banner of events
Even with lots of advance planning we find that we can never improve upon God's timing.
I must admit that it seemed to be more than an inconvenience when the hotel where we'd made a down-payment in January called at the end of April to tell us that they were closing...especially since the Summit was starting in two weeks!  It also seemed a bit out-of-season when Jonathan came home...in May...and asked me for Thanksgiving decorations to take to school.  "Oh yeah," Ricardo adds, "we're also scheduled to speak to a marriage class at another church this Saturday."  And in the midst of teaching 3 classes, hosting and speaking at the Summit, and helping the church transition to a new location, Ricardo's next book is finally nearly ready for publishing.  And yet, as we reflect on the whirlwind of May, once again God's timing has proved to be perfect!
Fortunately, the Dates were the Only Things Set in Stone
All attendees
Summit Attendees
I guess we've been working on the details for the Latin American Leadership Summit since November of last year.  I'm sure other newsletters will be written with details about the excellent teaching that the leaders of 13 countries received from Bruce Bennett on community church planting, about the pastoral formation teaching (a team effort of Delia Nüesch-Olver, Paul Olver, Ricardo and Jason Morriss), about the networking and pastoral care relationships that were created and strengthened, about the rainy city tour and more, but today I want to highlight
Our team in Medellin
The Summit host team
something else because I couldn't help but marvel at the awesomeness of our Event Planner!  (By the way, if you want those other stories, you might want to be watching www.latinamericaarea.com.  I hope to be posting detailed stories there in the next couple of weeks.)

While Ricardo, Pastor John Jairo, Pastora Susana and I worked on small details, THE Event Planner was orchestrating the whole thing!  When we reserved the hotel in January, Hotel Vivre hadn't
Meeting room
Mtg Room Prayer
even opened yet!  When "our" hotel closed, they suggested the brand new Hotel Vivre only one block away. As it turns out, the Summit was the first event to be hosted in that hotel and their 10th floor conference room thatoverlooked the city couldn't have been a better setting for a meeting about multiplying churches, leaders, and disciples in the urban centers of Latin America!

In addition, as the meeting took place, we were able to make important connections with local people.  Camilo, the young man in charge of the meeting room space, ate up all of the teaching and had excellent questions for Pastor John Jairo.  They continue to be in touch.  We also noticed that we had to step in several times to translate for hotel staff and other guests...so we've already had a meeting and are now making a proposal to begin teaching English classes at the Hotel Vivre... as a first step in perhaps planting a church in this sector of the city.  Nothing is set in stone but we're sure that God led us to this hotel and so we know that He will direct and guide us once again!!  Please pray that we will remain flexible and open to His leading and pray for our new friends at the Hotel Vivre!
The Regularly...and Not-So-Regularly Scheduled Ministry
Steban and his wife, Estela
Steban and Stella

Ricardo's Theology of Mission classes are wrapping up.  The online students will have their final exam later this week.  Today the on campus class wrapped up with student presentation about their recent mission trip.   One student, Steban, summed up the weekend by saying, "I realized that the education we receive here is not for us, but rather tools that God will use through us for the church and the people we serve."  Yeah!  Steban gets it!  (And it will be nice for Ricardo to have a 5 week break from classes and grading now.)

Alpha for Couples materials
Alpha materials
We've continued to serve lunches to 4 students two days a week and most Sundays we have at least one student eating with us.  The times of fellowship are great.  Ricardo concluded this semester's counseling/mentoring work this week and we've begun counseling a young dating couple on campus.  In that same line of work...we began leading another Alpha for Couples course in May at a lower income church in the city.   Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures but it was fun to delve back into the all-to-familiar material...but material that is worth repeating on a regular basis for the good of our relationship as well as that of others.
Pastoral Ethics book

While continuing to work preparing on-line classes for the Free Methodist ordination/Biblical Seminary of Colombia partnership, Ricardo's book on Pastoral Ethics is in the final steps of getting ready for publication.  It has been an ongoing project for many years and it will be great to see it in print!  We're so thankful to a former student, David Ruiz, who has diligently worked to design and edit it!

When not working on preparing for, hosting, or wrapping up the Latin American Leadership Summit, I picked up what may become a new ministry.   The pre-elemenatry English teacher invited me first to read stories in English to the kids on national book day and then invited me back a few times to help the teacher (Pre-K through 2nd grade) with their English pronunciation.  It is a joy to give back to the school that has served Juliana and Jonathan so well, especially since I don't have to teach grammar...just pronunciation!

Speaking of J and j, I also spent a lot of time shuttling them back and forth to doctor and dentist appointments this month.   Jonathan continues to do well as we slowly add foods to his diet.  We've decided that beans are definitely off the menu as he reacted strongly to those, and we're still testing to see if coconut will work as a milk replacer.  The orthodontist wanted to install a new apparatus in his mouth to help straighten his jaw this month, but decided to wait when he heard about all of the medical challenges he's had.  In 4 to 6 months we'll revisit that issue.   Meanwhile, Juliana is scheduled to get braces on next Tuesday.  I've never seen a girl so excited about getting braces!!!
Oh yes, and then there was that Thanksgiving celebration.   It turns out that Jonathan's class was reading a story about a Chinese family's first celebration of Thanksgiving in the USA and all of the cultural learning that ensued.   Since we've never really celebrated Thanksgiving in Colombia, we didn't have any decorations readily available so Jonathan suggested that we take a pie.  Together we made miniature apple pies (that he couldn't eat) and then I took them to school and shared with the kids about Thanksgiving.  When I did, I reminded them how important it is to always be thankful...no matter what day it is.  You see, Thanksgiving in May really isn't out-of season and God's timing really is perfect!!!
The Gomezes in Medellín

We are thankful for each and every one of you!  Thank you for your support though prayer, through notes of encouragement and through giving!  May God bless each of you and bring you peace!

Love,
Ricardo, Beth, Juliana and Jonathan

PS  We got new pictures taken this month too.  This is the one that you'll see on our FMWM website. (Photo Credit:  Andrea Chika)
  The Gomez Family | US phone 1 (859) 559-0628 | Whatsapp +57 (317) 730-5344 
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