Yesterday, we had a relaxing and restful day. My week had been full and busy, so I decided to look for a sermon recording from someone else to take a break. I ended up with two, one from a friend in Georgia of a message from El Salvador and another from a friend in Virginia of a message from Costa Rica. I used the one from Georgia this time and saved the other.
[Gracias por compartir, hermano. Algunas personas respondieron y dijeron que el mensaje los bendijo. Te estoy agradecido.]
Though I didn’t preach, we sang in Spanish as usual. I decided to take video clips of our singing to send to the people here. We sang outside to have good light and to feel warmer.
The children love to sing, and the oldest three can now read Spanish fairly well. That allows them to follow along even when they’re not completely familiar with a song. Yet, they all love the song we’re memorizing for the month. They just want to sing.
We tried calling in to a message in the States. The subject was from 1 Peter and Psalm 34 on “The Afflictions of the Righteous.” The connection was really poor yesterday, but we heard enough to be challenged to trust in God’s sovereign goodness for His children.
The lechero asked if he could pay me to use the truck yesterday. He wanted to haul manure with it. I told him it would be available on Monday, but that yesterday was the Lord’s day, and I didn’t want to do business on the Lord’s day.
He called me something I’ve never heard him say before. “Thank you, Juan de Dios. I understand, and that’s okay.” Then he shook my hand very heartily and left. The name and the greeting are both odd. He generally calls me “papi” or “vecino.” And he tends to be somewhat distant.
But the oddity repeated itself last evening. The dogs were throwing a fit at supper time, so I went to check on them and found the lechero’s helper standing in the yard.
“Juan de Dios!” he called.”I’m looking for my lost sheep. Can you call off your dogs and let me check your field?”
Names are a big deal here. They will go to almost any length to avoid using your name as a sign of respect. They have countless terms of address to fill in with: papi, neighbor, handsome, beautiful, friend, and many more. I find it fascinating that they chose to give me a name now. We’ll see if it sticks.
Juan David 