The Archive

These are all the prior posts from our old blog, less the pictures. They run from March 2005 to April 2006

Monday, April 10
Hi from DC
by Ron on Mon 10 Apr 2006 09:17 PM COT
Greetings from Washington, D.C.!
We arrived back in the USA a week ago. I don't think we have experienced the most relaxing re-entry as a missionary family, but definitely the most exciting! On Sunday, the 2nd, we flew back to Miami from Bolivia where our son and his wife picked us up and drove us to their home in Gainesville. On Monday we went to the O'Connell Center on the UF campus to watch the NCAA championship game on a huge screen with 6000 screaming fans.

On Wednesday we went to Animal Kingdom at Disney World. On Thursday we drove to Greenville, SC. to spend a few days with our daughter, Patty. On Friday we went to the Masters Tournament in Augusta. On Sunday we drove to Washington, DC. Today we went to the Smithsonian and also the house where Lincoln died.
I think I miss the slow life in Bolivia! Not really. We have had a great time.
More later,
Ron

Sunday, March 19
Church Mission Project in Bolivia
by Ron on Sun 19 Mar 2006 07:16 AM COT
Hi You all!
In just two weeks we'll be on our way back to the USA for three months. In addition to visiting our supporters, friends and family we'll also be sharing an exciting opportunity for churches to bring mission teams to Bolivia. This is a short video I made of a team from Miami last summer. Can you put yourself and your church in the picture?

Saturday, March 18
Bugs in Bolivia - the power of video
Sat 18 Mar 2006 05:46 AM COT
Ron has discovered video! (and how to include it in the blog).
This short clip will give you an idea of the kinds of things we find on our patio in the tropical eastern part of Bolivia. It is a "puss" caterpillar. When you touch it (which you shouldn't because it stings), it rolls up into a tight ball:


Parachute Games - Good News Bible Church
Sat 18 Mar 2006 05:10 AM COT
Hi! We just finished a great week with a team from Good News Bible Church in Iowa City. While they were here we shared the Gospel with over 2000 children and adults in all kinds of settings. In this video the kids are playing "cat and mouse" with the parachute (thanks, Jill!)
Here they are playing "tent":

Thursday, March 9
The Sting
Thu 09 Mar 2006 10:35 AM COT
The Setup:

Ron parks on the street in fRont of the Bolivia office of Campus Crusade for Christ. Leaving, he drives two blocks to a major intersection where a man on foot gestures wildly that something is wRong under the car.

Ron crosses the intersection and pulls over. He checks under the car and finds nothing. At that moment a kid in mechanic’s overalls runs up. He says he works at the auto repair shop on the corner and saw me go by with a loose tire. Moments later his boss arrives and together they look under the car and come out with some rubber and metal parts explaining that Ron was within moments of disaster with the car. Had he recently hit a big pothole?

The Sting:

They offer to do the repairs on the spot because the car can’t be driven. Ron stays in the car with foot on brake and the steering wheel held firmly. The boss leaves with tie rods, etc. promising to return in 20 minutes. “Wait”, Ron says, “How much will this cost?”. He’s vague. The kid mechanic stays in the car with Ron.

Boss returns with parts. The price U.S. $750 plus labor.

“STOP” says Ron. “Take your parts and go. I’ll tow it to the dealer.”

The men won’t leave. Ron calls friend, Jorge. Jorge and Ron finally chase the guys and their parts away. They promise to return with the original parts. They don’t return. The “auto repair shop” on the corner doesn’t exist.

Ron has the car towed to the shop where the repair bill is around $400.

Turns out these guys are a team. They:

a. damage a car’s steering system while it is parked.
b. position a man at the next intersection.
c. send conveniently placed “mechanic” to help.
d. Charge huge prices for parts and labor to repair the problem.

Well, live and learn. I shouldn’t have let them touch the car, but at least I didn’t give them any money. When I got to the car dealer, they had another SUV in the shop with the same story. And so it goes….

Ron
Friday, February 17
Student Movement in Venezuela
Fri 17 Feb 2006 08:46 AM COT
Hi from Santa Cruz!

God is doing great things in Venezuela! The campus ministry there is exploding as a cooperative effort of U.S. staff and stinters and Venenzuelan staff reach out to a new generation of students.

I spoke to a gathering of 100 students in Maracaibo and basically just told my own story of faith in Jesus. I shared from Matthew 8, one of my favorite passages about Jesus’ power to heal.


