Politics and Christianity

I've been thinking a lot about politics and the church's role in them lately. Most of you who know me know that my personal politics are strange and hard to define and are neither right, left, or center. I will be posting some blogs digging into that in the near future. The first thing I want to encourage pondering upon is the separation between church and state. To me, the main reason for this from a Christian perspective is so that the state does not become confused with our Savior. From social programs to abortion, the church should be the moral compass rather than the government. That view has been lost by both Democrats and Republicans. More on this will follow, but I want to leave with one thought to get you thinking...

Biblically, the only God-approved type of government was a benevolent autocracy (Godly king). This was only put in place after the people asked God for a king, because His system of ruling and guiding them directly through the words of the prophets and judges was not good enough for them. The principle is the same, however, being submission to a God-appointed authority (not a constantly changing man-elected authority). The only democracy mentioned in the Bible was Rome, which the Israelites assumed would be removed by the Messiah. Majority rule by will of the people is not mentioned as something we should strive for as Christians. We are instructed in the New Testament how to act if we are oppressed and enslaved, but not how to overthrow our oppressors. The key here is finding joy in salvation and living with an eternity mindset, rather than a worldly mindset. This should leak into every aspect of our lives, including our politics, so that we can submit ourselves to the true Priest-King (Jesus) more than we do our president. When we do this, we return to God's original plan for government of our lives. Jesus is our one Savior and head of the Kingdom we should strive to build as faithful citizens. Electing this King should be on the forefront of our thoughts and concerns rather than any man standing for office. He is the only one that can save, and can bring an instantaneous and permanent change to any life. No political system or party can do that.

Thank you, God

Thanks for my life and the way it is playing out. Thanks for 29 years of Your mercy. Thanks for sending me to Nicaragua. Thanks for making it hard on me sometimes so that I see how good You are when it gets better. Thank you for the family I came from. Thank you for the family that I will start with You as the head that I don't even know yet. Thank you for my friends that have helped me make where You sent me home. Thanks for the Bible...it's a really good book. You did a lot of really cool things that they wrote down in it. I'm glad it's not fiction...it makes my life more fun to know that You did all those things and You do not change and will still do them for me today! Thanks for making trees...I really like them and the wood that comes from them. Thank you for Andrea (show us all Your will as to where she fits in my life) and how much she has taught me about You.

Thank you for not expecting me to earn my way toward you.
Thank you for understanding me as I am and being cool with the fact I can never repay you.
Thanks for Jesus.

Love you,
Eli

My Girls

I had a fun night playing with some of my favorite kids tonight...and it was actually an all around great day all day. I walked in the shop this morning to Greg blaring some worship music, and that just kind of set the tone for the day. The guys at the shop have started dedicating the first 10 minutes to pray for everyone there. Two guys a day, rotating days...I love that idea, and I'm so proud to be working with guys that think like that! We are up to 34 guys now, and I am learning a lot about how important it is to make "deposits" in people's lives. Naturally, given the nature of our work, Greg and I have to critique and correct things quite often. It is so obvious how much better a man takes that critique if you continually build him up when he does well, and show him respect on a day to day basis. You have to make deposits, or you will go bankrupt when you have to make a withdrawal. (I learned that from my mom.) Today I actually got caught up enough on design work that I got to go build something in the shop! That's a big deal for me, and it was so much fun. All I made was a little table that I promised a friend some time ago, but it felt good to have the free time for a day to get in there and work with the guys. I do that all the time at installations, but it just doesn't have the same "home" feel as getting dirty at "our" shop. It really does feel like family among those that have been there since the first few months: Greg, his wife Sam, Armando, his mom Vilma, Roberto, Francisco, Danilo, Oscar, El Peludo, El Pelibuey, Reinaldo, Luis, and Elvis. I love those guys, it's such a blessing to go to work with them.

Then tonight I went to Casa Havilah to help with homework before finals tomorrow. We had some goofy fun with the camera on my computer. Those girls sure do make a lot of deposits.

Enjoy!

