Nathan bedding down on Nevado del Ruiz

Nathan and I had the opportunity to visit the Nevado del Ruiz this weekend. Nevado del Ruiz is an active stratovolcano. In recorded history, explosive eruptions by stratovolcanos have posed the greatest hazard to civilizations. It was dark by the time we reached our mountain destination and we could not see clearly the surrounding spectacle. We camped about 2000 meters below the summit of this terrible but beautiful land mass that juts out from among other mountains in this part of the Andes range. We arrived after the park was closed and were doomed to sleep crowded in the little car we drove in. But, by the grace of God, we were invited to pitch our tent on the patio of a little hostel; a very small hotel that resembles a bed and breakfast yet is specially primitive and rustic in comparison to the popular bed and breakfast places we are accustomed to in the US.

Volcano Nevado del Ruiz

Monday we woke to a fresh but cold and wet morning. There was something mysterious as I relished the beauty of the surrounding landscape. I could not understand how the countryside could be so lush with plant life since it was a very cold place! In Ohio, the flowers and trees went into hibernation for the winter. The anticipation for the stirring of life in the spring is a cherished time for northerners as the faces of early blooms from the Bradford pear tree buds and the crocuses peek out at the sun warming their faces. With the awful view of Nevado del Ruiz in the distance, the fauna, moss and rock formations surrounding us kept my visual senses alive with curious up close and far away examination of detail. After wondering how such rich vegetation could thrive in this harsh environment I realized the cause of this unique beauty of creation. The hot volcanic thermals lying a short distance below the surface of the earth’s crust cause the hardy fauna to flourish bringing colorful splendor to the surrounding scenery.

New types of flora and fauna proclaimed the work of art from our Father’s hands. Some spots looked like the ocean floor pictures seen in geographic magazines and documentaries. Mosses of red, green and white spread serenely over rocks and other surfaces. Hardy blossoms of yellow, orange, purple, pink, white and other interesting variants of the color spectrum were everywhere. Some were large and bushy growing from the rich black soil. Others were very small, clinging to the wet rock surfaces. There were odd looking palms that resembled cacti and bushes bearing broad and narrow multicolored leaves of lighter moss greens to yellowish greens to deeper forest greens. Trickling streams of water tumbling over rocks and sandy soil made their way through aqueducts or over the edges of cliffs and rock forming tiny as well as great waterfalls all over the mountain sides. The richness of colors this volcanic environment offers a majestic display of the fascinating artistic mind of God.

But this exhibition of nature seen by the physical eye can be dangerously deceiving. The nonchalant soul who is unaware of the boiling hot molten rock, ash and gas just below the earth’s crust would not fare well if the volcano decided to blow its top. Nevado del Ruiz is an active volcano. And like the beauty decorating its surface it is an equally ominous display of God’s creative hands. Scientists watch its activity closely, especially after its last devastating explosion.

A whole city was wiped out by a lahar in 1985. A lahar is a mudslide composed of volcanic debris and water caused by an eruption. Following is an account from an eyewitness who along with thousands of others was unexpectedly surprised by this disaster and mayhem.

After nearly a year of minor earthquakes and steam explosions from Nevado del Ruiz, the volcano exploded violently on November 13, 1985. The initial blast began at 3:06 p.m., and two hours later pumice fragments and ash were showering down on Armero. However, the citizens of Amero remained calm. They were placated by reassuring messages from the mayor over radio and from a local priest over the church public address system. Nevertheless, the Red Cross ordered an evacuation of the town at 7:00 p.m. However, shortly after the evacuation order the ash stopped falling and the evacuation was called off.

At 9:08 p.m., just as calm was being restored, molten rock began to erupt from the summit crater for the first time (all previous eruptions were steam explosions). The violent ejection of this molten rock generated hot pyroclastic flows and airfall tephra that began to melt the summit ice cap. Unfortunately, a storm obscured the summit area so that most citizens were unaware of the pyroclastic eruption. Meltwater quickly mixed with the erupting pyroclastic fragments to generate a series of hot lahars. One lahar flowed down the River Cauca, submerging the village Chinchina and killing 1,927 people. Other lahars followed the paths of the 1595 and 1845 mudflows. Traveling at 50 kilometers per hour, the largest of these burst through an upstream damn on the River Lagunillas and reached Armero two hours after the eruption began. Most of the town was swept away or buried in only a few short minutes, killing three quarters of the townspeople.

