Have Motorcycle, Will Travel...

OK, I don't have a motorcycle, but Hector does.

Last night (Wednesday) Hector invited me to go with him tonight while he preaches at another church. I said, "Yes." Tonight, the rain stopped about 10 minutes before we needed to leave. I wore a jacket, so that my Bible wouldn't get wet, but I figured I would get muddy. That didn't happen. I've never been four-wheelin' on a motorcycle before (that I will admit to...), but Hector is so adept at riding, that the trip over to the other church was fine. Most of the roads we used to get there were not paved, had lots of rocks, holes, trash, etc., but we never even had a wheel slip.

When we got to the church, a little more than a half hour before the service was to start, the worship team was getting ready. Since this was a youth service, it was the youth team that was playing. In fact, all the young people were the same ones who play at our youth service on Sunday mornings. Hector and I helped set up the chairs, and then he read his Bible for a while, going over some of the Scriptures he was going to use.

I started talking to a severely crippled young man in a wheelchair. Later I found out that Javier has polio and after he was born, the doctor said he would only live for about 5 months. Javier told me that for years he hated his family and wanted to die. But then he came to know the Lord and that has changed everything in his life!! It's easy to see that he is filled with the joy of the Lord, despite his physical problems.

A short while later, I walked outside the front of the church. Soon a woman came over to me and we started talking. At one point I asked Maritza if she lived very close to the church and she told me that she lived at the back of the church. Then I realized: I asked her if she was the pastor. She is, together with her husband. We continued talking for a while, then went inside for the meeting.

After about a half hour of praise and worship, Maritza got up to introduce Hector to the group of about 35 people. Even from her introduction, it was obvious that she is a very anointed, powerful woman of God.

Hector began to preach. He talked about our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Every day. That it should be a lifestyle. He talked about the gifts of the Spirit and how that is different than our natural giftings and talents. And he kept going back to the point that we need to be filled, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit every day. Everyone in the church was listening.

When he was finished preaching, Hector had a time of prayer for those who wanted to receive more from the Holy Spirit. Most of the church made their way to the front. Hector, Maritza, and I prayed over every single person. One young girl (about 8-10 years old) I was praying for just stood there crying in the presence of God. I talked to her mother afterwards.

It was a great meeting and I was sad to see it end. I also realized that I understood about 85-90% of what Hector preached, and had had two significant conversations with others. (Maybe I really am starting to learn Spanish!) On the way back to Enlaces, Hector took a different route and we drove past Carlos' house, his house, and the street that Hermes lives on. Now I have my bearings and will be able to find any of their houses.

Well, it looks like a few of us girls are going to El Torito for dinner tomorrow. Elizabeth wants to go one last time before she leaves for home in mid-November. Teresa and Yenssi are both going to join us. I've never been there before, but have been told to order the typical plate, and be prepared for lots of leftovers. Both pieces of advice sound good to me.