La cosecha -- it's ready!

Among many favorite songs, there's one that is often rings out in our Spanish meetings:
Lift up your eyes, "la cosecha" -- the harvest is ready, the grain is ripe. That was literally and figuratively happening in Arenillas this past weekend.

Various families were harvesting the corn planted in January. We had not visited their plots of land hacked out of the jungle, so we decided it was time to make the trek out to the "chacra." Victor (below), his brother and son-in-law have bordering fields. We encountered several people at work. The corn was definitely ready for hands to harvest.


Clayton remembered the feel of harvesting corn and joined in.



Rich, golden kernels of corn...


Victor's two sons carry sacks of corn from the field, adding to the growing pile.


A bountiful crop.

A process of harvest at the spiritual level was also in progress during the weekend. The need for restructuring of leadership was a priority. In two long meetings the local believers dialogued, prayed and came to a decision to decentralize the leadership and work as three teams, staying mutually accountable but focusing on local outreach in three areas of the city. This has been a long-stated goal, and a vision held forth for several years, but reluctance to implement the vision has inhibited growth. Several critical factors brought the group to the realization that significant change was needed if a city-harvest was going to be realized.

The pile of ripe corn is a natural parallel to many who express a desire to be taught the truth of God. And like natural fields undergo huge changes during the course of a planting and harvest season, so too the body of Christ has to be willing for the changes needed for a harvest to be brought in. This past weekend God positioned the believers of Arenillas to be more effective in the days ahead. Please pray for the "elder brother believers" as they adjust to taking more initiative and responsibility for outreach in their neighborhoods. And pray for Victor and his wife Teresa in their new role as team coordinator. The original group will continue to meet weekly for prayer and for "team meetings," but the major house meetings will be dispersed throughout the city.

Praise God for new fields growing in Arenillas!