Seed Spreaders

This is a seed spreader from the Home Depot website--the brand name makes us laugh because "Chapin" is a slang word for a Guatemalan.

We have been caught up following all of the natural disasters that are happening around the world and especially in our United States.  It is hard to watch people suffering like that as they lose loved ones and belongings.  But is is also heartwarming to see the outpouring of good will between neighbors and strangers as people pick up the pieces. It reminds me of the the story in Acts of the persecution of the Jerusalem church that caused the believers to be scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  But instead of the church dying, it spread and multiplied as the believers preached the word wherever they went.

Here in El Quiche, Guatemala we have had a pretty quiet year as far as natural disaster goes.  But on the spiritual front we are hearing about persecution and church division in some areas.  Our HTI evangelist Gaspar has been working with a church plant in a small town that has some very faithful new members dealing with persecution from their town leadership.  The community is resentful of them forming a congregation claiming there are already too many other corrupt churches in the area. During a Bible study visit by Gaspar and fellow missionary Diego they were confronted by the civic leaders and told they had no business coming into the town to preach and start a church. The town leaders began to get agitated gathered the people and talked of detaining the two for further questioning--usually a precursor to a lynching or beating.   After explaining they they had been invited by the family after visiting our clinic, the rest of the town rose up against the leaders and threatened to detain them if they didn't permit them to meet peacefully. Others members have family of a different faith and are abusive to them for leaving that faith.  But, instead of faltering or joining the congregation in the nearby town as recommended, they have decided to form their own congregation and keep worshiping God in spirit and and truth.  One lady decided to be baptized and asked Gaspar and Diego if they were ready for the load of problems that was coming their way if she converted.  They promised to back up the congregation and support them in presence and prayer.

Still other areas are dealing with church leaders that are oppressive and dividing the congregation. But rather than fall away, these scattered members moved and preached the word in another town and formed another congregation that is growing exponentially. Now surrounding elderships are asking for help in how to improve their pastoral skills.

While the thought of disaster and persecution and division are unpalatable, you can see how the Word of God gets spread to places that we humans would not have thought to take it. It clearly shows the nature of the Word as a seed and God using us as seed spreaders to move the gospel throughout the world.  So here's to the coming months of rescue and relief work in the States and around the world. May the church step up and out and let her good deeds shine before others so that they will glorify our Father. (Matthew 5:16)

Reading is Fun

Juan Mauricio from Xepocol helping give a class in Paxot III.

Remember the organization Reading is Fundamental?  They are still around doing good things for community-based literacy.  I was trying to remember their name and all I could come up with was Reading is Fun.  I think that was one of their slogans.  It will be nice one day when kids around here feel like reading is fun.  And thanks to the generous donation of books from Eastside Church of Christ, we may get there sooner than later.

M.T. practice reading to his mom.

One of the frustrating things about illiteracy is how far reaching the effects are in a society.  Even people who can read don't have many options in reading material and never really develop a love for it.  People who can read marginally never learn comprehension skills to understand what they just read--whether it is Bible, the newspaper, or novel.  Even the teachers in the local schools are limited in their own literacy experience and their lack of resources.

Moms and kids checking out the reading materials.

But, one of the things I admire about young people in this area is the desire to share what they have learned with others.  We have several local area high schoolers who have been working with us doing their internships and even just volunteering time to take ideas out to church groups who want to help their kids do better in school.

Esteban from Xepocol and Cesar our ABC coordinator giving a class in the Paxot III church.

This attitude combined with great resources will go a long way to convince the next generation of kids that Reading is Fun.  And this is one of the fundamentals that will move more people out of poverty.

Reading is FUN!