BLAST 08

With October quickly approaching, BLAST became the topic of conversation during the staff meeting this last Tuesday. BLAST is our version of a harvest festival that we use to each out to our local neighborhoods. I look forward to it every year as we see hundreds and hundreds of families gather together for some good ol' fashion fun. We turn the back lot of the church into a county fair and load it up with games ranging from mazes to dunk tanks, giant slides, pony rides, you name it. I'm really praying that this year will prove to be yet another effective outreach...

Chris

Day 4 and 5

So I'm trying to forget most of day 4 from Honduras.. Something I ate made me really sick and so after visiting one of my favorite villages, i spent the rest of the time in the hotel.. trying to sleep.

the village that we visited was the most "out back" of all the others... the people in the village had less than even the first ones we had visited. Yet, with out the trappings of finery, the lesson the passed on was priceless. in the midst hardly no monetary provision, somehow they find themselves connected with what really matters. They are all very family oriented and very open to the Lord... they have the ability to find their joy in the Lord and are happy with whatever He would choose to bless them with. The Christians here have deep roots in the goodness of God and will always serve as a reminder to me.... keeping in focus a godly value system based in Gods economy and not this worlds.

After sleeping in a little bit on day 5 we were up and off to the airport to head home. I can't wait to share with the body all the opportunities that await us in Honduras and we move into 2009.

Chris

Day 3 in Honduras

(Didn't have the time to sit downand write tonight, it got late quick as I found myself in a great conversation with a good friend.. So, because I want to keep everyone updated on our trip i'll share with you a little something my beautiful wife wrote today... Which you may really enjoy, she has a gift for writing. ~ Chris)

Yet another great day here in Honduras! We missed everyone at Kingsfield this morning, but had a great time in the service here at Ebenezer Church. Ebenezer Church is in town, it's a great facility they just purchased in Jan. Pastor Hugo is the lead pastor. Church began at 9am with singing (some oldies but goodies from Calvary), and it was sweet they had the words up in English for us. We obviously couldn't understand the Bible Study but it was neat to see the church and how their Christian culture is.

After Church we headed off to another farming village. The drive is always so beautiful, pine trees (of all things), banana trees, coffee bean plants and just tons of green. We were going to visit a church in the village but it turns out that the pastors brother-in-law was killed in an accident yesterday on the farm so they canceled church. We ended up at the house of the pastors parents. Had an amazing time visiting with his mom, a women who has an amazing legacy. We sat and listened to her story (via translator), her husband and her have served in ministry since they were young. Starting Bible studies that turned into churches and then would move on, and on top of that she raised 12 children!!!! She was so beautiful and so sweet, and to hear of how the Lord has used her was amazing. Some of the local farmers came by and we visited with them as well. Dave told us to take a look at these faces and remember them and then when you are sipping your next cup of coffee, to pray for them. That really impacted me, I did sit there and take in each one of their faces, worn from many years of hard work and a hard life; and I will remember to pray for them as I am sipping my cup of coffee. Especially now that I have seen all the hard work that goes into each cup and the little profit that they receive from it. It would be so neat to put their pictures on coffee mugs (Carrie catch the vision...!). They took us down to where they are going to build a small plant together across from the church (none of them are believers as of yet, so much to pray for). We hiked to the top of this hill and just took in the beauty of God's creation, and then went to check out the church. The church is a very small fabricated building with wooden benches in it. We sat with the windows open and talked, birds and bugs making singing in the background, it is indescribable. After that we hiked to a waterfall, and then drove back down into the city for a prayer meeting at the church. We prayed with the youth, which was really neat. Almost all of them prayed for their families to get saved, it is very common here for children to go to church without their parents, so sad. After prayer, they had some fun laughing at our driver license pictures, I was trying to explain to one boy that I was pregnant in that picture with my first child and now I have 3, he translated it that I was currently pregnant with 3 babies and seemed very amazed, but I was able to get a translator to help straighten the story out:)! After that we walked for ice-cream and went to the central park, and then when we came back we went to our room and wa-la, they had changed our curtains, bed spread and bed skirt from purple to gold. It's amazing, where do you find that in America??? Anyways, it was a great day and I am so thankful God allowed me to come here and meet these people and try to impact them with love and encouragement the best I can.

Till tomorrow...

Tatum Norman

Day Dos (thats two for those of you who don't speak espanol)

This morning started with a quick breakfast with the team to pray and plot the day. After breakfast Dave had a meeting with some of the board members from Growers First here in Honduras. So while he had his meeting we had the great opportunity to get a tour of the coffee plant. The process that the coffee goes through before we purchase it in the bag is staggering. The amount of work it takes to produce just a pound of coffee is surprisingly overwhelming (maybe I'll share what we learned sometime...) .

Our translator on the plant tour was an amazing man by the name of Everett. Everett works at Ebenezer, which is the church here in town that were working with. He has a huge heart for evangelism and leads many of the efforts to reach the farmers in the local villages. After our tour we sat for a while and listened to many stories of all that God is doing in the villages. Many are coming to the Lord and there has become a huge need for discipleship in those villages. There are so many opportunities to help.

After the plant tour pastor Hugo wanted to show us the home he's building in the hills. He's been working on it for 3 years and has about 1 year left before he can move in. Currently he's renting a little place next to the church. Some in his church and other have chipped in to make it possible. He was beaming with excitement as he walked us around from room to room.


Another great man that we had the opportunity to meet was a local farmer named Suri. Suri is a beliver who makes an hour and a half trek to get to church on Sunday, is considered a successful farmer making on only $2000-$3000 per year (compared to the typical $500), has a "home" in the middle of nothing, a 12 year old son battling cancer, and a contagious smile that stretches from ear to ear. Absolutely amazing... God has used his story to give me a good healthy dose of perspective. These wonderful people have a value system that makes me ashamed to say I need anything other than the Lord... I'm forced to reevaluate everything and come to the conclusion over and over again that I am more blessed that I could ever have imagined.

