Most Embarrassing Moment

Have you ever had that feeling of humiliation so deep that you thought you were going to get sick - right there? I had that the other night. Our church was having a teen talent showcase night. They had told us about it weeks ago and we bought tickets right away, marked it on our calendar and left the tickets in the car so we made sure we'd have them the day we needed them. When the day came we spent it doing various things, running around, etc. We knew we needed to be at the church at 4PM so our day was planned around that. Now any other time that we are at a church event I am always dressed up. I wear dresses or black pants with a nice shirt and the rest of the leadership and the youth are always in jeans and t-shirts. We had one day where they had told us something was formal and I dressed in a nice dress along with two or three other girls and for the rest it just meant wearing black jeans instead of blue. So this day as we're getting ready I say to Corey, "You know, every time we go somewhere I'm the overdressed old lady. Tonight is all about the youth, let's dress 'youthy'." So we put on our comfy jeans and t-shirts and head out the door excited to see all our kids show what they can play and sing, etc. As we pull up to the church I notice a guy in a suit. I jokingly say, "Watch everyone else be dressed up," thinking it an impossibility because they NEVER dress up. And as we get out of the car I see many familiar faces...in very unfamiliar clothes. The guys are all in suits, the girls in really, really nice dresses. "What in the world is going on?" I think and prepare to run back into the car and head home for a change - except it would be at least an hour to return home and come back. Too late, they've seen us and we have to go in. I see one of the leaders looking incredibly beautiful and I sheepishly say, "Um, no one told us this was a formal event." She laughs as she shows us on the ticket where (not too clearly in my own defense) it says "no jeans, no tennis shoes, etc." How did we miss this very important detail??? As we walk in the church it is all candlelit and it looks as if we're going to a wedding. EVERYONE is dressed up - even the guy who wears the same shirt every week to church!! They usher us to the third row because they consider us a guest of honor. As I am sinking into my chair, that sick feeling rushing over, a young man comes to talk to Corey to make sure he pronounces our names right when they announce we're there. My stomach is now completely rolling and I'm sure everyone is saying, "Look how disrespectful the missionaries are wearing jeans!!" Fortunately when they call on us it's just to stand up and wave. The room is fairly dark so we do a quick wave and smile and hope they're all looking at our faces! After a few minutes of what must have been an extremely horrified look on my face Corey looked over and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. We're here. Let's enjoy the night and support the kids." So we did. They were awesome and before long I forgot about how ridiculous we looked in that crowd. The kids one after another through the night crashed in our row to chat and never once made a comment about our clothes. We made a fairly quick exit at the end, saying only the necessary goodbyes, but we survived our most embarrassing moment so far!

On another note, the kids did awesome! I wish I could tell you about each one. One that is very dear to our hearts is Juan David. You've seen pictures on other posts if you've looked back through some of our older stuff. He's just the biggest sweetheart and he is the reason Maggie now enjoys going to church. He is a very loving person who takes time for everyone. He leads praise and worship for the kids and often bounces between playing keyboard in "big church" and children's church. We're always impressed with his incredible servant's heart but I learned something new that I hadn't known. He was sitting next to me and I asked him if he was doing anything else during the show - he had played with a couple of different bands. He told me he was presenting his school of music. At that moment they announced he was coming up with his school and he got really nervous! When it was their turn there were two groups, the first was a pretty beginner group who played "Yes, Lord," and the second a more advanced group that played a very popular song here. Juan David had taught these kids to play drums, keyboard, bass and guitar. It was incredible. He just turned 16 years old and here he is not only doing a million things for the church but taking time to teach kids how to play so they can one day play for praise and worship and honor God with their talents. I was in awe as I realized this young man was not nervous about messing up himself, but nervous for all of his students that had to perform in front of a crowd. He's just an incredible kid, and just one of many that pour their lives into the church and ministry at an age when they are expcted to be lazy and directionless.
~Tona

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! We hope you've had a blessed one. Once again Alex and Maggie were showered with very nice gifts grom Grandmas and other family members. Thank you for remembering us!
~Tona

The End of a Year

This Sunday the adolescent group celebrated the end of a successful year, their first as a separate group from regular youth. They watched slideshows of the year and all that they had done, played a tongue twister game that we could not keep up with and enjoyed refreshments. In the show above you'll also see pictures of the Children's Church celebrating Christmas. Because all of the kids are on summer break until February there is also a break for adolescent services.
~Tona

Reverend?

