Basil *(the great)

I must say that he looks a bit like an alien. Maybe he was. Whatever. Here's a dude from the 4th century, he was quoted in the book: Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Beware: its not a feel good quote.






"When someone strips a man of his clothes we call him a thief. And one who might clothe the naked and does not - should not he be given the same name? the bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat in your wardrobe belongs to the naked; the shoes you let rot belong to the barefoot; the money in your vaults belongs to the destitute."
-Basil the Great

I too am guilty. I must also give. I think its easy to say: "I will get another Compassion child." It makes us feel a bit better - but never bridges the chasm between the rich and poor. It doesn't reflect the body of Christ. We must touch the leper; Spoon feed the weak back to health; And hug those bleeding to death from physical and emotional wounds. Its dirty, Its messy, Its beautiful. You need not travel half-way around the world to do it (although this may very well be what God has called you to do). You need only look outside your window. Every city has its homeless, its drug addicts, its prom queens, its suicidal teens, its divorced, its 'fill-in-the-blank.' What are YOU doing about it?

Following Jesus is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, and then love more. - Mother Teresa

El Tabo

I love the beach.
Just wanted to share a picture of the beach we went to for a weekend retreat with the youth from our church. The theme was identity in Christ. It was a really good, refreshing time. I only got burnt a bit! :)

Do this, Remember me.

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. - 1 Cor. 11:23-26

Yesterday I sat and listened to the sermon about the Lord's supper. And in that moment God chose to speak to my heart yet again about what this means. You see, about a year ago I was taking the Lord's supper, quite hesistantly to be honest, and God spoke to my heart. He invited me to his table. To sit with Him and eat -and to share what He has given me with others. Since that day, I've had this wonderful image, this promise, of sharing a dinner, a holy dinner, our Lord's supper, with the least of these. An image of a table, any table, where Jesus and I sit and invite in friends and stranger alike to enjoy the blessings that He has provided.

That was just the start. Yesterday as I listened, He showed me yet another meaning of that holy dinner. A metaphor. Yes, we drink of the cup, His blood, and we eat of the bread, His body. And we remember Him, his sacrifice. "Do this, and remember me." Do what? Eat and Drink? Ok. Remember His sacrifice?  OR are we to drink the cup and eat the bread as a sign, a choice to partake in his suffering - for love's sake. To love our enemies, to be willing to lay down our lives for others. To give of our time, money, love, our all in a selfless, sacrificial manner just as he did. To drink and eat. Take the symbols - that remind us of what He did - and what He tells us, tells me to do. To mirror Him in His sacrifice. In His love. 

Do THIS in Rememberance of ME.

Free Milk, Free Jesus.

Here's a picture of me Daniela and Cata. Just this last weekend there was a big outreach here in Santiago.  A well known Argentine preacher Luis Palau, Jaci Valesquez, and Marcos Witt (an awesome worship leader) all came and did a 2 day free concert. Along with it there was a FREE children's fair. Where we got free milk, wrote down our dreams and pinned them to a wall. There were bubbles, clowns, hundreds of volunteers, big bounce houses, the works! Many came to known Jesus through this short, fun campaign. We passed through on our way to Cerro San Cristobal. Fun with great people, enjoying God's many blessings and beautiful creation!!

Judas had clean feet, too.

Dear world,

This is not my Jesus.  

Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He washed the feet of His friends, his children, his brothers, and of his enemy- his betrayer.  Judas also had his feet washed by Jesus, with as much love and patience as he washed John's. I have a hard time thinking Jesus felt disgust as he washed the feet of his beloved Judas, yes, beloved. For God so loved the world. No expections. Jesus loved and commanded us to love our enemies, as He did. Jesus loves Judas. Jesus died for Judas. Jesus washed Judas' feet.

Love, Jesus' revolution, is a "revolution that sets both the oppressed and the oppresors free." Shane Claiborne & Chris Haw, Jesus for President

I look at this face and many faces like it day after day and become indigant with the evil that so prevails in the world, and these young innocents that suffer in it. At times I view those who contribute to their suffering as enemies - and my heart is filled with bitterness and anger - "man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." James 1:20. I forget who my Jesus is and His love revolution. Love that sets the captives and the captors free. 

We are to be a peculiar people. And certainly, the way we are called to live is peculiar. Love our enemies, bless those that curse us, turn the other cheek, return evil with good - this is not what our culture dictates. But it is what our Lord desires, does, and has commanded us to do in taking on the attitude of our loving, crucified Savior. 

"So even as we see the horror of death, may we be reminded that in the end, love wins.
Mercy triumphs. 
Life is more powerful than death. And even those who have committed great violence can have the image of God come to life again within them as they hear the whisper of love. 
May the whisper of love grow louder than the thunder of violence. May we Love Loudly." 


Taken from Jesus for President

http://www.jesusforpresident.org/

Darling

This is Darling. One of the three new members of our family here in House of Hope. Please pray for Darling. She is 6 years old and desperate for love. Her mother left them a year or so ago and all she ever hears from her father is that she is just like her mother. She frequently has violent outburts of rage, and all the anger and frustration that she has built up at such a young age is truely heart-wrenching. She does, however, accept our hugs and lets us love on her. Please pray that her heart will open to us at House of Hope and more importantly to the relentless love of our Savior.

