Thursday, October 13, 2011

John 16:33...but be of good cheer:I have overcome the world.

Hallelujah! One project completed and another started! Yesterday was Capilla de Las Culturas (Cultural Chapel). We all had to speak about the country where we are going. Of course all was spoken in Spanish. Oh, my, the many times I had to practice with the recorder in front of the bathroom mirror at the school! Wow! I could talk about Honduras forever, I think, but it's a little more difficult in Spanish. But as I listened to all of us, I remembered Ps.24:1 that the Lord gave me when when he was leading me to go to Honduras. He has created the whole earth and everybody on it. That means all the different peoples, languages, and their cultures (and of course every culture has its good and bad). He values everyone of them because they are his. He made them. What a variety! That speaks mountains to us or should. He didn't make us all alike, but how many times do we want to be like someone else or do something as well as someone else when He hasn't given us that particular gift or talent? And when you hear all these things and see the pictures, it makes one really appreciate the peoples and God's handiwork. We all fixed some kind of food and/or drink. I fixed baleadas and horchata. The baleladas are flour tortillas with beans, crema(like a sour cream) with cheese on top. The horchata is a traditional drink made with rice, cinnamon, sugar, and milk or water. What a job that is to make! I don't think I'll make it too often from scratch. The fake stuff can be bought in a package like Kool-Aid. Don't know if they have it (hochata)in the states, but maybe.

On Tuesday, we were given an assignment to write about the last century, 1900-2000, and life in the U.S. It was due on Wednesday. Oh, wow, when I began to think of all that I have seen, I realized my age like never before. AND I only have 33 more years before I'm 100, if the Lord permits. When I started writing the changes, it was absolutely astounding. And it was like the Lord was saying, Celebrate your age! Well, ok, but how do I do that when older age isn't valued so much anymore? I guess I'll find out. But then He told ME to celebrate it, not everybody else! But there have been tremendous changes in every aspect of life, from communication to how children play. Incredible.

In Latin American countries, you will hear people exclaiming Jesus' name or !Dios Mio! which means My God. Yesterday, one of the workers exclaimed Jesus' name, and I cringed because it really hurt my heart, and I told her that Christians in the U.S. don't say that because it's not good. She said that her husband says it all the time(he's Latino) and I asked if he was a Christian and she said yes. I guess I was shaking my head because she asked why was it bad. I showed her Exodus 20:7 in my Spanish Bible, and she immediately said, No more! She told me the next day that she went home and showed her husband, and he also said no more. Hallelujah!!! I am so tired of being told about the culture and to accept it. Well, I understand that, but at the same time when the culture, which ever one it is, runs a muck of God's word, don't we need to speak up. And if they aren't told, because they don't know and aren't given the chance to know, nothing will change, and will we not be held accountable? And I understand one doesn't go around shooting his mouth off all the time, but at the same there is a time to speak (and a time to be still, according to Eccl). And yesterday it was time to speak and the Holy Spirit moved. Praise the Lord for his saving grace. Sometimes we don't speak up because we're afraid of offending or being persecuted. Wow, every time Jesus spoke, someone was offended because he spoke truth. He didn't speak to offend, but to save. And he was persecuted. Isn't that what comes with that cross we are suppose to carry? I, myself don't like that cross, because it was and is a thing of torture, but I love the One that gave the commandment to take it and follow, and if persecution comes, and it will, so be it. He overcame the world, and by his grace, I will too.

So now it's time to work on my next and last project. It will be about people with disabilities and their relationship in the church.

Thank you Lord for all you have done in me since being here. It is not a place that I have wanted to be, but you have done tremendous things, and I praise you for it, and understand that if I had not been here, they might not have been done. Muchas gracias por tu amor.

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