I gave an opportunity to receive Christ and then they divided up into small groups to share personally. The guy in the picture is Davy, one of our Venezuelan staff. He ran up to me after the meeting to tell me that 3 guys prayed with me to receive Christ!
Monday, January 23
Hi from Venezuela
Mon 23 Jan 2006 04:03 PM COT
Hi You All!
I am in Caracas, Venezuela. Thanks to God's great blessing on our Campus Ministry here, we have a lot of new Venezuela short term and full time staff. I am here to help Patty, our administrator, meet the challenge of serving a rapidly growing team.

(That's a picture of Patty). Today we are working on a quick review of her accounting system. Tomorrow we'll continue with that and meet with our staff here in Caracas. Then on Wednesday we'll travel with Jair Rios, our national director for Venezuela to Maracaibo and Merida to meet with students and staff. I'll be speaking several times in the next several days. Thanks for praying!
Ron
Thursday, January 5
Bats, Rats, and Frogs
Thu 05 Jan 2006 10:47 AM COT

Happy 2006! Living in the tropics is great! I was sharing a devotional yesterday with our Bolivian staff. I told them about my morning thus far.
Andy and I got up as usual to go to the gym at 6 am. Our little dog, Skittles, sleeps in the laundry room and has been letting us know over the last several nights that she has had company out there. Before we left we checked the traps we had set in the laundry room for mice. We didn't find a mouse, we found a large gray rat trapped and still wiggling! I hope he was a bachelor.
At the gym, Andy looked out the window to the pool area and saw some movement. Going closer, he saw (and rescued) a huge spotted frog, maybe 9 inches from nose to toes.
Back at home, he found another swimmer in our pool. It looked like a mouse, except for the wings. It was a bat! The same pool was the site of a baptism 2 days before. Well, Andy rescued the bat and set him out on the deck to dry off.
Jeanie isn't really excited about our creatures, but it is part of life here.
Bats, Rats, and Frogs
Thu 05 Jan 2006 10:46 AM COT

Happy 2006! Living in the tropics is great! I was sharing a devotional yesterday with our Bolivian staff. I told them about my morning thus far.
Andy and I got up as usual to go to the gym at 6 am. Our little dog, Skittles, sleeps in the laundry room and has been letting us know over the last several nights that she has had company out there. Before we left we checked the traps we had set in the laundry room for mice. We didn't find a mouse, we found a large gray rat trapped and still wiggling! I hope he was a bachelor.
At the gym, Andy looked out the window to the pool area and saw some movement. Going closer, he saw (and rescued) a huge spotted frog, maybe 9 inches from nose to toes.
Back at home, he found another swimmer in our pool. It looked like a mouse, except for the wings. It was a bat! The same pool was the site of a baptism 2 days before. Well, Andy rescued the bat and set him out on the deck to dry off.
Jeanie isn't really excited about our creatures, but it is part of life here.

Thursday, December 15
Noche de Reflexion - A Night to Reflect
Thu 15 Dec 2005 03:57 PM COT
On Sunday Bolivians will vote to elect a new president, governors and congressional representatives. More than ever before the future of Bolivia is at stake. Some have predicted great social unrest in the country regardless of the outcome.
Campus Crusade for Christ is sponsoring a special showing of the JESUS film the night before the election on national television. Our purpose is to share the life of Christ and give Bolivians the opportunity to reflect on eternal values before they vote. The presentation ends with a very clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity to receive Christ as Savior. Please pray that many will come to Christ.

Sunday, November 27
A few pictures
Sun 27 Nov 2005 03:25 PM COT
Hi! Thought I'd post a few pictures to let you know what's been going on.
First, three weeks ago Jeanie had the girls from La Guardia over on a Saturday morning to swim and bake chocolate chip cookies. Turns out girls just want to have fun too!

Then this weekend we went with the kids of the Talita Cumi children's home to a beautiful spot about two hours from her ecalled Las Cuevas (the caves). We didn't see the caves but there were beautiful tropical waterfalls to play in. Here are a couple of pictures first of Jeanie at the falls and then of all the kids.

Now the kids:

Wednesday, November 9
Little things can wear you down
Wed 09 Nov 2005 09:47 AM COT
Life in Bolivia can wear you down. I am struggling this week with passport issues. For the past four workdays in a row I have gone to the U.S. Consulate expecting to pick up our three passports. I turned them in on October 25 to get some additional pages sewn into them. Unless I get the passports today, we will have to cancel a trip to Brazil, holding non-refundable tickets. My frustration level with my own government consulate has been very high.

