Boomerang Blessings. Or not. It's Up to You.

I just read a good article in CNN about a massive wave of Puerto Rican migration that is now underway.

What does this mean for missions?

My first thought was this: What goes around comes around. 

A lot of people do not like Latino immigration and resist efforts to evangelise people groups that they do not like. But, like it or not, a massive wave of Puerto Rico immigration is happening right now. The question is, what will they bring with them in their luggage? Bibles or...other things. Will they come with Christ or without?

Missionary work, like ours here on the island, makes a difference. But not just on our island.

Missionary support helps missionaries do a work that not only changes lives for eternity, but it also has an affect on the kind of people who may very well become your next door neighbour.

Being a blessing to others is like a boomerang. It can come back to bless you. The only thing is, you have to give it a throw. It's up to you.

CNN: Why more Puerto Ricans are living in mainland U.S. than in Puerto Rico

"So many residents have left the island over the years that there are a million more Puerto Ricans living in the mainland United States (4.9 million as of 2011) than in Puerto Rico (3.7 million)"

A Shoot out on Saturday Makes for an Interesting Sunday.

I think our guardian angel is doing an excellent job.

This morning,  I noticed a new beggar on the street by my church. I walked past him on my way to the corner bakery, where I bought 3 lbs of bread for our after church snack time. I passed the beggar again on my way back to church.

He called out to me, "Pastor, help me buy some bread!"

I took one of the loaves and went to hand it to him. He stopped me.

"No," He complained, "You don't understand. I don't want the bread. I need money to buy bread latter. It's for my Aunt. Could you give me money?"

"Well, then," I said, "I can't help you."

After church started, I noticed that he suddenly ran by our church steps, up a hill with another guy, and into the back yard of a neighbour. They grabbed a shirt with a number on it and started waving it around the street. Other people took notice and left.

"What is going on?" I asked a street person who attends our church.

"It s from the shoot out last night." Mike said, "One of our people was shot in the leg. The guys who did it came back. Everyone is running around trying to find them and catch them"

"Are we in danger?" I asked

Mike replied, "Well, I don't think so. They won't shoot anybody in the church on purpose. But if they find the guys who did it and start shooting, someone may get hit with a "Bala Perdida," (stray bullet)."

I announced in church for everybody to be careful on the way home, but nobody seemed alarmed. Just another day in our little town in the mountains of Puerto Rico.

We made it home alright. Praise God for His watch care over us on the mission field. If you pray for your missionaries, your prayers were just answered.

Thanks you!

Small Kids, Big Steps

Last Saturday, I could not attend AWANA (kid's club) so I asked the mother of one our most faithful families to run the program for us. She did.

This is her 9 year old daughter that helped mom lead the singing for the smaller kids. After the meeting, she asked her mom if she could be baptized!

Some might not value a 9 year old being baptized as a big deal. But it is.

At today's meeting, a little kindergarten age Sparkie said one memory verse.

That is a big deal also.

These little kids are taking steps in a direction that can change their lives and the world they live it. Praise God for small kids making big steps for God.

[Our littlest Puerto Rican Sparkie says her memory verse and is proud of herself, as well she should be!]

Tina Comes Home

My wife Tina spent 3 weeks helping my daughter Rachel and our son-in-law Max after the arrival of Josiah, our newest grandchild. Tina cared for 4 of the kids while Rachel spent time recovering and concentrating on the newborn.



Tina enjoyed spending quality time with the grandkids, and was happy to give Rachel a helping hand. But she is also glad to get back to her own house and get some rest herself!

She is pretty important around here and I am glad she returned!

Here is a little video of her time away: little Stephen, not quite 2 years old, reads Tina his alphabet book.

Church Growth Secret: Ladies with Notebooks

I notice that when ladies come to church with notebooks things start to change and the church grows.

The last few banquets we had were thought of and planned by our ladies. We had at least two visitors from that.

Last week they started a Friday Morning Women's Bible Study. Today in church they gave a testimony about speaking to an ex church member and about their plan on visiting her and helping her with some issues.

This morning, they took over a room in the church and made it into a makeshift nursery and asked me for about $50 for a table cloth and a small rug. I gave them $100 and told them to make it nice.

I have found that the best way to grow a work is to find people who are excited about serving the Lord and then giving them as much encouragement as possible.

Sometimes a pastor needs to know when to say "No," this is true. But it is also true that saying "Yes" to the right people at the right time can be the beginning of a great time of advancement.

I am glad that we have the kind of people that I can say "yes" to and that our church can enjoy the fruit that results from their good work.

I am thinking that next year we might just buy all of the ladies notebooks for Christmas!

Black Hearted Mariners, and Little Girls too, Have Something to Sing About.

We learned a new song (lyrics below) today together with our Sunday school kids. It is about how Jesus is a great Captain and how he can salvage the blackest hearted mariner who surrenders to Him.
Catchy tune too.

