Saturday
Percy had worked out an agreement with Lamar and Oscar to get Lamar’s car from Oscar. Percy wants to rent it now with the hope of buying it, I think. I offered to check over the car from Oscar for Lamar.
Everything appeared in order, but Oscar didn’t want to pay his rent. He had a whole list of things he’d paid that he needed to deduct, like an oil change and other normal costs of running a vehicle. I was beginning to feel he might actually charge Lamar for renting the car for a year, but in the end, he paid around $15 for the year. Poor Lamar.
The battery with the car was dead, so Percy needed to go buy another one. He also needs to do the annual inspection that is over a year out-of-date. Hopefully Oscar wasn’t ticketed during that time because it stays with the vehicle and must be paid at the next inspection.
Cristina came while I was Oscar’s in the evening. She had forgotten to come at 4:00; Steph read some psalms with her until I got back. We then talked about God, who He is in eternity and a bit about how He created the earth. Rafael’s couldn’t come on Saturday.
Sunday
China had a bad cold all day Saturday. Steph is trying to be a mom to her and slowly get her on more healthy things like water and tea and early bedtimes. She had pretty good success with me, so I think she has hope for another Schmidt.
It was 26 degrees again at sunrise. The children think we should wait until 9:00 to do chores. I did let them sleep in until it was above freezing. By the time we were done with chores, they were complaining about the short-sighted decision to wear multiple pairs of socks.
As usual of late, we called in to the church in Virginia for our morning service. The sermon was partly about how the Bible isn’t our instruction manual as much as God is our Instructor. There is temporary blessing for obedience without knowing God, but we find everlasting blessing only through knowing the Lord Jesus.
Rafael’s came right at chore time, bringing their friend Señora Rosita. After chores, Steph got a few things settled in the kitchen, then we had our Spanish service.
I shared a pretty forceful message on the Christian and politics. We looked at how the commands of Jesus make it completely imposible to be involved in politics. We also found that to take part in any way in politics is to be disloyal to our King and Country and pulls us into disobedience to the Great Commission of making disciples of all people.
Anger, hate, division, pride, power, leadership–these are all things that come from the world’s political system and are black spots on the believer. Forgiveness, love, unity, humility, sacrifice, and service–these are commands of Jesus that we cannot keep while taking part in this world’s system.
Rafael and Elisabet said afterward, “We have been sinning this whole presidential election.” Sunday was the day to vote for the new Peruvian president. They saw how ungodly everyone who claimed a party or party leader had been and were ashamed.
May that truth sink deep into the heart of every Christian. If we would only be as passionate for our King as unbelievers are for their political party, we would be the salt and light and life to the world God has called us to be.
Prayer:
- Pray for Cristina as she tries to read the Bible on her own during the week.
- Pray for Rafael and Elisabet as they deal with the conflict between truth and their lives.
- Pray for us as we are in Curahuasi this week, waiting on the baby to arrive.
- Pray for the attorney Javier as he tries to get my documents finalized.
- Pray for families to come help plant the church here.
Juan David 