A few days before the disaster, a Colombian geology student, José Luis Restrepo, had come to Armero on a field trip. After playing billiards, he was returning to his hotel at about 10:50 p.m., when the lahar arrived. His recollection of events were recorded by Dr. Barry Voight:

“We didn’t hear any kind of alarm, even when the ash was falling and we were in the hotel . . . we turned on the radio . . . The mayor was talking and he said not to worry, that it was a rain of ash, that they had not reported anything from the Nevado, and to stay calm in our houses. There was a local radio station and we were listening to it, when suddenly it went off the air . . . about fifteen seconds later, the electric power went out and that’s when we started hearing the noise in the air, like something toppling, falling, and we didn’t hear anything else, no alarm . . . The priest from Armero had supposedly spoken on a loudspeaker [around 6:00 p.m.] and had said the same thing: that there was no need to leave Armero . . . When we went out, the cars were swaying and running people down . . . there was total darkness, the only light was provided by cars . . . we were running and were about to reach the corner when a river of water came down the streets . . . we turned around screaming, towards the hotel, because the waters were already dragging beds along, overturning cars, sweeping people away . . . we went back to the hotel, a three-story building with a terrace, built of cement and very sturdy . . . Suddenly, I heard bangs, and looking towards the rear of the hotel I saw something like foam, coming down out of the darkness . . . It was a wall of mud approaching the hotel, and sure enough, it crashed against the rear of the hotel and started crushing walls . . . . And then the ceiling slab fractured and . . . the entire building was destroyed and broken into pieces. Since the building was made of cement, I thought that it would resist, but the boulder-filled mud was coming in such an overwhelming way, like a wall of tractors, razing the city, razing everything . . . . Then the university bus, that was in a parking lot next to the hotel, was higher than us on a wave of mud and on fire, and it exploded, so I covered my face, thinking this is where I die a horrible death . . . There was a little girl who I thought was decapitated, but . . . her head was buried in the mud . . . A lady told me, ‘look, that girl moved a leg’. Then I moved toward her and my legs sank into the mud, which was hot but not burning, and I started to get the little girl out, but when I saw her hair was caught, that seemed to me the most unfair thing in the whole world.” — from A. Scarth (1999) (www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/Nevado.html.)

We might say, “Oh, this will never happen to us.”… Really? The people of God have become accustomed to the bed and breakfast comforts while underneath our feet the ground is about to give way to destruction of the lifestyle we so cherish. When fellow Christians of late have attributed natural disasters around the world to the judgment of God, the intolerant voice of tolerance has called these claims ridiculous notions from extreme religious fanatics. Even ‘fellow’ Christians are disregarding the seriousness of the sin that so easily entangles us as they attempt to justify with the rest of the world the murder of innocent unborn children, the ordination of openly homosexual ministers of the gospel, concerns of building a comfortable retirement and other popular world views. We forget our heritage and the suffering of those who brought us to where we are today.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; (Hebrews 12:1-4)

There is no denying that we are daily bombarded by extreme religious fanatic ideals. Some of them are very hostile to anyone who does not believe as they do and even believe they are rewarded in the afterlife for killing so called infidels. However, in consideration of historical record, would it not be wise to steer from making the same spiritually disobedient choices of so many that have made history before us?

Some of us continue to stand firm on the solid foundation of the principle of love that naturally calls for God’s judgment. Some of us waffle when the self proclaimed intellectuals ease their justifications for sin into the corridors of righteousness. While we are lulled into slumber, God continues to bring about His purpose whether we are active in the task of accomplishing it or not! Wake up fellow Christians! Beware of the coming destruction!

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1Thessalonians 5:3)

A song by Casting Crowns

Oh little town of Bethlehem

Looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep

A giant star lights up the sky

And while you’re lying in the dark

There shines an everlasting light

For the King has left His throne

And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man And stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping, while you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem

Looks like another silent night

The Father gave His only Son

The Way, the Truth, the Life had come

But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save

Jerusalem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping, while you were sleeping

United States of America

Looks like another silent night

As we’re sung to sleep by philosophies

That save the trees and kill the children

And while we’re lying in the dark

There’s a shout heard ‘cross the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned

And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again

And leave us slumbering where we lay

America, will we go down in history

As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping? Will we be sleeping?

After three days of fever, nothing we did was helping to reduce it. We decided Kevin should see a doctor. The clinic here consists of many doctors’ offices and the hospital all in the same building. They took blood two times a day for five days looking for the obvious possibilities like malaria. They finally diagnosed a bacterial infection called Leptospirosis. It is caused by ingestion of rat urine and could be present on milk cartons, cans or bottles. It could have been in the water from the basin they used to wash their hands with on this last trip to the Pacific coast. Whatever the cause, we are thankful he is better.

Isn’t it ironic how you never hear of a thing and, then, when you do, you hear a lot about it? That’s what happened when Kevin was released from the hospital after six days of grueling tests and bad hospital food. The very day he came home we heard of a little girl in a neighboring community who died from Leptosirosis. We began to research more about the disease. There are several types of common and less common Leptosirosis bacteria. The problem is that it is hard to diagnose and if it isn’t caught early enough, the result is aggressive meningitis, organ and kidney failure and death. (And we were concerned mostly about the guerillas when we came here!!)

When we heard of the little girl, we were deeply saddened. It is the stark reality of a poverty stricken society. We have been to more places here than even the native Colombians. We see and experience the social culture that many who are blessed with middle class living, wealth and comfort never see or even think about. Our friend, Sandra, comes to my ladies’ home meeting. She said she is very embarrassed and ashamed that someone who is not even Colombian has come to help reach her country with the gospel. Until she met us, she never even gave life outside of her circle much thought. Now, she has a new burning in her spirit to seek God’s purpose for her life and for her country. We have heard the same from other friends. John, a very talented guitarist who is on the worship team at one of the largest churches here, weeps as he thanks us for caring enough about his country to come and help. His worship team is using Mark Medley’s (Assistant Pastor at Trinity Chapel in Knoxville) teaching, Because He is Worthy to study aobut worship.

