Our new lake-front property after our recent rains here in West Texas
Recently a dear friend of ours from Sugar Land sent us an article entitled “Hurry Up and Wait!”. Our friend stated that when she read the piece she thought of us and our current situation. I agree with her, and would like to borrow from the article a little in order to share the basic concept with you.
Author Ruth Haley Barton writes that the statement “hurry up and wait” usually is laced with cynicism, and we use it when we have rushed off for something only to discover that all of our hurrying and dashing about was in vain because we cannot proceed forward anyway due to circumstances often outside of our control. Full of irony, the retort captures the frustration that we feel when we realize that any time that we might have gained in all of our rushing about has been lost in the end as we find ourselves going nowhere after all. She observes that usually we do not see this as a good thing.
However, she puts forward the idea, that at times perhaps God wants us to wait on purpose. Her article is specifically concerning Advent, and how this can be a season of anticipation and longing for the coming of Christ during which we can actually choose to “hurry up and wait”. She states that:
A picture of the ministry tent
“Rather than allowing our waiting to be entirely governed by external forces, we can actually create times of stillness for watching and praying and waiting on God in the places that feel empty and dark, devoid of meaning.
When circumstances do force us to wait, we can lean in and lift up our souls to the One whom we trust to do good things in and through us. Rather than succumbing to the inevitable frustration, we can allow ourselves to be changed by looking and loving and praying in whatever circumstance is causing us to wait, finding the presence of Christ there”.
Ms. Barton then concludes that:
“If we can wrap our heads around the transformative possibilities contained within this impossible season, we might discover that it is God who keeps us waiting for reasons only he knows. And if we enter into this season with trust and with awe, we might even find ourselves thanking God for the many gifts this waiting time has to offer”.
What our friend wanted to encourage us in, in sending this article, was not only in regards to the Advent season specifically, but more generally in relation to our year of working here in Texas in order to assist in the financial support of the ongoing ministry in Mexico. The correlation is very appropriate and struck close to my heart.
The need for the Bible Institute and Missionary Training Center is to sell this tent
I think that both Theresa and I often feel that we are in a “holding pattern” at the moment. As I related in my last blog, the present situation that we have found ourselves in, although a blessing due to the work and the money that it is providing for the ministry, has not been an easy assignment and we can barely wait for the end of April to arrive. But, as Ruth Haley Barton’s article implies; that is just the point many times in our walk with God. In the end it really isn’t all about ME! At the end of the day ME, and my little petty desires aren’t really what it is all about. I really, believe it or not, am not the center of the Known Universe! And, if Theresa and I can wrap our heads around the transformative possibilities contained within this impossible season (in our lives), we might discover that it is God who is keeping us waiting for reasons only he knows. If we enter into this season (of our lives) with trust and with awe, we might even find ourselves thanking God for the many gifts this waiting time has to offer.
And, there have been many gifts during this waiting time for us as well. We certainly have been able to grow into “togetherness” (it is pretty much impossible not to when you share a 30 foot travel trailer together for one year). We have also been able to focus and “center” without a lot of other distractions in our lives (again, not too difficult to do when you can’t leave your little work site, ever!). We have had time to read (in between trucks), and time to be together, time to pray (again, as dictated by the chime of the motion sensor which informs us that a truck has just pulled into the yard), and time to wean ourselves from needing to be stimulated by social engagements, etc., etc. It often does feel though as if we are sitting in “hold” mode – waiting to be back with family, waiting to be with friends again, waiting to have something, anything, other than the constant chime of the sensor and the monotony of the trucks pulling into the yard – but it is exactly in this place, I believe, that God wants us right now at this time in our lives. It is right here that we can best fulfill the plan and purpose that he has for us at this point in our lives.
A shot of the inside of the tent. It is very large and useful for evangelistic outreaches
Perhaps you are also facing your own season of waiting in your life – your own increasingly tight confines and constantly chiming motion sensors in the midst of which you must find God’s purpose for your life. Rest in Him. Discover that it is God who is keeping you waiting for reasons that only he knows. In the end you too will find yourself blessed, and will realize that it is often in these difficult times that we grow the most.
In my last blog I put the wrong dates for the ministry trip that Pastor Marty Dyer and the team from Grove, Oklahoma would be ministering in Mexico. I said that they would be there over the first week of November. In reality I was off by one month, and they are there presently, having arrived in Cd. Valles on Tuesday (December 1st), and will be leaving on Sunday, the 6th. We are anxious to hear how God has used their time there.
Please continue to hold up our Mexican brothers and sisters who are ministering so faithfully and well under very difficult circumstances. Although they are moving forward and taking spiritual ground it is not easy. The economy in Mexico is making it exceedingly difficult for them as they minister. The politics of the country are hampering them in so many ways as well. Javier shared with me his complete frustration with the system as it affects the work of the Missionary Training Center farm. The weather has also not helped the farm again this year as it has begun to rain again now during the harvest season. But the biggest frustration for the farm itself is the politics involved in the monopoly of sugarcane as it is played out by government-protected mega buyers and growers at the expense of the small farmer.
