Author: thejosephfactor

Safely at home.

Well this one about wraps it up. Yesterday was Friday and we fly out today. Have an overnight in Houston, pray safely home by Sunday.

We began the day with praise and worship as they always do on Fridays. Just a note, prayer is the work, and you all who have helped carry our group along are receiving the same rewards.

I say our team now because they have kind of adopted me in. A supernatural dynamic of the kingdom is the instant camaraderie between believers. I felt the same thing with some people we served today at the trash dump.

A man over 60 years old whose eyes are bright because “I have Jesus in my soul,” he says pointing up to heaven. Spending his whole life collecting bits of trash to sell, his only real hope is heaven.

Finally at the end of the time, we made the connection with the administrator at the bottom of trash mountain. Gave him the books that are written to help teachers teach Latin American History from a Christian view. His school is a perfect match because they serve the lowest of the low and they love the Lord. He and Eric, who runs the mission here, connected and made some plans for future outreaches and training for school.

The school offers a real chance of hope for children caught in the cycle. Truth be told, I am unable to fully relate to the difficulties they are facing, and my fancy teacher training would probably only further separate the gap. However, I am grateful that my mentor, Mr. Kelley Vincent, bridged that gap by researching, writing, and translating a book on God’s works in Latin American History. It just seemed like the best thing we could do is to give them the words of their own story in their own language. Thank you Mr Vincent and my church who bought the books.

This trip leaves me feeling a myriad of emotions. Hard work, wonderful salvations, desperate poverty, little sleep, and time away all beg the question, Am I really willing to answer the call?What does following the Great Commission look like for us later in life? How do we keep the fire alive that God reignited inside?

My only clue is in Matthew 9:38, “Pray the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the field.”

Pray the Lord, Pray the Lord, Pray the Lord will receive the praise due His name.