Our arrival to Algarrobo for our last module of the Bible Institute was smooth and dry (no rain). We settle and got ready for starting next day at noon.
This last module was "Church History", even though the story itself was a little complicated, things changed when we enter the section of "Church History in Latin America"; specially when we came to the point of the "conquistadores". History tells the story from our perspective but is very different from the native's perspective, wow, at that moment the class became alive, with stories carried from generation to generation, stories told by the grandparents and so on. By hearing them share,I felt ashamed with all the harm done to native cultures and the way in which the Gospel entered our land; it was the wrong way, not God's way. The harm is already done and we need to learn from past mistakes. We learned a lot of how the Mama Tata believe was born and how the Gospel came to the Ngobe reservation; all this through their sharing.
For three year a group of almost 30 started their studies in the Institute, some very shy, others with little knowledge about the Bible and others not knowing if they will finish the 15 courses required for graduating. Little by little some could not continue due to, coffee harvest and the need to search for a better income, others due to work, training etc, we felt sad for that but the Institute continued. Last Saturday June the 3rd, 13 received their certificate that proved their perseverance and determination to finish well, Mateo and disciples had to travel for day and half, Simon had to walk for 5 hours and so on in order to attend.
The last day we had to stay for the Sunday service since the car that was to pick us up, came in late; but what a blessing to hear how Pastor's Lorenzo preaching has improved, and how Domingo has changed from a shy and little talkative person to a person willing to share from the pulpit and telling me that he together with Dionisio will join the team to hacha this coming Sunday the 11th.
Having Tate, Pastor Todd's son on board brought the local kids the challenge of playing using the kid's sign "a soccer ball". No problem with language, they solved that.
Praise the Lord for ministries such as Crosspoint Ch, IBAC (Bible Institute) that come to be a blessing in the equipping of workers that will use properly the Word of God. To God be the glory and thank you for holding us in prayers.
The report from the Balsa Team will follow soon.
In Him and until He comes back again,
Talsy
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.
