Almost Missing Christmas

After we booked our trip to Peru, I realized that we would be gone most of December. I knew I did not want to walk into the house a few days before Christmas to find Thanksgiving decorations still up, so I put those away. Now what do I do? I decided I would get out the few things that mattered the most - the Nativity set, the advent wreath, a picture frame with the words, "Jesus, the reason for the season." I put those up, added a few candles and a red tablecloth to the dining room table and stood back. That was enough.

We left on December 1, heading to Pennsylvania for our mission's annual meeting. Then on December 7, we left the cold of Pennsylvania and flew to the Peruvian Amazon, where we spent the next ten days teaching.

The temperature change was so drastic that on the second day in the village, my feet started to swell. Every day they got a little worse. I started sitting down during our teaching breaks so that I could put my feet up. Then one of the pastors brought chairs and I was able to sit down part of the time while I translated for Charlie. That helped. On our last morning, as I struggled to fit my swollen feet into my loose sandals, I wondered if I would pick up hookworm if I went barefoot. I tugged at the straps until I could get my feet inside.  While the skin was tight and uncomfortable, at least I knew it was not permanent. My feet would return to normal when we got out of the heat. Once we got back to the city where I was not standing all day and we were sleeping in an air-conditioned room, my sandals were comfortable again.

From Iquitos, we flew to Arequipa in the southern highlands. Since we were just stopping in to see IPM's missionaries, the Araujos, and not to minister, we stayed in a hotel in the center of the city and spent most of the two days enjoying their company.

Life-sized nativity in Peru

Arequipa was decorated for Christmas. In front of the Catholic Church, people gathered to see the life-size nativity set. A two-story Christmas tree, surrounded by gifts the size of appliance boxes, dominated the central square. One night a children's choir sang there. Decorated artificial pine trees seemed like anatopisms, and I wondered what their traditions might have included before the Christmas tree became so universal.

We were privileged to be able to participate in one Peruvian Christmas tradition - a chocolatada. We attended church on Tuesday night at a new church plant. Since it was the last time they would meet before Christmas, they held a chocolatada after the service. Thick hot chocolate was served with slices of Panetone, a sweet bread with raisins and candied fruit.

We returned to the U.S. on the 22nd. When we got off the plane, I heard someone call out "Merry Christmas!" My first thought was, "What are they talking about?" Then I realized what day it was. Of course, people were greeting each other with "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas!" Secular Christmas music even played over the intercom in the airport terminal.

We returned to the office to get our car and then began driving back home to Georgia. I was very glad that I had changed the Thanksgiving decorations for Christmas ones before I left.

On Christmas Eve we went to a worshipful Christmas Eve service together, and on Sunday we gathered with family and friends to enjoy a turkey and ham feast. Those two very important parts were central to our Christmas celebration this year.

There was lots of joy and celebration, yet it still felt strange. It almost felt like I had missed Christmas. Why, I wondered, when the things I valued were present? I had even spent the month of December reading Christmas passages in my Bible. So why did it feel so different?  And does it matter? As I thought of these things, I realized two very important things.

First, the cues that tell me Christmas is around the corner were missing. There were no Salvation Army bell ringers at the fronts of stores. No Christmas music played over the intercoms in malls, stores, and restaurants. No Christmas cards arrived in the mail and I did not send any. No Christmas decorations were present in the Peruvian churches. I did not bake Christmas cookies for parties or friends. I did not light an advent wreath during my morning devotions. No Christmas carols were sung. We did not attend any Christmas parties or programs. December was much like any other month of the year.

We North Americans celebrate Christmas on December 25 and extend it into an avalanche of activities for a whole month. Even though Charlie and I were busy throughout December, our activity was not based on things surrounding a traditional North American holiday. Instead it was normal ministry. When I realized that it was the cues that were missing, I realized a second, more important truth. It was good to have a different Christmas where much of the tradition was missing. Sometimes the things we use to point our hearts toward Christmas Day become so important that the  real message of Christmas gets lost in the trimmings. My heart needs to celebrate the central message of Christmas - that Christ came into the world to save sinners. It is not the gifts, the parties, and the decorations that make something feel like Christmas. In fact, all those things can lead us away from its truths.

