Greetings to the brethren in the name of our risen Lord!
Bart, Amy, and I returned safely yesterday to LA. I don't think I've ever been so sad (and yet so joyful!) to leave somewhere. Christ Evangelical Baptist Church embraced me like a family and I felt like one of theirs from the beginning. The Lord opened our hearts to one another and knit our hearts together in love. "We feel like we've known you for years," someone remarked to me. "I know, I feel the same way." It was surprising, but true. Never in my travels have I found so humble, loving, passionate believers as I have in this working class neighborhood church in Beirut. Their elders, and their pastor, Michel, are trustworthy men of God who love the church, who love her to the very end (John 13:1). As I told the six newly baptized believers, the members of this church indeed are so very blessed!
Before we left, the elders and some others from the church came out to the airport around midnight to see us off. My soul was humbled greatly and I was left without a word to say when the church provided us all with generous parting gifts. Understand that these are all working class people who barely make ends meet in Lebanon.
In response, I can only think of what Paul said about the churches in Macedonia (2 Cor 8:3-5), "that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God."
Please pray for the next steps in ministry, as a mighty and effective door for ministry has opened and I seek the counsel and ministry oversight of faithful leaders and supporters in the churches here.
Your servant always,
Bent
