September 2024
Community Advantage
26/09/24 11:04
Compare meetings. On Monday we hosted the monthly meeting of pastors. We served breakfast, sang, and held a Bible study. On Wednesday night the neighborhood committee met at our house. We discussed security, and trash collection. What's the difference?
With the meeting of pastors, I only see them once a month. (If everyone attends.) We meet, have fellowship, and then say "goodbye" until next month. That's frustrating. Whereas with the community meeting, I see these folks quite often. I may even run into them when I walk out the front door. Or I can walk less than a block to find them. That's the advantage of living in a community setting.
Back again
19/09/24 14:57
Jorge and Vilma lived with us previously. They moved out to accommodate one of their daughters and grandson, who have recently moved out. So they're coming back. They help us greatly in the house with cooking and cleaning, and we don't charge rent. They're like family for us, and since they only moved across the street, the move is relatively quick. Welcome back!
Visit from home
09/09/24 12:17
Norman and Elsie (brother and sister-in-law) blessed us with a five-day visit from the US. Great encouragement for us! Norman is a pastor/missionary working in his community with "Bridges." HIs ministry is specifically outside the church to those who don't attend a church regularly. That encouraged me to continue our ministry here in El-Tingo to the alcoholics in the park and the folks we work with in neighborhood security. Building relationships and serving those who have never been in a church, yet are interested in God. It's a different way to see "ministry."
Our first meeting
02/09/24 11:28
An interesting group. Our first meeting as the neighborhood "council." (In Spanish they call it the "Board of Directors.") The two women nearest Faby are the "old timers" who were looking for replacements, but their experience is too valuable to lose. The other two women we've known for some time, but just as acquaintances. Francisco is new to me, but they tell me he's a valuable contribution to the group.
As president, my objective is to organize us better. Both the committee and the neighborhood. We have been concerned about security, and our main tool is technology: Whatsapp and Smart Plugs for the alarms. I've come to realize that most adults here have little knowledge about smart phones. Half the people on the Whatsapp group haven't put their names in their chat and we can't even identify them. I also figured everyone could install the smart plug app on their phone, but in reality, very few can do it on their own. So we have some challenges ahead. "To serve and not to be served." (Mk 10:45)