Maybe our ministry focus during the month was exactly what God wanted. Maybe it was the best gift we could have given Him this year. In that case, I did not miss Christmas at all. In fact, it was better than usual.

- - - - - - - - - -

The days since Christmas whizzed by like a tractor trailer on the Interstate. I fully intended to write this as soon as the first days of January began. Instead, I find myself playing catch-up on this last day of the month.

Contrasts and Similarities

Contrast: In just a few hours we will be stepping onto a plane and going to Peru. In a matter of hours, we go from freezing weather to tropical rain forest. We leave an area with many thriving churches to  a place with only a few, and some of them are struggling. We go from learning from pastors who have advanced theological degrees to a place with pastors whose Bible knowledge is self-taught and whose formal education is more limited.

The Amazon River

Similarities: In both places are pastors with a deep love for God, His Word, and His people. In both places people are lost and without hope. In both places, the Bible offers hope for salvation, wisdom, healing, and so much more.

Today we go to the Peru for a conference with a group of men who are called by God to pastor in the Amazon jungle. Charlie will be teaching on Biblical counseling. Often this subject identifies areas where the pastors need guidance from God's Word.

Pray:

• For safety as we travel
• Opportunities to speak to others of God’s love as we travel.
• Wisdom for Charlie as he teaches on this important subject.
• Spanish recall and ability for me as I translate for him. I was fluent in Spanish 30 years ago, and I need some of that fluency now as I translate.

In several epistles, Paul ends his letter by saying, “Brethren, pray for us.” If Paul, an apostle who penned Scripture needed God’s help, how much more do we. So brothers and sisters, please pray for us.

What's Different About Uruguay?

Over plates of steaming pasta, our hostess, Schumayk Moyano, said to us one afternoon, "You've been all over the world. What do you see as different here from other places where you have been?"

"The dogs," we said together, and laughed. It was the first thing we noticed upon arriving. In most places where we have been, street dogs roam, nibble at garbage, and fight over perceived territory. In Uruguay, however, the dogs are well-groomed pets, not wild street dogs. They trotted beside their. owners on a leash or played catch with them on the beach.  Most were purebreds, and the large breeds were preferred. While we occasionally saw a small dog like a terrier or dachshund, large dogs like shepherds, retrievers, huskies, and setters dominated the scene. One day we saw a dog walker with a dozen dogs on leashes, walking down the middle of a side street. I do not think we have encountered dog walkers in any of our other trips abroad.

"Secondly," Charlie went on, "the vehicles. They are nicer and there are not very many pickup trucks." When we travel, It is not uncommon for Charlie to notice the number of older cars that would not pass inspection in the US. In Uruguay, however, we saw very few old cars or cars that were banged up or not running. Overall, the Uruguayans take care of their vehicles. Instead of the majority of cars being pickups, the city dwellers of Montevideo preferred SUVs. And when you got into one of their vehicles, you find, to your surprise, the seat belts work, and the people in the front seat are expected to use them.

"Exercise is more important here than in most countries," I added. Nowhere in the Americas, not even in the U.S., have we seen as many gyms and so many runners. Often when we go somewhere and Charlie asks about running, people look at him like he's crazy. But in Montevideo, it was normal. At any time of the day, there were dozens of people out running, cycling, or walking. Along the Rambla, the sidewalk that ran along the coast for miles, eight-foot posts painted in white and green marked every 500 meters so you could know how far you had gone.  In parks throughout the city, exercise machines were not only present, but people were using them.

For us, though, one of the saddest differences we saw was the lack of interest in spiritual things. In most countries, especially in Latin America, we see quite a few churches of varying faiths and denominations. Our hosts told us that in their neighborhood, theirs is the only gospel-preaching church. Sometimes missionaries make that claim, but they usually mean that there are no other churches like theirs nearby. In this case, however, they were exactly right. There were some synagogues and a Catholic church, but no other Protestant churches. Not even the cults were present.

