My apologies for having left such a gap in my on-line journaling. I was try to do it at night, the last thing before I went to bed. I thought it would be a good way to think through and recap the events of the day. BUT, I find that often I tend to be so wiped out come bed time that I don't think clearly or have the desire to follow through and write on line. SO, I have decide that perhaps it would be best to journal in the morning - when I have a little more in the tank. ha. : )
For the past two weekends I have been hoping on a bus and traveling 3 hours to the SE to preach in Missions Conventions in Metan, Salta, Argentina. I preached in the church "Casa De Dios" (House of God) a couple of Sundays back and in the church "Jesus Es El Camino" (Jesus Is The Way) this last weekend. Both are small, semi-struggling churches with a long history of fighting forward. This is a very common trait here in NW Argentina. Both have great pastors who have suffered in their positions, but have continued to fight for more ground and have amazing attitudes. It is reflected in their people, who are incredibly kind and warm. I loved speaking at both churches & would go back N-E-TIME!
On a personal side note: I am suuuuch a creature of habit. I will not be traveling and preaching about missions this weekend and it is weirding me out! I am trying to figure out what to do with myself. lol. (No worries though. I have a very busy schedule)
I was excited to speak in their Missions Conventions because, obviously, missions is a great passion of ours. There are few churches here in NW Argentina and the vast majority of them are very small. This also means that the vast majority of the pastors are bi-vocational and/or have learned how to get by on almost nothing. This also makes for a tough environment for giving to foreign missions. The churches here have a "reputation" for getting all excited about missionaries and their burdens for the different parts of the world that God is sending them to, but in NOT coming through in their monthly pledge of support to them. This is tough as those Argentine Missionaries are counting on the money pledged to come in each month, but it is not. So, most missionaries are not excited about traveling aaaaaaall the way to the NW (yes, to pour out their passion for missions) but NO for getting small offerings that can't even cover their travel expenses and for getting "pledges" of support that too often do not translate into reality.
I have a great passion to see that all be changed, to be transformed into a reality where NW Argentina has churches that are reaching their communities and growing AND that are committed to touching the world as well through Argentina's own missionaries (155 and growing, right now). My dream is to see EVERY church in NW Argentina praying ardently for their missionaries AND supporting them faithfully each month, living up to their commitment. It burns in my heart that NW Argentina would become a place where missionaries desire to come to because they know they will be well received, they will be given offerings that way more than cover all of their travel expenses, and they know they can count on their monthly support more than anywhere else in the country!
Over the last year + that we have lived here, I have had the opportunity to speak at 5 churches in Salta & Jujuy regarding missions. I am praying for the day when I can speak in all 28 of them.
Here is my desire in a nutshell - sort of the bare minimum to really get the ball rolling for missions in NW Argentina
ONE Argentine missionary at at least
$100 PESOS in financial support
EVERY single month.
I could keep going on this topic, but we all have lives to get on with so I will let it go for now.
Please pray for this bare minimum to become a reality - and much more - here in NW Argentina.
Thanks and God bless -
May God help you to do the same (reach your neighbors & reach the world) right where you are
Paz, bendiciones, dirección y poder -
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