A Legacy of Faith

    I sat outside under the small tin roof listening to the thunder roar in the background. I'm thankful to have this time today. It has been too long since I've visited with this precious family. 

   My heart flashed back to 2008 when I first fell in love with this village living here with my World Race team. I remember his joy and his passion that constantly overflowed. I remember his father presence that watched over, counseled, and cared for us. I remember his smile and his booming voice saying, "Bueno, bueno, bueno…" I remember Pastor Jose's faith and passion for the Lord. I knew how much he and his family impacted my heart during my month here and how they were part of all that drew me back to Candelaria. However, at that time, I knew so little about how deeply his legacy of faith ran through the roots of New Song Mission. 

   It was Pastor Jose and Benita who first had a vision for a church in Candelaria. They met Tommy and Linda Gable and invited the Gables to partner with them in this vision. I loved hearing Pastor Jose share about the early days of the church…. 

    We walked from Bethel everyday carrying large jugs of water. No one would even give us water. We had nothing. We would buy some bread at a local bakery. We had bread and water. Sometimes we would finally arrive home at 10 pm. There were days when we trudged through waist high waters as the highways flooded. 

    Candelaria was hard. The people weren't open. So we did the only thing we could. We prayed.  We walked and we prayed for the Lord to break the chains in the hearts of the youth. We prayed and we preached in the streets. We started there just underneath the trees. God did the work…. (New Song's first church "building" pictured above left in 2000). 

    Pastor Jose, together with the Gables, started a legacy of faith. New Song began with vision from the Lord, His people moving in faith and love, praying for breakthrough and seeing the Lord move powerfully to complete the work that He first spoke into existence. It is a powerful spiritual inheritance that we, as a staff, now have the responsibility and privilege to walk in. 

   Pastor Jose is in his mid-70's now and his health has been steadily declining. It was an incredible blessing to sit in his yard alongside his wife Benita and Linda Gable and just hear as they reminisced about the ways that the Lord has moved throughout the history of this mission. It was an afternoon of honoring Jesus and giving Him glory for all that has happened here in the last 14 years. I just sat and rested in His presence. In awe of His goodness and the faith of His children. 

    As Pastor Jose talked about his own failing health, all that he would say was, "If the Lord keeps me here, it's for His glory, but if He takes me home now, I'm ready." A bright smiled spread across his face and he repeated, "I'm ready." 

    I pray that I can walk in the same passion, faith and love as he has. What a beautiful legacy of faith that Pastor Jose is leaving here in this place.

*Please continue to pray for Pastor Jose and his family. His is very weak, but not in pain. He has not been able to sleep and has not been eating well. We know, and have seen numerous times, that his health could miraculously bounce back. However, his entire family is there and preparing to say their goodbyes. Please pray for both his natural and spiritual family during this time.