I don’t think I will ever know the exact reason why God decides what he decides for any situation, but I know I should thank him for whatever he decides. I don’t know what the future for this church is, but I can tell you that you need to pray that God’s will be done in my life to see the will of this church carried out.

Until next time, check out this song I heard on the radio here!

Dear Lindsey,

 

I feel that this blog is the most powerful mean of communication that I have at my expense. In that sense, I would like to write an open letter to my big sister for all to see if they so desire.

Dear Lindsey,

It may be saddening that this is one of the best ways I have to congratulate you in light of the recent events. But in reality, we both know that this is exactly how it should be. One of the most difficult things about being here in Peru is not being there for your family when they are going through difficult times. Even more difficult than that is not being there when those times are joyous. More than anything in the world, as cheesy as it sounds, I would like to be in the United States to share this moment with you.

I’m proud of you big sis. You’ve done it the right way. I can tell that you’ve been sensing the Spirit in your daily life, seeking Him fervently. How many people have we seen look for their spouse the wrong way? and still you didn’t take example from them. You’ve trusted the Lord your God to bring to you the right man, and look at the joy with which He is rewarding you.

I tell people that my sister is my mejor amiga. And filling that place with someone else is going to be weird for me. They’ve got big shoes to fill and it kinda sucks that you’re not going to be the one in those shoes. Selfishly I don’t want to look at the big picture, but I’d rather continue on forever with our single lives, not losing a best friend. Who’s going to call you a man? Who’s going to sing in the car louder than you? Who’s going scare you walking out of the bathroom? Who’s going to make fun of your iDevices? WHO?!

The journey just now really begins, and let it begin with these words on your heart:

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

In this journey, just as the day you gave your life to Christ Jesus as the Ruler of your life, is just the way you live everyday. I’m no expert in marriage, because I have little to no experience. But I think you’ll do just fine living as a model as Paul describes in this letter.

Enjoy these next couple of months being engaged. Plan well, and don’t forget me please. Your little brother is always thinking about you and always praying for you. It won’t be long until I’m cutting a rug at the reception. (There will be dancing. Loads of dancing.)

I love you and miss you. Blessings.

Your Little Brother Always,

Garren

P.S. Looooads of dancing.

Thanksgibbin

For those faithfuls out there, you may remember a post this time last year called “So Thankful” and if not you can go back and read it no problem. Looking back on that post, I can’t believe how much I’ve changed since then. I look at what I was thankful for and realize how centered around what I didn’t have at the time. I’d like to redo that list right now, giving thanks for what I do have.

The Andes Mountains. Their beauty, splendor, greatness. And I get to live in the middle of it all.

Skype. This is the best thing that has happened to technology. It shrinks the world for me, and does it for free.

Books. Have you read my last blog?

Stores. It’s so nice to have a store that is right at the corner with almost anything that you may need in that moment. Obviously little stores can’t provide all the needs we may have but certainly they do fulfill the majority and they’re right there.

Coffee. I’ve learned to love coffee without being addicted to it.

Running. I run about twice a week and sometimes it’s so majestic and refreshing. It  has the tendency to remind me of where I’m living.

Mornings. The peace and tranquility and the productivity that comes to me in the morning is something I’m learning to appreciate more and more.

El Criollo. This is Puno’s best lunch menu. 3 and a half soles and the best white rice you will ever eat. Did I just say that? That I like the rice? It’s really, really good. Trust me. I look forward to Thursdays because we eat at the Criollo for lunch.

Change. Most of all, I’m thankful for the change God has been able to make a reality in my life. I’m different. Lots different. I surely can’t give any credit to any human, book, country, or culture. To constantly have a fire burning within you is the passion I want for all, because that’s what am everyday, all day. I am eternally grateful for the new creature I have become through the work of Christ in me.