Dimas and James

There's an old bum here in Managua that is doing his best not to be a bum. He guards cars in front of some bars and restaurants in the Bolonia part of town. I can't remember when I first met him, it was probably close to a year ago, but he came in where I was eating and told me that he had checked my car doors and that one was unlocked...I took a liking to his honesty and appreciated his effort. We've been friends since then. He used to be a crack addict, he's a civil war veteran, he's homeless, but he makes ends meet with the few coins people give him for watching their car. There was a period when a good friend lived in the area and didn't have a phone and he would leave messages for me with Dimas. We would keep up with each other and arrange times and places to get together through him, so I try to make it a habit to go see him now and then to talk. A couple months ago some kids tried to rob him of what little he had and hacked his left arm up pretty bad with a machete. He's blessed they didn't kill him. As you can imagine, medical bills are pretty tough for a guy like him, so now I have been checking on him a couple times a week to make sure he has enough for his shots and pill that he needs. (He was nearly gutted some years ago in a knife fight and still needs medicine for the after effects of that as well.) He's the kind of guy that runs up to hug me and shows me the medicine he bought with the last bit of money I gave him, just to make sure I know he is using it for the real reason. I had told him I would come see him tonight, but I was a little late because it was my Mom's birthday and I had waited to talk to her on the phone. I told Dimas this and he asked if we could go pray for my family...wow. He took me behind my truck, held my hand, and prayed a prayer for my mom and sister (he didn't know I had a sister) that brought me and him both to tears. After that he began to tell me about the mercies of God. How, even though our situations are so different, we are both servants of the same Christ.
...and then he told me that he had been saving money from the cars he guarded to buy me a gift.
He told me the Lord put it on his heart as he was praying for me (HE prays for me!! How humbling!!) to buy me a watch.
Anyone that knows me knows that I struggle with time management. How amazing is our God that he would put it on the heart of a homeless Nicaraguan man to buy me a watch!?!? In the words of Dimas..."So that you will know what time it is and can make it to all your meetings."
I go to meet him Friday at 9pm to pick it up.
I know that every time I look at it, it will remind me that God has worked in a mysterious way to help me manage my time.
Tonight I saw a homeless, destitute beggar...rejoicing (and quoting the scriptures from Romans) in the fact that we all fall short of the Glory of God, but we are saved by our faith.
He walks in it...he lives it. I look up to him. And it makes me want to crawl underground and hide that he would save up money to buy me a watch, because the Lord put it on his heart.
...he might as well have handed me the deed to a house.

Matthew 25:40..."as you have done to the least of these you have done to me."

This rings so true, as I think of Dimas and another homeless friend I had in the states named James. Those two men have taught me more about the nature of our Christ, and His passion for the poor, than any preacher in a pulpit than I can remember. James never had one material thing to give, but whenever I was about to go on a mission trip he would come to the fundraisers and work all day. He used to come watch me play church league sports and sit with my family. He asked me to stop once as we were driving down the road near a thicket of trees and he ran up and tucked his bundle in the pines before we went to lunch. He came out grinning from ear to ear, and as he climbed back in the truck he said, "That's where I hide my Bible." The only thing in the world he had to be proud of was the place where he hid God's word. It was a Bible he got in prison when he was sent up for stealing the copper wiring out of an abandoned building so he could buy food...and maybe some crack at the time. James put VALUE in that Word that he had.

These are the things I have noticed that James and Dimas have in common. In Christ, and Christ alone is where they see their own value. They are both always joyful in their hardships. They have both gone out of their way to do things for me. They pray for me. I learn more from them than I could ever teach them, just by the way they live their lives.

No wonder Jesus has such a heart for the poor...they are just like Him, and they glorify Him so much more by being so unconcerned for themselves.

Matthew 8: 20
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

...if you want to know what it is to live like Christ...make friends with a homeless man who has faith in Jesus to provide his daily bread. God has some missionaries out there in strange places, that might just be there to teach and convict those of us who think we have it all figured out.

"Go Away, Jesus."

Luke8:
34When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

How often do we see the power of Jesus over evil in our lives and say, "No, I'd rather hold on to this for awhile." His power brings great fear to our sin nature, our unbelief causes us to fear. We are so comfortable in our sinful life that it is easier to say, "Go away, Jesus." than to live in the freedom that He offers. Sometimes it hurts to be redeemed because our prideful nature as men wants to pay back every good done for us to the One who does it, or try to take the punishment for our sins upon ourselves. We can't do that with God...and we know it. It's easier to deny the gift rather than accept what we can never repay.
Even on human terms, how often do we resent when someone buys us dinner when we would like to pay for our own? I do this with my own grandfather. He tries to pay when I take him for lunch...and he always wins. I go away upset that he didn't let me buy his lunch, rather than basking in the love that an old man has for his grandson. I'm his beloved child...he will always be my provider. He has done more for me than I will ever be able to repay to him. My duty is not to repay him. My duty is to love my fellow man as Christ has loved me.

