Gods gift

Romans 12:6-8, Paul talks about our gifts that have been given to us by Christ.

What is that thing you do that satisfies you like nothing else? As most of you know my gift is a mechanical aptitude. Nothing satisfies me more then solving a mechanical issue. For a lot of years I didn’t understand how this gift could be used to further Gods kingdom until God gave me a clear vision and said to me “just go and let me show you how the gift I gave you can be used.” I’m going to spare you the long list of places that I have been able to use this gift, but what I will say is God has shown me immensely how my gift can be used.

Not only have I used my mechanical gift, he has also awakened other gifts that I never really even knew I had or maybe I knew I had but I didn’t think I would like using them. O.K. people this is really hard for a person like me to even write this, but I think God may have given me a gift for public speaking (no, right now I’m not very good at it and need practice) but I really am starting to like it. It makes me feel good to get up and talk about what God has done and is doing in my life.

Now, another part of God given gifts is accepting and using the help of other peoples’ God given gifts. We (the McGee family) have been given the gift of working along with JungleMaster Ministries. Let me explain how this works. The McGee’s raise monthly support to do ministry work in Peru but the monthly support they raise only covers the costs of living in Peru. JungleMaster ministry has logistical tools (boat, house, supplies, many other things) that the McGees get to use to help support JungleMaster ministry along with doing some of there own ministry. We also have been able to use my mechanical gifts along with JungleMaster Ministries gifts to help other ministries here on the river and in Nauta. What I see is these gifts are all a part of the body of Christ. I see a lot of people in ministry who are trying to do it all on their own, this wasn’t how God designed it, we HAVE to work together to get the job done.

Just Pictures

So this week I made a quick little video with pictures. It's been a relatively quiet week. Next week we will be heading up river and the following week Joel will be speaking at a Pastor's Conference in another village for three days. So we have taken time this week to rest and organize and prepare.
Have a great week!!

Saying Goodbye

Goodbyes are hard. (I'm so profound; I know,,, Haha)

I must admit I don’t do them very well.

This last week was a good week with having our friend Charlie Smith here helping Joel get the Junglemaster boat ready for the river.  It is just such a blessing to have friends and family visit and to accomplish so much in a short period of time.

But, Friday Charlie returned to Washington. ("Ow, Charlie, that hurts! Hehe, couldn't resist!)

Also this week we said to goodbye to a group of young missionaries that have been in Nauta for 5 months with the British ministry. They are such wonderful missionaries with wonderful servant hearts. They made quite an impact on our family (especially Carmen) and it was hard to see them go knowing we may never see them again.

But, as we celebrate the Life and Resurection of Jesus; I am struck at how Jesus also knows how hard it is to say goodbye.  He had to prepare to leave and to prepare His disciples for His leaving.  Can you imagine?!

There are many ways Jesus prepares us and teaches us about saying goodbye. But, for me, it’s the promise the Resurrection gives that comforts me the most.

When we were home this last time; I wasn’t able to see everyone I wanted to see. But, one of my dear friends told me, “I know we are friends forever and I will have lots of time to spend with you in the future.’

What a blessing that was for me to hear! 

It reminds me that no matter how hard the goodbyes; they are not forever. Even if I don’t get to see you again on this side of heaven; my friends; I know I will see you again.

So, today I will be sad, I will miss my friends, I will be grateful and thank God for them, and I will rejoice in the fact that I WILL see them again!

Happy Easter & God Bless

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

Going Rambo

So last week was another busy week. But, it was really filled with amazing fellowship and work. On Saturday the 5^th Carmen started helping out on the local radio. They do a youth show on Saturday mornings from 6am to 8am. She was up and at ‘em early and ready to go. She did good but was really nervous. This last Saturday the 12^th she did much better and started telling riddles and doing English words for the kids to practice during the week. 

Also, Saturday the 5^th we spent the morning helping the British Baptist Girls with mixing clay for drilling a water well. When the drill hits the sandy layer of soil if you don’t have something to support the hole the sand just caves in and you lose your progress. So the drillers pump clay/mud into the hole to firm up the sides and make sure it doesn’t collapse. But, you have to mix it by hand. So the community came out to help get the clay mixed with the water. The well will be for the whole community to use.  It was so wonderful to sit and listen to everyone talking and joking around and working. We were only able to spend the morning but it took them all day and into Sunday to get the clay mixed.

The rest of the week Joel worked with the drilling team and helped to get the water well drilled. The drilling team was with another missionary who drills water wells down river from Iquitos. They were also guys that Joel has worked with before drilling Junglemaster wells. Joel really enjoys these men and has a fun rapport with them. He was tired each day but, so happy to be serving and reconnecting with friends. 

Carmen and I had a pretty “low key” week. Athough I spent a few days “going Rambo” on some cockroaches!! It was quite a funny sight! I literally destroyed them! Only body fragments remained…. I went after them with the broom and poison and spray.  You have never really experienced Peru unless you have “Gone Rambo” on a few bugs. What you have to understand is that these buggers are not afraid of humans. And, they don’t just come out at night. And, they are HUGE!! And, they are quick. And, they are aggressive. And, they run after you!!!

Since we were gone for so long with no one actually living in the house; they sort of took over. So, I had to reclaim the house. But, they weren’t going down with out a fight! As they raced across the floor heading to different locations; I would attack. Except, they don’t just run away like other cockroaches…oh no, here they turn around and run at you! ACK!! I swear one of them appeared to rear up on its back legs at me. So, I just went Rambo on them! We are now on the winning end of things. The only ones we see now are either dead or dying. Is it wrong that I get a small amount of pleasure seeing them convulsing on their backs as they die?

On that note I will leave you and say God Bless and have a great weekend!

What I want everyone to know...

I want to share something with you. It is raw and I'm probably going to mess it up but, maybe God can clean it up along the way.

YOU ARE LOVED!!

 Yep, that's it. Plain and simple.

Ok, here is the back story to why I'm saying that.
We were in Iquitos yesterday at the  Post office. Joel was talking to the security guard while I was renewing our PO Box. Lovely man, always has a smile and a kind word for everyone.
He was talking to Joel about his faith and how he felt he was nothing before he believed in Jesus. But, Carmen heard something different. She came over to me and was sharing that the guard had said something along the lines that a person was worthless or nothing without Jesus.
I immediately got defensive about this statement.  Because it simply is not true. Let me clarify this....

As I talked to Carmen about this and explained to her that God loves everyone; it occurred to me:
Do people not know this?! Doesn't everyone know that they are loved?

So I'm going to tell you: You Are Loved. Whether you believe in God or not..... He loves you. Yep, you don't even have to acknowledge him and he still loves you. He counts you among the most precious jewels in the world!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.
It says:  He loved the world..... not certain people.....No the WHOLE world, everyone! Believers or not.  It seems to me many non believers dismiss this..... They seem to get angry and offended and hung up on the second part and I can see that it would be hard to swallow, when we can't grasp the first part. We can't wrap our brains around the fact that God (or some "higher being" ) could really and truly love us. So the thought seems to be that God doesn't love us unless we believe in him and do what he wants. And that is wrong! He loves everyone! First comes understanding and grasping His love; then you can start to understand salvation.
I am not trying to preach or argue for Christianity.
I simply think everyone should know they are loved. Every inch of you; every second of everyday; You are loved. Wether you want it, believe it, or like it; it is true and I think more people should hear this and know this.

That is all.
Have a great week.