Good Morning!

It is Sunday morning here in Santiago and we just finished a late breakfast. By late I mean 9am. We normally have breakfast at 7:30am but today is our day off so we got to sleep a little later. We’ll have our worship service this morning and then head into town for shopping later.

Yesterday was a great day of work. No injuries or illnesses yesterday. Praise God! (Thanks for the prayers. Please keep it up). I’ve attached a picture again which will give you a visual of some of the things we do. Lots of dirt, paint, sweat, rocks, and laughter.

I said that I’d tell you a little about our work sites throughout the week so today I’ll highlight two of them. One work site is downtown at the Alfa y Omega church. We will be painting their downstairs basement. Yesterday the team purchased supplies, put together scaffolding, and began putting on the first coat of paint. It’s hard work, especially the ceiling. Folks from Christ Chapel (sparked by our pastor Ted Kitchens) have worked with the Alfa y Omega church for about 10 years but in recent years have mainly been working at some of their church plants and other locations. We are glad that we get to help and be a blessing to the main church this year.

One of the other sites is La Colonia. About 15 years ago the youth minister at Alfa & Omega took his youth regularly to pray for the sick and impoverished. After a while one of the teens became concerned. While she appreciated praying for the folks, she did not think it was enough; the Scriptures said to also take care of people’s physical needs and she was concerned that they weren’t being obedient to God and His Word. So the group began fixing roofs and providing for physical needs as well. Eventually the church (about 10 years ago) bought land to build homes for widows, orphans, and families with no homes. There are now about 35 houses (for about 200 people) and a church on that property, which is called La Colonia. It is encouraging to go back every year and see how much has been done. We are helping build some additions to some of the homes this year. When I first went to La Colonia 4 years ago I was so convicted and exhorted by their example I have had James 1:27 on my screen saver ever since. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

La Colonia ties in well with our message last night. Greg Love taught about materialism. Here are some of this thoughts. Our love of our “stuff” can be of our greatest hindrances to loving and following Christ fully. Greg contrasted the response of the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-30 with the response of the wealthy Zaccahaeus in Luke 19:1-9. Having stuff isn’t wrong and isn’t even really the main issue; it’s about what your heart treasures (Matthew 13:44). Do you love your “stuff” more than Jesus or Jesus more than your “stuff?” Greg said, “When Christ means everything, your stuff means nothing. ‘Stuff’ is not a gift from God; it’s a loan. I won’t take it with me when I die. So use your ‘stuff’ to glorify God.'” This morning Jamie Lain got up early to spend time with the Lord. When she came back into our room I asked her what she learned. She said she’d read some things about materialism and was convicted and reminded of some things she needs to do when she gets home. Continue to pray that we all will be changed.

Thanks for reading and praying. Until tomorrow.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Kathy Harrelson
High School Director at Christ Chapel Bible Church

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