STAR Team 2010, Update #4

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Dear friends,

Try to picture 16 of our team members crammed into a Toyota van. Fortunately, we only had to go a couple of miles to the Tabernaculo Baptist Church where I had been visiting the past two days. We had a very special service last night. The teenage girls from our team sang two songs. I preached on Proverbs. I knew I had been assigned to a different church for today so I said my goodbyes to the church. Pastor Raphael was sure I was coming back today so he was a little confused. God gave us an opportunity to share together this morning before we headed off to a different church. I thanked him for his wonderful hospitality and the leadership he shows in their growing church. I gave him a copy of John Mac Arthur’s book on preaching in Spanish and I gave a Bible dictionary to my translator, Alejandro. I hated to say goodbye to them. They have grown very special to me. I think Pastor Raphael must have hugged me 10 times this morning. The hotel staff must have wondered what kind of strange people these Christians are for two 50+ year old men to be hugging and crying.

I was able to visit downtown San Pedro Sula this morning and walk through the market. After lunch, I went visiting with Pastor Ariel of the Louisiana Baptist Church. He is the Honduran coordinator for the STAR Team this year and has done a tremendous job working with the churches, translators, and North American team members. We were able to make three visits. There were no decisions for salvation but two families promised to be get their life right with the Lord and be in church tonight for the first time in months. These are victories that will bring great encouragement to the churches and pastors we are working with.

Tonight, I will be speaking at the Louisiana Baptist Church (Iglesia Bautista de Louisiana). It will be my last opportunity for ministry before heading back home in the morning. I will leave the hotel at 4:45 am and land in Tampa at 4:45 pm. The clock will then start ticking with about 60 hours before I leave for Togo.

I don’t really know the numbers on STAR Team 2010. The count is not finished even if my part is almost over. I already know that 29 dedicated Christians have been motivated and changed for evangelism both cross-culturally and at home. 17 churches in Honduras have been built up and encouraged in the work of church planting that they are doing. These are all churches with a Honduran pastor. None of them have an American missionary or mission funding. I know that several hundred have already made professions of faith. Many more have heard the gospel and are under conviction from the Holy Spirit. Many have made decisions to get their life right with the Lord. We have sowed seeds, we have watered, we have prayed, and we are faithfully expecting God to give a great increase. Only eternity will tell what has been accomplished because ordinary people put their faith in an extraordinary God to the test. Once again, He has demonstrated His power and His grace in a miraculous way.

I wish everyone could experience a STAR team week. I hope these reports give you a sense of what it is like. Thanks for praying and encouraging. Maybe next time, you can go and see for yourself.

Your partner in the harvest,

Evan Drake