The last three months have been the craziest time in many years. I felt like there was a big cosmic funnel and all difficulties got in there to get to me! God has been faithful (I have not that much) in sorting out most things and also teaching me deep things about myself and Himself.
I'm sure you have been there as well. So I will not bore you telling how miserable I felt, instead I want to share with you how God's work shone bright in much darkness, sin, failures and my own resistance to show grace to others.
30 years not seeing her - The prodigal mother
My mom suffered hemorrhages early last month. It happened at a very inconvenient moment. I had the summer team here and it was 2 weeks before another team was coming for a week to do construction work and mercy ministry.
I had to be at the hospital with her, clean her, take care of her and all other stuff that you have to do when a person is in hospital (in public hospitals here in Argentina). I was stressed. Weeks before she had been with some other problems as well and I spent time after time going to doctors and hospitals.
The new-used car had already broken so many times, I had experienced arrhythmia a month before and I had also had a problem in my left foot earlier that month. I just can say that I was a mess :)
In view of all this, I had of course a very bad attitude. I felt dying inside because I didn't want to face anything related to my mom's needs. Honestly I could not see any good in all the fate I was facing. I was pretty much hopeless and feeling very miserable.
I forgot to tell you that I had to take all my final exams at college. As I was trying to study, it was a French philosopher (Rene Descartes) that defending the existence of God said "for a valley to exist there must be a mountain" that gave me a spark of light in all my inner turmoil. Keep reading...
God orchestrated that I'd come again into contact with my half sister that was "abandoned?" by my mom 48 ago; last time they saw each other was 30 years ago. Because my mom's mental condition (she is bipolar) I had resisted the desires of my half sister to come and see her before. Since my mom was sick and I didn't know whether she had much longer to live (I thought she had intestinal cancer) I told my half sister to come and see her.
My sister in old pink jacket
As I was talking to her about it, I found out that she had recently become a believer. Many years ago when I found out about her, I visited her and shared the gospel with her. On the phone she told me: "I gave my life to Jesus, go to a church and do you know what Bible I have? (I thought she was talking about the version)- no! (I said),- The one you gave me many years ago (she said)" I felt a great feeling of joy inside. In God's time the little seed had given fruit. I think some tears dropped on the phone that night.The reunion was very emotional of course. My sister was very nervous and my mom was asking anyone around the hospital to comb her hair and put some makeup :) (I could not believe it)They talked, cried, shared and became mother and daughter again after 48 years. What a mountain next to the valley!
Some of our life in pictures
There was SNOW in Argentina like a month ago! Can you believe this? I kept watching it falling in total unbelief. My eyes were watching it but my brain kept saying "It is not possible!" I was driving and my mind believe all the time that I was in Russia!
I Received a team from Columbia South Carolina. They usually come in October but they decided to come in June! Praise the Lord the weather was nice but it was stinking cold! :) (I'm inventing new English expressions here...)
You can see how well we ate those days! Those sausages were fantastic!
They work a lot and I ran around finding jobs for them to do. You can see the many layers of clothe I have on, it was really stinking cold!
This is the summer team, ordinary people for an extraordinary task
This is the church we worked in La Plata area. The pastor bought that old car to give
to his son. He is saving some money to start fixing it.
My wife Claudia, she is the most necessary part of my life and ministry
after God.
Carlos Anacondia is the evangelist that led me to Christ in 1985 when I was 16 years old. We went to visit him with the team from South Carolina.
Final Words
Thanks to all of you always. God is being faithful to us through you. if you need information for support you can read it in the right side of this blog. Argentina has become very expensive. We have to raise our income by 50% please pray for us as we try to do it. Thanks for your friendship and generosity.
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6 comments:
My Dear Martin, Caly, Martin Jr., Naty and Ruth:
God bless you!! I praise Him for your testimony about your family. It feeds my hope for my own aunt and cousins. My mother and I have been praying for them for many years.
You are a beautiful person, a very useful tool in God's hands, you are an essential part of His master plan, even in those things that have no sense for you.
God's will is always good and perfect. Most of the time it's hard for me to see that is nice also, but I have to believe it and act in consecuence. I believe that those things that are hard to face, have a glorious end in HIS way.I loved your Descartes quotation, I think it has much to see with all this. It amazing the ways God uses to teach us, HE the Greatest Teacher.
It's good to have news from you.
Remember that we love you, and you are always on ours hearts and prays.
I like the word "stinking cold". It's really funny. Martin, we're really happy about your sister and mother finally got together. You know we love you so much, and we're pleased to hear this!!! Cristian, Nino and Giuly...
My Querido Myself
Te mando un abrazo, que Dios siga bendiciendo lo que hacen Ustedes, Marisol y los chicos en Bs As.
Con mas personas entrando en el Reino.
Hasta Pronto Familia Ortiz Hernandez desde Monetvideo. Aca nomas pasando el Riachuelo.
Dear Martin,
Thanks for sharing the bad with the good. Great story about your mother and sister.
Can I come to Argentina to ski? We have a lot of Brazilians and Argentines who work at the ski resorts in Colorado. Now I know where they go in North American summer!
Paul Hensley
Wow, que historia tan padre! Gracias por compartir! Es increible ver como Dios siempre es fiel para llamar a los que son suyos.
Que sigan bien y todos vayan mejorando. :)
~Cristina
Martin! i love that you have a blog. it's nice being able to read about what God's doing in AR in and through you and your family. It's fun seeing pictures of the new teams, makes me think about last summer.
un abrazo,
sheryle
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