Unsung Heroes

There’s lots of them out there! They serve as pastors of small, seldom mentioned congregations. They are not looking for recognition or honor. They are giving their lives to bring people to Jesus and see them mature in Christ.

Leonard and Gloria Trembley are two of those heroes. I had the joy of ministering to their exciting, bilingual congregation at the Monterey Assembly of God this morning. I asked the people to gather together in the middle of the sanctuary to get a picture of the group. On Saturdays they minister to a still larger group of children and parents… 145 of them yesterday (Saturday) and 165 the previous week! Frances and I ministered at one of those powerful Saturday gatherings in 2009.

Check out the little boy, Manuel, in a checkered grey jacket standing in front of Gloria.

(Photo) During the service when Gloria asked if anyone had something to say he came forward and with the mike in hand, in deep sincerity, admonished the church with a brief message about the power of the shed blood of Jesus. You could tell it was not something memorized. It just came from his heart… and perhaps straight from the heart of God.

Leonard and Gloria are dedicated to making a difference in these lives. Jesus spoke about “bringing forth fruit that remains.” Here is a labor of love with eternal consequences. Today I honor Leonard and Gloria Trembley!

Ralph

Day of Rest

Yesterday, Saturday, I drove to Felton to visit our son, Ron, and his Argentinean wife, Elisabet. Ron and I drove to a lonely little beach nestled among the rising cliffs. We stood and watched with awe as the massive breakers smashed against the rocks. Two little birds floated effortlessly right at the most turbulent spot of all. They rose to the top of the crashing breakers and appeared at the other side as calm as ever. There’s got to be a spiritual lesson there somewhere.

(See photo)

Ron and Elisabet live in a pretty little log cabin nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains.

(See photo) They happened to be hosting a BBQ for a group of the leadership of their Santa Cruz Faith Community Church complete with horseback rides for all the kids on their two highly trained, beautiful Arabian horses.

(Photo) Then the kids enjoyed playing in the creek. (Photo)

After enjoying their BBQ, I drove to the Santa Cruz beach where another son, Tim, and his family were celebrating both our grandkid’s birthdays (Evan 14 and Michelle 16) along with a group of church friends that had all driven down from Modesto. We cooked hotdogs over the fire and enjoyed potato salad and delicious homemade chili. Happy Birthday Evan and Michelle!

What a beautiful day of rest! Thank you Jesus!

Ralph

Sonshine Rose

Hey!

I was impressed by this rose in Sister Heidi Griessmann’s flower garden in Oregon City during a visit to Oregon and Washington last week. I’m calling it the “Sonshine Rose” because it looks to me like it has the sun on the inside… like maybe when it opens fully it is going to blind you with its bright light.

May the Son be so bright within us that His divine light shines through the cracks and creases growing always brighter as our lives open into full maturity and ministry!

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18



Ralph

Friend of Sinners

This morning and tonight were my last services in this Missions Congress here in Templo La Hermosa, Tijuana. Many people responded with Faith Promises to support their Mexican missionaries. Pastors Delfino and María Ibarra (Photo)

have a well balanced Church with many activities.









Faith Promise Sunday morning the Royal Ranger awards were given out. (See Photo)

Their children are responsive and beautiful. (Photo) And their people know how to seek the Lord in prayer. (See Photos)

Jesus was heavily criticized by religious people because he hung out with sinners. Surely they whispered among themselves the proverb, “You can judge a man’s character by the friends he chooses.” Tonight I preached, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners.” Five responded for salvation, 2 men, 2 women and a young boy. Hey! That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

Ralph

Home for Abused Children

This afternoon I was taken to a home for abused children here in Tijuana, Mexico. All of the kids there of all ages have been taken from their parents due to mistreatment. It is like an enclosed community of houses. Each house has a permanent “mother” who accepts the children that are assigned to her house as if they were her own. She keeps them until they are old enough to live on their own… 18 years old or even 20 years old or more.

We did a service outdoors under a patio with a shade roof. Josué and Carla, a young couple from Templo La Hermosa where I am ministering, hold regular Bible classes and games for the kids here. Some of the mothers allow their kids to come, others do not. It was sad to see one “mother” run out of her house yelling and demanding that “her children” do not listen and watch Felipe as he told a Bible story. Finally she came and grabbed three small children by force and dragged them away crying. One must understand that this “mother” has been taught that she is protecting her “children” from a false sect.

