A Real Christian Man

My dad was my first hero. As a child, I thought he could do anything. Oh, I knew he could not fly like Superman, but he was certainly more capable than Batman. After all, he could preach, teach, ride a motorcycle, fly an airplane, play a ukulele, sing with gusto, build houses, fix almost anything, and teach us cool stuff like how to fish, swim, and ride a bicycle.  He could even read us books and change his voice to sound like the characters in the book.

Dad planing a board for our house.

We learned a lot from his teaching. He taught us how to mow a lawn, plant a garden, wield a hammer, build things, and use power tools. He spent hours with my brothers rebuilding a car engine. He was at home in the kitchen.  On our birthdays, he made a tall stack Norwegian pancakes so that we could eat until we waddled away from the table, holding our bellies and declaring to the others how many pancakes we wolfed down. Now when we make Norwegian pancakes for the next generation, we use Dad's recipe, perfected through years of birthday celebrations.

However, the lessons I learned by observation were even more special. While I may not have admitted it while I was growing up, he set a standard for me of what it meant to be a real Christian man. When I got married, these were the things I wanted in a husband. I wanted someone who was authentic in his faith and who was a real Christian guy.

1. A real Christian man spends time alone with God.

In the morning when I arose, I usually found him in the living room. His Bible lay open on his lap and when he was done reading, he took out a list, scrawled in his own handwriting. As his prayer list covered the page of his Bible, he closed his eyes and talked to God about his concerns.  Occasionally I watched him, wondering how he could pray for so long.

One morning he was missing at breakfast. Later I asked him where he was. "I so wanted to stay up all night and pray like Jesus did when He was on earth," he told me, "but at about three in the morning I had to go back to sleep. One day I will try again." There were times when he was missing from the dinner table because he was praying and fasting.

2. A real Christian man loves his family.

Many pastors take Mondays off because they find Sundays exhausting. For him, Sundays were filled to the brim with teaching, preaching, counseling, prayer, and hospitality. He must have been tired on Mondays too. Yet because his children were in school on Monday, he chose to take his day off on Saturday so that he could spend more time with us.

His favorite stories to tell and retell were often about his children. Whether it was Steven's exposition of Scriptures, Dan's miraculous recovery, Tim's natural leadership, Joel's cute antics, Andrea's inexhaustible energy, Reza's adoption, or my fear of monsters in the night, his stories remain with us as part of our heritage. They give us a sense of identity and belonging. They tell us we belong to him.

While there was not a lot of money in the house, we knew that he considered us a priority. Birthday and Christmas gifts were simple and practical, but they were part of our celebration and a reminder that our parents cared. Vacations were spent as a family - either camping or visiting relatives. When special events like graduation arose, there was always a celebration and Dad was there, laughing and smiling with us.

3. A real Christian man tells others of Christ. 

My dad was shy, but he was also determined to let his light shine for Christ. At a gas station, he'd ask the attendant, "If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would go?" Depending upon the response, we might be there a while as he continued to share his faith with him. At restaurants, he'd say to the waitress, "We're going to pray in a minute. Is there anything I can pray about for you?" He kept gospel tracts in his pockets when he was traveling so that he would be able to leave information with people he encountered along the way. He was always ready to tell others of the hope he had in God.

I remember the day that he called me to tell me that Marcus, an Indonesian pastor, had died. "Now I know for sure that there will be someone to greet me in heaven when I get there because I introduced him to Jesus," he said with a mixture of sorrow and joy.

4. A real Christian man stands up for what he believes.

It would have been so much easier to keep quiet than to let people know his convictions were different from theirs. He could have kept his mouth shut when he saw people straying instead of encouraging them to go hard after God. He could have preached safe sermons rather than stepping on their toes. How he longed for people to take sanctification seriously and to do what they could to walk as closely to God as possible. So he chose to call sin evil and warn people of choosing the wrong path.

I thought it was normal for Christians to take a stand and to pursue heavenly goals with dogged determination. I thought every Christian tried to put God first in their lives. After all, all of the men I admired were like that, but especially my dad. Now I realize that his commitment is more rare than I realized. While it may be "normal," it is certainly not common.

5. A real Christian man is authentic all the time.

There was no difference between the man we saw at home and the man others saw at church. What he preached from the pulpit, he preached to us at home. If he said he hated sin, we heard him say it first at home. We never had to wonder what mood he was going to be in or how he would react to us. His moods did not affect his behavior. If he was wrong, he admitted it.

Sometimes I meet people who tell of a very different home life from what we see in public, and I grieve with them. It is hard for me to imagine the weight of having to put on a face in public to cover up what is really going on. I am glad that my dad taught me to be genuine at home so that we did not have to be hypocritical.

6. A real Christian man leaves a lasting legacy.

My dad is 91 years old now. He is weak and can no longer climb mountains to find jungle tribes that need the gospel. He tires easily just from daily activity, let alone the stress of juggling the myriad responsibilities of those many years of being a missions director. So I am glad that he spent his strong years doing things that would matter long after he is gone.

Fifty years from now, when he is celebrating in heaven, his legacy on earth will live on. An orphanage in the Philippines and a Bible school in Indonesia may still remember his part in their inception. Grandchildren may recount stories of his life. But even if they don't, there will be people in heaven who will thank him for his steadfast faithfulness to the God that he worships. I know because I will be one of them.

A Picture Summary of 2016

Take a trip with us and see where we were and what we were doing abroad during the past year.  We each took five trips and went to six countries.  Five of those trips we took together and we each took one trip alone. That does not even count the trips we took within the U.S. where we went to Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, California, and probably some other states too.  It was a busy and blessed year, and we are looking forward to an even busier one this year.

We put together a Prezi presentation online of our trips abroad. Just click on the link, and it will take you there. Then you can cruise through the photos and, if we visited you, maybe even find a photo of yourself.  Just tap on the link and then in the new window use the arrow keys to go through the presentation.

Christmas Sunday at the Beach

Early this morning as the sun rose, I stepped into the half light of the apartment where we were staying.  

