Interdistrital Norte Ovalle 2007

¡Qué Bendición Tan Enorme!

Desde el 24 al 28 de Enero pasado, en la ciudad de Ovalle, en la cuarta región, se efectuó el Encuentro Interdistrital Norte, de la Federación de Juventud Metodista de Chile. Convocó a 60 jóvenes desde Iquique a Santiago, con invitados que venían desde más al sur.
Disfruté mucho conocer a los hermanos de Ovalle. Marcelo Espíndola hizo un gran trabajo, que creo que fue muy bien apoyado por Claudia, gracias a Dios por ambos.
Fueron días de un mover hermoso en el Señor. Sentí que estaba unánime con mis hermanos, sentí que Dios nos había unido y llevado a Ovalle a hacer algo realmente importante para Él y por Él.
Tamara, Karen, Anita y Mapi también acudieron, en representación de nuestro distrito.

En la foto, aparece el pastor Carlos Orellana, quien ha sido llamado por Dios a una misión fuera de la Iglesia Metodista, a quien tengo el placer de conocer y con quien, por gracia de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, trabajé también durante el inter y tuve largas conversaciones de madrugada, acerca de la obra de nuestro Dios en nuestras vidas. ¡Olía a Dios! Cada vez que conversábamos. Incluso la gente a nuestro alrededor lo podía sentir.

Tuve la oportunidad de predicar en el culto de Bienvenida. La invitación de Dios para todo nosotros fue, en esa ocasión, a vivir como dignos de la vocación con que Dios nos llamó, como señala Efesios. 4

Mis fieles hermanas del distrito asumieron con mucho amor las tareas encomendadas. Hicieron un gran trabajo. No esperaba menos de ellas...

Después de momentos de capacitación, era momento de ponernos manos a la obra. Acompañados por el Espíritu de Dios, fuimos a la localidad de "Los Copihues", a 40 minutos de Ovalle. Ahí nos dividimos en tres áreas de trabajo; Pintar, trabajar con niños y Evangelismo e Intercesión.

Dirigidos por el pastor Moisés Sanchez, de la Iglesia de Coquimbo, fuimos de dos en dos, predicando casa por casa, con un megáfono y predicando la palabra de Dios en las esquinas. Anunciamos a Los Copihues que Dios salvó nuestras vidas. Y que les ama y quiere salvar las de ellos. hubo gente que recibió el mensaje con gusto. Otros nos evitaron. Pero todos escucharon. Mapi y yo fuimos a visitar a una ancianita que tenía 112 años. Estaba postrada y su hija cuidaba de ella.

Hicimos un impacto evangelístico, justo en la sede social del lugar. Gente del pueblo vino a ver qué hacíamos. Escucharon el mensaje del Superintendente pastor Cristian Varas, quien dió un impactante testimonio de vida.

Volvimos a Ovalle contentos. Cansados, pero felices. Luego vivimos uno de los momentos que más recordaré del Inter... Un grupo de nosotros, jóvenes del metro, norte y norte verde, fuimos a la plaza. Empezamos a conversar acerca de Dios. Acerca de quién es Él. Acerca de dones espirituales. Aquellos temas que se relacionan con la naturaleza sobrenatural de nuestra relación con Dios. Como se hizo tarde, llevamos la conversación de vuelta al internado donde estábamos alojando. Ahí pude compartir mis experiencias con los más jóvenes. ¡Y qué esperanzador es mirar a esta generación! Son jóvenes exremos, tienen pasión por Dios. Es innegable que Dios está llenando con vino nuevo, estos odres nuevos.

El día domingo pude participar de la escuela dominical, compartí con la clase de adultos, el tema de "La Extraña Obra de Dios", basado en Isaias 28:21. Los hermanos realmente disfrutaron de la clase. La foto demuestra que el día domingo el pastor y yo estábamos usando "el uniforme de la escuela dominical".

¡Gloria a Dios por los más pequeños! Gloria a Dios porque hay un renuevo. Gracias por haber vivido este Inter.

"Hicieron asimismo la lámina de la diadema santa de oro puro, y escribieron en ella como grabado de sello: SANTIDAD A JEHOVÁ."
Éxodo 39:30

Working With The Cogswell Group

After arriving in Iquique, and making sure the youth from Bolivia leave without any problems, I went to Robert Johnson High School in Alto Hospicio. I made sure every facility and mattress were in the best shape to return everything as agreed. There was a group of Volunteers in Mission working at the Elementary School. They were building furniture for KUSAYAPU, a boarding School in a town called Pachica, located two hours from Iquique, in the High Plateau.

I had worked with the Cogwells before, building pews for the Second Methodist Church in Iquique.
It was great working with them again. There were people I had met before and some other I met just now. Anyway I had a blast working with them and sharing laughs, sweat, hugs and the grace of our Lord. Thanks to the Lord for this wonderful opportunity and I pray that its is not the last one...

