Reltionships

              Most people that have visited or lived in a Latin culture will probably tell you that the most important thing to them would be relationships and especially those within family. I would also say that family is very important to me too and even more so since we are not geographically close to them at this time. It’s like the saying, “we don’t realize what we had until we don’t have it anymore”.  I guess the difference is that the people in Jarabacoa DO realize how important family and relationships are even though they often have many of those relatives living right with them in the same house. 

                This was brought to light a little closer this past week as we had the privilege of having our son Fred and his wife Lauren with us here. We enjoyed the time with them so much. We did many things such as visiting 4 different water falls, swimming in the river, going for ice cream,  jumping off of rock cliffs into the river, going for ice cream, they had lunch with Janae and Marcy at their school, an overnight at the ocean………… but as we drove away from the airport form dropping them off, Karen mentioned that she forgot how much fun it was just to “hang out” with them in the evenings at our house. Hearing them laugh with our girls, just having them here was the best part. Driving away from the airport with tears in our eyes I told Karen, I don’t even want to go back with them, I just want them to stay J. Family.  We now look forward to having my folks come down for the last week in October. We may have a different agenda for them. Most likely it will not include jumping off the rock cliffs but needless to say I am sure just hanging out will be another top of the list for us all.

                We now have completed the first two weeks of the school year at Genesis and after losing a couple of the kids because of various reasons, we have also brought in some new ones. I want to periodically highlight one of the kids so you can get to know them a bit more and see into their lives somewhat.

Meet Genesis,  Genesis has been coming to Genesis now for about 3 years and has a motor impairment.  She lives with her mother, Yeralgida and her father and Ramón about 3 miles east of Jarabacoa. Genesis rides the van to each day and always has a smile on her face. She uses a walker to get around and is a joy to have at the site. Yeralgida has been selling clothes out of her home for the last number of years now. She buys them in a “bale” and then washes, sorts, and sells them to the others in her community. The “bales” generally come from the states and are clothes that people like you send to Goodwill or Salvation Army and then when they get more donations than they can use, they send to them to a larger warehouse for baling to send to other countries.

We were just informed on Friday of last week that Genesis will be moving to Santiago, about 45-50 minutes away, the end of October and will no longer be attending Genesis. Yeraglida is concerned that she will not be able to find a place like Genesis to send her daughter and ask us to help her maybe find a place or recommend her to a place. Pray for us as we try to help Yeralgida find a place that she feels good about to send her daughter. Genesis will be missed and maybe someday we can take a field trip to Santiago and visit her at her new home.     

Toning It Down

 Since it is time for another post, I thought this time I would share an article from Charles Spurgeon from the late 1800's that was shared with me a few weeks ago. It really hit home to me when I want to pray " God please make my life easier and less difficult" As I listened to the sermon from our sending church in Indiana this week and Pastor Carl was talking about taking responsibility for our actions. He relates a story about how when he goes grocery shopping for the last number of years, somehow, just by chance, a box of donuts somehow keeps falling into his cart and he is not sure how they get there but it just keeps happening. He closed the sermon asking the congregation, "What are your donuts that you can't seem to get rid of"? I think the following article from Spurgeon asks the same thing. When will I face the truth and deal with it and quit trying to water it down?

   I see the spirit of compromise concerning holiness and sin, truth and error, far too prevalent. The spirit of compromise comes not of the Spirit of God, but of the spirit of the world.

It is always wisest and best to exhibit clear decision upon fundamental points; we must draw the line distinctly, and then stand to it firmly. Do not alter your course because of winds and currents. Do not try to make things pleasant all round.

Do not be like the fellow, in one of the American towns, who saw a traveler leaning against a lamp-post, weary and worn with his journey. The traveler inquired of him how far it was to such a place, and was told that it was ten miles. The weary traveler sighed, and said, "I shall never hold out. I shall faint on the road."

"Ah!" said his sympathizing informant, "I did not know you were quite so far gone, I will knock off three miles, and make it seven for you."

Of course, this operation in words did not alter the fact, nor really reduce the ten to seven. Yet this is the method of some weakly, amiable souls; they tone down truth, forgetting that their tone does not affect the fact.

This obligation is too severe; and, therefore, it is suggested that it may be somewhat relaxed. This doctrine is too stern; so make it wear a milder aspect. This manner of pleasing everybody at any cost is the style of the period. If sin, and human depravity, and so forth, are strongly spoken of in the old theology, run off to the new, and soften matters. If the punishment of the impenitent too much alarms men, treat it lightly, and spirit it away; who wants to win converts by fear?

Yes, yes; "make it seven."

But what avail your soft words? The distance is all the same for your lying; and when the deceived one finds it to be so, he will pour no blessings upon your heads.

May the Lord save us from the doom of deceivers of souls! May we be watchmen who will be clear of the blood of all men! Be decided yourselves; and then, like men who themselves stand fast, you will be able to help others whose feet are slipping.

                                                                                                                                                      

Just something to think about.