To answer the first question, you would need to pull out a map of South America. Have you done it?
As you can see, it's really a large continent. Travel times themselves are quite long as distances between cities require bus travel or if we are fortunate, air travel. It's often easy to compare or imagine that travel in South America is equivalent to scooting around Southern California. This is simply not so. At home in LA, I have the luxury of hopping in my car and going wherever I need to go. However in South America I have to rely on the bus schedule or the available flight schedule. I also have to determine whether the travel dates and times are the most economical for the budget that's been set up for me by JEMS.
Compound that with the question of actually meeting people. In South America as anywhere, people aren't always sitting at home or in their office waiting for me to show up. Many times schedules must be juggled in order to make certain that meetings can be made. My month-long stay in Paraguay will probably be the most calm of the time I spend in South America this trip. I am daily committed to studies in the Spanish language, meeting with my professor for a four hour daily intensive. As I arrive at the end of August my schedule will markedly become more agitated.
From August 29 I will spend three very quick days in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In that brief time I will be meeting with community leaders as well as preaching in two different Nikkei churches in that city. From Buenos Aires I go to Sao Paulo Brazil. There in the first week I will attend a regional denominational conference. My second week will involve traveling in the state of São Paulo, visiting pastors and churches. My third week will take me to the northern part of Brazil, to the Amazon region, to the city of Belem. There I will meet with one of the larger Nikkei churches in that region. The fourth week of September will take me to the city of Sorocaba, where our JEMS short-term worker will be placed. I will meet with the pastor and our worker for about four days. The end of September and the first days of October will return me to the city of São Paulo where I will meet with pastors, leaders and churches in the greater Sao Paulo region. The second week in October, I will meet Pastor Rick Chuman in the city of Lima Peru for a week of meetings. By mid October I will be on my way home to Los Angeles.
Why such a long time? I refer you again to the map of South America. Although it's difficult at times to get a sense of scale, Brazil is about the size of the continental United States. If you were to turn the US on its side, you would get a sense of equivalency in terms of distances. From Sao Paulo to Belem for example, the equivalent distance would be from LA to Miami. São Paulo to Sorocaba might be compared to the distance from Los Angeles to San Diego. But imagine going to San Diego on the train, or a bus. You know that your time really is not your own when you're subjected to non-personal forms of transportation. Add the travel time from homestay to bus station and you realize that a 2 1/2 hour bus ride could easily become a four hour trip.
It's easy to imagine when you're in Los Angeles that visiting friends in other cities could probably be done in a week. However when overseas, another set of rules seem to apply, whether we want them to or not.
I am very grateful to God for his provision during this trip. Perhaps some of you are concerned about matters related to my health. I've been very open about my health situation. But at the same time I'm convinced that this is an important calling for me to fulfill. The opportunity to serve the Lord here brings such joy to my heart. It's something that you cannot imagine. I had the chance today to share with my Spanish-language professor that serving as I do in South America has been perhaps one of the most fulfilling and joyous times my life. Scripture tells us that a joyful heart will take us many more miles than a heart that is unhappy (Proverbs 17:22). Without seeming to be preachy, I think it's important for all of us to discover that place where God gives us a sense of fulfillment or joy.
To those that have expressed concern for JEMS' wisdom in permitting me to serve for such an extended period of time overseas, I would thank you for your concern. But also invite you to pray! It's certainly good to know that there are concerns, but it's even better to know that you are undergirding me with your prayer support. I suppose that it's in the nature of our culture and perhaps even a characteristic of my age group that we are less prone to take risks. Perhaps it's easier or more comfortable to remain at home. But if I were to do so knowing the work that remains to be done, and the opportunities that God has set before us, I think I would find myself seriously unsettled.
Two of the songs that have meant so much to me in the last year come out of different ministries. One is called "Oceans." http://youtu.be/dy9nwe9_xzw The other is called "You Make Me Brave." http://youtu.be/6Hi-VMxT6fc Both of these songs challenge us as followers of Jesus to step out in faith and to take risks for the sake of God's calling in our lives. I've taken the words of these songs to heart. Perhaps you might say that risk taking is a job for the young, for the healthy. But I believe that God will use whoever has a willingness of heart to serve him. It is a place for now that God is enabling me to be and I thank him for that. Zechariah 4:6 reminds us, "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,' says the Lord Almighty."
Thank you again for your concerns.
Pastor John
JEMS
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