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January 1984 Newsletter
COLOMBIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
Dale and Jeanie Meade
In the jungle and prairie of Southeastern Colombia
Volume 12, Issue 1 January, 1984
OUR YEARLY CONGRESS
Starting many years ago, even before we arrived in Colombia, the Christian churches here had begun getting together for a yearly convention. As with the North American Christian Convention, the purpose is fellowship and preaching. From our early days in Colombia, we have made it a point to attend this meeting of the brotherhood here. For all the brethren, it is a high point of the entire year. Due to the difficult economic situation here, few people even know what it is like to take a weekend off. Vacations with the family are totally out of the question. Yet, since Colombian Christians genuinely try to try to put Christ first, many will make the effort to take time off and come to the yearly convention of New Testament churches.
Even with the earnest desire that most of the Christians feel, time, distance, and expense of travel make it a tremendous sacrifice for many. For the last two years, the airplane has made it possible for many people to attend, who would have found it impossible by any other means. For example the people in San Jose would have had to spend an entire month's wages to make the trip. When you make such a small amount to begin with, a trip like this would be impossible. This year I made ten flights and carried over twenty people during the congress. If the people were able pay, I charged them gasoline expenses. If they were very poor, then I charged them nothing. I spent more than 25 hours in the air in this ferry project. People from San Carlos for example would have spent over ten hours on the bus. I made the trip with them in just a little over half an hour.
At the invitation of a Christian rancher, we held the meetings on his farm. For one week it was a colorful sight as a miniature tent city sprang up. There are no hotels out there. Besides, no one would have been able to afford them if there had been. Meals were prepared camp style. Everyone would file past the cooks and have their plates filled. The first night of the convention, we were treated to a Colombian ox roast. The entire bull was roasted on spits over an open fire. The meat slowly roasted during the entire day, leaving it tender and juicy for supper that night. Another day the local fisherman provided us with nearly a dozen huge catfish. They were steamed in tomatoes and onions to make a tasty typical dish that delighted everyone. Due to the generosity of our host, there was an abundance of food and thanks to the skill of his wife as a cook, there were no complaints.
The mornings were dedicated to spiritual things. We began with devotions before breakfast. After we had eaten, we had classes on everything from hygiene to literacy. All of this was taught from the Bible and was directly applicable to the daily lives of everyone present. Some of the classes dealt with doctrine as well. Our main speaker was a man who works with AlfaLit, a Christian literacy campaign that works with churches throughout Latin America. He did an excellent job and everyone was excited by what they were learning. After lunch, everyone was free for rest and relaxation. There was football in the cow pasture and swimming in a creek full of piranha. Both events were made especially interesting and exciting due to the extra fringe benefits provided by the site. After supper, we all headed into to town for an evangelistic meeting. These were a real treat as everyone joined their voices in singing praise to the Lord. By nine p.m. all was over and we piled into the cattle truck to head back out to the ranch. Over one hundred people squeezed into the back of the truck with another dozen or so hanging outside. I did not look forward to being pressed into the truck with all of those hot and sweaty brethren, so I chose to hang on the outside. It was fresh and cool out there, but you really had to keep you eye peeled for tree branches!
When everyone else was enjoying themselves during the recreation time, we missionaries and the Colombian leaders got together for our business meetings. There were many things to hash out as we planned our budget strategy for the evangelizing association for the next year. The process was completed by the fact that we will be returning to the States on furlough in early fall. That meant that the budget would be severely curtailed for the last part of the year. There were also many other things to discuss and consider as well. It was an enjoyable process as we shared the burdens of the work with the mature and capable Colombian leaders whose insight often surpasses our own.
The week drew to a close, everyone expressed their feelings of gratitude for the spiritual growth. There is no replacement for good fellowship. On the final afternoon, I began the reverse process of taking everyone home. I made two flights the first night then finished up by the entire day on Saturday. I was very tired but felt a deep sense of satisfaction. We had seen over 120 baptized during the year just ended. That was a record for us. Also the churches had never been stronger. It had been a year of victory for the Lord's church here in Colombia. And that year of victory belongs to you! You have supported us both financially and with your prayers. You have given us the tool, the plane and the car, with to work. We humbly express our gratitude for your confidence in us. And we pray that we will make you investment in Colombia worthwhile effort for Him.
(PHOTO)
An airplane creates quite a stir when it lands on a crooked dirt road in the remote Colombian prairie. It also provided efficient transportation for the yearly congress.