The Mountain and the Valley: An update on Jose

 Last week I posted a testimony about a guy named Jose.  We are so encouraged by the quantity of people that read the story, shared the story, told us their thoughts, and committed themselves in prayer for this young man.  You guys are amazing.

 To keep it real, I never really thought that I might do a play by play of Jose and what God might do with him and his family.  I simply wanted to share a testimony of how God met me where I was at in life; Jose just happened to be one of the real-life main characters in the story.  

 You see, to this day, whenever I share a story, I always get a little worried about telling the internet world about what God is doing with a certain person.  I always worry that I will share their story and then they friend me on Facebook.  

 I tend to shy away from that awkwardness.  Especially because my hope is we will grow to be way more than just Facebook friends.

 Yet, as I have processed all of your responses, I realized that I have dangled the testimony carrot.  You guys want to know what has happened since I last wrote the update.  Many people have made it clear that they want to know what has happened.  They want to see God do something else.

 Well, I wish I could report that I met with him and his wife on Sunday.  I wish I could report that we had the most amazing conversation ever in the history of mankind.  (I prayed that we would, but maybe not in those exact words.)

 But I can’t.  

They weren’t at home like they said they would be.  I tried calling them as Ronald and I stood at their door.  I texted too.  I even just tried calling them- the phone is off.  Nothing.

 That is my report. Nothing.

 But please, keep reading.  The story doesn’t stop there.  

 As is often the case with spiritual mountaintops, there are also very low valleys.  

Welcome to the valley.

God reminded me of this all week in preparation for my visit.  For example:

 I watched a short video of a Pastor giving his testimony.  He talked about the short, nerdy white kid that would constantly and persistently pursue him on the basketball court; just so the now Pastor might hear the Gospel.  

 Persistence. Patience. Trusting that Perfect Love will always win.

 I read in 1 Samuel about David walking into a valley, surrounded by two mountains filled with soldiers.  There stood Goliath, in the morning sun, at probably just the right angle for him and the mountain of the Philistine army to cast quite a long shadow.  Yet David confidently walked to a brook and picked up some stones.  We know the rest.  The shadows were still there in that valley, but a giant no longer stood.

 Over and over again God reminded, before my visit, that discipleship is a process.  He reminded me that it is a process of leveling out the mountains and the deep valleys.  

 He showed me that discipleship is holding their hands in the mountaintop experiences where very often we might feel as though we can barely breath because of His thick, tangible presence.  He showed me that discipleship is spurring ourselves forward in the dark valleys where we become so fearful to breath lest some giant in the shadows might hear us, and do us harm.

 God lovingly showed me that discipleship is all about helping people to see that He is not only in mountain and the valleys, but He is also in the green pasture, ready to plant us in solid ground, water us, grow us, prune us, and help us to bear fruit.

 To do all of that takes time.  His perfect time.

 So, as Ronald and I walked to Jose’s house and waited, we prayed.  As we walked the beach where I first met Jose, we talked about life.  As we walked home to prepare for a meeting, we drank a cold soda together.  We lived our lives together, in the “loss,” as well as in the triumph.

 It was then, in that moment of life with Ronald that I think I realized the date.  It was March 10th.  

 Thirteen years ago to the day I was admitted into a long-term drug treatment center.  Eight years ago to the day I became engaged to Amanda.  Five or six years to the day I asked God to speak through me in my first official “sermon.”

 Yeah.

Just because I didn’t see Jose, didn’t mean God decided to stop talking to me.  In fact, I think his voice was even louder.

———

photo credit for featured image "Mountains near Monterrey" (jeffk)

Oikos School of Ministry

As a ministry we strongly believe that the best and most natural form of discipleship is life-on-life.  As we have personally learned with our son Judah, imitation is the most natural form of learning.  This is also very true of spiritual growth.  Imitation in discipleship is critical. 

As we have come to observe our disciples in their various contexts we began to realize that although imitation is happening, there is still a great need for formal equipping.  God was calling certain people around us to start taking over what our team had started.  Unfortunately they were not ready to do so.

So we continued to ask God what we should do.

And, He gave us various answers.  

One answer was a completely different Bible study for people in Pacifico.  Another was having us put even more time and effort into as much face-to-face interaction with our team in the Jungle.  However, probably the most surprising, but obvious answer He gave us was to start a school.  Specifically a school for future leaders of the shanty towns, emerging middle class communities, and the Jungle.  

So 2013 marks the first year of the Oikos Discipleship School.

Yup.  Pretty cool stuff right there. 

So, part of the reason why I, Shaun, can not leave for the next two years is because, for eight months, I will be helping to lead out the school.  (Gulp.)