We have recently been hearing the preaching (or is it ranting?) from a certain man in the United States who calls himself a Christian and goes by the title of Reverend. When we hear his words, we are in shock that someone representing our Loving Father is full of divisive ideas and beliefs. We are further shocked by the number of people who cheer him on and support his ideas of conspiracy and hate! Every day we see people who are truly suffering, truly ostracized, truly experiencing the prejudices of the society they live in.

Sun dried fish for dinner?

A little girl died from a bacterial infection that could easily be treated if only she had the means to acquire the proper medical care. Other little girls can be seen in the dark stairways that lead up to the dark, squalid brothel where she is abused in ways we can only imagine. Families are forced off their land; most of them displaced Afro-Americans. They are left to migrate into the cities where they have nothing. They live in shanty houses and are considered the lowest of the low in a society who does not like them in their cities. There are other little indigenous people that come to the city to sell their handmade jewelry, baskets and other artifacts or to just sit on the streets and beg for pesos. A proper education or the possibility of transformation from meager living to even lower middle class is a remote impossible dream for them. They most likely will never see a framed diploma from an institution hanging on a wall of a study or office.

One thing we heard this Reverend boast about is the millions of dollars his church had spent on helping people. For that, we applaud him. It is the responsibility of the church to help with the social needs of people. But the question is not whether this church is spending millions of dollars to help. The question is what is the heart of their motivation? Here’s what Jesus said about the poor.

Mark 14:7 “For the poor you always have with you, and whenever you wish, you can do them good; but you do not always have Me.”

Social injustice is not going to go away. What the church can do, however, is get about the business of God and begin to help in whatever capacity possible. The Church in the United States has the people and financial resources to make a dramatic difference in the lives of people all over the world.

It is our prayer that the hearts of true believers and followers will be pierced with the compassion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We need a burning urgency in our spirit that will drive us to seek what the Lord would have us do to accomplish His will through tender, caring love for fellow humans. There is no room for hate and resentment of past injustices or injuries. What we do today and in the future can change the world for better social provision. The purpose of the church is to advance the Kingdom of God through the gospel. An outgrowth of advancing the Kingdom of God is a heart increased in compassion for the suffering and a spirit for justice that leads to action. The church remains God’s chosen vessel of change.

It was probably one of those fresh tantalizing spring days or perhaps an early crisp cool fall morning when I was on the top of a favorite local mountain. On these exceptionally beautiful days we are invited to enter the life that spreads before us beyond the four walls of our earthly dwelling places. This quiet mountain trail calls for me occasionally.

The path to the top of this particular mountain is short but difficult. The gradual climb with occasional sharp inclines is hard on my body. My legs scream for mercy. I can feel the pulse in my head pounding with each beat of my heart. My mind fights urges to give up and turn back. As I ascend the mountain, what lay behind me in the flats is gradually put out of my mind as the focus becomes the path before me. The trail is ever ascending, the destination is unseen. Beyond each turn is found new mysteries of nature that reveal more of who God is. With each deliberate step new wonder and purpose fill my heart.

Eventually, and not without much toil and desperation, the top of the mountain is reached. With a sense of relief and accomplishment, I sit down to rest and peruse the dale below from whence I came. For several minutes I admire the view spread out before me thanking God for the beauty of His creation. Looking around at the vast valley, I can see familiar sights and the area of the city where my home could be found.

Home can be seen directly below where I sit and, as the crow flies, is not so far away. As I gather new energy to go on my way, I look at my home below where I would be heading. Recalling the drudgery endured on the climb up the mountain, the home I want to get to from the top of the mountain suddenly gives me an intense sense of needed refuge and rest. Though home appears to be so very close, in reality, the way back will steer me away from home and far out of sight of the end of my journey. My home was directly below me, so close yet so far away.

Though our worldly home promises comfort and safety, our heavenly home offers eternal life with God. Like the trek on the mountain pass, the journey to our heavenly home is met with countless obstacles. Hindrances of worldly allurements, discouragement from family and other people, unbelief, and even imaginary hindrances threaten to veer us from the way God has prepared before us. But we are not without hope. Just as God has prepared a place for us…

John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

He has also made a way for us to get through the difficulties on the way provided…

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Though the beaten path is strewn with obstacles and difficulties, life teaches us that  straying from the trodden way finds us trapped by briars, thorns, scrubby brush and other things that block the way. Wandering off the course that is the will of God causes us more strife and injury than the way He has provided.

Though we cannot see Him, he is there, patiently and faithfully guiding us to the home where we will dwell forever in our Father’s house.

