Like this:

My final week in Croc was a great one! Peluchi left his job a week before it was finished and took a 40 hour bus ride from Cancun to be back for my last five days (He left a couple of days after I did to do a new construction job in Zacatecas). Together we got the chance to make a final tour of house visits. On Wednesday we had a going away party with the Rodolfo’s bible study ladies (five of whom I had built for in the past). Throughout the evening they lamented about how there wouldn’t be anyone to bring them cookies now.

 Also on Wednesday I went to my final (well I guess until my next visit) church service at Torre Fuerte. During testimony time I got the chance to share about my thankfulness for where the church has come since my first summer in Croc in 2006. I shared something of the following: During my fifth week of that summer I was for the first time put in charge of a house construction. We built for a lady named Ortencia and she was in need of Christ. We invited her to church and she came, but was looked down upon by the church for her clothing. Ortencia never returned to church and I shared how that made me feel uncomfortable inviting anyone else to Torre Fuerte. Instead I began just sharing about Christ on my own and yet I was in prayer that the local church would become a place where I could invite others. About a year and a half ago Carlos became our new pastor and he started to bring some changes, but also I have seen changes in the congregation. The church has become a place where you can feel both the love for God and the love for others. A little less than a year ago my neighbor Roberto came to me talking about how he was addicted to drugs but wanted God’s help to change. I invited him to Torre Fuerte. This was just one small step on his journey (he later found the Rehab Center in Ladrilla, that we have built for the past couple of springs, and has become a passionate and drug-free Christian. Having graduated from their rehab program, he stayed to work to help redeem others from drug addictions), but for me it was a symbol of the change that had taken place in me about Torre Fuerte. I was once again confident enough in the church to invite those seeking Christ. I thank God for the changes that have occurred, I feel like they are my church family in Croc and, as I leave, I feel like Croc is in good hands.

During the week Victor helped me stain the chairs and Peluchi helped on the final assembly. On Saturday afternoon we took six chairs over to the ranch that Peluchi’s parents are caretakers of. Peluchi’s stepdad’s brother was in the hospital and the family was trying to figure out whether and how to go and visit him. The parents decided to leave, but the mom was thankful for the chairs. Later that night, at Peluchi’s birthday party, Peluchi and Fernando were more excited about the chairs. They commented on how in the six months of staying at the ranch they had not been able to get/build chairs for their mom. The birthday party for Peluchi was a lot of fun.

The next day (Sunday May 23) Peluchi and Rodolfo helped me throw a going away party at my house. Close to a hundred people came including many of the families Peluchi and I have been visiting. Peluchi and Rodolfo prepared a pig in two cajons (function like outdoor ovens, meat is placed inside the box and then coals are added on top of the metal top). Just before dinner I gave a short speech thanking the people for opening their lives and hearts to me and shared what a wonderful part of my life these past two years had been. There were some emotional goodbyes as people left the party. Several of the moms of families I visited cried and it was really sad for me to. Around midnight there was a group of about ten of my closest friends who stayed for several more hours. Peluchi even road with us as Rodolfo drove me to the bus station at 4:30am.

This final week in Croc was an exhausting one, but I thank God that I really feel like I was able to say goodbye well. I got the chance to have significant encounters all week long with the vast majority of people who have become so dear to me in Croc these past two years. I want to thank all of you blog readers out there for keeping up with me during this time and for all of your prayer support–it has made a huge difference. Thank You!!!

P.S.

I’m sure a lot of you are wondering about what I will be up to next and to tell you the truth I’m wondering the same thing. If you read earlier about my trip to Fuller you know the excitement I had about that option, but I did not receive the scholarship I had hoped for. I worked out a detailed budget to determine exactly how much debt I would be going into if I went to the school and I also pursued some other options for independent scholarships. Yesterday the final scholarship decision came back and it became clear that to go to the school I would have to take on about twice as much debt as I had determined could be my maximum. It seemed as if God was shutting the door.

As I thought about this I saw my childhood Bible was on the living room table (later I found out mom had gotten it out to use with my niece Ivy who is in town). Curious to see what I had highlighted as an elementary student, I opened up the Bible. It instantly flipped open to 1st Samuel and a note I had written probably when I was ten: “Samuel Chapt. 8, You are sometimes like the people (of Israel, who want a king in this chapter) & want something God says no to” Wow. A pretty clear message that spoke right along what seemed to be revealing itself not only in the finical signs, but also in the advice of my family and friends. And so at this point I do not know what God has for my future, and I am struggling with that. I want to have a plan and to be moving forward, but I can only receive what God gives me (John 3:27). As I talked this struggle over with my pastor yesterday he encouraged me that my only responsibility is to obey Christ. He said that some may look at my life and think it isn’t successful, but he looks at it and sees that I have lived up to the things God has asked me to do and so I am successful. For now I am trying to remember to remain in Christ and that he will take care of being productive (John 15:5). I am still engaged in planning and seeking what to do in the future, but I am trying to apply the following quote (I think from George MacDonald?):

“A more Christian attitude, which can be attained at any age, is that of leaving the future in God’s hands. We may as well, for God will certainly retain it whether we leave it to Him or not. Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works for the moment to moment ‘as to the Lord.’ It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received. “

Advertisement