Sunday, November 23, 2008

not lost in translation

We arrived in Madrid on Saturday--15 hours in flight and layovers and very little sleep. I preached this morning from Luke 18 and Manny did a great job translating my sermon on prayer. Of course, that's only from my perspective. I'd have no way of know for certain. We're the minorities, subject to our hosts and the rules of a different culture.

Tonight, we toured downtown, sipped an over-priced Starbucks, watched two street performers play dueling Hammer Dolcimers, stopped by the oldest restaurant on the planet [1725], stood in the plaza where Christians were burned at the stake during the Inquisition, gawked at architecture fit for kings...literally. Madrid is a beautifully bustling city that begins its nightlife after 9 p.m., right when we were getting in our minivan to return home. 

The most exciting part of our trip is the opportunity to connect with a handful of present and future church planters in a conference setting starting Tuesday. Less than 10% of the Spanish population is Christian with less than 1/2 of 1% proclaiming evangelical Christianity. The harvest field is very white, but reaping is difficult business. To make an impact, our missionaries and all who partner with them will need to stay committed to the task. Please continue to pray for the work ahead. 

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