The Muse: To Pick or Not to Pick

This entry falls under "MUSINGS." Since arriving in Costa Rica we were advised that blowing our nose in public is not culturally accepted. Therefor it is always best to leave the room if you must blow your nose. Maybe there are certain parts in the States where this is the case as well. However, for this New Yorker/South Carolinian/Floridian I say blow.

Yesterday in our language class my teacher confirmed this cultural idiosyncrasy for Paraguay. But she said it is acceptable to pick your nose (?!?). Whereas I'm willing to be culturally relevant in order that I might reach some Paraguayans... I'm drawing the line at picking my nose in public (What I choose to do in private is between me and the Lord).

Update and Requests for your Prayer Time

Karen, Hilda and Adri hosted the second young ladies gathering in our home this past Saturday. For those of you from Gainesville this is very similar to the "Lydia's Corner" ministry you were hosting there. The young ladies met for a time of Food, Devotion, and Craft. The purpose of this minsitry is to build unity among the young women in the church as well as offer an opportunity for outreach. The girls had one new visitor, Edith (a visitor is someone not connected with a church). Karen shared a devotional on "The Gift of God" because this next Monday is the "Day of Friendship" here in Paraguay. Adri taught them how to make colorful gift bags from paper sheets (I was impressed). The idea being that they will give a gift to a friend in their lives. Hilda organized the food for the meeting. Karen was encouraged by the way that Adri and Hilda came together and helped organize the event.

Pray that the young ladies will be encouraged with the results of this event and will invite more friends in the upcoming months.



This morning we had our weekly ministerial meeting with Rev. Daniel and Eunice Paredes. We are continually encouraged how the Lord has put us together in a team. We are experiencing unity and a balancing of giftings.

This morning I was especially encouraged as Daniel shared with me his desire to have a church that is "GOING" compared to a church that is "ATTRACTING." If you have been reading this blog you know this is my desire as well. I have not gone into detail with Daniel about what the Lord is telling me in my personal study in this regard (largely because I have the langauage skills of an 8 year-old). However, Daniel was sharing with me the reason he wants CELL ministry over other church programs is due to the fundamental structure in CELL that encourages all of its members to reach out. Praise God that He is leading us united together in the vision for His church here in Paraguay. And Praise God for the good friends and brother and sister in Christ He has provided us.

Prayer Requests:

1. Karen's citizenship process. Pray that we would find an immigration lawyer that can give us wise counsel.
2. Pray for the CELL ministry here in Asunción. We have a couple strategic decisions to make with regard to the future structure. Pray that we would walk in the preordained steps the Lord has given us.
3. Pray for a major outreach we are conducting this next Sunday for children and their parents at the church. Beginning at 3:30 we will have a christian video, clowns, puppets, games, choreography, photos and food for as many that come out.
4. Pray for me as I will be preaching Sunday morning and against the current sinus infection I am experiencing.

As always, thank you for all your loving support.

Ministry Overdrive

We began early again this morning ministering in the barrio. Hilda and I arrived at 9:00 a.m. and were greeted by the children before we could even leave the car. This turned out to be a good thing because a woman from a neighboring community was walking past and asked what we were doing (she thought we were selling breakfast). When I explained she asked if we would consider visiting her community.

Pray that others in our church come alongside and take on this ministry.

As we entered the community there was a woman who wanted us to take a photo of her daughter, Rebecca. She said she would appreciate us returning every week to her home (within the community we are already visiting).

Pray that we would continue to have favor with all the people.

Hilda (fellow church member) is making friends with Maria (one of the young people who attends my sunday school class. I've been praying for Maria because it is my belief she needs someone to encourage her and show her the love of God in a way that I cannot.

Pray for Maria.

The parents of the children opened up with us more today. They shared how they came to be in this community and more about their family history. There are 15 people living together in one house. This includes Grandmother, Aunts and Uncles, and children.

Before leaving I explained to them Jesus' instructions to the 72 (or 70 depending on your translation) found in Luke 10. I told them that the reason I continue to come back to their home is becuase I believe it to be a house of peace. I told them that they were a blessing to me and I appreciate and pray for them everyday. I prayed a blessing on the home and told them I would see them next week.

Our plan is to return at 5:00 p.m. next Thursday because the children will be back in school and will not be available in the morning.

Pray that this time will turn into a Cell group meeting with the parents.

When I returned home I quickly changed into my "pastor" clothes and left with my team leader (Bob Boston) on another ministry opportunity. We visited a catholic contact that Bob was given. It was Bob's contact, but he wanted me to accompany him because the lady is located closer to our church than to his. After the lady shared her life crises Bob shared the gospel with her and explained that her freedom would only come through her faith in Jesus Christ. When he asked her if she would like to pray with him and she responded yes we were interrupted by someone (I thought nothing of it, but Bob explained that it has been his experience in Latin America that an interruption like this often takes place when the person is ready to receive Christ). After she prayed to receive Christ as Savior she began to cough softly, as if she had a dust particle in her throat. I instantly thought to search for a glass of water. While I'm searching for water the lady began to cough louder and louder. She was gagging and dry heaving. At this moment I realized that this wasn't as much physical as it was spiritual. Bob prayed over the lady and had her denounce any demonic forces in her life. In the end the lady was at peace and thankful for the encounter that she had experienced with the Lord.

Pray for Marianella. Pray for our visit next week that we will be able to continue to teach her and that through her transformation God would grace her entire family with salvation.

My day is not done. This evening Karen and I are meeting with a friend (teacher) we met while studying language pre-aquisition at Wheaton College.

Pray that we all will be a mutual encouragement.

And this evening we will begin a counseling relationship with a new couple in our church that needs discipleship.

Pray for us as we minister to Juan Carlos and Suny.

