Seasons of Change

Thank you for your prayers! My back and neck are doing much better. Your health is so important! It is amazing how much I feel like doing when I’m feeling better. Although, after hearing from my friend Cecilia who is spending some time in India, I thanked God for his protection over my health. She wrote me and told me about stomach pains that send her to her knees, lice and other health issues. Her friends are praying over her for restoration of health. I realized how difficult access to clean water and safe food is where she is. It was good to hear from her- we have been encouraging one another during our time away from our family and friends.

We continue to meet with Loli (Equatorial Guinea-Spanish colony) on Friday mornings to study the Bible. She has a special attachment to Anita and was so worried about her when she was sick last week. This week she brought names of people that she knew who did know Jesus personally. We prayed that God would give her opportunities to share the Gospel with them throughout her week. Loli asked Anita when she would come to her country to teach the young people how to study the Bible. Perhaps Loli will return to her country and teach them what we have taught her… Until then, does anyone want to go to Equatorial Guinea and teach the people about Jesus?

After Loli left, we had Gerson (pronounced Hair-sone), the Lawyer who helps the people at the mission with their immigration papers and Emilio, the director of the Mission, over for lunch. It was interesting to hear about the difficulties that the immigrants go through when they come to Spain. Lying is such a huge part of getting anything done with the Spanish government. It is extremely frustrating when we are trying to teach the people to follow God’s commands and tell the Truth. Today the new Spanish President Mariano Rajoy Brey takes his office. Pray that God will direct this man to reverse the corruption that the former government has brought in.

Yesterday was a tough day for Mission Urbana. We found out that the Mission will be closed for the next two weeks and that the Casa de Acogida will be closing at the first of the year. It seems that the economic crisis in Spain has extended itself to yet another part of the Mission. I had heard that they were out of money for awhile but I wasn’t expecting them to close down the Piso (apartment/house). This is currently where our friend Marek is staying and where many other potential disciples come to live until they find jobs and obtain residency papers to stay in the country. Thankfully, Marek told us a few weeks ago that the Lord had provided a job for him in a town a few hours away. God is so good to provide for us at just the right moment! He truly does know each of our needs before we have need of them.

Later that night we went to the language exchange with Rebecca (fellow missionary here in Spain for 20 years) and her parents who recently moved to Valencia from Phoenix, AZ. Paul and Diane are so sweet and we are thrilled that they have decided to come to Spain to preach the Gospel—did I mention they are in their mid-70’s?? Truly, Amazing! They have shown me that it is never too late to follow the Lord is obedience and that our entire lives are meant to be an offering to the Lord- not just the days of our youth. Please pray for them as they look for an apartment and adjust to life in Spain.

The language exchange wasn’t as busy as it normally is and for that I was thankful. It is difficult to have meaningful conversations with people when there are so many people trying to practice their English. Last night there were about 5 or 6 men who sat at my table. They usually range in age from early 20’s to mid-50’s. I try to choose a topic or theme for them to talk about because it makes it easier for them to practice their English. Carlos, a usual speaker, enjoys controversial conversations so I like to encourage topics involving things I know he feels passionately about. We talked about bull fighting in Spain and differences in socialized and private healthcare (he works for an insurance company) and politics… so after we finished these topics I decided we had covered the usual controversial subjects except Religion. Throughout the evening I can usually tell those who believe in God and those who don’t before we begin talking about these things. Tonight there were 3 at my table who didn’t believe in God. I don’t like to press the topic but rather let it flow and see how the people respond to it. Surprisingly, when we would drift into another subject, Carlos (atheist) was the one who directed the conversation back to religion and God. However, tonight Alfredo, a believer and Spaniard, was sitting at my table. We talked about the differences between religion and a true relationship with God. Then, Alfredo began to speak about how he became a Christian. I had never heard his testimony so it was a pleasant surprise to hear him speak. I was so thankful that he was there because the men who claimed to be Atheists really connected with him. He told us that he had not grown up as a Christian and that his parents were not Christians either (this is rare in Spain because usually most of the true believers are only believers because their parents come from generations of “rebellious” Protestants). He was tired of religion and the Church but said that one day he thought that although religious institutions in Spain were corrupt, maybe God was not. He began researching different religions, read the Qur’an and the New Testament, and the Lord began to speak to him. It is interesting to note that he found a relationship with God because he read the Word of God. This is the only thing that changes us. When we allow the Word of God to speak to us instead of man, then our lives are changed. I know that those men will go away thinking about what he said. Pray that Alfredo’s words would sift through every corner of their hearts and minds so that they might find Eternal Life in Jesus Christ.

I want to take a moment to talk to those of you who are reading from Russia, France, Bulgaria, and any other countries that may be reading this. I pray that these words would change your hearts as well. If you want to talk more about a relationship with Jesus Christ rather than a life of religion that you may have always known- please do not hesitate to e-mail me. A relationship with Jesus is free. Jesus paid for our sins once for all when he died on the cross. He is our great high priest and if you ask him to cleanse you from your sins and come to live in your heart- He will! He wants you to experience his forgiveness and love so that you can begin to live abundantly with him. Truly, there is no greater love and no greater freedom that you will ever experience.