Flying House (Casa del Vuelo)

money colored shirt

2009-12-19T14:42:00.002-05:00

HI Folks,

I have a shirt that is almost the exact color of American money. A nice, rich green color. Although this shirt makes me feel GREAT (for some reason) when I wear it, it hasn't brought me any riches. And the color doesn't seem to be "rubbing off", if you know what I mean? When I looked at my shirt this afternoon, I got to wondering why it makes me feel so good to wear it. I think it is really just the color, although the shirt is well-made, and quite nice. I guess it makes me feel "rich". Carolyn has told me at this point that to feel "rich" is a particularly non-Christian attitude, or feeling, and she may well be right. But I am sure we can all understand that not having to worry about the next tank of gas, or where our next meal is coming from is a good feeling, can't we? We learn to rely upon God for these things as we grow and mature in Christ, don't we? Instead of money. My human side still likes that feeling of having sufficient funds to cover the gap, unfortunately. (hey, I'm far from perfect).

Once I began to wonder about shirts, and colors, and things like that, I couldn't help but begin to wonder about a few other things, which SEEM to be tied together, but in fact have very little bearing on one another. Like praying for instance.

Almost everyone prays. Some of us do it more formally, and habitually than others, but almost all of us have offered up a prayer to God in a stressful moment or situation. How many of us have made false promises to God in a moment of clear conviction? You know, like..."if you just will help me in THIS situation Lord, I'll..._____(fill in the blank)". That sort of thing.

Prayer is a wonderful and powerful tool which we have been given by God to speak our hearts. It is NEVER wasted, but when prayer is used to make a false-promise, or a well-intentioned though null, declaration of faith...is it something like wearing a "money-colored shirt"? Is this sort of prayer just something that makes us feel good, for the moment? Or is it something more? Theologians disagree on the efficacy of a well-intentioned but faithless prayer. I for one, know that God heard it...no matter the outcome. It has been my experience that the outcome of this sort of prayer is usually an opportunity to "reach the lost", and to welcome a new Christian into the fold of believers. We must make it our DUTY to search out these opportunities, musn't we? Please don't let these "foxhole prayers" go unanswered due to some inaction on OUR part....brothers. Sometimes God acts directly in answer to our prayers, and sometimes He uses us Christians ... be sensitive to these leadings, please.

Another thing this green shirt got me to wondering about was how the filling of a pew on Sunday mornings expresses our faith and belief in God. I suspect that some of the people sitting in pews on Sunday mornings are there simply because it is customary...or because if they DON'T go to church their neighbors and friends will "talk". That's a bit like wearing a money-colored shirt too, isn't it? Do we go to church to pray to God and to worship Him, ...or to be seen by our sometimes judgemental friends and neighbors? Is our attendance an expression of Faith in our Lord and Saviour, or is it simply an expression of our fear of the perception of others?

When we DO go, let's make sure that we are there for Him,and not "them"...okay?
Every time....because He is there for YOU, every time!

That's it....my mind wanders when I wear a money-colored shirt, I guess.

Merriest of CHRISTmasses for you, and your loved ones my brothers!

Richard Becton
Missionary, Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
www.casadeservicio.org

an uprising in Puerto

2009-10-22T08:36:00.002-05:00

HI Folks,

For the last three days there has been an uprising in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. It is ending now. Carolyn and I are not currently in Puerto Cabezas, and so are in no danger.

The Juista Tara (head judge, more or less) of the Miskito people, Brother Hector Williams a local preacher, in months past filed paperwork with the approval of the three indigenous tribes of Indians in Nicaragua to secede the nation of Miskitia from the nation of NIcaragua. The deadline for the government of Nicaragua's response to the points listed in the documents of secession was October the 19th of this year. Three days ago.

On the 19th, there were manifestations of political support for the Juista Tara's move, including burning of tires in the streets and marching througout the city. The secession crowd attempted to take over the government building in the city of Puerto Cabezas.

The Nicaraguan governments response to this expression of political will has been swift. There was tear gas deployed, and one 75 year old man died of asphixiation. This gentlemens death is the only one so far, and since the uprising has been quelled, he is expected to be the only one.

The underlying issues for this huelga (strike) are comlex, but boil down to the Miskito Indians feeling a sense of deprivation and living in poverty. We live in an ignored corner of Nicaragua, both by the government and the rest of the world. We are pleased to report the God is still there, and working miracles amongst our Miskito brothers.

As the political climate returns to normal, the underlying issues are still there and must be met, in some way, and by some party.

These kinds of "manifestations" seem to happen once or twice a year, due to the frustration of poverty, and the lack of opportunities to pull themselves out of this state of deprivation. Please hold our beloved Miskitio people fast...in your prayers.

God Bless!

Richard Becton

Our brothers in Nicaragua

2009-10-11T22:26:00.001-05:00

HI Folks,

We are going to receive a visit from the Praise Cathedral Church of God in a couple of months in Puerto Cabezas. We are excited for this visit as always, for the opportunity to see good and what are fast becoming "old" friends. Our hearts have been touched by the servants of God at Praise Cathedral.

We are particularly eager for this upcoming visit because their plan and intention is to help to build a church in Puerto Cabezas. The Nuevo Jerusalem church of God, pastored by Pastora Olivia. Let me remind some of you about who Pastora Olivia is, and acquaint those of you that haven't had the opportunity to meet her. Pastora Olivia lives down in the Muelle Barrio in Puerto Cabezas (the docks). Pastora Olivia has a large and rambunctious family, and her family is rich with passion for life! They can sometimes be excitable too!

I once saw Pastora Olivia's daughter getting mad at her mother and throwing all of her own personal belongings out the window of their house. I was a bit surprised when the mattress and bed flew out also! Pastora Olivia has a largish family, and I'm sure that isn't the only time when passions ran amok! hahaha, these things happen, don't they, even in the best of families?

Pastora Olivia has a BURNING desire to serve God! Pastora Olivia walks to church, every evening. All the way from the dock area to the bus station. It is a somewhat long walk, to the other side of town. We have church every night in Puerto Cabezas, not just on Sundays and Wednesdays. She often gets wet on the way to and from her church, and the danger of walking home after services is something she has just learned to live with. It is somewhat rare for a woman to pastor a church in the male-dominated culture of Central America, but Pastora Olivia is one of the finest. Pastora Olivia's passion and zeal for God is unequalled by her peers.

