May 16, 2016
One month has past since the earthquake… and what a month it has been! Sorry, I have not posted lately. So much has been happening I do not know where to begin.
I’ll share just one story of God’s faithfulness:
Two weeks ago the city placed the condemned notice on our church’s new administration building and blocked use of the sanctuary until we could demolish the damaged construction. The wait list for demo crews is weeks to months long… we had the crew of a dear brother on site two days later. and by Friday it was all gone. We didn’t miss a single service in the auditorium and although comparable buildings cost $20,000 to $30,000 to demolish ours was free of charge! The day after cleaning up we discovered the city had just issued a whole new series of steps in order to demolish a building. God in His mercy did not let us sit around and sulk about needing to demolish the building we have been investing in for the past three years… He put up that city ordinance and got us moving just in time. You have to love that about our Heavenly Father. All through scripture we see Him move decisively, with wisdom, understanding, and great power on our behalf. What an honor to serve Him! We, so often, like Samuel the prophet weeping for the demise of King Saul, want to sit and cry over the spilled milked of our lives or the “could have beens”. God, on the other hand, says, “Get up, quit your crying, I’m in charge here, and I have something much better in store.”
(that being said… obviously there is a time to mourn and we weep with those who weep, but weeping endures for a night… then we see The LORD God anew as Isaiah did high and lifted up)
April 27, 2016
Monday: Drove 3 hours up the coast into the devastated small towns, Perdernales, Canoa, Jama. Met with the Vice-Minister of the Interior. Pray for favor and the permission to bring in containers.
April 26, 2016
Saturday night one of our young adults, Andy, asked me to join him for his weekly home church meeting. He leads a group of about 10 young men who have come to Christ this past year. Many of these youth used to mock Andy when he first surrendered to Jesus 3 years ago. Now, we stood in a empty lot a block from the bus terminal surrounded by debris and temporary shelters with 40 people (the families of these young men) who have gathered at 9:00pm to hear the Word of God. This is their third meeting this week because they keep asking Andy to come. Last meeting most repented and asked God for forgiveness, this time we began to cry out that God would show us His will and purpose for our lives so that we might follow and keep His commands. What joy!! God is building His city in the rubble of ours.
April 25, 2015
Amazing testimony from one of our youth: he was on the second floor of a third floor building that was his house and his mom’s business. When the earthquake hit he was on the second floor and collapsing on him and his cousin. They couldn’t see anything until he saw a Light that guided him to get out! Even that he was bleeding and had a nightmare in the hospital after, he gives thanks to God that he is alive! The building collapsed completely! What you see is third floor!
