We give thanks to God for His providing a place for us to meet and gather, a contact center and a place to celebrate on Sundays. The landlady has been a great blessing, not just with the rent but with allowing us to use the chairs and tables that were there when it was a restaurant. It has a good floor space, an open kitchen area and two bathrooms.
We opened about three weeks ago and right now are open Monday- Fridays in the afternoon/evening and most of the day on Saturdays. We are open on Saturdays due to the street market that is held that day on the streets on and around where EL Camino is located as there are a lot of people who pass by because of it. On Saturday mornings I go around to the venders who are around us and offer them a cup of tea and cookies and talk to them and invite them to come visit us when they can. I tell them El Camino is a place where they can find Christian counseling, talks about the Bible and is a place where they can rest and come with friends and family.
The people have received these little conversations with friendliness and thankfulness. They are receptive, but we must have patience and continue publicizing “El Camino” until people are more confident in coming. It’s a new idea (this contact center) for most and strange for them.
It has been a good couple of weeks, talking to people (especially on Saturdays) and sharing with them. They like the idea of EL Camino and say that people need a place where they are listened to and can receive emotional and spiritual help and a place where someone helps them come closer to God.
I feel good after taking time and drinking tea with these people. The people selling clothes and food in front of El Camino are thankful and even one lady (Señora Loudres) shared some of the food she was selling.
Besides talking with people, we have a prayer time at El Camino on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-10. Right now it is just Pancho and I during this time and that is okay as it is a good time to seek God’s help and guidance in this new ministry here in Tarija and to pray for the people we have met and are getting to know.
God bless,
Juan Cabrera