Thoughts for Those who Suffer (Reposted from www.jonatorres.com)

This life, with all its joys and blessings, is part of a long story that is—in a very real sense—a story of human pain and sorrow. We long for babies that never come. Children come but die in the womb before we get to meet them. Parents bury children they never planned to bury; and children bury parents with words left unsaid . . . and memories of words that should have never been said. We walk through the children’s cancer ward, where bright colors and happy toys fail to hide the stinging knowledge that here are little people who are very sick. Our hearts—and sometimes our voices—scream to the unanswering sky . . . “Why? Is this what it is to be human? Where is God in all of this?” And in our most honest moments, we admit that we’re tempted to question how there could even be a God who allows such suffering.

 

These questions are not new. And though we will never understand all of the answers in this life, God has told us a lot about why we suffer . . . and about how the long story will finally end.

 

The story, at least our part in it, began in a perfect garden. A garden without disappointment, or cancer, or pain. We were there, though we don’t quite understand it all, on that fateful day when our first parents disobeyed God. And even if we can’t agree that we were there, we have to agree with the Bible when it tells us that we—with everyone else—have sinned against a holy God: There is no one righteous, not even one. And so death passed to all men, because all sinned. And here is the root of all the suffering that we know so well—sin.

 

Our sin was not a design defect in God’s plan. But neither is God in any way responsible for sin. And because He is perfectly holy—that is, He is completely separate from sin—God must condemn sinners. For a righteous God to call an unrighteous sinner “righteous” would undo the fabric of the universe. And so the wrath of God is revealed against mankind’s unrighteousness; and we continue with our backs turned and our puny fists raised against our Creator, unwittingly awaiting eternal hell. And this, for many, is the end of the story.

 

But God the Father’s loving plan was that God the Son would become man—without ceasing to be God. He would live on earth as the only righteous person ever to walk the planet. This righteous one, Jesus Christ, would suffer on a wooden cross for unrighteous people. He would endure the full fury of the Father’s righteous wrath; and He would do so in order that all those who would come to Him—though they deserve to suffer for their own sins—would never have to.

 

God’s plan was to restore His creation to a perfect state; to rescue a people from themselves, from sin, and from the kingdom of darkness; and to make this people look like His Son, so that His Son would be preeminent.

 

Jona’s story is a microcosm of what God is doing in the earth. He is revealing this good news about His Son to people like Jona, to people like you. When Jona believed Jesus, putting all his weight on Him; when he called on Him, relying completely and only on Jesus’ work of death and resurrection; when Jona came to God in this way, this righteous God could—and did—call Jona “righteous,” because Jesus had suffered God’s wrath in Jona’s place. God is graciously doing this for all those who believe the gospel. And He not only justifies them once for all— but He is also making them holy, conforming them into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Jona’s suffering was not God’s failure to take care of one of His children. Jona’s suffering was God’s completing the work He had started in Him, a work that He will inevitably finish in every Christian. Through the fires of suffering, God made Jona look more and more like His Son. And God used Jona to continue that work in the life of every other child of God who knew Him. God has promised this—that everything that touches our lives will have that effect.

 

And for all who believe this gospel, the day will come when there will once again be no more disappointment, or cancer, or pain. Jesus will rule God’s kingdom in a way we have not yet seen. God’s children will enjoy and glorify God for eternity. We invite you to read the Bible, the story of His redemption of man. We urge you to believe His words, to call on Him to save you from your sin, confessing Jesus as Lord and as your only Savior!

"The Awakened Sinner"

Friend, 

Wake up from your wandering dream.

Turn from chasing morning mists.

Look inward, Look forward, Look upward.

Look at yourself.

Think about yourself: Who and what you are, Why you are here,

What and where you must soon be. . . .

You are a creature of God, formed and shaped by him,

Lodged in a body like a traveler in his tent;

Don’t you want to know God’s forgiveness, his ways, . . . him?

 

(Adapted from “The Awakened Sinner,” The Valley of Vision)

Request for Prayer: Kane Family

Friends, please pray for Brian Kane, EMU missionary to Cambodia. He is extremely ill and is currently being treated in Thailand. Updates are available on FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/UpdatesForBrianKane 

November 2012 Report

Forty Years. This past month Uruguay remembered the tragic 1972 plane crash high in the Andes Mountains. Sixteen of the original 45 passengers endured the death of their friends and spent 72 horrific days of solitude, hunger, avalanches, and almost unbearable cold. On October 13 most of the survivors met to commemorate the event. The providential preservation of these men hints at some purpose beyond mere man-centered inspiration: we would like to think that God will save some of these 16 Uruguayans.

 

Most of the world did not notice Don and Edith Garwood’s arrival in Uruguay that same year; nor did many note the launch of a new church in Kaysville, UT. But 40 years later there is ongoing gospel ministry in both of these places. And in Greenville, SC, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our home church, Mount Calvary Baptist. Only after Christ’s return will we fully realize the significance of such seemingly unnoticed events.

