Your Prayers Must Be Coming True...

As we've traveled and shared with congregations that support what we do in Central America, we are always asked about what they can pray for. In EVERY instance, we have asked that you pray about the location where we meet for Sunday services. When we started gathering for worship there back in April of 2007, it was a great answer to prayer. We had been meeting in a residential home where we had our offices and housed some of our students. But we soon were making our neighbors uneasy with all the new faces in their midst, and we knew we had to leave. The current location is ideal in many ways, with no worries about the noise we make, and a swimming pool for baptisms to boot! But it seems that it has served its purpose for the time, and as the congregation grows in maturity, a new place to come together seems imminent.

Basically, there are a couple of reasons we should probably be meeting elsewhere. One has to do with the neighborhood. It is no better or worse than other neighborhoods in the township, but the locals themselves make a distinction as to its perceived dangerousness. While the neighborhood is indeed a hotbed of drug activity and even some violence, even the worst neighbors see us and our students as a blessing, and have never threatened any of us. On the contrary, when Roger recently had a cell phone stolen out of his car, some of the local toughs made every effort to locate it and defend his rights (and our students' efforts) in confronting the obvious thieves on his behalf. They were too late, as stolen merchandise moves very quickly in those markets! But it illustrates the impact that the Church has already had in a very rough place. On the other hand, those same neighbors who are part of the Church are very hesitant to invite their other acquaintances (from work, school, etc.) to join us, because they know what everyone thinks and what their fears are.

The other reason we need to meet elsewhere has to do with centrality. If we can find ourselves meeting in the central district of the township, everyone can not only arrive at church on their own, but also know that their invited friends can easily arrive. Central location is a question of logistics and future self-sustainability and independence.

So I think you must be praying about this. Why? We've been shut out of our present location! The place is rented out to other parties (literally) because we only rent it by the hour. And of late, some pretty wild drug parties have taken place on the grounds! They were so wild and raucous in fact that the neighbors called the police, on more than one occasion. So the municipality closed the place down. The church missed one Sunday of worship together, but are planning to meet this Sunday on the basketball court next door. Pray it doesn't rain! And keep praying for the right place. This may actually be a blessing, because if we're forced out of the present locale, the neighbors would understand our leaving better, and not feel so much that we were abandoning them. Your prayers can come true!