It was a Holy Landslide!

All good things must eventually come to an end they say... that is, except for heaven, of course.  And that should be coming up soon... but right now I'm returning to the USA for Christmastime with the family.

My final weekend was Friday through Sunday, December 7-9 with four services scheduled.  Friday night I was with Pastor Guillermo Prein.  I dropped briefly into a staff meeting before the church service.  

Then I set up my Hawaiian Guitar on the platform while the many back-to-back cell groups were meeting as they do regularly one hour before service.  Although it may be hard to distinguish, these are circles of small groups, each led by a "lay pastor," a man, woman or youth, that is responsible for the spiritual well being and growth of that group.  It sounds like a "chinese laundry" in there!  One group is praying, another singing "happy birthday" and another worshiping or reading scripture.

Totally aside from these "pastoral" groups there are hundreds of "GO" groups meeting all over the city.  "GO" stands for "Grupos de Oración" ("Prayer Groups").  Several years ago when I inquired about a total count of those signed up and regularly meeting in these groups, the number exceeded 30,000 and was growing.  

Chairs are rearranged as the main services are held in the same L shaped building which we helped them to purchase in 1982.  Only one section of the congregation can be seen in this photo.  It was a joy to minister there once again.

Saturday night I ministered with Martin and Analia Scalfoni, a young couple that are planting a new church in Barrio Luro, another neighborhood of Buenos Aires.   

Little girls love to touch Perfume, but sometimes are hesitant.

Sunday morning it was Beccar, a suburb of Buenos Aires.  Ricardo and Patricia Fontanet, long time friends are pastoring here.  





They pack 'em in like sardines.  You can't put a foot down without stepping on someone.

Sunday night, what a blessing!  I received an invitation to minister in the Los Olivos church, where my son Ron's wife, Elisabet, is from and where I had not been invited to minister for 35 years, ever since they withdrew from the Assemblies of God and formed their own tightly closed organization.  

Pastor Jorge Roman agreed to hold Felipe's suitcase for me.  






During the message and at the altar time God blessed greatly.  

It was a "holy landslide!"

After church many old friends came crowding around, saying "Do you remember me?"  Everyone remembers me because I preached there many times years ago, but I have to confess that I only remembered a dozen or so of them. 

I just checked where, when and what I have preached during 2012.  My records show me which Bible story my little side-kick dummy did for the kids, what chorus I taught the church or school and what I preached about to the adults on each occasion.  Of the 183 times I ministered during this year only 24 of those cases are within the USA!  Plus I have driven 12,531 recorded ministry related miles, most of them on some of the most dangerous roads in the world (so they say) in Argentina and flown over 35,000 ministry miles.  

Oh yes… and I’ve been tightly hugged and kissed on each cheek by 14,245 elderly ladies, young ladies, cute teenage girls, kids and yes, (you’d have to see it to believe it) men of all ages.  It’s just a way of life in Argentina.  My count might be off a few thousand on the hugs and kisses, since they are not really recorded in my database.  It is a wild estimate, but it’s got to be close… ha. 

It’s great to be retired!  If the Lord let’s me live till this New Year’s Eve (my birthday), I’ll be 81 years on this spinning planet… and feel like I’m just getting started.  

Ralph