God is using this as a lesson in my life. Can this circumstance rob me of my joy? Well, it shouldn’t, but it has at times over the last days. I actually feel worn out, tired, because of the series of events.

This morning God ministered to me through His word. I was reading Psalm 100. I remember memorizing this psalm with my mom when I was about 10 years old.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; {We are} His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving {And} His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

I was comforted to remember that it is He who made me, not me myself. He is in control, not me, myself. I was encouraged to remember His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness, regardless of the outcome of this current bureaucratic issue. He calls me to praise and serve Him with gladness.

Then came perspective. I prayed later this morning with a woman whose younger brother attempted suicide last night. And I’m worried about passport issues? I am a child learning, again, to trust my Father.

Saturday, October 22
The kids of La Guardia
Sat 22 Oct 2005 06:59 PM COT
Hi again,
How different life is for the kids in La Guardia from the life we know in the U.S. Last Saturday nine boys 9-13 years old spent the day with Andrew and me at our house. We piled them all into our small jeep (not unusual for them) and came over to the house. We played ping pong, game cube and swam. They had a great time with us.

Today in our English class we were covering the vocabulary of houses. Many of our words translate, but they don't translate culturally to the life of the kids in La Guardia:
Family room
Living room
(indoor) Bathroom
Loveseat
Dresser
Refrigerator (a couple of families have these)
Jeanie taught them the words, but the ideas are foreign. They really laughed when we explained "Garage" - a room in the house for the car!
Ron
Tuesday, October 4
Note from Jeanie
Tue 04 Oct 2005 03:34 PM COT
A few weeks ago Ron shared with you that Milton and his wife Delma had brought a friend, Jessica, to our Saturday evening church next door. Jessica is a single mom with three young children and has seen a difference in Milton and Delma's lives and wanted to see what this "Bible Study" was all about. Milton, you will remember, is Ron and Andrew’s trainer at the gym who along with his wife received Christ a few months ago. They have been steadily growing in their relationship with Christ. They saw an answer for Jessica in a relationship with Jesus and invited her to join us Saturday nights.

She and the children have come a few times in the past few weeks and two weeks ago Jessica received Christ as her personal Savior after the Bible Study with Susie Salazar, one of our Bolivian Campus Crusade Staff members! Milton and Delma knew that Jesus had changed their lives and given them eternal life and a hope for the future and they wanted the same for Jessica. Please pray for Jessica and her children as she seeks to grow in her new relationship with Jesus. I pray that we all are willing to bring the Jessicas in our life to the only one who can give them eternal peace.

Jeanie
The Church's one Foundation
Tue 04 Oct 2005 12:46 PM COT
Sunday night we went to Pastor Javier’s church to help celebrate a major step in the life of the church. Through the generosity of some friends from the U.S., the tent church now has a beautiful raised cement floor. Here is how Pastor Javier told the story.

“Do you remember the hard wind and rains three weekends ago? I came over to the tent and saw a muddy lake in the middle of the tent up to my ankles. One whole side of the tent had blown out. I was really discouraged. But God is so good! The next day Brother Ron came with the gift to repair the tent and lay the new floor. The floor will be the foundation for our new church building. God is so good to bring his mercies just when we needed them.”

It was so exciting to share that moment with the congregation of Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva.

Humorous aside: While I was preaching a message from Ezra to commemorate the foundation of the new church, there was a commotion out in the congregation. A lady was using her sandal to smash (repeatedly) a tarantula who was (apparently) trying to make a profession of faith by coming down the center aisle. The pastor’s eight year old son, Kevin, finally dispatched the beast with a couple of stomps.

Monday, September 26
One thing leads to another
Mon 26 Sep 2005 01:57 PM COT
Dear Friends,
I've written to you about our friend Milton. He is 28 years old and works at a gym. In fact he is Andrew and my personal trainer. Over the months, I shared Christ with him, and then his girlfriend, Dilma. They have a baby, Alan. They have been coming to our new fellowship Saturday nights.
This Saturday they brought Jessica. She is a single mother of three small children. As we sang and worshipped on Saturday, God touched Jessica and she asked to talk to me after the meeting. She shared that she has a drinking problem and often leaves the children alone while she goes out at night. She was sobbing as she told me and was aching for change in her life. I introduced her to Susie Salazar, our friend from next door. Susie's husband, Hernan, and I are leading the group. Susie prayed with Jessica and shared Christ with her.
Life is so fragile. Pray for Jessica that God would take ahold of her and turn her around. She wants to change but lacks the power. Jesus is looking for people who know that they are powerless and are willing for him to takeover.
Please pray with us as well for two fellow missionaries, Rodolfo in Uruguay and Dean in Miami. Rodolfo is suffering from inoperable cancer and Dean is having a biopsy done this week. Pray for God's healing hand on them both.

