Post-Barc Blog

Just wrote this for the WCCC blog. Thought I'd post it on my blog as well.

:)



As I'm sitting here writing this blog, it's officially 5 days after we have returned back to our homes in Iowa. I've had 5 days to soak in all that God did during our week in Spain and yet it seems like I have just scratched the surface.
Our Mission Barcelona group saw 28 salvations throughout the week. That within itself amazes me, as it is a sign that people's hearts are softening towards God's truths in Spain. There were 3 of us from Walnut Creek Community Church's sister church here in Ames, that teamed up with the group going to Barcelona. I knew some people going on the trip, but most of them I had minimal if any aquaintance with. One thing I got to experience first-hand was the love and unity that everyone had with one another. As sort of an outsider myself (at the beginning), it was so obvious to me that this group of people were completely committed to one another and their love for each other was not a kind of love you can find in this world. People were ATTRACTED to this love we had for each other. The world is always yearning for love- people search for it in all shapes and sizes and yet the ironic thing is that love comes from God and not from this world. The people we reached in Barcelona got to see this love and got to see it firsthand. I think God really blessed our love and our willingness to just open our mouths and be willing to be used for His glory.

One of the biggest lessons God taught me during the week was that I can't put restrictions on who I talk to. For me, I know that before going on this trip, I thought it was disrespectful for me to go up to someone who was my grandparents' age or even my parents' ages and tell them about the love of Jesus Christ. I sort of felt like, "Well who am I to tell someone twice or triple my age what truth is? They probably won't want to hear it from me anyways!" God knew I had that doubt, and this is what he did to shatter it. Monday night my group (the Power Rangers) were riding the subway back to our hostel. An older man (probably in his 80's) sat down next to me. He was holding a violin case. I know some Spanish, but one of the more difficult things for me in Spain was just knowing how to start a conversation with someone. God dropped this one in my lap. I asked him how long he had been playing violin and proceeded to tell him that I play the clarinet and sing and am studying music at Iowa State University. We talked about music things for a while longer, then I told him why were we in Barcelona. Shortly after, he had to get off, so I handed him a Spanish track and an invitation to a church service we were having Wednesday night. Not expecting to see him again, I said goodbye.

Wednesday night came around and sure enough, there was Benito, walking up the hill to our hostel! He had the track and invitation I had given him in his hand. As soon as I saw him, I was amazed. He was the oldest person there by probably 50 years and yet it didn't seem to phase him at all. Laura, a sister from the church in Madrid, helped me translate some questions with him. Benito had a strong Catholic background, so when I asked him how sure he was he was going to heaven, he said he wasn't sure because it depended on how many bad things he had done. I proceeded to explain to him that the Bible says multiple different times how you can be 100% sure you're going to heaven. Then we asked him if he wanted to pray with us right then and there to accept Jesus Christ into his heart and he said yes. Praise the Lord! After praying, I told him that even though we were going back to America on Friday, I would see him again someday in heaven. :) When we went into the church service, I asked him where he wanted to sit and low and behold, he pointed to the front row. Benito didn't speak any English at all and even though he didn't know what we were singing about during the worship time, he sang along without words. He had a wonderful time singing and listening to the testimonies that were shared during the time. As we walked him out afterwards, Laura asked him what he thought of the service. He responded, "Muy bien! Muy bien! Muy bien! Muy bien!" (In English, "Very good!" x4)

Benito, though much older than myself, had his heart softened and ready to hear from God. Anyone, at any age, can be in the same boat. The gospel has no restrictions on age, gender, religion, ethnicity. The gospel is for all mankind- no restrictions. Benito is a living example of that for me. :)

"But how are they to call on Him in whome they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whome they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!""- Romans 10:14-15