The tent size is 24 feet wide X 44.5 feet long
But, notwithstanding these setbacks the Kingdom of God is advancing! The work is growing in the Hospital ministry as well as in the Rehabilitation Center in which Javier and his team are ministering. The Bible Institute continues to train men and women into ministry. The Missionary Training farm continues to prepare men and women for future leadership throughout the region. Boys and girls continue to be loved on, fed, helped, and are being lead into a relationship with Jesus Christ through the ministry of the children’s church run by Janny and Mario in their home. Lives are being transformed and the work is advancing forward – there was not even a hiccup when Theresa and I left and handed the ministry over 100% to national leadership. We are blessed to watch as our Mexican brothers and sisters are moving forward in strength shoulder to shoulder.
I also want to present a big financial need to you and request your help for the ministry. Your generosity to the work in meeting this need will be a huge blessing in this time of financial crisis in Mexico. The issue is this:
A number of years ago a large tent was purchased for the ministry and used as the first home of the Bible Institute. Since the tent is no longer needed for this purpose it is a valuable asset that the Bible Institute owns, but it is no longer useful to it, and has actually become a liability since everyone now wants to borrow it, but no one wishes to look after it while doing so. This means that the burden of maintaining it falls back onto Javier and Armando’s shoulders. Also, the tent is deteriorating and losing value. The decision was made to sell it since the money was needed much more at this point than a tent that was no longer serving the purpose for which it was originally purchased.
There is a young local pastor with an active ministry who would like to purchase the tent for outreach purposes. However, because his congregation is small they are unable to raise the money that the Bible Institute needs for it in order to sell it.
My perspective on the situation is this; first of all, I believe strongly that outright charity in
The tent is fully fire resistant certified
mission work (unless where absolutely necessary, and in extreme cases of need) ends up blowing up in your face in the end. I have found out through many years of doing it completely wrong, that what isn’t paid for and sweated for is seldom valued. What isn’t valued is easily thrown away without thought. Secondly, in this situation, this pastor and his congregation CAN, and SHOULD, come up with something – some part of the price – just not all of it to be sure. Thirdly, the ministry of Obreros Unidos para Cosechar desperately needs money to move forward, and this is an asset that it owns. It is no more than right that they should be able to sell it (hopefully back into a Christian ministry), and use the cash for things that will benefit it (such as assisting in the ongoing expenses of running the Missionary Training Center farm).
What I am suggesting is this: the ministry in Mexico needs $28,000 pesos for the tent – this is a fair asking price. The young pastor feels that realistically his congregation will not be able to come up with much more than $10 – $15,000 pesos of this amount. $28,000 pesos is somewhere around $1,800 dollars U.S. depending upon what the actual exchange is on the ground in Mexico.
My request to you is this – if you feel God’s tug on you heart to give for the specific ministry of this young, faithful pastor in Mexico (who I know well, and who works closely with Javier as well) – that you will assist him financially in this purchase. I am praying that we can raise $1,000 dollars U.S. towards the purchase of this tent. This would be equivalent to approximately $15,600 pesos. This would mean that the pastor purchasing it would then need to come up with approximately $12,400 pesos to finalize the purchase (or about $800 dollars U.S.).
I am not proposing that one person necessarily come up with the whole $1,000 U.S. dollars, but that either several people send in whatever gift amount they can, or perhaps that a church body may wish to take this on as a specific group ministry project. In this way you can receive the blessing of assisting the ministry of a young pastor in Mexico by enabling him to purchase the tent for ministry outreach, as well as blessing the Missionary Training Center/Bible Institute financially by enabling them to sell an asset that they no longer need. Further, the pastor will receive the blessing of dignity in being able to work towards the purchase of a needed ministry tool, as well as perhaps linking in more closely with those who donated the money in order to make the purchase possible.
Any questions related to the tent or to its purchase can be directed to me by email at: steven@vitwminisries.com. I will be more than happy to talk to you.
For any U.S. donors who wish to give specifically towards this need, checks can be sent to Newsong Church as per usual, but marked clearly as “for tent purchase” in the note area of the check so that it can be placed directly towards this project. Also, I would request that you send me an email to let me know that you are sending a gift so that I can let Newsong Church know that they should be looking for it.
Unfortunately, for Canadians who wish to give towards this ministry need, because of Canadian charity laws it is almost impossible to designate tax-receipted giving this way, and this gift will need to be done without receiving an income tax deduction. But, I will add, your Father in Heaven will see it, and his rewards are considerably bigger that those of Revenue Canada.
Canadian donations can be sent to me, and I will see that they go 100% towards this purchase. However, all money sent would best come in U.S. dollars since it will be quite expensive for me to try to exchange money here where Theresa and I are living.
I need to close this ever-lengthening blog. Both Theresa and I wish you a wonderful Advent and Christmas season. May it be filled with family, friends, and most of all, with the Lord Jesus himself – the true reason for the season.
Be blessed,
Steven and Theresa