How much greater is God's love for us than that of our grandfathers?

Infinite.

...the scariest thing about this passage though, is that when the people told Jesus to go away...He did. I pray that I never become so comfortable in my own sin, or so arrogant in wanting to deal with it myself, that when Jesus says, "I will free you of this." That I tell Him to go away.

Evan Almighty

I just watched "Evan Almighty" and it was great. Probably the best portrayal of interaction between God and a man that I have ever seen in a Hollywood film.

It was not only acceptable, but Biblical. I love seeing the Holy Spirit use the secular for the greater purpose of God.

Andrea

I know a little girl that has it in her to be a punk. She was raised in a garbage dump. Not real big on manners. Likes to steal. Doesn't follow rules that are for her own good. Throws selfish fits when she doesn't get her way.

The first day I ever interacted with her I was installing doors at the rescue home where she lives. She was climbing on things that I told her not to, kept going through my toolboxes, and when I went to the hardware store for 5 minutes she hid my circular saw in a closet.

In other words she's done some punk stuff to me.

Saturday I was at a church party and she was there with tons of other kids at the garbage dump where she grew up. Long story short, the pinata fell early and she got caught at the bottom of a dog pile for candy. I could barely see her pink shirt and her hair as she was being pushed face down in the dirt...but I could hear her crying. The other kids were of one mind and that mind was candy.

I didn't realize how much I loved her till I saw her in that much pain and went and pulled her out of the bottom of the pile.

She didn't let go of me for at least an hour. The house mother and I washed her up and nursed her scrapes and cuts, then she wrapped herself around me and wouldn't let go.

...and I didn't want her to. She did the same thing at church yesterday.

Moral of the story...that little girl used to do some punk things to me. But I couldn't love anybody more than I do her. I have never hurt so bad as I did when I saw her scared and alone in the bottom of that pile. All I ever wanted was to pull her out and hold her.

I realized how parents feel...and maybe how God feels about us...at that moment.

And you know. Nobody started loving her because she stopped being a punk. She stopped being a punk because people started loving her.

Loving God with Everything

Loving God with Everything
Category: Religion and Philosophy

My cousin Amanda asked me to write a letter for the family Christmas program since I won't get to be there this year. My assigned topic...Loving God with All your Heart, Soul, and Strength.

You know, the first thing I thought when I read the email from Amanda that said she wanted me to write something about loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength…and, I quote, "how you feel you are doing this in your life or a time you feel you did this" …I thought, "What makes me worthy to write something like that?" Have I ever really loved God with all my heart, soul and strength? So I started thinking about it…and when you pray for self-discernment… be careful because you just might start feeling pretty wretched.

I had to ask…what does it really look like to love God like that? What does the Bible say? Well, Jesus said in John 13:34-35

-"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Well, here we go. I do that don't I? I served dinner to some kids in the dump a few weeks ago. I bought Christmas presents for some girls in troubled situations. I fixed an old widow's toilet yesterday. I'm earning my keep, right?

Let's see what Luke 17:7-10 says about that.

-7 "Will any one of you, who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, `Come at once and sit down at table'? 8 Will he not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, and gird yourself and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink'? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, `We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

Looks like I'm back at zero.

In Mark 9:37 Jesus said,

-"Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me."

So receiving children is loving God, right? Well, great! I do that all the time! Still sitting at zero, based on Luke 17, but at least I receive children, so I must be loving God a little.

Luke 6:30

-"Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back."

Oooops. Now I'm at negative 18, and that's just yesterday after church. Pretty easy to receive the ones I know, or the ones I go to receive…but the ones at every intersection that come up asking for money just get to be a bother. And the adults are even worse…stinky and drunk. I shouldn't give them money right. They'll just get stinkier and more drunk.

That's not what Jesus said though.

Matthew 5:42

-"Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."

Matthew 25:40

-"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

So apparently yesterday I wagged my finger at Jesus and told Him not to wash my windshield because I didn't want to give him 6 cents. And the day before that I didn't give him a ride because he was too high on glue (he was only 12 that day.)