 

Update. Thank you for your prayers as we travel. God has graciously kept us safe and given us many hours of productive and confirmatory fellowship with other believers. We continue to be encouraged toward a final departure in early March. Please pray that the Lord will make this possible if it is indeed what He desires. We know that His timing takes into account all the details—many of which we are unable to see or predict.

 

Pray for our nation!

In October we re-visited churches in SC and GA, and took part in conferences in PA and the Washington, D.C. area. JM used airline miles to fly to UT, where he participated in Kaysville Bible Church’s 40th anniversary celebration, taught a Sunday school class in Liberty, and met with friends in the Salt Lake Valley.

 

 

Requests for Prayer. On November 19 a meeting will be held with Uruguayan pastors and missionaries interested in the developing Bible college, now identified as Facultad de Estudios Bíblicos del Uruguay (College of Biblical Studies of Uruguay). The planning committee will present information and invite input. A great deal of work has been done. Please continue to pray for efficiency, discernment, and unity.

 

Our co-workers Matías and Kristine Espinel’s second child is due to be born in December in Uruguay.

 

Early in March classes will begin at the F.V. Dabold Bible Institute in Montevideo, Uruguay. Though this is still months away, please pray as JM and Matías prepare material.

 

We do not take your prayers for granted! We are in constant need of them. Please let us know how we might pray for you. Without God’s grace we cannot for one day—let alone 40 years—be faithful in our service to Christ.

October 2012 Report

Thank you for your part in what God is doing in Uruguay and around the world. We were encouraged this past month by a conference near Chicago, where we heard reports of specific ways in which He is working. Jesus Christ is keeping His promise to build His church in Cambodia and Spain, in the mountains of Algeria, in the river valleys of northern Brazil, and in the suburbs of Chicago. None of us is sufficient for these things, and we acknowledge our need for much prayer and our desire for God to be glorified through His Son.

The following weekend we were given the privilege of participating in a retreat with a Sunday school class from one of our SC supporting churches. We wish we could have this kind of informal time to get to know all of our churches better. JM preached twice, and Elizabeth sang with her grandparents.

The Lord has provided most of our needed clothing for our first term (the next four years), mainly through sales of inexpensive consigned items. This has occupied much of Déborah’s time during the past month. Though we can buy anything we need in Uruguay, second-hand clothing sales (as we know them in the U.S.) do not exist.

 

Requests for prayer for October:

 

Pray for efficiency and wisdom for the committee that continues to meet in preparation for a higher-level Bible-college program. This group of eight pastors and missionaries will meet again later this week to continue considering a variety of issues. In November they plan a larger meeting that will be open to interested pastors.

 

We would appreciate prayer for safety in travel to VA, PA, OH, and SC in October. Pray for Spirit-filled, mutually encouraging meetings. We also plan to resume paperwork for Uruguayan residency—not an extremely difficult process but one that will take time and effort, some of which should be done before leaving.

 

Please pray especially for wisdom in planning for the upcoming five months and beyond. In March 2013 EMU’s Bible institute will begin the next academic year. If we are in Uruguay by that time, JM expects to teach Galatians/Ephesians and possibly the Pastoral Epistles. If we are still in the U.S., we will continue to visit churches. If you are interested in receiving an update in person about the work in Uruguay, or if you would otherwise like more information, please let us know.

 

We are grateful for the privilege of representing you in Uruguay. Thank you for your part in sending us!

Summer 2012 Report

We do appreciate the many ways in which you continue to show your kindness to us. Thank you! Until now we have been sending reports quarterly; beginning this month we will be sending them more frequently.

 

Summer travel. On the last day of May we left Greenville for a six-week trip to Idaho and Utah, a drive that also took us to churches in Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, and eastern Oregon. In most of these places we were privileged to see small gospel works whose pastors and people are trying by God’s grace to faithfully and clearly communicate the truth of the Scriptures. We commend these believers and are thankful to have a small part in what God is doing in these out-of-the-way places. One highlight of the trip was being able to see some of JM’s family at a reunion in Colorado. We’re thankful for these days, as it may have been our last time with some of the family for several years. One Colorado church has recently partnered with us, bringing our support level to 68%.

 

"Uruguayan Sun" in Ogden Valley, UT

 

After our return JM took a two-week course on philosophy and practice of missions in the BJU Seminary DMin program. We then rode with Esteban, Esther, and Marcos Torres to visit Deborah’s and Esther’s uncle and his family in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. This trip included opportunity to preach, contribute musically in the morning worship, and share a bit more about the work in Uruguay in a church in which we had earlier presented our anticipated ministry. We were also able to visit friends in Detroit and meet with a very qualified young man who is interested in the possibility of teaching in the Bible-college program in Uruguay (more below).