Thursday, September 15
A Special Treasure
Thu 15 Sep 2005 09:06 AM COT
Beside your relationship with the Lord and your family, what's your most precious treasure? I was recently back in the U.S. and stopped by a Christian bookstore. They had an NIV study Bible in Spanish, a Bible Dictionary, also in Spanish, and some pastoral study notes for several books of the Bible in Spanish. They were all on a closeout special I couldn't resist. I brought them back to Bolivia with me.

Last month I helped teach a course in Bible Study methods to a group of 40 pastors. Doing a decent study to prepare a sermon is tough if you have no resources. My good friend Pastor Javier had an old Schofield reference Bible as his only resource, so I decided to take him the treasures that I picked up while in the U.S. He was overwhelmed! He said, "Brother Ron, this is the best gift I have received in my whole life".
Pray for Javier and all the pastors here who work so hard to shepherd the flocks God has entrusted to them.
Friday, August 26
Pray for the Pastors
Fri 26 Aug 2005 08:31 AM COT
Bible Study Methods: Observation, Interpretation, Application.

Sounds pretty basic, huh? Well, not really. We’ve been working all day every day this week teaching a class of 21 pastors. Our goal is for them to become better masters of the Word of God in order to build better followers of Christ in their churches.

I want to share a skit that I did for the pastors. We were talking about the need to interpret scripture in light of the culture in which it was written. Here is the scene I presented:

Scene: An office in the United States.
John enters, sees his office mate, Bill, and says: “Good morning”. John sits down.
Bill, seated at his own desk, responds, “Good morning”.

Ok. What can you conclude from this scene? As a North American, we can’t conclude much. Not so with the Bolivian pastors. They read a lot of meaning into the story:
• John is very rude.
• There is probably a major unresolved problem between John and Bill.
How did they conclude that? John did not shake hands to greet Bill for the day ahead. In Bolivia it is the height of rudeness to not shake hands upon greeting a friend.

Well, as North Americans, we don’t shake hands that often. We shake hands when we meet someone, or perhaps upon greeting someone we haven’t seen in a long time, but rarely do we shake hands with a colleague in the office. We understand our cultural context, the Bolivian pastors did not. They misinterpreted the scene by interpreting it in light of their own culture.

What does that have to do with reading and interpreting the Bible? Whether North American or Bolivian, we need some understanding of the culture 2000-4000 years ago in the Holy Land to be able to make sense of the “scene”. We can’t interpret the scripture in light of our own culture in 2005 A.D.

That’s just a snapshot of what we’ve been doing this week. Please pray for the pastors as they return to their congregations this weekend.

Ron
Friday, August 12
Where's my wallet ??!!
Fri 12 Aug 2005 01:12 PM COT
Hi,
Great opportunity to trust God today. The car is in the shop, so I decided to ride my bike the 7 kilometers to the gym at 6 a.m. this morning. I carefully zipped my housekeys, wallet and a bottle of water into the back pocket of my pullover jacket.
When I got to the gym I put everything in a locker (which I never lock, since there are only 5-10 people at the gym that early and I know everyone), left the bike outside and got to work with Milton, the trainer.
As I was riding home about 7:30 I patted my the pocket of my jacket checking for the wallet, and it was gone. I rode back to the gym and it was no where to be found. I immediately assumed I lost the wallet, but realistically, it was stolen since I remember every step I took and zipped it carefully in a pocket.
So now I've got two problems:
1. Cancel and replace all my credit cards, Identity card, etc., etc.
2. Keep showing Christ's love to everyone at the gym, knowing someone took the wallet.
This is really a pretty good test!
Ron
P.S. The new identity card will be ready on Monday. Had to pay $25 extra for "speedy" service.
Friday, July 29
Justice and Bolivia: Proverbs 29:4
Fri 29 Jul 2005 01:34 PM COT
The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it. Prov 29:4
This morning I was reading in Proverbs (not coincidentally, chapter 29 :).
I have a lot to learn about justice. Especially living in Bolivia. Justice is hard to define in words, but when it is lacking, you know it.
Justice Stewart of the U.S. Supreme Court said, "I know it when I see it", referring to obscenity. What is difficult to descriptively identify is plainly obvious when you come face to face with it.
Injustice can be seen everywhere in Bolivia. I have to say, I am a conservative. It is easy to be an economic conservative in the U.S. where rights and opportunities for advancement leave the responsibility for one's station in life more squarely on one's own shoulders.
In a society like Bolivia where class, race, and status determine your personal life outcome, it is not such an easy "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" argument as it is in the United States.
What is needed here? According to the verse I began with, leaders who practice Justice are needed. Justice in turn produces the stability that allows economic and political advancement. The verse concludes with an exhortation against corruption. In a political leader a sense of Justice precludes personal corruption.
So where does this vital ingredient, Justice, begin? It can only begin with Jesus Christ.
Matt 12:18 "BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.
And in Romans, Paul writes of the Author of Justice:
"What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!" Romans 9:14
A simple, human Justice solution cries "Redistribution of Wealth". A Godly Justice cries out for Just leaders who can only be Just through a personal relationship with the Author of Justice, God Himself.
Ron
Tuesday, July 26
Vacation in Bolivia
Tue 26 Jul 2005 04:24 PM COT
Hi from Cochabamba, Bolivia!

