Humbled at the Vineyards

Last Monday 3 or 4 young men from our church, a fellow missionary and 2 of my kids and I went off to a local vineyard where each week we present a Christian movie and then the gospel message to the Migrant workers there who come from Southern Mexico.  Little did we know, God had something in store for us that we could never have expected.

After the movie which depicted the chat that the strangers on the road to Emaus might have had with Jesus after his resurrection, I presented the message of salvation for the 50 or so Migrant Workers who were there listening.  After I finished speaking, we handed out some tracts, transferred a few audio bibles and handed out a few regular bibles, we were prepared to leave.  That is when an older man came up and asked for a bible.  As we handed it to him he explained how much this bible meant to him.  He said he had been waiting for a bible for 30 years!  I found that hard to believe but even if he had been waiting for 10 years!  Wow.  What a privilege to be able to hand this man a bible!  But that wasn't all that God had in store for us that night.  

A young man came up to me and explained that he was a Christian.  He was from the state of Chiapas which shares a border with Guatemala.  He said that his family in Chiapas was waiting for him to save some of his wages from laboring in the vineyards and send some back to them.  The problem is that he was only able to save 34 pesos a day, the equivalent of about $3 Canadian.  Hardly enough to send back home.  That is when he asked me to pray for him and the tears started to roll down his cheeks.  Then he handed me a folded up piece of paper.  He said that out there at the vineyard he was isolated and didn't have the opportunity to go to church.  He was thankful that we had come and shared the word of God and had encouraged him.  He said his "offering or tithe" was inside the folded piece of paper he had handed me.  I asked if I could open it up and he said yes.  

When I saw what was inside the piece of paper I must admit that all of a sudden I wanted to run away.  I didn't want to be there, didn't want to accept the money, didn't want to be responsible for such a weight.  He had given the Lord (via me) 100 pesos - the equivalent to about $8.50 Canadian or for him, 3 days wages.  All the while his family was waiting for him to send them money.  I wanted to convince him not to give it to me.  I wanted to tell him that he needed it, that his family needed it.  I really didn’t want that money.  I asked him if he was sure that God wanted him to give me this money as a tithe.  He said yes.  I didn’t believe him.  I didn’t want to believe it, more than anything I didn’t want to be responsible for the tithe.  I asked him again if he was sure that he was sure.  Again, without hesitation he said yes.  I felt like God said to me that if He was the one who told this young man to do this, then I had better accept it. 

So I did the only thing I could do, I accepted it and prayed for him.  We wept together as I crouched before him.  I crouched there because I felt less than he.  I felt so humbled by his faith.  He was openly weeping as he handed me 3 days wages, not being able to save a substantial amount to send back to his family, but believing the God of the universe was more than able to meet his need and that of his family. 

As a missionary I am on the receiving end of many blessings, my family and I are the recipients of many dollars from friends and family who by their giving sustain us.  I must say though, of all the hundreds and thousands of dollars we have received over the years, that $8.50 was likely the largest gift I have ever received.  It is not for me or my family, but rather intrusted to me (a stranger to this young Christian) to use as I see fit for the Lord and His purposes.  I am praying about what to do with that amazing gift as it sits on my desk at home. 

So, what is God saying to you through this story that I was privileged to be a part of?  Do you give to God only from your abundance?  Have you ever given to God what you really needed, believing that He is more than able to provide for your need?  Have you ever given to Him when it didn’t make sense humanly speaking?  Have you ever experienced God like this? 

Let me challenge you with this.  Psalm 34:8 tells us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Do you give God the opportunity to show you how good He tastes?  Or do you shrink back from extending yourself for God because it doesn’t make “good sense”?  For this young Mexican Christian to give me 3 days wages as an offering to the Lord when he obviously needed the money, well that makes no sense.  It makes no sense at all, unless of course the one who makes the offering knows the one to whom he offers the sacrifice.  This young man showed great faith and I believe God will reward him greatly for obeying, even when it didn’t make sense.  That is how we taste and see that the Lord is good! 

Next time you feel God nudging you to do something that doesn’t make sense (related to money or not), don’t shrink back, don’t explain it away as not making sense and thus lean on your own understanding.  Obey God, do it and taste and see that the Lord is good!
We are heading out again tonight (and each Tuesday and Friday) so please pray for this ministry!      

Adoption Story Part 2

Have a look at the 2nd part of the video I did about our adoption story.

Have a look at our latest prayer letter by clicking on the link below

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4943381/prayerletter%2331email.pdf

Sometimes I Just Love it Here!

