A Report from Matagalpa!

My friends at a Nutrition Center when malnourished children
stay to gain strength.  

[This past Sunday - in the tradition of Paul's pastoral epistles - I wrote a letter to my church, First Baptist Cornelia, and presented it as my sermon.  I thought I would share it with the world.  ETS]

My Dear friends and family of First Baptist Cornelia -  

My heart swells as I remember you.  My week away from you has been thrilling, exhausting and humbling.  Thank you for the many prayers lifted up on behalf of my mother, my family and me this week.  As Derek Stapleton and I left Matagalpa on Thursday night, leaving our mission team before our final day, I felt the love of our team and our church.  I knew you were providing the care and protection to my family that I could not physical provide.  It humbles me to be your pastor.  As Paul says to the Philippians:  “I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.”

When Paul writes his letter to the church in Philippi he is imprisoned in Rome and separated by 800 miles – a month’s journey.  He has recently received Epaphroditus, a messenger from the church in Philippi, into the house which serves as his prison.  The church sent Epaphroditus both to bring another financial gift to support Paul’s ministry and to serve Paul.  Paul is overwhelmed and humbled by their generosity.  Unable to use Epaphroditus while in prison, though, and anxious for the church to know he is well after a long illness when he arrived – Paul sends him back to the church with the letter we now have in our Bibles. 

In the last half of Philippians 2, Paul lowers his guard and speaks personally and intimately to the church about his joys and fears.  Paul reveals his desire to send his missionary protégé, Timothy, to this them soon. 

Timothy was the son of a pious Jewish mother and a Greek father.  Paul first met Timothy in Lystra where his good reputation led Paul to circumcise him and incorporate him into the missionary team.  The language Paul uses about Timothy indicates that the relationship between them was close and familial as well as professional.   Paul writes about Timothy in Philippians these words:  “like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”

After Epaphroditus’ arrival, Paul is anxious to hear of God’s work among the church in Philippi and only trusts Timothy to give him the good word.  Paul trusts Timothy because as Paul describes him “like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.”  Paul wants to send Timothy to Philippi to be cheered by the news of the church, to listen to their welfare, and to reveal his hope of returning to see his friends. 

As I heard these personal words from Paul to the Philippians, I thought about the relationship between our church and First Baptist Matagalpa.  More than a mission site, First Baptist Matagalpa has become a sister church.  Pastor Javier, his children and many other leaders and members of the church have become friends and co-workers in God’s mission. 

This relationship between our two churches is what made our Morning Prayer services last week so special.  For 4 mornings, at 6:00 AM NICA/8:00 EST – our churches gathered in our sanctuaries – one in the mountains of NE GA and the other in the mountains of Latin America and prayed.  Each day we had 10 people in Cornelia and another 10-15 in Matagalpa praying for each other and God’s Kingdom.  Listen to how one member of our team described her prayer experience in Matagalpa. 

“We left the hotel at 5:30 am and watched as the city came alive.  We began on our knees in the church, then divided into small groups.  We selected 2 major roads through the city, some walking on each side of the road and praying for each business we passed, all the owners and people who would enter, and specifically the people we passed on the street.  As I walked and prayed, I sensed God beginning a new work in me:  a new love for the people of Nicaragua and a new appreciation for the culture surrounding me.  I also became very aware of how little I really knew about a city and a people that I have visited for 7 years straight.  Some of the things that jumped out at me were:  there are many casinos and farmacias; many "mom and pop" stores (I wondered how all of them could stay open - each one seemingly selling the same things); many people working very hard (manual labor); people literally carrying heavy loads - usually on their heads; many older (as in OLD) people working hard - it dawned on me that there was probably no such thing as retirement and wondered how they managed to make enough money to live.”

            As we pray and serve together, God opens our eyes to the world around us and transforms us.  Transformation.  Paul had saw people transformed in Philippi as the word of God was preached.  The people of the church were transformed from selfish to selfless.  This is also what we are beginning to see in our relationship with Matagalpa.  God is transforming us for the work ahead of us. 

In the tradition of Paul’s sending of Timothy to the Philippian church, let me share with you three things about this important relationship between the First Baptist church’s of Cornelia and Matagalpa.

            First, let me share with you some cheerful news from our partnership. 

             Pastor Javier, his wife, Osiana, their children – Alondra, Jose, and Azelea - all send their greetings to each of you.   I know many of you remember Pastor Javier from the time that he came to speak at our church.  Pastor Javier’s life revolves around the congregation at First Baptist Matagalpa and their work in the community.  His whole family lives in an apartment in the church compound.  Pastor Javier is  a good pastor and teacher.  He influences the work of the entire distinct or state through teaching and modeling good pastoral skills like hospital visitation and biblical theology to the other Baptist pastors. 

            In a city and nation overwhelmed by heavy catholic tradition and power, it is easy for a minority, protestant church to segregate themselves from the rest of the community.  Instead, Pastor Javier has led his church to embrace their city – praying constantly and reaching out to those around them.  Along with the weekly prayer walks, they provide intentional servant evangelism – bringing coffee and bread to those they meet on the street.  At first, people think it comes from a political party, suspicious they are trying to win their vote.  When they hear it comes in the name of Jesus, they smile. 

            We see this same missional vision when we arrive for our medical and VBS clinics.  Last week over 40 FBC members took time off from their work and school to join us on mission in the villages around Matagalpa.  They served as translators for our doctors and registration workers.  They controlled crowds as they gathered in lines at the clinics.  They helped lead songs during VBS, playing soccer alongside our team members and the kids. 

            After a week in Matagalpa, it brings me great joy to cheerfully share with you the beauty and the importance of our two churches working together for the Kingdom of God.