Pastora Olivia, along with her congregation have been patiently and steadfastly putting a church together in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Step by step, block by cement block, they have formed the walls of their church. Piece by piece over the last few years they have struggled to bring in each Cordoba (local currency) to purchase each block. Their faith has been blessed by God, it IS working.

Whenever we have visitors to Puerto Cabezas from outside Nicaragua we always take them by to visit the Nuevo Jerusalem Church of God...it is an inspiration!

The Praise Cathedral Church of God, from Pennsylvania in the USA is visiting in Febuary...please pray that they will be AS BLESSED to serve Pastora Olivia and the Nuevo Jerusalem Church of God (Iglesia de Dios) as they will in turn be blessing the Nuevo Jerusalem Church.

We are excited for this visit!

God bless you each, folks!

Richard Becton
www.casadeservicio.org
Church of God Project #065-0497

the decline and fall of the world's empires

2009-10-06T10:19:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

I have often thought that mankind has not progressed as far as his ego thinks he has. There have been steps of progress, of course. Fire, and tools, and electricity and the internal combustion engine. Scientific reasoning (a step forward?), and advancement of medicines. Technological marvels brought about by the genius of advanced engineering.

But really, fire and tools, those are the things which are fundamental turning points in mankinds history. The rest are merely outgrowths, or a progression from initial discoveries. We can communicate, over vast distances, via electronic marvels...but this ability is a progression from the ability to create fire, and smoke signals.

Mankinds engineering feats are considered today to be quite extraordinary. The towers in Dubai, reaching for the heavens! The skyscrapers of New York! The Nakheel companies many reclamation projects...living space, reclaimed from the sea!

But these engineering marvels, are they more impressive than the pyramids, or the great ships of the 14th century, or those ships built in the 3rd century even? Engineering is another discipline which builds on the creations and accomplishments of past discoveries...really just an outgrowth of the ability to make simple tools.

I think that mankind has become too "full of himself", much like the makers of the tower of babel. Mankind, even then, found the ability to elevate his ego over our natural belief in God. We can become very impressed with ourselves, pretty easily.

As I see and interact with cultures which are literally thousands of years old, in some cases MANY thousands of years old. I wonder to myself...Is THIS then progress? Is THIS what human culture devolves itself into? What I see in the Middle East today, after seven or eight CENTURIES of existance...is this then the culmination of culture for humankind?

I see that the people in this part of the world live in a much more "nuanced" society than we do in the western world. What I mean by that is that the societal interactions of the people here in the Middle East are RICH with meaning. A gesture means more here, than it does anywhere else in the world. The people here seem to interact with one another on a level which is hard to imagine to a typical westerner.

The evolution here seems to be in the realm of interpersonal interaction. How folks get along with one another. This is a society where rudeness, is very rude, and politeness is an art form.

I wonder what the United States will look like in 7 THOUSAND years? When OUR COUNTRY has existed for 29 times as long as it has currently existed...what will it look like, and how will we be...as a people? That's 10 times longer than now....and then ten more times longer than now...and then almost ten MORE times longer than now. We are a young country, by global standards.

WE have so much. We have a society that is absolutely brimming with potential. The potential to do so much good, and to be a strong force for the betterment of humanity...through Christ! I pray that we do not lose our way, and devolve into mediocrity as our history continues to pave the path to or future.

God bless.

Richard
www.casadeservicio.org

walking hand in hand, like brothers

2009-09-23T11:24:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

We have lost our way, in a very important area of our Christians lives my brothers.

It has been raining here all day long, the kind of rain you only get in tropical parts of the world. It is a drenching, cold, penetrating rain, which becomes integral to your very being, it seems.

I just watched an eight year-old boy, walking down the street with his younger sister, under an unbrella. The boy was carefully holding his little sisters hand, and guiding her around the puddles strewn about the rain soaked ground. He was carrying the umbrella to shield her, and gently steering her towards better paths. You see, she was too young to be able to adequately identify the deeper puddles from the shallow. She needed his help.

This is what I think Jesus meant when he said we have brotherly love for each other. That the "older" of us Christians must take the younger by the hand and gently guide them to safe ground, to the more shallow areas. There WILL be rain in our lives, that is unavoidable, but we must learn to rely on the wisdom of our elders, and help to guide those younger Christians to safer pathways. It is a part of our Christian lives which we often forget about. The nescesity of falling under supervision, and the responsibility of discipleship.

We are younger than some in Christ, and older than others. Let us mentor one another. There is no competition amongst brothers in times of crisis, but motivation to help. If you think we are not in a time of crisis, then you must turn to the bible for elucidation. We can turn on the television and see there are still lost souls, listen to the radio to know the word still needs to be spread, get on the internet to know that satan must STILL be fought.

We ARE in times of crisis, we MUST pull together to keep each other safe from harm, and we WILL overcome in the name of Jesus Christ!

Take your Spiritual brother by the hand, and guide him. Allow YOUR hand to be held by your Spiritual brother and learn the wisdom of being guided.

God Bless

Richard

How can America do this?

2009-09-21T08:41:00.004-05:00

Hi Folks,

Please take a few moments to read what the Wall Street Journal wrote about the current CRISIS situation in Honduras. Bear in mind that this is the Wall Street Journal, one of the most respected publications in the history of the world. This isn't being reported in some third world country by "El diario", or "La Prensa". This is unpoliticized truth!

"The Supreme Court of Honduras has constitutional and statutory authority to hear cases against the President of the Republic and many other high officers of the State, to adjudicate and enforce judgments, and to request the assistance of the public forces to enforce its rulings."

—Congressional Research Service, August 2009

Ever since Manuel Zelaya was removed from the Honduran presidency by that country's Supreme Court and Congress on June 28 for violations of the constitution, the Obama administration has insisted, without any legal basis, that the incident amounts to a "coup d'état" and must be reversed. President Obama has dealt harshly with Honduras, and Americans have been asked to trust their president's proclamations.

Now a report filed at the Library of Congress by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides what the administration has not offered, a serious legal review of the facts. "Available sources indicate that the judicial and legislative branches applied constitutional and statutory law in the case against President Zelaya in a manner that was judged by the Honduran authorities from both branches of the government to be in accordance with the Honduran legal system," writes CRS senior foreign law specialist Norma C. Gutierrez in her report.

