« March 2005 | Main | May 2005 »
April 20, 2005
Pope-Mania?
On the day John Paul II died, Palenque was clouded. It was almost coincident that about 3 p.m. the sky blackened and started to sprinkle till next morning.
Some Catholics seized the chance. "It's a sign of God's mourning. Even the heaven cries for the great loss," they said. Later, the news says "the Pope is at the window of God's kingdom, and from there he will mediate God's business for our blessings." Do they really mean it? Who is God, then? At any rate, at time they also terrified reminding any possible post-death happenings as seen in movies on Christ's passion.
They are too religious. They'd like to allegorize or spiritualize such common phenomena. What do you think? Has rained in Rome on that day, too? Has happened anything significant in your area, so you'd relate it to some meaningful lesson? Is JP2 equal or greater figure than the Messiah?
Posted by nanana
Chol Deacons Are Here
Good day (Chol, "wen ut'tat kin")! We had frijol(blackbean) for breakfast. The feeding of the stomach is the first thing they do at arrival. The hosting church, Arroyo Palenque village, once again welcomed us with abundant food. Delicious it was! The ladies in kitchen showed their teeth wide open to manifest their happiness to have us at their church.
All 22 participants (or click the picture for a group picture) from four organized churches, including 2 pastors, were active during the two-day study. Five deacons are illiterates. However, they've showed their interest in the study giving us thoughts and faithfully following the schedules. A deacon with a long white mustache caught my attention. He carried an old Chol Bible. Its cover was worn out for being used too much(?!). He loves the Word.
I enjoyed interacting with them. They also enjoyed helping each other: searching Bible verses, explaining new words, and foreseeing what would be the future of their churches. We looked over their Church Order simply to remind their tasks and functions as deacons within and outside the church. They niddle-noddled their heads as a sign of understanding. Surely, they will be a blessing for churches as they engage more in serving at tables, collecting offerings, keeping church property clean, and visiting the needy people.
Meanwhile, pastor Jose Lopez had another 10 deacons on the other side of Chol country. The Chol presbytery is in the process of organizing another presbytery. When it occurs, it will help utilize its human and financial resources more effectively, and it will also make the goal-oriented ministry visible.
[FYI] A study shows that Chiapas evangelical churches rated the highest rank in numeric growth but lowerst in financial contribution in comparison with other states. The living cost increases year after year. On the other hand, a mere pittance church offering barely covers relatively expensive travel expenses of church officers. It has been ongoing headache for us. Its possible solution would be reducing the unnecessary expenses rather than attempting to increase offerings from the peasants' pockets. Please pray for Chol churches.
Posted by nanana | Comments (0)
April 19, 2005
"What I Have I Give You"
April 13. We went to Arimatea village and did spend the early afternoon bathing in huge fountainheads. Our companies enjoyed the beautiful landscape along the unpaved road to the church. They felt in love with Chiapas nature and her people's generosity.
We've had visitors from Merida, Yucatan. Rev. David Yang, serving Yucatecans, visited us and preached at Arimatea Church (Chol & Tzeltal speaking people). "Silver or gold I do not have," he reminded the apostolic missions, "but what I have I give you" (Acts 3). He invited the church to redeposit our faith in Christ and, doing so, challenged to value it. It was a teaching for a healthy missions, too.
The service lasted 2 hours. At 9:30pm (for us citypeople/an hour slower for villagers) the ladies society insisted us to wait for a quick meal. They served us fried eggs with tortillas made at once. What a moment of stewardship! We've enjoyed serving each other.
Posted by nanana | Comments (2)
April 12, 2005
Five candles at 40°C
Today Nahum turned five. He had all his five birthday parties in Mexico. We brought him along to missions at the age of three months old. After all, he has adapted much Mexican culture and language, except Kimchi, for sure.
Today was another joyful day added to his life. We had a warm party, though it was done just among us family without any guest. For he refused to have them. He was scared (or embarrassed) to 'mordida (taking a bite)' - facial bath with cake - after the birthday song. Although we've tried to convince him to have a usual party, he firmly and boldly resisted it. It was, however, a laughter party. Also a burnning night as thermometer had marked highest temperature, 40°C, so far of the year but too much for us to sleep. Due to such unbearable heat, we had to squeeze in our children's air-conditioned room to sleep. Even greater joy it was for Nahum.
Posted by nanana | Comments (2)
April 06, 2005
Short-term missions Guide
"The Go Guide" is a brand new manual for short-term teams written from the Reformed perspective. This 122-page, spiral-bound, interactive guide is useful for pre-field training as well as debriefing and re-entry back into the North American context. The focus of this tool is on people preparation rather than travel details. For more information, please click the picture.
Posted by nanana
40 Days Purpose-driven Life for Chol
Shoctic is a little town surrounded by tall mountains. About 200+ teenagers arrived from different Chol villages: some riding on converted pick-up trucks and others walking up-to 6 hours over mountains. The retreat was held during their second week of Easter vacations following Easter Sunday. Their bi-annual activity has been held at Mount Sinai Reformed Presbyterian Church. As it locates deep inside mountains, its night was so beautiful as if many stars were about to fall down. It was a great party for the church and to all young men and women.
I spoke in series about Rick Warren's 40 Days Purpose-Driven Life. Its little booklet was well received by these young folks as we went through chapter by chapter. Throughout the retreat our only hope was that, at the end of the study, they would have understood the meaning of our life and pursue the divine purpose of our being in the remote part of the world--likewise Chiapas. After all, they seemed to have understood its five purposes. Praise the Lord!
Posted by nanana
April 05, 2005
SummerTime: Whose Time Is It?
Everytime it comes to April and October, we often get confused in scheduling due to the summertime clock adjustment. "You mean... OLD hour or NEW,"...we must make sure before write it down in appointment book. Our Ch'ol people, like other indigenous people in Chiapas, do not honor daylight saving system. "It is Fox's," they say. All peasants proudly keep their watches unchanged. In a way, they stubbornly separate themselves from city lifestyle. "We want God's," they convincingly defend their practice, "since God never changes it."
Posted by nanana
April 03, 2005
2005 April Prayer
Dear praying warrior,
Our April prayer guide is at your door. GRACIAS.
"In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch." -- Psalm 5:3 (NASB)
Posted by nanana