The kids all seemed to enjoy the class. After Felipe’s Bible story, Carla continued with more teaching, prayer, games and nice prizes for all. Thank the Lord for Josué and Carla who, like hundreds of other lay people in our churches, do not sit idly by doing their own thing, but without prompting, seek out a ministry to touch the lives of others with the love of Jesus.

Ralph

Josue y Carla teaching abused kids

Flowers at Home for Abused Children

Felipe Visits Home for Abused Children, Tijuana

You Stayed with the Stuff

This morning I wrote this note to one of our long-term faithful supporters, but after reading it I realized that it belongs to many others of you, too, that have “stayed with the stuff.” See 1 Sam. 30:24 and the context: “As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” Hallelujah!

I don’t know if you can ever know what a blessing it has been across all these years to have you guys as our faithful friends and supporters in prayer and finance. Every victory on the mission field was your victory, too. One day, not far in the future, you will receive the applause of the heavenly host while our King Jesus gives out His accolades to those who have faithfully “stayed with the stuff” and who, along with their prayer support, have passed the necessary supplies on toward the front lines. I confess that Frances and I have received so much honor here on earth from our mission leadership, our fellow laborers and our churches in both the USA and Argentina that I personally feel that I have already received my reward… and far more than I deserve! Your turn is coming soon!

This morning in my devotions I read Romans chapter 16 where the Apostle Paul names 24 of his fellow laborers and refers to many others without naming them. He mentions the good things they have done and how some had suffered for Christ’s sake. We all see and applaud the wonderful work that this first missionary apostle did, but he and the God Who inspired his writing did not want these precious men and women of his support team to go unnoticed.

Your grateful friend,

Ralph

Templo La Hermosa, Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana, Mexico. I’m back in the hotel after tonight’s meeting. Great crowd for a Wednesday night! (See two photos)

It started at 6:30. The kids and adults, too, all loved Perfume and Felipe. After preaching, I opened the altars at about 8:50. Finally around 9:30 the pastor interrupted the prayer time to take up the offering. I felt kind of sorry about that, since many were still praying and I had not been able to get around to pray with all of them. I think he felt it was necessary and he probably was right. Several remained in prayer anyway.

Long after almost all the people had left, one mother was left sitting with a sleeping child in her lap. I came close and realized that she was weeping with tears just pouring. I stayed and prayed with her a while and then snapped her picture. She didn’t seem to notice. (See Photo)

Who knows what God was doing in her heart? I think it was something good. I was reminded of the night in 1962 when I was sitting in the balcony and had my little Mikey sleeping on my lap. It was a District Youth Convention and God had recently called me to Argentina. While many others were at the altars praying I sat there with my Mikey sound asleep and wept my way through to a very special experience with the Lord… far too much to tell tonight… but it helped prepare me for Argentina.

Be blessed!

Ralph

Top Security at Oakland Airport

Hey!  This was too hilarious not to share with you.

Noon today and I’m in the Oakland airport from where I’m flying to San Diego.

As usual my little Felipe, who was sleeping calmly in his case, abruptly stopped the security belt when seen by the x-ray lady. She called a group of security people who gathered around to look. Then the conversation went like… “Sir, what is that in this case?” “I’m a ventriloquist. It’s my dummy.” “Can you make him talk?” “Only if you let me take him out of his suitcase.” The lady left the x-ray thing for someone else to operate.  She came to check it out. I opened the case and took Felipe out. He started talking to her in Spanish. “Hola! Yo soy de la Argentina,” He said. She answered him in Spanish, so now we knew that she was bilingual… and he kept the conversation going in Spanish. Then I heard this little rascal, Felipe, tell her in Spanish, “Este hombre que me tiene en sus manos no habla nada de español. El pobre no entiende nada de lo que estamos diciendo.” For you who need the interpretation thereof, he was saying:  “This guy that is holding me doesn’t speak any Spanish.  The poor guy has no idea what we are saying.”  At this, I interrupted in English. “Hey, Felipe, what are you telling this lady? You know that’s not true. I speak Spanish, too.” By this time I was caving in with laughter and so was the lady. Sometimes I don’t know what this little guy is going to say until he has already said it… ha. It was a struggle to get him back in his case.  He always protests.  And then I showed her my delightful skunk, Perfume, which she obviously enjoyed. Fact is, when Felipe is with me, I never know what dangers and/or joys await me at the security check.

Ralph