A Servant is Not Above His Master

The unthinkable happened. I guess it isn´t so unthinkable but quite unexpected. Upon arriving to La Barra we visited all our friends and had sweet reunion with them all. Then we found out some heartbreaking news. Our dear friend Epi, although drunk quite a bit of the time we were there last, had died of a heart attack. I remember the urgency we felt while we were there last in the fall to share the gospel with this man. A few days before we left we were going to go and share the gospel with him but he was drunk and stayed drunk until we left. Despite his half-drunkeness we shared the gospel with him anyway using our spanish bibles and reading him verses and explaining them in our broken spanish. We were praying for some miracle. It broke our hearts to hear that he was no longer alive.

Our time with Eva and Inocenta was sweet. It was so good to see their smiling faces again and to see all the kiddos. There is work being done on Jose Luis´ property so we were unable to stay there. We found out from our english-speaking friend, Jose (who is Vice President this year; Arturo Muñoz is the President), that they would have a meeting the next day (Tuesday)to see if we could be there as is custom and that in the meantime we could stay on his property where he has ten palapas and a restaurant that his sister, Novi, is the cook. We set up camp and began visiting with our friends. This morning we found out the result of the meeting. We don´t know who all was present at this meeting but we know for sure Jose and Arturo were there. They decided that we couldn´t stay. We respected their authority and began packing up camp at once through tears. We said goodbye to Eva and Inocenta and then drove away. There was a strange sense of joy amidst sorrow as we left. Sorrow filled our hearts but truth triumphed as we thought of all of God´s promises. We aren´t above our master Christ (John 15:20-21) and they persecuted Him. They hated Him before they hated us (John 15:18). We rejoiced within that we were counted worthy to ´suffer´ for His namesake (Acts 5:41). I put suffer in quotes because none of us received a punch or a beating or an imprisonment of which we are thankful but nonetheless we were rejected not because of us but because of the One we represent, Christ. I praise God that He is worth living for and dying for. I praise God for so great a salvation and for so great a joy in sharing Him with others at the cost of being rejected.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I main gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:7-11

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.
Philippians 1:29

Thank you for your prayers! I will let you know of the outcome. As for now we are in a hotel in Huatulco and will spend the night in prayer asking for direction from the Lord. I appreciate your prayers.
Phil 1:27
Cara

On the Road Again

Well everyone, come Friday we will be heading out to La Barra de la Cruz! This time we will only be there for one month and will return to the states on March 13th. It is such a short time but still God will accomplish all He desires and He is not bound by time. Please pray for the following:

- Unity of our team: O.J. DiIulio (fluent in spanish), Paul Mattfeld (40% fluent) and son Luke (9 years old), Jim Bloomstrand (fluent in spanish), Chris Johnson (20% fluent), Faith Hornbrook (no spanish), and ME (not so fluent but conversational!)!
- Open doors for the gospel through dental, medical, and teaching english to name a few.
- God would water and grow the seeds planted in years past, especially this last trip: Noel and Celia family, Vicente and Josefa family, Frederico and Elizabeth family, Yair's family, Pablo's family, Jose Luis' family, Antonio and Elena's family, and all the little kiddos!
- Discipleship of believers and the salvation of their families: Eva and Inocenta
- My spanish speaking skills...or lack thereof! Pray I would jump in with both feet and speak what I know and learn what I don't!!
- My spiritual disciplines: bible reading, prayer, scripture memory, journaling, etc.

I hope God will lay it on your heart's to pray for God's church to be planted in La Barra while we are ministering there. I pray He puts it on your mind constantly. I thank you in advance for the prayers that will reach the ears of our Father on behalf of La Barra and our team. I am so blessed to have you all as partners in this ministry of taking the gospel to those who have never heard. Your partnership with me is precious and I praise the Lord for you. Thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord in serving with me in this capacity. You truly are a blessing.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind, striving SIDE BY SIDE for the faith of the gospel.
Philippians 1:27
Cara

Here's the conclusion to my arm for those of you who haven't seen it:



God is sooooooo good! Thank you for all your prayers!!