CHURCH ON THE PATIO

Waiting for the people to arrive.

That night years ago, about the time the sun went down I was wondering how we ever got into a situation like this. We stood in a little bare yard in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico listening to beautiful guitar music and gospel songs.  There were about 30 of us including the children. I looked up once to see chickens flying up into the shrubs to find a place to roost for the night. A couple of mongrel dogs started a fight in the street near us. This was no ordinary church service.

Juan Antonio Velozs and his wife had come to sing a few songs and join in fellowship, Juan had a good voice and played beautiful music. We all enjoyed the time together and were reluctant to leave.

Some of us drifted down the street to a widow’s house where we gathered under a single bare light bulb to read the Bible and pray together. There were many requests, people who were ill and  people who were making a new commitment to the Lord. It was a great time of sharing, an unusual church service outside under the stars and in a little house in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

Linda, holding a neighbor's baby.

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"  Psalm 133:1