The World Just Keeps on Turning

Over 35 years ago Su and I began full-time ministry, first at Brookwood Bible Chapel in Longview, Texas, and later, with International Teams. On May 10, 1978, we arrived in Bolivia with a two-year commitment to work in La Paz. Now, after spending most of the past thirty four years involved in ministry in Latin America, I wonder if we can sue someone for false advertising?

Recently, we passed our fourteenth anniversary in Costa Rica. All of this (along with the fact that Su gave me this assignment two weeks ago) has gotten me to thinking about what has changed since we moved here.

Bill Clinton was president of the United States when we left the US. I am not convinced that means much has changed. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Clinton was still making political speeches as of last week. Come to think of it, Jimmy Carter was President when we left for Bolivia and he was back on the political stage as well. All this reminds me of something an old cowboy said, "The world just keeps on turning. You hang around long enough and you end up where you started."

When we arrived in Costa Rica, Kari was just entering high school. Since then she graduated, went back to the States and graduated again, and then came back to Costa Rica to serve as a missionary herself. Krista graduated from university, married, went to Mexico as a missionary with International Teams, went back to minister in Chicago, gave birth to two kiddos, and, this weekend, helps begin a new church plant. Norma got married, had a baby girl, left Bolivia, gave birth to a boy, and then returned to Bolivia as a missionary with ITeams. Natasha (the baby girl) is now thirteen - about the same age of Kari when we came here. The world just keeps on turning.

I always told our girls they had to grow up and be professionals so they could help support their missionary parents. Obviously, we made a mistake somewhere along the way.

We came to Costa Rica with the intention of starting the Latin America regional office for International Teams. At that time we had fewer than twenty missionaries on three teams. Today we have 170 missionaries and nineteen teams. Some of the youth we were ministering to back then are now serving with us as missionaries. In the beginning Su and I had to be the regional leaders, chief bottle washers and janitors for the organization. Today, we serve along with many capable leaders - from several nationalities.

When we arrived in Costa Rica Arenal Volcano was active. Today it is much quieter, but Turrialba is blowing a lot of smoke out of its top. I like that change - we can see plume of smoke out of our bedroom window most mornings.

In 1998 it seemed like most young ladies in Costa Rica wore size zero jeans. Since then, McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell and Wendy's have all expanded in the country. Perhaps coincidentally, so have waist lines. Su estimates we are looking at an average of size sixteen jeans among the young Tico women of today.

When we traveled to Costa Rica you could still feel like a passenger at most airports. Unfortunately, as a direct result of 9/11 (a sad anniversary we remember this week), the airport experience has become a rather bizarre combination of a junior high locker room and police interrogation. I have learned a long time ago that most people do not like to make social conversation as we get fully dressed after going through security.

Personally, I think I had a lot more energy in 1998. I don't remember getting so tired at night back then. You would think that I was fourteen years older, or something.

When David was a young man he rather famously killed Goliath. Everyone knows that story. For some reason, we forget about how things went later in his life with another giant named Ishbi-Benob (2 Samuel 21:15,16). It seemed that when David was older he had to rely on the help of others to get the job done... and so do I! Still, 2 Samuel 22 gives us one of David's greatest psalms of testimony and praise. God was his "strengthener", shield, rock and deliverer. This was true even, or, perhaps especially, after all those years of service.

Like the old cowboy said, "The world keeps on turning." We all arrive sooner or later at the point where we realize we cannot do it ourselves. It is one of life's great privileges that our God allows us to keep going in the battle with His strength when ours has been used up.