Uruguay has more people unaffiliated with any religion than any country in Latin America, including Cuba. They seem happy that they are more agnostic and atheistic than their neighbors. They feel no need for God. He is simply not important to their daily lives. Children do not know about Him and can grow to adulthood never hearing His Name.

Yet in the midst of the darkness we found light. Perhaps because they feel isolated and alone, Christians band together for fellowship. When the church service ended, the fellowship began. An hour later, people were still there - talking and listening to each other's stories. The teenagers and young adults left earlier, but not to go home. They pooled their money to buy pizza and continued their fellowship around a table at a local restaurant.

The small churches of Uruguay are spread thin across the country, but when they have an opportunity to link arms, they do. Five churches were represented at the camp where Charlie taught on finances. A couple years ago, when it became obvious that a Bible college was needed to train people for the ministry, like-minded churches and mission boards banded together to supply the teachers and get the school off the ground. Such cooperation is rare and a testimony to the love of God present among the believers.

So is Uruguay different? Definitely. Yet aren't all countries and cultures a little different from each other? Perhaps that is why God created so many cultures. Together they form a beautiful tapestry that gives credit to a God of order and beauty. Alone, a single culture falls short of giving God the glory He is due. Each culture has too many shortcomings, but together we come closer to understanding God and honoring Him. At the end of time, people from every language, tongue, tribe and nation will worship Him, and I am glad that I met some of them in Uruguay.

A Church's Gift

Every church is different.  Some are friendly, and no newcomer leaves feeling unwelcome.  Some are reverent, and a quiet awe pervades the worship services.  Some are joyful and exuberant as they lift their praises to the Lord.  Some are evangelistic, and they are excited about sharing their faith with friends and co-workers, and they revel in their own salvation.  Some are prayerful, and prayer meetings are well attended and considered to be one of the most important aspects of the week.  Some are seen as theologically deep or mature, and their pastors and teachers enjoy going deep into the Word of God.  Some are missions minded, and their reputation for giving to missions is noticed even by visitors.

One of the families that fed us.

On this trip, we found something in this Cochabamba church that we have seldom seen.  We found a church with the gift of hospitality.  In all of the trips we have taken, both in the U.S. and abroad, we have not
been welcomed into people's homes and lives the way we were here.  Every day, for both lunch and supper, we were fed by the people of this church.

When I mentioned this to Jacky, the pastor's wife, she said to me, "Well, we know the verse in Hebrews that says "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

"That's true," I replied.  "But you know us and you know that we are not angels.  We are just people."

She laughed and agreed.  Yet somehow this group of people really took the gift of hospitality to the maximum and made us feel so loved and welcomed.  As we joined them at their dinner tables and heard the stories of their lives, it made us feel so much more a part of them.  Some felt unable to have us into their homes, but they showed hospitality to us by taking us out to dinner.  There, too, we heard their stories of faith and family and came to love and appreciate them.

Pique Macho

"What is the typical food here?" we asked when we arrived.

"Oh, Cochabamba has many foods.  We do not have just one."

So through the weeks we were there, the church tried to make sure that we tried many of their typical foods: Pique, Silpancho, Api, Charque, Pollo a la Brasa, Steak, and so much more.  They checked with each other to find out what we had already had so that they could let us try something new.  On our last day there, we were invited to join the college-age young people at a steak house and were able to get to know some of them. 

The church gave us some mementos as going-away gifts, but to be honest, the best gift they gave us during our time there was themselves through the gift of hospitality.  Through that, our hearts were bound to them.  We understand those families better and have an appreciation for their lives.  Had they not chose to share their lives with us in this way, we would not have gotten to know them nearly as well.  As a result, we found we did not want to leave because they had become so precious to us.

We look forward to going back.  Perhaps next time we will be able, in some way, to extend hospitality to them as well.

