A Church of Youth

My GPS seldom lets me down. The newly rented hall in Pilar was on a main street, but for some reason it did not figure in the GPS data base. With the help of cell phones they finally got me there.

Mario and Alicia Fleita had previously served as pastors in the town of Alberti for several years. I ministered there once late last year when they were feeding a lot of poor people. But they had to leave that borrowed facility and have recently rented this hall and are starting over in downtown Pilar. Most of these youth have parents that want nothing to do with God or the church.  Yet these teenagers truly love God and make the trip from Alberti to most of the services here in Pilar. Others help them with the bus fare. 

I cannot remember another church quite like this one. I looked out at the congre-gation of about 60 people and looked for adults. I counted 4 men and 4 women including the pastor and his wife.  Not one grey head! 56 of them were youth and children! I don't know their secret, but this couple attracts youth. 

The four girl singers did a lot of motions to the music and the youth in the front row imitated them.

You can tell when an audience is "with you" when you preach... and these kids were "with me" big time! 

My message was nothing unusual or outstanding. I gave an invitation for salvation and one young man raised his hand and at the prompting of someone who had brought him, he came forward for prayer. 

Then several others in need of prayer came, too. I prayed with each one. 

Then I suggested "If anyone else feels like praying you may come up and kneel." 

In a few minutes the chairs had been pushed back and the entire front was filled with kneeling youth.  

A couple of guys on the platform kept some soft music going. After a long time had passed I asked the pastor. "What to we do now? These kids are down there praying with tears and they aren't getting up." He just smiled. 

Finally there were only a few left praying and the pastor had someone set up a box on the edge of the platform and people came up and left their offerings. 

This couple has taken a big step of faith. The hall is costing about $1,000 US dollars per month. And these youth spend all their money just to get there on the bus. They can give only pennies. With only four men... like many other church plants, they will need some major miracles to keep this hall and grow this into a strong church.

It never fails, after all is said and done... somebody begs me to get out Felipe again just for a picture. I sat down on the edge of the platform took him out. And at the sound of clicking cameras Felipe started flirting with a little bashful girl down front. I scold him for doing such things, but the girls love it.

The service had started promptly at 7 PM. 

It was now almost 11 PM "dinner time". 

I was served a delicious little pizza and a hot dog. They even provided me with a stool. 

This is the way we say goodbye in Argentina. I call it a "prayer-hug." Their arms clutching me tightly say, "Please come back soon!" 

Will I ever be able to return? I cannot promise. I plan to be driving far away into the interior of the country in early April. 

Ralph