What can I tell you! Working with couples has been a challenging, exciting and fruitful ministry experience.
As she was crouching into the corner of a full room, dissimulating her sobbing, with a gesture and few mumbled word, she let us know that she didn’t want to talk and yet she expressed that she didn’t want to stay any longer bound to her husband. All the room was filled with silence and the husband spoke: “we have been struggling since way back, however I love her and I’ll do what it takes to be together”
We met several times out of the couples group. There are so many things to work out. A complicated family history, sin, secrets and twisted believes make their story a mess. At some point I thought: “God, What am I doing here?” But as you may know, God give his support when you are doing his will.
This is the picture we took while we did the renewal of marital vows. We invited our children to be part of this.
God has been changing them and they are together. Last meeting I saw her showing him affection something very unthinkable comparing how they were during the first meeting. Even more now she is pregnant! So it seems so far that they are doing better
I have found out that many couples are struggling Christians and non Christians. It seems that in our Christian communities very few people are talking in an open, honest and practical way about what it takes to build a real family which of course is not and will never be perfect.
One very interesting comment some people made as we were closing one meeting was: “I discover in this group and in particular in Claudia and Martín that you are human and Christian and not only Christian”
This comment got me thinking. How come can we be Christians and not humans? What she meant is, in case this is not clear, that some seem to live so “perfect lives” where “everything is fine” that there is not much room for the mistakes and imperfections of others, so people (the others) just keep their problems quiet.
How sad I thought! Where is grace? where is “nobody is good, not even one” in our daily lives as children of God? Where is the picture of the prodigal son and the gracious father hanging in the mental rooms of most Christians?
I recognize however that I learn recently about grace. About love. I learned because I didn’t have another option. God put me in a corner when I had to care about my sick mother. By the way she is doing very well in the new nursing home. I had breakfast with her the other day, I think it was one of the few times I actually enjoy being with her. Thanks for praying about it!
The side note:
- From the 22nd through the 28th of September a team of Americans most from SC are coming to build part of a church in a small town in the province of Buenos Aires. The small town is called “Pila” same word we use for battery in Argentina. Pray for good weather and open hearts to the Gospel. I write more about it after they leave.
This is where we are going to work for almost one week. As you can see no much is around.
- The challenges in the ministry have gone away. We still have challenges of other kind, but they are not that demanding. We had a good weekend meeting in July where we listen to God and all the body of the Navigators. I share a Picture with you. There you will see our kids as well.
- I keep growing in my counseling career and thanks to all of you who give financially I have the opportunity to help a good number of people through it.
- My kids are growing. Martín Jr. is almost my height. He is 12 now and I’ll ask for prayer since he will change schools this next year and that will be difficult in many ways and also because this will not be a Christian school.
- My wife and I are doing well. Enjoying the ministry together and growing in our marriage. This newly 2nd (13 years of marriage) decade of marriage is bringing good enjoyment and understanding (of course not all the time
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- Teaching in the school is going well. I might not continue next year. Please pray for this to be a God lead decision.
Thanks to all of you! You will be hearing from me about giving to our ministry.
Thanks to many who already are giving and praying for us.
The Bonandinis