Do I look different? I don’t feel different. I do everything the same as before. What is in a title? Can God use me more now? Reverend, Pastor, or Missionary? Does this title demand respect or just make some people act differently? Ultimately, I don’t care what you call me (Corey, Mr. Kautz, Brother Kautz, Señor, Pedro, Pastor, Missionary, or even hey you). God uses a person, not a name. If a title opens more doors to me, that’s politics and yes God can work with that. We are on the pursuit of becoming ordained ministers, not to change what we do, but to expand what we can do. As a certified minister, I can do many things and others will watch and see if I succeed or fail. As an ordained minister, I can do the same things and others will ask to help. Does a title change a person or the perception of the person? I think a little of both. The studies and pursuit of a greater knowledge of our Lord will definitely change a person and the result may change one’s title. Knowing that a person has pledged their life to seeking God and his will earns respect that can also be noted with a title. Can God use me more with a change of title? Sure! For he has not called me to do anything by myself, but to plant a seed. I can sow a field but God will send others to help and more for the harvest.

Teacher of the Word of God in words and in actions.

You can call me what ever you'd like but God calls me his child.

Fundacón Amparo

This year our women's Bible study sponsored Fundación Amparo, a home for pregnant teenage girls. The girls come to the home when they find themselves in a difficult situation and their families cannot or will not help them. While at the home they receive a basic education, learn trade skills like baking or cosmotology and have times of devotions, studying the Bible and counseling. Technically they are allowed to stay as long as they want after the baby is born, but most through the training feel empowered and within a year ready to return to the world to stand on their own two feet. It really is a blessed ministry and we were all very touched by our visits with the girls and their adorable babies. All of the moms received pajamas and lotions. The babies received various gifts including clothes, toys, blankets, etc. Again, most of them will not receive much for Christmas, only what comes through strangers wanting to bless them. This was a very moving experience for me and a ministry that I would one day love to do. Please keep these girls in your prayers as they go through these tough times some at very, very young ages and, of course, for their beloved babies.
~Tona

Christmas for Angie

Working with LACC is always a blessing! This year I had a special privilege of doing the Christmas shopping for a few of our sponsors. This is Angie, one of the sweetest little girls in the poorest school in Bogota. She was very excited to receive so many nice gifts! Once she opened them all she would not go anywhere without carrying everything with her. She especially loved the teddy bear that she was constantly smelling and hugging. These gifts are most likely the only ones she will receive this Christmas. She was beaming the whole day! Thank you to her dear sponsors who have supported and given so many blessings to her!
~Tona

Clueless, Exhausted, or Moved by God

We were just at a camp for early youth. Tona and I were the leaders of one of four teams and we tag-teamed on preaching the Call of God on Sunday morning. I felt God tell me to throw away my notes and speak from my heart and so I did. Is my Spanish great? No. Was I nervous? The night before and the whole morning leading up to the service, I was, but at that moment I put it in God’s hands and trusted that he could do this. I started by preaching on the Call to Salvation (Acts 9:1-9) and then the immediate Call of God (Acts 9:10-19). God’s call to salvation comes in many ways as he shows in the life of Saul (Paul) and also in my own life. He also calls us to reach out to our enemies as shows with Ananias (the immediate call). Did they understand me? They were either clueless, exhausted, or moved by God. As I finished and turned it over to Tona this group of 12 to 16 year old kids were speechless and motionless. Did they understand my Spanish? Was I effective? Tona continued with the call God has for each of our lives. God is calling all of his children into a form of ministry whether it’s pastor, missionary, teacher, doctor or whatever you hear from God. We all want to serve the same Lord and allow him to use us however he chooses. There was no doubt that they understood Tona as they rushed forward for the altar call. God is good! To see hope in the eyes of a child that in many cases has one or no parents or unwanted, is a powerful experience. Did they understand me? Maybe, maybe not, but they understood Tona and they definitely understood that God has a plan for every one of them.