Our precious grandchildren

As many of you know our grandson came to live with us recently. He is the middle one of our three wonderfully special, and might I say the most beautiful, grandchildren in the world! It is hard to imagine that the oldest will soon be thirteen! If it were not for the truth of their ages and the pain in my joints, I would not believe myself to be a day over 30! But, alas, the years are stacking up and, though I do not feel it in my heart, I am beginning to feel it in my body! But it is grandchildren, I am convinced, that keep the sparkle in our eyes and a grip on our hearts.

Children and grandchildren are the light of the lives of those who nurture and bear their every action in our hearts. Each one is unique and different in their own special way. From the day they are born, they begin to develop a personality that solely belongs to them. Before they are born, with anticipation, we ponder many, maybe hundreds of names. For the rest of their lives that name will grace their bedroom doors, school papers, articles of clothing and one day, before we know it, a diploma, a name plate on a desk or a door. You know the story.

Given names in Latin American culture are a little different than what we are accustomed to. In Latin American culture, people have four names. The first two are like the first and middle names given in North America. They usually go by the second name, or what we would consider the middle name. The last two are surnames. Generally, the first surname comes from the father’s family name and the second is the mother’s family name. It is very cute and at the same time rather mind boggling when a child is telling you their name. The first problem, of course, is their inability as yet to annunciate the sounds. The second problem comes when anyone is telling their name. If you can understand what they said, then you have to remember what they said! We are accustomed to only learning at least the first name and sometimes the last name if needed.

Here in Colombia everyone is required to have their blood type card on file and to carry one in their wallet. We are not exempt from this requirement and neither is Nathan. Shortly after he came, we took him to the clinic to get the infamous finger prick so a drop of blood could be analyzed and his blood type determined. At the clinic, we signed him in and took our seats to wait. In a few minutes the clinic worker called for ‘Kevin’ to come into the little cubicle. Instantly, I knew what happened. Aside from being the only ones waiting, I knew the clinician was calling for our grandson. I watched him as he continued to sit and wait. It dawned on me that he may not even know what his middle name was. I nudged him and told him they were calling for him. After I quickly explained why they were calling him by his second name, he reacted with surprise and a little confusion. The delight in his reaction to learn that people here would call him ‘Kevin’, the same name as his grandpa instead was an unsuspected surprise to us. To know that he was going to be called Kevin was a source of pride for him since he obviously greatly admires and respects his grandpa Kevin. Now, every time he meets new people, Nathan tells them his name is Kevin. When we are in public and I call him Nathan, he ignores me. He explained to me that when we are in public, I have to call him Kevin and that I can only call him Nathan when we are at home!

Every time I think about that day when Nathan found out he had another name I am reminded of the chorus of a song we use to sing.

There’s a new name written down in glory, and it’s mine, oh yes it’s mine!

Upon conversion, if you will recall with me, there is a new excitement, a new freshness, a new revelation of the love of God in our life. Set before us is a new purpose and in the heavenlies we have received a new name (Isaiah 56:5). Ravi Zacharias has the idea when he evaluates his life before and his life after conversion in Jesus Among Other Gods.

“…His name and His tug in my life mean infinitely more now than they did when I first surrendered my life to Him. I came to Him because I did not know which way to turn. I have remained with Him because there is no other way I wish to turn. I came to Him longing for something I did not have. I remain with Him because I have something I will not trade. I came to Him as a stranger. I remain with Him in the most intimate of friendships. I came to Him unsure about the future. I remain with Him certain about my destiny. I came amid the thunderous cries of a culture that has three hundred and thirty million deities. I remain with Him knowing that truth cannot be all-inclusive. Truth by definition excludes.”

I quote Zacharias because in expressing the then, now and not yet of his experience in Christ, he plainly states the obvious in every Christian’s life. His passion for Christ is clearly evident and his appreciation of where he came from is unquestionable. Each one of us have received a new name and a new life as the old things have passed away and, behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Paul uses the word behold here which means to take a close look at, to perceive or discern. I believe his intention is for us to take special notice of the privilege of reconciliation given to us by the grace of God. We have a new name and a new life of faith and holiness. We are servants of God through Christ by the Spirit. A new and better righteousness is received and embraced. We are given new direction in every aspect of our lives. The dynamics of our friendships, the way we work at our professions, the places we go and the awareness of our need for a Savior all come together in our new life of purpose and direction. As time passes, the old self becomes a shadow of the past and the hope of new and eternal life is the promise of Him who gives it freely.

Nathan and papaw on a mission.

Nathan had the name Kevin all along, but he didn’t realize it. Along with his new name he seemed to embrace the significance of where the name came from. These are his words: “I felt my whole body warm inside. I felt that way because my papaw is a smart man, who serves God. He helps me whenever I need help with school work. When I do something bad he tells me what I did bad and I try to do better next time.”

These are the simple words of an eleven year old that sees the wisdom, guidance and authority of one who loves him. Our new name comes from the One residing at the right hand of God interceding for our good, our guidance and our protection. We are His children.

Isaiah 56:5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlating name which will not be cut off.