I’m kidding.

I couldn't be happier.  For real.  If you know me, I can’t even talk about ice cream without somehow teaching something.  So this is right up my "avenida."

God has provided us with such a variety of students. I am amazed at what He is stirring up.  For each area of Peru that God has called us to as a team, there is at least one student represented.  In the coming weeks I will be sharing more about them.

The school will start on April 4th of this year.  So we expect the students to move into our homes and the school apartment sometime at the end of March.  We know the direction God is taking things, but we have no idea what God will do.  For Amanda and I there is such an awesome sense inside that God is going to blow up our box and show us things we never could have imagined.

(In a couple of weeks I hope to send out a newsletter with the profiles of each of the students, along with a couple of ministry opportunties that you can participate in.  How exciting right??)

We can't wait to share more!

A Quick Story of God's Healing Touch

  Last night Ronald, Nancy, Steve, Lili, and I headed over to Pacifico to spend some time with our family in Pacifico.  Before leaving we sat together praying, asking God to do something new.  We asked that God would do something different.

  After arriving in Pacifico we started cleaning Javier and Llilda’s (Jill-da) house, getting things ready for some solid time of community.  Lili was getting the kid stuff ready.  Steve and Nancy were getting the snacks ready with Llilda.  Javier and I were setting up some partitions, and setting out the tables.  

 Which left Ronald.

 Ronald is our door knocker.  That guy can start a conversation and make you feel so special in a matter of seconds.  So he goes out and reminds people that we love them, and we would love to spend time with them.  

 Javier was supposed to go with Ronald, but he was helping me.  So instead I told Ronald to take Arthur, Javier and Llilda’s son.

 As they were leaving Joanna, their daughter, decided to go along and ran after Ronald and Arthur.

 They were gone for a short while, and right before 6:00pm they came back.  Ronald had a look of awe on his face; and when that guy is in awe, he is in a daze.  He can’t function until he tells someone why he is in awe- it’s part of his nature to let people know what God is doing.

 Knowing this we got quiet, gathered around Ronald, and we listened.  Joanna and Arthur went to go watch “Over the Hedge” with Lili.

 Ronald explained that they were knocking on doors, inviting people.  Then they knocked on Jane’s house (name changed).  As Ronald, Arthur, and Joanna talked with Jane she complained about her hand hurting.  They looked at it and it looked like one of those cartoon hands that are super-sized after being smashed by a hammer.  She had been taking medicine, but it wasn’t working, and she could’t even move her fingers.

 Just like me, when I struggle with things, I tend not to want to go anywhere- Jane is no different.  She wasn’t going to come because her hand hurt too much.  Ronald knew what we had prayed earlier, and didn’t want to see something like this keep her from seeing something new.

 So Ronald told her to take a step of faith with them, and pray for her hand.  At first she was a bit nervous, and was unsure.  (Just like I have been so many times).  But Ronald kept on encouraging her to go for it, to take the leap.  

 After a minute, she made a decision, and she jumped right in.

Ronald and Joanna, the little tag along, laid hands on her and prayed for her.  As far as we know there was no tingly feeling.  No thunder clap.  Nothing.

But when they were done, before their eyes, Jane’s hand begin to get smaller.  She didn’t even notice.  But then, Ronald asked her to move her fingers- which she couldn’t do before.

Then she noticed.

Her fingers moved.  Bend after bend.  Jane was in shock of what God did.  Ronald was in awe of what God did.

And Joanna... well I think she thought that God was showing Jane how much He loves His children.  No big deal. :)

Why do I say that?

Well, when Ronald was done telling the story, and we all sat dumbfounded, Ronald asked Joanna to give her view of the story. 

After a few moments of silence, Joanna looked up with her sweet, cutie-pie face.  She looked at us, smiled, and said with her innocent little voice, “What Ronald says is true.”

I wish I could capture on film how she said that in Spanish.  So nonchalant.  So trusting.  So relaxed.

Still smiling, she turned and started watching “Over the Hedge” again.

Then a few minutes later, Jane walked in... and she brought a friend. 

Jungle Testimony Time

This is a quick update from our wonderful teammate Mark:

"Just wanted to write you a testimony about what God is doing at the moment in Oikos (our ministry) in the jungle. 

A little background: We have worked in the jungle since 2008 but felt a need at the end of last year to work out what God was saying in respect to the work in the jungle. 

In December and January we were in the jungle for 2 weeks and through many kairos {ministry altering} moments we started Oikos Selva (jungle) with a small central team of Shipibos (indigenous tribal people) to minister to their own people. We thought that the first year would be a time of building and establishing the team and what Oikos in the jungle looks like.

