When we have nothing to give...

First of all we learned our first long term assignment!   We have been assigned to General Cepeda!!!   It is such a blessing to already be here and to begin to learn more about our post!  Here is video with the kids giving a tour of the mission house...

The chapel in Macayu.

Spending the past two weeks in General Cepeda, Mexico has been amazing!   We have been blessed to begin to meet some of the locals as well as a good number of people from the surrounding ranchos.   The rancho system really doesn’t have a parallel in the U.S.   General Cepeda is a regional town that has about 50 rural villages, which traditionally were agricultural communities, called “ranchos.”  Since arriving we have been to three different ranchos.  Oratorio Chico had a population of maybe 30 inhabitants.   Macayu had about 500 people.

Map of General Cepeda with the surrounding ranchos.

There are two priests currently assigned to General Cepeda who are also responsible for all the ranchos in the area.   On the weekend, one priest will celebrate all the masses at the church in town, while the other will visit some of the ranchos.   Typically a rancho will have a mass once month.   One of the major ministries of the missionaries is supporting the priests by assisting in the spiritual growth.   Our purpose has been to build relationships and hold prayer services in the chapel. Rancho visits have been for about two and half hours.  Our evening rancho visits consist of going door-to-door and personally inviting people to the chapel.   Sometimes we will even pray with people in their homes as we make our way through the rancho.  We will introduce ourselves by saying, “Somos misioneros Catolicos” and offer an invitation to the chapel.   After receiving some wide-eyed responses, one of our missionaries quickly learned the difference between “misionario” and “mercenario.”   Go ahead and look it up on Google Translate.  J

At the chapel we usually sing a couple songs in Spanish.   Followed by some sharings of how God has been working in our lives.   And then there is a teaching usually based on a scripture passage or some other religious theme.  We conclude with offering petitions and/or praying with people that may have various needs.   Sometimes we will visit the same rancho three days in a row and put an evening retreat with a potluck meal on the last night.

Here are some pictures from our three nights at Macayu…

Main road in Macayu.

MJ (Maria Juanetta) and her new friend Vanessa.

Josh and Julio (and MJ's hands)

Maria preaching with Natalia Schumann as a translator.

Before arriving in the field, I was aware of the fact I was going to be stripped of many abilities.   There are language barriers.   My Spanish is probably on a three year old’s level.  It takes a lot of trust and letting go when working through translators.  Even if I could speak Spanish, most people will not care about my degrees in theology and philosophy and be interested in discussing systemic theology and exegetical interpretations of scripture passages.   Finally, there aren’t a whole lot of pianos, limiting my opportunities for music ministry to vocals.   My singing further proves that God is a loving Father that delights in His children’s simple efforts.   God’s ways is not our ways, and so what God consider a joyful noise, may not be a joyful noise to man. 

When stripped, God has been teaching me that when I have nothing to give, then I give the best “nothing” I have.   When I don’t have any of my own love to offer, I offer Christ’s love.   “The Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness,” (Romans 8:26).   “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness,” (2 Corinthians 11:30).   I thought being stripped and having nothing would be for the people of Mexico, but Christ has been showing me otherwise.   He has been stripping me for my sake.   It doesn’t matter what I do or what abilities I have, He loves me for who I am.   He loves us…  period.   We cannot earn His love. When we fall or turn away from Him, God doesn’t love us any less even though His heart is broken.   As a missionary I need to focus first and foremost on His love for me.   The more I am able to experience the depth of God’s unconditional love, the more I can share it with others.