After close inspection of the chairs, we were delighted to find them in very good shape. They were wicker on metal frames. When you sat in them they would subtly rock without much persuasion. All they needed was a good cleaning and fresh paint. Those chairs lasted ten years! Friends who came over and sat in them always asked where we found such nice chairs. They would say how hard it was to find them built so nice and sturdy. We lived in a quiet neighborhood nestled in the woods. During the fresh cool mornings and the winding down of the sunset, there was rest offered by the rustling leaves springing forth from the many trees surrounding our house. The joyful chatter of little birds, the buzz of the katydids, the chirping of the tree frogs and toads all joined together in a lullaby of nature offering many refreshing naps in our wicker chaise lounge.

Our "retirement" home before God's call!

Trash picking is a sort of occupation here in our Colombian city. There are many street people. You can see them everywhere. They sleep anywhere. We even see them asleep on the busy streets and sidewalks of the center of the city where commerce and shopping takes place. However, on trash pick up days, we see them busily hustling about with burlap bags in hand, sorting through the refuse lining the streets. They stuff loot they find in their bags and eat things that will satisfy their hunger pangs.

In the past, we fought guilt when we threw out food that we thought was too bad to eat after being in the refrigerator for a week or found something in a drawer or closet that was no longer of any use. Here, we don’t have that guilt anymore. We know if we throw something away, somebody out there will find it and use it or eat it.

It was proven to us today. In the morning we threw away three Gatorade bottles. They came as a promotional gift with the purchase of Coca-Cola light. We didn’t like them because the water put in them tasted like plastic. Kevin even commented as he tossed them in the trash that we didn’t have to feel guilty about throwing things out since someone out there will find use for our trash. Shortly after we put the bottles into the trash chute, about ten or fifteen minutes, we left to take our morning exercise walk. We stepped out of the elevator and saw that our porters had already found the three bottles. They had taken them out of the trash and apparently were going to take them home to use!

You have heard the adage, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” The Apostle Paul could have become a prominent leader in the world of Judaism. Directly after conveying his very impressive credentials to the Jews who recognized their worth, Paul called them rubbish. Paul was culturally entitled to status of the highest standard. While others would have cherished the position and influence Paul had at his fingertips, here’s what he penned after delineating his qualifications:

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. (Philippians 3:7-8)

Paul had a holy ambition that was higher than those things the world sees as impressive and successful. He was so passionate about his new life of denial to the world that he warned against the religious influence of Judaism. He told his readers to beware of the dogs, evil workers and those of the false circumcision. These were the same people Paul passionately worked for before his conversion. The Christians he was determined to kill and imprison were now his brothers and sisters in Christ. His occupation and purpose for the rest of his life was to preach the gospel and plant churches.

Tennessee sunset

Here in our eleventh story apartment, we no longer enjoy the feeling of solitude that we felt in the confines of our quiet wooded back yard just a few years ago. Instead, we are surrounded by the cacophony of the thump, thump, thump of rumba music, explosions of fireworks and/or gunfire, horns from cars and other vehicles, people singing very bad karaoke and very VERY loud parties every weekend at the club next to our building. But, like Paul, we count our previous and seemingly far off old life, rubbish compared to the joy of being in the will of God.

Every day is a spiritual challenge to the child of God. We are bombarded with the things we hear through the media. We are assaulted by the sensual drive to be pleasing and to be pleased. The ambition to gain recognition and riches drives us to search for new and greater ways to increase in status and wealth. Or maybe some of us are not realizing the potential that God has gifted us with. It could be that we are great speakers, but we are afraid to speak. Or perhaps we are writers or teachers who think that what we long to say is not important to others. Some of us might think our inclination to be kind and hospitable to others is trivial and unimportant.

It is time for the children of God to stop and consider what it is we are striving for. We need to ask ourselves if it is the thing that God has meant for us from the beginning of our lives. There is within us something that drives us to an end. To discover the truth of what drives us requires us to go straight to the heart of what we are endeavoring to be. When we honestly evaluate what it is that instinctively drives us, we must be absolutely honest with ourselves and the Holy Spirit. He knows and He wants us to realize who we are in Him. There is an objective that he set before us as He formed us in our mother’s womb.

Paul later said this:

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Is there garbage stinking up your life? Is there clutter taking up space in your heart? Paul called it excrement, the bodily waste matter that is of no use to the health and well being of the body and spirit. The challenge to all of God’s children is to seek that for which He created us. Is there a wicker chair or a Gatorade bottle within you that you have laid aside as trivial? Your treasure is to be who you are in Christ. It is only then that you will realize the full reward of His heavenly call on your life. It is only then that you will find the joy and reward not only in this life, but in the life to come. To be in the presence of the lover of our souls is to walk in the purpose for which He created us.

Instead of a lost disregarded treasure, let it be a precious treasure found.

Jesus said, “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

Two weeks ago God filled the same plaza we used in August with approximately 25,000 people. There is a shopping mall on one side where people were gathering on the verandas to listen. On the other side is another store similar to a Super Walmart where more people were gathering at the open areas to listen and watch. There were many healings and about 4000 salvations.