Here are the Lyrics to "YO TENGO UN BARCO" (I have a boat)

  Am                                   E
// YO TENGO UN BARCO QUE NAVEGA POR LA MAR,
                       Am
Y JESUCRISTO ES EL CAPITÁN //

           Dm                    Am
// LOS MARINEROS QUE BOGAN A SU LADO
                    E                  Am   -A
SON ALMAS QUE HAN LAVADO SU NEGRO CORAZÓN //

                 Am             E
/ SI NO HUBIERA SIDO POR EL SEÑOR,
               E7           Am   -A
SI NO HUBIERA SIDO POR EL SEÑOR /

       Dm                Am
// MI ALMA SE HUBIERA PERDIDO,
               E            Am
SI NO HUBIERA SIDO POR EL SEÑOR //

We Need Help with a Short Summer Furlough. Can You Help?

Can you help this Summer for a visit to Washington State, Idaho or Montana?

We are planning a visit to Eastern Washington the early part of this coming July for a missionary meeting. We need help with airfare, hospitality and also help in filling out our schedule with more missionary meetings. We have June open and mid-to the end of July available.

Tina and I hope to visit old friends, make some new ones and also share our ministry in reaching US Latinos through the back door of Puerto Rico. Our ministry may dove tail well with churches wishing help in a similar outreach.

Please let us know if we can spend the night, borrow a car, preach in your church or help you with your personal ministry in any way.

May God Bless You and Yours,

Steve and Tina Prelgovisk

Prelgovisk@yahoo.com

3315 Calle 31

Sierra Bayamon

Bayamon, PR 00961 USA

Prayer Letter: Click, Download, Print, Share & Pray.

Scroll down to the bottom of the post and you will see a download button.
Or you may read it online here: Prelgovisk Prayer letter Jan-Feb 2014

How We Saved the Chocolate Exchange

My wife Tina is in Pensacola, Florida helping our daughter Rachel with her recovery, following the birth of her 5th child. This is great for them, but it made for a lonely Valentine's day here in Puerto Rico.

It was anything but lonely today.

I drove 3 college kids up to the church and we got an early start, setting things up. But the electricity was out! Not an auspicious beginning.

I called up the Sunday school classes that were in the church basement and we had them work quietly in the foyer area so they could use the light. We missed the coffee, but survived this depravation and soldiered on.

We made plans earlier for a chocolate exchange, but postponed it and took our chocolates with us to a family style restaurant, where we ate a great meal together.

The food was definitely all Puerto Rican. I had Mofongo and Shrimp. Mofongo is a dish made of mashed, plantain bananas and is baked with chunks of deep fried pork skin inside it. Our deacon Luis across from me was eating a soup that was a bit strange looking. I found out why. It was pigs feet stewed in a brown gravy. Despite how it sounds, it was great. Definitely Puerto Rican comfort food.

We brought all of the chocolate from the church to the restaurant with us. Everyone got out the chocolate they brought. Some had just one candy bar, others a whole box of Valentine candy, while others came with bags of "Fun Size" variety pack candy bars.

The ladies made slips of paper and wrote all the names of the people with chocolates. We each drew names and waited till every person had a slip. Then the first person who drew the name stood up and said something nice about the person they had drawn, without revealing the name. Then they would walk around the table, and we would have to wait to see who got the present.

We had a lot of laughter and attracted a bit of positive attention in the restaurant, which was unplanned, but a great testimony for our church.

We had about 27 in church Sunday morning, but more than 30 came to the restaurant with us. It was nice to have a chance to have a good time of fun, food and fellowship with our church family and maybe some of the latecomers will be joining us in the future as full fledged members.

Who is happy now?

Some friends of mine confessed to not becoming missionaries because they would miss their "comforts." 

I thought of that this February, while checking out our banana tree in the back yard.  

I thought of it again when I saw all the posts about blizzards. 

And then I smiled.

From Goats to Sheep

I read a passage where those who neglect acts of kindness toward others are called "Goats" while those who do them are called "Sheep."

We had an unexpected "sheep" kind of week.

A poor man that attends our church told me how he was cold at night and was shivering during a bout of illness. He mentioned that he only had one bed sheet and had difficulty staying warm at night. Tina overheard our conversation.

When we were alone, She said, "We have a blanket in storage that isn't being used. I would like to give that to Mike."

The next Saturday when I was giving devotions to our small AWANA club, I saw him out front of the church and invited him in. I gave him the blanket and a small amount of money for some medicine, we shared some food and he went on his way.

Sunday morning he was at church bright and early and eager to share something. Before we started Sunday school, he came forward and asked to say something.

Mike's hands trembled as he spoke, "I want to thank Tina for her gift of a blanket."

He turned towards my wife and said, "Tina, I was cold and sick and you gave me a blanket. Thank you."

I had goosebumps when I heard those words, because they brought to mind these words:

"Matt 2533 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me....40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’"

I am grateful to my sympathetic wife, an unexpected opportunity, and a thankful, needy individual that we were able to hear words like this, expressed in a public way, in our church on a Sunday morning. 

