Sunday - Bliss to busted!

With only so many hours in a day you wonder sometimes how much can happen in just one day.
This Sunday started out with an amazing number of 'coincidental' meetings. I thought I was starting a little late for the church that I wanted to attend but soon found out I was right on time - God's time!

I met Ramon, a new friend in Hope Creek, who was walking out to check on his farm. We greeted each other warmly while he updated me on what he has been doing lately...speaking to young people in his village about starting a Bible study! This is very cool, as so far, he and I have not had our first Bible study together even. He is already working though to recruit others. On top of that he told me that he was talking to another man who also said he should probably change his life also - this man owns a bar. I had asked Ramon earlier where we could meet and he was not sure. When he told me about this man - I asked if we could go meet him - and talk to him about this possible change of life - and then told Ramon, maybe he will even let us have Bible study in his bar! He agreed, so we will try to go meet him on Tuesday morning - PLEASE PRAY for this meeting and this man and the Bible study that will soon develop here!

So, I left Ramon and drove on towards my destination. Not too much after along, I stopped to pick up a man looking for a ride. I have been cautioned about doing this with men carrying bags as on occasion they are carrying drugs but I felt a nudge to stop, so I did. Marcel was on his way towards his home after being at work for the last 10 days at a local resort. He gets 4 days off in between working shifts. Our conversation quickly became serious as he found out I was headed to church in the same village where he wanted to go to. He told me about his addiction to alcohol and said that he knew he needed to change as he is a husband and father of 2 now. He was actually raised in the church, by parents that sent him there, but he has gone his own way and gotten into this trouble. It became clear that he knew some Scripture as he asked me about the kind of prayers that God answers, etc. I assured him that whether we are sinning or not, one prayer God always answers is an honest heart cry of "God, Help me!"

He said he had prayed that morning and wondered how things would be when he got home. That already that morning when they got off work his friends had invited him to have a drink. When he turned them down, citing lack of money, they offered it for free. He told them he just had to go home to see his children. I suggested that this ride and our talk was part of his answer. He agreed. He said he just needed some encouragement and had found it.

I took him to his in-laws home after swinging by the church so he would know where it was. Feeling very encouraged myself, I went on to the church at San Roman. There I worshipped with a great group of people and young people especially. It was thrilling to see a dozen teens get up and sing and quote Scripture that they memorized, each doing their own verses. The message I offered was from John 1 - about Jesus moving into our neighborhood. The congregation responded well, even when a drunken man made his entrance into the service. His own brand of 'participation' was politely borne by the people who sometimes tried to help him lower his volume some. Part way through the sermon, he decided he'd had enough and weaved his way out the door.

His entrance, and personal choice to leave when I was preaching about becoming a child of God - made for an interesting Live Object lesson. One in which I encouraged the church people that he is our neighbor, someone to pray for , to show love and hope and truth to - in hopes that he will one day rejoin them - of sober mind and sober spirit!

I spoke to several people in this church about future classes for pastoral training and Bible study and even received a request for 12 Student Study Bibles! It seems someone there has 1 and now they are all eager to have their own so hey can learn and memorize more.

I went on to visit 2 more churches in the afternoon, enjoying fellowship and encouragement along the way before turning back towards home. As I came back through San Roman, I saw Marcel walking along the road, along with another man on a bicycle. Excited to see my new friend, I slowed down, only to quickly recognize that both men were intoxicated. In fact, as I drew nearer to them, I watched the one one the bike collapse into the ditch next to him, while Marcel simply looked at him, apparently helpless himself beyond standing there staring at his fallen comrade. My heart sunk.

I slowly passed by and decided not to stop. I wanted to but have learned from friends in the states that you can't talk to a man while he's drunk. So my morning bliss was busted by this oh-too-real vision of reality.

PLEASE PRAY for Marcel, for his wife and children. Pray that this will be his last day to drink as God's Holy Spirit convicts him of his sin and draws him to Jesus for the help that he needs.

I'm not discouraged - (much) - I am reminded of what Jesus said: "From the time of John the Baptist until now, The Kingdom of God has been advancing and forceful men take it by force."

PRAY for the Spirit to be the force at work in Belize and in me!
~ Ray