Two weeks later on a Saturday, they conducted a social outreach like we’ve never seen before. This one church organized and accomplished a service to the street children, some orphans, some just put out and forgotten. They targeted the poor children of the city and surrounding areas as well. It was the second time they provided this service. The first time there were 700 children who received from this ministry.

At this second outreach, 1350 children were served, almost double from the first time. They had their hair washed, trimmed or cut. They had their teeth cleaned and treated if needed. A doctor examined them and took their weight, height and other vital statistics. If the child was sick or needed medication the doctor gave them instructions for the pharmacy tent. In addition, the pharmacy provided each child vitamins. Then, they moved to the next tent where they were fed. Kevin and I worked in this food tent. Before the children left they were given shoes, shirts and gospel tracts.

This event was an overall miracle of provision, even for the church. They were only prepared for 700 children as before but none walked away without being treated, fed, and receiving new shoes and shirts! God miraculously provided enough for 650 more children!

While parents and family members of some of the children waited, the ministry teams that included pastors, met, ministered and prayed with them. Many of them received salvation! All the various teams managed the flow without a hitch. It was truly amazing! And, it was all at the expense of this one church. It was there, in the parking lot of this church. This will undoubtedly remain one of the greatest experiences of our lives. We saw the following scripture fulfilled in a place in the middle of a country where most, including and especially the religious, are hostile toward Christianity.

Matthew 25:35-36 ³⁵‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

We reflect on Matthew 25:35-36 knowing that on this day orphans, the rejected and those held captive to the bondage of sin were shown the compassion of their loving Savior. We wonder about what would happen if every Christian church would step into this primary purpose that God puts before us. One thing we know for sure is what the following verses say in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:27-40 ³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? ³⁸‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

But how did the righteous come to be in the presence of Him who was holding an account of what they had done? We have to look at the preceding verses for that answer.

Matthew 25:31-34  ³¹“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³²“And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. ³⁴“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Now we see there were goats and sheep.What about those goats who are also found in the presence of Him who sits on His glorious throne of judgment? After all, it is the nations (vs. 32) that are gathered before Him. Their destiny is seen later in the chapter.

Matthew 25:41-45  ⁴¹“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴²for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; ⁴³I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴“Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ ⁴⁵“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Some of us are reassuring ourselves in our hearts that we will be on the right side of the throne of judgment. We go to church every Sunday and pay our tithes. We are faithful to our spouses and families. We don’t participate in worldly activities. Some of us may even express our Christianity in ways that others can see outwardly like the religious people of Jesus’s day.

But there is another place Jesus teaching His followers. Here we find an especially hard saying of Jesus. It is where we discover that some of those goats are obviously those who believed they were good Christians!

Matthew 7:21-23  ²³“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. ²²“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

It is a frightening thing to speculate the possibility of falling short of God’s purpose. If we fail to walk in the love of God we could find ourselves hearing those very words as we stand in His presence where He sits in judgment of all nations. Let us soberly and prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to examine our hearts and lives. May we be willing to hear His call and direction. Then let us be faithful to step out and be blessed to be a blessing.

One day a very rich wise man left his comfortable home and gave everything he had to find a cure for the lack of vision among the people. He devotedly worked hard and against much opposition. In the end, he accomplished his life’s purpose and the cure was ready. Because of his heart’s compassion for the people of Egypt who could not see clearly, he made the potion free to anyone who asked for it. He left the responsibility to distribute the formula for the potion to a particular fellowship of societies. These societies were to take the cure to people near their own headquarters.

A certain society was delivering the cure to people in their part of Egypt. A day came where there would be hundreds of children gathered together in one place. There was a church in the city that was giving the children food and hair cuts. There would be doctor and dental services offered as well. The opportunity was presented to the society by an outsider who knew about the service to the children. It would be a very good thing to get the potion to the children.

The society agreed that this was a great opportunity. The idea was that the society would load the potion into a train. They would make sure there was enough for the children and their families. The idea was almost intoxicating. The children would be cured. They would go home to their families with the potion and their families would receive the cure as well.

However, there was one obstacle standing in the way of distributing the potion for lack of vision to the children. According to the representative of the society, this would cause problems for him. It seems that about ten years prior to this time of service to the children, there was a bitter disagreement. The leader of the church offering help to the children and the leader of the church where the representative of the society attended had a quarrel. In order to keep from risking trouble in his relationship with his leaders, the representative of the society who had control of the cure for lack of vision would not take the potion to the children.

As a result, the tragic truth is that as long as the bitterness continued between these two powerful leaders of these two churches, the children of Egypt would not get their cure and neither would their familes. Because of someone else’s unending quarrel the families of this city would have to continue living in the obscure darkness of Egypt without hope of getting the cure.

The moral of this story is where there is needless quarreling there are innocent others who are reaping the results. — The end.

Sadly, this is one of the things we are dealing with in our city here. The issue is that these children who are being ministered to in the physical could get the benefit of receiving a New Testament in Spanish to take home with them. They and their families could be fed spiritually through the richness of the gospel. The society and the church are separate entities. The only connection is that the worker in the society goes to the feuding church. Just as the story indicates, the society, out of fear of losing face with the leaders in his church is keeping the New Testament from being distributed freely to these families.