God Answers Prayer

God answers prayer

Some prayers were spoken in terms of simple desires.  "Lord, it would be nice to go to the Philippines to see the work of MEBSI and participate in that ministry."  We thought the door for us might be closed there, so it was more of a spoken desire than an actual request.  Yet God heard us and answered.

Some prayers barely left our lips before we saw the answers.  When we arrived at the airport, we discovered that our plane was delayed and we would miss our connection.  "Lord," we prayed quietly, "please help us."  A very helpful airline agent found another flight for us.  We got our tickets and then waited in an extremely slow security line.  Once again our prayer was, "Lord, please get us there in time."  We passed through security and ran for the gate, arriving just in time to board.  "Thank you, Lord," we breathed as we walked on.

We prayed that we might be a blessing along the way.  On the very long flight across the Pacific, Charlie sat next to a man who was on his way to reunite with his wife.  Charlie had the opportunity to talk with him about his faith and explain the gospel to him.

Joan teaching.

We prayed that we might be effective in our teaching.  We knew that our students had learned English as a second (or even third) language and there could be a significant language barrier.  For the most part, the students were responsive and enthusiastic about what they were learning.  We have been invited back again, and this time the students and faculty want us to spend some time observing their ministries after the classes are over.  That was another answer to prayer.

After classes and graduation were over, we headed to Manila where we were supposed to bard a bus to Baguio, a popular tourist town up in the mountains where many Filipinos escape the summer heat.  We headed to the bus station but were told they were all full.  "Lord, direct our steps," we prayed, when we saw that our plans were not working.  Within a few hours we received a call from Pastor Livioco who told us he had managed to get us seats on the overnight bus, and we were once again on our way.

Charlie preaching on Easter Sunday.

"Lord, let us be a blessing to Foundation Baptist Church," we prayed.  Charlie participated in a Q&A time and I shared part of my testimony in family camp.  Then on Sunday, Charlie preached in the morning service.  A number of people openly responded to his message.

There were also unexpected blessings.  First there was the blessing of music.  I taught the college students a new song to go along with the VBS curriculum.  When they got to the chorus, they broke out into four-part harmony.  What a surprise and pleasure that was.  Then on Easter Sunday, the church amazed us with their mini-cantata.  Their music ministered deeply to our souls.

Charlie's class - the MEBSI faculty.

Then there was the blessing to getting to know some of God's people in the Philippines.  Our hearts were bound to the Namocs and Liviocos and to others working with them.  We began to understand the unique role each of them has in God's work, and we really appreciate what God is doing in and through them there.

God answers prayers - all kinds of prayers.  We are grateful for the many prayers God's people prayed on our behalf because we know He answered those as well.

Thank you, God, for answering  prayer.

Scenes from Cagayan de Oro

What a surprise it was to arrive and find a big banner across the front of the auditorium announcing the coming week's DVBS seminar.  A smaller one hung in front of the building.  I spent some of the time teaching on general principles of ministry to children and the rest of the time getting the students ready for their summer ministry of holding Vacation Bible School in churches throughout the area.

The boys sat on one side of the room, and the girls on the other.  So when we broke into discussion groups, it was usually a group of all boys or all girls.

Do you need to go somewhere that is too far to walk, but not on the route that the jeepneys and buses travel?  Then you need a bicycle with a side cart.

These vehicles are actually a small van body built onto a motorcycle.  They usually travel the smaller streets and have regular routes.

Do you need to have something carried?  You might be able to hire this young man to do it for you.

Security guards abound.  Every store and shopping mall has at least one.  They inspect your bags and purses when you walk in.  If there is a perceived threat, you might have to leave your shopping bags with them while you shop.

When we think of reaching out to Muslims, we do not always think of the Philippines, but Mindanao has many Muslim faithful who live there.  I encountered these ladies in the mall, and they graciously allowed me to take their picture.

