First of all, the good.  Tonchy and Noelia, Jorge and Viviana (our pastors and their wives), Isabel, the team from Emmanuel Bible College (who are here helping us for a month) and Andy (a short-termer from Wheaton Bible College in the States) all came over tonight for some singing and a Bible study.  It’s something new we’re planning…I think we’ll do it twice a month or so. 

It went really well.  After the singing, Noelia had a really great activity for us and then gave us the opportunity to have some small group discussions.  That’s important for my guys…they need the opportunity to think through and talk about what they believe, not just be preached at (which is sometimes the teaching style here).  After everyone had the chance to share with the larger group, Noelia had a short teaching time.  I was just saying to Isabel today, that both Jorge and Tonchy, and Viviana and Noelia really engage the guys when they preach or teach.  I noticed in church this morning that the guys were paying close attention to what Noelia (who preached this morning as well) was saying.  All four have all have great preaching/teaching styles, as well as excellent content. 

After we were finished, we ate cookies and drank pop….something my guys never seem to tire of.  Then we all just hung out…it was a lot of fun. 

Afterwards…

Jesus…

Learning some Spanish songs…

Jesus and Noelia…

Tonchy, Noelia, Jorge and Viviana…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again, but…the people from my church are a real blessing to us.  Especially Tonchy, Jorge and their wives.  They’ve gone above and beyond when it comes to helping and serving us.  God’s given them a heart for this ministry and for the guys.  It’s pretty cool…  =)  I feel blessed for sure.

And then the sad news…

Jimmy called me this morning to let me know that he wouldn’t be making it to church (he was home visiting family) because a friend of his had died.  I didn’t get more information until he came back this evening.  We sat down when he got home and he told me what happened.  His neighbour, a twenty-five year old father of two, committed suicide over the weekend. 

No one seems sure what happened, or why he did it.  From what Jimmy told me, it doesn’t seem like anyone really saw it coming.  The saddest part, and what I think will be the most difficult for Jimmy, is that his friend was talking about Jimmy Friday morning and saying how he’d like to talk to him.  Jimmy said that this friend was on his mind as well, all day Friday, and one of the reasons he went home was to see him.  Jimmy went home Saturday, but sadly this young man took his life Friday evening.  He left a wife, a four year old son and six month old baby daughter.  The funeral was this afternoon.

This is the second time in as many weeks that death has touched the lives of the guys here.  There’s no easy way to explain these things, or why they happen.  Obviously Jimmy is pretty sad tonight.  But in both situations, the guys and I were able to talk about God’s healing and peace in the midst of painful circumstances.  Please pray for Jimmy (and for Jose Miguel) as they work through all of this.  And for myself as well…it’s not easy to find the words or to always know the best way to help the guys through this process.

Thanks, as always, for praying for and thinking about us!  Your part in this ministry makes a huge difference here…