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What’s going on with the Godzwas?
That’s a good question. I’ve got an hour of McDonald’s Wifi to let you know a bit about what we’ve done for the last month.
We’re back in US! We made the 6-day 2,240 mile trip from Merida, Mexico, to Springfield MO. We’ve been through Missionary Renewal on the campus of my alma mater, Central Bible College and stuck around for the excellent re-entry program sponsored by by Caring Connection. Since then, we’ve been trying to move back into our house here that has been rented out for the past 4 years. Until that time, our internet connection will limited to our 2X2 cell phone screens, but we’re planning new updates when we’re finally settled in. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, be sure to check out our updated contact information.
Tree down in our neighborhood
Hurricane season started with a bang here in Mérida as a ferocious if short lived storm passed over the peninsula last week. Tropical force winds and a half inch of rain in the span of about 45 min brought down this tree and numerous others in the city, and brought damage as shown in this slide show of the “fotos del día” from the Diario Yucatán (Opens new window, captions in Spanish). The damage shown in the shopping mall is just about a mile away from our home.
We were safe and sound during the downpour, although without power for about six hours after the storm. A few flashlights, candles, and a bit of patience were all that were required for us to deal with the aftermath of this first installment of hurricane season ’09.
Tags: Mérida, Storm Damage, Tropical Storm, Wind
2009 Bethel Graduation
Since we’ve been in Mexico, we’ve witnessed the passing of a generation. No, we haven’t been here in Mérida for 20+ years, although looking at the growth of our kids during this term has made me wonder at times. I’m talking about the recent Bible Institute graduation service celebrated this past Monday, where Generation 06-09, walked the platform to receive their diplomas from the District Superintendent. This marks a milestone as it means that the students that I had the chance to teach from the first year of their Bible school experience are now being launched into ministry. The freshmen from my Personal Cvangelism course of December 2006-February 2007, my first solo class taught in Spanish, are now moving into their vocations.
Watching them receive their charge as graduates I had mixed feelings. There is a sense of joy in knowing that I had a part in their formation as ministers, but there is also a sense of regret. So often I had wished that I could have had certain sessions over again, where my lessons could have been more polished. On more than one occasion I’ve wish that I could have another chance at conversations that I’ve had knowing now that my Spanish could have been more understandable. In spite of my wishing, though, what was taught was taught, and the encouragement, advice, and prayers have been spoken. And that’s OK, because I believe that, though at times stammering or searching for the words, we communicated. As we learned we grew, each one of us offering to the other what we could not acquire on our own.
It wasn’t by chance that God brought me together with this generation at this moment in our lives. I so as I said goodbye to each one I prayed that as we part our ways, the graduates to their respective positions, and my family and I to the US to intinerate, that God will help us to remember the ways in which our being together expressed the manifold wisdom of God (Eph 3:10) that saw fit to join us together during their generation in the Bible school.
If you are familiar with Tolkien, you’ll have to forgive my obvious allusion to his popular tale, The Hobbit, but no, my recent trip didn’t include trolls and dragons, and the only real danger was related to the risks of travel by air and taxi. So to save you the long story, and the 255 pages that comprise my edition of the Bilbo Baggins tale, I’ll make it short.
On Sunday afternoon, I hopped aboard a flight to Mexico City, which seems to be recovering from its bout with the Swine Flu, where, on Monday, I met with the national leadership team about our future here in Mexico. I presented them with a report of what we had done and the plan of what we feel God would have us do in the future. They approved that plan, and they invited us back to serve for four more years here in the Yucatán!
Now, that we have received this approval our upcoming itineration becomes more clear. Our goal during these upcoming months will be to reconnect with churches and individuals to show them what God has done and invite them to continue their investment in the lives of the people of this region.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we make our transition to the States with the goal of continuing to raise disciples here in the Yucatán.
Tags: Mexico City, Swine Flu, Yucatan
The Godzwa kids: Ready to go back!
The day has finally arrived! After two weeks of being homebound, Mexico has reopened its elementary and middle schools. Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan were all smiles, ready to see their friends after the long suspension of classes.
Nevertheless, although our kids are happy to return, the reopening of the schools here in Mérida is being handled very seriously. Last week around the city, school buildings were being sanitized while teachers were taking classes on how to prevent the spread of the virus. As the children enter classes, they’re being checked for symptoms. If one student is found to be ill, he or she will be sent home for a minimum of 7 days. If the school finds a group to be symptomatic, the entire building will be closed for 2 weeks and the community will place itself under surveillance.
So, another step is taken back to normal life here in the Yucatán and in all of Mexico. We have appreciated your prayers and your concern through this time, and we look forward to seeing you as we plan our return to the States in June.
The A/H1N1 Virus
The swine flu has left its mark on Mexico. With 1204 confirmed cases and 44 deaths, the statistics are slightly less alarming than once predicted, but the disruption that it has caused, in the form of canceled activities and the accompanying economic hit (to the tune of millions of dollars), the images of mask wearing citizens, and the general preoccupation will not long be forgotten.