After a couple months of INTENSE ministry, we took off for Cochabamba for a few days of rest. Now, I'm not sure how much rest we should expect taking all 10 of us who are staying at our house this summer in Santa Cruz! No, really, it has been a good trip.
We have seen some great new things including the largest statue of Christ in the world. We climbed up inside the statue to the level of the arms; the view was amazing. The archaeological museum was fascinating. Our Quechua/Aymara guide gave us a new perspective on the native cultures in Bolivia.
We also toured an ornate mansion called the Portales Palace that was built by the "King of Tin". It was very sobering to see the incredible wealth that was built on the backs of the poorest Bolivians.
Well, back to Santa Cruz and back to work. Thanks for praying for us!
Ron

Tuesday, July 5
Answers to prayer
Tue 05 Jul 2005 03:14 PM COT
In the last several blogs, I have asked you to pray. I want to share some answers and ongoing needs:

Accounting training. We had 14 accountants from all of the countries from South America here for two weeks of intense training from June 16-29. The training was a great success. All of the accountants made great progress. Not all passed the final exam, but they are all better equipped to manage the resources our Father in heaven entrusts to our Campus Crusade ministries. We built some great relationships. Please pray that the accountants will be able to implement the things they learned.
Bolivia. I asked you to pray for Bolivia. In the past three weeks life has returned to normal after the social conflict of June. People are able to go about the business of making a living again. Sadly, none of the underlying issues are resolved. Pray that God will supernaturally intervene to bring peace and justice to this troubled land.
Christ Fellowship Miami mission trip. It's almost upon us! The team of 16 from our church in Miami arrives on Saturday. I have been working with pastors from two churches, Warren and Jesus, both Bolivian, to prepare for the team. We are expecting great things! Pray that at least 1000 will hear and clearly understand the Gospel in the next 10 days. We will keep you posted.
Patty and company. Our daughter and four friends from South Carolina have been here for 3-4 weeks. They are halfway through their time in Bolivia. They have been serving at Talita Cumi, the children's home. They have also been teaching an English course at the university. Last night they hosted a big Fourth of July celebration at our church for their Bolivian students. Their 40 guests had a great time.
Jeanie, housemother at the dorm (our house). I asked you to pray for Jeanie as she runs the household of eight people this summer - soon to be 10! I can report that she is holding up well! But Keep Praying for Jeanie!
Tuesday, June 21
What a difference a couple of weeks make!
Tue 21 Jun 2005 02:44 PM COT
Well, two weeks ago we were in the throes of a "near civil war", according to the former president (new president since then!). All is peaceful again in Bolivia - for a while. The underlying issue remain the same, waiting for the next spark to ignite the flames again.

Meanwhile I had scheduled a training for all of Campus Crusade's accountants and administrators from all over South America. We had nearly cancelled the training because of the political upheaval, but decided to go ahead. I'm glad we did!
All of our countries are represented except Chile. The training will last 13 days and gives us a common foundation for solid financial management in all areas. Thanks for praying for all of my team here in in Bolivia.
Ron
Tuesday, June 7
Bloqueos, Terror and Politics in Bolivia
by Ron on Tue 07 Jun 2005 02:41 PM COT


For the past three weeks Bolivia has struggled with an indigenous uprising. I have hesitated to write about it for a few reasons. First, I don’t want to give our friends and family the impression that we are in any danger (we aren't). Second, this blog is not about politics. Third, Who am I to comment on the internal struggles of the Bolivian people?