So I was thinking about writing this thing for the family play and realizing that I don't know what it is really like to truly love God with everything if I can't even love people on the street just a little.

Then I heard a song on the radio called "De Tal Manera."

It goes like this (It's translated later.)

De tal manera me amo
Que su vida no escatimo
Hasta el final el se entrego
Y a la muerte fue porque me amo

De tal manera me amo
Que no hay forma en que poder pagar
El precio de su gran amor
Pero toda mi alma quiero dar

Por su amor yo viviré
De su amor yo cantare
Con mi Jesús caminare
Porque el me amo a mí

Por su amor yo viviré
De su amor yo cantare
Con mi Jesús caminare
Porque el murió por mi
Le seguiré.

Which translates to…

Of such a way he loved me
That his life did not curtail
Until the end I am delivered
And to the death he went because he loved me

(Basically meaning His life alone was not enough to save me…it took his death, too...as I understand it)

Of such a way he loved me
That there is no form that I can repay
The price of his big love
But all my soul I want to give

For his love I will live
Of his love I will sing
With my Jesus I will walk
Because he loved me

For his love I will live
Of his love I will sing
With my Jesus I will walk
Because he died for me

I will follow him.

And that's when I realized that it doesn't matter that I don't love Him perfectly.

It doesn't matter that I don't love everybody else perfectly.

I am worthy to write about loving God.

…because He loved me perfectly enough to forget my imperfections.

And that's why I chose to follow Him.

Love you all and Merry Christmas,

Eli

Butterflies

Here is a praise. We had the meeting with Pastor Manuel today, and I had mentioned in the original version of my last blog that there was a possibility that we could not fully trust him and I had requested prayer about the situation and our meeting with him. It turns out that everything was just a misunderstanding due to some work being arranged that spanned 4 people and 2 languages...so he really is trustworthy after all. He also asked that we all made sure to clear his name with anyone we spoke with about the situation beforehand, so I needed to post an apology to honor that in case you read the original version before I edited out that part.

Amazing sign of how creation speaks to the majesty of God...as we were all going to the meeting, the air around Los Cedros and the surrounding area was filled with literally tens of thousands of white butterflies (I drove through them for at least 2 kilometers and the school grounds where we met were covered in them). I saw it to be a sign of peace and restoration.

Final del Año Update

Here is a summary of what has been going on lately.

I moved again. Now I live in Los Cedros (20 km outside Managua). I'm on a six acre banana farm where my shop and school is. I have a little casita out front that will be the office and showroom eventually too. Right now it is entirely unfinished. I just have a hammock, no electricity, and I have to walk about 100 yards for running water. Most of my expenses will go to making it livable. I love it though! It feels like what I felt led to come here for is finally starting. I am working with a group called Trinity Development. They are pastors and businessmen from both Atlanta and Managua that had the idea that to change a community you needed to place a thriving business in the area and become part of that community (that way you aren't just giving from the outside, but helping change from within), then educate the people of how to work in your business. So it is a school and a cabinet mill. We will be offering classes on marriage, finance, and English in addition to the carpentry classes. We will also do a half day community service project once a week with the students/employees. As of right now we have all the tools in place, and hope to take our first students at the end of January when school starts back here. We have already done entrance exams and orientation, and we plan to do a round 2 of that next week.

The players of Trinity that need prayer are:
Greg Elam (President)
Mike Elmer (Operations Manager)
Roger Keeling (Silent Partner from Atlanta...but lives here, he has developments on the Pacific Coast that are going to be clients)
Armando ? (Personnel Manager (That's the best title I can think of for him...Armando is a God send. He does a little of everything and is good at it.)
Jorge ? (Nica Silent Partner)
Ben (Nica Silent Partner)
They hired an accountant while I was in Costa Rica last week, and I haven't met her yet.
and me (Shop Manager/Teacher)

also we have been working with local pastor (Pastor Manuel) for lots of things. This is our most urgent prayer need, as we have a meeting with him tomorrow about his future role with us. Also we are having the mayor over for lunch and a facility tour tomorrow.

For me the last couple weeks have been mostly filled with arranging tool purchases and material suppliers, shop setup, researching candidates, and translating meetings for Greg.

In other news. I still try to make myself available to do the maintenance at Casa Havilah, and try to visit the girls at least once a week, but that has become more difficult since I moved, and my Land Rover spent a couple weeks in the shop. I have been giving my tithes to help buy the food for the girls there.

