10/04/2014: We Must Tell Jesus

We Must Tell Jesus

In Brazil

 

In the last several years of my life I learned that all I talk about is faith—a short, simple word that I constantly utter, but only through the victories I have had after trials and difficulties. Through these trials we get to glimpse what God can do in the lives of those who call themselves children of God. Many can speak of a real, practical faith. Our faith is tested every day, as we rely on divine benevolence and the impressions that the Holy Spirit places on people who support our ministry. This is a story about how our faith was tested.

Earlier this year, our garden was planted with beans and promised a beautiful harvest. Soon it was almost time to pick. What a great joy it is to wait for the fruits of the earth, to invest our effort in moving the earth and preparing the beds, and to make every hole and bury each seed. We are always monitoring the weather forecasts, hoping for rain at the right times and suitable temperatures for our plants. But as time passed no rain came and we had to work in the scorching heat. Not a single drop of water came to relieve our plants from the heat of the sun and cool the earth, so we had to labor long hours, watering and fertilizing our crops. But still we looked forward to a good harvest. Our water is located in the lower part of our property, which means we must pump uphill. This generates more energy consumption and therefore costs more money. But it must be done.

Six months earlier, a missionary named Brother Javier Alzate had come from Colombia. We met him at Superior Life Foundation where he was very successfully educated in agriculture. God also sent us people from Las Delicias of Venezuela, which was a big surprise considering their presence was purely providential. Along with them came my husband’s brother and his wife. For a long time we’d been hoping for a greenhouse It would help us with the plantings in the cold season that cannot produce properly in the outdoor garden, particularly tomatoes and peppers. So God sent us a greenhouse as a gift and all the brothers set out to set it up. We added drip irrigation and learned a lot more about agriculture and pest control.

The hail destroyed the bean crop.

Then, on one dry Sunday afternoon, about 5:00 pm, the sky began to darken quickly. We were very happy because there was rain predicted. We had needed and hoped for it for so long. The raindrops began to fall and soon became faster and stronger. Within ten minutes it turned into hail, some the size of nuts and some even larger. It was a great show and soon the whole ground was completely white, covered in ice. This was incredibly wonderful to our staff and children who had never seen such a thing in this region, but they soon began to understand the damage that heavy rain and hail can cause. The event didn’t last long and within a half hour it stopped altogether. It was then that we saw the devastation around us. The garden was completely destroyed. Our bean seed was burned by the ice and to our surprise the plastic covering the greenhouse was about to burst with accumulated ice. We ran to fix the greenhouse, but there was nothing that could be done about the garden.

The hail and heavy rain damage was widespread.

Another big surprise awaited us. The indoor plastic pool was torn from side to side. We were very disappointed. We knew that rebuilding the garden was a tough job that would mean months of sweat, and we would all invest our strength and perseverance into getting it done. But fixing the pool would require a financial investment that we weren’t willing to shoulder. The whole situation was hard—losing the beans, the near destruction of the greenhouse, and the ruined pool—we felt disheartened.

 

But we soon began the work in the garden and after six months had a new crop which we were able to harvest and we enjoyed the fruits of our labor. God always has a plan and an exit from trouble that we limited human beings cannot see. He has a thousand ways in which we do not know.

Volunteers repair the pool.

Despite all of this, we worked with joy. We were getting people to attend to their treatments, even though the construction of the therapy room wasn’t complete. A church brother from São Paulo had heard about our place and decided to come with his wife and daughter. His wife had lipomas all over her body. He had been recently called into the Adventist message and this new life was his first love. We developed a friendship, not only as clients and staff, but as brethren. We discussed diet reform and spiritual issues and that helped strengthen his faith. During our prayers, we would ask God to send us the resources to remodel the pool. We never imagined that it would touch the heart of this brother who was moved by the Spirit of God to offer the tile for the project. It was the answer to our prayers. Sometimes the solution comes from where we least expect.

 

Reconstruction began and before long the pool was complete. Two ladies from Colombia—partners in missionary work—were with us and actively participated in the project. It was nice to experience the blessing of God and see the fulfillment of His promises. Every day we see in our lives the reality of being children of God. His mercies are new every morning and we are grateful for the way they act in each of our lives, according to our needs.

“There are few who rightly appreciate or improve the precious privilege of prayer. We should go to Jesus and tell Him all our needs. We may bring Him our little cares and perplexities as well as our greater troubles. Whatever arises to disturb or distress us, we should take it to the Lord in prayer. When we feel that we need the presence of Christ at every step, Satan will have little opportunity to intrude his temptations. It is his studied effort to keep us away from our best and most sympathizing friend. We should make no one our confidant but Jesus. We can safely commune with Him of all that is in our hearts.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 776.

 

By Liliana Tunia of Asociacion Educativa a Promessa ministry. Email: liliana.tunia@gmail.com.

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