Paul was speaking to the church in Corinth when he said in 2 Corinthians 12:20:

For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish, that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip arrogance, disturbances …

This was not just one church Paul was speaking to, it was the whole body of Christ who lived in the city. Can we imagine that Jesus is saying the same thing? We are all looking for the day when Jesus comes back to take His church away with Him. Will he find bickering, dissension, and other problems with His people?

James says it well:

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18)

The work of God’s kingdom will never get done if we refuse to work together.

We were at the animal protection shelter, which operates much like the Humane Society in the states. The shelter is located in a neighborhood that is just a block from our apartment building. We have heard a lot about this neighborhood and many of our poorest friends live in it. It wasn’t until we went on a search for a cat for our grandson, Nathan, that we actually got a real feel of the conditions of the area. There is a little church there that we minister in and a little grocery store that one of our friends own in this neighborhood, but other than for those purposes, we have stayed out of the district so far.

As we were nearing the animal protection shelter, we began to realize, and to feel, the oppression and the darkness of this place. We instructed Nathan not to open his mouth and speak English when we stepped out of the taxi.

We finished our business in the shelter and stepped outside to catch another taxi for our ride home. We quickly became very aware of all that was going on around us. People were looking and it didn’t seem like a taxi would be coming any time soon. We decided to walk to a more traveled street a block and a half away to catch a taxi. As we made our way along the sidewalk, we were very uncomfortable and the darkness seemed to envelop us with a spongy, murky grip. We reminded Nathan not to speak out loud in English and to stay close to us.

We rounded the corner and noticed a woman standing in the street. She seemed not to notice the cars streaming by her. We saw she had one pant leg tied around her ankle and with that foot, she was stepping, stepping, stepping. But with each step, she was drawing her foot back to its original position so she was not really going anywhere. She was staying in the same spot. At first we thought she just couldn’t make up her mind whether to cross the street or not. We hurried past her. After what seemed like too long to get where we needed to get, we found a spot where we could flag down a taxi. Christine was looking back and the lady who was stepping, stepping, but not going anywhere came around the corner, still walking in the street. It was then we realized the sad, disturbing truth.

She was not middle aged as we initially assumed by the way she looked from the back and side. She was a young lady we guessed about 24 or so. She was walking toward us with a bag to her face, covering her nose and mouth. She was huffing paint or some other vile chemical. As she approached us she would stop every few paces and do the step, step, stepping that she was doing when we first spotted her. As she passed, we were getting into the taxi. Christine looked into her eyes when she was about two feet away. Empty, dark, alone, we were reminded of the song Does Anybody Hear Her, by Casting Crowns.

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction.
She is trying
But the canyon’s ever widening
the depths of her cold heart.
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older
And she’s three more steps behind.

Does anybody hear her?
Can anybody see?

Or does anybody even know she’s going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me.

Does anybody hear her?
Can anybody see?

She is yearning
For shelter and affection
That she never found at home.
She is searching
For a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day.
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say.
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away.

If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can’t see past her scarlet letter
And we never even met her.

As I said, it wasn’t the first time we had seen one, a lost soul falling quickly into the black abyss of hopelessness and despair, trapped in the clutches of drug addiction, prostitution, or one of the many other forms of virtual slavery lurking in this third world nation. Or perhaps the more subtle grips of climbing the corporate ladder, complacency, piety. We all see them in the mass of humanity that we interact with daily.

The image of this young lady that is forever etched on our memory haunts us. She is hopelessly and desperately lost. Though sights like this are blatantly visible here, we are painfully aware of the lostness of so many people. Besides it being the will of God, it is absolutely necessary to preach the Gospel to all who have not heard. Romans 10:14 has this to say:

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

The truth is that we live in a place where religion is everywhere. If religion is so strongly present in such a place, then why are there so many people drowning in a sea of dread and turmoil. Religion talks, love is action. 1 Corinthians 4:20 says:

God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an empowered life. (The Messaage)

The sad thing that day when we were looking for a cat is that we hustled out of that neighborhood as fast and as inconspicuously as possible. We left without telling one person about the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ. Though we have the language barrier against us presently, what about those times when there are no barriers?

How many times have we been like what the song above says…

If judgment looming under every steeple; If lofty glances from lofty people; Can’t see past her scarlet letter; and we never even met her.

God’s people have in themselves what the world is looking for. Let us loosen the cork of our wineskin and let the new wine of the Spirit of God be poured out so the world can hear and be saved. They are out there beyond the walls of our church buildings waiting, searching, longing for the salvation we have to share with them. They are where we can see them. They are everywhere. They aren’t going anywhere.

Moses, the child of a Hebrew slave, came into the world without much hope of a promising life. In fact, chances were that he would die even before he was old enough to take his first step. His mother placed him in a wicker basket and his sister put him in the river believing they would never see him again. But by God’s sovereign plan, the life of this little baby was forever altered when the daughter of Pharaoh, after finding Moses in the reeds, determined to make him her own son. Though he was truly the son of a slave, he grew to be great and favored in the house of Pharaoh. Later in his life he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. This turn of events lead to Moses fleeing the comforts of a rich life in Egypt to the life of wilderness living. An insightful look into his life shows how God’s hand was ever directing events that would ultimately free the nation of Israel from their bondage of slavery. 