Every Language

Discover Your Language 
by Max Lucado

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2: 2-4)

Oh to have heard this moment in Jerusalem. Andrew describing God's grace in Egyptian. Thomas explaining God's love to the Romans. Bartholomew quoting the Twenty-third Psalm to Cretans. John relating the resurrection story to the Cappadocians.

Some in the crowd were cynical, accusing the disciples of early morning inebriation. But others were amazed and asked, "Whatever could this mean?" (v. 12).

Good question. Crowded city. Prayerful followers. Rushing wind and falling fire. Fifteen nations represented in one assembly. Disciples speaking like trained translators of the United Nations. Whatever could this mean?

At least this much: God loves the nations. He loves Iraqis. Somalians. Israelis. New Zealanders. Hondurans. He has a white-hot passion to harvest his children from every jungle, neighborhood, village, and slum. "All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord" (Num. 14:21 ESV). During the days of Joshua, God brought his people into Canaan "so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty" (Josh. 4:24 ESV). David commanded us to "sing to the Lord, all the earth! . . . Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!" (Ps. 96:1-3 ESV). God spoke to us through Isaiah: "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (Isa.49:6 ESV). His vision for the end of history includes "people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9 NCV).

God longs to proclaim his greatness in all 6,909 languages that exist in the world today. He loves subcultures: the gypsies of Turkey, the hippies of California, the cowboys and rednecks of West Texas. He has a heart for bikers and hikers, tree huggers and academics. Single moms. Grayflanneled executives. He loves all people groups and equips us to be his voice. He commissions common Galileans, Nebraskans, Brazilians, and Koreans to speak the languages of the peoples of the world. He teaches us the vocabulary of distant lands, the dialect of the discouraged neighbor, the vernacular of the lonely heart, and the idiom of the young student. God outfits his followers to cross cultures and touch hearts.

Pentecost makes this promise: if you are in Christ, God's Spirit will speak through you. Don't miss the opportunity to discover your language.

With whom do you feel most fluent? Teenagers? Drug addicts? The elderly? You may be tongue-tied around children but eloquent with executives. This is how God designed you. "God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well" (Rom. 12:6 NLT).

For whom do you feel most compassion? God doesn't burden us equally. "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men . . . He fashions their hearts individually" (Ps. 33:13, 15).

[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
(2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT)

Gracious Father, I am deeply grateful that you took the initiative to reach out to me—even in my sin and selfishness—in order to bring me into your eternal kingdom, through the work of Christ. I cannot fathom such love! And yet, Father, I admit that too often I try to hoard your grace, putting up walls of protection that I might keep hurt out and blessing in. I confess I am like the clam that shuts itself up in its shell, afraid of threats from the outside. Lord, I recognize that you call me to unshell myself and to partner with you in your mission of love. Unshell me, Lord, so I, too, may reach out to a lonely, discouraged, and even hopeless world. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

From Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2010) Max Lucado

Freckles

"How does it feel to be freckled?" "Ummm.....normal?" That was the best response I could think of. . . normal. I didn't know what else to say to Benjamin and Cristina  as they pointed out my differences. Blue eyes - with a hint of cinnamon (niiiice description guys!), white skin, freckles, red hair. I walk around Maipu thinking I look just like everyone else. Then, some one whistles, the not so subtle stare, or the kids ask me "How does it feel to be freckled? :) Once, when I was in Peru, a child insisted that my face was dirty. He continued to say "No, you have dirt all over your face!" I then explained to him that those dirt spots are part of my skin, and they are called freckles. I guess I stand out a bit. I'M DIFFERENT. Weird. :)

Hello Spring!!

Here is a picture of German from House of Hope! In his hand are a few of the blooms thanks to God's beatiful, bursting creation. The sun is shining and warmth spills in through the window as I sit to start a blog. Yes, people, I am trying to be a better communicator! It is something God has convicted me about and I want to be able to share more on a day to day basis about what God is doing. When I sit down to write my monthly updates I get all stressed out obout it being to long and what not, so this way I can ramble off and its not so overwhelming. . . I think!? :)

The warm spring air is infused with the smell of meat on the grill - so strong your mouth starts to water and you can almost taste that juicy steak. Yesterday, September 18th, 2010, Chile celebrated 200 years of independence! Viva Chile! We got a whopping four-day holiday weekend full of Cueca (traditional folk dancing), meat, pebre (chilean salsa), empanadas, chicha, traditional games, the works! 

The day before this long holiday weekend I was bit by the lazy bug and decided I didn't want to fight the crowds in the store - and now I'm down to mayonaise and syrup, rice, and soy sauce! Not because I don't have the money but because the stores are all closed until Tuesday! Needless to say I have been visiting many friends (great fun. . and FOOD!!) Oh, and today is my baby brother's birthday!! Joe's 17 today! Love you, Brother!

t.t.f.n. :)