Collateral damage

When you choose to fight spiritual battles you must expect collateral damage. Worked all day Tuesday with mechanic getting the kia ready. Then left early in the morning Wednesday and did some preliminary outreach in a new area that has no gospel voice. It is a close nit community about 1.5 hrs from us on the road less traveled so to speak, called Ojos de Agua(Eyes of Water). We did some door knocking and finally found a welcoming response from a couple of folks who want to start a bible study. We also went to the 2 schools and found a welcome enough that they allowed us a short unannounced time to teach and hand out our tracts and J/R to the kids. Mark Antonio asked who is Jesus? In unison all the children said “son of Mary”. That pretty much explains where we are at. A couple of our pastors are going to go back Monday and start more teaching and soul winning and plan on staying with them in their homes for 3 days, if the families make a warm welcome maybe 3 days a week for a month. Try doing that on soul winning in the states… Jocelyn one of our teachers went with us, met an older lady who complained about her feet. While Luis talked to her about the Lord, Jocelyn rubbed her feet, then they prayed with her. I felt kind of guilty like I should have been getting a towel to dry them or something, but in a way I did…I am not worthy to wash feet as my Saviour did, I am happy just to be allowed to hand him the towel. On the way back one of our pastors described another very large area in Nicaragua/Honduran border that has no gospel voice and little access. It is actually where he was trained as a Sandinista against the USA as a young teen 30+ years ago. He has the many battle scares to prove it. Somewhat dangerous, hard to get to jungle area, and will require a strong 4x4, a boat and 2 weeks to get there and back. We are praying for a outreach next year if the LORD provides. We have a boat and a 4x4 just both need some work. Even more work as of today. The work that was done Tuesday didn’t work and the front end loosened up letting the wheels float around going down the highway. Fun, then as we neared the city a loud pop and the moments later the motor toasted and died. With only a couple of minutes left on my phone I found someone willing to tow us with a rope back to town. Need to pull the motor apart to see the damage. And Lisa called still no electric…and she needs diapers. So Jocelyn used the water company p/u truck to pick us up at the mechanics. Swing by for diapers and dinner and head home with the crew of 8 with me. As she pulled in to our driveway she stalled the motor on the hill, lost braking ability and coasted backwards knocking the car grill off on the fence and dropping the rear tires in the drainage ditch. Thankfully no one was hurt today, just expensive broken stuff but maybe some doors are open to the gospel, amen. Acceptable collateral damage I would say…trading temporary stuff that burns for permanent stuff that doesn’t…Hoping when the Lord comes back we are found running full speed on bald tires with the low full light and engine warning light on having spent all on the gospel, leaving nothing behind…Faith is spending what you have not what your hoping to get…

Unworthy servant to a Worthy Saviour,
Barry