Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
Yes, it has been quite a while since you have heard from me. No, I don’t have any “real” excuses to offer other than succumbing to the tyranny of the urgent which isn’t a ”real” excuse in the purest sense of the term. Since I last wrote, my mom came for a month-long visit for the first time since we left for Colombia. That was in answer to years of prayers, so you can only imagine how excited I was that she was coming! Since returning to Texas, she has taken up an intensive study of Spanish in order to not have to have a translator (me) in tow on her next visit this coming spring!
After mom left, it was once again time for the revolving door syndrome at United Church. A few of our committed families had finished up their tour of service here in Colombia and were being sent off to other exotic locations around the world or were returning home. In any case, that is always a bittersweet time for all of us. Unfortunately for me, our music leader and his family were also leaving to vacation in the States for the summer, so he left me in charge of the music for the 8 weeks he was out! And that left me totally out of my comfort and skill zone, but as God is ALWAYS faithful, He saw me through and the 8 weeks are over and as far as I can tell, no one left the church as a result, so I count that quite a blessing!
Rick and I have recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Argentina and Chile. We were sent to Argentina to meet some pastors there who are interested in coming in under the Colombian presbytery until they can organize one of their own. We stayed in La Plata, which is about an hour and a half outside of Buenos Aires. Pastor Gabriel kept us running the entire three days we were there meeting various pastors and members of several different churches. The Argentineans are very warm and friendly folks, well, the ones we met anyway. Sunday, we drove to Platanos where we attended a worship service brimming with young people. It always encourages me to see that: gives me hope for a healthy future Church. After the lively service, we were invited for a traditional Argentinean cook-out called an asado. Everything we had heard about the meat there was absolutely true. Wow! How delicious! And all cooked over a wood-burning fire!
Monday morning, we flew on to Santiago, Chile where we met with the team of missionaries, since Rick has been asked to help with the leadership there until MTW finds someone to take it full-time. As usual, we had a wonderful time with the team. The highlight for me was the trip to Vina del Mar on the pacific coast. We drove down there to see the ministry that the Ruggs have started for the “differently abled”. John is blind and has been working in full-time ministry with MTW for many, many years in church planting. I remember the last time we were in Chile, visiting the Renaca church on a Sunday morning and there was John, leading worship in Braille! I am constantly amazed at how God equips each of us according to our needs! John and his wife, Cathy have recently started a church in Vina specifically targeting people with all kinds of disabilities; or “different abilities”, as they would say. While we were there a blind couple sang us several Chilean songs they had composed. How can I ever think that I “can’t” do anything God calls me to do? Below is a pic of the Ruggs (on the right), Rick in the middle and Sam and Lois Mateer (current country director,on the left) while we enjoyed a seafood lunch in Vina del Mar. There were also a group of pelicans roosting on the roof that I wish you could have seen. Pelicans are proof to me that God has a great sense of humor!
How thankful I am that God has called us to sojourn in such a marvelous place! I constantly find myself awed that He would be so good to me, when I fail Him so miserably on a daily basis. His grace still amazes me after all these years! I hope this much-delayed letter finds you all basking in His marvelous grace as well. Until we meet again on the road………
Blessed beyond words,
Pam
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