Well...guess I should go buy a stove...

[Sister Alvear]

I would gladly do without a stove and cook on a few bricks if I NEED TOO...I have done it before...and not too good to do it again...

[Sister Alvear]

There were still traces of what had once been a beautiful lady. Though there was a shine in her blue eyes, she was completely blind. Her story like the story of all the lepers we had met had a beginning many years ago. Sit on my bed and I'll tell you about my life. Holding her finger less hands in mine, I listened intently as she told one of the saddest stories I have ever heard.
At eighteen she had married her childhood sweetheart, and at twenty-one she had given birth to her first baby. What a thrill. They were so happy, but then it was discovered that she had contacted the dreaded leprosy. Her baby was abruptly taken away from her, and by force she was compelled to live in a leper colony. In those days, there was no escape. Her husband knowing that he would never see her again committed suicide. The loss of his lovely wife was just too much to bear. Her happiness had ended; she was locked inside the solitary, separated world of outcasts. In those days there was little treatment for leprosy.
Days faded into weeks, weeks into months, months into years. Now it had been over fifty years that she had been there. During that time she had completely lost one leg, and most of the foot on the other leg. All of her fingers had fallen off, and her eyesight was gone. She had been Roman Catholic all her life, and now it was the Spíritists that were taking care of her. Where would a Christian missionary fit into her world? Time would tell.
The words of a great man of God of ancient days gone by rang over and over in my heart. "Let us not grow weary in well doing for we shall reap if we faint not…" Every Thursday we read the Bible to her. One day she said to me: "Missionary, you have great patience with an old leper like me, I am beginning to understand the way to heaven."
She was born December 2, 1911. She was put into a leper colony, long before I was ever born. I will never forget what she said the day she told me of her life. "Lepers are birds without nests." No one wants a leper, she told me. The saving of souls is a serious task. It should mean a life of consecration and faith. We should have a successful resolution not to be brought under by the power of things that domineer over most men and arrest the attention of those who look on. May God help us to be splendidly unhindered (Col. 3:1-3) (Heb 12:1-4) by the things that keep so many back. Let us see to it that our feet tread only in His footsteps. Let us make no new footprints of our own! (1Peter 2:21)

[Sister Alvear]

It was their first visit by a missionary. Although indescribable poverty surrounded them, and the famished dogs, cats, and chickens wandered through their little humble "lean to" at the foot of the Andes Mountains looking for a crumb of something to eat, the family welcomed us with great pleasure. An old guitar with only three strings was brought to Brother Raul.
After tuning those three strings, he began to sing: "At The Cross." I caught a glimpse of a yearning in their eyes, to know more of the story about the Man who died for them. Oh, the tears of the music of His call! We just happened to be there passing by. Since we were honored guests, something (according to their custom) had to be offered to us to eat. A few sticks were gathered, a fire was built, a batter was mixed and right there in the open air little "pancakes" were served to us.
Needless to say, the flies were in abundance. Looking at that filth, I began to feel Nauseated, but only for a moment, as I beheld the joy on that couple's face, because they had received missionaries into their home. Each time the little lady would look at us, she would smile. Her eyes shone with happiness, as she fried those pancakes. She would laugh to herself at the thought of having visitors in her home. As she brought the "pancakes" for us to eat, we bowed our head to thank our Heavenly Father. I could only feel an overwhelming thankfulness to Him from whom all blessings flow.
Soon we were gone, and to them would be only a remembrance of a missionary family that once visited their home. We are reminded of the millions for whom Christ died, that have never received a visit from one of His messengers. There are countless numbers of families that live like the one mentioned above scattered all over the world. Some in a jungle, others in out of the way villages. Some in large cities, and no doubt others just down the street from you. They are waiting for a visit from one of God's messengers.
The saddest thing is that His messengers are slow in coming. It has been said that 90% of all Brazilian homes have idol gods. From the richest homes to the bamboo huts, idol gods are found. Almost every family names some of their children after an idol god. Would it interest you to know that they are very faithful and loyal to their idol gods? Should we not be more faithful to our true and living God, than they are to their idol gods?
My soul arises and says, "Yes!" The miles should never be counted as sacrifices when traveled for God. The nights without sleep should be counted as joy, when used for preaching the Gospel of Christ. Yes, among the people of the earth, it is you and I who are the blessed ones. We know Him in the power of His Might. He and He alone deserve all glory, honor, and praise. Can we sit at ease and let gods of wood and stone be worshipped when all the worship, and all the praise belongs to the One true and Living God?
We worship in the finest churches, carry leather bound Bibles, sing the latest hymns while many in other lands have not churches, no Bibles, no triumphant hymns. They're enslaved people, not liberated by religion. They are chained by awful sacrifices and rituals. Rituals that take and never give.
You and I have a Divine Savior who has given us victory over sin, and given eternal life as the heathen are marching blindly on to death. If you were the heathen, you would be on that march. Yes, we are debtors to those near. We cannot evade the issue. This generation, God will hold us responsible for those which pass by our way.
The sad condition of the lost, and plain command of Christ should cause us to proclaim His message of salvation to all the world, by life and by lips, by prayer and by praise. Their fate, their destiny depends on you and I , who know so much about the wonderful plan of Salvation. To those who live far away and have never heard.
If the Gospel is not taken to every person in the world, we are responsible. This should be the great purpose, for if all the people in the world were to stand in a continuous line, spaced one yard apart; they would stretch for more than one million miles. That is more than the distance of three round trips to the moon. Or, a solid army in close formation, marching four abreast, encircling the earth at the equator sixteen times. And believe it or not, all of these people, including you and I are on a march to eternity. Over half of these souls have never heard for the first time the plan of Salvation.

