GOING TO BOLIVIA 8
Going To Bolivia 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7
A FEELING OF TREPIDATION
Yes, Rev Samuel you can go in now, Bishop Moses Tay’s secretary ushered me into his office.
Bishop Moses' office was simple without frills. I stepped into the office and sat on the visitor’s sofa with some trepidation. How was he going to react to my interest to serve in Latin America?I had never shared with Moses my interest or desire to serve in Latin America. Bishops in general are also wary of letting their clergy go on mission stints to unknown and distant places. A part of me however knew that the time was right. Moses in allowing Blaxland to share openly about Bolivia gave me the impression that he would not be against the idea of one his clergy showing interest. At least he would pray with me over the matter, I thought.
MEETING WITH BISHOP MOSES
I sat down, faced the Bishop and spoke to him about my reaction to Greg Blaxland's sharing at the Tuesday clergy meeting. And then I told him flat out about my desire to explore the possibility of serving in Bolivia. It took me only about 3 minutes to tell him what I had wanted to say. I was expecting a barrage of questions and comments.
His smile caught me of guard:
Well that’s great Raphael…Cynthia and I are going to Bolivia soon to see the place…It would be good if you could come with us…Would Michelle be able to go also...probably not…She'd have to take care of your son...Elijah is still a baby isn’t he?
His response was totally unexpected. Going to Bolivia on a exploratory trip was totally unexpected. The most I was expecting was an invitation to pray with him over the matter.
I just smiled and didn’t quite know what to say in reply.
I left the office happy, excited and dazed. It was like getting baptized in the Spirit and being born again all rolled into one.
BUYING A DICTIONARY
Strangely enough my first act was to not inform Michelle but to go to MPH bookstore along Coleman Street and buy a Spanish – English/English - Spanish dictionary. It must have been the Holy Spirit. A deep sense of wanting to master Spanish flooded my heart. I found a dictionary and bought it quickly. Deep down inside I knew that learning Spanish was going to be top priority. I remember clutching it close to my chest as I left the bookstore in a hurry.
Michelle looked excited and surprised as I shared with her my experience with Bishop Moses. The door was opening…slowly… but it was opening.
The time to go public about my intentions and sense of calling to South America to family, friends and church leaders had come. How would they react? Were they supportive of my intention to go to Bolivia? Check out the next post.
A FEELING OF TREPIDATION
Yes, Rev Samuel you can go in now, Bishop Moses Tay’s secretary ushered me into his office.
Bishop Moses' office was simple without frills. I stepped into the office and sat on the visitor’s sofa with some trepidation. How was he going to react to my interest to serve in Latin America?I had never shared with Moses my interest or desire to serve in Latin America. Bishops in general are also wary of letting their clergy go on mission stints to unknown and distant places. A part of me however knew that the time was right. Moses in allowing Blaxland to share openly about Bolivia gave me the impression that he would not be against the idea of one his clergy showing interest. At least he would pray with me over the matter, I thought.
MEETING WITH BISHOP MOSES
I sat down, faced the Bishop and spoke to him about my reaction to Greg Blaxland's sharing at the Tuesday clergy meeting. And then I told him flat out about my desire to explore the possibility of serving in Bolivia. It took me only about 3 minutes to tell him what I had wanted to say. I was expecting a barrage of questions and comments.
His smile caught me of guard:
Well that’s great Raphael…Cynthia and I are going to Bolivia soon to see the place…It would be good if you could come with us…Would Michelle be able to go also...probably not…She'd have to take care of your son...Elijah is still a baby isn’t he?
His response was totally unexpected. Going to Bolivia on a exploratory trip was totally unexpected. The most I was expecting was an invitation to pray with him over the matter.
I just smiled and didn’t quite know what to say in reply.
I left the office happy, excited and dazed. It was like getting baptized in the Spirit and being born again all rolled into one.
BUYING A DICTIONARY
Strangely enough my first act was to not inform Michelle but to go to MPH bookstore along Coleman Street and buy a Spanish – English/English - Spanish dictionary. It must have been the Holy Spirit. A deep sense of wanting to master Spanish flooded my heart. I found a dictionary and bought it quickly. Deep down inside I knew that learning Spanish was going to be top priority. I remember clutching it close to my chest as I left the bookstore in a hurry.
Michelle looked excited and surprised as I shared with her my experience with Bishop Moses. The door was opening…slowly… but it was opening.
The time to go public about my intentions and sense of calling to South America to family, friends and church leaders had come. How would they react? Were they supportive of my intention to go to Bolivia? Check out the next post.
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