Posted in Musings

Jose Salazar was a medical doctor in the capital city of Quito, Ecuador. When his young son was chronically ill due to complications resulting from the high altitude of the city, Jose moved his family to Guayaquil, on the Ecuadorian coast.

After some time in Guayaquil he began to notice old people who were living on the streets. These people had been abandoned by their families who could or would not take care of them. One by one, Jose began to take them into his home. He would treat their medical needs while treating their other needs as well. He fed them, bathed them, gave them a bed to sleep on and made them a part of his family. Everything he had he shared with them.

Taking care of them took time away from his practice of medicine and he was soon without an income. But Jose was doing this because of the love God had put in his heart for these people. He started praying to God for sustenance. And God answered. People began to leave food on his doorstep. They never knew what they would be eating from day to day. Some days it would be a bunch of bananas. Sometimes just milk. But always there was something there.

Once the government came in and told him that he was not fulfilling the requirements and restrictions for having an "old folks home" in his home and that he would have just a few days to close it down and move all the people out. Jose prayed and within a week there was a coup that brought in a new government (coincidence?).

God has blessed Jose and this ministry in ways that border on the miraculous. He has never asked anyone but God for his needs and still depends upon God to provide. God has moved many people to help in many ways.

A few years ago they were given land by the government and a rich Ecuadorian living in California donated money for a building. There are currently over 70 residents at the Fundacion Clemencia where Jose lives with his family. They have ministered and taken care of hundreds of abandoned elderly in the last days of their lives. Many of them have come to have new life before departing the old.

Over the years we have had the joy of seeing God work and grow this ministry. Jose and Adriana have become friends. Yesterday, we went there to join in on their festivities for Father's Day. I thought you might like to see a little of what we saw. Enjoy!

Posted in Musings

We have had lots of activity lately that I have wanted to blog about. There are many things that I'd like to write about, but it has been really hard for me to do so. Usually it's late at night and I'm tired so I decide to wait until the next day. Before I know it, the days just fly by before I get back here. Well, tonight, I just decided that even though I'm tired and it's late, I'm going to post an entry and share some pictures.

We went to a party tonight. It was the birthday party for one of my favorite people here in Ecuador. Her name is Julieta. Julieta is one of the most incredible people I have ever met and I consider it a privilege to know her. Her faith in God puts me to shame. I can't even begin to tell you her story. I shared some of it in another entry that you can access here and here. She spent ten years as a missionary to Asia where God did some awesome things through her. She has been unable to get a visa to return to Asia so she is working here in Guayaquil and we are thrilled to have her here!

The party was a pretty typical one for evangelicals here. We were invited for 7:30, arrived at 8:00 and were still about the second or third to arrive. For half an hour I helped cut out materials that Julieta will be using for a Father's Day activity with some children this weekend. As people began to arrive we sat around and visited with them, or tried to over the praise/worship music playing in the background (not a very accurate statement since the music was more in the forefront, making it hard to hear anyone say anything).

Once the room filled up we watched a powerpoint presentation of pictures of Julieta throughout her adult life.  Afterwards, we all went around and shared something about what we thought of Julieta. It was a time of real encouragement for her. Sometimes we think that people in leadership don't need to hear that they are doing a good job. That just isn't true and Julieta share later how much it meant to her to hear how she had affected the lives of so many people.

By this time it's after 10:00 and that's when the mariachis showed up. Mariachis are a big entertainment item here and we now have evangelical mariachi groups that can come and keep it "clean." They came into the small living/dining space singing, playing their guitars and tooting their horns. While performing their first song, their "sound man" set up the microphones and speakers so that we could really hear well (don't know if you can hear the slight sarcasm there). They sang songs that all could join in and fun was had by all (except for dh who couldn't get far enough away from the loud speakers). We laughed, sang, clapped, and enjoyed ourselves for more than half an hour.

When the mariachis finished it was time to eat. We all were served a plate of rice and chinese noodles with a small spoonful of chinese veggies on top along with a small glass of coke. We've been cutting back on the carbs at home and quite frankly I enjoyed the whole plate full (I couldn't be rude and not eat, ya know)! (Edited to say that the plate was a small 6" dessert plate and not a big dinner plate) The birthday cake served later was delicious. Cakes have come a long way since we moved here and this one was really good.

Gifts remain unopened until all have left. I can only hope she likes the bath gel and sponge I got her.

