Monday, April 09, 2007

Wonderful Opportunities in Bucaramanga.....

Visiting Bucaramanga (Colombia's fifth city) is like returning home. The believers have given us a very warm welcome and have used us to the full! A brother asked me to preach on radio last week and it included an interview followed by a 15 minute message. What was interesting was that a Judge, second or third from the president, was also present (not a Christian) and interviewed and he then stayed on to hear my message on John 5v24. He commented afterwards that it had touched his heart. He gave me his email address to maintain contact.

The believers in the two assemblies here asked me to speak 19 times !! Some of those meetings included young people and 5 sessions at eldership level. There is really a desire to serve the Lord and to have a biblical basis of leadership. One assembly is a daughter assembly of the original assembly established here in 1973. What is encouraging is to find young people who were discipled in the 1980's who are now functioning as elders. We had a great time together. Of course they want us to come back, at least to visit, but would like us to return and live here!

In the time we lived in Bucaramanga I made over 100 trips to the town of Malaga high up in the Andes mountains where our missionary team saw an assembly established. Martin Sandoval, an elder in that assembly who was saved in 1973, came down to Bucaramanga to spend time with us. He has been faithful serving the Lord in Malaga all these years and has held the assembly together.

On Sunday we spent the day with the Santa Maria Assembly (the daughter assembly) at a recreational park. We started at 9.30 celebrating the Lord's supper and the resurrection of our Lord in a kiosk with 70 people. It was great to be in a tropical environment with beautifully laid out lawns, gardens and trees and hearing the birds singing in the trees and at the same time listening to the believers enthusiastically sing praises to God. Their faith is meaningful to them. Afterwards there was a shared lunch, game of soccer and swimming in the pool.

At 7 pm the youth choir from the main assembly came to the balcony of the apartment where we are staying to serenade us. They sang without music and in four parts and did a good job. They then came inside and sang some more to us after which the young ladies made a meal for us. It was a typical meal from here of arepas (corn cakes) with caldo de papa (potato consommé). Then the young people all shared their testimonies. Six out of the nine, in their early 20's, come from very catholic homes.

This morning a brother called me and wanted me to visit him in a very poor suburb. He is 68 years of age and said that before he dies he wanted to put things right for the trouble he caused 25 years ago! He wanted me to come so he could ask my forgiveness....that was special.

Tuesday, April 10, we fly to Bogota for another week of meetings. We will be staying with Gilberto and Sandra Vanegas. Gilberto was saved in 1972 and was our first disciple in Colombia. He now has a great ministry in Bogota. We look forward to a great week of fun and fellowship.

We just haven't had time to put photos on the blogspot but will do so sometime even if it is sometime after we arrive home.

2 comments:

billandpange said...

Say hi to everyone in Bogota from us!
Hope you will take a few days off when you get home to rest!!

Unknown said...

How wonderful to be back in your old "stompin grounds"! It sounds like you had a very enjoyable and profitable time!

Love you!

jan