Here in Yucatán, where we were once thought to be swine flu free, the government has reported 18 cases, most coming from previously discarded cases that have since been confirmed. Still, even though the virus has yet to be eradicated, life begins its slow progress back to normalcy. Businesses, which had been closed completely except for basic necessities like food and gasoline, reopened on the 6th. Classes, canceled since the 28th of April, will resume on Monday, and, with the ban on public gatherings lifted, we’re resuming our ministry in churches starting this Sunday with another evangelism conference.
So even though we’re statistically worse off, it seems as though this round with the swine flu is drawing to a close. Still, we ask that you would keep praying for recovery for those who are now sick, for comfort and a sense of God’s presence among those who have lost a loved one, and for a realization here in Mexico of the fragility of life and the need of Savior.
Also, we ask that you would pray for us. We need to remain healthy as we transition back to the States. There is a lot of ministry to finish in addition to all of the reducing and packing we need to do before we say goodbye on June 20th.
Photo by LA100RRA 3logs
Police Officers don masks for protection.
The early afternoon is usually a usually a time of hustle and bustle here in Mérida. Students are heading home for “comida” the normal big meal of the day. Families are planning for the rest of the day–sports activities, a trip to the mall, an evening downtown, or school meetings to attend. But everything is strangely quiet. There is noticeably less traffic on the avenue near our home. There is no sound from the loudspeaker that normally broadcasts the names of the students whose parents have arrived to drive them home. That’s because there hasn’t been school since Monday. All public events have been canceled and activities that would gather people together, from churches to team practices have been prohibited, all to prevent the spread of what is now the scourge of Mexico, the Swine Flu.
Our understanding that something was awry began when our friends, Josh and April Amiot notified us that they were returning to Mexico City to attend the funeral of one of their good friends and ministry co-workers. An otherwise healthy mother of three, Nelly didn’t fit the profile of those who die of the flu. Normally the very old or the very young, under six, are those who succumb. Of course, this was just the trickle before the flood. By last Friday the 24th, we had heard of hundreds sick and dozens dead as the Swine Flu spread rapidly across central Mexico. At the end of the weekend, there were reports of sicknesses in 19 of the 32 Mexican States and drastic measures taken to stem the spread of this highly contagious, and surprisingly deadly, conglomeration of three different flu viruses.
Here in Mérida, and across Mexico, all schools have been closed until the 6th of May and all public gatherings have been prohibited until further notice. Labor Day, May 1st here in Mexico, will be observed without the customary parades. Sporting events have been held without fans, and our district convention, set to have begun yesterday has been suspended until a later date. Even church services are against the law. Those that need to work in the public sector have taken to donning masks to protect them against the airborne virus.
But we are not writing to scare you. Our family is well, and to date, no officially recognized case of Swine Flu has been recorded here in Mérida. Still, there is a definite tension in the air as anxiety and fear have taken hold. There is a sense of helplessness apparent as society waits for word of progress against this disease.
But we are not helpless, we can cry out to God and know that He will hear and respond to our requests. So we ask you to join with us as we intercede for this nation. Ilona Hadinger, a fellow Mexico Missionary and the coordinator of our prayer devotions on MexicoAG.org offers these points to guide us in our intercession:
.
Please join with us during this crucial time.
Photo provided by sarihuella on flickr.com
Tags: compassion, families, Mexico, Swine Flu
We needed to replace the grass in our front yard about two weeks ago. A busy schedule and low water pressure had taken it’s toll on our previous lawn, and all that was left after the dry season that we’ve had was a lot of dust. So, after a change to our water system was completed, what was left of the old lawn was removed, and new grass was brought in.
As the Agustín, the gardener, was removing the remnant weeds, he looked over what used to be a flower border. “You want me to take these out too?” he asked. The border was a disaster; it looked like a mess of limp grass. Still, I said, “Let’s keep it. Maybe it’ll grow back.” So the limp-grass-once-upon-a-time-flower-boarder remained. Perhaps just to suck up water that would be better spent on the new lawn, I thought, but I had hope.
And that hope wasn’t disappointed. After about one week of watering, one sunny morning I was greeted by the picture above–dozens of tiny white flowers where once only limp grass stood. It was amazing to see the power of life in what seemed to be a hopeless situation.
Nevertheless, a dying flowerbed pales in comparison with the hopeless situations that many of us face. While we’ve been on the field, we’ve watched sadly as many of our friends were hit with what seem to be knock-out punches–unemployment, sickness, and divorce just to name a few. They are situations that are devastating for the parties involved and that leave those of us who must watch confused and questioning. “What is going on?” we ask, “Where is God in all of this?”