Do the facts matter? Fat chance. The administration is standing by its "coup" charge and 10 days ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went so far as to sanction the country's independent judiciary. The U.S. won't say why, but its clear the court's sin is rejecting a U.S.-backed proposal to restore Mr. Zelaya to power.

Martin Kozlowski

The upshot is that the U.S. is trying to force Honduras to violate its own constitution and is also using its international political heft to try to interfere with the country's independent judiciary.

Hondurans are worried about what this pressure is doing to their country. Mr. Zelaya's violent supporters are emboldened by the U.S. position. They deface some homes and shops with graffiti and throw stones and home-made bombs into others, and whenever the police try to stop them, they howl about their "human rights."

But it may be that Americans should be even more concerned about the heavy-handedness, without legal justification, emanating from the executive branch in Washington. What does it say about Mr. Obama's respect for the separation of powers that he would instruct Mrs. Clinton to punish an independent court because it did not issue the ruling he wanted?

The Americas in the News

Get the latest information in Spanish from The Wall Street Journal's Americas page.

Since June 28, the U.S. has been pressuring Honduras to put Mr. Zelaya back in the presidency. But neither Mrs. Clinton's spurious "rule of law" claims or the tire iron handed her by Mr. Obama to use against this little country have been effective in convincing the Honduran judiciary that it ought to abandon its constitution.

It seems that Mrs. Clinton is peeved with the court because it ruled that restoring Mr. Zelaya to power under a proposal drafted by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is unconstitutional. Thus, the State Department decided that in defense of the rule of law it would penalize the members of the Supreme Court for their interpretation of their constitution. Fourteen justices had their U.S. visas pulled.

Since the U.S. already had yanked the visa of the 15th member of the court, the one who signed the arrest warrant for Mr. Zelaya, this action completed Mrs. Clinton's assault on the independence of a foreign democracy's highest court. The lesson, presumably, is that judges in small foreign nations are required to accept America's interpretation of their own laws.

Thousands of readers have written to me asking how all this can happen in the U.S., where democratic principles have been recognized since the nation's founding. Many readers have written that they are "ashamed" of the U.S. and have asked, in effect, "How can I help Honduras?" A more pertinent question may turn out to be, how can they help their own country?

In its actions toward Honduras, the Obama administration is demonstrating contempt for the fundamentals of democracy. Legal scholars are clear on this. "Judicial independence is a central component of any democracy and is crucial to separation of powers, the rule of law and human rights," writes Ahron Barak, the former president of the Supreme Court of Israel and a prominent legal scholar, in his compelling 2006 book, "The Judge in a Democracy."

"The purpose of the separation of powers is to strengthen freedom and prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one government actor in a manner likely to harm the freedom of the individual," Mr. Barak explains—almost as if he is writing about Honduras.

He also warns prophetically about the Chávez style of democracy that has destroyed Venezuela and that Hondurans say they were trying to avoid in their own country. "Democracy is entitled to defend itself from those who seek to use it in order to destroy its very existence," he writes. Americans ought to ask themselves why the Obama administration doesn't seem to agree.

litigious Christianity?

2009-09-12T09:18:00.001-05:00

HI Folks,

I was thinking today about how so many Americans groups find themselves in a position where they feel it is necessary to file a lawsuit to guarantee their specific rights under the American legal system. It is almost like peering over the brink of a cliff, in some ways. Looking at this supposition gives one a quesy feeling in their stomach, like there is potential danger there...

It is my estimation (unscientific estimation) that OUR group, us Christians, are the MOST maligned and "put upon" group in the history of the United States, and for that matter...the world.

Do you think that we as a group should be allowed to file a court case every time someone maligns us? When some stranger comes along and sneers at our time-honored faith, should we drag them into court and make them account for their mistake? If we had the legal protection which so many other groups have lobbied for, and won, would it make our lives easier? When a celebrity spouts off about the stupidity of "those Jesus freaks", should we be able to sue? When an openly homosexual person denigrates our faith and belief system with the words, "stupid breeders", shouldn't we be guarenteed the right to reach into their pockets within the structure of our legal system? When one of our countries liberal judges decides that the displaying of the ten commandments is against the legal codes of our great nation, shouldn't we have the legal right to challenge his/her decision, and possibly even have this judge removed from office for daring to affront our "rights"? When a Christian is martyred in a foreign land because he or she is attempting to fulfil Christ's "Great Commission", should the government respond AT LEAST to the same extent which they currently respond to a captured journalist, or a celebrity, or a government worker?

Is it possible that in today's American society it is a handicap for one to profess belief in Jesus Christ? Our country was founded on Judeo Christian principles, ethics and beliefs. This belief system is the one overriding reason that our country became the greatest nation on the face of the earth. How is it then that we have allowed our country to become embarrassed by us? How is it then that we have allowed our country to pass legislation which subverts the very beliefs upon which this great nation was founded? How is it then that OUR group, us Christians, have become so apathetic in our political process that we have allowed these things to occur? Since when do we pledge allegience to our political parties, instead of our beliefs? Since when do we stand united together behind a flawed political system which no longer reflects our values, instead of behind the principles of our true leader, Jesus Christ? We must realize that Jesus is our Lord, and act upon the principles which He in His greatness and mercy has handed down to us. We must immediately STOP promoting a particular party in our legal and electoral systems and instead return to the place where we calmly and faithfully vote our ethics. Many of us in America have allowed our political parties to become our new God...THIS is the problem with America today. We must take back our country in the best way we can, through the electoral process. We must once again learn to vote for the moral integrity of our politicians. I say that if the neighborhood dogcatcher is the ONLY moral person on the ballot, then vote for THAT person for president, or congress, or the senate. Let us remind ourselves how truly important that the qualities of morality and ethics and principles are to our nation and our way of life.

Return with me to the values of our founding forefathers and the great wisdom they
displayed in making this nation, "one nation, under God"!

As for the legislation of Christians as a protected group...I have to confess I was being specious when I wrote that. There are certainly enough of us, if we unite together, that this sort of legislation is unnecessary, and we even have biblical evidence that to try to pass this kind of legislation might controvert some of the principles of the Bible. Let us just agree, in this upcoming election year...to vote our consciences, and not our parties. THIS, then, will be sufficient.

Please join me in praying for our nation, and for discernment amongst our people...us Christians.

God Bless!!!

