As the new year begins, the annual rainy season has also redoubled its
efforts...engendering more mud. That means some extra clean-up,
especially after a rainy Sunday! But it also brings a time of
intensified growth for the banana trees, and a freshness and greenness
to the mountainsides around us. Our garden is also growing happily!
On Sunday we recently studied the parable of the sower, from Matthew
chapter 13. As Jesus later explained to His disciples, the ‘seed’ is the
Word of God, which falls on different types of soils (or hearts). As an
agricultural people, the Awa readily understand such language!
Please continue to pray for those who hear the teaching each Sunday, that the Word of God would grow and bring forth fruit in their lives.
Oso
and Jose and Marco Aurelio are three older fellows we have mentioned
before who are in church most Sundays, sometimes falling asleep :-) but
often listening carefully. Recently God has given me opportunities to
talk with each of them;
pray that these conversations will help clarify in their minds the message of the Gospel.
The church is also facing anew the challenge of dealing with Milton, as
we found out that he has again been involved with his sister-in-law.
Through a series of events in which
God answered prayer for truth to be revealed, Milton admitted to lying to us and continuing to pursue a relationship with his wife’s sister.
In the midst of our disappointment and discouragement with this on-going sin,
God has been at work.
Over the last few years God has changed the hearts of many of the
believers, and this time we have seen a completely different reaction
from them. Paulino
shared with us his great sadness over his brother’s sin, and even went
to talk with Milton, this time without anger but with clarity and truth.
Gloria also responded without anger, “God is helping me not to be so
discouraged about this, but to pray for my brother.” Guillermo came
along with me to talk to Milton, calmly and kindly calling to Milton to
leave off his sin and to return to walk with God and to do what is
right. As a congregation we have sought to put into practice Jesus’
words in Matthew 18, and have used other verses (2 Timothy 2:24-26) to
help shape our words as we talk with Milton.
We do appreciate your prayers that God’s honor and glory would be upheld here among the Awa communities. Specifically
pray for me February 9
th,
as I will speak about this situation before the Palmira community. I
want my words to honor God’s holiness, and to also be a call to the
community members to recognize their own need of God’s sacrifice and
grace.
In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy
