I never cease to wonder at the handiwork and wisdom of our awesome God. Eons ago in Greek class Romans 8:28 became one of my favorite scriptures. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The text literally says “God works everything to the good of those….” It amazed me then and even now amazes me that God can take any situation and turn it into something for our benefit. Then the second part holds such amazing wisdom….”called according to His purpose. How often we forget or ignore that God’s purpose is not always the same as our purpose and generally His time is very different than our time and our desires. It is only when we look back we can see the handprint of God on every event in our life, shaping and molding us, working everything to our benefit according to His purpose.
For ten years Queno and I have dreamed and planned and hoped for another church. Three different times we struggled according to our purpose and things never seemed to jell or work out. For the last few years Queno’s pastor’s heart has been in limbo, waiting and serving where ever he had a chance or opportunity but never satisfied or fulfilled. In the meantime he answered the call to train leadership in independent indigenous churches in the villages around San Raymundo.
Then just about a year ago events happened that opened a window of opportunity and by faith Queno stepped through. With Bro. Eligio Pérez, Queno and a few believers began to meet at first under a pine tree on a hill side and later in a blue plastic nylon and tin shack. God’s hand began to move and we were able to buy a lot high on a hill side in the village of Sacsuy. Construction seemed years away. But God moved in the heart of Godly men and women and in January of this year a group of men from First Baptist Church of Texarkana, Texas came to put the roof on the building that would house the baby church. Amazingly the church had grown from a small group of believers to a vibrant body even while meeting in the temporary shack on the hillside.
The men worked hard for several days leveling dirt and smoothing out the rough interior of the rustic building. High cement block walls and a majestic roof gave mute testimony to the grace and provision of our Living God.
On Sunday March 15, 2009 the Christian Church “A Strong Tower” in Sacsuy, Guatemala held her first worship service in the new building. Prof. Mark Worley from Dallas Christian College preached the first sermon and on that first Sunday the building was full and the service was glorious and victorious. The chairs quickly were not enough and latecomers found themselves sitting on cement blocks that the men quickly brought in from outside.
As I translated for that first service, I found it extremely hard to concentrate. Sitting at the front of the building the view out the huge windows is astounding. The building sits high on a hill overlooking a majestic view of valleys and mountains. Words cannot describe the beauty or splendor of God´s creation. But not only was the beauty and splendor outside on the hills but the weathered faces of the brothers and sisters gathered in that Holy Place testified to the Glory of God.
My mind wandered to those men and women who had made all of this possible. If only I could have captured the moment in the palm of my hand like a firefly on a hot summer night. It was all I could do to contain my tears and translate the sermon that Mark was preaching with such dedication and inspiration. I almost lost it when I looked at Queno and the look on his face was one of such joy and happiness that I thought my heart would break.
My heart has been doing a lot of dancing lately and that Sunday afternoon was no exception. So thank you John, Bill, Ken, Aven and hundreds more. High on a hill deep in a village in Central America sits a light, a witness to the world of the Grace of God, a witness of His provision even in times of economic distress. A light that shines in the darkness because you care and you gave.
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