Of course, we have just celebrated the triumphant outcome of another seemingly hopeless situation–the resurrection of Jesus after a his death on the cross. The disciples had fled for their lives. Peter had gone as far as denying that he had ever known his former teacher. Jesus Himself, while dying cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The situation was irrevocable, or so it seemed. Nevertheless, just when it had seemed that God’s plan had been checkmated, the table was turned and the outcome was forever changed. That is the reality of Resurrection Sunday, the reality that still reverberates even two thousand years after the event.
I was reading Amy Maxwell’s blog the other day, when I happened upon some free music downloads. One of the songs, Rescue, by Ten Shekel Shirt, caught my attention when I was in the middle of thinking about one of my friends’ seemingly hopeless situation. The chorus of the song reads, speaking of God’s power:
You rescue, you redeem
You save, you intervene
You rescue, you redeem
Our lives, the stories of our lives.
It’s true. As the flowers reappeared from the dust of our yard, so God is able to redeem us even in the most difficult of situations. Like the prodigal son who’d cast away the riches he’d demanded, if we turn to Him, God is ready to receive us and restore us as His sons and daughters, even if we have squandered the chances we’ve been given.
So, if you have a chance to download the song, I highly recommend it, and if you happen to be in one of those seemingly hopeless situations, or know someone is going through one, renew your hope in the fact that God redeems. His empty tomb stands as a testimony to the fact that a restored life is possible.
Tags: Flowers, Redeemed, Restored life
Today during the afternoon service, I will be sharing about two of the seven words from the cross that Jesus spoke. I’d like to share one of those with you on this day that we remember our Saviour’s death:
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. –Luke 23:34
Beaten, bloody and tired, Jesus now hung from the cross. Just hours before, He moved freely about the city, teaching and celebrating the Passover with His disciples, but now He had been arrested, judged, and condemned. The hands that had healed the sick, the arms that had reached out to children, the feet that had walked in search of the lost had been stopped–nailed unjustly to the wood.
Jesus, the only truly innocent one of all now paid a debt that He didn’t owe. He never blasphemed God, yet the priests handed Him over to Pilate for this offense. He never tried to raise up a rebellion against Rome, but over His head was the charge, “Jesus, King of the Jews.”
In this moment, He exemplified the classic picture of a victim: a man who, for no fault of his own had to suffer. Nevertheless, Jesus Himself rejected this description. Moments before, Jesus redirected the pity of the women who had met him on the way saying, “Don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and your children instead.” In front of Pilate, Jesus rejected his intervention, explaining that that the authority that He recognized came from a place higher than Rome, and in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus allowed His power to flow when the soldiers who came to arrest Him fell down before Him. Obviously, it was something else that held Him to the cross.
It was love. It was the power of the only One who knew what He was doing. Among all of those who played a part in His crucifixion, Jesus was the only one truly free. The others were like the priests, who had been blinded by their rage, or like Pilate, deceived by his supposed authority, or like His disciples, trapped by their fear. Jesus suffered from none of these delusions.
From the beginning, Jesus understood his purpose–to give His life as a ransom for us all. Whatever doubt that he had held on to left at the Garden with his declaration, “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” Now with these words, “Father, forgive them,” He shows the culmination of His power. Jesús, as the only one who never sinned, as the only one who remained pure, as the only God-Man, refused His right of vengeance, and in that moment, in that act of pure love, He granted them their pardon.
He freed those who were still cursing Him, those who couldn’t understand that that man on the cross was their only hope They didn’t know what they were doing, but Jesus knew. He knew that it would mean His humiliation and His death but even so, He did it. What is more, in His love He removed their guilt.
But it wasn’t only the soldiers and the priests and Pilate that crucified Jesus on that day some two thousand years ago. You and I are responsible as well. The Bible says that all of us had gone astray to commit sin, and Jesus carried all of those sins on the cross. He died for us even when we had not yet realized our need for Him. In other words, while we were blind like the priests, or deceived like Pilate or tormented like His disciples, Jesus extended His forgiveness to us. He removed our guilt for His death from us as well.
In addition, with the words, “Father forgive them,” Jesus extends to us an opportunity. Jesus promised, before He returned to the Father that, in this word we would have trouble, but counseled us to take heart, for He had overcome the world. But, how did He overcome? Certainly not by His miracles or by His teaching, because, having done all of that they still crucified Him. No, He conquered it through His love–the love that put up with rejection, that endured the Roman lashing, and that suffered the crucifixion, the love that gave forgiveness instead of condemnation. And we, being His hands and feet can follow Him in His example.
What problems do we have? Abandonment? Rejection? Pain? Jesus suffered all of these, but never became their victim. Now, what will we do? We have the opportunity to triumph with Jesus. We have the opportunity, today, to extend forgiveness. Maybe those who have mistreated us don’t deserve it, but neither did we, and we accepted it. Let’s follow Christ then. Let’s be victors and offer, like Him, forgiveness.
Tags: Forgiveness, Love, Words from the Cross
