Yesterday was a good day–a day filled with opportunities to catch up on various projects, but more important, a day to renew friendships in Christ. It has been four years since I was last in Catacamas. Catacamas is growing; there are many new construction projects. I am having to reorient myself after a four-year absence. The city is hardly recognizable compared to the smaller, sleepy community I remember from my first visit 18 years ago.
Yesterday afternoon, after I arrived at San Isidro for mid-week Bible study, I was invited to share the Word of God. I described my memories of preaching the first meeting in that place, under a temporary tent which only partially protected from the rains that came, with two brothers sleeping onsite to protect the chairs and other things that were there for the tent meeting. Now there is a small but energetic congregation seeking to bring Christ to that area. I shared God’s vision for his people from Ephesians 4.
I met with brother Matamoras and I remembered early days in Catacamas and at the School of the Good Samaritan. I will preach at El Colegio on Sunday. Last night I spent time with David and Suyapa Chacon–what a hospitable couple! David is interested in the possibility of more leadership training for a network of relatively new congregations. Yesterday I visited briefly with Jorge Vargas and his family. Today I will visit at the Honduran Bible School in preparation for the leadership seminar which begins tomorrow.
There are many brothers and sisters here that I will not get to see on this trip. Pray that God’s people faithfully hold forth a vision of what it means to be a follower of Christ Jesus. Many times, we are impressed byi those places in this world that overwhelm us with natural beauty–places where we can contemplate God’s power and presence. But the presence of God is for me even better seen in the people whose lives are changed by his presence. Sometimes I need to be reminded–it’s always about the people!
Today, let us live with this concept in mind. It is not about the stuff. It is not about our feelings, our preferences, our “druthers” or our desires. It is not about things; it is not about tasks. It is not about what we have; it is not about what we do. It is not about me; it is not about us. It is about Jesus. And because Jesus loves the world so much that he gave himself, it is about the people Jesus loves, the people we can love in Jesus’ name. It’s always about the people.