Richard Becton

preparations

2009-09-01T04:42:00.004-05:00

Hi Folks,

As I prepare my heart, and my mind and my soul for my physical return to Nicaragua I covet YOUR prayers. My month of work in the Middle East has ended as of today, and my month of REAL work in Nicaragua commences tomorrow.

There is lots to do, and many things which need "seeing to" in Nicaragua. Please pray for the continuation of the school building project. The first building should NOW be completed, and we pray that the kids will enjoy the lessons learned inside the structure.

There are several personal matters which need to be attended to by me upon my arrival into Puerto Cabezas this time too. Please pray that God's will, will be done in these matters.

God bless!!!

Richard Becton
Church of God project # 045-0697

The nature of the beast

2009-08-23T07:05:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

We are simply beasts, after all. Without the presense of God in our lives, we are simply a compendium of assorted chemicals, salts, minerals, and cellular constructs. Without the presense of God in our lives, our lives are simply made up of competition with one another, the amassing of material possesions, and a slavish need to satisfy our primal drives. Without the presense of God in our lives, we are in the final analysis...simply beasts.

I choose to NOT become what is the worst in our nature, and by following the leadership of our Saviour Jesus Christ to lift up the inner goodness which God has endowed each of us with. We are "greater than", only because God has desired it to be so. We must first acknowlege our sinful nature, and recognize it for the base instinct which it is before we can hope to see the Glory and Greatness of the potential of our lives...the presense of God. We are blessed beyond measure to have the opportunity to not only have Him in our lives, as a daily presense, but blessed even MORE to be able to witness this fact to those around us. Don't allow your friends and neighbors, and family members, to wallow in a life full of disappointment and sin. Witness the greatness, and glory of God to them! Let your friends, and neighbors and family in on the greatest "open secret" in existence. Allow your friends and neighbors and family members to share the keys to heaven with us. Give your friends and neighbors, and family members the GOOD NEWS, that Jesus Christ has taken on the sin of the world, and died to destroy it; that Jesus Christ has arisen, and lives today as a solid and central presense in YOUR life, and that He can do the same in theirs.

Share the opportunity of salvation, with those around you and help them to become a better person, through Jesus Christ. His is the Power and the Glory, forever!

God Bless,

Richard

crossroads

2009-08-13T03:33:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

We all reach multiple crossroads in our lives. Economic, physical, Spiritual ones, and emotional crossroads from time to time steal their way into our separate realities. No matter how we attempt to order our lives, we just can not control the inputs into our existence. We seek out and find avenues of peace, and harmony and tranquility in our lives, down which we can walk. These "avenues", or places of rest in our existence, should be cherished for what they are...little blips of calmness in our chaotic worlds, and lives.

The "trick" is to recognize when you've arrived at one of these high-water marks in our lives, isn't it? To realize that there is a turning point which is presenting itself to us, and to act in a fashion which benefits our lives, and the lives of our families. We must CHOOSE to NOT drift, through these currents and eddies over lifes shoals. It is important to recognize the new pathways, and roads, to our ongoing existence. We have to recognize them, or we WILL drift through, into the path of least resistance. The path of least resistance is not often the path that will benefit our lives, or our families lives. We human beings, created in the likeness of our father God, crave acceptance amongst our peers. Social interaction is difficult because people are so very different from one another. It is not a cliche' to say that each person truly IS an individual, this is common knowledge and accepted fact. As we each chart our pathway through the thousands of opportunities presented to us throughout our lives...try to see the signs. Watch for the wisdom of our forebears, even our ancient ancestors, and learn to sense their hard learned lessons in yourself. Read the book, the Bible, to understand how important the learned lessons of our ancestors can be in our lives. Read the book, the Bible, to grasp the concepts of "good and evil", and how to deal with the crossroads which this societal construct engenders. (Carolyn always tells me I always use "funny words", I guess she is right....engenders). Read the book, the Bible, to understand how to recognize the signs of an upcoming crossroads in your life...before the decision of which path to take is upon you, and you find you have drifted right on through it...without giving the decision the proper respect for the impact it may have on you, and your family. Read the book, the Bible, for the sake of your family and your own life.

Recognizing these crossroads, and choosing the proper path is something that CAN be learned. We are NOT doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. Choose an enlightened viewpoint, one which gives respect and reverance to the wisdom of our ancient forefathers, read the Bible for understanding, and enlightenment. It is all there.

God bless!

Richard Becton

Casa de Servicio

International Missionary Aviation

Church of God project number: 065-0497

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

sensitivity

2009-08-02T06:47:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

From the moment we are born, we learn to be sensitive to our bodies. Each nerve ending is finely tuned to detect the presense of pain, discomfort, or physical pleasure. When we have something as simple as a small blister, we are constantly aware of it, and in every waking moment we attempt to deal with it...with a bandaid, or a dressing, or a less tight pair of shoes. What a marvel of engineering our bodies truly are! We concentrate on our bodies needs, on a daily, and even moment to moment basis. When we feel hunger, we go in search of food. When we need sleep, we close our eyes and rest. All of our aches and pains get immediate attention from us, and if we are not sufficient alone, we will search out others to attend our physical needs. A visit to a doctor for illness, a hotel room for sleep when we travel, and a bandaid for a blistered foot. How much of our time each day is spent in furthering the physical necessities of our bodies I wonder?

Just imagine how busy we would be if our bodies had the apparatus to physically recognize and sense our Spiritual needs as well!

Our bodies seem to lack the necessary sensory elements to detect our Spiritual needs. When we suffer an emotional loss and need God's Holy presense, our bodies do not cry out for Spiritual solace. We often cry out for help, without even realizing that our help must come from Him. We recognize our loss, but don't cry out for the Saviour for solace many times. Jesus holds the key, as we know. I wish our physical bodies could recognize when we are in a state of sin, and motivate us more positively to escape sins clutches. What if an occurance of sin in our lives felt like a blister, something in constant need of attention and monitoring? Our society would be blessed to have a physical mechanism to identify sin in our bodies, and our lives, for then we would learn from birth to cry out for Him.

Recognize with me now that it is our maturity and growth as human beings that allow us to detect manifestations of sin in our lives. It is our desire to become better human beings that motivate each of us to recognize wrongness in our lives. This detection is not a physical set of nerve endings. This "detection apparatus", if you will allow me to call it that, is one which must be cultivated in our lives. We should nurture this ability to be aware of our Spiritual state, from birth.

