May 2008 E-Update

Angie Velasco

We have been experiencing unusually hot weather these days, up to 102ºF especially in the afternoons. I thought I left Hermosillo! Except that over here I don’t see as much cactus around as I remember in the Sonora desert.

One of the things keeping me busy these last few months is preparing for a Bible study called Self-Confrontation. We meet twice a month. In between these meetings I have to devote 2-3 hours a day looking for about 40 scripture references and answering home work that is due every other week. It is like going back to Bible College all over again. Only this time it is in Spanish. I am learning a lot of Biblical principles like how sinful we are and how much our human nature is to love ourselves, but nowhere in scriptures does it teach that we are to love ourselves. Instead, what Jesus asks of us is to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. (Luke 9:23, 24 Matthew 10:38-39, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34).

This is the call of Jesus to everyone who wants to follow Him. This is not just a call for missionaries or other Christian workers. This is our battle everyday- to please myself or to please my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I host a Bible study every Tuesday in my apartment. Every other Tuesday I cannot be home since I have a leader’s Bible study, but Adriana (the other leader) leads the group in my home. When I am home, I try to always get the house ready for my guests, get the coffee and cookies ready, set up the chairs and tables for 10 women and welcome everyone. One of my non-Christian friends visiting me asked me one Tuesday, “Why do you have to do all these? Why don’t you let Adriana get all these things ready? This is not your group.” I was not sure how I answered her as I was in a rush getting ready for two meetings at the same time. That very week I had such a horrible headache all afternoon I had to call my doctor, who prescribed a medicine that needed to be injected. I can normally inject myself but because of my horrible headache I decided to call Adriana. Sure enough, she knows how to inject as she is a dentist. She came right over, gave me the shot, and came back that evening to check on me. The next day I was better. I called her the next morning to thank her for coming over and for checking on me that evening. Suddenly, I remembered what my non-Christian friend asked me just the other day… “Why do you have to do all that? Why don’t you let Adriana prepare all the stuff for her group?” Boy… I am glad I have the opportunity to serve Adriana by preparing the house for her Bible study group every Tuesday. I did not know that I would need her help the very next day. Scriptures tell us we sow what we reap. As we serve others denying ourselves, others see our service. We are witnesses to those who are not Christians. Other Christians enjoy serving us when we give them the opportunity to do so. Jesus calls us to serve Him wherever we are. One way to deny ourselves is to serve others. Praise the Lord for the many opportunities He gives me here everyday to serve Him in many small unseen ways.

Thank you for your partnership.