As always, thank you for your prayers and support. Keep your eyes on the prize!

Love,
The Spurlings

Takin' It To The Streets

Incarnation (Christianity)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ is the belief that the second person in the Christian Godhead, also known as the Son or the Logos (Word), "became flesh" when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

Basically this is the teaching of Philippians 2:6-7, right?

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

We are called to be incarnational in our approach to the world. We are to imitate Christ in this regard. We are called to leave our "culture" or our "comfort zone" and take the LOVE next door, down the street, to the people we rub up against who are very different from us. They don't go to church. They talk differently. They dress differently. They think differently. They are completely and utterably human. We are called to serve them, to meet them, to befriend them, to LOVE them. We can't do that effectively within the confines of our church. We need to take it to the streets.


We are continuing with our Wednesday outreach to the barrio. The parents continue to open up. I believe that there is a great opportunity to begin a cell group in one of the homes here.


One of our young people's cell group went to a local high school to share juice and cookies the day before they let out for a two week break. They passed out a simple card that stated "Have a great vacation. We are praying for you. And you are always welcome to visit our cell group." The plan is to return and pass out something similar on the first day of classes that states "Welcome back!" These are our simple acts of love outside of the church.

Takin' It to the Streets
Doobie Brothers (March 1, 1976)

You don't know me but I'm your brother
I was raised here in this living hell
You don't know my kind in your world
Fairly soon the time will tell
You, telling me the things
you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't
like what I think I see
Takin' it to the streets

Take this message to my brother
You will find him everywhere
Wherever people live together
Tied in poverty's despair
You, telling me the things
you're gonna do for me
I ain't blind and I don't
like what I think I see
Takin' it to the streets

This is my desire for our church in Asunción, that the people will get a burden and passion to evangelize the community. We've prayed for the evangelists to come and we now have several. Pray with me that this zeal for others would catch on and our church will experience the desired goal of 100 in attendance in one year (December 31, 2007).

We Need Your Prayers

I'm originally from upstate New York. My wife, Karen, is from Trinidad and Tobago (the last island in the Caribbean chain). We were married in 2000 after we met in Seminary at Columbia International University. Since this date we have been working on obtaining U.S. citizenship for Karen. Things were developing fine until we left the U.S. to study Spanish in Costa Rica as missionaries with the C&MA. From that point we've run into one problem after another. What should have been a six month process to complete has turned into two years. Now her ability to obtain citizenship is being questioned by immigration. As a matter of fact, the INS has denied her. We've put into motion an appeal, believing we have justification. Karen just received a letter granting a date for an appeal on September 12, 2007. However, the verbage that the government used in this letter was less than encouraging as they believe they are justified in Karen's denial. We have a hard time understanding their reason as it goes against what we have read and what we know of other missionaries' experiences.

Would you please uphold us in prayer.

• Pray for our continued encouragement as this has been a source of frustration for these two years.

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:5-7).

• Pray for favor in the eyes of men as Karen goes to the appeal.

"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." (2 Corinthians 1:10b-11).

• Pray for help, that the Lord would provide us with what we need.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Pslams 121:1-2).

• Pray that Karen would receive her citizenship.

"You do not have, because you do not ask God" (James 4:2b).

As always thank you for your continued support and prayer on our behalf.

Love,

J, Karen, Jeffrey and Jasmine

More Outreach

This morning we were back in the barrio at 9:15 (Hilda and I). The parents were ready for our arrival and received us in friendship. Javier's mother was pleased when we gave her the photo. She told us that next week the children would be on vacation from school and that she would set up a table and invite all the kids from the neighborhood to come. I consider this a direct answer to prayer as a parent is responding to our ministry (PRAISE GOD!). Also another family invited me into their home so that I could pray for their father/grandfather as he has been experiencing heart problems. As we were leaving Hilda told me she expects that many people are going to be impacted through this simple ministry.

It is my belief that when a church is reaching out to others, many other things will fall into place. For example: church unity, spiritual maturity of the members, and of course, growth. However, when a church loses sight of this priority these same three aspects break down.

Check back here next Wednesday and I will have an update on how things go with the table and invitations.

Another item you can be praying about is our "basket" outreach. The cell group that is in our home has decorated and filled 6 baskets with several goodies. Each couple and/or single is going give their basket to an unreached friend along with a personal note inviting them to attend our Cell group on Monday evenings. Pray that the Holy Spirit goes before us and prepares the hearts of those that receive the baskets.


As always thanks for serving along side of us through prayer.

Love,

The Spurlings

Thinking of you.

Therefor this is for you.
I want this basket to better your day. It is a way of telling you that God loves you and that you don't need to do anything for His love.
We are here to help you in that which is necessary.

Prayer Notes for your Wednesday Service

This is a quick entry to share our prayer requests for the next several days.

1. Today Pastor Daniel and I will be visiting a woman whose husband of over 50 years recently passed away. Praise God that he was a strong Christian. Pray that we are able to comfort Elsa during this difficult time. And also pray that we fortify our visitation ministry.
2. Tomorrow morning (bright and early) Hilda, Juan Carlos, and I will be returning to the neighborhood where the children live. Pray that we will strengthen our contacts with the parents so that we can reach them with the Gospel.
3. Over the next several days I will be having strategic conversations with several people in the church. Pray that the Lord would give me the ability to speak clearly and lovingly in Spanish.
4. Pray for several people that Karen and I are attempting to reach with the Gospel. There are 5 people in particular.
5. Pray for 2-3 more churches in the states to partner with us in our fund raising efforts. Our church in paraguay is closing in on their goal. Which means we will begin making the improvements on the church: painting, carpeting for pulpit, curtians, projector, screen, and a new lighted sign.

Please pray.

Thank you for your prayer support.

Love,

The Spurlings