Saturday Post -- 06/03/10

A couple of encouraging updates from last week to kick off. First of all, though we have not officially obtained our one-year visas, they have been paid for in full, i.e., they can’t fling any more surprise charges at us unawares. We should have our newly-stamped passports by next week, when we can then begin the process of obtaining our ‘carnets’. The I.D. card debate has been raging in the UK for some time now, but there’s no getting out of it down here.

Thank you all for your prayers for this and my sermon last Sunday. In a nutshell, as part of the church’s series on 1 John, I used 1 John 1:8-9 to explore confession and its vital – indeed, expected – role in the lives of Christians. Despite having to account for translation time (in the shape of Diego), which effectively reduced the standard sermon length by half, I feel I was able to communicate what the Lord had placed on my heart in its fullness. Next time (if there is a next time!) I’ll be doing my own translating!

Our church horizons broaden a little further this weekend with Amanda taking a Sunday school class of 12-15 year-olds, alongside Jo. Where we come from, churches recognise the blessing of children and usually pray that more would come through their doors. As you can see from the picture, that's not a significant problem for 'El Jireh' (if anything, the challenge is convincing their parents to pop in!). Clearly, then, this is a vital ministry. She attended a leaders’ meeting last Sunday and will begin work this Sunday. Whilst giving her an active role in church life, it will also provide an excellent opportunity to develop her Spanish. 12-15 year-olds.

In the Fundación, Amanda returned to surgery this week, though a larger case-load didn’t see her getting home till 8pm – that’s fairly normal on surgery afternoons (see last week’s post which goes into the rigours in more detail). Aside from this, she was helping to conduct hearing tests on newborn infants at the local maternity hospital. She also had the opportunity to triage new patients by herself for the first time and, excitingly (for Amanda, at least) help out with administrative tasks!

Meanwhile, I’ve been tasked with translating into Spanish the six-monthly sponsors’ report, which those of you who support the Fundación’s work will have received recently. I’m excited to be learning all sorts of unfamiliar medical words (FYI: an operating theatre is a quirófano) though all too aware of my linguistic limitations. You know when you get Google to electronically translate a foreign website only to upload an all-too-literalistic rendering, metaphors and all? If not, try it out. It's pretty hilarious. And you're right, I do need to get out more. Anyway, that’s precisely what I’m trying to avoid. We’ll see how that one turns out.

Additionally, in the absence of Claudia, who heads up education here, I’ve been tasked with some education-related business, such as drawing up monthly reports and convening the monthly education meeting. Currently, these tasks are relatively light compared to other divisions of the Fundación (such as health) but I hope to play a part in expanding this in the near future when I begin teaching English. If our meetings are a reflection of our activity as a division, then for once in my life, I’m happily embracing the prospect of long meetings!

A few weeks ago I wrote about our Spanish teacher, the Chelsea-supporting Farid. Well, you’ll be pleased to hear I haven’t lost my perspective on grace. We’re putting our differences aside and, on Sunday, are going to the opening match of the season for the local side Real Mamoré (still not too sure what’s so Real about them, but not to worry…), who play in the national premier league. Farid is about my age and despite being under his tutelage, we’ve actually managed to develop something resembling a friendship during our classes. This is something Amanda and I have been praying for a lot recently: the development of relationships with locals unconnected with the Fundación. Why? Well, much as we love our friends and colleagues working alongside us, you’ll know all too well you can only have so much time with your workmates! It’s healthy for us to have a wider spectrum of relationships. Additionally, we’re missionaries, and developing relationships is a great way to lay the foundations for the gospel, should the Lord will it.

Finally, I should point out that a Sunday School teacher friend of ours recently got in touch with a great suggestion to post now and again about aspects of life here with particular appeal to youngsters, so that we could get children praying for our ministry. Amanda’s decided to have a go at such posts now and again and the first, concerning our furrier neighbours, is underneath.

Prayer
• Amanda’s Sunday school classes, beginning this Sunday.
• For Craig as he oversees the education division.
• For discipline in managing our work- and free-time.

Praise
• For significant progress in the visa applications this week.
• For Craig’s sermon last Sunday.
• For growing relationships with locals.

¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Craig & Amanda