January Highlights

Looking back over the month, here are a few highlights:

1. At the beginning of the month. we went to Minneapolis.  When I walked into my brother's living room, four of his five children got up to give me a group hug.  One of them had just flown in from Kuwait and another was getting ready to return to England.  I was able to see the fifth the next day.  It is so seldom that those five people are in the same location at the same time that I knew I was blessed when I got to be there then.
2. I was able to catch up with a few friends in Minneapolis while Charlie attended classes at Central Seminary.

   

   Amazon River, Peru

3. A photographer friend agree to take pictures for our new prayer card.  
4. We are participating in the children's ministry of our church here in Georgia.  
5. Details for Charlie's trip to the Peruvian Amazon came together, and he is now booked and getting ready to go. He will be teaching in a pastors' conference.
6. I attended the funeral of my friend, Char, via live-streaming.  What a godly example she was to me throughout the years that I have known her.
7. I am working on the children's ministry class I will be teaching in the Philippines. 
8. I am almost ready to send the "Lost in the Desert" curriculum to the printers.
9. On this, the last day of January, we walked into a church to give some Spanish materials to them to take on a missions trip to Nicaragua.  When the teacher of the ladies' Sunday school class saw me, she asked to share the Word with a ladies' Sunday school class. I did not go expecting to teach, so I looked back at the things the Lord was teaching me this week in devotions and shared from Psalm 18.
10. Then tonight I got to hear my husband preach.  It was a good end to a good month.   

So Little Time - August newsletter

Dear Faithful Friends,


We returned to our home in Georgia after a 10-week trip. During that time, we travelled by car through the upper Midwest, Canada, Maine, and back home. We also flew from Boston to Peru and back again. We give thanks for God’s grace for His protection and enablement. Even though we felt constrained by our limited time in each place, we are thankful that God, who is not bound by time, can multiply our short time and our meager ministry to do great things to glorify His name.

Four years ago, we met Daniel and Sonia Araujo who are investing their lives in making disciples in Arequipa, Peru. It was good to walk into their church on that first Sunday morning and see some familiar faces and new ones as well. Many improvements have been made to the church building. In addition, their son Junior was only beginning to be fully involved in the work of the ministry four years ago. He is now an integral part of their team. In fact, he is largely responsible for a new church
plant in Majes, a desert town about two hours away.

We arrived in Arequipa on June 20. For the next two weeks, we taught every night. Charlie taught a course on Hermeneutics where more than thirty people attended, and nine completed the course The following week, Joan taught on Christian Education. Forty people attended her course, and ten also completed the course work.  On Sundays, Charlie preached in various locations.

On our second Monday, we traveled seven hours over the mountains to a remote village in the Ubinas district. More than a decade ago, God placed this area on Daniel’s heart and he began to make the long journey over the mountains to win people there to the Lord. The growth has been slow, but now several of these villages have a small church. On the day we were there, six small local assemblies gathered for a big celebration together that included a baptism, a feast of alpaca stew, and a combined evening service. Charlie also had the privilege of preaching that day, and our nephew, Jeremy, who joined us on the trip, was his interpreter through most of those days in Arequipa.

The Araujos feel the pressure of time. What pastor do we know here in the US who is pastoring one church, filling in as pastor for another, planting a third church and working as a missionary in a district of multiple towns where there is no church?  So many people to win and disciple. So little time.

From Lima, we flew to Iquitos, the largest city in the world that is unreachable by road. Pastor Giovanni Avendaño, IPM’s Latin America director, met us there. From there, we took a boat down the Amazon River to the town of Mazan. For the next three days, we met with four men who are interested in becoming missionaries with IPM. Charlie taught classes that would help the men in their respective ministries – Communication; Dealing with Anger; Church Discipline; Marriage and Divorce; etc. Joan gave an introduction to IPM’s Children’s Ministry. Brother Giovanni went over IPM’s Policy and Procedure manual. When we were done, the four men were very appreciative. One of them told us as we were getting ready to leave, “Thank you for coming. I was so discouraged that I was ready to give up on ministry and go back to secular work. Now I feel ready to go back. I know I have made many mistakes simply because I did not understand God’s way of doing things. Pray for me and my family as I make the changes we need.” With limited resources, these men are struggling to make a difference in their areas for Christ. Pray for them.  On the Amazon River as well, there are so many souls, and so little time.

