Heavy, Humbling & Hopeful

This season of life is heavy, humbling and hopeful.

It is a contrasting combination of spiraling sentiments that leaves me winded and wondering many days. Absorbing and observing, thinking and praying, feeling the weight of others' uncertainties as well as my own. Sharing and bearing burdens here and there, near and far - some days shuddering under the sorrows of shattered dreams and expectations.

During our ministry here in Chile, years ago there was one prior season that felt this way. In the aftermath of great tragedy, we found ourselves alone and buffeted by one unwelcome surprise upon another. "You couldn't make this stuff up," we often mused in disbelief and discouragement. It was in this season that our sending church supplied our need in an incredible way, by investing in plane tickets and the opportunity for Pedro's parents to come alongside us for three very special months. We have forever been grateful.

This time, we are not alone. Although circumstances - lockdowns, restrictions, illness, barbs of our unseen Enemy - often contrive to make us feel that way, I am thankful that we have alongside us teammates committed to the same goals and with whom we share the work of ministry.

We are completing our third term and fifteenth year of ministry in Chile, with thirteen of those years in Iquique. As of last year, not a single teammate with whom we began our ministry in Iquique remains here with us. (They continue serving in new locations where God has placed them.) Yet God has faithfully called new members - from Canada, the US, Chile, Venezuela and Ecuador - to work together in planting and strengthening the "Iglesia Bautista de Fe" church. I love how our church planting team reflects the diversity not only of our local church, but of the universal church - believers of every tribe and tongue and nation who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ!

There is much work to do, and we are learning together. A variety of cultures can sometimes mean a variety of opinions, though I am grateful that more often than not our goals and decisions are unanimous. A variety of individuals means a variety of personalities and that, too, can require maturity and patience and being willing to put on another's lenses to see through his or her perspective. 

For instance, North American culture values productivity; while South American culture values time invested in relationship. Generally speaking, as North Americans we are accustomed to having financial resources readily available and prioritize a professional job well done despite the cost. Specific to our situation, many of our South American colleagues have learned to live on less and weigh the spending of each dollar (or peso, in our case.) 

Uniquely, on our IBF church planting team made up of five North American and four South American adults, only one member is actually Chilean! And with the ongoing tidal wave of immigration to our city, Chileans currently make up a minority of our church family as well. Some days it feels confusing - weren't we called to Chile for Chileans? But our commission from Christ is actually far broader. We are to go into ALL the world and preach to the WHOLE creation! Praise God, He is placing this ministry right in front of us.

There is truly not a single day where we feel that we've got things figured out. Even after fifteen years, we are still learning, still making mistakes, still grateful for God's grace in light of our own inadequacies. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7) Thank you for praying that the power of God will shine brightly through every one of our cracks and that in His strength we will remain faithful and accomplish much for His kingdom and glory!