09/13/03: Tribal Update: A pastor's thoughts in the midst of sickness and death

Hello Folks:

Two days ago, it was our joy to receive a tape from one of the Tribal pastors as well as about 15 letters from different friends from Tribal land. I just thought I would send you part of what Juan Mati said on the tape. He is our brother in Christ and one of the shepherds there that is tending the flock. I have also included an attachment so you can see what Juan looks like. Here then is some of his message:

" I just thought I would send you words about us all here. Look, our grandfather Ramoncito is dead. He is gone. He is not here anymore. He died being sick. We are all quite sad about it. He has left us. And we want to tell you this in order that you not think in vain that he is still living. And actually, we all almost died. We were all so sick. A bad sickness came upon us. Speak to God on our behalf. Even now I speak to you with sickness. Yes, ask the true God on our behalf. Many of us were sick. Mariani almost died. But our true Father raised her up again. He is good. He is the true healer.

How are you and Teresa living? We remember you. We keep thinking about you. We remember all those who lived here with us. We are all still living too. We are still carrying on. Even in our sickness we carry on. Our Father allows sickness, but not because he doesn't like us though. He loves us beyond measure. But even in sickness, our Lord-Owner -Boss watches over us. He is taking good care of us.

You are far away. We don't see you. We don't see your skin. And you guys don't see us. And the one who died, our grandpa, he didn't die with you being close by. But God took him. He went on ahead of us. We all remember him. And two children died, Carita's daughter...and another one. My kids are still fine. My wife too is still fine. And Catio my brother is also still fine. Ado Catio now has his wife back after living for several moons with Oscar. And because of that we have thought with much joy. God doesn't work on our behalf not wanting to work, he wants to work. Yes, he has done us so very well. God has truly done us well in an interceding way. He works in a big way. That is why I talk to you.

Our Lord-Owner-Boss truly does us well. He does not do us evil. Even in allowing us to get sick, we can't say he is doing us bad. No, he is good. He watches over us well. So this is what I tell you. Ask God for us all here. God watches over us even though you aren't around anymore. God is watching over us. God is truly good. We live in a totally different way than we used to. We live believing. We live knowing. We live in the sphere of his watch and care.

Putting people in the grave isn't pleasant. It is painful. It causes great thinking with pain. Yes, the old grandpa passed on. But we live in bodies that have death, these bodies are from Adam. But when we die, God will never cast us out. He sees us with great mercy and compassion. He loves us. Yes, we will arrive in Heaven. The going-to-heaven road is straight and true. There we will get together. And we will see you over there. Yes, we are going to where our Father is. Therefore we are not afraid of sickness because we live knowing we will be going to the true Father's place. In the meantime we live here on this land, certainly not living like we used to live before believing. And so we live realizing, okay then, if my Lord-Owner-Boss allows death to come to me, then I will go to the truly beautiful place, the place of no sickness or suffering, and in that day I will see Jesus. He is our Lord-Owner-Boss. Satan is not in control of death. The demons aren't in control of death. The true God is. And it is according to his precise calculations, in the calculated day, that He takes us. And so in the same way He took our grandpa to be with him. But how would we have thought if he would have died without knowledge? Well, we would have lived with great pain with huge thinking. Realizing that he would have been cast into the big fire with no chance of getting out, that he would have been thrown away from God, that he would have been in great howling pain, we would have thought with huge grief. But it is not like that. No, he died with knowledge. He died believing. We will certainly see him there in heaven. And he is right there right now. He has seen the true Father. He has seen Jesus. And he has probably seen the sent-one Paul, and Timothy and Titus. He is there with the believers now. He has no pain now. But his body, well, here it is buried becoming dirt. It probably has worms. And it is because of all this that I visit with you now, remembering you.

Yes, we continue living here as paid-for-in-full ones. Our sins have been fully paid for with no sins left behind that didn't get paid for. Jesus has pardoned us of all our sins. Having been in the realm of darkness, we are now in the realm of light. Like those walking in full light we live our lives as truth-knowers. It's all because of Jesus giving himself. He gave his blood to pay for sin. It was a complete payment with no lack. And because of that we have been passed over to safety. So it certainly isn't like it was in the beginning when we lived in darkness. No, we have hope. Yes, the true Father took our grandpa. Loving our grandpa beyond measure, he took him and now he is there with the true God. Ado God probably thought, "Ah yes, I think this son should come home to me now" and so he took him home. He does according to his knowledge without having to hear from others. And when I die, I will see him there too. Like one traveling down a path in pursuit of another, I will follow after him.

I remember the true God acting powerfully and interveningly on behalf of the Israelites. He helped them greatly regarding Pharaoh. And it is in this great Strength-Haver that we also trust today. We live in the sphere of his rule. We live continually in his eye as he always sees us. He cares for us and loves us. He loves us with no possibility of suddenly not loving us. And therefore we live with joy, we live "without feeling our livers at all".

Yes, we are knowers, we live believing. Because you came and lived among us, we know the truth. And take note, just yesterday we gathered together again. Hernan taught us. And so we gathered, as if we were eating, to hear the true God's words. The words were good. They were tasty for our souls. Hernan helps us well. He gives us food for our souls. Yes, we live having exchanged our thinking, thinking in a totally different direction.

There you are in your place far away. We don't see you. But God made you move there. When you were here, he suddenly prompted you to leave. He knew about the bad ones coming for you. He interceded for you. He made you sense the need to leave and you left. He took care of you. And we haven't stopped praying for you. Yes, we keep on asking God for you without slacking off. He is good. He is he Creator, the in-the-beginning one. When there were no people, when there was no earth, He was there. And it is of Him that we ask continually. He was there when there was no sun. Yes, he watches over us very well. And it is through Him that we find encouragement and aggressiveness.

We are joyful because of the true God's on-going work in our hearts. He keeps working. He keeps on helping. We see different ones who were playing with sin and we see how God has worked in their hearts, how they have chosen to obey Him. Continually without letting up he continues to work in our hearts. Not working just a little bit but doing a big work, he continues to help us. And so we see people fixing things up.

And now recently we heard words that came to us from down river, gossip words. False words, cheap words have come to us from down river. But no way, we have totally rejected those words. Those words that come with force to every community, no, we have stood against them. They are not to be believed. So I ask you to be praying for us here. Pray for the sick ones here too, for Antonio Chato. And Rafael, he almost died. He turned very white for lack of blood. He looked like a foreigner! So pray for us. God is good and continues to watch over us.

Here I am in front of this tape, talking as if we are face to face, conversing with you about many things. Like one sitting close by, listen to my words with joy. Listen to these things as we visit remembering you. You are now far away, having lived in our midst. We don't see you as we used to. But God continues to watch over us. Send us a tape so we can hear your words too. We want to hear from you. Send written words too. And it is okay because we the non-readers will get the words through the readers so send words."

Okay, there you have the little visit from Juan. May his words challenge us all to pray faithfully for our brothers and sisters there as they grow and stretch. Thanks again so very much for your partnership with us.

Enjoying the adventure in Him,
Merrill and Teresa