This weekend I had the opportunity to visit a couple churches in a VERY rural area. We're talking dirt “roads” worse than you ever dreamed of and lots and lots of banana and pineapple plants. Anyway, these 3 churches were planted by people from the States, but they have run into some serious leadership problems and so now a man from our church (who also happens to be a pastor) is there helping restructure and trying to bring health to these churches. Two out of the three are very happy to be helped, but one church (the one pictured below) has not been very responsive and we still have some major concerns for it. Please pray for these churches.
Thanks! More details on the blog http://smithcj1.blogspot.com/
Have a blessed week!Carrie
Ja! I finally beat you to my blog! Somebody helped me realize that it is smarter to post on my blog first and then send out the e-mail so that all you people that read your e-mail the instant it arrives (don't worry I do that too) and actually desire to read my blog (Yaay! Thank you!) have something to read when you get here. So, thank you whoever you are-I think it was Josué. If you happen to be a sojourning blog reader who doesn't get my e-mails and would like to, please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail and I will be delighted to put you on the list.
So anyway, I went to visit these churches in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. It took about 2 hours to get there. It was a gorgeous drive and I was really disappointed when I rediscovered that my camera battery had died. We got to go through the mountains. They are big a green, covered in poor man's sombrillas (umbrellas) and other lush green plants. The sky was a beautiful blue and it was just lovely. I went with Martha, a lady from my church (who is also the mom of my friends Andrés and Daniel) and her friend Nidia.
When we got to Puerto Viejo (not the one in Limón that is all famous for being Caribbean and Bob Marleyish. This Puerto Viejo is in the province of Heredia) we stopped and had a yummy tico breakfast of gallo pinto (black beans and rice with cilantro, onion, red pepper and sometimes other delicious ingredients) with eggs and Salsa Lizano (the most amazing condiment that food ever saw). Ok, sorry. I get a little parentheses happy sometimes. And I want to make sure you know what I'm talking about. Anyway, don Minor (the pastor guy from my church) met us at the soda where we ate and took us to see the church in Nuevo Progreso. We turned onto a stone “road” and then onto a grassy “street” and then a wide path that was dirt and rocks and potholes. The church is a small building with wooden benches inside. It was locked so I didn't get to see the whole inside. I'm not sure if they have anything that resembles a pulpit or not. This church is the newest of the three and was really just getting started when all the terrible things happened with the first pastor. We didn't go to a service there because of scheduling issues.
So, we headed to La Esperanza (the one in the picture-I don't think it has the sign on it anymore though) for the 10am service. It was interesting and kind of sad. The people there are really hurting and have been greatly misled. I think most (if not all) of them are believers, but they have a severely limited understanding of the Bible and the basics of their faith. They have not been receiving very good teaching. They didn't smile or greet us when they came in. They seem afraid. It's really sad. But in a way, it makes me excited and increases my faith. I have hope for them. I know that God is the only one who can work in and heal these people. It is beyond what man can do (and man can't do anything without God anyway). So, I am glad to put this into God's hands because I believe He can and will work in these churches. I am excited to see what becomes of them. A lot of evil and terrible things have been done, but making good come out of evil is what God does!
We had fish (luckily I was given a tail end- I prefer not to have my lunch eying me as I eat it) for lunch along with -you guessed it!- black beans and rice (and salad). A family from La Esperanza kindly took us in and shared their time, house, and food with us. This is one of the few families from that church that is actually wanting change and new leadership. Pray for them, as they are among the vast minority.
Yikes, sorry. This is getting to be a bit long. I'll try to practice being more concise.
There was a huge contrast between the people at La Esperanza and the people at Las Orquídeas (the 3rd church). The people at las Orquídeas smiled and greeted us. They didn't seem to have that fear gripping their hearts. It was obvious that they love and appreciate don Minor. It was really sweet. These people are also greatly lacking Christian basics, but Minor has started a class to teach them. So, I'm excited for them too.
It was a very long hot day. There were actually a couple times when I feared I might pass out, but God answered my pleas of “Oh God please don't let me pass out here!” I had some good conversation in the car on the way home with Martha and Nidia. So that was a blessing to me. I was really glad that it worked out for us to go together. Martha was great -she would just go right up to people and greet them as if she were welcoming them to her own church. She was so warm and friendly! People like that are so wonderful! Well, I think that's it. Please, please keep these churches in your prayers. Thank you!
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