("Chura" is a slang word in Tarija that means something cool or good.)
Greetings our loved brothers and sisters. Another month has passed in Tarija and my family and I feel very encouraged by what is happening in the ministry that God has entrusted us with. Thanks to Him, we have a place to rent that helps us continue dreaming and planning with the progress of the work. Each Saturday there is a street market on the street we are on and the streets around us. This has permitted us to share a cup of tea or coffee and some snacks with the venders that set up around us. Through this they know about us as a church and that we want to be involved in the community. One Thursday we were able to spend time with Maria Isabel and Ricardo, our neighbors of “El Camino”. They told us that the day before two people had come by looking to talk with us and wanting to find out information on what we teach. We were closed when they had come by, but in truth I felt very happy to hear this news from our neighbors. I thanked God in my mind for the news and said to myself “It has started”. In my heart I praised my Jesus for all that will happen in the future, I am convinced that the Lord will do great and marvelous things and use us here.
I am also happy because I can be used in things that I like to be involved in: fixing things, putting in hooks and hanging curtains… serving. I am glad to be able to help in these ways, so much so that as I write this blog, I have a smile on my face and my heart is pleased. I like to feel useful in the place I am and even more so in connection to the kingdom of my dear Jesus.
Sunday it was my turn to share a message with the church. It is always an honor for me as a preacher to share about the Eternal. I got to the building and thought “it will be the same people who always come on Sunday” (the team and Ronald and Noemi, maybe Christian.) I was going over the message I would give about Naaman the leper. The day before Angela had asked me what I was going to preach on and I told her Lazarus and the Rich man. She said that she liked that story and Mary told her that I always change my sermons from one day to another. Going to church that day I thought “She was right”, who knows me better than my wife? It was strange because I was decided on this topic and had no intention of changing it, but then the night before Nehemias had become very sad and had cried saying he doesn’t want to die and he always wants to be with us. I didn’t want to talk about Lazarus in the morning without first having some conversations with my son about the blessings of dying in God’s arms.
On Sunday at church when I came out of the kitchen, I was happy to see three new visitors and thought “I’m going to give this message with passion”. Thanks to God and the Holy Spirit, each word that I said felt like a great joy in my heart. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that way before when I preached. I am in awe and truthfully very happy with this revelation that the Messiah will work today, tomorrow and always in favor of fallen humanity. Glory be to His divine name!
(Another Sunday when visitors came.)
Mary and I have decided that we want to invite after Sunday services a family or a friend over to lunch a couple times a month. We invited the Mollo family (Ronal, Noemi and their son) a couple weeks ago and it was a blessing to have them in our home and get to know Ronal a little better. We knew Noemi years ago in Sucre and it’s good to see her married and continuing with Christ.
(Having the Mollo family over for lunch.)
What a blessing and joy it is to continuously be a witness to what God does in the lives of those who allow Him to mold them.
We thank you with total sincerity and all our hearts for your generosity and help for the families of this team and work, especially for the prayers. My you be blessed by Him who was and is to come.
Grace and peace to you all,
The Torres family