Partnership Team

Last week the partnership team of FBC, Greenwood, Arkansas and La Iglesia Betania began their first mission outreach to the aldeas of Conrado de la Cruz and El Bolivia.  I was to accompany the team and drive an eight passenger van while David drove our 7 passenger car.  But Friday night I began with fever.  With the symptoms we weren't sure what it was - had some symptoms of dengue and knew if indeed it was I needed to be in the capital to go to the doctor.  So instead of my accompanying the team, David flew into high plan B change to secure a 15 passenger van, get me to some missionary friends home, pull together all the last minute details and get to the airport to meet the team and keep everything together.

The team left from the capital Sunday reaching Betania in San Maurico in time for the afternoon worship service. It was the first time for most of them to worship in a national church with believers speaking another language. 

 

Pastor Elder preached.

 

 

David presented the Partnership Covenant to both churches -

La Iglesia Bautista Betania (Pastor Elder)

 

 

FBC, Greenwood, AR (Associate Pastor Jeff Ivey).

 

In both locations, they prayer walked the streets,

 

visited in homes and prayed for specific needs,

 

and shared Jesus.

 

On the final afternoon, they held a worship service beside the river,

sharing Jesus with those

whose hearts had been stirred by the Truth during the week.

 

 

 

One thing that the team had never witnessed before was young boys climbing to the top

of 40 feet tall coconut trees, cutting down the cocos with their machete,

 letting them fall into the river below

 

to the waiting children bringing to the shore.

They enjoyed the taste of fresh cool coco - a new beverage.

 

I was able to join the team for the last day - shopping in Antigua!

And then I was able to help transport them to the airport for their return flight home.

 

We look forward to returning to the area in January with another team from FBC, Greenwood,

and find fruit that has blossomed from the seed

 that was planted by the partnership teams of the two churches and continue the ministry. 

 

 How pleasant it is to work shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart with brothers and sisters,

sharing the message of Salvation through Christ alone!