Peru has many children and often we were enchanted by their smiles and friendliness (some of the Mazan children are pictured on left).  It was obvious that Peru is an area where children’s ministry is needed. One night when we were sitting in a restaurant in Mazan, we saw four teenagers carrying a
stretcher to the hospital. The form on the stretcher was small and covered by a sheet. The restaurant owner told us, “He died this morning. He is the second ten year-old boy to die this week. The other one drowned on Sunday afternoon.” So many children. So little time.

We came back with hearts burdened for Peru, and especially Mazan and all the needs there. Please pray for IPM as they determine the best way forward to help these men.

In October, we are planning to go to Uruguay for IPM’s regional conference. We want to connect personally with IPM’s missionaries from all over Latin America and inquire how we can best help them. Joan is hoping to have a sample copy of a VBS curriculum for them to look over. Pray that God would help her complete that in time and that we would be able to get it translated as well. Pray, too, that God would supply the $3,000 we need to make this trip.

Thank you for your prayers for us. We felt God’s enabling grace on this trip and we saw His hand redirecting our steps.  Without Him, it would have been a disaster. It would have been so much time, with so little accomplished. Instead, because of God’s work, we believe that much was accomplished that will last into eternity.

Co-laboring together with you,
Charlie and Joan Farley

Two Perspectives on Travel

After the sunset faded from the sky and darkness descended, I sat in the passenger seat wondering how much longer it would be before we stopped for the night.  Ten hours had passed since we started driving that morning, and it was still several hours before bedtime.  We talked, listened to the radio and I dozed a little.  I was bored.  There was not much to do except watch the cars pass us on the highway as mile after mile of darkness passed.  

It was my first experience of realizing that Charlie’s goal is to get to our destination.  He does not really enjoy himself until we get there.  Then he is ready to enter full vacation mode, or whatever else is the purpose of the trip.  His motto for travel is “Conquer the trip!”  It is not that he does not appreciate seeing the flowers as we fly by them on the highway.  He just does not want to stop long enough to smell them.

“Enjoy the journey!” is my motto.  Every day is an adventure, whether at home, on the road, or in another country.  So I enjoy making plans to stop along the way and see the sights that we would otherwise pass.  So yes, let’s stop and take pictures of scenic vistas, smell the honeysuckle, and run across the sand to dip my feet in the ocean.  I enjoy seeing what the day will hold, especially when the routine of being at home is gone.  

Over the years, Charlie has made many concessions to my desire to stop and enjoy the scenery, stretch my legs, or stop at historic places.  I am more willing to go the distance of putting in 15-hour days in order to please him.

Air travel is different.  Once we buy our tickets, we have very little control over what happens.  However, our perspectives still emerge.

Long layovers in airports?  I use the time to watch the parade of people as they cross paths briefly in a location where they do not plan to stay.  I wonder who they are and where they are headed.  I write or read books and enjoy the layover.  Sometimes I strike up a conversation with strangers, especially if they have children or if they look like they would appreciate a chat.  Charlie uses the time well too, but it is grueling for him.  He just wants to get there.

Delayed planes and missed connections?  For me, it’s part of the adventure.  After all, we never would have stayed overnight in an expensive hotel in Japan if there had not been a problem on our return from India. While Charlie appreciated that particular perk, he generally sees these as disruptions to the goal of arriving at our destination on time.  “Conquer the trip!” is still his motto.

It is, perhaps, one of the reasons God put us together.  I need more of his goal-oriented punctuality.  He needs more of my enjoyment of life.  Together we get a little bit of both perspectives.

“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

Worth the Trip

 

“We need to leave the house at 6:30 tomorrow morning,” Barbara told me smiling.  “The Bible study starts at 9:00, and the bus we need to catch leaves at 6:45.”