And the last thing was I spent my Saturday afternoons volunteering with the scholarship program, they are now finished for the year. A praise from that though, is that Romolo got saved a couple weeks back! He is like a different person, you can see it in his eyes. And he and Miguel have moved in with Pastor Ramon, who is going to lead a Verbo church plant in La Chureca. They are really thriving in such a healthy environment...so big ups to God on that one!

That's kinda the rundown.

Much Love,
Eli

El mismo como mi último blog, pero en español. (This is the Spanish version of the same blog that is below...read that one if you prefer English.)

Sé que yo debería blog más sobre mi vida regular aquí, pero este es una petición de oraciones importante de un amigo. Un amigo que era el padre de un querido amigo mío falleció de un ataque cardíaco ayer. Este es la petición de oraciones de correo electrónico que he estado enviando.

Oye amigos... pensamiento yo expediría esta petición de oraciones. Sólo me puse otro correo electrónico de Josh y él dijo que ellos realmente necesitan los oraciones. Él y Caleb vuela atrás con el cuerpo, y una pareja que otros amigos son yendo a hacer preparativos para la materia que ellos van a tener dejar aquí en Nicaragua. La familia Izdepski se ha hecho amigos íntimos míos, ellos han estado implicados con derechos de trabajadores y a seguridad de trabajo resulta en América Central durante 20 años más o menos. Bob era a el buceador scuba profesional (retirado de plataformas petroleras), y tenía un verdadero pasión para los buzos de langosturas Miskito. Él puso el primer los primeros auxilios de buzo y cámaras de descompresión se centran en la costa del este hace aproximadamente 15 años.Él trabajaba actualmente en la seguridad química para plátano y trabajadores de caña de azúcar y para empleo alternativo para los buzos que habían sido paralizados. En los meses de pareja pasados, Bob y su los hijos habían estado usando la casa en la cual alquilo como un campamento base de clases sus viajes alrededor de América Central. Esto era un verdadero privilegio de ponerse
conocerlo en el tiempo corto que hice.

Josh Izdepski y yo estábamos juntos en el esfuerzo de apollo después del huracán Felix, y Josh, Caleb, y Bob era todos los compañeros de habitación a ratos míos junto con trabajadores y equipos de película que incluyen a Jason Glaser y el activista nicaragüense Juan Alejandro Samuel. Había un precio contra la cabeza de Bob en ciertas áreas de América Central porque él era tan valiente con su trabajo para traer un ambiente de trabajo cómodo y seguro a América Latina que él costó gobiernos y corporaciones grandes millones de dólares ... todos en nombre de hacer la cosa derecha. A Bob le gustó guardar su paradero y modelos desconocidos, y yo hacía todo lo posible guardar mi casa una casa segura para su familia y equipos. Muchas mañanas que yo despertaría con ellos organizando sus reuniones en el pórtico o en la cocina sobre lo que el siguiente movimiento debería levantar conciencia, fondos, o simplemente tomar medidas para ayudar "el afectado." (Miran el remolque aquí www.affectedmovie.com) Bob era Christian fuerte, como son sus dos hijos que conozco. Bob era la clase de Christian que hizo lo que era correcto, no importa el coste, y encontró a la gente donde ellos eran. Él podría hacerse todas las cosas a todos los hombres, y a menudo tuvo que hacer esto para el bien su propia seguridad y para aquella de su familia. En toda su cautela, hay ironía que él murió de causas naturales. Pero en el tiempo corto que yo lo conocía, pienso que yo sabía que él bastante bien sabía que esto cabía para él para pasar al Señor en su América Central querida, yendo de excursión con dos de sus hijos y algunos queridos amigos. Los amigos y los hijos que son más que capaces de aguantar su antorcha.

Mi petición de oraciones es para la fuerza para Josh y Caleb y la familia Izdepski entera. También para Jason Glaser y Steve (?) los dos amigos que dirigen y y filman la película con ellos. Jason y Steve toman la delantera graciosamente en arreglos que se manejan de Costa Rica y les ayudaré a finalizar arreglos en Nicaragua. Este es la segunda muerte trágica que Jason y Steve han atestiguado en tan muchas semanas. Ellos necesitan oraciones para la paz tanto como alguien.

