WAE OUT "Spirit", 07-07

Spirit is defined as; an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms, a supernatural being or essence, an often malevolent being that is bodiless but can become visible, or a malevolent being that enters and possesses a human being. Over the past year I have gotten some clarity on the spiritual and physical aspects of my life and the lives around me. I have enjoyed know the spirit of other is with me through prayer and thoughts. I have enjoyed engaging with others physical lives as we can share an infinite spiritual relationship.

Spirit has been heavy on my mind for the past month. The Holy Spirit as it worked with me and the people around me. The spirit of my Father as he passed away on the 4th of July. My spirit as I listen and adjust to God's will around me.

I have increased my study of the bible and opened myself to the interventions of the Holy Spirit. Now, that can get a little scary or more dependence on God and less on my own initiatives. It comes truly in forms of income or changes in income and how I should go forward. God as a provider has taken new meanings for me and I have grown in my faith.

My father (Hudson Peavy Meacham, Jr.) became sick during my third week in Mexico. It was not serious at that time, so I came home and was able to be with him. He got sick in the hospital and went quickly. God was with him and I know he is with God now. How do I know, it is only through my beliefs in the Holy Spirit and promises of God through Christ. Hudson's spirit is with me today and will always be with me. I laugh at him looking at me and some of the things I do or don't do. It is a blessing to have spirits in our lives. Maybe this is an expansion for me in angels. Huddy is my angel.

I started 2007 with my track and know what God had in plan for me. I was going to be a missionary. I scheduled trips and made plans. But all along I stayed open to hear and respond to God's call (or pull) for me. I am sad my Dad passed away, but I am clear on where God is at work for me, today. It is caring for my mother. Being a friend and caregiver for her. She has given her life to me and my two brothers and our families. I am blessed that God has given me this opportunity to serve in this way. I feel the spirit of God in me as I care for her and I continue to open myself to respond to God's work around me.

My love and affection to all and blessings of the Holly Spirit, spirit of those you love and know and the spirit of your heart and soul as you go to tomorrow with God in hand.

Peace and Love,

David

Chiapas Chapps

I returned from Chiapas, Mexico on July 1. We are working with Pablo & Jan Feliciano (fellow Presbyterian missionaries in Ocosingo) and their family on new church development and construction of a medical clinic.

I was fortunate to be with John, Ginny, Holly and Maggie Mills for three week in Ocosingo, Chapas. One week was helping inventory medical supplies and aid staff in recovering from the previous weeks in local villages with the medical clinic which treated over 8000 patients. Week two was on renovating bathroom showes and installing hot water. The last week was working construction on the clinic.

Each week had it's share of physical labor and usually concrete in a bucket came up. I found my nitch on the shoveling of concrete into the buckets. Each week also had lots of new relationships. I would like to share some of these with you.

Julian Sanchez Garcia, he is the caretaker at the Alpha Omega Bible School, which is the place I stayed, also the office and home of the Mills and temporary home and office for Jan and Pablo. It is a happening place, including the 20 tons or more of Tzeltal Bibles. Julian is also a paramedic. He worked on the medical clinics, studied the English dicitionary for medicines and treatments. His wife and two children (Marlene and David) were with him part of the time. They have six children and live in a village several hours away. Marlene was a teacher to many due to her energy and desire to learn English, like her Dad.

If you wanted anything at the Bible School Julian was the one to find or make it. He and Sandiago (Pablo's brother) made a pair of cruches for Harless after he spraned his leg. Julian showed the love of Chirst to all in his humble way of helping and providing for others. Peace be with you Julian.

Week two, Lora Nelson, joined the team from Michigain. She is full of joy and adventure for Christ. She and I shared our experiences in Africa and how the Lord has called us to serve others, which means reaching out to others in different cultures. Reaching out means language, beliefs, values, cultures and daily life practices. Sometimes it is the simiple thing of gratitude of a meal when you visit a village church. They serve a Coke or Pepsi up front and then a meal, usually of soup and chicken. Lora and I were able to share our drinks and enjoy the new learned hospitality of Tzeltal culture.

She shared so much maturity and desire to grow. I have been back to her blog site and still enjoy seeing and reading about her growth. God is alive in her and I am honored to have meet her in my journey.

Bryan Plemmons was a young man in the third week that did construction on the clinic. Bryan was experiencing a number of new experiences. I enjoyed seeing him grow and when he took the shovel to shovel concrete he had made a turn in his outlook at the weeks work to me. I had the pleasure of watching Bryan inteact with the other young adults in the group and see him experience new things, not necessaryly on the job site, being a young person with other youth.

What a joy to be ourself and to learn new things. God works through us all and we all are starting at different points in our life. God helped me see the growth in a young man and to better understand my own growth.

I thank God for my time in Ocosingo and the many people I meet and experienced God. It is great to be amoung Christians and see how we all can grow and learn form the life experiences around us. I am grateful for being with Julian, Lora, Bryan and all the others for this time.

Special thanks goes to Ginny, John, Holly and Maggie for allowing me to join in thier family and life experiences. God be with them each day and God's blessing on their daily lives.

Paz en Cristo,

David

PS: Pictures