Well, conditions have gotten a lot worse in La Paz in the past few days. The daily bloqueos of the highways in and out have led to food and fuel shortages. The picture above shows the bloqueo between La Paz and its international airport. The bloqueos have now expanded to 70-80 locations on nearly all the major intercity roads throughout the country. Only Santa Cruz, where we live, has remained unaffected.

The government has not responded in any effective way to protect the cities from the consequences of the bloqueos and last night President Mesa, who promised no bloodshed under any circumstances, resigned under pressure.

So where do we stand? There is a very frustrated indigenous majority demanding nationalization of the oil and gas resources. They are not constitutional scholars, but understand clearly four centuries of injustice. On the other side of the issue are the middle class citizens who want peace and tranquility: an opportunity to develop economically. They want respect for the rule of law and the constitution.

In the U.S. we would call the actions of the Indigenous movements Terror and the government would act accordingly. This country has had 200 changes of government in about 180 years. Any government is slow to act against any group of people. The act in itself might cause the government to fall.

Pray for Bolivia as it struggles to find its way. Pray that God would move in people’s hearts to trust Christ as Savior, as their only real hope.

Thursday, June 2
Lost and Found in Santa Cruz
Thu 02 Jun 2005 01:30 PM COT
Wow. Last night Jeanie and I went to visit a church pastored by a friend of ours, Jesús. (I bet you know that Jesús s a very common first name in Spanish J ) The church started 5 months ago and meets on a patch of dirt 20 feet by 40 feet, roofed with a very shaky system of lumber and tin.

When we arrived the prayer meeting was just starting. As more people arrived they greeted us and then Jesús encouraged them to move quickly to their prayer groups. There were around 50 people gathered to pray.

I have learned that when I am asked to visit a church, what they mean is that they want me to share for a half hour or so. You have never seen a more attentive group of people. I shared some of Jesus’ stories from Luke 15. Do you remember the story he told of the woman who lost a valuable coin and cleared out the house and swept until at last she found it? Do you remember the celebration that Jesus described that came after she found the coin? The ladies in the group last night understood the story! They could relate to a dirt floor and the value of one lost coin.

I also told the story of the lost son and how the father welcomed him home with open arms. So many parents here understand that story. When I related the story to our spiritual lostness, people responded. One 10 year old (“I’m almost 11”) boy, Jonatán, prayed to receive Christ. He was found by Jesus. The celebration of his decision was unanimous. The men of the church gathered around Jonatán and prayed for him, that God would build him in to a Godly man.

Please pray for Jonatán as he grows up in Christ.

A few other prayer items:

• Our home church in Miami, Christ Fellowship, is coming in July to minister with Jesus’ church and to help plant another rural church. Please pray for the fund raising and all the arrangements that have to be made for their trip.
• From June 16-29 we are hosting a training for all of our financial administrators in South America. We’ll have 15 trainees. Please pray for their travel, health, families left at home, and all the details that go with any conference.
• Our daughter, Patty, arrives for the summer on Monday, June 6, followed shortly by four college friends from Greenville, SC. They will be involved in 6 weeks of ministry on campus here in Santa Cruz. Pray for their travel, health and ministry.
• Pray for Jeanie as she manages our household with all our visitors!

Thanks so much for your partnership with us!

Serving Him together with you,

Ron and Jeanie Burgin

Sunday, May 22
Great joy and great sorrow
Sun 22 May 2005 03:47 PM COT
"I and the Father are one." John 10:30


Milton, Dilma and Alan

Can you imagine the joy of sitting with a new Christian when he reads this verse for the first time? Milton leaned over to me and asked, "Ronald, is this Jesus speaking?" To see the light come on for Milton about what Jesus claimed about himself was was a moment of great joy.

You would really like Milton and Dilma. They are such humble, warm people. Milton is a real thinker and full of questions.

Last night we had 37 people at our new church plant next door: a record! Milton and Dilma brought Carmen, Dilma’s sister. Carmen’s two small boys were with her. Can you imagine great joy and pain mixed together? I was thrilled by Milton’s question and discovery about Jesus. At the same time, Carmen’s little boy, Junior, would bring tears to your eyes. He is very small and sat very quietly. He looks like he is 3 or 4 years old. In fact he is 6 years old. His most notable feature is a round protrusion on the side of his mouth. It looks like he has a ping pong ball between his teeth and his gums. He has a huge abscess in a molar. He was on some kind of painkiller that made him extremely docile and quiet. When I shook his hand, he reached out a twisted, skinny hand and offered his wrist.