Suri took us to his village and introduced us to his friends and family. He seams to be somewhat of a community figure of leadership. on the way up to the village he hit the horn and waved about 60 times... literally knew everyone!

Cant wait to see what the Lord has in store for tomorrow.

Day One.

the day today was spent mostly traveling.... The flight from LAX to El Salvador was about 5 hours. We took off at 2am and didn't have much time to sleep. We tried to take advantage of what little time we did have because we knew that when we landed we would have a full day of travel to the heart of Honduras... Most of us had tons of trouble trying to actually doze off, all of us that is except for Dave Day... literally 4 minutes into the plane (notice I didn't say "flight" we had not taken off at this point) Dave put on some Chuck Missler and was out cold... I'm not blaming it on Chuck, but all I have to say is wow... Dave even provided us with a little background noise from time to time..

After landing in El Salvador we had another flight into Honduras and then loaded up the vehicles to head south to "base camp"... about a 2hr drive with a stop along the way for lunch... once we got to the hotel (which is actually nice considering the surrounding location) we rested for a bit and then had dinner with some of the locals including board members for the local Growers First operation. The board includes a Pastor, a Farmer, a Politician, and an Educator. After dinner we were invited to a musical that included several of the kids from Pastor Hugo's church...





The people here are very warm and friendly. Makes me wish I would have paid attention in Spanish 101 during High School.

In the morning we have breakfast at 7:30 and then head out to one of the farms that Growers First has been investing in over the past 3 years. after 2 years of working with this farm they received their "organic certification" which allows them to generate a greater revenue stream..

More tomorrow..

Chris

Insect Repellant… $24

We’ll in preparation for Honduras; I’ve got to say…. I have never spent more money on insect repellent in my life!!! From what we hear the mosquitoes in Honduras are pretty intense, and can make you sick. So I did a little research to find the best repellant and ended up all the way down in Santa Anna at REI purchasing what is acclaimed to be the best by many sources. It’s what they call “Jungle Juice” ~ which I liked, because from what I picture in my mind, were going to a jungle… Perfect… except for the fact that I spent $24, i hope it's worth it...

Tatum and I were praying on the way down to LAX tonight and found our hearts filled with great expectation. We really have the sense that God is going to use this time to bring about effective ministry over the years to come. The Goal for the trip is to begin working with some villages in Honduras that grow coffee beans to support themselves. Over the next several years through the efforts of Kingsfield Church and growers first, we will be a part of life transformation on several levels.

Cant wait to see what the Lord has is Store!!!


Chris

Thoughts of the day...

We had another great Sunday with the church today! Every week God continues to amaze me with His goodness.

Were Continuing in our study through the book of 1st Corinthians and have moved into the section of scripture in church Paul deals with Spiritual Gifts. Today we noted that God gave Spiritual Gifts that the church would be healthy and effective in the commission that He has given her. With that in mind, it really puts things into a whole new perspective... So often, and in all good intention, we ask God to work in our churches. We ask Him to strengthen the church and make us more effective. I have to be honest... Although I completely understand, and even pray the same prayers. I have to wonder if while were asking God to Work in our churches, if while were waiting on Him, if He is in some way just patiently and graciously waiting on us.

He gave us the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the specific purpose of health and strength in the church. So as we function in those gifts we can expect that outcome... While were asking God to work, we need to realize that He is working and then simply yield the gifts He's gives us to the work He's doing around us.

People were given a chance to receive the greatest Gift, Jesus Christ, and we saw many lives added to the family today...

Sometimes I fell like I'm preaching to the choir when it come to making the call for everyone to do their part... I think our body really gets it. It seams like so many are involved in so much. Our Church seams to get so much done... I love it!!!

Church picnic #2 was great... fellowship, food, met a lot of new people, and was blown away by the participation... everything from the games to bake off... tons of fun, I love this church.

Spiritual Gifts

This Last Sunday at Kingsfield Church we started a series on Spiritual Gifts. We've been working our way through the book of 1 Corinthians and have finally come to chapter 12.  I'm excited about the next couple of weeks as we tackle the subject and seek to line ourselves up with Gods word concerning the issue of Spiritual Gifts. 

I love that Paul starts the whole thing off with... "now concerning spiritual things, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant."  Go figure...  It seams that the confusion in Corinth is the same confusion that we have today... esteeming people above others based on their gifts, teaching that a "true believers" must have certain gifts, teaching that "any spiritual movement" is a "holy spirit movement", and all the others. Paul deals with them head on, and therefore so will we

Going into the subject I realize that there are many people who become very leery when you begin talking about Spiritual Gifts.  In part I don't blame them because there has been so much abuse.  Some crazy things have been said and done under the banner called "a movement of the Holy Spirit". 

It amazes me how sly the enemy is.  To think that God has gifted the church in such a way that we could have maximum impact and effectiveness as we act in those giftings.  Then to think that the enemy goes and makes "Spiritual gifting", through mimicking and distorting, an uncomfortable and undesirable element with in the church... pushing believers away from what God would desire to do in and through the church as they would engage in their spiritual giftedness. 

It's my prayer that as we move through 1 Cor. 12, 13 and 14 that God would stretch each one of us.  That we would not be ripped off or held back from how God would desire to move in our lives as individuals, and in our church corporately.  That in our study, Gods Word would answer the questions, challenge our hearts, bring balance to our views and mature each of us as believer. 

Chris