As I drifted off to sleep that night, I slept lightly, hearing most of the sounds that had kept me awake the first night but that I now ignored.  Dogs barked.  Roosters crowed.  Bus and truck horns blared.

The next morning, just before the alarm went off, I awoke.  Even though the morning’s first light was filtering through the window, I lit a candle to help me find my way around the room.  I quickly dressed and sat down on the bed to read and pray a little.  At about 6:25 I left our room and headed into the dining room to wait for Barbara who emerged just a few minutes later.

By 6:40 we were at the bus stop, but the bus was not there.  Instead, a 15-passenger van was there waiting.  Barbara approached the van driver and asked about the bus.

“Oh, it already left,” he told her.

She smiled and said to me, “Bus times are not always reliable here.  I asked yesterday, and I was told it would leave at 6:45.”

So instead of taking the bus, we jumped in the van.  Before long, other passengers arrived, and the van driver thought he had enough people to begin the trip.  He drove at a walking pace through town, beeping his horn at every location where he thought people might be interested in boarding.  When we reached the paved road and the houses were fewer, he sped up to a normal speed.

We drove through several small towns until we reached San Juan Sacatepéquez, where we jumped off to catch the bus to the city.  We walked about a block until we saw the bus for the city.  At the back of the bus, two seats beckoned.  We had hoped for a place with two empty seats together, but there were none.  We were thankful, though, for seats.  We sat down, one in front of the other. The radio blasted from the back of the bus, so I put my fingers in my ears.  It was so loud it hurt.  Even with my fingers in my ears, I could clearly hear the words.  I intentionally thought about other things since I did not want some of those words running through my head all day.

The bus passed by the market, already in full swing.  Then it wound its way through the mountains, passing makeshift greenhouses, vegetable gardens, and furniture builders.  We went through San Pedro where many people disembarked for their day’s work and others who worked in the capital city boarded.  With the shift in passengers, Barbara and I were able to find seats together, though the loud music made it hard to carry on a conversation.

Eventually we arrived in the capital city.  Traffic sometimes came to a complete stop.  Motorcycles wove in and out among the cars, and pedestrians sometimes took their lives into their own hands trying to cross.  Vendors got on and off the bus selling their wares.  “Three for five quetzales,” one called as he held up small packages of cookies.  I quickly did the calculation.  That was three packages for about 65 cents.  Snack food is certainly inexpensive here.

Barbara turned to me.  “Our stop is coming up,” she warned, so we got out of our seats and headed to the front of the bus.  We got off and climbed the stairs to the overpass to cross the highway.  On the other side, Beth, a missionary here in Guatemala, waited for us in her car.  When we arrived, she was busy studying her lesson.

After a short drive, we arrived at the home of the hostess.  Even though it was only 8:35, there were already quite a few women there.  When another few arrived, Beth instructed the group to load up their plates and have some breakfast.  With my stomach rumbling, I was glad the food did not come after the study.  I checked my watch.  It was only 8:45, yet here we were starting.  I guess things start here when enough people have arrived.

We loaded our Styrofoam plates with breakfast sandwiches, papaya, melon and grapes, filled our cups with black sweet coffee, and sat down.  Soon everyone was enjoying the food and the camaraderie around the table.  These godly women shared their stories of things going on in their homes and churches.  More than once laughter rang out.  Other women arrived and joined the group.  By this time there were twenty women around the table, most of whom were wives of pastors in the area.

By the time breakfast was over, everyone was ready to dive into Bible study.  Out of large purses came Bibles, pens and Bible study notebooks.  For the next hour, we listened to Beth teach and many chimed in with personal insights.  It was a group I knew I would love if I lived here.

As soon as we were done, we headed home again. 