I turned on the coffee pot and walked over to the sliding glass door and gazed at the beauty outside. When the coffee finished brewing, I poured myself a cup and added some cream from the refrigerator. Then, with the coffee cup warming my hands, I walked the few paces to the couch and sat down. I picked up the lighter and slowly lit the advent wreath, giving thanks to God for His unspeakable gift - a gift I needed far more than anything someone on earth could give me.  I breathed a prayer as I lit each candle.  "Thank You, God, that You became flesh and took on the form of a man so that I could know about You.  Thank You that You are Immanuel - God with us.  Thank You that You knew what I needed most this Christmas and every Christmas - a Savior.  Thank You for Your gifts of hope, peace, joy and love."  When I finished lighting the wreath, I nestled my body into the cushions of the couch and began to read from Galatians, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son . . ."  I read on, once again touched by God's gift to us.

Every Christmas no matter where I am in the world, this is the way I love to start the day - lighting the advent wreath and then with coffee warming my hands and the Bible and prayer warming my heart, I give this day to the Lord.  But today we were in Florida, so after a few minutes on the couch, I slipped out to the balcony where I could watch the sun rise over the distant ocean.  A cool breeze stirred the palm trees and a fountain rippled the water in a pool below the balcony.  I marveled at the beauty around me.  Imagine, I thought, that the God who made all of this became one of His own creatures - a man.  The God who is so powerful that He spoke this world into existence became powerless - a baby who needed His mother for nourishment to sustain him.

After reading a while and praying, my coffee cup was empty and it was time to head back in.  Just then Charlie came out.  "Merry Christmas," he said to me and lightly kissed my cheek.  "Merry Christmas, " I replied.  He stood for a minute behind my chair and joined me in admiring God's creation of this new day.  Then we headed back in so that I could make breakfast.

Usually on Sunday mornings, I put on worship music while I am preparing breakfast, but I had forgotten to bring along any CD's on this trip.  Instead, I hummed, "O come let us adore Him" as I worked.  How glad I was that this Christmas fell on a Sunday.  It seemed especially appropriate to me to gather with other believers on this, His birthday.  Even though we would be visitors in church that morning in a church where we had never gone, it would be good to sing His praises together with other believers and read His Word with them.  

After breakfast and getting ready we headed out.  On the way to church, Charlie found a radio station playing Christmas carols and we listened and occasionally sang along.  When we arrived, we were greeted by several people and found our seats.  Before long the choir filed into the choir loft.  "A small choir this morning," a voice said behind us.  When the first notes of "Emmanuel" were sung, I breathed a sign of thanksgiving.  "Thank you, Lord," I prayed, "for good music and for believers with whom to celebrate You on this, Your birthday.  I have never met these people before, and yet they are some of the ones with whom I will spend eternity.  How appropriate that I meet more of Your children on Your birthday."  

The rest of the day included dinner with my sister's family, walks on the beach, watching the sun set over the ocean, and taking a drive after dark to look for Christmas lights.  It was a good day.  As I settled into bed that night, I thanked the Lord.  


"Thank You, Lord, for today," I prayed.  "It was a lovely day.  I really enjoy it when I get to be with Your people on Christmas Day, even when I don't know them."

Then I thought, "Lord, did You have a good day today?  We say Christmas is the day we celebrate the day You were born, so did You have a good day?  I hope so.  I hope that all of the worship that was lifted to You by Your children today made it a good day for You.  I know You are outside of our time zones and You don't experience days like we do, but You came into our world on this day many years ago, so You know what I am talking about.  Next year, when Christmas falls on a Monday and it is unlikely that I will attend a church service that day, then help me to be as conscious with my worship of You as I was today.  Help me to make sure that YOU are the One that I am honoring on that day.  Help me to make it a day that is pleasing to You.  Amen."  

God is Good

September Newsletter

GOD IS GOOD.  We know this is true regardless of our perceptions, but lately it has been obvious in our ministry.

One of the VBS classes

GOD IS GOOD in Arequipa, Peru. In July, Joan traveled to Arequipa to conduct a children’s ministry VBS training.  Levi Schooley, also in the children’s ministry department of IPM, co-taught the class with her.  Almost as soon as the class was over, Joan lost her voice.  God was good to give her the strength to teach and then give her the chance to observe during the second week when she had no voice.  It was a very busy week with both a leadership conference and VBS going on, but it was a delight to see several children make professions of faith.

GOD IS GOOD in Guatemala.  A week after Joan left, Charlie left for Guatemala.  Giovanni Avendaño asked him to teach on finances in the Bible institute.  He taught each week in the institute, preached in the services, visited in homes, and taught Sunday school.  Joan arrived after he had been there 10 days, and she taught the children’s teachers, participated in children’s club, and visited with people.  During the time they were there, they were privileged to see the Lord of the Harvest bring saving faith to more than twenty people.

Charlie preaching in Guatemala.

GOD IS GOOD to provide for our travels.  One of the blessings of frequent travels are frequent flyer miles.  When we were booking our tickets to Guatemala, the travel account was dry, but we had frequent flyer miles we could use.  So instead of using financial gifts this time, we were able to use miles to book round trip tickets for Charlie and the return trip for Joan.

GOD IS GOOD when we cross paths with people.  As she waited for her flight in Lima, Peru, Joan met a young woman who had missed her flight.  Natalia needed to charge her phone, so she asked if she could use Joan’s computer to charge it.  This gave Joan an opportunity to share God’s love with her.

GOD IS GOOD in allowing us to go to Europe.  Last year, Joan’s brother invited us to go with him to Belarus on a mission’s trip.  Even though this is our work, Charlie thought it sounded like a great “vacation” too.  So we are flying out on September 10 to participate in a leadership conference there and get to know some of our Belarussian brothers and sisters.

On our return home, we will be stopping in Luxembourg where we will spend time with missionary friends, Tim and Kathy Heijermans.  They have asked us to do a children’s ministry seminar for children and their parents.  We have known the Heijermans for many years, and it will be great to see firsthand the work that they have been doing.

GOD IS GOOD to give us the energy to do what He calls us to do.  Whether it is battling laryngitis in Peru, a stomach bug in Guatemala, or bronchitis in Minnesota, God has enabled us to keep going. We are blessed.

GOD IS GOOD in providing people who pray for us and support us.  Thank you.

Yes, it’s true.  GOD IS GOOD – all the time.