            Secondly, I know many of you are concerned for the welfare of the many people touched by our combined mission teams this week.  Let me share a few stories of how God worked to transform and change lives through our work. 

            On Monday, we arrived at the village center of Santa Emelia.  When we found over 200 parents and children waiting for us, we knew we had a full day ahead of us.  We set up our VBS in a 20 x 20 room of the 4 room school house. 

We were able to stuff at least 100 children into this small space.  With the help of all of the mission team – and especially the Spanish speakers from FBC, Matagalpa – Tammy Weaver had this large group of kids organized and learning about Jesus.  Each moment of their time was organized with crafts and games and stories from Uncle Gary. 

            By lunchtime, we still had 100 children in the room.  We set up a serving line for the children to file out the door as they received their lunch.  When we fed those children, there were still more children outside.  Tammy led us to quickly cut the remaining sandwiches in half, line up the other children outside and give away all of the food until we were done.  It was in this line that we watched a little boy, get his ½ sandwich, cookie and frozen juice.  Instead of starting to eat like all of the other children, he took the food over to his grandfather waiting in line at the clinic.  A barefooted boy, dirty from the mud – knew the power of sacrificial love – agape – and taught all of us. 

            The most spiritually powerful location at all of our ministry sites was the prayer station of the clinic.  After a person had worked their way through the clinic, seeing a doctor and getting medication, they made their way to our prayer station.  Often, this meant the prayer station got the least popular spot in the clinic – the hole in the wall room or the front porch in the sun.  At one village, though, where FBC, Matagalpa has started a church, the prayer station ended up on a small hill behind the church under a tree.  Patients walked up the hill, sat in a chair in the shade often with the wind blowing and told a member from FBC Matagalpa and Cornelia where they were hurting.  Then, 4to 5 people started praying for them in English and Spanish.  I loved to watch the men and women and children sit in that chair in the shade of the tree as they were being prayed over.  With hands laid on their shoulders and head, and words of prayer drifting through the spirit, tears would slowly come – overcome by the work of God’s Holy Spirit.  Patients came to be seen by a doctor and meet the True Physician.   Our prayer stations were holy places – sanctuaries in the midst of poverty. 

            Finally, as Paul expressed his hope to once again see the church at Philippi, let me share with you my hope for our partnership with First Baptist Matagalpa. 

            Missions as we know it is changing.  In the past, we have simply given to the cooperative program, supported denominational mission offerings and checked the Great Commission off our spiritual to do list.  God has always wanted more from us, though.  The Great Commission is a personal calling.  As the world has grown smaller through communication and travel technology, we have been empowered to live out the Great Commission – to see ourselves as missionaries and our church as a world mission center. 

This requires churches like ours to practice healthy missional practices.  Rather than bouncing from trip to trip – providing a little care here and a little there – FBC Cornelia has made the conscious choice to settle in one community in Latin America – Matagalpa.  Over the last 7 years we have built strong and wonderful relationships with many of the evangelical Christians in the community.  Now, after 7 years of annual visits to this community, we realize we are only scratching the surface of understanding the culture and the community and seeing where God is moving. 

            By establishing this relationship and partnership with FBC Matagalpa, we state clearly, that we as American Christians do not have all the answers.  We come from a wealthy culture – and have much to offer – be we also come as learners on a spiritual journey and have much to learn.  Our partnership with Matagalpa is a reciprocal relationship we gain strength and insight and ministry from one another. 

            Through our partnership, God is building a global missional environment for us to walk by faith.  Through our relationships, and through the many individuals who have now journeyed to Matagalpa and back – God is inviting each of us to consider what more we can do. 

            My great hope for this missional relationship with Matagalpa is for God to call out more of us to use our gifts and passions and abilities in this community – to seek community transformation together! 

Last week I preached to the church in Matagalpa.  Today – I will give you the same challenge.  Our future in ministry is joined together with FBC, Matagalpa.  This future begins in relationships and is directed by a common purpose.  Let me challenge each one of us to dream God sized dreams for community As we take steps of faith together, God will transform us, like the congregation in Philippi, more into the missionaries he desires us to be. 

            Through the book of Philippians Paul expresses gratitude for all he received from the church.  He felt he received much more than he gave.  This week, our team received and gave so much love I cannot accurately convey it to you in words.  I would invite you to read the blog to hear it the stories of love first hand.  Let me share with you my story of love.

            My job on the team is to be El Rey de Las Chimbamas – The King of the Balloons.  I twist balloons and the kids love it.  Sometimes this meant I was pied piper of balloons because the kids followed everywhere I went.  One girl stands out, though.  At the village of Tarintino on Wednesday, I was worried about my mom.  I was making phone calls back to the states talking to doctors and office managers.  I sat on the floor at the back of the clinic with my backpack – not ready to pull in a big line of balloon seekers.  I started making balloons for each child who came through the prayer station.  After they were prayed for – I twisted them a balloon. 

            I made one girl of about 12 a balloon.  She smiled at the small dog I made, then she pointed to the balloon pump and asked for a balloon.  I handed her one and showed her how to  blow it up.  She tied the balloon – and then with the best skill – tied a small balloon.  I was amazed.  Then, she handed me the balloon for me.  I came to give –but on this day – when I most needed it a little girl in a village you have to cross through a river to get to – gave to me. 

            This is why we go to Matagalpa.  This is why we mentor missionaries among us.  This is why we invest in the Great Commission – so that God can show us the beauty and simple-ness of his Love. 

            With that word – I say, leave you with Paul’s final words to the Philippians: 

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The friends who were with me in Matagalpa greet you. All the saints greet you.   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

            Your friend and pastor,

            Eric