The Packaging

The waters and history of Ometepe run deep.

When people move away from home, of course they get home sick. After all What-A-Burger, In-n-Ount Burger, and White Castle might be big but they aren’t nation wide. Even moving to different parts of the Country can take a bit of readjusting to find a suitable replacement for one’s favorite burger joint. And if yours wasn’t on the list above… well sorry, uprooting and starting from scratch in a new City, Country, or culture, probably isn’t for you, you burger snob.

Despite a set back to the taste buds, and other such default life settings, adapting is just a bit of mind over matter. The challenge comes after you realize you have gladly disowned all material worth and monetary value to “follow the calling” and find that, while poor in the wallet, you are now rich in time.  But back when you DID NOT have an abundance of time you were busy which made you feel important… and served along with that, like a side order off fries, was purpose.
We weren’t sent through an organization, or to take over as the directors of a ministry(not that there is anything wrong with that), and the last I checked our orphanage still only has three kids in it. We were just sent, by God. I say that with all the confidence my faith can muster, while knowing that faith is what led us to the cross, and holds us there. Confidence, while a great tool won’t however provide a channel for one to spend that newly(eight months) found wealth of time, and subsequently feel purposeful. That’s were the mission comes from in the term missionary. It’s getting a glance at the will of God, and setting your sites on that alone. But what if there was no preestablished mission, just a “Big Picture Mission” of church planting? Well enter the English Classes, or as some say E.S.L. (Look it up)

The relationships we are making through these classes that have sprung up all over our schedule and City like… a burger franchise, are God ordained. If I said we had an English School ,  I would be lying. It has taken a very similar business model to our previous venture, PK’s PIES. Just to goofy people with an idea going at with all the heart in the world. With one exception, we never figured out a way to allow others to reproduce what we were doing, heck we didn’t want the competition, but God has shown us that this is no business. This is no time for reputation building, for product branding(unless the previously stated belong to Him), and Jesus definitely didn’t say “go and make franchises of all men.”  We don’t have to sell anything, but I have always believed in packaging. Whether it’s a cute pink pie box, an order by number value meal, or the words you choose to convey a thought to someone else, it’s all been packaged up with the recipient in mind.

God showed us hope, and said, “Remember, that’s what was born in you when you first laid eyes on the cross?”  Thanks to Him and those relationships I was talking about, our team (the members of which I mentioned in the last post) has begun to grow. Luis has started his own ESL class, and is putting together curriculum for other students and teachers.  Kevin, 20 years old, just got his first job at an English-speaking call center, the same one that a year ago turned him down on account his English needed some work. Though this will cut into the time he has available to help us teach the classes, we can’t help but feel overjoyed at the hope and excitement that is clearly visible on his face. And just the same night that I wrote this post we had our first youth leaders meeting.  It is a privilege  to be the stewards of these leaders as they give up their time to come and serve in His kingdom. One day we will leave here and what will we want to say other than, “I saw God’s calling come to life and grow in His leaders.” What a blessing God’s hope was when he gave it to us through the blood, and how responsive humanity is to this divine packaging of His love we call the gospel.

We want to continue to thank all those supporting us in what ever way you are. The guys I mentioned in this post  lives are changing before our very eyes, and how we wish you could see for yourself  what a blessing it is to us. Your support serves as a road sign, clearly marking the way, confirming in us our standing in the Lord’s will, and letting hungry travelers know that there is a Carl’s Jr’s or what ever burger chain you grew up eating, at the next exit.