Thank you for your prayers,
Charlie and Joan Farley

A Guatemalan Harvest

I stepped off the plane, glad to be back in Guatemala again.  Ever since I lived there many years ago, Guatemala is a country that is close to my heart.  The people are friendly; the scenery is beautiful; and the weather is like an eternal spring.  Then, two years ago, my heart bonded with several of the people in the church where we worked, and I was looking forward to seeing them again.  Yet this time it was even more special because Charlie was already there, waiting for me.

On the two-hour ride back from the airport to the small town of Cerro Alto, I saw the corn fields, tall, tasseled, and ready for harvest.  We passed a market where the vendors tables were piled high with garden produce.  I looked longingly at all the fresh fruit and looked forward to sinking my teeth into guava, papaya, and lychees.  Flowers, ready for export, grew along the way.  The abundant gardens gave tribute to a mighty God who was providing for the Guatemala people.

Yet along the way, Charlie told me of an even more important harvest that was happening.  The previous Sunday, eight people had come forward to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.  I was impressed. In a church of less than one hundred people, that it a significant number.  I rejoiced at the wonderful work God was doing there and excited at the prospect of meeting these new believers.

I knew, from our previous visit, that newcomers to this church do not always realize that they need to make a decision to follow Christ.  Their religious background has led them to believe that they are fine.  After all, they were baptized when they were young, and they have tried to do right.  Then, after attending for a while and hearing the commands of Christ to repent of their sin and follow Him, they realize that they need more.  They need to surrender in faith and ask Him to save them.  Eight of them had done this on a single Sunday!

If only those eight had accepted Jesus as their Savior, I would have been impressed by the rich and bountiful spiritual harvest, but God was not done.  The following Sunday, the pastor preached a strong sermon about sin and the hold it has on people.  At the end, he asked if anyone there realized they needed Christ's redeeming work to save them from the power of sin.  Six more people walked to the front!  Now the church was really rejoicing together.  Warm hugs and hand shakes reached out to welcome these new believers into the family.

On the third Sunday, Charlie taught Sunday School.  For some reason, the pastor thought he should follow the lesson with an invitation to receive Christ as Savior.  This time a husband and wife walked forward and asked Jesus to save them.

The birthday girl

On our last Friday night, we gathered in the home of one of the members instead of holding the usual Friday evening service at church.  Their daughter was having a birthday, so they invited the whole church for supper.  Once again, the pastor gave an invitation and a ten-year-old girl raised her hand.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a 9-year-old boy had done the same.  He invited them forward.  Then another four children came forward as well.  The pastor spoke with them and they professed their faith in Christ to save them.

The last Sunday afternoon we were there, we traveled to a nearby town where a new church plant has started.  A man arrived late to the service.  Most of the seats in the small auditorium were taken, but there was a row of empty seats in the front row.  Together with his little girls, he made his way up there and listened intently as Pastor preached.  Charlie whispered to me, "He is not yet a believer."  I nodded and began to pray for him.  At the end of the service, Pastor asked, "Is there anyone here who is ready to ask Jesus to be His personal Savior?"  The man stood to his feet.  That night one more man was born into God's family.

It was amazing to watch what God was doing in this corner of Guatemala.  I felt as though I was back in Bible times when it says in Acts 2:47, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."  Almost every time the church met, someone else was being saved.

February Highlights

Looking back, these are some of our blessings from this month.

Twice a month our church goes out into the neighborhoods to visit those who need encouragement and to share the gospel.  In February, Charlie was the prayer partner as one of the men in our church led a young man to the Lord.

We attended a Valentine's Banquet in our church.  In addition to a fine dinner served by the teenagers and an excellent message on marriage, there were also some games.  Charlie and I won the word game and came home with a prize.

Charlie flew to Iquitos, Peru, and from there took a boat downriver to Mazan where he and a couple other men from IPM held a pastors conference.  While they were there, God answered these prayers:

The town of Mazan

• Safety for the men when their boat hit a log at full speed and had to pull over for repairs.
• Encouragement and growth for the pastors who attended.
• An ability for Charlie and the other speakers to complement each other in their teaching, thereby giving more in-depth understanding of the subject matter.
• God is growing His church in the Amazon.  One church Charlie attended was almost double in size from his previous visit last summer.

While Charlie was gone, I went through the small neighborhood where we live and invited the ladies over for a morning coffee.  Six women and one teenager came, and it was a good time of getting to know each other.  When they left, I handed each one a rose.  It is my hope that this is beginning of some lifelong and eternal friendships.

Our church held a missions conference while Charlie was gone.  By the end of the conference, they came within a few hundred dollars of meeting last year's goal, and they decided to raise their faith promise giving by 28%.  This is a huge blessing to the missionaries who attended who are raising support to go abroad.  They can now add our church to their list of supporters.

Charlie arrived safely home on Sunday afternoon, in time to celebrate together with our church on their victory of raising their faith promise goal.   

Christmas Card Blessings

I took the Christmas cards down today.  I decided to leave them out longer this year than usual.  We were gone for the first two weeks of January, and when we returned, there were some Christmas cards in the mail.  I just could not bring myself to let go of them when I had only just received them.  So they have continued to decorate our house long after the other decorations came down.

We received a fraction of the number of Christmas cards we received in previous years.  I understand some of the reasons for this.  Postage rates have climbed so high at the same time that gasoline prices drop that I feel I should visit people rather than send them a card.  Okay, that is not practical.  I would have to drive the entire country and even to other parts of the world.  Still, it is expensive and social media greetings are so much easier and quicker.  After all, with one "Merry Christmas" on Facebook I can reach out to hundreds of friends.  Or can I?

When I read a "Merry Christmas" on Facebook, I do not assume that someone is thinking about me when they posted it, but when I receive a card in the mail, I know that a friend took the time to think about me and send me a card.  I received a tangible expression of that person's care for me when I picked up my mail that day.  Then, when they took the time to add a note or include a newsletter, I also get caught up on their news.  That, too, is a blessing.

As I pulled the cards down off the door frames where they were hanging, I reread them.  Here are some of the special blessings I found in them:

• Memories we shared during the year.
• A desire to get together in the new year.
• Photos of children who are growing and friends whom I have not seen in years.
• Expressions of commitment to pray for us.
• A couple cards included gifts for our ministry which we submitted to IPM for our overseas travel expenses.
• A reminder that we are privileged to be a part of a huge body of Christ.

