Day 6 Life of a Missionary

Today we are going to visit with Tere, the local Directora of Edificando Generaciones who works alongside of Melissa, and her family, husband Sadoc, the magnificent mechanic, and her 3 boys, and her mom. These are delightful Missionaries for the Lord. They are young, enthusiastic, and loving God. They have built the Community Center on their own property and have built it pretty much by themselves por los manos (by hand.)

As we arrive we are greeted by many people with hugs and “Mucho gusto.” Today the children will go play and have activities supplied by All Saints, while I have a teaching class about the concerns of women. We will discover that the concerns of women are pretty much the same around the globe. In Every country and every state, women seem to be challenged similarly.

Our discussion is quite lively and exciting. I have Legna translating today. She is the Missionary who runs the Youth Center. She informs me how she has begun her program with other supporting Northwest churches to continue her critical work with the youth. She is a most valuable Missionary.

A surprise I have today is that one of our participants is a young woman who I have known since she was a small child. She is bubbly, her eyes are full of light, and she sparkles as she walks. I am inside bursting with happiness, because I see before me an example of the fruit of hard work of the missionaries here. This young woman is walking with the Lord, is well educated, and has a lot to say to encourage women. She is in a unique position to be a great model for other young people.

We have a delicious lunch handmade by our Missionary Tere and we visit.

After our lunch we have the rest of the day to prepare for the event for Day of the Child. They tell me that they are expecting 200 children tomorrow. I look around us at all of the boxes and packages, tables, stacked chairs. We have lot to do!! So Tere, Sadoc, and her family get started on the preparation. We itemize the dresses to sort out the sizes; we put together brown bags of prizes and gifts for the children and mothers. We get the big prices ready for the children; and cut up 4000 gems for the craft. Sadoc washes the chairs and floors. There is much to do!

I get the opportunity to sit and chat with each of the Missionaries’ children while we put packages together. They are my maestros (teachers). They humble me with their goodness and kindness. We have fun; it is hot and sunny outside, but very cool on the inside of the Community Center.

I reflect on this day how God has provided for this Missionary family and how this Missionary family participates in God’s great plan of salvation for all peoples of all nations. The good Lord did not only say to spread the good news to the 12 Jewish tribes; He told us to spread the Gospel to all nations from one part of the earth to the other. Just think – this whole family is actively listening to God and being directed by God! What a marvelous thing! Praise God!

They live right in the midst of peoples who need hope and encouragement, besides everyday needs of food and water. They can do God’s work- food for the soul and food for the body. Muchas thank yous.