Please bring your children to church, and attend each service you have the opportunity to attend...do not let this skill, this wonderful detection apparatus, to atrophy due to misuse. Please join me in being in a constant state of alert to our lives Spiritual necessities, through prayer, and fasting, and counsel with our elders and pastor. Seek out the fellowship of believers, and reinforce and tune this skill. In the name of Christ.

God bless you!

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

all things considered

2009-07-27T21:59:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

I want to thank each of you for your prayers and advice over the last few days. As always, IT WORKED!!

We had to move our meeting up a few days due to scheduling conflicts, so Carolyn and I had our meeting with Dr. Douglas LeRoy today, instead of on the 30th. We have been reassured that this "situation" will pass, and that our status as missionaries for the Church of God is not going to change due to the resolution which I have mentioned on several occasions. Praise God for this news, so that NOW we can get back to the work of the mission.

A special thanks to each of you that wrote lettes to the World Missions department voicing your concerns over the resolution.

God Bless,

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

some advice from you

2009-07-24T08:10:00.001-05:00

HI Folks,

The mission continues to progress very well. We are pleased with the progress on the school, and the construction is beginning to look very professional as the walls become more "finished", and the windows and doors are installed. We praise God for the mercies He has provided in this phase of our mission. Praise Him!

Carolyn and I have a meeting at the World Missions department on July 30th, in about six days. We are asking once again for your Spiritual intercession through prayer, and fasting...if you are so led to intercede on behalf of our mission. After this meeting we may no longer be missionaries for the Church of God, or we may continue with this organization of devout believers. If we continue as "church of God missionaries" then it will only be through the discretion of the board of directors, since there is a resolution against currently appointed missionaries operating a separate nonprofit organization. If we DO NOT continue with the Church of God, I want everyone to know that the relationship we have enjoyed with these devout men and women is one which we will continue to cherish as our mission progresses and grows and tries to live up to the vision which God has given us concerning our actions. We pray only that God's will be done in these matters.

We covet your advice on what our next step may be if the board of directors decides that they cannot make our mission an exception to their resolution. If we must continue our mission without the support of the greater Church of God organization, what should we do? Should we continue on our own, without the backing of a larger organization? Or should we actively seek out another denominational branch with which to align ourselves? Either way we go, will not impact the donations we recieve or the status of the donations. Your contributions will continue to be tax-deductible, in other words. Carolyn and I feel strongly that religious leaders should fall under authority as they conduct themselves about God's business. We also know that we fall under the authority of Jesus Christ and bibilical precepts and morality. So we seek YOUR advice on what our next step, so to speak, may be. We cannot guarantee that your advice will be THE advice which we follow, but we have the utmost respect for each of you, and we know that our decision will be guided not only by our prayers but additionally by YOUR input and your response to prayer. So we earnestly seek your advice as we rapidly appraoch this cross-roads, our friends.

Thank you and God bless!

Richard Becton

Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua

423 544-8316

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

muddy waters

2009-07-17T10:05:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

I am currently in New Jersey, finishing up the last three days of simulator training at the NETC, near Morristown. While I've been here I've been pretty busy, but I want to at least get something in my blog this week.

As you will remember from last week the World Missions department of the Church of God has decided to begin enforcing a resolution which they passed in 2002, to wit: No currently appointed missionary may operate an IRS approved nonprofit organization (approved under IRS code 501C3). Most of you know also that Carolyn and I operate exactly this type of organization, called Casa de Servicio. Operating under these IRS regulations makes our donors contributions TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

This resolution enforcement is something that is being conducted "across the board" and potentially impacts ALL Church of God missionaries. We are setting up a meeting next week with some of the board of directors of the World Missions department, and trying to find out exactly where this leaves us in regards to our status with the Church of God. We are prayerful that the board will grant us a waiver or something like that because the board, and the World Missions department knew from day one of our service that we operate this other organization. We haven't kept it from them, and in fact told them right from the start about it. So it was a surprise to us to receive the email from the General Director of the World Missions department. We know that he is a Godly man, and that the board of directors are Godly servants, so we are praying that their prayers will lead them to help us in this circumstance. The board can just as easily decide to NOT enforce this resolution, or to remove this resolution if God lays it on their hearts to do so. Please join us in prayer for this upcoming meeting.

Let me reiterate to each of you, our supporters and prayer partners, that whether or not the World Missions department grants us this waiver we will remain YOUR MISSIONARIES, and your donations and contributions will continue to be tax-deductible.

God Bless!

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

news from "above"

2009-07-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

We received news from "above," not the "above" you're thinking of, but the board of directors of the Church of God's World Missions department. We received this news along with every other missionary in the field.

It seems that some years ago, the board of directors included a statement that "currently appointed missionaries" may "not be allowed to operate private 501 - C3 organizations."

The email was to the point, and said that although in the past this has been disregarded, that NOW it will be enforced. So ANY missionary for the church of God that operates a private nonprofit entity, like Casa de Servicio will be "reported" at the next board meeting. It was a surprise to us, and the many pastors and evangelicals which we work with in the Church of God here in Nicaragua.

Let me reassure each and every one of the many people, organizations and Churches that send us support that even if we were no longer a part of the church of God, your donations are still wholly and completely tax deductible.

We are duly concerned about this news for the obvious reasons:

1) We operate a private nonprofit organization (Casa de Servicio) and are therefore subject to whatever ramifications this entails from our "parent body" the World Missions department of the church of God.

2) Of GREATER CONCERN for us is that this policy has potentially wide ranging effects upon other branches of the church of God organization. For instance, I know of many churches that also operate private nonprofit entities, and our fear (although there is no direct evidence of this, admittedly) is that the church of God may ban churches from operating nonprofit entities as well (for instance, food kitchens, or clothing distribution networks, or orphanages under private nonprofit entity charter).

3) If this policy is enforced, and not changed, then Carolyn and I will be obligated to cease our missionary activities for the Church of God. We will effectively be back to "square one" as we begin anew to fulfill the vision which God Himself has laid upon our lives. We will of course no longer have the participation of the church of God, The bulk of our donations for the mission here in Nicaragua comes from private parties, and churches outside the charter of the church of God.

