One month from today, I will have landed in Brazil and will be serving together with Pastor Jon Liu, director of AACF. The 4th of November will find us serving in our second church, in the southern city of Curitiba. Lord willing, we will have completed well our first ministry in the central-western city of Campo Grande.
I understand that these city names may mean little to you. For you, they are remote and distant. But for me they are filled with the names and faces of pastors, ministry leaders and friends.
As the summer ended, I began teaching a Bible study in West Los Angeles. This week, we are looking at First Thessalonians chapter 2. In verse 17 the Apostle Paul says,
"But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face."
This is a small measure of how I feel about these ministry partners with whom I have served for almost twenty years. The words, "having been taken away from you" describes a sense of being bereft or orphaned because of separation. The words, "for a short while" is literally "for an hour." The idea is that Paul had every intention to return, but due to various obstacles he had been prevented from returning. In my case, the separation has been due primarily to a matter of health.
I would ask you to rejoice with me as I return to minister and fellowship with co-laborers in Christ, if even for a brief season. The opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ, to serve, to teach, to offer discipleship and training are blessings that only God can provide. It is an honor and privilege to step up to the task. Please pray for Jon Liu and me as we spend these next few weeks in preparation.
One additional note. In this age of instant communication, this may be a bit of a challenge. However, if you would like to stay in touch with what's happening on the ground in Brazil and Argentina, I should be updating on Facebook. In the event I need to be reached, the best application to get in touch in South America is by using WhatsApp.