God had other plans.

We did a pre pre learning community, {intense formal discipleship time} in May and 6 churches turned up through word of mouth. We are now actively working with four of these. In November in our second community we expect many more churches and a much greater turn out of people.

Some personal testimonies.

May 2012: In the mother church in Nuevo San Juan (30 minutes from the city of Pucallpa, our jungle base) there [were] 10 members in the church, with other people attending on and off. There [were] lots of division, gossip and we as an organisation had to justify that we were not a sect each time we visited there.  {Talking about discipleship is scary to a people group that has never had this presented to them before.}

I spoke today to Marcial and Miguel (2 of the leaders in Oikos Selva) and they told me there are now no divisions, 72 members (coincidence?!), and many more people to be baptised. (We baptised 20 people in July).

In Junin Pablo (24 hours by boat from the main city) the whole leadership is seeing new growth personally in their walk and new passion for Jesus. Young people are coming back to the Lord, or coming to the Lord for the first time. There is genunine hunger that has not existed before. One church in the region is talking about becoming afilliated to this church, and learning about what God is teaching them. Hubs are beginning in the deepest darkest parts of Peru.

In Caimito (25 hours away) Misael (part of the central team) returned to his home village and was met with great resistance talking about discipleship to the people. He started to visit door to door and saw people healed and also 40 people recommiting their lives to Christ who had drifted away from the church.

Finally, Rafael, the leader of one of the multicultural, multi tribal, national evangelical indigenous groups here in Peru is now becoming a menmber of the church in San Juan and wishes to start to share our values with his organisation.

God is on the move, we are so honoured to be involved in such a movement. 

There is a lot more I could say but please stand with us in prayer. 

Please pray for the families working with us in the jungle who are growing daily in faith and number. 

Please pray for the finances to help these guys who have no stable income.

Please pray for the finances that we need to be able to huddle {formally skilly train} the guys there better. I plan to be there once a month, and wish to take team with me."

We hope this has been an encouragement to you!!!

Pacifico: Seasons

 As you will see in most of the updates, we will mention seasons a lot.  We as a team have broken up the 2012 year into four seasons.  The end of April marked the end of the first season and the beginning of the second.

 In Pacifico, the first season required a lot of “feeling things out.”  We had moved locations, then we moved again.  We saw people come closer to the Lord, and we saw people being drowned by their circumstances.  We saw growth, and we saw death.  We saw miracles, and sometimes we were left with questions.  However, all of what we experienced allowed us to step into a new place in this season; a place of constant listening and evaluation.

 We had a new friend, Jane (from England), stay with us.  She really helped us bring in this new season with a bang.  Her ministry is focused on art, and using art as a medium to grow and develop our relationships with God; specifically communication with God.  The women, children, (and men) loved it.  Whether it was the women’s retreat or the cell groups, people were excited to express what they felt God was doing in their lives.

 

 In this season we have also seen a change in the practical application of “Church” within Pacifico.

 We have noticed that in Pacifico situations and circumstances are what run daily lives.  And there are a lot of “situations” and “circumstances.”  It has been very difficult for the people within our Church to effectively focus on their relationship with God because so many problems and distractions have overwhelmed them.  They “know” that God is real and can take care of them, but it has been very difficult to keep their eyes open under water.

 Being that the Church isn’t a building, we have taken “relationship” to a more personal level.  This season we have made it a season of investment.  

 What does that look like?

 Normally each week we have a “celebration service” every Sunday at 10.  But people struggled to celebrate, and most importantly they found themselves running errands because they work every day of the week.  

 Now every other week, we have fellowship time.  Rather than people sitting and listening, we eat together, laugh together, and talk about Jesus together.  The response has been pretty cool to watch.  In this time our leaders are also encouraged to visit “lost sheep.”  That may mean going to the homes of people, or it may mean going to the market with them.  The point is, time and investment are made, reflecting salt and light to those that are struggling.

 We have also put more of a focus on the teaching side of things to happen in the cell groups.  That way Sunday morning can give them concrete encouragement in their daily lives; which also includes visitations.  

 All of our leaders are visiting with people.  Whether it is in Pacifico or Los Cedros, the leaders are using informal moments to share about Jesus in a more personal way.

 To be real with you- some days in Pacifico are pretty tough.  It seems like when people take one step forward, our enemy knocks them backwards six years.  Yet we know that is not the truth.  

 So we keep wrapping things in prayer to be encouraged and hear from God on the direction things need to go.  We also hang onto the promises that God has this all under control, and we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.