The Wide Spectrum
Today is Friday. Exactly two weeks ago I arrived in Argentina. Thus far I have had the joy of ministering 12 times in a wide social spectrum and an ample variety of activities. My only frustration is that something wonderful happens every day and I have no time to write the stories.
Last Sunday morning I enjoyed ministering again in Pilar with Joel and Lili (who is holding Felipe's suitcase) Diaz. They are starting a new church in a borrowed building in a low income area. A downpour of rain meant parking my car in deep mud and stepping out into the gooey stuff to carry my instruments inside.
In spite of the rain the place filled almost to capacity. Little kids and some of their parents had hurried through the mud to not miss Felipe with his Bible stories.
And several new people took their first steps toward Jesus Christ, the Giver of a new and better life that leads to a glorious eternity with God.
I never cease to enjoy the faces of little kids with their big smiles as they pet Perfume and watch Felipe.
That same Sunday night I was in an established church in Escobar city with Pastor Quique Cruz.
At the close many of all ages came forward to kneel in prayer, to worship and seek an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Tuesday I ministered in another well established church in the city of Gran Bourg. They do not have a regular Tuesday night service, but they, like many others, created one just for me. I had not been there for 15 years and young parents that knew me and my Felipe when they were little children, now brought their kids and neighbors to enjoy his antics. The wonderful love of Jesus often attracts these new people into His tender arms of forgiveness and cleansing.
Wednesday I ministered in the city of Los Polvorines. Check out this team of clowns that go to a city park every week to reach new people for Jesus.
The man in the blue shirt on the left gave a powerful testimony of escape from his former addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Perfume and Felipe showed up...
and all listened intently to my simple message of how Jesus stooped down from above to walk among us and lift us up to a new life.
Later I preached in their partially finished church building. This family and many others expressed a need for special prayer.
These cities are among probably 100 or more suburb cities that make up the 14 million people of greater Buenos Aires.
Finally last night, Thursday, Pastor Pablo Colona took me into a gated community called Nor-Delta. This is a huge relatively new area on the edge of the great Parana Delta.
Pastor Pablo (red shirt) stands with one of his church couples in their lovely home. He and his wife are planting a new church in this high income area populated mostly by executives of large corporations, etc.
On Sundays they meet in a rented hotel. Thursdays they gather their core team in one of these mansions. We met in the home of a Colombian executive of a petroleum company. They brought their kids to enjoy Felipe.
I then gave them a devotional from God's Word and the kids stayed to listen with fixed attention.
From the most humble and needy to the wealthy. We are all needy. Each one of us, no matter our social position is in need of Jesus Christ the Savior. A song says, "To know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to serve Him."
Ralph
