I would describe this week as a ball rolling downhill and gaining momentum. Last night the ball flew into the air. Four new Christians accepted Christ at our meeting last night. Well, I guess Pedro had already accepted Jesus the night before, but last night he shared his story with our group. It was powerful! He said that he had been up at the soccer field as we started worship Thursday night. When he heard the music, something stirred within him and told him that he had to go. So he left immediately. When the pastor invited people forward to pray to accept Jesus as their savior, the same voice inside him told him to go forward. But he couldn't. Then the pastor invited people to the front for laying on of hands for healing, and Pedro said that he drew strength when he saw his aunt go forward. He told the pastor that he wanted to pray to accept Jesus. At that moment, his eternal destiny changed forever. What a testimony! It was powerful to hear Pedro share his story.
Pedro told us this last night, during a time of sharing. We got together, just PRC and the church from Boquillas, to reflect on and discuss the week. After the sharing time, Roberto came to us and said that he wanted to pray the same prayer as Pedro, to accept Jesus as his savior. This was also very moving for me. Roberto was the first person in Boquillas who I had talked to after arriving. It was special to be able to pray with him as he became a Christian.
I walked back to Lupe's and got my Spanish/English bible for him, but when I got back to Mamma Mago's house I learned that Juan had already given Roberto his own bible. Shortly thereafter, I was glad I had gotten my bible because Roberto's friend Miguel accepted Jesus too! So I gave Miguel my bible. Then, Luis also accepted the Lord! So I walked back to Lupe's a second time and got Laura's Spanish/English bible for Luis. What a blessed night!
Earlier, I had the privilege of baptizing Rebecca and Leah. Lupe and Nicholas came to the baptisms. They were 30 minutes late, but then we were running 30 minutes late for the baptisms...I was praying for Nicholas, but he did not come forward to accept Jesus and be baptized himself. I am still praying for him to do this, and will continue to do so.
Chuck Voss also baptized Sam, Judah, and Caleb, and then Tim Hedges baptized Anna. Pedro, Vicky, and Veronica (?) were also baptized. After the baptism, we took the kids to the store for some snacks as a small celebration.
Earlier in the day, we took communion to Trinidad and Lola. I think that Trinidad is 90 and Lola is 89 years old. Lola was sick, so we started with prayers for healing for her, Peter, and Hal. Peter had a strange pain in his ankle that was very severe when he woke up, and was not sure what had happened. After praying, we had the Lord's supper together. It was so different from what we would do in church. We were outside, among the trees and flowers in Lola's courtyard. We had left over bread and mango orange juice for the blood because we could not find grape juice. Thomas shared how this was more like communion in the early church. Lola also shared some verses with us and we recited John 3:16 together. When we left, Mark Stephens gave Thomas what had been collected and we were able to give them almost $7000 pesos.
Laura was really struck by the beauty of being able to share communion with Lola and Trinidad. I was also, but I was disturbed that it had been a year since they last had it. Why should they have to wait for the church from Colorado to bring them communion when there is a church in Boquillas who could do the same? Apparently, Victor doe not believe that he can do this because he is not yet an "official" pastor. He still needs some training. Discussing this with Thomas later, the idea is that the pastor from Leon will come and mentor victor. I will try to remember to pray for this.
A group of us walked up to the old Boquillas church, just to see it. Pastor Gabino still lives there and runs his bakery store from the same building. It is a small, yellow building, with a second story for Sunday school classes. I learned that the final straw in the church split was when Gabino told the church that they could not have their own bible study. The rule was that it had to be in the church building - nowhere else. And pastor Gabino had to be there or there could be no study. Talk about control issues...He was the same way with evangelizing, I was told. You had to bring new believers to him and he would share Jesus with them inside the walls of the church. Nowhere else. And no other person in the church was "trained" to share the good news. I am not sure how someone can be led so far astray. I fear this is demonic. If so, perhaps mighty acts for God are in store for the Boquillas church, if the enemy attacks like that. Gabino was a big obstacle to the gospel of Christ spreading in this town, in this area, and by all indications the obstacle has been overcome.
Nobody knows what will happen with the property or why the association of churches continues to support Gabino as a pastor.
Continuing to work backwards to the morning, we finished Galatians during our men's devotion. Pedro came for the study, which was unexpected. He shared some insights also, revealing that he has been in the word although non one knew it. His coming to bible study was a sign of the great things that would happen Friday night.
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