 

On Sunday, August 19, Iglesia Bautista Calvario (Calvary Baptist Church) of Greer, SC, celebrated their tenth anniversary. Years ago we were privileged to observe and to help in the early stages of the work; and we are thankful for Pastor Torres’ giving us the opportunity to again preach and sing in this anniversary service.

 

Developments in Uruguay. Meanwhile a committee representing several mission organizations has continued to meet monthly to discuss plans for a Bible-college program. Several factors make it seem that the situation is right for such a program: the degree of maturity of many of the churches in Uruguay, the generally high level of education in the country, and the desire of people there for more opportunity. The committee has agreed upon a preliminary doctrinal statement and has drawn up a course schedule for the first full year. Regular classes are projected to begin in 2014, with the possibility of some block courses to be offered as early as 2013.

 

At this point the developing Bible college is projected to go beyond, but not replace, EMU’s Bible institute. Our desire is to be in Uruguay in time to teach in the Bible institute during the next academic year, which will begin in March of 2013. Much work and preparation remains between now and then, including (among other things) meetings in churches, paperwork of various kinds, and organization of belongings. Please continue to pray that the Lord will open doors in every way so that we will be ready to go by the end of this year.

Spring 2012 Report

Dear Friends,

Many of you will remember that the focus of our upcoming work in Uruguay is the training of Uruguayan laborers in EMU’s existing Bible institute, and especially a partnering with the leadership there to see a higher-level Bible-college program of study, both for new students and for pastors already serving in the churches. This goal continues to be not only our own, but also that of our mission agency and of our co-workers, the Espinels. The final appearance of this project has not yet become clear, and we are agreed that the outcome need not exactly duplicate what we are familiar with in North America; but there are some clues that the Lord might be putting pieces in place for some exciting developments in the next few years. Recently several men from a like-minded mission agency approached Matías Espinel with their desire for the development of such a program, a meeting which has resulted in the involvement of several good mission groups and local churches in Uruguay. A comisión of seven men is now meeting monthly to gather information and to communicate. Everyone involved would appreciate prayers for wisdom and for an obedience to God’s leading that neither rushes nor delays. Always with opportunities such as these there is need for sensitivity to the unique situations “on the ground.” 

The last several months have seen progress in organizing our affairs for a move to Uruguay: details such as health insurance decisions, a new bank account, choices about our belongings, buying consigned clothing for the next three to four years, and preparing our home for re-financing and possible rental are small but necessary steps. We have reached 60% of our required support level and are expecting that a permanent move is in the near future, if the Lord wills. In the meantime, we are scheduling meetings or visits to churches for at least the remainder of 2012. Thank you for the interest, encouragement, prayers, and financial support that so many of you give us.

At the end of March we were pleased to see the completion of a tract (in English and Spanish) and an accompanying website, both dealing with our nephew Jonatán Torres’ successful journey with osteosarcoma cancer. Our part in this effort was comparatively small, given the many, many hours invested by other friends. But we’re thankful for the Lord’s provision to us of time and energy to help with some of the writing and proofreading in the project. Students from his high school, Bob Jones Academy, took the tracts on an evangelistic trip to New York City in April. Please take some time to visit www.jonatorres.com to read and hear Jona’s story, to see pictures of his life, and to read or order the tract. Please pray for the Lord’s working through these media. Two thousand Spanish copies recently arrived in Uruguay.

Since our last report we have also completed our teaching in the Bible institute and Bible college programs at Iglesia Bautista de la Fe in Greenville, SC. The semester ended in May, and we participated in the first graduation ceremony of the college on May 20. Elizabeth finished kindergarten on May 25, and we have since begun homeschooling her first-grade studies. A strength of her early elementary school experience continues to be geography! Please continue to pray that our children would faithfully follow Jesus.

For the next six weeks we will again be traveling west, during which time we anticipate specific evangelistic opportunities in Idaho, along with numerous occasions to talk about what God is doing in Uruguay. Please contact us if you would like to know our itinerary.

Two thousand Jona Torres tracts are now in Uruguay

Please pray for the success of the gospel and for God to call many to Himself.

Spanish Music Resources

A couple of years ago we started very casually posting links to Spanish music resources after someone asked us for some direction. The list is very short (we've spent very little time on it) but includes some helpful sources, including Church Works Media's new Spanish tab. Please feel free to offer others that you're aware of.

 

www.musicadelaiglesia.blogspot.com.

www.jonatorres.com

April marks the one-year anniversary of our nephew Jona Torres’ homegoing. Several friends, along with his family, have worked very hard to put together a gospel tract and accompanying website, highlighting his response to cancer and the Lord’s work in his life.

Please pray for the success of the gospel this next week as students and faculty from his high school, Bob Jones Academy, take these tracts to New York City on their annual evangelistic trip.

