Worship Service

This was a blessed way to end an awesome week in Cedeno.  We visited the church of Pastor Martin and family.  The name of this church was "Church of God".  We arrived with greetings from Pastor Martin and Kelin at the front door of the church.  Pastor Martin said Sunday mornings was Sunday School for the children and there they were all sitting waiting patiently to be fed God's Word.  There was probably about forty to forty five children sitting and behaving quiet well.  Others came in as we found our sits for worship.  There was several of the men who helped build Pastor Martin's home in church with their families.  But the team's sweetest surprise was when Fernando and Elijah showed up on their way to church with Pastor Carlos to say good bye one more time.  We are so blessed!!!! 

Meida and Pastor Martin met at the front of the church to get the order of service ready for the morning,  yes they were putting the church bulletin together at this time.  I was asked to come read in English Proverbs 6:20 alongside Pastor Martin who read it in Spanish.  Pastor Martin opened up the service with prayer.  We were blessed by some specials from the children of the church Oscar age eight and Heidi age 15 or so sang for us prior to collecting the offering.  

At this time Kenny was asked to share his testimony.  Two weeks ago when Kenny agreed to speak on Sunday he did not realize his captive audience would be mainly the children of the church.  Well of course God knew exactly what and who Kenny would be speaking to this beautiful Sunday morning in Cedeno.  Kenny with the help of Meida went over and stood in front of the group of children as if they were the only ones in the room, my huge God moment then.  Kenny shared as a young boy he had to move to another community and start a new school.  He had a hard time adjusting and making friends. But there was one girl named Kimberly who friended him and he invited her to go ride horses with him.  Kenny lived on this grandparents' farm where there were cows and horses.  So off Kimberly and Kenny go riding the two horses.  As they were going along their chosen path one of the horses got spooked, the one Kimberly was on and it took off fast and furious.  Kimberly was holding on with all she had.  Kenny was hollering to Kimberly the horse is going to go left up ahead, Kimberly the horse is going to go left.  This is exactly what the horse did it went left and Kimberly went straight ahead and landed in a corn field.  Kenny said all he could see was her legs kicking up in the air trying to get up out of the stalks which had already been harvested.  At this time Pastor Martin burst out laughing as Kenny was sharing.  During this time of sharing Kenny did a lot of ascriptive actions for the children and got down on his knees eye level with a lot of the children as he was telling this story.  But this story was leading up to a very profound Bible thought as Kenny stood up and said the two horses went straight home.  They were free, they could have went out into the pasture to graze but they went straight home.  Why do you think they went straight home asked Kenny. Because this is where they know they are cared for and protected. At this time Kenny read Philippians 3:13-14 to the children.  

Paul is writing a story about running a race.  In order to do good in a race you have to look forward not back.  If you have Jesus in your heart, believe in Him you are going to Heaven.  This race I am talking about can only be ran by children of God, who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Unlike the horses goal was to go back home, just as I have seen this week leaving Cedeno each day  the cows who are heading home in the afternoon, they know where they are going.  We need to know where we are going.  What is our race we are running?  Is it our goal to run the race towards Heaven?  I sure hope so, because today is the day to start running the race for Jesus and run Heavenward to our eternal destination.

This week we worked toward a goal to build a home beside our Honduran friends.  The race was hard, hot and unknowing at sometimes.  But we made it to the finish line and just like the two horses who ran side by side home to their home we were encouraged by our friends from Honduras and we finished the race we came to run. We were two different groups of people.  We do not look alike and we do not speak the same language, but we do have one thing in common, we love Jesus and want to serve HIM.  So today if you are not in this race running toward your goal which should be Heaven, please get with Pastor Martin and make the most important decision of your life, receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Today is the day do not wait another minute.  This is your day to receive the greatest gift of all, Jesus!!!!

Pastor Martin came forward and repeated what Kenny shared and thanked Kenny for such an inspiring lesson on running the race.  Pastor Martin shared we will sing one more hymn and be dismissed.  At this time Pastor Martin prayed and they closed in a hymn.  The good byes were bittersweet because this team of six will most likely leave a piece of their heart in Cedeno with the Pastor Martin family.  Thank you God for a beautiful ending to our year 2019!!!!  All God's people shouted AMEN y AMEN.