It was a fun party- I got to see and visit with friends I hadn't seen for a while. But more than that, I just like to go to parties!

Posted in Musings

One of the things that I most wish for is to be able to hear God when He speaks to me. So many times I have acted on impulses that I believe to be from God only to be left with doubt when things don't turn out the way I have envisioned. I've gotten to the point where I don't trust myself anymore to be able to distinguish between what I think/want and what God is saying to me. 

I've been reading a book called "Walking with God" by John Eldridge. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's really scratching where I'm itching. I haven't finished it yet, but already there are changes that I've been making in my life. The "description/title/whatever you call it"  underneath the title says "Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really." That is what drew me to this book. I truly want to be able to hear HIS voice and know when it is HIM and not me or my thoughts.

There are some major things facing me these days in which I need His guidance. I don't know what to do. I want Him to just tell me what to do. I'm talking specifics here. I don't want to hear "Raise up your child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it." I want to know where he should go to school next year. I want to know what I should do when he is tail spinning down, fixin' to crash. What do I do or say to him when he is rebellious and disrespectful? I've read most of the good books out there on the subject. But I need and want more specific information. I want to know what to do with my child, in the particular circumstances we are facing now. No book can tell you that. But I believe God can. God knows what is really going on. He's the ONLY one who knows that. And I want Him to tell me specifically what to do or say.

The other day I decided to fast and spend more time crying out and listening to God. It was after 2:00 in the afternoon before I was able to get alone for some uninterrupted time with God. And it was a good time spent with Him. Fasting is really hard for me to do, but I am so desperate to hear God that everytime I thought of food or felt hungry all I could think was- I need to hear from God more. I want to hear from God more.

I did hear from God, I think. At any rate, I was much calmer about things and He did give me some guidance even though it wasn't specific. I'm not giving up. I know He has specifics for me and I will just continue to listen until I hear what they are.

Posted in Musings

I wish life wasn't so hard. I wish making hard decisions was easier. I wish figuring out what God is really saying to you was not so confusing. I wish that sometimes I couldn't see other points of view. I wish I didn't have to fight the same battle over and over and over. I wish I didn't have to struggle so to live life. I wish I knew what was really going on in my son's head. I wish that I didn't feel so incompetent. I wish that I wasn't so weak. I wish I wasn't so fearful.  I just wish life wasn't so hard.

Posted in Musings

One of my heroes of the faith, and someone I look at in the light of a mentor, is Anne Graham Lotz. My husband posted this video on his blog in March and I wanted to post it here. It's another one of those things that has made me start thinking about the return of Jesus Christ, which I am beginning to believe will be sooner than later. Enjoy!

Posted in Musings

The part of this book that hit home the hardest was a description of "The Prisoners." It was here that I saw myself so clearly and it made me weep

"Trailing behind these first divisions was a multitude of other Christians who were prisoners of this army. All of these captive Christians were wounded, and they were guarded by smaller demons of Fear. There seemed to be more prisoners than there were demons in the army.

Surprisingly, these prisoners still had their swords and shields, but they did not use them. It was a shock to see that so many could be kept captive by so few of the little demons of Fear. If the Christians had just used their weapons, they could easily have freed themselves and probably done great damage to the entire evil horde. Instead, they marched submissively along.

Above the prisoners, the sky was black with vultures named Depression. Occasionally these vultures would land on the shoulders of a prisoner and vomit on him. the vomit was Condemnation... Again, I wondered why the prisoners did not simply kill these vultures with their swords, which they could have easily done.....

Sometimes the weaker prisoners would stumble and fall. As soon as they hit the ground, the other prisoners would begin stabbing them with their swords, scorning them for their weakness. The vultures would then come and begin devouring the fallen ones even before they were dead. The other Christian prisoners stood by and watched this approvingly, occasionally stabbing the fallen ones again with their swords...

As I watched, I realized that these prisoners thought the vomit of Condemnation was truth from God. Then I understood that these prisoners actually thought they were marching in the army of God! This is why they did not kill the little demons of Fear or the vultures- they thought these were God's messengers!...they felt that those who stumbled were under God's judgment, which is why they attacked them the way they did- they thought they were helping God!

Even worse than the vomit from the vultures was a repulsive slime that these demons were urinating and defecating upon the Christians they rode. This slime was the pride, selfish ambition, etc. that was the nature of their division. However, this slime made the Christians feel so much better than the condemnation had that they easily believed the demons were messengers of God. They actually thought this slime was the anointing of the Holy Spirit....