We walked to the bus stop and stood watching the buses as they whizzed by.  When one marked “San Juan Sacatepéquez” approached, Barbara lifted her arm to indicate that we needed a ride.  It stopped.  We quickly climbed on and it took off again as we held on to the luggage rack to make our way to a couple empty seats in the back.  Once again, the music blared.  I did not think it was possible for the music to be louder than it had been on the bus in the morning, but it was.  I turned to Barbara and said, “I need to move forward away from this noise.”  Once again, that meant we could not sit together, but it was worth it to not have my eardrums hurting quite as much.

When we arrived in San Juan Sac, as it is affectionately called, we got off and walked to the bus stop for Cerro Alto.  There were quite a few people already waiting. 

“You need to be ready to move quickly when the van comes,” Barbara told me.  “There will be a rush for the door.”

Sure enough, when the van came, the entire group surged for the open side door.  But Barbara was smart.  She asked the conductor to open the back gate, and we climbed in the back and settled in the back row.  By the time we headed out, twenty people were crammed into the 15-passenger van.  Another four stood on the edge at the open door, hanging on to the roof, and the conductor was hanging on to the ladder on the side. 

As the van was leaving San Juan Sac, a whistle blew.  A policeman on the side of the road signaled to the van.  The van pulled over, and the four men who had been hanging out the door jumped off, ran to the side where they climbed the ladder to sit atop the van on the luggage rack.  The conductor moved inside to start collecting our fares.  I smiled.  Evidently, it is against the law to hang out the open door, but it’s not against the law to sit atop the van on the luggage rack, and it certainly does not matter how many people can be stuffed inside.  Before long we were home again. 

When we started out that morning, I wondered if I would be willing to make the four-hour round trip every month for a Bible study.  But after having been there, I realized why it was that important to Barbara.  It was a refreshing time with other women in ministry.  It was certainly worth the trip.

Guatemalan Blessings

Midway through our time here in Guatemala, I want to lift up my voice in praise to God who allowed us to be here and who has granted so many blessings along the way.  Rather than give an account of the things we have been doing, I thought I would just list some of the blessings that have come our way.

• Celebrating sixteen years of marriage here.  Charlie found an “I Love You” card in Spanish.  I had brought one from the U.S.  Our hostess went to the trouble to prepare special meals for us, and we had a full day of ministry.  Then our host family took us out to dinner that night.  The following day the church sang a “Happy Anniversary” song to us.
• Flowers.  Instead of paying the proverbial “arm and a leg” for flowers, flowers are inexpensive here, so Charlie bought me some to celebrate.  I’m hoping to get some more while we are here.  Fresh flowers often adorn the front of the church as well.
• Village sounds.  Even now I can hear roosters crowing, dogs barking, the wind blowing through the trees, and birds singing.  The modern sounds of buses, horns, air compressors, and generators are here too.
• Mountains.  Mountains surround us here, and they are a constant reminder to me of God’s care.  “I will lift up mine eyes unto this hills.  From whence cometh my help?  My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1-2
• Salvation.  How often I give thanks to God for His saving power in my own life and in the life of the believers around me.  Yesterday that power to save was demonstrated once again when a 9-year-old boy asked Jesus to save him from his sins and surrendered to His control.
• A vibrant church.  This church where we are teaching is only seven years old.  It is filled with the enthusiasm of new believers and families growing together in the faith.  Seven years ago, most of them did not know Jesus, except as a name.  Today they are His followers.  The church has become a magnet for young families looking for answers because so many of the families have a very positive testimony of family harmony and closeness.
• A vital ministry.  The missionary pastor and his family are busy.  Everyday except Thursdays they have something scheduled. In the ten (or so) years they have been here, they have seen one church firmly planted and two others get started.
• Being able to serve this ministry.  During our time here Charlie has done a fair amount of teaching and preaching, and I have been teaching teachers, women, and children.  Our days are full, and we feel blessed to be able to share the things God has taught us. 
• A close look at a close-knit family.  It has been a privilege to live with the Avendaño family while we are here.  They have been gracious to us in every way.  When you live with someone for an entire month, you get to really know them, and we have been very pleased to see the closeness they have. 

I could add more, but I’ll stop here.  We are blessed!