One card stands out.  It read, "We are sorry that we cannot commit to your ongoing ministry.  We have more than 100 ministries which we support which makes it hard to give a lot to anyone, but sometime in the new year, you will receive a gift from us."  One hundred ministries!  Wow!  And this dear couple included us in that 100.  What a blessing it is to me to know them, especially since I know they pray for us as well.

The Christmas card tradition may not last.  Hopefully, it will be replaced with something even  more meaningful.  But I, for one, have been glad this year to enjoy the gift of Christmas cards once again.

Blessings in Disguise

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  I Thess. 5:18

The miles passed quickly as we made our way in the car from Mercedes, in Corrientes, Argentina to Concordia, where we were going to cross the bridge into Salto, Uruguay.  As we approached the bridge, orange cones blocked the access and a police woman stood on the side of the road.

“What is going on?” Anibal asked.  “We’re going to Salto.”

“I am sorry, sir,” she said.  “The bridge is closed for repair.  It will open again in the evening.”

“But these two have to get to Montevideo,” Anibal explained.  “They have a flight out tomorrow.”

The policewoman kindly offered the available choices: 

• Wait until the bridge re-opened and go across then.  We knew that was not a good option because we would miss the afternoon buses to Montevideo.
• Go down to the next bridge which was more than 60 miles away.  That was not a good option for Anibal because it would take him further out of his way and delay his return home.
• Go into the next town to the Navy base where we could catch a boat across the river.

The third option was obviously the best one, so Anibal turned the car around and drove down the road.  After meandering through the town, we eventually found the Navy base where we got out and asked about the schedule.

"The boat just left and the next one is not until 3:00 p.m."

Oh well, there was nothing to do except wait for the next one.  We had plenty of time, so we left the car at the Navy base and headed out on foot to find lunch.  It was not even noon yet and many of the restaurants were just opening.  We walked along the sidewalk and saw one restaurateur setting tables outside.  

"Are you open?" we asked.  

"If you wait just a moment while I finish setting up," the owner replied.

We ordered burgers.  The typical Argentine burger comes with a fried egg on top and lettuce and tomato.  Charlie asked for mustard, but since it is not a normal condiment, we were charged for the entire bottle.  At the end of the meal, I asked about a tip.

"We do not usually do that," Anibal told us.  "Besides, you are leaving behind the bottle of mustard.  Let that be your tip."

Getting to experience a typical Argentine burger was a blessing.  It was a blessing in disguise because it came with a delay in our schedule.  If we had gone across on the bridge or if the boat had not just left, we would not have been able to experience that.

We headed back to the base.  We said our goodbyes to Anibal and continued to wait.  At 3:00 we boarded the boat and headed across the river to Salto.

In Salto, we got a taxi to take us to the bus station.  The taxi driver said to us, “I was born in Salto.  I have lived here all of my life, but I have never taken the boat across to Argentina.”  Without even realizing it, we had experienced what he thought was a novelty.  It was, to be sure, another blessing in disguise.

Days before, when we left Montevideo, we made arrangements with our missionaries there to stay at a hotel near to their home so that we could spend time with them.  Now we were very delayed and had no idea when we would arrive.  We contacted them to let them know they should not expect us.  At this point, we had no idea when we would actually arrive in Montevideo.  Of course, that meant that we had no idea where we would stay that night.

We arrived at the bus station and saw a Days Inn across the street.  An unexpected blessing.  We would not have to worry about having enough money for a taxi.  We could just walk there.  And yes, they had a room available.

In the morning, Charlie and I joined other hotel guests on the tenth floor for a typical Uruguayan breakfast of fruit, pastries and coffee.  After breakfast, I sat at one of the tables with my Bible and notebook in hand and marveled at this blessing in disguise.  Little did we know the night before as we pulled into the city that I would be able to sit on the tenth floor of a high-rise, enjoying my quiet time with the Lord with such a beautiful view around me.

The following day we boarded our plane to return to the U.S.  A few minutes after our scheduled departure, a deep voice came over the intercom.  “This is your captain speaking.  We are sorry for the delay.  There was a problem with a seal.  It is not something that will interfere with our flying, but we need to have the maintenance book signed off before we can fly.  Thank you for your patience.”

A half hour later we were still waiting.  Once again we heard the captain.  “Thank you so much for your patience.  I really thought we would be flying tonight, but because of some very bad weather over the Amazon, we have been informed that we cannot fly the plane with the problem with the seal.  I am so sorry.  This is a surprise to me.  I really thought we would be leaving tonight.”

So we all got off the plane and re-entered Uruguay.  The agent crossed off our exit stamps from a few hours earlier.  We reclaimed our luggage and headed for a hotel for the night.  As we drove through streets that were starting to become familiar, I realized we were heading for a different part of the city.  Now we would receive a night in a beautiful hotel with my loving husband, and even our meals were mostly covered. This was definitely another blessing in disguise.  

Traveling the world has helped us to understand that we can expect changes to our plans.  Yet even so, sometimes our reaction to the change shows that we do not appreciate the change.  We can chafe at the sudden change instead of finding the treasure in the adventure.  Instead of looking for the blessing, we focus on what was lost instead of what we gained.  No wonder we need to be reminded that we are to rejoice in everything.

Thank you, Lord, for your blessings, especially those that come disguised.
  

The View from My Office

Normally, my office window looks out on the woods that border our back yard.  I enjoy watching the robins look for food and the blue jays chase each other through the tree branches.  As autumn comes, I can see the changes in the leaves as the woods take on a golden glow.  Now that the day lengths are shorter, I am sometimes already working when the sun rises over the treetops.   It is a peaceful view, and I am grateful for it.

Through the years, however, the view out my “office” window has varied.  Recently it was the view of an airplane wing atop a cushion of clouds on a blue sky since my desk was the tray of the seat in front of me.  

Later that evening, it became the airport as we waited for connections to Uruguay.  Hundreds of people passed by on their way to their gates to fly to places around the world.  Charlie and I sat together working out our presentation for the conference.  After a while, it was time to give up our little table in the "Marketplace" and move to the gate.  There our "office" became a place of rejoicing when Alejandra and Sergio Herrera, our missionaries in Mexico, arrived.  It had been years since I had seen them.