I knew a little of his story from talking with Milton and Dilma. The boys’ father is abusive and doesn’t provide much of anything for the family. He and Carmen are not married and Carmen feels trapped. The boys are both seriously malnourished. When I asked for prayer requests, Carmen sat silently with tears in her eyes. After everyone had shared, I asked her if she had any needs. As far as I know she has not accepted Christ into her life yet, but her need is obvious. She said two words: "My family".

After we prayed for one another we ended our meeting and spent time just talking. One of our group, Herbert, is a dentist. He went up to Carmen and Junior and started talking. He offered to care for Junior’s teeth. Carmen promised to get Junior in to Herbert’s office on Monday. It is exciting to see how, in her very first experience with Christians, Carmen saw God working through His people to express love.

There is so much to share. I think of all of you as we minister and realize that you are there with us. Thank you so much for praying.

New Day for Pastors in Bolivia
Wed 11 May 2005 11:37 AM COT
Dear Friend,
Last week week 36 pastors in Montero and Santa Cruz began a two year program to develop their churches into multiplying, disciplemaking churches.

The training is being given for the first time in Spanish by T-Net International. I worked all week doing the translation for our North American teacher.
The pastors were excited as we learned about the possibility of implementing a strategy that works in their churches to move people from being a new Christian to the point of being a mature disciple of Christ who is multiplying their life in others.
Please pray for the pastors as they begin the hard work of change in their churches.
Ron
Thursday, April 28
Milton and Dilma
Thu 28 Apr 2005 06:53 AM COT
Just a quick note to ask you to pray for Milton and Dilma. Milton is our trainer from the gym. Andy and I have gotten to know him over the last several months.
Last Sunday he and his wife, Dilma, came to church with their 4 week old baby, Alan. We went out to lunch together after church and shared Christ with them. Both Milton and Dilma prayed to receive Christ!
Please pray for their growth in Christ and that we would find regular times to meet together with them.
Ron

I think I'll move to Australia
Thu 28 Apr 2005 06:50 AM COT
I think I’ll move to Australia.

Tuesday was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. First the big transformer we use in the living room to power the TV and stereo went out. I am in the middle of a weeklong conference, but I decided to find a repair shop. I went back later with Andrew to pick it up. We left the car (legally parked!) on the street a couple of blocks away.

We hauled the 20 pound transformer back to the car and found that someone had broken the lock on the passenger side, stolen the stereo and all our worship CD’s. At first Andrew thought he had left the door unlocked, then we found the lock on the outside was damaged where they broke in. I think I’ll move to Australia.

We got home to break the news to Jeanie and found out the dog (the main dog, not the auxiliary dog) had eaten the three raw chicken breasts that were about to be cooked for dinner. I think I’ll move to Australia.

Then yesterday I called the insurance man. Turns out the premium payment came due while I was in Colombia last week, so the policy had lapsed. So . . . No coverage for the break in. I think I’ll move to Australia.

Well, ready for the good news? The insurance broker felt bad for me and took the car to a shop that he knew about and got the locks fixed for us – very cheap. He also got the removable face for the CD player replaced. Total cost $50. I didn’t ask where he got the CD player face. I suspect from the place where the guy who stole it sold it for $5.

One of those days. Ron.

Friday, April 15
Short Term Missions - Then and Now

Fri 15 Apr 2005 02:05 PM COT
Hi from Bolivia,

We are moving into our winter season here (not cold, just not as hotJ). June, July and August bring mission trips to Bolivia. It is a great privilege to minister with friends, old and new, from the U.S.
We really take great pains to be careful with our visitors:

• We avoid dangerous areas.
• We plan our transportation in advance.
• We make sure that the food provided will be wholesome.
• We buy special evacuation insurance in case of serious illness (or worse).
• We carry cell phones for emergencies.

These are all prudent – and correct – things to do in the 21st century when a church sends out short term missionaries from the U.S. to a foreign land.

I mentioned that we have been studying Acts. Here is a summary of some of the things that happened to Paul and Barnabas on their first short term missionary trip from the church in Antioch. They made a tour of several cities in Asia Minor:

Pisidian Antioch: Acts 13:50 But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.

Iconium: Acts 14:4-7 But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to preach the gospel.

Lystra: Acts 14:19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.
Acts 14:20 But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.

