Jose Morelos

On 2nd Saturday, November 13 we, together with our partners in Cradock, gave away food to over 400 families totaling more than 1200 people. There were over 100 of our Point Harbor Community Church folks serving. We started at Point Harbor Community Church early in the morning by putting together Thanksgiving boxes, containing 20 plus items, including a turkey and instructions on how to cook them. When finished they were trucked to the Presbyterian Church in Cradock. Those who had previously registered received there the boxes, with enough food to feed a family of five during Thanksgiving. Another group went to the Baptist Church in Cradock, where they distributed food, brought by our partner, the Food Bank of VA. In front of the Baptist Church families received almost 40 pounds of food each. Yet another group from Point Harbor Community Church went to Truxton, a few miles form Cradock. They cleaned the windows and the gutters on the homes of two elderly widows.

It was a wonderful day of service, indeed..!

(More pictures on my Facebook page.)

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

The rancid political climate of recent days, and the reaction of many toward the possible building of a mosque in a particular place in New York city, has made me wonder whether we are growing into a nation of cognitive dissonant Christians. Cognitive dissonance is the state of having two conflicting beliefs and attempting to live by each of them. In this case the conflict derives in trying to live like Christ followers, while shielding America from the influence of foreign persuasions. The fact is that we cannot do both. They are mutually exclusive. Attempting to be reconciled with both, a cognitive dissonant condition, results in attitudes and actions contrary to Christ's teachings: frustration, anxiety and then violent behavior; instead of charity, love and peace. Even more important, attempting to live by these two conflicting beliefs neutralizes the only reason for our existence on this earth: being the salt of the earth and sharing the message of Christ to the world.  A world that is coming now into our neighborhoods and which is at our doorsteps.

The United States accepts more refugees from needy, war torn areas of the world than any other country in the world.  In 2008, over 60,000 refugees were accepted to be resettled in cities all across the country.  That number increased to 80,000 in 2009.   Canada is the country that accepts the second largest number of refugees.  The U.S. government also accepts over one million legal foreign immigrants every year.  And, over 600,000 International students come to study in the U.S. each year.   All these are strangers in our midst of foreign persuasion. The last ten years have seen one of the greatest migrations of people in history.  It is when people are displaced that they are the most open and receptive to the gospel.  Many of these refugees and immigrants come from areas of the world where we cannot send missionaries and there are very few Christians.   (Could it be that in God's plan, He is bringing all these foreigners to our shores? Not to see this as God's plan could make us very uncomfortable.)

And life is getting more dissonant for many of us.  Not only do we have to consider the thunderous  voices of commentators on the right of the political spectrum,  but also the recent public opinion of well known religious leaders. The former are doing what they are supposed to do, but as for the latter, they should know better.

Let me state clearly: I believe that there is one, and only one, way to salvation: Jesus  Christ. (Romans 6:23). There is no other way. I believe that only those who appropriate His sacrifice on the cross as their own will go to heaven. (Romans 4:25) I believe that there is no other name under heaven by which any man or women can be saved other than through Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12).  I believe that we are saved by His grace, not because of our actions or our merits. (Romans 11;6). I believe that if any man or women go to Jesus they will be saved. (John 14:6). That is what Jesus said. That is what the Bible says. I think all of us who claim to be followers of Christ agree on that.  But we also must agree in other parts of the Bible as well. To not do it is to live in a state of perpetual anxiety and angst: a state of cognitive dissonance.

Together with the above passages, the Bible also says that:

• We will be unappreciated and hated: "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."  John 15:19.
• We ought to know that this is not our world: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." John 18:36.
• We don't fight this world the way the world does:  "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does." 2 Corinthians 10:3
• We use different type of weapons. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."  2 Corinthians 10:4.
• We have nothing to defend here: "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it". 1 Timothy 6:7
• We are not from here:  "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" Philippians 3:20

So, what are the followers of Christ supposed to do instead?

• We are to "Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.... See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit...." Ephesians 5:8-18

I am not saying that we can't have our own opinions, only that as ambassadors we need to keep them to ourselves and "deal with it"; because we can only represent the views of the One who is sending us. The One whom we represent. That is, if we are followers of Christ, because we really have no other choice. This doesn't make us perfect or better than anybody else, because we are not; we are just different. We are not from here. This is not our place. We cannot expect "them" to conform to "us". We are only guests, passing through. "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." 2 Cor 5:20. Otherwise we are dissonant.

During the 2nd Saturday of August, over 20 people from PHCC gathered to assist the Food Bank of VA distribute food in the Cradock area of Portsmouth. An initial count suggest that over 160 families, close to 500 individuals, received food. The goods consisted of bags of cans and dry food, corn in its husks, assorted meats, bread and various kinds of pastries. As I watched the distribution two thoughts kept going through my mind:

1.Whether we are in Nicaragua or in VA, there are people in need all over. It is no different here than anywhere else. People need help and there is always the need of people to give help.

2.If you did not know the people in the pictures personally, you wouldn't know who may be the giver and who is the recipient of assistance. Many looked the same. And the phrase "...there, but for the grace of God, go I..." never sounded more true.

We began day 2 together studying the second chapter of Philippians. What an appropriate piece of scripture it was for us... "Each of you should look not to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.", "...for it is God that works in you to will and act according to his good purpose."

We truly see God working in our group here in Nicaragua through the various activities during the day. Today there were some from our group who went out to the construction site where they finished siding a house and got started on another. Others went to speak at a gathering of over 100 pastors, some who had traveled three days to be there. We also held our first session of both the baseball ministry and VBS.

We also have a couple of other projects going on here at Verbo. Melody is using her creative gifts to lead some of the children of the orphanage in painting a mural in the "mess hall." We have primed the walls and some of the mural is already sketched out...the painting will begin on Day 3. Also, Travis is using his gift of locksmithing to not only re-key (with a master key setup) all of the locks on the Verbo campus, but also to train a few of the men here in how to cut keys, re-key locks and other skills that Travis uses on a day-to-day basis. This will not only be useful to them here but is also an opportunity for business.

We have also been blessed to spend some time with the children playing games, soccer, jump rope and just talking. We feel truly blessed to be a part of what God is doing here at Verbo.

More later... (as long as we can get on the Internet...it's been down).

There is no other place we rather be than here in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. We have all come to that conclusion. We are encouraged by Paul's challenge to "in every circumstances to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of Christ." We began tuesday to do the work we all have prepared for months to do. After a home cooked breakfast  we spent time devoting ourselves to the task ahead, Today we started building a new home, prepared for receiving 150 kids for VBS and trained the coaches for the next three days baseball ministry with kids. We can't wait to see what the Lord will do tomorrow.

1. A freshly manicured field in an almost-empty baseball stadium.
2. Babies and toddlers. I am fascinated by how they may see the world.
3. Late afternoon light, when all the colors seem to be sharper and more saturated
4. When the wind hits the leaves on tall trees exposing the light colors underneath.
5. Discovering a new fruit, especially if it is tangy.
6. An inspiring political discourse that challenges me to be better.
7. The words of the song “Viejo Mi Querido Viejo”, sung by singer/songwriter Piero.
8. The US or the Colombian flag, when they are waving in the wind.
9. Well harmonized voices singing gospel music.
10. Chapter 15, of the Gospel of John.