On the afternoon of Saturday, 15 of the high school and university young men went on a camping expedition in Nueva Delicious along with me and my missionary friends Paul and Donald. Donald has a ministry in this very small ranch town. It is a town where everyone knows each other. It lies about 8 km away from a main road.
That Saturday night, we ministered in the small church that they have there. We started off with only a few and ended up having around 30 or more people (youth and adults, minus our group). It was a very good time of fellowship filled with the presence of God. We then left back for the camp ground.
We started the fire, sat around talking, joking and playing games. And, as always with a campfire, we ate hot dogs and marshmallows! It doesn't matter where you are, those two food types are standard campfire foods:) As I was sitting by the fire, God prompted me to look up. As I did, I saw the most stars that I have ever seen in my life! We were at least an hour and a half drive from city or town lighting. I saw stars in between stars in between those stars that I never knew existed. There were so many stars that they looked like clouds! It was a beautiful, clear night sky. I quickly thought of God's covenant with Abraham. I saw what Abraham must have seen. So many stars, so much more than what we're used to seeing in towns and cities. I tried to put myself in Abraham's position and I was left breath-taken. So many stars, but every single one represents a generation of Abraham: a representation of God's promise to a friend. I gained a new respect for not only our God, but of what friendship means to Him. I examined myself. How I desperately want to become a friend to God as Abraham was!
Imagine just how great of a bond we would all have with our God if we would seek after him as a friend. Imagine the talks Abraham must have had with God! I pray that we all may come so close to our Maker. Pray for me as I seek the face of God daily. May we all become friends of God.
The next day, we went to a small water hole on the edge of a mountain. And, as usually happens with a group of guys, we looked for more things to explore. We must have been up there for only 5 minutes before my friend Ivan and I decided to climb the mountain. Around 10 of the 15 climbed. Some went pretty close to the top! Cesar (the youth pastor), Paul, Samy and I went up about half way up. From there I saw the other mountains as if they were just hills. (To give perspective, these are the mountains which make up the giant two mountain chains which go through the middle of México as well as the entire country.)
I never saw the entire beauty of where Jesus had sent me until I was half way up this mountain. I turned to my friend Paul, both of us nervous because we were on a ledge close to the edge and extremely high above water level, and said, "Just look out there Paul! This is the place God has sent us to work! Look how beautiful this desert is." I felt the presence of God in a new and different way that Sunday morning: a feeling of confidence in Him that I have never experienced. From that height, it was easy to finally feel the protect of God on my life:) I also had a perspective of just how small I am compared to His creation, however, how important I still am to Him.
I thank God for the weekend I had with the youth and university students of Templo Cristiano Libertad. It was an experience I will never forget.
Continue to keep me in your prayers daily. God Bless!
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