Alexander the Great during his life conquered the known world expanding the Greek empire. The Greek empire was one of the great empires in history. Conquering most of the known world, Alexander established the Greek language and culture in every part of the empire. After Alexander died his kingdom was split and eventually the Romans became the next greatest empire of history. One of the greatest Roman contributions to the world was the roads they built. The establishment of a common language and a system of roads and highways prepared the way for the gospel to go forth into the world after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. 

Again, God’s sovereign purpose was accomplished through unsuspecting players in major roles causing events that would make it possible for God’s kingdom to advance. God wants His name glorified in the earth and through His sovereign power, this will be what happens in the scheme of world events. We saw God’s hand in a particular situation here again this week. 

For almost the whole year since we have been here, we have been preparing and exploring different ministry opportunities for the crusade that will be here in August. One of the things explored was a possible one day crusade in a nearby city. And that is exactly what it would be, a daytime crusade. This city has a festival every other year beginning January 6 that has given it international fame called Carnival to the Devil. It is structured as a great ritual around the devil. For the whole year preceding the actual festival there are different rituals performed as an extensive dramatic poem written in a collective way by deep mystics. One of the fives main parts of the carnival is called the Entrance of the Devil which is an all day feast on the Saturday of the festival.  

We tried to get a crusade set up for this city but doors just kept closing…and now we know why. On the Saturday of our crusade the devil worshippers of this region will be coming to Pereira. Why? Because they are having a satanic concert here. Now, isn’t God good? There will be hundreds, maybe thousands of devil worshippers here during the same time God will be pouring out his Spirit over this city. As we are making a public declaration of God’s name in the city, demonic forces will be subdued. We believe these lost satanic worshipers will be overcome by the power and love of the Spirit of God and drawn to the crusade! Oh, what a display of His glory! 

Matthew 11:12  “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.  

God repeatedly continues to show us His sovereign hand in events. Though there are times we have trouble understanding what is going on as we work and pray for direction, God is ever faithful to reveal Himself in everything. 

Isaiah 14:27  “For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

We were especially excited to see a diverse mix of young people who represented the United States, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela and, of course, Peru. What a glorious thing to see God strategically using the young people of the nations to preach His gospel to other young people in the nation of Peru. The youth as well as the adults participating confessed that their lives were eternally touched and changed. As there are many stories of miraculous events, we will share a few experiences of those who were on our team and of our two young Colombian friends.

Two beautiful college age young ladies, Rachel and Jessica, came from Florida. They blessed our team with energetic enthusiasm. Jessica, still young in Christ, was blessed by the supernatural manifestation of God as she ministered to thousands of students and people in markets and streets. After discerning that two young men sitting in the street were Satanists, Rachel met a rebellious preacher’s son. He confessed turning from God to Satanism. He was hiking the countryside making and selling jewelry on the streets. As Rachel shared the love of Jesus with him and his friend, he began to weep. He shared his story, then, broken before God and those present, he prayed for forgiveness and restoration. Rachel was filled with joy. For the rest of the week there was no stopping her. She was determined to see as many people as possible saved, restored, and reconciled to their Redeemer.

Our two young Colombian friends, Alejandro and his sister Carolina, accompanied us to help with translation as well as minister the Gospel. They have been coming to our home to practice conversational English and to receive evangelism training. A couple weeks before coming to Peru, Alejandro emailed us after the first lesson from the Way of the Master. What he said, and we quote, “I am doing nothing, oh my God!!” He attached a link to Yahoo! news where Kirk Cameron was being interviewed! We watched this week as Alejandro tirelessly led people to the Lord wherever he went in the streets, restaurants and markets. Carolina was the highlight of the older folks on our team. Her sweet spirit was a soothing balm to tired, dirty and cold evangelists after a day full of ministering activities. She enjoyed visiting the schools and seeing thousands of children receive the gospel. We look forward to what God is going to do in the lives of Alejandro and Carolina. They are very excited to learn more about evangelizing. They love the Lord and want to see their city transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Besides being blessed by the souls we saw come into God’s kingdom, we are blessed with new friends who we traveled and worked with as a team. Sandra, sweet and tender with a true mother’s heart, reflects the tenderness and unconditional love of the Father. Kevin and Jamy were enjoyable as they shared their lives and love with everyone with spirit and passion. All of our Peruvian friends worked hard to make this evangelism effort successful. They believe they witnessed a spiritual breakthrough and are trusting God to continue the transformation of their city. As we reflect on the work we saw the Father doing in Peru, we continue to be in awe of His power and purpose. People from the nations were working together to glorify God’s name in Peru. Our call is Colombia. With the vision fresh in Carolina and Alejandro, we will be working together to impart God’s purpose of reaching the nations to the people of Colombia.Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. John 4:35