Greetings from the MOVE [I] mission campus near Orange Walk, Belize! This is a good place to be for Christmas! Lyli and I came to attend “In the Power of His Might,” a three-day mission congress to motivate the local churches to get more involved in both local and foreign mission work.[ii] A few days before the congress, Keila Valenzuela, co-director of MOVE, called and urged us to come as soon as possible to help with the preparations. We arrived on Tuesday the 17th

It has rained nearly every day, and the roads to the planned conference location became impassible. Keila was obliged to change the venue to the MOVE campus. The logistical pressure that ensued revolved around housing the nearly one hundred attendees who were registered for the full weekend. Camping in the rain would be miserable. Some guests would stay in the homes of the MOVE volunteers, but what about the rest? Providentially, there are several buildings under construction and one was ready for the roof. Some quick calculations insured that it would be just enough space to shelter the remaining visitors. So I joined the roofing crew. Two of them I knew from Bolivia: Samuel, a former student and graduate of UETIRG, and Edwin, previously a volunteer at the TV station in Santa Cruz and the Familia Feliz boarding school! Both are now volunteers at MOVE and loving it! I also really enjoyed getting to know Joel Kurtz, a law student specializing in religious liberty at Duke University and former mission volunteer in Ethiopia and South Sudan. Turns out we more than likely played together at pastors’ retreats when we were kids, as our dads were both pastors in the same district.

From the roof I could see workers pitch the big tent for the main meetings while others dug holes and put up tarp covered scaffolding for some improvised outhouses nearby. Other tarpaulins accommodated the seminar sessions. Perry Karges, a heavy equipment operator who hails from North Dakota installed two additional tanks on the water tower. But there was even more happening than met the eye: in the cafeteria, Ray, a young volunteer from Mexico Missions and beyond [iii] installed an entire wall complete with a tiled serving deck. Inside Sister Betty and others took turns cooking meals while Lyli helped Keila, Phoebe, and Katie prepare materials for the congress: name tags, schedules, signs, and more. In the evenings we practiced music.

Thursday afternoon, we fastened the last piece of sheet metal on the roof, just moments before the arrival of another downpour, and about three hours before the arrival of the guests for registration! How rapidly the work is done when we work together with a will, each one in their assigned place! During the congress they continued to keep us busy! Lyli led song service, I played the piano, did some impromptu translating to English or Spanish as the case required, and shared about the school in Bolivia. I also had one general session about the role of music in the last days.

The conference was phenomenal, and the Holy Spirit worked mightily despite our deficiencies. There was a rugged joy in slogging through the mud to sing “onward, forward” [IV] and listen to inspiring stories of faith, courage, and answered prayer from brothers and sisters from around the world. God is using diverse people in different places in fabulous ways!

After one stirring talk in the cafeteria I noticed a young man sitting alone at the adjacent table. I introduce myself and asked him how he was enjoying the congress.

“I just don’t know what to do” he replied. “I know God is calling me to do something but I don’t know where to go or how to start!” His answer took by surprise. His name is Damian, he is 21 years old, and he just started going to church again about a month ago! There are major problems in his family right now, and he is tired of it. He wants a different kind of life, something real, and something meaningful. Thank God, who always has just what we need, and privileged me with words to encourage Damian. I reminded him of Abraham who responded to God’s call without knowing where he was going or what he would do when he got there. God doesn’t often show us the final destination, but he promises to guide us and teach us all along the way and invites us to trust him with everything. I encouraged Damian to make that decision. I don’t know where God will lead Damian, but I suggested that he

prayerfully consider the missionary training course at MOVE that begins this February as a good option to start with.

Another exciting thing about the mission congress was the opportunity to recruit prospective volunteers for this next school year. Ricci and George, for example, are getting married next month and afterward they want to come work with us in Bolivia. She is a science teacher and he has experience in carpentry and farming! What a valuable addition to the team! We are praying that God will open and close doors according to His will.