Then the voice of the Lord came to me saying, 'This is the beginning of the enemy's last-day army. This is Satan's ultimate deception. His greatest power of destruction is released when he uses Christians to attack one another. Throughout the ages he has used this army, but never has he been able to use so many for his evil purposes as he is now. Do not fear. I have an army, too. You must now stand and fight because there is no longer any place to hide from this war. You must fight for My kingdom, for truth, and for those who have been deceived.' "

The story continues as he describes the battle that takes place. What impacted me so profoundly was my realization that I was a prisoner just as he described. When I saw myself in this light it helped me tremendously so that I was able to pick up the sword and shield that were there and begin to fight what I now know to be of Satanic origin. I no longer want to be a prisoner at the back of Satan's army. I have been freed to fight! And fight I will.

Posted in Musings

A few months ago a cyber-friend (a missionary in Brazil) sent us a book. Out of the blue it came. I don't know why she sent it. She said she just felt led of God to do so. I thought she meant it for my husband to read.  It was laying on the ottoman in the bedroom with the envelope in which it came and other various and sundry things. I picked it up during the evening to see what it was that she had sent. It was morning before I put it back down, finished. I've never done that before- literally pick up a book and not put it down until I'd read the whole thing in one sitting.

The book was "The Final Quest" by Rick Joyner. I'd never heard of him before. Turns out he's a pastor in South Carolina who has had some extraordinary dreams- prophetic visions you might call them. This book is basically a written description of one of his prophetic visions, or dreams. Kinda like what the apostle John wrote down in the book of Revelation. I'm a bit sceptical when it comes to  visions people have- so many are what I believe to be, well, not of God. However, I have to admit that what I read here has really helped to change my life.

I'm not going to get into the whole subject of visions and dreams. I just want to share one part of the book that moved me- pretty much knocked me out between the eyes, so to speak. It's found in the part one of the book which is called "The Hordes of Hell are Marching" and is a description of the enemy that we fight spiritually. It is this description that I found moving because it is so accurate of what goes on and is what we have found upon our return to Ecuador.

I am going to just quote part of it. He says it so much better than I can describe to you. I put into bold print things that especially spoke to me.

"The demonic army was so large that it stretched as far as I could see. It was separated into divisions marched under the banners of Pride, Self-Righteousness, Respectability, Selfish Ambition, Unrighteous Judgment, and Jealousy. There were many more of these evil divisions beyond my scope of vision, but those in the vanguard of this terrible horde from hell seemed to be the most powerful. The leader of this army was the Accuser of the Brethren himself.....

The weapons carried by this horde were also named. The swords were named Intimidation; the spears were named Treachery. and the arrows were named Accusation, Gossip, Slander, and Faultfinding. Scouts and smaller companies of demons with such names as Rejection, Bitterness, Impatience, Unforgiveness, and Lust were sent in advance of this army to prepare for the main attack.....

All of this was to prepare for the great horde of evil which followed....

Although this army was marching specifically against the church, it also was attacking anyone else that it could. I knew it was seeking to preempt a coming move of God, which was destined to sweep great numbers of people into the church......

The primary strategy of this army was to cause division on every possible level of relationship - churches with each other, congregations with their pastors, husbands and wives, children and parents, and even children with each other....Through these openings would pour demonic influences that completely overwhelmed their victims.....

The most shocking part of this vision was that this horde was not riding on horses, but primarily on Christians! Most of them were well-dressed, respectable....these people professed Christian truths in order to appease their consciences, they lived their lives in agreement with the powers of darkness....

I noted that the demons were riding on these Christians, but were not in them as was the case with non-Christians. It was obvious that these believers had only to stop agreeing with their demons in order to get free of them.....

The power of the demons was clearly rooted almost entirely in the power of deception, but they had deceived these Christians to the point where they could use them and the Christians would think they were being used by God....

As I looked far to the rear of this army, I saw the entourage of the Accuser himself. I began to understand his strategy, and I was amazed that it was so simple. He knew that a house divided could not stand, and his army represented an attempt to bring such division to the church that she would be powerless and ineffective....."

I don't know about you, but I see a great deal of division within the church. This is particularly true of the church here in Ecuador. It has caused us to weep to hear and read of the things that are going on between believers in the church here. Some of it is almost unbelievable. How blind we can be to truth!