The Times They Are A-Changin'

I probably heard Bob Dylan's third album The Times They Are a-Changin' soon after it came out in 1964. I know that people who liked his earlier stuff were a bit put off by it. However, for a kid my age, just beginning to wrap my head around some of the craziness that became the sixties, for better or worse, it definitely changed some of my mind! Besides, my parents had a new LP stereo and you had to play something on it, right?
 

The title song is often viewed as a reflection of the generation gap and the political divide that marked U.S. culture during those years. Dylan, himself said, "Those were the only words I could find to separate aliveness from deadness. It had nothing to do with age." Still,the lines from the final verse actually sound, well, apocalyptic and biblical: "The order is rapidly fadin' / And the first one now / Will later be last / For the times they are a-changin'"
 

I have to admit that I always hoped my PF Flyers' Jonny Quest Magic Decoder Ring would help me understand more of Dylan's lyrics, but it never happened.
 

On Bob's latest album released in 2012 he has a song entitled, "Duquesne Whistle." Its a bluesy kind of song that supposedly talks about a train service that used to run between New York Penn and Pittsburgh Penn Stations. However, I lost my de-coder ring years ago. Still, when Mr. Dylan sings, "Listen to that Duquesne whistle blowing, Blowing like it's gonna sweep my world away," I can't help but wonder if the 71-year-old wishes his world had not changed so much, so rapidly.
 

All of us have to face change. However, like Bob Dylan, we probably all like to face it on our terms and in our way. Shoot, like Jonny Quest, we probably all wish that we could have a magic ring to explain change to us!
 

This week, Su and I finished another stage in a change we began to explore and implement about ten months ago. Our change was motivated by the fact that our ministry had grown too much and, especially with some of Su's physical limitations, our personal abilities were shrinking too fast. So, we had to think of some way to keep the work growing without us beginning to limit that growth.
 

The long and the short of it is that we have divided our responsibilities among ourselves and two other very capable leaders. Aaron Passmore is now the Area Leader for our Youth World ministries in Latin America. Aaron was an intern with us in Quito years ago. Since then, he has built up a ministry in Mexico called Spectrum. We are encouraged to have someone with his abilities take responsibility for this strategic ministry based in Ecuador.
 

Fifteen years ago, a young man showed up at our house in Tres Rios at about 9:00pm. I was a bit suspicious as I opened the door - 9 o'clock is pretty late on the Costa Rican social calendar. I remember this young man looking at me with tears in his eyes, saying, "I am sick of playing games. I want to be a real disciple of Jesus." You will be glad to know that I did the right thing and responded, "That's great, Lisandro. Go home and think about it some more and we will talk together in a few days."

I wouldn't want to make it too easy, would I?

Today, Lisandro is married to Michelle and the father of two. He has great ministry experience and is a real example of what it means for a leader to be a disciple of Jesus. Lisandro is taking over leadership for five of our teams in different parts of Latin America. It is an encouragement to still be part of his journey with him as we continue to live and serve closely together and as I mentor Lisandro.
 

So, what will Su and I be doing? A lot of the same. I continue on as Area Leader (or, in Spanish, Coordinador Regional) for IT Costa Rica. Together with our team we will continue to lead and supervise seven teams in Latin America which correspond to ITeams Costa Rica. We will also continue mobilize, train and support those Latins going out into the world. Today, we have over fifty Latins serving with International Teams in over ten countries. I would love see two hundred serving with us before I hear my own "Duquesne Whistle."
 

In many ways I have not wanted to "pull the trigger" on this decision. To misquote Dylan Thomas (from whom Bob Dylan took his stage name), "I do not go gentle into that good night... Rage, rage against the dying of the light... Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight... Do not go gentle into that good night."
 

Still, I am thankful that I do not have to depend on a special ring given away with a pair of tennis shoes (even if those shoes did have a "power wedge" that helped you jump higher and run faster) to direct our path. We continue to live with the certainty that He has saved us so that we might walk in works that He prepared beforehand. (Ephesians 2:10)