The next day my view changed to that of blue skies, a sandy beach, and a gray-blue bay as I sat at my “desk” in the meeting room of a conference center outside of Montevideo, Uruguay.  What a blessing it was to be surrounded by IPM’s missionaries from all over Latin America as we met for a regional conference.  Some of them we had already met.  Others we were meeting for the first time.  When their voices lifted together in song, it gave me a little glimpse of what a joy heaven will be.

At the end of the conference it changed again. One day it was a panorama of pastoral quietness as we sat in a car for hours driving from Montevideo to the north of Uruguay.  Spring flowers in varying hues of yellow, blue, purple, and peach bordered the roads.  Mile after mile we saw sheep grazing in vast expanses of pastureland.  Then we passed ranches and dairy farms where cattle grazed.  It could have been Wisconsin or Pennsylvania.

Later that week it was the view out a window of a house in a neighborhood of Mercedes, Argentina.  Houses border a dirt road.  Inside the gate, green grass grew and extended outside the gate too.  Dogs barked as they wandered up and down the street.  Inside the living room of this small house more than twenty people gathered to learn about Hermeneutics.  Charlie taught through a translator, a missionary who has been here in Argentina for many years.

Tomorrow it will change again.  Yet in every case, I am grateful.  I have a laptop computer that I can take with me so that I can work from anywhere.  God has given me eyes to see the beauty around me wherever we go in the world, and He has given us opportunities to serve Him in many different places.  What a blessing to have an "office" that changes multiple times throughout the year.  I am blessed.

 

Just a Spoiled North American

Coming back from a month abroad can have several effects on me.  Sometimes I return aware that I miss being abroad and I am disappointed by how fast the time went by.  Sometimes I feel so blessed by the amenities we have here.  This time, though, I came back so very conscious of how spoiled I really am.  There are so many things that I have come to expect after living a life of relative comfort here in the United States.  Being abroad this time was a reminder to me that the rest of the world often has relatively few of the things that I think are normal.


As a North American, I often do not even think about what great blessings these things are.    

• Safe drinking water flowing out of the tap.  We purchased bottled water the whole time we were gone.  Even though many of the places had safe water, we knew there were places where the safest thing for us was to buy bottled water.
• Water that flows into our home 24-hours a day instead of having just a half hour to fill your buckets so that you have water for the rest of the day. Although this was the case in only one location in Peru, it was a reminder to me that this is a reality for many people in the world.
• Hot water in the shower.  On a hot day, I do not mind a cold shower or even a cold bucket bath; but on colder days, I really appreciate the reliability of hot water flowing from the shower head.
• A washing machine that does a good job of getting my clothes clean rather than having to wash them by hand on the rocks.
• A dryer that quickly dries our clothes, even the towels and jeans, on rainy days and adds softness to them.  We do not have to wait days for things to dry on rainy days.
• A car rather than having to rely on public transportation.  I appreciate the lower prices of public transportation, however.
• Public transportation that runs on a schedule instead of "when the seats are full."  A trip that could happen in two hours might take all day since you never know when departure will happen.
• Refrigerators that allow you to purchase more than a one or two-day supply of fresh food at a time.  Daily trips to market allow for fresh food, but they certainly take time.
• Ice in our drinks.  We would have avoided asking for ice anyway, but it is nice to be able to put ice in my beverage if I want some.
• All-day electricity.  In the jungle town, we had electricity from 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.  We charged our cell phones and computers during this time.  During the hottest part of the day, however, there was no availability for anything that might cool you, not even an electric fan.



Charlie enjoying a frozen Passion Fruit drink on our last day.

• Fresh vegetables that can be eaten raw without pre-soaking in anti-bacterial vegetable wash.  I came back craving salads.  Fresh fruit, on the other hand, was something we had in abundance.  Now I find I miss the variety of fresh fruit juices that were available there.
• Screens on our windows and doors.  I walked into our hotel room, and one of the first things I noticed was the screens.  How grateful I was for them as we saw that most of the homes did not have them.
• A variety in our breakfasts.  This may have been the first time in my life when I said that I had enough white rice for a while. Every morning we had the same thing - white rice, white beans, plantain, and eggs.  It was tasty and I was grateful for it, but it is nice to have some variety.
  
• Covers on my bed.  It was warm enough in the jungle that we did not need covers, but I missed having a top sheet.  Yet I was grateful for what we had.  I am not sure how well I would have fared in a hammock instead.
• Septic systems that allow you to flush your toilet paper and the availability of toilet paper in public rest rooms.

There are other things I could likely mention, but that is enough for now.  I am willing and ready to give up any of those things for a short time.  I could also learn to live without them, but I find it is not as easy as it used to be.  I really have become a spoiled North American.  Maybe it's time to shed some of these comforts and learn to appreciatethe advantages of living without them.

Counting to Ten on Thanksgiving Day

 

On this beautiful day of Thanksgiving, I stop to count some of the sweet blessings that God has given through the years.  These are broad, sweeping statements.  Perhaps later I will add some more specific ones, but these are huge blessings in my life that I never want to forget.

