Popayan Update 8.8.2011
I want to report on the Grace Team work trip to Nolensville. We were able to frame 3 rooms, put osb on a 12 ft. ceiling (about 20 sheets), drywall one side of each (the electrical needs to be roughed in) we pulled some wire, cut a 2x6 foot hole in concrete for plumbing, had great fellowship, 3 nights of revival/special speakers, great food (thanks to cooks Nancy & Sylvia), and more fellowship.
And God helped!!!!!!!!!!! We didn't know how we were going to cut the concrete. I called L D Bell who has been on several trips with us, he suggested I call a concrete man in Nolensville. When I called he said he had a concrete saw, and was on the way to his house to pick up supplies for a job 30 miles away. I met him and got the saw!!!!!!!!!! Some would say that was a coincidence??? I don't think so!!!!!!!!!!
Popayan Update 8.8.2011
Danny & Joey Potts went with the Grace Team in October 2010 to Popayan, Colombia. They were able to visit the Colegio Amercano in Cali. God has called them for a 3 year mission to teach english and work with the church there (Nuevo Esparanza [New Hope in english]). They need to raise more support (see attachment). Please pray that God will lead you to support them in prayer and financially if you are able. The Grace Team currently supports 3 missionaries (Guatemala, Hong Kong, and southeast Asia) if you would like to Channel your tax deductible support through us, or you download the form and send it to: Missions Ministry Team Cumberland Presbyterian Center 8207 Traditional Place Cordova, TN. 38016
The Grace Team went to Popayan for the second work trip to Jesus is the Solution C P Church. We spent the first night at Hogar Samaria, had breakfast and a short orientation at the home of Boyce and Beth Wallace. We loaded onto a bus from the Colegio Americano and made the journey to Popayan. We arrived in time to view the progress, then had lunch.
Our work project was to make baskets of bamboo for support for the second floor of the eduacation wing project. We started with the framework, wooden rectangles, then started cutting bamboo (gua dua) and making the baskets. We started with an 86x50x34 cm box that resembled a lobster trap. We built over 100 of these, some were over 2 meters in length. Duane Dougherty and Sam Suddarth did most of the sawing, everyone made some of the framework and construction of the baskets. There were some smashed thumbs and fingers, and Tommy Tiffin managed to hit himself in the nose with a hammer (there was some blood spilled) and Marvin Terrell swears he didn't do it!!
Mike and Shari Salyer (husband & wife) worked together all week with a minimum of arguments (Nancy & I can't do so good) Rich Shugert, Steve Louder, and Robin Wills were steady workers, and Nolan Hatfield (19 yrs. old) made us all remember the tireless energy of teenagers.
On Saturday, we toured the city of Popayan, with a member of the church, Julio Cesar (Julius Ceasar) Urrutia as our guide. He is one of the leading historians of the city. Popayan is the 4th oldest city in all of S.A. founded in 1537. We were driven in a 'Chiva', which is one of the buses that served as the public transportation in years past, and is brightly painted and adorned. Some are still in use, mostly to transport goods, but Colombia has many modern modes of transportation.
We did some of our shopping also, and had a delicious typical Colombian meal at a restaurant, owned by a church member, in the country side between Popayan and Piendomo.
On Sunday, 5 of our group, the Salyers, Duane Dougherty, Robin Wills, Rich Shugert (Rich preached) went to a mission church in Piendomo along with Boyce & Beth Wallace. Sam Suddarth, Nolan Hatfield (who played drums on Sunday), Steve Louder (he preached), Tommy Tiffin, and Marvin Terrell attended the church in Popayan. We all went to the Popayan church Sunday evening at 5:00 (Duane preached). 4 persons made decisions at this service. On Tuesday we attended the Popayan mid-week service (Sam preached), and on Wednesday several attended cell groups. This is how they do Bible study until the new education wing is completed.
Thursday was the last day to work, and everyone was pleased with the amount of work done (even the taskmaster Boyce, who kept us all full of sugar so we could do more). Thursday night we took our families out for dinner (at La Cocheta, another church member-owned restaurant). There was a music group of typical music, and dancers from Guapi, a village in the Amazon jungle where Boyce has helped establish several mission churches. Nolan Hatfield was asked to dance and he did a wonderful job on the spur of the moment. We were presented with many gifts from church groups and individual members. We had to pack creatively to get everything home. Friday we had our regular devotion before breakfast, then had the highlight of the week when Boyce baptized Nolan. Nolan had given his life to Christ about 4 years ago, but had not been baptized. (many tears of joy were shed) The bus from the Colegio picked us up, but we didn't leave before many photos, hugs, and more tears were shared.
We had a tour of the Colegio Americano upon our return to Cali, and a wonderful meal hosted by Guillermo (William) Arguello an executive at the colegio. They gave us a presentation of plans to expand the school in order to increase enrollment and better serve the students. We went to Unicentro (a mall) for more shopping, then to the home of Boyce and Beth for fellowship and snacks. Hogar Samaria was our place of rest again (a short night), then up at 3:00 am for the trip to the airport and home.
Much more than the work and gifts, were the blessings of relationships made, and we could all feel the spirit working in us and through us. This was a servant group, we served God, each other, and the people in Colombia. Our lives will never be the same as they were before this journey.
yiC Sam