From the Mission Field
Communion And The Snack Pack
Where we love is home- home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.
Five years ago, this month to be exact, we left Cozumel to work back in Hawaii. We left a church we had helped start, an island we loved, a people we cherished. We came to an island we love, a people we cherish, and several churches we adore. The last five years have been an education for us, good and bad. The difficulty of Covid, a landslide, difficult church situations, empty nest, to name a few. But we have grown, so very much.
Our church plant here in Mexico, Ola de Gracia, also went through Covid, (and almost lost their pastor to it), the financial strain on families dependent on tourism and cruise ships, plus the normal strain and stress of living here. They stayed firm and powerful in their faith. They grew, so very much.
The ministries thrived. At one time, through the efforts of their executive pastor, they were feeding 60-plus families. They have provided thousands of students the opportunity to attend school. (Public school costs here are about a month’s wage per student for four hours of class a day) They expanded their prison ministry. They now meet weekly for Bible Study in the jail. They are creating halfway houses and have a rehabilitation facility. They have a youth minister on staff and the lead pastor has a small stipend too. They are reaching out to support other local churches, with kid’s camps, concerts, and financial support. I remember when one of our donors gave us funds to purchase 35 chairs, they now fill almost 200 on Sunday mornings.
It is still a financially strained church. The members are young believers and their stories are tough to hear. It is a church very much like a special church in Kaua’i, Pukas. On fire Biblically and spiritually, but mostly young people coming out of their troubled and lonely past, just getting their boots back on the ground.
So alike. Both are growing, entering the “medium size” church role. Both experience the joy of growth but also the unknown of growth. The, “Where do we go from here? This looks different”.
I am teaching about Communion next Sunday. I was asked to do that topic and serve the elements. They have not had Communion for a while. The reason? They could not afford the new snack-pack cup combo. That is not a problem in the States. In fact, most of us probably grumble about the difficulty of opening them. (I have struggled up front, our pianist was patient and waited for my thumbs up))
Covid here was not political or argumentative, it just killed and hurt people. As I shared, their pastor, among others, was deathly ill.
So we have a loving and giving church that can’t afford communion cups. Please understand, on Amazon, they are about 50 cents apiece. About 100 dollars per Sunday. So for once a month, it comes to $1200 per year, 25,000 pesos. To put it into perspective, that is almost nine months of salary for the average worker or the equivalent of two dozen kids going to school.
Some might say, "Just do Communion the old way, rip up bread, pass a cup, have faith, pray more, trust more. Fear God only!" This is usually from a person that has not experienced the reality and tragedy of disease in an under-resourced area.
Your eyes really open up when you step outside your daily life box.
With my fix-it nature, I wanted to build them cup holders, cups, and bread from the market. That is not the issue though, the touching, breathing, and close proximity of people in a tropical church is worrisome for many here.
Now, Communion doesn’t save you, cleanse you, fix you, but it is a command and also a joy. This has been not taken away but made very difficult. To choose between helping a family make rent, clean water, get medical assistance, or basic needs is tough.
My point in sharing this is such, on your next Sunday with Communion. Treat it with the respect, thankfulness, and joy it deserves. You are fortunate to have that opportunity of remembrance, and the opportunity to celebrate your freedom in Him. To actually touch the bread and drink the cup, to physically remember all He has done for you. Reflect on this today.
Please know that we love you. Please send us your prayer requests, we will lift them up.
Mahalo Akua. Gracias Dios. Thank you, God.
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