1. God saved me.  On a hot, sunny day in Indonesia as a five-year-old child, God showed me the enormity of my sin and my need of a Savior.  My mother led me in a simple prayer and my life forever changed.  Today my heart overflows with the joy of knowing I am loved and safe with God.
2. Sixteen years ago God gave me a wonderful, godly husband.  I had to wait a long time to find him.  I let other opportunities for marriage go by as I waited for this man that I hoped existed and who was the other half of me.  Today I give thanks for his godly leadership, his thoughtful intelligence, and his Christ-like love for me.
3. God gave me godly parents.  Throughout my life, I have witnessed firsthand their faith and commitment to God.  They have been faithful witnesses to me of what it means to trust and follow God.  Today I give thanks that at 89 years of age, they are still part of my life.   
4. The Bible.  What a precious book.  Everyday when I open its pages, I marvel again how it speaks to me afresh.  Today I found plenty of passages that gave me words of thanksgiving to fill my heart with praise.
5. Church.  Whether I am talking about our church in Georgia, the church my husband pastored in Maine, or the many other churches where I worshiped and worked through the years, I am so grateful for the role of the church in my life.  The teaching I have received there and the fellowship of the believers have been a help in hard times and a way to celebrate the good times.  Church has helped me grow and made me of more service to God than I ever would have been alone.
6. Health.  I know of so many people my age who are struggling with physical issues.  How thankful I am for good health. As I get older, I am getting glimpses of the fact that my body may not always be healthy, so I am doubly thankful for health today.
7. Beauty.  We live in a beautiful world.  I sometimes wonder how heaven could possibly be any better than this, but I am convinced that it is.
8. The gift of sight.  Every time I stop of admire the color of a fresh flower, the sparkling of dew on the grass, the arch of a double rainbow in the sky, or the glow of autumn leaves in the morning sunlight, I marvel that God would give me eyes to see such beauty.  Along with that gift, I am also giving thanks today for eyeglasses.  I see more clearly with them and appreciate God’s beauty more with them.
9. Music.  Right now the sound of a professional choir singing “We Gather Together” is filtering up the stairs and into the room where I write.  My heart soars in praise when I hear beautiful music, whether it is the sound of a pipe organ that leads a congregation in song, a cello playing “It Is Well” or a child’s voice singing “Jesus loves me.”  Today music helps me lift my heart in praise in a way that a world without music could not.
10. The gift of hearing.  As I get older, my hearing is not nearly as good as it used to be.  I notice it when a mosquito has to get close to me for me to hear it rather than hearing it across the room the way I did when I was younger.  Still, I am amazed that God would let me hear the beautiful and no-so-beautiful sounds around me.  Our hearing helps protect us from danger as well as letting us enjoy so much – the singing of birds, the patter of rain, and the thundering of the waterfall.
    
    Thanksgiving Day sounds are all around me.  I hear a knife on wood as someone cuts vegetables in the kitchen.  A full choir sings through computer speakers.  Footsteps sound in the hallway.  Muted conversations drift through the open door.  Dishes clatter.  The oven door squeaks open and then closed.  A door shuts.  The clock ticks.  A cell phone announces an incoming message.  Cars whisper by on the road outside.  All in all, they remind me that a family has gathered to feast and thank the Lord for His blessings.
    
    Thank you, Lord, for hearing.

And so I have counted to ten.  To be honest, this is only a start.  My blessings, should I count them all, would number in the thousands.

Too Wise to Be Mistaken and Too Good to Be Unkind

Years ago a dear friend gave me a copy of Gadsby's Hymns.  Since it was #7 in this book, it did not take me long to find this hymn by Samuel Medley.  Medley was led to saving faith in Jesus Christ when his grandfather read him a sermon by Isaac Watts.  After that, his life was radically changed and he became a prolific songwriter, writing over 200 hymns.  Unfortunately, most of them are no longer being sung in our churches even though many contain doctrine we would want to sing.  More modern songs and hymns have replaced them.

Although I do not know the tune it was sung to then, I find myself singing it to "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee."

    1   God shall alone the refuge be,

            And comfort of my mind;

        Too wise to be mistaken, He,

            Too good to be unkind.

    2    In all his holy, sovereign will,

            He is, I daily find,

        Too wise to be mistaken, still

            Too good to be unkind.

    3    When I the tempter’s rage endure,

            ’Tis God supports my mind;

        Too wise to be mistaken, sure,

            Too good to be unkind.

    4    When sore afflictions on me lie,

            He is (though I am blind)

        Too wise to be mistaken, yea,

            Too good to be unkind.

    5    What though I can’t his goings see,

            Nor all his footsteps find?

        Too wise to be mistaken, He,

            Too good to be unkind.

    6    Hereafter he will make me know,

            And I shall surely find,

        He was too wise to err, and O,

            Too good to be unkind.

“America is Disneyland”

 

One sunny summer afternoon, the kind that Minnesota is famous for, I was in my office at church, surrounded by papers and books on my desk.  A friend stopped by and said to me, “Do you want to go on a walk with us?  It’s such a nice day and summer is too short.  A walk around the lake will do us some good.”

A few minutes later, we jumped into their small car and headed to Lake Harriet, about seven miles away.  When we got there, we parked the car and began our walk around the small lake.  Even the trees, shimmering in the light breeze, seemed to be reveling in the perfect day.  The sun glinted off the ripples in the water, and sailboats, tilting toward the wind, skimmed across the clear blue water. When we circumnavigated the lake, we got back into the car and drove back.

Jon parked the car and as we walked back into the church, he said, “America is Disneyland.” 

I laughed and agreed, but just to make sure I was agreeing with the same things that he was talking about, I asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he began.  “We just decided to go to the lake, seven miles away.  We got in our car, drove there, walked around the lake and returned, all within two hours.  We didn’t have a flat tire on the way.  There were no downed trees or washed away bridges preventing us from proceeding.  We didn’t have car trouble.  There were no roadblocks along the way, and no one tried to break into the car or rob us while we walked around the lake.  On the other hand, when we were missionaries, at least one of those things was likely to happen on any given trip.   A trip like the one we just took would have required much more planning.  We would have started packing the car the night before with water and emergency supplies, and we might never have reached our destination.  America is like Disneyland, and Americans don’t even realize how blessed we are.”

I smiled and agreed again, remembering many of my experiences abroad.  Roadblocks, car trouble, impassable roads, and plenty of flat tires were all part of our travel. 

Coming back from Guatemala, I again thought of that conversation.  The luxuries and efficiency we enjoy here are remarkable.  Even though my years in the U.S. now exceed my years abroad, there are still so many things that amaze me.

• We have hot running water.  Guatemala had hot water in the shower, but none in the kitchen.  In many of the places where we go, the only hot water is the water you heat on the stove. 
• I can drink water straight from the tap.  Often, when we first return, I find myself thinking twice about pouring a glass of water from the tap.  What a blessing!
• Mail is reliable and we do not have to pay a surcharge for having the mail delivered to our house.
• We can pay bills online or by mail instead of standing for hours in line to pay each bill.
• Roads are wide enough that you do not have to back up to a wide spot in order for an oncoming car to pass you.
• We can travel safely on highways at 65 or 75 miles per hour.   In Guatemala, it took us two hours to travel to the capital city, a distance of only 25 miles.
• We do not have to pass through checkpoints between states.
• Grocery stores do not run out of staples and stock similar things almost all the time.
• We get fresh produce in the grocery store all winter long.  We are not limited to the crops that are locally in season. 
• Internet is easily available.
• Septic systems allow you to flush your toilet paper.
• Policemen are your helpers and protectors.  If I am stopped and I am quite sure I have done nothing wrong, I do not fear them.  On the other hand, I  have been in countries where a stop by a policeman meant he was looking for a bribe.  Failure to pay that bribe could result in a short stay in a jail cell.  Thankfully, God kept me from having to pay that price for ignoring the obvious pleas for a bribe.