4) After hurricane Felix hit the Miskito coast of Nicaragua the church of God sent three containers of relief goods to the area. What a HUGE blessing the church of God was to the Miskito people in their time of need. Additionally, the office of emergency response headed up by Brother Richard Baker was what can only be described as "ultra-responsive" in their efforts to alleviate pain and suffering. Brother Baker actually came down to Puerto Cabezas in person to assist and distribute the goods which were so desparately needed at that time. One of the things we would lose, would be this immense response to emergency and cataclismic occurances. What a huge blessing the church of God was at that time....we would miss their assistance dearly in a time of need. Although, realistically, they came for the churches here, not because we were here as missionaries. So perhaps our beloved Miskito people wouldn't have to suffer after all.

We intend to continue the mission here in Nicaragua, until God Himself sends a replacement for us. This mission is of God, and has been blessed at every juncture because it is a mission which He desires. We expect these blessing to continue as we endeavor to fulfil the wishes of our Heavenly Father for the Miskito people.

The only effective change in our mission will be that we no longer carry a card in our wallet which says "church of God missionary"...if this policy is enforced. I don't know how reactive the church of God organization is to grass roots efforts concerning their policies, or if the church of God will listen to input from the various persons and parties and churches which have thus far supported our mission in Nicaragua. However should anyone desire to contact the World Missions department with questions concerning this newly enforced policy please write them at:

Church of God, World Missions

ATTN: Dr. Douglas LeRoy, General Director

PO Box 8016

Cleveland, TN 37320-8016

423 478-7190

DLeRoy@cogwm.org

Or Ken Anderson, my regional supervisor at:

kanderson@cogwm.org

equality?

2009-06-27T10:42:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

While I was having breakfast this morning, it suddenly occured to me that the issue of "equality of the sexes" does an injustice to one side of this issue.

I was sitting at the table, in a room full of visiting missionaries, and as I gazed around I realied that at each table, it was the women that were taking the lead. The men were "engaged" in the conversations, but for the most part were stoically awaiting their "call to duty". Because that's what seems to the case for us men. We wait until we are "needed" to completely take part in an activity.

Keep in mind folks that as I generalize about the gender differences, I mean no offense to anyone that has managed to conduct their lives outside the societal norms of gender behavior. In other words, if my observations do not apply to you, don't take offense....it's just "me" meandering through the thicket of inept communications...grin!

But for the most part, men as a group, will calmly stand by for the call to "action"....most never realizing it seems that the call to action is constantly taking place.

At one table near me, there was a young woman who was the obvious "translator", and grasped every opportunity to help those around her with the nuances of the language which the missions group found itself surrounded amongst. She was truly a Godsend, for that table, and I would guess for the entire group as well. Another table had a young lady who was very helpful to each and every person therein seated. She would offer to get glasses of fruit juice, and retrieve dropped napkins or silverware as needed. This young womans eyes were bright and shining with the joy of being there and of use to others. Another table showed off three women who had hair dyed with red streaks and animated conversation, punctuated with bursts of laughter and hilarity.

It was probably just me, but I was amazed by each and every one of the women in the room. There were men at each table also. I am sure that each and every one of the men had a contribution to offer the group, obviously. The women just made their distinct personalities and contributions more evident.

What a wonderful God we have, who can take each of us and form partnerships amongst us together. We each play our roles in life, and what a blessing that we have that opportunity.

Each table that was in the room this morning had at least one, and most tables had several....bibles....prominently displayed. I was thrilled to know the GOOD that these heaven sent folks were embarking upon for the country of Nicaragua.

Please encourage YOUR churches and YOUR groups to plan a trip here. What a blessing YOU can be, and what a privelege YOU have, to have the ability to bless others.

God Bless you,

Richard Becton
flight@flash.net
www.casadeservicio.org

like a giant

2009-06-22T11:06:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

I am only six feet tall. So I consider myself to be of average, to very slightly above average height. As I was walking around Dubai today, I realied that most of the people were closer to five feet than six. It must be difficult to not be able to easily see over the heads of the majority of the crowd.

Spiritually, how tall are we? Can we see over the crowd? I feel so lost sometimes, like I am merely struggling to exist, much less to do His bidding. I feel insignificantly small, spiritually. Please keep our ministry in your prayers as we seek to become David amongst giants. Our rock is the bible, and our sling is our willingness. Our foe, is a spiritual giant, which leads men astray. Pray that our rock be firm, and that our sling be strong...and that our aim never waver.

God bless!

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

conservative thoughts

2009-06-16T03:32:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

Having lived and interacted within a society (Saudi Arabia, and other parts of the Middle East) which is based upon and dedicated to a lifestyle of conservative religious culture, I have experienced doubts as to my previously conservative outlook. What I mean is that my previously conservative outlook has come under evaluation.

I am a religiously conservative person, by nature. However when I see the effect that ultra-conservative control may have upon a society, by observing the nations which I am passing through in the middle east it makes me reflect upon the effect which conservatism has the potential to cause in my home country.

There are some very good things which are outgrowths of conservative thought and religious influence upon middle eastern society. For instance, there seems to be very little crime here, as compared to any large city in the United States for example. THAT is a good thing. The other side of this lack of crime is the reportedly harsh criminal justice system which to this day allows stonings, and decapitations, and the severing of extremities for relatively minor crimes. There is little chance of rehabilitation when one of the baser human vices inevitably rears it's ugly head in this society.

Living in a society which is based upon ancestrial lineage, a kingdom, makes it obvious to the most casual observer that there is an "elite segment" of society here. People of certain families can do as they will, without recrimination it seems. There is no "equality of every human" in this society. The lifestyle here however is prosperous. In Saudi Arabia you rarely see someone who is truly indigent...and if you do, they are most commonly immigrants, not Saudi nationals.

So it seems there is prosperity, without equality, and safety but intolerance of human frailty. This seems to be a society of "avoid", not "recover", which is a very conservative outlook. This is also a society of extreme civility and open, generous even, friendship. But that is a different discussion, isn't it.

I would not want my country to travel far down the path of legalized conservatism. I would not care for my wife, to live in a society where her freedom is contricted because of her gender. As I live and work in other societies I continue to treasure my American heritage, and the freedoms which have been earned through the blood of our nations sons and daughters.

