Mail from Colombia

This came from Israel last night.  I am calling him by phone this morning.  In this letter, I don't think he has understood yet that a second card has been mailed to him.  Also, I will have to clarify what he means by borrowing and reimbursement to Andres' account when I talk to him.   According to my online banking, they have not yet withdrawn the most recent $200 in Andres' account.  There's still more than a week before they leave for Germany, so there should be time to straighten it out.

I'm surprised by the news about the Catholic priest helping out.  This could be more important news than Israel lets on, since he (rightly) has felt that the government gives a hard time to non-Catholic congregations.  At first I thought it was some kind of ecumenical shift, some cooperative effort underway in Bucaramanga, but now I wonder if it is a former priest who left the church to marry.  Also, Israel doesn't say, but I wonder if this priest and his family are staying in their house.

Greg



"Dear Gregory!

We are all nervous since the hour to travel has arrived.  We've been able to buy the tickets for the 4th of September, with return on the 10th of October.  We stop in Araba, Holland, Berlin, and return by way of Rome, Holland, Araba, and Bogota. Now we're rushing to leave all the work organized, and you know that this is very extensive -- food programs, missions, scholarships, projects, church services, and the children.  But we hope that all will work out well.  The trip is important for the support we will get there, because I don't know if I've told you this already, but they are dissolving the Development Office here, they say because of a lack of funds.  We will also lose this support and we have to fend for ourselves.

I was also toying again with the bank card, but it didn't work.  I am concerned about it, if we have to use Andres' card and Andres also may be traveling at any moment and we're left without a way to withdraw money.  For now, we're using the money that you sent to Andres' card, but now for the coming week that I'm not going to be here, there's no way to use it. It's a problem.  The idea was to leave a loan to reimburse later.  Would that be possible? 

The bakery that we have in Giron to help these families, we are moving it to the center in Bucaramanga, so we don't lose more resources.  They don't know how to administer it there.  Now we want from the Center to manage the bakery to be able to get some sources for food, health and study for the displaced children.  We ask the church to support us in prayer so that we can go forward with this project.  Yesterday we tested the bakery and the bread came out delicious.  Now the problem is the marketing.  We're also constructing a little house for a 72-year old women, who is without family and very sick.  As you see, the situation here is heavy, but we can at least serve as Christ taught us to do.

We're also in the process of seeking a scholarship for students for a Catholic priest who came to our church and wanted to serve as a pastor, but we don't have help for his studies.  He has worked some already and it has gone very well.  He's married and has a very lovely little girl.

Of the coming guests, they are very welcome.  We will pick them up, so let us know when and how they're arriving and we will host them here.

God bless you, greetings to all the church and pastors.  We love you much.

Your brother in Christ,

Israel Martínez

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ISRAEL MARTINEZ


Querido Gregory ¡


Estamos todos nerviosos pues está llegando la hora de viajar. Ya pudimos comprar los pasajes, para el día 4 de Septiembre, con regreso el día 10 de Octubre. Nos toco por Araba, Holanda, Berlín y regreso por Roma, Holanda, Araba, Bogotá. Ahora estamos es con la correría de dejar todo el trabajo organizado y U d. sabe que es muy extenso, comedores, misiones, Becas, proyectos, cultos y los hijos. Pero esperamos que todo va a salir muy bien. Es importante el viaje para poder tener algún apoyo, pues no se si te había contado, que me retiraron la oficina de Desarrollo, según ellos por falta de recursos. Además terminan las ayudas y tenemos que solos defendernos.

Estuve también tentando de nuevo con la tarjeta pero no sirvió. Estoy muy preocupado pues solo será, si giran por la cuenta de Andrés y Andrés también es posible que viaje a cualquier momento y nos quedamos sin como sacar dinero, por ahora usamos el giro que enviaron por la tarjeta de Andrés, pero ya para esta semana que viene que yo no estoy no hay como funcionar. Está muy difícil. La idea es hacer un préstamo para luego rembolsar, ¿no se si sería posible?

La panadería que teníamos en Girón, para ayuda de estas familias, nos toco traerla para el centro en Bucaramanga, para que no se perdieran más recursos. Ellos no supieron administrar. Ahora queremos desde la Central manejarla panadería para poder sacar algún recurso para Comida, salud y estudio de estos niños desplazados. Le pedimos a la iglesia  que nos apoyen en oración para que podamos salir adelante con este proyecto. Ayer hicimos la prueba y salio un pan muy rico, ahora el problema es el mercadeo. Estamos también construyendo una casita para una señora sola, sin familia y tiene 72 años y está muy enferma. Como Ud. Ve la situación está muy pesada, pero podemos por lo menos servir como Cristo nos enseño.

Ahora estamos también en el plan de buscar una beca para estudios de un Padre Católico que se vino para nuestra iglesia y quiere servir como pastor, pero no tenemos ayudas para su estudio. El ya está predicando y lo hace muy bien. Ya se caso y tiene una niña muy linda.

Lo de los visitantes, está confirmado que los recibiremos, son bien venidos, nos informan cuando y como llegan que aquí los hospedamos.

Bueno que Dios les bendiga, un saludo a toda la iglesia y los pastores, los amamos mucho.

Su hermano en Cristo,

Israel Martínez