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THE GIFT OF COMMUNITY

When we were in Bucaramanga (Ricardo’s hometown) for Holy Week, Herman and Mario came to visit. These men are important to the whole Gomez family, having maintained their friendship and more importantly, their influence for nearly 40 years! Herman told us that he was 13 years-old when 21-year-old Mario walked by his house one day and invited the teens hanging out nearby to church. Herman said, “The invitation wasn’t for me. I wasn’t hanging out with the guys. I was sitting on my porch, but I took it as my personal invitation.” After hollering to his mom that he be back soon, he ran to catch up with Mario. When the pastor made an altar call that evening, Herman accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and never looked back.

12 years later, Mario and Herman, church leaders, were in the church when Papa walked in off the street. Not only did he accept Christ that night, but he was immediately healed from his alcoholism. About a month later, the rest of the family followed Papa to church and 14-year-old Ricardo also accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Ricardo has always said that what most impressed him about the evangelical Christians in that church was the true community of believers, they felt like family. Herman and Mario became part of the Gómezes’ church family and developed a bond that has survived many decades!

THE GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT

In March, Ricardo traveled to Puerto Rico to preside over the Annual Conference meeting there along with Bishop Adams (shown above). After returning home he received a note from Ana Isabel, one of the attendees. Here are a few excerpts…

When we attended Annual Conference, you ministered to both my husband and I through your teachings. Last year, when you taught about the need for leaders to rest, it truly blessed our marriage. Thank you for mentioning the need for healthy rhythms again this year. Your teachings allow me to avoid physical and mental exhaustion because the hustle and bustle of leadership can be very draining.

Thank you also for reminding us to worship God both inside and outside of the church. You always remind us that the Gospel is simple, we should not complicate it. 

Pastor, thank you for motivating us and for giving of your time and passion… We want to express our gratitude to you for instructing us with love and spiritual authority. 

This simple act of gratitude was a gift of encouragement amid busy schedules and sometimes mundane tasks. It good to be reminded to take a break…and worship God is in every moment and every place! He is so full of good gifts!

THE GIFT OF AN UNCLE

On March 30^th my (Beth) uncle Archie moved into his celestial mansion. Archie could be described as kind, gentle, loving, humble, energetic, intelligent, faithful, fun-loving, justice driven, full of life, avid sports fan…the list could go on. He was so humble, in fact, that his grandkids admitted to not knowing about most of his significant achievements until they read about them in his obituary. He was so energetic, in fact, that he went water-skiing on his 80^th birthday. He was so full of life, in fact, that despite having his stomach entirely removed due to cancer over 20 years ago, he lived to be 92 years old!

After his death I realized that of my six uncles, only one is still living. Three of them died in the past three years. My living uncle, Uncle Rob, was my mom’s brother. Apart from her step-brother, the rest married into the family and I’m so glad they did! They have enriched our lives with laughter, with wisdom, with faith, with their examples, with love, and much more!  Uncles really are a wonderful gift!

THE GIFT OF GIVING BACK

Ricardo graduated from the Biblical Seminary of Colombia (FUSBC) in 1999 and from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2004 & 2006. His is now on the board of trustees for both institutions and has been instrumental in establishing a partnership between them through which they can bless all of Latin America. We are very excited about the new possibilities!

As part of that, much of my time the past six weeks has been spent preparing documents and videos for the awareness and fundraising campaign we are organizing for the FUSBC. What a gift it is to learn more stories of God’s faithfulness to and through this beloved institution. The seminary is more than an alma mater, it was our first Colombian home (the picture was taken when we moved in 10 years ago).

What an honor it is to serve the seminary in this way. If you’d like to learn more about the seminary and/or about how to support it, please let us know.