A word from Meagan ~ "I woke up to check out the church building and found horses strolling around the streets in front of the church. I then looked around and took in the unique horses and beautiful mountains and was reminded of how blessed I am to be here."
We had a wonderful breakfast of eggs, ham, and toast with Venezuelan coffee - Mmmm! After breakfast, the team sat down with Chris Nelson as he shared how Pavia played into his calling as a missionary in Venezuela and shared the story of how he met Pastors Gerson and Francoise Perez and their three daughters. They then shared their story and their call to pastor a church in Pavia.
Francoise told the story of how they had come to the point where they believed that their time with the church was over. They had gone as far as to plan a farewell service where they would say goodbye and close the doors for the final time.
At this point in their lives they had no money or food to feed their family, the church had no money, and the church was not growing in the way they had expected. Their church body was only made up of children, all of whom were in need of food, clothing, water, and other necessities.
Most of these children are abandoned or neglected by the one parent they may know. Others have never met their parents.
On the night they were having their farewell service, only five children showed up. They took this to be a sign that they were correct in closing the doors. There were not many children there, and they didn't think that they had anything to give. After closing the doors for what they thought would be the final time, two children came down the hill wanting to speak with them. Gerson said that the child walked up and said that he wanted to ask him for something. Gerson thought to himself, "We have nothing and there is nothing that we can give to this child." But he proceeded to ask the child what he wanted. The boy replied, "Can I have a hug?" This was the defining moment in their ministry and the reason that their foundation is called Fundacion Abraza un Nino or The Hug a Child Foundation. They also shared more of their personal story and struggles and how God has always provided.
This time of sharing allowed the team to truly connect with God's plans for Pavia and the people who they would be serving alongside.
A word from Chad ~ "After a much needed nap and breakfast, we had the privilege of hearing the amazing and touching testimony of Pastor Gerson and his wife, Francoise. They are truly faithful and dependent on God. I have already learned so much from them and have been challenged to work on advancing my faith to the level that they are on. The evening services with the kids have been uplifting. They shared so much love with us all. I know that God has much more in store for us while we are here and I can't wait to experience more. Thank you for all of your prayers."
This time of bonding was followed by lunch, and the team began to assess the work that was to be done.
There were newly constructed bathrooms with toilets, sinks, and showers but no running water. Getting the water to run to the different apparatuses was one of the major goals along with new lighting in the church. The team began the work and discovered a few minor issues. They worked out a plan for the next day and prepared for the children to arrive.
At this point, no one was sure of how many children would come. Many cannot make the trip if they are not able to get a ride. The church-owned van is very unreliable and they never know if it will start. They say it usually works if they need to pick up children to bring to church or take them home. But if they need it to go buy groceries or do anything for themselves, it will not run. They were able to go get the children and about 250 children showed up.
The children were able to welcome Seth and Missionary Associates, Scott and Tech, back to Pavia and then get to know Muriel, Chad, and Meagan and welcome them for the first time. They were then introduced to Pastor Chris. With Henry translating, he spoke to the children about not being afraid because they have a Father in Heaven who's always with them to protect them.
The service concluded with Pastor Gerson's team handing out the toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss that YOU helped provide. Hundreds of hugs were given as the children left to go home.
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