 

 

Pray for grace for his family during these anniversary days.

Visit the website and view the tract (in English and Spanish); read, see, and hear Jona’s story; and give glory to Christ for His gracious work!

Winter 2012 Report

The apostle John opened his first letter (1 John) by referring to his eyewitness testimony that centered in Jesus Christ, “the Word of Life.” He announced this gospel in order that “you, too, might have fellowship with us.” This fellowship (which ultimately is fellowship with God the Father and with His Son) implies certain responsibilities and (especially) evidences—evidences and responsibilities that are rooted in the good news of the person, the words, and the work of Jesus Christ. We hope that you have placed all your confidence in Him alone.

The day after Christmas we left for Miami with Esteban, Esther, and Marcos Torres. (Esther is Déborah’s sister.) We were joined by a friend from Colorado, a high-school girl from a church we’ve visited, who then traveled with us to Uruguay. We’re thankful for the opportunity to show her some of what God is doing there, and for her help along the way. The purpose for our trip was to attend the wedding of Esteban’s sister, Julia, who had asked us to provide music (play the piano, compose a musical number, and sing) for the ceremony. The Lord had provided airfare from a source apart from ministry gifts, and we believe the trip was the best use of those weeks. (You can see pictures in a previous post.) One highlight of the visit was time with young people, some of them Bible institute students or potential students, who regularly express their eagerness for our move to Uruguay.

Our travels during this spring semester are mostly regional. Several days after our return from Uruguay we took part in a conference in Ohio, where JM preached several times and Déborah shared in a ladies’ meeting. In mid-January, JM took a class focusing on preaching from historical narrative, material that we expect will be integrated into Bible college courses in the future.

Last August we enrolled Elizabeth in a K-5 program in Simpsonville, SC. We’re thankful for their flexibility with our schedule, allowing her to do some schoolwork while we travel. She will finish kindergarten in May, after which we will leave again for an extended trip west. Please pray that we will be in Uruguay by the end of this year. Our current plan is to begin homeschooling in June, so that Elizabeth can finish first grade before we move to Uruguay. She would then turn seven in January 2013 and be able to start second grade in March 2013, when the Uruguayan school year begins. We appreciate your prayers for us as we train our children. We desire to see them become true disciples of Jesus Christ, showing evidences of Life that come from genuine faith in Him.

March is also the beginning of the school year in the Bible institute in Uruguay. The Espinels (Matías, Kristine, and David Misael) are now there; please pray that they will be able to stay long term. Matías will be helping with some Bible institute teaching this semester. Pray for the Lord’s help in their transition to life and ministry there.

As you pray for classes in Uruguay, please also pray for the Bible college and Bible institute ministry of Iglesia Bautista de la Fe here in Greenville. Déborah is teaching a Spanish grammar course, and JM is teaching a class on 1 John. Please pray that God would use these weekly classes to conform us and our students into Christ’s image, that the classes would better prepare us for teaching in Uruguay, and that they would contribute to the health of His Church worldwide. This is experience that will directly benefit the Bible college program in Uruguay.

Thank you for your prayer and support! “Keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21)—they appear in many forms.

Post by Deborah: "Recent Travels"

We’re thankful for God’s gracious provision!

The day after Christmas found us on the way to Miami with Esteban and Esther and Marcos on a whirlwind two-week trip to Uruguay for Julia’s and Dilney’s wedding. We spent ten wonderful (summer!) days there and four more days (two on each side) driving to Miami and back.

We’re thankful for the time with extended family.

On December 31, Esteban and Esther reminded us that the last time we three Garwood siblings were together for “the holidays” was twenty-three years ago.

We celebrated Dosila’s birthday on Dec. 31.

The cousins enjoyed some good times together.

DJM reached the 14-month milestone while there. It was fun to take his picture by Tia Viviana’s Christmas tree – in summer! (Christmas in Uruguay isn’t over until after January 6.)

JM preached on New Year’s Day at Iglesia Biblica Maranatha on the outskirts of Pando, and Esteban preached that evening at Templo Betel, the church his father pastored for many years. We also attended mid-week services at three EMU churches.

We’re guessing that folks from EMU churches all over Uruguay attended the wedding. We enjoyed many opportunities for fellowship and left greatly encouraged and more eager than ever to get back – to stay!

Although exhausting, it was an encouraging trip overall.

Two days after our return to the Upstate found JM and me on icy highways on the way to a conference in Ohio. As I commented on FaceBook last Thursday:

A week ago, I was walking the length of “18 de Julio”(one of Montevideo’s main thoroughfares) with John Mark and Kenzi and the kids – in summer! Tonight, I’m on my way to a conference in Ohio– trying to remember how to drive in snow!

On Monday, JM began a two-week D.Min. course.

Please continue to pray for us!