We have our monthly chapel this next Friday... and are expecting it to be very special... but first, I should tell you about our chapel in July.  We’ve been asking our speakers to commit to three chapels in order to have more continuity in the teaching.  In June, William Soliz started a special series especially for couples.   In July, taking advantage of “Friendship Day” to invite and attract more people, we started off our chapel with few games... and ended up with a special snack (everyone got a homemade personal pizza!!!)...  130 people came!!! ...including kids (45), teenagers (20!) and volunteers... some couples came who have never been out to chapel before...  Before everyone separated into their different classes our place was overflowing...

I didn’t hear all of William’s talk because I was in the kitchen... but at the end, I heard him urging couples who were having problems in their relationship to come forward for prayer...  three couples came forward and four girls whose partners hadn’t come...  The three men don’t come to El Jordan regularly and are known to  never admit that they might have a problem...   It was pretty amazing to witness them bowing their heads, asking God to work in their lives and families. 

I’d like to tell you a bit about William… I don’t even remember where I met him… maybe it was at our annual pastors’ breakfast that he was introduced to our ministry... but, what really matters, is that William, Nancy and their three teenage children became a part of El Jordán several years ago...

Something about William made everyone feel like his best friend... he never lost any opportunity to smile, laugh, encourage and teach anyone who came across his path.  William used to work as a technician who fixes fridges and freezers before he got involved in full time ministry along side his wife...  at the Back to the Bible radio station – visiting and counseling people.   William wanted to teach our boys... and we all were waiting for the day when we have our space – where having a few fridges and freezers hanging around wouldn’t be a problem...  (Please continue to pray with us for God’s guidance and provision for a workshop space for the boys... For administrative purposes and to share facilities, we have always wanted a place near El Jordán... but rising land prices leave us further than ever from attaining our dream of buying our own place...) 

Time went by, and with no boy’s work shop in sight, another idea popped into my head...  Marco and I always seemed to sit behind the Soliz family in church...  I loved watching their closeness and love for each other...  We’d also see them at the fairs El Jordán participated in... always together, happy as a family... coming by to encourage us by buying a little something... We asked their family to come teach our families... and they have truly been such a blessing to us...

I can’t think of one of our students that come from a family where mom and dad were together, raising their children...  so now where  they are trying to raise their own family, especially if their “other half” isn’t on board, isn’t easy...  Another thing about our students, it takes a while for them to develop enough trust with “outsiders” to be truthful and transparent.  It is even harder for them to have the confidence to take the initiative in looking for help (that isn’t material/physical help) from “outsiders”...  Once that foundation of trust and respect has been laid, there are endless possibilities to help...

Over time, and especially after the last chapel, it was exciting to see that trust and foundation being built up with William and Nancy...  Saúl and María Luisa wanted to go as a couple to visit them... Nelly phoned the radio station to arrange with William or Nancy a day where they could visit her at her little wooden house... Ana and Isabel invited their sister to come to chapel to learn more about the family...  Jenny shared with them that putting into practice different pieces of advice they had given, greatly improved her relationship with her husband...

Saúl and María Luisa never got to sit down with William and Nancy... nor did Nelly get to have them in her home to learn more about the family...  William Soliz passed away very unexpectedly on Wednesday evening... At about 45 years old, he suffered cardiac arrest and died without even a chance to say good bye to his family...

In Bolivia, law demands burial within 24 hours of death...  The custom is a come and go “wake” that is as close to 24 hours as can be... where family, friends and acquaintances can come together to mourn, remember the person who died, say “goodbye” and accompany the family to the burial...  We tried to get a hold of all of our students so they’d have a chance to attend the wake.  William had gone beyond “scratching the surface” and touched their hearts... The news hasn’t been easy for anyone... and yet it also has made them hang onto the last words he spoke to them...  

As I listened to our students and volunteers reminisce, I heard more of William’s message from our last chapel...  He had urged them strongly to get things right with the Lord... and with their mate... that we didn’t know when we might leave home one day and never come back... death could come at any moment and we needed to be prepared...  Nelly remembers him saying that we needed to “win souls for Christ”... and not allow them to be lost...

Just last Sunday, William taught our Sunday school class... He always was a passionate speaker... but that Sunday was even more so... urging people to not waste their time... to give God our best – which is what He deserves – not just give him a token half hour a week and think that’s enough... We are called to be disciples – denying ourselves, putting Christ first, picking up our cross and following in HIS footsteps... 

William lived his life like that... taking his relationship with Christ seriously... along with his responsibility of husband and father... and servant... There were SO many people at the wake... all talking about how “Just yesterday/last week/on Thursday/etc/etc I was talking/laughing with William...”  We were blessed by having him cross our path...

When we were talking with Nancy, William’s wife, at the wake, we told her how much we appreciate the support they always have been to us and now we want to be a support to her...  The girls that were with me all agreed emphatically...  Tania said, “Please call me if there is anything that I can do for you... if I can clean your house or something!”  When one of the girls said what a wonderful example of family they were, Nancy started remembering how William always taught, by example and word, that the husband needed to treat the wife well... Martha told her, “...if you ever need a hug, at El Jordan we won’t just give you one hug, we have LOTS of hugs to give!” 

Two of our families accompanied the family to the cemetery, burial etc...  Later they told me, crying, how sad it was – with Nancy saying “Goodbye my love”...  yet at the same time how different it was than any other burial they had ever seen where there is only desperate wailing and hopelessness...

For chapel this Friday, we will probably take time for volunteers and students to share things they learned from William... and ponder life... and how short it is... and how we need to be prepared...

 Please pray...

i.  for Nancy and family... that God would be there comfort and strength in each moment... and day that goes by...  Diana, the oldest, is studying nursing... and Josué graduates from high school just months from now...  Nancy didn’t have a paying job – she was a mom... and a support to William... She would make cakes to sell to bring a bit extra money...so financially I don’t know where they will be at... for basic expenses and the kids’ education...  Diana told us at the wake that her dad loved the ministry at El Jordan... but not to worry – that he had left “sprouts” behind... and as soon as she learned how to drive, they’d still come and help us...

ii.  for our students (and volunteers)   who have been challenged by William’s teaching... that they’d be reminded of commitments made, encouraged by the example William left... and follow his advice to not waste time – to get things right with God... and the family...

iii. that the “Lord of the Harvest” would send  people to fill William’s place at El Jordan... There are people who come from our local churches to teach... I’m sure they do it with all their hearts – they come, serve... and leave...  William went beyond that to building relationship and trust with our students... leaving a mark on their lives... 

iv. for  chapel this Friday evening...  that the people who need to be there, will be... that it will be an evening of reflection... challenge... and commitments...

v.  the girls in my Friday morning bible study have been challenged by William’s life and death... and want to reach out to “win souls”... They brainstormed like I’ve never seen them do, thinking of ideas of how we could better reach the girls who are still on the streets...  They’d also like to come with me to the jail... and give what they can to pay for expenses this “reaching out” might entail (bus fares for the girls they invite, to get together and cook lunch for the new girls etc).  Please pray that this desire will not die out... rather that it might spread to other volunteers and students...

vi. pray for  our families at El Jordán...  especially for the men who are still caught in addictions, abusive behaviour, bad habits... ... I’ve attached the picture Marco took at our last chapel of William praying for our couples and students who admitted their family problems...

vii. pray for  each and every one of us... Are we ready?  If God called us home today, would there be any regrets?  Let’s not put anything off for tomorrow... what needs to be taken care of today... 

Thanks so much for your prayers...  God bless you richly...

Lots of love, Corina (for Marco too...)