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling" Ephesians 4:4

Despues de llegar a Iquique y asegurarme de que el grupo de jóvenes bolivianos iniciara su regreso a casa, volví al colegio Robert Johnson. Ahí estaba trabajando un grupo de Voluntarios a cargo de los Cogswell. En esta oportunidad estaban construyendo escritorios para KUSAYAPU.

Había trabajado con los Cogswell anteriormente, construyendo bancas para la Segunda Iglesia Metodista de Iquique. La pasé muy bien trabajando con ellos de nuevo. Compartimos gratos momentos y además tuve la oportunidad de practicar inglés. Claudia Olate estuvo traduciendo de manera oficial y una vez más, hizo un excelente trabajo. Le doy gracias y oro a Dios por otra oportunidad de volve a trabajar con ellos...

"Un cuerpo, y un Espíritu, como fuisteis también llamados en una misma esperanza de vuestra vocación" Efesios 4:4

When Cats Were Fighting On The Roof

Thursday, January 4th, 2007. After Months of planning and e-mailing a group of 27 Bolivian young people came to Iquique. They were visiting the north of Chile for a mission trip that would last 10 days. The younger was 13 years old. They were lead buy DeAnna Olson, a missionary from The States who has lived in Bolivia for several years in Bolivia. Her husband is the pastor in their church called "Nueva Comunidad Bethesda". By the grace of God, I met DeAnna, Patty and Herbert last September. And by the grace of God we started a trip that lead into unsuspected adventures of blessings and miracles...

At the beginning, I didn't know what to expect of all this experience. I knew what my role was, and I did my best to receive the group. I contacted all the people necessary to prepare their arrival and Patty Henrichs, a volunteer in Mission in Iquique, took care of the comunications all the time until their arrival on January 4th. Actually, Patty was the one who was alwys attentive to their requierements, since from time to time I missed some info coming from Bolivia and I couldn't reply as fast as I should. Thank to the works of our Lord, Patty Henrichs was in Iquique, just in the time we needed her, and I dare say that none of this would have happened if she wouldn't have been there.

Harriet tagged along officially as member of the Youth Board of the North District. We met huge servants of God, young men and women who serve God unconditionally, with love, and more than love real sanctity and passion for Christ.

They spent two days in Iquique. They went on a boat trip. They hadn't been to the ocean before, so it was a really cool experience for them. That they, a friday, I went to hand in the form in order to apply for the VISA at the US Embassy.

Next day, Saturday 6th, we left to Antofagasta. There the pastor gave us a warm welcome. We painted the Second Church "Cristo Rey", we went door by door evangelizing, and we preached on the streets. I had gone visiting people at their homes in order to tell them about the love of God sevral times before, but never had lived anything like what we experienced that evening. We divided in groups to go door by door. My group was composed by three Bolivian girls and me. A lady openned her door and asked us to come in. She asked us for prayers so we prayed, then she told us her father was sick, so we prayed for his father. He has cancer, and a very die hard and serious infection in his lungs. We layed our hands on him. We prayed. And we believe God worked.

Then we went next door. We were told we wouldn't be able to talk to the woman who lived there, because her knees hurt really bad, and she wouldn't open the door. In that moment we thought; 'Well, God sent us here, we are just one knock to meet this woman. So, why not?' We knocked and to our amazement, a girl opened the door. We introduced ourselves and told her we eanted to visit the old lady who lived there. The girl smiled at us and invited us to come in. She shouted 'Grandma, there are some visitors sent by God, who've come to see you'. I was at lost for words. Then we met Mercedes. We had a nice conversation and even had soft drinks! We prayed for her health and family.

In Antofagasta we had the opportunity of presenting a programme at the food court of a huge mall-supermarket. People were interested in the drama the guys performed, about the creation, fall and sin of man and redemption.

The title of this post is due to cats who were fighting at three in the morning one night. I woke up and started writing notes on my trip and the blessings of God.

Then we went to Calama, were pastor Jesus Aranda received us with the love of God, as always. We had a ball at the local missionary church. We enjoyed a wonderful service were feet danced in worship.

There we knew about news in Cochambamba, the local authorities were standing up to the "cocaleros" who wanted to overthrown Manfred, the governor. Roads were taken over, they were running out of money and we still had to make it to Iquique. We had an awesome moment of prayer and then peace from our Lord came unto us. We were held and supported by the word of God; "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but members of the same community with all other saints, and you are part of God's family" and the words of Psalms 121 "The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

I can't thank enough to the Lord for all his blessings. This trip meant a lot to me. It marks a new beginning and a new challenge for me. My best friend, my God and Savior is calling my bluff. It is time to live as worthy of my calling...