Mucho amor en Cristo,
Ilay

Pray for the Izdepski Family

I know I should blog more about my regular life here, but this is an important prayer request from a friend. A friend who was the father of a dear friend of mine passed away of a heart attack yesterday. This is the email prayer request that I have been sending.

Hey guys...thought I would forward this prayer request. I just got
another email from Josh and he said they really need prayer. He and
Caleb are flying back with the body, and a couple other friends are
going to make arrangements for the stuff that they are going to have
to leave behind here in Nicaragua. The Izdepski family has become
close friends of mine, they have been involved with workers rights and
job safety issues in Central America for 20 years or so. Bob was a
professional scuba diver (retired from oil rigs), and had a real
passion for the Miskito lobster divers. He put the first
decompression chambers and diver first aid centers on the east coast
about 15 years ago. He was currently working on chemical safety for
banana and sugar cane workers and for alternative employment for
divers who had been paralyzed. In the last couple months, Bob and his
sons had been using the house that I rent as a base camp of sorts in
their travels around Central America. It was a real privilege to get
to know him in the short time that I did.

Josh Izdepski and I were together in the relief effort after hurricane Felix, and Josh, Caleb, and Bob were all off-and-on roommates of mine along with workers and film crews that include Jason Glaser and Nicaraguan activist Juan Alejandro Samuel. There was a price on Bob's head in certain areas of Central America because he was so bold in his work to bring a comfortable and safe working environment to Latin America that he cost governments and large corporations millions of dollars...all in the name of doing the right thing. Bob liked to keep his whereabouts and patterns unknown, and I was doing my best to keep my house a safe house for his family and crews. Many mornings I would wake up with them staging their meetings on the porch or in the kitchen about what the next move would be to raise awareness, funds, or simply take action to help "the affected." (Watch the trailer here www.affectedmovie.com ) Bob was a strong Christian, as are his two sons that I know. Bob was the kind of Christian that did what was right, no matter the cost, and met people where they were. He could become all things to all men, and often had to do that for the sake his own safety and for that of his family. In all his cautiousness, there is irony that he died of natural causes. But in the short time that I knew him, I think I knew him well enough to know that it was fitting for him to pass to the Lord in his beloved Central America, while hiking with two of his sons and some dear friends. Friends and sons that are more than capable of bearing his torch.

My prayer request is for strength for Josh and Caleb and the whole Izdepski family. Also for Jason Glaser and Steve (?) the two friends directing and filming the movie with them. Jason and Steve are graciously taking the lead in handling arrangements from Costa Rica and I will be helping them finalize arrangements in Nicaragua. This is the second tragic death that Jason and Steve have witnessed in as many weeks. They need prayers for peace as much as anyone.

Much love in Christ,
Eli

Hurricane Felix

This is a long story very short, but the storm didn't hit us directly...it destroyed the Autonomous Atlantic Coast Region though. (It's like a country within a country). Nobody was doing anything to help...not even the Red Cross or government, so four friends and I called a shrimping company and started a supply chain for water and food. We were the first supply to hit the villages four days after the storm. The US Navy search and rescue was getting lists from us about what to do and where to go. Since we were the only ones that got anything done in a timely manner (you would not believe how many answered prayers that took), the President of the Autonomous Region has put us in charge of coordinating the relief effort. So I'm flying back up Tuesday to help him and to deliver more supplies. More adventure in one week than a lifetime should have. Things like buses sinking in Rivers and having to jump off and rescue the women and children...you know, that old chestnut.

Flat Tires and Garbage Fires

After having been here for three weeks I have changed 3 tires...and I don't even have a vehicle. I went with my friends Carlos and Melissa tonight to Pilar's house to watch "Pay it Forward" with the kids from the scholarship program. Finally got to hang out with Enrique and Pedro, and visited with their Mom, Patricia, for a little while. She makes this wonderful little snack called "Bunelos." New favorite. "Pay it Forward" is about giving to the next person rather than repaying the person that helped you. The movie was very poignant...given a story another missionary told me this week.

He said that in Africa, a man came up to a missionary and said, "You have been robbing us!" When asked how, he said, "You come and you give and give and give. But the Bible says, it is more blessed to give than to receive! You haven't taught us how to give, but to take."

