HOME AGAIN BUT BACK TO THE PAST!
TUESDAY:
I guess I should rewind before I start and return to the events of Sunday, then Monday before I concluded the tales of Peru, February 09!
SUNDAY:
Sunday began as other days. First your awaken, then you put one foot on the floor ... oh well that is not what you want to read so I’ll cut to the chase and get on with it!
Two services, two congregations and the day was filled the day lives challenged and changed. It all began in Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento’ in the central area of Lima with Pastor Gustavo Rodriquez and his wife Jenny. There we were greeted by approximately 200 eager believers who warmly received us and the Word of the Lord.
You can tell a lot about the ministry of the Pastor by the way his congregation receive the ministry of the Word. A “receive” it they did – with enthusiasm of face, response and heart. I can sum it up by relating the words of one man who spoke with the pastor and me at the conclusion of the service. H said that he had been reading from the book of 1 John and crying out to the Lord to speak to him. He had been reading the exact passage I chose as my text. I could only listen to his words and rejoice with him as he poured out his heart of hunger and then the satisfying words of joy as he spoke. There was nothing else to do but to put my arms around him and rejoice with him in the way God answered his prayer and say, “Thank you Lord for allowing me to be a vessel through which you ministered to your servant this morning.”
About 1:00 PM we were able to slip into the four person elevator and ride down six floors to the street level. Just think about it! You either walk up the stairs, and I do not think anyone did or does, or wait your turn for 200 plus or minus worshipers to take their turn to go up and afterwards descend in this manner. It provides for one thing, well at least two – patience and fellowship either on the first floor or on the sixth, coming or going. Would you do this every service and remain faithful to your Church? (Please do not raise your hands, I want to continue to think that you are spiritual and dedicated to your Church.)
We found the food court at Jockey Plaza (pronounced Jo-key) and after meandering through the mob were able to select an establishment from which to secure our food, find a table and enjoy it. Marilyn and Marco chose KFC. Why? I am not sure, but not me! If I am going to eat chicken at a fast food place it will either be at Pardo’s in Lima or I’ll wait and return to “my chicken place - Popeye’s.” ( No payment received for this commercial.)
A short nap at our family run hotel, and a stop at Starbucks (Marilyn wanted something “cold” and I would not deny her that privilege, after all, I am a cultured gentleman and will endure something like that for the sake of my wife.) Then we, Marco Aroni our faithful Peruvian guide, trip coordinator and friend and MD/Assistant Pastor, Roger Falcon made our way back to Point Puerta and Communidad Cristiana La Vina with Pastor Edgard and Lisset Guillermo.
There we drove up a dirt street, parked in front of a small building as they were opening the doors – I should say the “wall” and saw a small room with two center posts dividing it. Sixty-four chairs sat in order in the room. These chairs would be filled and others would stand in the opening made by the retracting wall.
In the front of the room, a teenager moved her fingers over the keys of an electronic keyboard. A guitarist strummed his guitar and something looked strange, VERY STRANGE! I fastened my eyes on the guitar and discovered what it was. The man playing it was left-handed. There isn’t anything “strange about that, but what was strange were the strings! They were “upside down.” Better yet it was playing the guitar, simply placed on his shoulder as a left-handed person would, but with the strings in the same position as a right-handed person plays. He strummed it, from the higher strings to the bass strings. The sound was fascinating. His hands moved with great expertise as he placed them in the proper position for the chords. However, his finger wrapped around the neck of the guitar from below as though he were right handed – well it is best to say that he played the chords “up-side down,” and strummed it opposite from what I was taught. (Bet you did not know that I once played a guitar! ONCE! EARLY TEENS! ONLY FOR ONE YEAR! Followed by early retirement!)
THEY GUITARIST WAS GREAT! I was told he has many invitations to play with well-know professionals in Peru.
Anyway, I did get spiritual – I mean I did preach! I did minister to the people at the conclusion of the service. God allowed me to share some prophetic ministry but as we were leaving, having just stepped through the vacancy left by the retracting wall, I came face to face with a man I had seen while preaching. He, his wife and children were leaning against our car, so I stopped to speak to him. I shared what God spoke to me regarding him, and then asked his wife if what I said to him was true. Tears filled her eyes as she responded. Tears began to flow down his face. Both were believers but he admitted that God was dealing with him about becoming the spiritual leader of his home.
As I concluded my prayer for the family, Lisset, the pastor’s wife came out and seeing him said to him, “You were in my school. I know you!” Sure enough, they had been to school together. They lived just a few doors from the Church, but were not part of that congregation. I believe God used that moment to tie another family into the local body that worshiped there.
We finally made it home after a stop a famous eating establishment . You probably have heard of it all the way from Lima to the United States! McDonald’s!!!! Why? Nothing else was open! Arriving at our bed, breakfast and lunch, supper and Church of our hosts we fell into bed, exhausted and at least I was so tired I could not got to sleep and so I took my Zune (I switched from I-Pod) out and watched a session of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman before I fell asleep.
MONDAY:
What do you do the last day? You fill it with special meetings! You fill it with special times with friends! You fill it by spending time with pastors and wives who need encouragement, who need and want advice, who desire to have additional pastoral helps and teachings. You pack it full of fellowship and promises that you will return at least two more times during the year of 09.
Why? Because there is such a need and so many requests from so many needy pastors and wives desire for someone to spend personal time with them regardless of the size of the Church they pastor or the name on the shingle over the door of the place where they worship and the network or denomination to which the belong.
You hear the cry of their heart and what can you say but, “Yes I will!”
Will you pray and assist me in returning in June? I need to spend at least 3-4 weeks visiting various pastors, Churches all because we are related through the teaching of the Word of God via the Universidad Pact De Veda which is changing lives and ministries of pastors.
BACK TO TUESDAY!
We departed Lima at 11:50 PM on Monday night aboard American Airlines flight 918, arriving in Miami at 5:20 AM Tuesday and found our way through Immigration and Customs to friendly faces awaiting our arrival, climbed aboard the van and immediately began to related experiences and share what is happening in Peru on the way across Alligator Alley to home in Fort Myers. Then the work of unpacking..............
God bless and thank you for your prayers and sending us to be your representatives of Jesus to the beautiful people of Peru.......and to the other beautiful people we are privileged to know and love in the other nations of the World,
Dr. D. & Marilyn
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