So the other day I became aware of a rattling under my car as I drove.  Upon a quick investigation I realized there was a fairly large piece of light metal that was loose and rattling around but did not look in danger of falling off.
The next day I had a bit of time, so I ran uptown and took the car to a mechanic.  I told him what I had heard and seen and immediately he told me to pull up over the open pit so he could get underneath the vehicle and have a look.  I wish I had taken a picture of that pit!  My driver side wheels were on solid concrete at the left side of the pit, but as I pulled up over-top of the pit, my passenger side wheels had to line up with a small ramp that spanned the length of the pit, barely wider than my wheels and with hardly any side rails to protect me from falling off of it!  Hope you can picture what I mean.
So I very very slowly crept onto the ramp and proceeded forward all the while keeping a watchful eye on the mechanic who was guiding me forward with hand signals, pointing me left or right as I crept forward.  I have never driven so slow!  Thankfully I reached the point where he signaled me to stop.
I got out of the car and he went down into the maybe 6-7 foot deep pit.  He grabbed a socket and began to work.  After maybe 4 to 5 minutes of tightening and banging around he emerged from the pit and told me that it was a heat deflector near my muffler that had come loose.  He was fairly sure that the noise I had heard was coming from that piece which he had now secured.  Satisfied at his explanation, I asked him what I owed him.  This is the best part of the story and my reason for sharing it with you.  He replied, "just by me a soda pop."
Hardly able to believe what I had heard and thinking that I misunderstood his Spanish I asked him to repeat himself and he said, "Well it was no big deal, just by me a soda pop."
I pulled out a 50 peso bill from my wallet (about $4 dollars) and said, "let me give you 50 pesos at least."  He smiled a big smile and thanked me profusely!
I returned home, having been gone all of about 20 minutes, and only 50 pesos poorer!
Maybe this experience will help to make up for all the times where a "quick errand" took half the day as I waited for someone to show up to a scheduled appointment, or waited in a line-up for some sort!

Always Be Ready

In the last week I have unexpectedly been asked about the hope that I have on 2 different occasions.  I have come to realize that the Mexican people are much more sensitive to spiritual things than folks back home.
I was doing an errand when I was introduced to a friend of a friend.  It seems he was struggling in his life with various family and business issues.  I was introduced as a Pastor, which is a stretch but non-the-less he started to ask me about what I believe.  He kept peppering me with questions about my faith and what I believe and why.  I was able to give some understanding to him about how the Trinity Works and how God can be three in one.  We talked of the Holy of Holies and how when Jesus died and the temple veil was torn in 2 it meant that now all who have the Spirit living in their hearts could now enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God the Father directly, only because of what Jesus did for us.  We talked of John 17:3 which says that the only way to eternal life is to "know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent to the earth".  I was able to lay out the gospel message to him.  He even came to the church prayer meeting a few nights later.  After talking to this man for close to an hour he remarked to me, "you know what, I like you, there is a peace about you."  This isn't the first time someone has said that, referring to the Spirit that lives in me whether they knew it or not.
Now I have learned that this man's 30 year old sister got sick and suddenly died just a few days ago.  I am praying that God brings this man to faith in Him through this tragedy and thus once again brings beauty out of ashes.
Then yesterday I had to get a flat tire fixed and the "llantero" (the guy who fixed my tire) and I got talking and once again, I was asked what I am doing here in Mexico etc.  When I tell people I am a Missionary they usually have questions.  The people here are so open to talk about spiritual things!  So once again after laying out the gospel message for about 45mins I had to leave.  I have noticed that my words flow so much better when I am explaining spiritual things than when I am talking about whatever.  I know God is helping me in those moments.  It is nice to fee like God is using me.  It gives me so much purpose in life.
All of this reminds me how I need to be ready always to give a reason for the hope that I profess.       1 Peter 3:15

Only in Mexico

This is normally a dry river bed.  Yesterday it turned into a raging torrent!  No big deal, until you realize that the bridge that spans this normally dry river bed was torn down recently and is in the process of being rebuilt.  Refer to next picture.

This river separates us from the nearest town and the city.  So when Alexis and I were in the city and all of a sudden received word that it had rained in the hills beyond the city and that the water was already filling the dry river bed and the temporary road beneath the partly constructed bridge was already underwater, it was too late to get across.  Sheri and the rest of the kids would have to spend the night without us.  Alexis and I had other options in the city so we were fine but it is always hard to be separated from your family unexpectedly even if it is just for the night.

The next day when we went to the bridge to see if we could cross, the official told me they were allowing people to cross on foot, over the partly constructed bridge.  I was a little surprised a that but thought what the heck, lets give it a try!  So Alexis and I parked and locked the car and hiked up onto the bridge.  Here is a pic of what we encountered!

and down the other side

 Mothers walking their daughters through a maze of rebar to the edge of the bridge and then down the hand built wooden ladder that was rigged up!  I actually helped a 60 something year old grandmother down that ladder!
It was a fun experience, one I am guessing would not have been possible in Canada!  It has just rained again at the time of this writing and I am supposed to preach the sermon tomorrow morning in the city, so I might be crossing raging rivers once again!

The Waiting is Almost Over but the Adjusting Continues

As we are in the throws of packing and preparing to leave for Mexico (the wait is almost over) today June 11 is the 1 year anniversary of the first time we met our boys Jackson and Judeson in Haiti!  We flew down there and met them June 11, 2013.  Now they are at home with their family and we are so happy to have them with us!
Many big transitions are coming again for them and it is sad for us that they are going to have to face yet more big changes.  They are really starting to settle in with us and adapt to our family and being here in Canada and now we are going to change almost everything for them again!  Arg.  Please pray for us and for them as we hope to leave in a week or so and remain in Mexico for 3 years Lord willing.  It will be a long drive and lots of hours in their car seats, so we really do appreciate your prayers.

Here is a link to the video I made of our first meeting with Jackson and Judeson.  I hope to get the "At Home Video" done in the coming months.


Lane and Sheri