I am guardedly conscious of the tendency in Christians society to become ultra-conservative. It is a path which requires balance...let us never forget that fact, as Americans. The laws of our free society are based upon the moral premises of Christian society, and the Christian societies which preceeded the nation of America. We must never forget this fact, or our freedoms may become licentious instead of uplifting. There is a sizeable segment in OUR NATIONS population which sees Christianity as undesirable, and it is the right of these Americans to have this opinion. When they choose to exercise THEIR right to this opinion at the expense of MY right to MY opinion then they cross the line of inherent freedom into the zone of intolerence.

Intolerence is every bit as wrong from BOTH ends of the spectrum. Conservatism and Liberality are valid viewpoints, until they begin to infringe upon the RIGHT of another to claim his or her personal belief system. I am not the kind of person who believes in lukewarm opinions or beliefs, but I AM the kind of person who will not force MY opinions and beliefs on others. I will share, and encourage, and promote what I believe to be the "true path" as revealed to me through the bible, and God's Holy Spirit. You will NOT ever find me to be an intellectual bully, taking advantage of a persons ignorance or lack of sophistication to influence their personal decision and belief system. That is just the kind of missionary I am. I believe that Jesus Himself was this type of person too. One of the reasons that Jesus came to this earth was to show us a better way; a better way of life, and a better way of humanity. The better way of Jesus was NOT an intolerant way of life, far from it. Jesus was very inclusive (thank you Lord, for including us gentiles) and far from intolerant.

Much to the surprise of many liberalistic people, I think that most Christians would agree. As Christians we sometimes appear to be much more conservative, to those who lack our belief system, than we actually are. If only that segment of our society which chooses to revile us for our beliefs would actually spend time with us, I feel that they would see that we are in fact quite revolutionary. We as a group actually believe in the inherent equality of human beings for instance, we don't merely mouth the words, but act upon them. I encourage each of us in our daily lives to exhibit the peaceful and inclusive demeanor which Jesus Christ Himself, our Lord and Saviour, exhibited to US.

God bless,

Richard Becton

jealousy and intolerance

2009-06-11T03:31:00.002-05:00

Hi Folks,

I have been exposed to many different cultures in the world in the last few years. This continued exposure to widely diverse cultures has made my little brain start wondering about intolerance.

Intolerance:

lack of toleration; unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect contrary opinions or beliefs, persons of different races or backgrounds, etc.

My first inclination was to view "intolerance" as though it were a sin. But intolerance is NOT inherently sinful, though there are sins which come from continued intolerance in some areas of our lives, isn't that true?

For example, being intolerant of murder, is to be expected of a normal person. To be intolerant of racism and bigotry is to be expected of a normal person. To be intolerant of child abuse, and theft and fraud is to be expected. So intolerance is a state, or condition whose inherent "rightness", or "wrongness" changes according to the situation and societal norms.

Intolerance of people of Jewish heritage, for instance, is commonly accepted as a societal norm in many places in the middle east, whereas in the United States this exact same intolerance would be considered to be extremely vile.

So I am forced to conclude that intolerance, much like beauty...is in the eye of the originator. What we as westerners consider to be sinful, or abnormal behavior, and therefore have a lack of tolerance for, may be radically different than what someone in the middle east considers abnormal, and therefore is intolerant of.

When Jesus walked the earth as a man, He always stretched the limits of tolerance of the culture in which He lived. In that day and age, it was normal to "stone to death" a woman who had commited adultery...and yet as we all know, Jesus chose to defend a woman who was accused of this exact "crime". Jesus illustrated to us in a very obvious way that sin is sin, and we MUST therefore choose to not put ourselves in the judgement seat...since we ALL have sin.

Can you imagine a world without intolerance? No, neither can I, nor would I welcome such a world. We must, as rational and moral human beings, be intolerant of certain things. We must diligently study then to determine exactly what we MUST be intolerant of in this world. Jesus was "inclusive", not divisive. We must strive to follow His example, mustn't we? Jesus included the gentiles, and the samaritans, and many others which in His day and age was considered not only radical but heretical.

How can we claim the mantle of His protection and the privelege of following His leadership and still cling to the prejudices and intolerances of the past? When we hear someone make a remark about a neighbor or a coworker that is divisive or intolerant of race, or heritage...are we quick to laugh, or quick to correct? WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do)

I struggle with how alien the culture I am working in these days is to me.

For instance:

I walked up to the elevator this morning to go down to breakfast. There was a woman waiting for the elevator when I walked up to it. She was wearing the obaya (tradional, full coverage dress) and so I was careful to not even glance in her direction...so as not to offend. The elevator arrived, and I got on, and she didn't. I pushed the button and went down to breakfast. She could not get onto the elevator alone with me...that would have been VERY against her culture. There are constant reminders of how very different the western world is to the culture here. I find it strange, but at the same time must be careful to be respectful of the culture in which SHE is living. In the western world I would have held the door open, and invited her into the elevator...of course. It would have been rude of me in the western world to not do so.

Sorry, I am rambling this morning. I am just trying to point out the differences between us humans, geographically. I am also "ruminating" on the basis of sin. Is sin cultural or regional, or international? Is sin a changeable precept based upon our location in the world, or is sin something which can be realistically perceived and therefore avoided? I choose to believe the latter, that sin may be reliably avoided by studying the bible. Without the word of God, how can we reliably know what is "wrong, or right"? Our western society, whether agnostics and atheists choose to believe it or not is based upon the morality of God's Holy word, the Bible. So, as Christians we MUST struggle to reflect that Holy Light, that morality and lack of sinfulness...mustn't we?

Do we invalidate our beliefs when we choose to become intolerant? Are we perceived as "something less" than what Jesus Himself wants us to be when we unthinkingly exhibit intolerance? The next time someone makes an off-color joke, or denigrates by aspersion an entire race or region of people...should we laugh along, or should we move closer to the way Jesus led His life ... by showing an inclusive and less intolerant attitude. Food for thought.

Wow...I'm not sure any of what I said makes sense, much less that it is the least bit understandable. I guess I am getting a bit tired of the intolerance of the world. Intolerance seems to be the basis for war, and inhumane treatment of other humans, and unchristianlike behaviour.

God bless you,

Richard Becton

flight@flash.net

011 505 8 613-5824

www.casadeservicio.org

Setting the timing to the correct setting

2009-06-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

I have had occasion, mostly when I was a younger man, to have to set or reset the timing on a vehicle or two. So I know from experience how important it can be to get it just right. Timing is a critical setting.

