Pastor Victor

Proverbs 11:2 NIV
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

So we took a trip to Lima this week to pick up the residence cards for Karlita and Mateo. That part when real smooth. We had in mind to take care of the paper work for Tahlia as well but that turned into a bit of a chase around the bush. Turns out we can't get the DNI (identification card) anywhere other than the Provence the baby is born in, and we couldn't do anything else until she has her DNI. So all the way back to Pacasmayo to get that and then all the way back on th to Lima to do the rest of it. Fun fun.

But the absolute highlight of the trip was getting together with Pastor Victors family. On our trip here with the team in 2012 Victors family came to Pacasmayo to take part in our ministry and to be taught by pastor Jeff (he talked about that and was so grateful for all he learned from Pastor Jeff) and his wife Mariela was in our group, and she became fond of Maggie. And vices versa. While in Lima Maggie had a prompting to update her Facebook status to say Maggie checked into Friends House with Jake, we chuckled thinking no one would know what that meant (friends house is a name of a hotel in Lima) but of course Pastor Victor happened to see it and within two hours his whole family was at the hotel to pay us a visit. We chatted for a bit and we agreed to come for lunch the next day. It was a great chat as you can imagine, and then they started praying. The room was so filled with the Holy Spirit I almost broke into tears of joy and immediately started praising and thanking God for this Divine appointment. Victor had promised to come pick us up the next day for lunch at their house. I only realized later that he does not own a car and picking us up meant hiring a taxing. But come he did and off we went.

We reached his house and I can't tell you how humbling it was to walk into their living space. I give you my

word I am not exaggerating, I have seen bathrooms bigger than their kitchen (which acted as the living room as well) the room was probably 8' by 8' with a small table, a tv, and a bookshelf/computer desk. And through a small doorway another room about 6' by 8' which was the kitchen/storage room (which by the way some of the must amazing food I've ever eaten came out of). This is in an apartment building, and if you go out into the hall, the next room is the one bedroom where the parents with the four kids sleep. I did not get a good look at the size but I would guess about 10' by 12'. Needless to say I feel pretty stupid for expanding our living space as I blogged about last week.

I know a lot of people that would be pretty miserable in a situation like this, but the joy in this family is unreal. Always a smile on everyone's face and ready to help where they can, just so beautiful. I learned later of some of the things Victor has done in the past and the money he has spent into his ministry, he could have paid for a house ten times the size by now. But he chooses to serve others before himself.

In case you are missing my point, I am not throwing a pity party for Victor, I'm throwing a celebration party because of the wealth he's storing up in heaven. I always ask God to bless anyone who reads what I have to say, "bless you" or "God bless" are famous ending words for emails or letters or what ever. But I think we need to remember God uses his children to bless people. So be a blessing and be blessed in return.