Back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch teaching the disciples! Acts 14:22 "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

Imagine you are on the board of their sending church. Although there is good news, you also hear that your missionaries have been driven from one city, discovered a plot against them and fled another city, and your main guy was stoned and left for dead in a third city. Hearing this report would you do anything differently? Would you still be committed to short term missions?

Well, the answer comes at the end of Acts, chapter 15:

Acts 15:35-36 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord. After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, {and see} how they are."

What a challenge Paul and Barnabas are to us in 2005. Yes, we should exercise caution, but the boldness, love and passion for the Gospel that they felt in the first century should serve as our guide today.

Ron


Thursday, April 7
Drew Bledsoe #11
Thu 07 Apr 2005 08:12 AM COT
Sometimes you see something that just hits you funny. This morning driving into the office I saw a young Bolivian kid parking cars wearing a blue #11 Bledsoe jersey. I wonder if he knows Bledsoe's playing for Dallas this year?
Later,
Ron

Tuesday, April 5
Silvestre and the Gospel
Tue 05 Apr 2005 02:53 PM COT
Ron and Jeanie Burgin
Campus Crusade for Christ, South America
April 5, 2005

Dear Friend,

It was a busy weekend. I've been thinking about why we share the Gospel. Here are some of the reasons I can think of that we American Christians think it is important to share Christ with non-believers in the hope that they will receive Christ as Savior:

1. So they will go to Heaven.
2. So they will be saved from Hell.
3. So they will have a meaningful life.
4. So they will be successful.
5. So they will have a personal relationship with God.
6. So they will have a hopeful future.
7. So their personal relationships will be healed.
8. So their emotional problems will be healed.
9. So they will stop doing something.
10. So they will start doing something.
11. So they will be part of God’s family.
12. So they will leave “wrong religions”.
13. So they will get rich!
14. So they will experience God’s “wonderful plan for their life” J

Saturday afternoon we went out to Pastor Javier’s church to teach English to the kids, as we always do. One of the boys in the class is Silvestre. He is 12 years old. I sat next to him, listening to him respond, as Jeanie taught. Aside from Kevin, the pastor’s son, Silvestre is the brightest of the group. He really hears language and learns quickly. We sang “Jesus Loves Me” in Spanish and English to finish the class. As we left the big tent where we hold the class, I asked Silvestre where he lived. He pointed toward a blue tarp supported by a couple of poles not far away.

Our son, Andrew is also 12. He is also very bright. He lives in a nice house here in Bolivia. He has a college fund accumulating. He has piano lessons.

I was caught up short as I thought about what we could do for the millions of Silvestres of Bolivia. Why are we sharing the message of Christ with them? If we approach missions with the same motives that we often have in the U.S.A., we will quickly feel like frauds. In all likelihood, Silvestre will never be rich, successful, have his problems solved or have (by our standards) a wonderful life. What, then, are we sharing?

The answer came as I prepared to teach our devotional time this morning. We have been studying through the book of Acts. In Acts 15, Luke tells the story of Paul and Barnabas coming up to Jerusalem to meet with the Elders there following their missionary journey to the Gentiles – non-Jews – of Asia Minor. Peter and James give an elegant defense of Paul’s ministry and urge the others not to force the new believers into a Jewish mold. James, Jesus’ brother, said, “God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people [to bear and honor] His name.” (Acts 15:14, Amplified).

That little fragment holds the answer to my dilemma. Silvestre will never have the life that Andrew will have. But he has the opportunity to join the “people that bear and honor God’s name”. At the heart of missions, at home and abroad, is the longing to see people change Masters. To see them become bearers of God’s name. God created us to honor and worship him. To aim for a “meaningful, successful” life, no matter how well intentioned, is to miss the point of the Gospel. To aim that direction is to miss the target entirely.

As missionaries, we can help meet physical and educational needs, we can serve people right where they are, but ultimately, the measure of the success of the Gospel message is not the temporal improvement of people’s lives, but the change in their affections.

Thanks for standing with us,

Ron and Jeanie
Monday, March 28
Praise God
Mon 28 Mar 2005 02:16 PM COT
Just a note to let you know that the church plant is moving forward. Friday night we had 30 people next door! We had a good time of singing followed by an adult study and kids program outside. Jeanie and I are such typical Americans. The meeting lasted about two hours, and when we prayed and closed the meeting (after 10 p.m.), we were ready to walk back to our house. Not our Bolivian friends. They all stayed to talk more about the topic, not even standing up to stretch. People here love relationships and long for spiritual truth. This week we hope to buy more chairs. Thanks for praying!
Ron