Can I preach? Maybe. Can Tona? Yes. Does God show his glory? Always!

Uncharted Territories

We've worked with youth for over 10 years. We've worked with children for somewhere around 5 years. The one age group we have never really focused on is the ever daunting middle school age. Why? I guess because they're kind of in that awkward stage between being a child and being a mature teenager. We have one of those in our house right now, so we're learning daily what this age has to offer. A couple of months ago we were asked to help out in the adolescent group at church. We've been getting to know the kids and we just went to camp with them for an amazing weekend! After spending time with them, I can't remember what we were so afraid of! They were funny and insightful, passionate and playful. In short, they were incredible!

This camp was different for us because usually we are helping out the leaders running around and doing whatever they need, but this time we were given our own group of kids. We were "Celeste" and our group consisted of all boys except for Maggie and one other girl, Heidy. We had to do a cheer and create a saying, etc. There were times for group devotions, games and lots of competition. The points didn't really matter and in the end we were all winners, but we had a blast! During our discussion times and devotional times we talked about what the kids wanted out of life and what life is like for them now. We discussed the ease of getting drugs in school and how to stay free of them. I may be bias, but I'm pretty sure we had the best group!

There were several services and Corey and I preached for one of them on "the call." Some of the kids talked to us afterwards about feeling called into missions or the ministry in one way or another.

Alex, true to his form, was in a different group and we barely saw him over the weekend, but he made some great friends and had a blast being the center of attention in his group. They were called "Estitch" because he had brought his Stitch stuffed animal with him.

It was a very blessed weekend and we look forward to spending more time with these wonderful adolescents!
~Tona

Stretch or be Stretched

Have you ever noticed that when you feel you’re at the end of the line (no energy, no mental capacity, frustrated to the “T”, etc.) that God is always right by your side? He never seizes to amaze me. I am frequently burnt out and yet more frequently on top of the world following after my lord, my savior, my teacher……

As you may have read some of our blogs concerning our adventures in missions, we have been stretched. Every part of ministry can have an exhausting emotional and/or physical drain on people. We have worked with Kid’s Camps, VBS, Construction and Evangelism Teams, churches… and have felt exhilarated and exhausted with each one. Pouring out oneself whole heartedly into ministry should have that affect. Why do we do it? Why would anyone put themselves through a rollercoaster of emotions again and again? The other option would be to remain a surface level minister, a minister with an arms length from the people. Sure that allows a little protection, but it allows walls to be put up. I don’t recall seeing any books on building up walls as being a good thing, except in my engineering books. God wants the walls torn down so there is nothing between him and his people. In a culture of NO personal space, walls would render a person useless. God calls each one of us to be stretched, to embrace the ministry that God has placed before us. Is a missionary greater than anyone else? God has called missionaries to certain parts of the world, pastors to reach their cities, Sunday school teachers to teach, business people to minister to their colleagues…… We all serve an important part in obeying the call of God. Only you and God know if you are obeying God’s call for your life. I tried for many years to resist God’s call. I argued, bargained with, and even tried to ignore God. Why God would call me to missions I can only hope to one day fully understand. I am learning a bit each day but to totally understand God is beyond my earthly body’s ability.

The reason I’m writing this blog is not about the call, but about obeying the call. If God asks you to walk out your front door, do you first sneak around the back of your house to peak at the front? You may decide not to answer or even ask "Who is it?" and ask God “WHY?” If you are asking why, then you are trying to peak at what is in front of the door. The most important part of our walk with God is FAITH. So, why don’t we exercise that faith? Why do we doubt God? He created us! He died for us! He conquered death so that we can be together with him for eternity! If he has already done that, can’t we walk out the front door? By using our faith we are stretching and by stretching our faith it will grow.

Step 1: Obey the call!

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Step 2: Stretch your faith!

Acts 9:1-19

God called Saul and stretched Ananias.

God stretch me. Allow me to walk in your grace, to seek after the calling you have for me. Please continue to call out to me and allow me to obey your will.