There are many others, but these are the ones I often find myself thanking God for when we return from a trip abroad.  So the next time you go to the sink and pour yourself a glass of water to drink, thank God for the placing you in a land where we live with fewer risks and many more luxuries than the rest of the world enjoys.

We are blessed far beyond what we ever would have deserved.  Thank you, Lord!

Guatemala, I miss you.

 
I miss the everyday sights

• Early in the morning, the mountains slowly appeared through the mist and stood like powerful sentries around the village, announcing to anyone who paid attention that our Creator God was bestowing bountiful blessings on this little country of Guatemala.
• Flowers cascaded down front gates, lined window boxes and pathways to homes, and sold for pennies in the marketplace..
• The market in San Juan Sacatepéquez was teeming with the vibrant color or produce for sale and lively bargaining between vendors and buyers at 7:00 in the morning.
• Children played outside.  A soccer game, marbles, or simple tag might take place in the village streets or in the alleys.  
• Vendors and housewives carried their wares on their heads.
• Dogs roamed freely and without the territorial viciousness I often see back home.

I miss many of the things I smelled there.

• Freshly washed clothes hung on the line, wafting their scent of lavender in my direction when I walked by.
• A jasmine bush grew by the driveway, and Barbara picked a few flowers for our desk just before we arrived.  For days, I smelled their fragrant aroma whenever I walked into our room.
• Walking up the driveway, I’d stop to smell the jasmine and the roses that grew there.
• Before a rain, you could smell it coming.  After it left, the natural smells of earth and grass were more prominent than before.
• Tortillas or tacos for sale at a roadside stand tempted us as we walked by.
• The fragrant aromas filtered out of the kitchen several times as day, awaking our senses and making us ready to enjoy the next meal.
• Of course, there were some not-so-nice smells that I sometimes smelled, but even those were a reminder to me that I was not at home.  Bus fumes, garbage, and manure could not overcome the positives things I smelled there.

I miss the sounds I heard there.

• Firecrackers at midnight announced the beginning of someone’s birthday.
• Dogs barked, and roosters crowed their way-too-early greeting of the new day.
• Buses blared their horns, as early as 4:30 in the morning, to announce their departure for the capital city.
• A lonely cat let everyone know of her presence as she sat outside mewing for attention. 
• Children played on the patio, their laughter and imaginative conversations drifting in to where I quietly worked on my lesson plans for the day.
• The gentle rain pinged off the metal roof, quieting the other noises outside and lulling me to sleep.
• Children called out “Gringos!” to each other whenever we were out on the street.

Barbara teaching the children.

But mostly, I miss the people.

• Giovanni and Barbara Avendaño and their wonderful family. Our house seemed way too quiet when we returned. 
• The indigenous women in their colorful dress celebrated their distinctive culture.  Their shyness made it obvious to me that they had different cultural values from the ladinos in their midst. 
• The church people sang enthusiastically when they gathered for worship.
• Hosts and hostesses warmly welcomed us into their homes for a typical Guatemalan meal.
• At prayer meeting, their prayers were fervent as they lifted their voices to God, asking Him to do impossible things in their lives and in the lives of those they loved.  
• Passersby greeted us pleasantly as we walked down the village streets, sometimes stopping to talk or walk with us for a while. 
• Children called out their few English words when we passed and giggled when we stopped to talk to them.
• The people of Guatemala were friendly and welcoming to us.  Wherever we went, they greeted us with a smile.

So, Guatemala, we do not know exactly when we will be back, but we are looking forward to our return.

August News

Dear friends and family,

What a wonderful month we had in Guatemala.  

Giovanni Avendaño, IPM’s missionary church planter in Guatemala, asked us to come for a month because he knew that the module format that we often use would not work well with his people.  Instead, we would teach a series over the course of a month.  Charlie taught on Biblical counseling for two hours on Tuesday nights in their Bible institute.  Joan taught on teaching for two hours on Wednesday nights following prayer meeting.  We also taught in the monthly men’s and women’s meetings.  On weekends, Charlie preached, we both taught Sunday school, and we were both involved in the teen meetings.  It was a busy, yet rewarding schedule.

But the main question we want to answer upon our return is not “What did the Farleys do?” but “What did God do?”  While there may be things we will never know about, here are some of the things we do know.

• One child asked the Lord to save him.  He talked to his parents during the week, and the on Sunday asked the pastor if he could be saved.
• Four people were baptized.  Three were adults, and one was a teenager.  It was a day of joyous celebration.  As Giovanni said, “I want to make a big deal about the important things in people’s lives.”  So we spent the afternoon together as a church family.  After the baptism in a swimming pool, the children went swimming and adults played soccer.  The rest sat around and shared stories.  Then one family, whose child’s birthday was that day, passed out bags of candy to everyone and hung up piñatas, one for the girls to break and one for the boys.  Then we all sang “Happy Birthday” and had cake.
  
  
• Another church has been started since our last time in Guatemala.  According to Giovanni, it is taking a lot more work to get this one up and running than the other two he started.  Yet he is confident that the Lord led them to do this, and that the Lord will build his church in San Raymundo.
• God granted safety and health throughout our trip.  While Joan battled a couple minor things while we were there, she was able to teach whenever it was her turn.
• God opened the door for us to teach in the public school.  The principal, one of the new people in the church, asked if we would go teach English and the gospel.  Charlie used English sentences to talk of the gospel with the older grades, and Joan used colors and then taught the wordless book to the younger grades.  The following Sunday ten children from the school showed up in church.
• God used us in our teaching.  Over and over people thanked us for what they had learned and talked of how they were already applying it in their everyday lives. 
• We saw obvious change in one young woman’s life after a brief time of counseling with her.
• God is building a strong church in the small town of Cerro Alto.  Three new couples recently started attending, and Giovanni is taking them through discipleship classes. 

