Sabado Bendiciones

Sherri, Jake, LaVerne and Michael putting together the stove. They became quite good at this work!

We had the privilege of going into homes for stove installation on Saturday. It is humbling to be invited inside, to see the cultures clash – we with our cameras, the people with their joy. Children with their hands outstretched to give whatever they have, we with our awkward and eager hearts wanting to connect.

Olivia and Lucy (Lucy is a Guatemalan translator working with the dental team) with their new friends!

The stove is the excuse around which we all gather. We stumble across the language and cultural barriers. Sometimes the stumble is full of grace. Other times it is painfully wrong. And the Spirit of God stands right there with us and covers all of our gaps when and if LOVE is the primary motive. This is important teaching. “love as I have loved you”. However, we cannot love carelessly. We must love – as Jesus loved – with humility, with respect, with grace.

Pastor Felix, our friend and teacher at La Toma, Celeste, BJ and Pastor Myriam.

As Pastor Felix led us to each home and closed our prayers with his pastoral prayer we could feel the movement of the Spirit with us. It is strong. Pastora Myriam’s presence with us is a blessing and a gift. It is nice to hear Julio and Angellie speaking with the translators and locals with ease. It is nice to have more of the cultural perspective added to our conversations.