[Sister Alvear]

In Bahia, not long ago I sat beside an old, old lady who is a witchdoctor. 'Do you know Jesus?" I asked. She looked at me with such a blank expression. Obviously no one had ever turned her thoughts toward heavenly matters before, and she was solemnized. Looking wistfully at me she said, "There has never been anyone to teach me about Him." Oh, what a rebuke to the luxury loving church! "For some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." (1 Cor. 15:34)
How painful it is to me to see souls like this and know that there are millions just like her. They live in a bleak inward world because they have never heard, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear." You see, the demons they serve and listen to do not comfort them. Instead they torment them. Their today is like yesterday, and their tomorrow is like their today. To them demons and idols are all powerful for they know no greater power. Their lives are dominated by an unending chain of heathen monotony.
Only a clear, powerful message, saturated with the love of God can possibly dispel the darkness that has so long enslaved these people and set them free. What a day for the Church of Jesus Christ.

[Sister Alvear]

I wrote this when I was a young missionary...today life´s sun is sinking...but love the mission field just like I did the day I wrote this little poem...



The Missionary's Prayer

Only one life I have to live for thee
Please, make me what I ought to be,
Oh God of shining light
Help me penetrate heathen night.

I will desire no rest
Until I offer you my best,
My youth, my talents, I gladly give
So that others in heaven may live.

Oh thou the Galilean King
Your message I will gladly bring,
So that those who have waited so long
At last they can sing the hallelujah song.

I will gladly lay my life down
So that others may wear a crown
I will tell them of your grace
So that together we may see your face.

(Written by Janice Alvear)

[Sister Alvear]

Several years ago armed masked bandits held us prisioners in our own home and robbed us...kidnapped our son and locked us in a bedroom...stole our car...and you think I think I can defeat the devil with a credit card...my friend we do not think on the same level...

[Sister Alvear]

Judgment Day

Today is judgment day for me
I never knew it would have to be
We stand more than a million souls
That has never heard of thee.

With trembling hands and weeping voices
We look to one upon a throne
Why is it we have never known?
And in our land the gospel seed never sown?

Oh church, how can we sit on sitting sands?
Gathering riches and wealth here below
While away off in heathen lands
A debt to them we so plainly owe.

How can we be so light hearted and gay
While billions still do not know the way
It's enough to make angels weep
Because in heathen creeds they sink so deep

So arise and listen to the voices from afar
Tell them we are coming, yes we are
All other things we count as dross
We will gladly bear the missionaries cross.
(Janice Alvear)

[Hoovie]

Opii, I think you are attaching different significance to the credit card comment. It was simply the mode of payment to her, seeing that she doesn't have a bank account.

I am, however most interested in what pushes your buttons. You have been mostly absent and this thread prompted you to break your vow of silence? That's a shame... Well not really, because I do enjoy many of your posts!

[OldPathsII]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

Opii, I think you are attaching different significance to the credit card comment. It was simply the mode of payment to her, seeing that she doesn't have a bank account.

I am, however most interested in what pushes your buttons. You have been mostly absent and this thread prompted you to break your vow of silence? That's a shame... Well not really, because I do enjoy many of your posts!

It was actually a friend of mine actually emailed me a link to this thread. This friend is aware of several of my personal hobbyhorses, which include the ridiculous blaming of the devil for everything that goes wrong in our lives, the ridiculous use of credit cards, the tendency of Christians to rack up tons of debt and then give praise to God for what "He gave them", and last but certainly not least, the fact that Sister Alvear gets away with WAY too much on this forum. No one ever calls her on her stories and someone needs to.

And guess what? She gets called on something and is now copying and pasting an endless eternity of stories.

[Sister Alvear]

I know the dreary solitude of a pagan world, the heart rending trials, and the soul-harassing temptations. The feeling of being separated from friends, home, and country. Cut off from the consolations of Christian Fellowship, a stranger in a strange land, hearing an unknown tongue, surrounded by scenes of lust, blood, paganism, and spiritual darkness.
But, I also know the joy of seeing the witchdoctors converted, idol gods being thrown away forever, seeing a shack become a home in which the presence of Christ Himself dwells. Yes, I have watched this glorious company of blood-washed saints keeping time with music with uplifted hands in praise and worship to Him who brought them out of darkness into this marvelous light. I could not leave these dear people without violating the most solemn convictions of conscience. I would not exchange my humble toil among them for all the positions on the earth.
Leisure I do not anticipate nor desire until reaching the fair land where it is said of the redeemed, "They shall rest from their labors." Someone once said, "The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him, the more intense missionaries we become."


My whole life has been lived among the people that have come to the LORD FROM THE DARK PAGAN WORLD....

I am not young any more...I feel very tired in body but my strength is renewed as I see and hear of new churches springing up everyday...
Friend...if you really knew me you would know a stove in my house is not for show...just something to use to cook for God´s people...I love to give food to the hungry, bake a cake for the sick and made soup for the children...maybe you should come over and visit before you judge my motives...