Thank you so much for your prayers for us while we were gone. 

Your co-laborers in the Gospel,

Charlie and Joan Farley

Finding Buried Treasure

The disaster zone

Our house was a disaster area.  Boxes were stacked upon boxes.  Only a pathway allowed us to move from one room to another as we tried to figure out where to put things.  As we unpacked, a box, the mess grew.

These days I sometimes felt like a treasure hunter.  The next discovery was just around the next bend, or in our case, in the next box.  After four years of having things in storage, each held mysteries yet to be discovered. 

Some treasures I expected to find.  I remembered the dishes and kitchen appliances, though I didn’t remember that we no longer had a toaster.  I also was not expecting our coffee maker to die within a couple weeks of unpacking it, but I guess four years in storage was not necessarily good for it.  I remembered most of the clothing that has been in storage during this time.  (One of the dresses I’ve already given away since I didn’t need it all this time.  Others will probably follow.)  I thought I remembered the paintings, furniture, and other wall decorations.  But occasionally, in the midst of all the things I remembered, I found something that was a lost treasure – something I’d forgotten we had.

Here are the pictures of some of those things.

This piece of furniture was the biggest surprise.  I thought I remembered all of the furniture we had.  Before we went up north to collect our things, I figured out where every piece would go.  Then we unpacked this.  This was a piece Charlie’s father built, so I wanted to keep it.  But where would it go?  We found a place for it, but the dining room is now more crowded than I would have liked. 

Then there were these pieces I bought while working at Lenox.  They’ve found a home on the bookcase in the office.


But then there were these precious pieces I’d forgotten we had, made for us by different families in our church.  These hold special memories for us, especially now that we don’t get to see these dear people very often.
                 
There were books I was delighted to find and others I’d forgotten I have.  Then there are also some books I thought I had that I haven’t found.  With all the books we have, I suppose that’s not a surprise.  This year I plan to keep track of the books I actually use so that I can get rid of some to allow for some different ones.  We really do not have room to add any more bookcases.

I found photos and memorabilia that I have not seen in a long time.  There were even some clothes that I now think I no longer need since I haven’t needed them for four years. 

In the midst of all the discoveries, we occasionally found something that was ruined.  It was during those times that I had to smile.  While I have referred to these things we own as buried treasure, they really are not.  Not even close.  They are just things that rust and moth destroy and thieves may try to steal.

I know where my real buried treasure is. It will have to wait a long time before I will be able to uncover it, but I know that it is safe.  These things that we have uncovered and put into our house help us live life here on earth.  Hopefully, they are also a benefit to us doing ministry while we are here.  In the long run, though, they do not matter.  They are just things.  What matters are the precious people we work with and the souls that God has saved.  They are our true treasure. 

A Winter Trip to Maine

Why in the world would we pick January to take a trip to Maine?  After all, you can expect it to be snowy at this time of the year and definitely cold.  Road conditions are not the best and airline travel is “Iffy”.

We went because we now have a house and needed to collect our belongings from storage.  There were also speaking engagements available for us.  For me, it meant that I could spend some precious time with the ladies of West Hampden Baptist Church on their winter retreat.

God definitely prospered our journey.  We give him thanks for all that He did for us.  Here is a brief summary of some of the many blessings He poured out on us on this trip.

• Delta contributed to our travel fund.  We were waiting for the plane when we heard an announcement.  “If anyone would be willing to give up their seat and be driven to Atlanta to make their connection, we will give you a $400 voucher for future travel.”  Charlie jumped up and went to the counter.  A few minutes later we were on our way to Atlanta via taxi.  Since it was a holiday, we did not even have to deal with traffic.  We were there in plenty of time for our flight to Maine, and we think we may have arrived before the delayed flight.
• Our flight up was without incident.  We flew on a Monday.  The weekend before there had been many weather-related delays.  The next day another storm blew in and once again there were many delays, but we were already there.
• We have such generous friends.  Friends picked us up in Portland and drove us two hours north and dropped us off with another friend to stay for a couple days.  Another friend gave us a very nice vehicle to use while we were there.  Another friend drove me down to the ladies’ retreat. 
• We were able to visit people in Farmington.  Charlie’s uncle lives there, so we were able to drop in and see him and his wife.  Then on Wednesday evening we shared our ministry with the people of New Hope Baptist and stayed overnight in their “Prophets’ Chamber.”
• The ladies’ retreat was a real joy to my heart.  It is the event I miss most now that we’re gone.  Gathering with those dear friends to learn together from the Word of God is such a joy.  There was time for a few heart-to-heart talks, walks in the snow, and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation there in Southwest Harbor.  (More about that in another blog.)
• The men were available, flexible, and speedy in packing the moving truck.  The night before we were supposed to pick up the truck, Charlie got a call from U-Haul saying that the battery in “our” truck was dead.  So instead of picking the truck up early, Charlie had to let the men know that it wouldn’t be available until later.  When they gathered to pack, it only took them an hour to load.  As cold as it was, it’s good there were many men there to make it happen quickly.
• The pastor and his family are loving and hospitable.  The last half of the week while I was at the ladies’ retreat, Charlie stayed with the pastor, and we were both there when I returned.  They were very warm and welcoming, and we love to see that the church is growing under their leadership.  When we left, they loaded us up with sandwiches and treats for the journey that lasted almost until we arrived home.
• God kept us safe on the trip home.  We encountered the worst weather on our second day of the trip home.  After we’d been on the road a couple hours, the snow started, and it stayed with us all the rest of the way.  We saw a number of cars off the road, but the Lord kept us safe. 



Finally home in Georgia!

• We were able to unload the truck with just minutes to spare.  We had hoped to get some help on this end, but the bad road conditions meant that people were not venturing out.  Churches cancelled on Wednesday night, so the promise of a crew to “help with the heavy stuff” did not materialize.  So on Thursday morning, after a night of much needed rest, Charlie and I finished with the remaining items and returned the truck.  The man at the U-Haul store said to us, “You are three minutes early.”  Then we rejoiced at the unplanned delay at picking up the truck as it kept us from having to pay for an extra day.

It was a blessed trip from start to finish, and we give thanks to God for his many blessings to us.