If the timing is set too fast the engine will run slightly ahead of the perfect time for the ignition of the fuel/air mixture inside of the cylinders. If the timing is set to far back (retarded) then the engine will lag behind the perfect time and produce less power and incomplete combustion. Either way, when the timing is off your engine suffers for it. The great thing about timing is that the setting of it is completely in our hands. WE can set the timing. All we need to know is what the engineers have set the perfect timing to be.

Most of the time we must go to the book to discover what this timing setting should be set at to be the most perfect combustion possible. It is ALWAYS in the book.

How is your timing lately?

God Bless,

Richard Becton

Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua

Missionary Aviation

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

It's kind of like living in a small town in America...in the 1940's.

2009-05-22T17:43:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

What a privilege to be here in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Living life the way life was meant to be lived. As I lay here in my hammock watching my friends and neighbors walk, and bicycle by, I am feeling a profound sense of peace within myself. I thank God for the privilege of serving Him, here in this place.

Puerto Cabezas, for those of you that haven't yet been here, is a large town in the northeastern portion of Nicaragua. This "large town" (small by worldly standards, but really quite large here amongst the Miskito Indians), has takes on many aspects, depending upon who is doing the "seeing", and the purpose for their visit here. The old cliche' of "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" was never more true than when visiting a place like this. There are tropical flowers and fruits in abundance, true beauty, in Puerto Cabezas. Living here is almost like living on a tropical island in some ways. The people here are beautiful and quick to smile...a good joke is appreciated here just like in America. In fact, a good joke will be passed around for quite some time here, until EVERYONE in town has heard it. A couple of times.

Depending upon the "beholder" one may see a harder underbelly to life here too. One need not scratch very deeply under the surface to witness the ignorance and the superstition which permeates the existence of people here. Side by side with the impassioned pleas for God's help in our lives, we see the dread of witchcraft, and satanism which is a thriving fact of life here in Puerto. One may look only inches beyond the beauty of the tropical flowers to witness the trashy streets and waterways in Puerto Cabezas. Most of the people reading this will be shocked to learn that the United States was once a very similar place to this. I remember a time in the US when we weren't as particular about where we disposed of our garbage, and our highways were once absolutely LINED with discarded bottles and debris from our automobiles. It is much the same here, today, in Puerto Cabezas.

Having personally witnessed the resurgence of clean streets in America, and the changed perspective of our United States citizens gives me a great deal of hope for this small, and potentially paradise-like town. I know that with leadership, and encouragement a society CAN change. If it is God's Will, then Carolyn and I will be here to witness this change amongst the Miskito Indians of the Caribbean coast....in NICARAGUA.

We thank you for your prayers, and your continued support of our ministry in Nicaragua. If you haven't been to OUR SIDE of Nicaragua, then you are missing an awful lot. Managua is to NIcaragua, as Miami is to America; whereas Puerto Cabezas is to NIcaragua as Pensacola is to Florida.

Come on over and see it for yourself...and when you get here...give us a call.

God Bless you!

Richard and Carolyn Becton
Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
flight@flash.net
www.casadeservicio.org
Church of God, World Missions project number: 0650497
Call from the USA: 011 505 8 613-5824

Starting on a high note, waiting for the riff

2009-05-15T21:15:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

This week started out on a very high note for Casa de Servicio. After several meetings with aviation and government officials, and with the able leadership of my friend Clint Hanley we have come very close to achieving a significant goal for our missionary organization in Nicaragua. Some time in the next two weeks or so we expect to receive a very important piece of documentation concerning our airplane, and the operating costs thereof. Please keep this little item in your most earnest of prayers.

On a side note, you should know that the phone system in Nicaragua has been changed as of last month. Anyone wishing to reach us here must now put an "8" between the area code and the telephone number...thusly:

011 505 8 613-5824

If someone wishes to call a "landline" then a two must be inserted in the same place, instead of an eight...but for us, and our cell phone...it's an "8", likde listed above. This change is permanent, so those of you that call us from time to time, please make a note of the change.

We are working for the Lord in all of our endeavors, and pray that your intervention through prayer will enable our mission to succeed.

God bless you!

Richard and Carolyn Becton

flight@flash.net

www.casadeservicio.org

011 505 8 613-5824

double blogs

2009-05-04T09:38:00.001-05:00

HI Folks,

I am going to start sending out two blogs. The first will be about our mission in Nicaragua and the progress which God is giving us there, and the activities, etc. This blog will continue to be a weekly blog.

The second will likely be about my journey of discovery concerning my travels in the middle east, Saudi Arabia, and points nearby. This blog will likely be once a month, but MAY be more often.

I will title the first with "Casa de Servicio, and a subject", and the second the subject line will say "voyages, and a subject line".

This way, each of you can see from the subject line of each email, which is which without having to open the email.

God bless!

Richard

religion

2009-04-20T23:41:00.000-05:00

HI Folks,

It seems to me that the roots to the major world religions have a common genisis (so to speak). The Islamic religion is purported to have begun through a descendant of Abraham, the same as the Christian and Jewish religions did.

Now, I have known this for many years but the impact of this fact, the fact of the origin of the worlds various beliefs being so closely tied to one another have received a new importance to me, through my visits to various sites in the Middle East.The Hebrew faith, the Islamic faith and the Christian faith all began here, and began in very similar fashion.

I am going to spend the next few months, and quite possibly the next few years exploring the points of divergence. The point of divergence between Christians and those of the Jewish faith is very well documented. It could even be argued that Christianity itself is a further extension of the Hebrew faith in a lot of ways. As Christians, we are but Jews with the perspective of Christ. Perhaps that is one reason that a lot of Christians find themselves as natural allies to the Jewish people? The point of divergence amongst the followers of Islam is not so clearly known to me. I will explore that point when and where I can.

The real divergence of opinion about matters of faith, the epic existential battle if you will allow me to say that, is the one between Islam and "other faiths". Predominantly those faiths that base themselves in Hebrew teachings, like Christianity.

I will be exploring these things in the upcoming months, and perhaps years. It is exciting to be here, working in the middle east, and I hope to receive many revelations from God while here. I thank God for the opportunity to be here, and to strengthen my faith and to visit some of the locations so vividly spoken of in the bible.

God bless!

Richard

preceeding videos

2009-04-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

Hi Folks,

For those of you that didn't receive the small videos that I sent out on last weeks blog, here is a link. www.casadeservicio.org/blog

These are unedited videos, from my phone...sorry for the low quality.

Richard