Lord of the Harvest

Texans are True Servants!

Wow, the Lord truly blessed me this past week with a great team! Off the plane came a group of 10 from a small town in TX...but let me tell you, they sure brought lots of energy and passion to serve the Lord! I saw the Lord open doors in ways I haven't seen in a LONG time.

"...the Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into HIS harvest field." Matthew 9:37

We have been praying, and petitioning for the Lord to bring Volunteers (& long-termers, Journeyman or Career people) to Colombia. Colombia gets such a bad reputation...but the truth is, where there has been pain, suffering and trials...there is also a great need for redemption & restoration. It has become more and more evident to me that the Lord is working here in Colombia, but especially in the mists of the displaced people groups. It will take a long time for us to reach them on our own...we need and pray for teams who will come and work beside us in ministry! On average, the displaced make less than $2 PER day. They have been forced from their homes, live in shacks, at best, and if they're lucky, they have running water. Not clean water...but at least it's water. Finding food to feed their family is a daily need...often a panic, that is always in the back of their minds.

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 7:16

I'm often asked by Colombians why I am here in their country. When I tell them I'm an "M" & work with the displaced people groups, they usually assume I work with some sort of social program or feeding program. They seem shocked to find out I work with the "spiritual" aspect of ministry. Often, as strange as it may sound, if the person is Catholic, they give me a long lecture as to how social programs are more needed than spiritual ones. "So many people are starving...why can't you work with something like that?" or "How can you really help them by doing that?" (Yes, these have been actual responses!)

It's hard to convey the TRUTH to someone who's eyes are blinded, who's eyes have not yet been opened to the "verdad", the undeniable truth, that is God's Word.

For those who simply "go through the motions" of a spiritual life, they don't have a clue as to what kind of "alimentacion"...what kind of spiritual feeding...what kind of sustenance...what kind of fulfillment and refreshing comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

He is all they need.

"Jesus le dijo, 'Yo soy el camino, la verdad, y la vida. Nadie llega el Padre, sino por mi." Juan 14:6 (Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth & the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)

And so the Lord worked....

As He reminds us in His Word, He will go before us and prepare the way for us....He most certainly did this week! We had a week full of Evangelism and VBS programs in different barrios of our town. Often when a big group of "Americans" comes into a barrio, the people are so excited you are there that they just "say what they think you want to hear." Unfortunately I have walked out of homes before, wondering to myself and praying in my heart that the person we just shared Christ with made a REAL & sincere decision of Faith.

This week was different!

I think the Lord gave me a little gift....He doesn't need to give me proof of true heart confessions...but I walked out of 4 homes (in a row) and praised the Lord for who I truly believe are 4 new sisters in the Lord! This continued throughout the week as teams continued to come back with amazing stories of surrendered hearts! The Harvest was Ripe! As our Texan friends & Colombian believers worked side-by-side to share the Gospel...hearts were open! One of the ladies just blurted out, "Oh wow...I just feel so relieved!" after she prayed the prayer of salvation! It was such a sweet memory as she literally felt her burdens "lifted" away! :) Also, through the help of a "person of peace" in the barrio, we were invited to enter the public school and present the gospel, praise songs and testimonies on 3 different occations to students, teachers and directors! (And given the open door to return whenever we want!) What a great God we serve!

Thank You sweet Jesus, for preparing the way for us! Thank You for allowing us to be part of what You are doing here in Colombia. It is nothing of our ourselves, nothing of our own abilities. It is all You. Use us, your servants, to make an impact for the Kingdom!

Laughter is the Best Medicine...

Wow, this team from Texas! I just want to tell you each THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! You came with servant hearts and flexible attitudes. You didn't complain when it was HOT, or when our plans changed for the 3rd time, or when the bus just didn't want to come back to pick us up...you guys really displayed a Christ-like heart throughout the week! Not only did the people love ya'll...but I was so deeply blessed as well! I needed to laugh with ya'll, to be silly as we danced & sang to VBS songs...I may have lost my voice, haha, but it was such a blessing to my heart! I look forward to what I hope is a quick return visit! I'll be praying! :)

How can you not love a face like hers?