Bug-a-phobia

Bug-a-phobia. First of all I realize that’s not the right term. It’s just that I don’t have the internet here at home, so that means no google or ask.com or wikapedia or any other search engine that could assist me with words I’m looking for ( fyi... I write the blogs at home and when/if we get anywhere near some place that has the internet I upload what I’ve already written). So, I have to roll with bug-a-phobia. Anyway... as I was thinking about what to blog today I realized that almost all our blogs, from Brazil so far, have mentioned insects in them somewhere. That’s not by design either. It’s just that there are soooo many bugs here that it’s impossible not to say something about them. I’m not a bug-a-phobe either. I don’t jump up on a chair when I see a bug run across the floor or anything, I just don’t like bugs inside my house. Bugs belong outside, right? Right.

Anyway, we woke up this morning and there were these little things all over the floor in every room. I thought they were grass clippings or something that the dogs had on their feet and had brought into the house. But then MJ said they were all over the counter tops in the kitchen too. So, upon further inspection we realized that they were actually wings! That’s right, wings! Little wings about 1”-1.5” long (look at the picture and what’s in my hand). So my first question is why are there little wings all over the floor in every room (literally hundreds of wings all over the place)? Secondly, where are the insects that flew in on them? And thirdly, why would you abandon your wings, because now that means you have to walk!? Again, if I had the internet I could google the answer but for now it’s another one of the mysteries of Brazil. It’s just so bizarre... to wake up and realize that while you were sleeping some massive swarm of insect (literally hundreds of insects) were flying around your bed, in your kitchen, in your bathrooms... everywhere and something happened that made their wings fall off and now they’re nowhere to be seen, and you slept through the whole ordeal! It’s crazy. Welcome to Brazil: )

Well, enough of the “insect report” -

Tonight we took part in a discipleship class that’s held every Monday night at 8:00pm. It’s been going for almost a year now and averages about 50 people, mostly kids. Brad and Carolyn were able to get permission to use an old schoolhouse each week and it allows us to reach a different group of kids that aren’t able to make it to the camp (at the top of the mountain) on Thursday nights. Me, MJ and our kids decided to walk down from the camp (because it’s all downhill, haha) just to get some exercise (Lord knows we haven’t been walking enough already... not!) and to get a feel for what the people on the mountain have to do to get to one of our meetings.

While walking down the mountain in the pitch-black darkness, with a flashlight, it made me realize what a sacrifice these people are making to hear the Gospel. I’ve got to be honest with you though... I love Jesus, but if I’m them, I’m not walking every week in the middle of the jungle, in the darkness, with all kinds of stuff out there barking, growling, croaking, chirping and howling... just not gonna do it. Not to go to a church service. But, then again, I’ve had the privilege to sit in literally thousands of church services, spent thousands of hours listening to preaching on podcasts, attended 2 Bible colleges and been around the Gospel pretty much all my life. I’m spoiled. And you probably are too. But it’s different for the people here. They haven’t been exposed (or over-exposed) to Jesus like we have. And seeing Him for who He is, is enough for them to want Him. The people are so hungry for Jesus and are willing to walk in the darkness to know more about Him... it just blows my mind.

We’ve got something sooooo precious, valuable, life-changing, powerful, desirable, unique, amazing... I could go on and on... but we take it for granted because we’re so familiar with it. And being here has made me appreciate Jesus more. That probably sounds weird, huh? I just don’t want to take what I have on the inside for granted because I’ve walked with Jesus for so long. And my prayer is that you too will have an encounter this week that will cause you to stop and realize what an amazing gift we’ve all been given in Jesus and that your walk with God will go deeper because of it.

Love Ya!

Jim