Well, here it is, only one more week of our time in Guatemala. Tonight Vicki is out in Tecpan with Caleb and Emilee and Team Alamo City for the first night of the medical clinics. I got word that it is raining really hard, so my prayer that they will be able to return home safely as they need to cross three streams and some very narrow roads. Team Alamo has been fun to work with in many ways. From the southern hospitality to the drawl in the speech yall. The houses went up well with the dedication being yesterday. The rain REALLY poured. No, I mean really poured! Dan and I were talking about if we come back on the free day to dedicate, and then the rain slowed down. We went to the first house. The rain came back. We chatted again and the rain slowed down again, so we went to the second home....and then the rain stopped. We were able to dedicate all four houses. Afterwards, we did the fiesta/ pinata in the rain! As I reflect back on the summer, we built 27 houses. And we were able to witness with our own eyes, the LORD coming down upon 27 families and reconciled them to Him. We had all 27 families either rededicate their lives to Christ, or except for the first time. Even as I type this, I am thinking that I need to put my sunglasses on because of the tearing up. God is truly alive and well!
Dan has devo that he uses once in a while...bear with me, cause I would like to share some of it with you.
Acts 16
Paul has a vision of a man. The next day Paul and his companions pack up and sail off for Philippi. Now fast forwarding through the passages, they basically spend at LEAST 2 weeks if not more, before Paul casts out a demon in a slave girl. The owners of the slave have them beaten and flogged and thrown in the inner stocks. At midnight, they are signing hymns and praying to God. Then there is a huge earthquake and the jail splits open. The jailer fearing that the prisoners have escapes, is about to kill himself, when Paul shouts out, "Do not harm yourself, we are all here." The jailer calls for lights and sees the truth and then asks how to be saved. Paul then is let go and goes to the house of the jailer and he and his whole family are baptized after hearing the WORD. Then Paul and his companions leave.
A few thoughts to leave you with:
***How long was Paul hanging around? AND still did not know why.....
***flogging (see the Passion of Christ movie) was not an easy thing....then placed in the stocked, the heavy wood and metal on open wounds, and in the inner cell meant it was cold damp, smelly, and nasty.
***when the earthquake happened, the jailer THOUGHT the prisoners escaped and then called for lights...
***How did Paul know the jailer was going to try to kill himself?...if only the jailer WAS the man in the dream just 2 weeks earlier!
***where else in the Bible is the jailer or his family mentioned?
Paul and his companions endured great trials for the sake of one man and his family that was never to become famous. A nobody by the worlds standards, but by the LORD, a somebody.
Working FOR Christ and working WITH Christ are two totally different things. Working FOR Christ means that you are doing things in the name of Christ, but not always following HIS leading, just what we think Christ would have us to do. Working WITH Christ is allowing Him to take our Comfort and Control of our lives and go, say, do, be, wherever, whatever, and however for HIS glory alone. Not for our benefit or reasoning, but by His alone.
Thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts. This summer has given us alot to think about. It has been a refining process of the heart and mind. It makes the 16 hour days worth it!
To HIM be the Glory
Dios Le Bendiga
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