The Cow

This is a funny essay by a ten year old.

"The cow is a mammal. It has six sides. Right, left, an upper and below. At the back it has a tail on which hangs a brush. With this it sends the flies away so that they do not fall into the milk. The head is for the purpose of growing horns and so that the mouth can be somewhere. The horns are to butt with and the mouth is to moo with...

Under the cow hangs the milk. It is arranged for milking. When people milk the milk comes and there is never an end to the supply. How the cow does it, I have not yet realised. But it makes more and more. The man cow is called an ox. It is not a mammal. The cow does not eat much, but what it eats, it eats twice so that it gets enough. When it is hungry it moos, and when it says nothing it is because its inside is all filled up with grass."

This was used as an example of correct/incorrect observation and interpretation. When we look at the Bible we need to get both of them right. We need God's help to understand what his word is saying and how it particularly was (and is) meant to apply to the lives of the readers.

Visitors from England

Here are a few photos from the past couple of weeks. Posting has been scarce so hopefully these pictures paint a thousand words. My birthday was fairly busy with classes, but my colleagues managed to squeeze in a birthday meal at the local Chinese restaurant. I found the dessert a bit much: cream and strawberries (I did eventually find some strawberries).

So a week later the group from the School of the Lion arrived. It promptly started raining heavily. But over the next few days we were thankful that the rain generally arrived when we were inside. On Thursday and Friday, the young people helped me with my classes and also performed with music and puppets. It was a lot of fun. Friday evening was the long awaited presentation to parents. My classes had items to perform and did fine. The School of the Lion group sang very well and then did a puppet play of the Prodigal Son. I think the pigs were the stars of the show.

During these two days we also prayed over the city with someone from the church and met the young people for tea in the church building. On Saturday, Jorge (the pastor) took us on a tour of some of the famous local spots including a castle, lake and monastery (from which the first catholic missionaries to the Americas came). In the evening we all took part in the church music practice and also played games and ate together.

On Sunday, the church was quite full. One family whose children attend the academy had come as a result of the visit. The group presented some Spanish songs and a puppet play and song. We also accompanied the music group. Various people spoke and the group from England were given special gifts. I was asked to translate that part! After the service, we ate lunch together with the church which was nice. Then we went on the coach to Badajoz in time to play football with some of the young people there. Even the girls played.

My goodbyes were rushed and all of a sudden I was alone again.

watching puppet show in the church

Birthday meal in the Chinese restaurant

With youth from Navalmoral church

Badajoz Cathedral

School group singing... beautifully

Castle Belvis de Monroy

Tomorrow a group from the School of the Lion arrives (including my parents and brother)! I'm very excited. It will be a great time as they will be taking part in the academy where I work and in the churches in Navalmoral and Badajoz. The weather has taken a turn for the better today, after a couple of weeks of a lot of rain. It's funny to hear how gorgeous and sunny it is back home while sitting listening to the torrential rain and contemplating 10 minutes of walking in it. Hopefully it stays sunny for the group.

As I said the group will be helping in the academy. This doesn't merely involve reducing my work load. It should be a great opportunity for conversation between students and visitors. They'll also be presenting some Christian songs and puppet plays to the children and their parents. On Sunday, they'll help lead the church service. Here are a few points to pray about.

1. safe travel for the group
2. blessing upon the presentation - that God would move through the young people's performances and the families would be impressed by their godly character
3. bridges to be built with the Christians in Navalmoral
4. that the group would really encourage the Christians here - especially the young people

I should have some photos of the trip to put up before long.

Fiesta del cumpleaños

Some more photos from the party...

My birthday celebrations started last Saturday... those of you who read the rock bun incident might be interested in the continuing story. I once again spent a considerable time preparing them determined that they'd turn out better than before. In the end - judging them by the compliments received - it was a success. Nevertheless, I shan't be repeating the experiment!

Arriving in Badajoz, I walked to Lidl to buy a cake to eat with the family I stay with. People must have thought me strange as I walked at an angle so as to shield the creamy cheesecake from the blazing sun. After the Bible study, the youth in the church celebrated my birthday with food and music. Later I played some jazz on the saxophone with my friend Pablo on the keyboard.

Back in Navalmoral, it was nice to open some cards from home and read messages on my computer (my weekend is blissfully computerfree - is that a contradiction today?)... thanks everyone! My colleagues, employers (friends) took me out to eat at a Chinese restaurant. It's my first birthday away from home, but it's been fun. Most of all I thank God for the years He's given me and especially the grace He's shown me so far. I look forward with uncertainty, but Him: never. I choose to walk with Him.

Evil Men?

Scarcely a day goes by without more news on the Fritzl cellar case. It is shocking, and the media have good reason to cover it. But I've had to ask myself a few questions as the controversy rumbles on. How much do I really need to know? I know the basic facts, so does my curiosity need to be further satisfied? I've found myself reading almost every new article on the BBC website and watching some of the interviews too. So how much compassion is there in my curiosity? Not enough. It has been hyped up, but there is so much bad news, we must avoid the danger of becoming detached. So I've determined every time I see a new article on this subject to pray for those involved rather than read it.

As the media have portrayed him, Mr. Fritzl is a monster. His lawyer says he is human. I think we must agree. It must truly grieve the heart of God that someone could do such a thing. But one story the media haven't given any space to is that of a certain Lord Steel. He was an architect of Britain's abortion law that was passed in 1967. Sadly this man, whose father was a Church of Scotland minister and who claims to be a practising Christian, does not practise Christianity in politics. He has said, "I think it's best to keep religion as a private matter, not a public thing."

Last week, Lord Steel said he wants to remove the 'two doctors' rule for abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy leaving a wide open door for abortion on request. This completely contradicts his comments in the lead up to the passing of the act in 1967. This man has a horrific legacy. Since he introduced the Abortion Act, nearly 7 million lives have been terminated. He never comes across as a monster but only as a respectable policitian.

However, when we read the Bible, it seems that we are not divided into the respectable or monster categories. Rather, we have 'all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God'. 'There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one... Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.'

These verses from the book of Romans were not only said about Mr. Fritzl and Lord Steel; they were said about each one of us. It is only in Jesus - in His death and resurrection - that we have hope. None of us can ever make ourselves acceptable to God, no matter how 'respectable' we are. But the awesome truth is that if we repent of our sin and have no faith in ourselves but all faith in Jesus, we are made righteous and acceptable in God's sight!