Now, lets look at how Paul planted his churches. Did he go in giving tons to the people? Not exactly. He counseled them on how to be their own churches, but left the final decisions and the choice to reach out to the people within them. That's what we should be doing as missionaries (wherever you are). Yes, giving is important! But discipling others to give is much more important that just enabling a new group of takers. We should view them not as just poor, needy folk, but fellow workers for the truth. We should teach how to be Christlike by acting humbly and giving our own lives for the sake of the Name, and also guiding others to do the same. Allowing them to make the decisions of how their local church will reach out as the Body of Christ.

...and on the way home Carlos got a flat tire, so I waited with his car while he took it to get it fixed. The spare was flat too. Flat tires are pretty common when you drive in La Chureca. Tonight was the first time I have been in La Chureca at night. The garbage fires have a bitter beauty about them after dark. Anyhow while I was waiting by the car it was an unexpected chance to pray for my friends and their ministries. As Carlos dropped me off he said, "Thanks for the help, buddy!"

...and I actually got to say, "Hey, pay it forward."

I know he will. That's the way he lives his life.

This Morning

This morning there were ten people asleep in the floor of my apartment, because a pastor threatened to kill any white people that came back to the ministry where they were staying.

This morning I drove by a church that charges poor people money to pray blessings and healing for them.

This morning I walked past prostitutes that were working amidst piles of burning garbage.

This morning I had men ask if they could buy the white girls that were with me.

This morning I saw a little naked boy covered in dirt standing alone and crying in the road.

This morning I saw a fourteen year old girl who has HIV, syphilis, and several other STD's because her parents forced her into prostitution at the age of eight.

This morning I saw her smile and throw a water balloon at another child.

This morning I saw my friend pick up the little naked, dirty, crying boy and make it all better.

This morning the child that had just been hit by a water balloon gave me a hug and held my hand.

This morning a two year-old orphan walked up to me and gave me a piece of her candy.

This morning we got dirty.

...but this morning nobody noticed it because of all the love.

Two Weeks in Managua

Well...I have been in Nicaragua for two weeks now. There is so much to tell that I don't really know where to start. Electricity during the day is almost a rare luxury, even if you are somewhere that has a generator and a router, it doesn't necessarily mean that there is internet access...because the power is probably out at the cable company.

For those of you at the River, I have seen several of your favorite kids...but not all. I see Miguel and Yara (and her sisters) at church, and I have talked to Enrique on the phone. I saw Alejandro in La Chureca last week. My friend Dan offered him a spot at a autobody vocational school nearby there, but sadly he declined because he said he had too much work to do in Chureca. I'm going to go back there Thursday for a kids playday (school is out this week.)

As far as my personal arrangements...I am living with a missionary named Mark while his family is away. Dan and I are planning on getting a house in the beginning of August. My Spanish is improving, but is still not where I want it to be. I have been teaching in the school with Mike Deibert, and there are, of course, problems to deal with. On the whole, however, things are going well. The Nica HOPE directors are here this week, so we should see more about what the future of the schools will look like. I am definitely going to need a vehicle, so if everyone would pray that I can find something (and have the funds for it) then I would really appreciate it.

Mike has found a true man of peace named Freddy to help in the schools. He is Nica, and really a good example for the other boys to see. He has 7 brothers and sisters in the US, but believes that God wants him to stay in Nicaragua to help his people. He always has a smile and a hymn to sing while he is working. Right now they have a project putting a railing up around a house, and Freddy has really boosted their motivation in ways that Mike and I never could.

Anyway...pictures!

...sorry, I lost internet before I could put the link up before. Here is the new album.

Blacksmithing School and Flat Tire Night in the Village

The Places I Will Go (Fun with Google Earth)

If you play with Google Earth, you might find these interesting.

La Chureca (notice the yellow bus...that is most likely Guillermo and Open Hearts Ministry)
12° 9'52.72"N
86°18'12.06"W

Quinta Havilah (The Open Hearts Ministry farm)
12° 6'4.97"N
86°21'4.29"W

Condominio Allyson (The apartments I will most likely live in.)
12° 5'48.55"N
86°20'58.39"W

Monte Hermon ...to the best I can remember it is at least near here. (site of the next vocational school)
12° 4'45.26"N
86°21'49.08"W

Campo Alegria
11°29'7.43"N
85°47' 25.31"W

And for comparison...The River Ministry Center site
36° 8'2.26"N
85°31'23.20"W

Enjoy the "Flight!"

Blessings,
Eli