I am also glad that we have a God who is the kind of God who cares about things like this. What a privilege to belong to His flock!

High Tech is Fun, But It's the People That Make the Difference.

"Missions is about People: Here are mine" Steve Prelgovisk, Puerto Rico

I was a guest speaker at a large church a while ago and got to see a few other missionary presentations.
I was surprised at what the people around me said about two of them. They lauded the high tech presentation and spoke well about the "sharp" missionary who made it. Later they spoke poorly of the other missionary because of lack of "professionalism" in his video.

I saw something entirely different.

The "slick" video had only the missionary, his family and a few props. The "poor presentation" was full of people and showed the missionary interacting with hundreds of people during the week.

My take-a-way was this: One missionary was good at reaching people for Christ and the other was good at learning film making. I would rather support a missionary that has people skills than tech skills because missions is about people.

Technology is great, but it can never take the place of a missionary with an open Bible in a persons house, presenting the gospel. If that isn't happening, missions isn't happening.

Teaching the Bible Somewhere Every Single Day

Some of our bests results in teaching the Bible come from other days in the week, not just on Sundays.

Saturdays: The Little girls in the 2 min video below are in one of our AWANA classes (A Kid's Bible Club) that we are giving Saturdays between 10 an 11:30 AM. You don't have to speak Spanish to see they are learning and enjoying it.

Monday through Friday Mornings: At a Christian school near where I live, I give devotions to 7th graders 3 morning a week and I also teach a Bible class to 9th graders twice a week. We also have a chapel on Thursdays. I took a "selfie" with some of the kids behind me.

Tuesday Night: I am a Civil Air Patrol Chaplain.

Wednesday Night: Prayer Meeting

Sundays: We teach and preach the Word on Sundays in a church we are planting in Puerto Rico, but it doesn't have to stop on Sundays! I love the fact that we have the privilege to share the Word of God that can change lives here in Puerto Rico every day of the week.

The little girls learned these verses: John 3:16,  1 John 4:14, Romans 1:16, and 1 Cor 15:3

Helping College Kids Who Make Our Country Better.

A girl from the Dominican Republic, Genesis Robles, is attending our Bible College here in Puerto Rico and hopes to help us in our church. She got some good news that will allow her to stay and help us. 

Her good news is our good news.

Another of our Sunday school teachers, Adaia from Barcelona, Spain, is working also on getting her papers and permits.

With all the illegal activity and questionable immigration practices today, it is a blessing to help quality people who actually improve the places they go though their good hard work and Godly character.

Here is a video I made on my Ipod of Adaia singing for a Women's Retreat our ladies organised:

"Acaso Ignoras Aquel Momento?" means " Will you perhaps miss that moment?" 

This is a Christian song about he danger of neglecting to respond to God's calling when you can and not miss out.

Earthquake Wakeup Call

I had heard there were earthquakes in Puerto Rico, but never felt a big one until last night.

Tina told a friend, "At first I thought Sarah was kicking the couch. Then Steve ran in and we all went running for doorways when the house really started shaking. The Christmas tree was really swaying"

We checked online and read that it was a 6.5 magnitude quake. Even though it was 50 some miles NW of us, it was scary enough. To me, it did not so much feel like a shaking or a rattling temblor, but more like the ground underneath me was sliding from side to side and moving up and down, as if a shallow wave passed underneath.

They tell me there was a big one in 1918 that destroyed much of a large town on the west coast and killed 114 people, 40 of them from a 20 foot tsunami wave. Such stories seem so far a way they have little impact. But it was only 4 years ago that the big quake levelled Haiti, one of our neighbouring islands here in the Caribbean.

So...

Another reason to pray for your missionaries has been found! Please do so. There is no feeling so helpless as when you find yourself in an earthquake. They come without warning and you can't tell how bad it will be or when it will end.  Your prayer make a difference and knowing that you pray for us is a great comfort and encouragement.

PS. I have a Ham radio license (WP4NVR) and am trying to acquire some equipment that will give us emergency communication capabilities. We have a generator and an old (a 1989 Kenwood TS-680S) Ham radio, but no hand held radios for local communications. I would like to get a 2 meter hand held or a dual bander for local emergency work. I am looking at some low end radios: The Alinco DJ V57T and the Wouxun KG-UV3D. If you could help us acquire some emergency equipment like this, I would appreciate it.

"Pastor, We have a special bag, just for you."

I hear a lot of winter angst from my Stateside friends, so experiences like this put a smile on my face and help me feel good about being on the mission field.

A church member approached me outside the church and said, "Pastor, We have a special bag, just for you."

I saw Miguel Nieves ("Mike Snow" in English) pull two big bags out of the back of his big pickup truck.

He said, "The smaller one is for you, they are the best ones."

I looked inside and they were full of huge grapefruits.

I slipped the "special offering" into the hatch back of our Honda Fit and then helped carry the larger bag into the church. It was so heavy that it took both of us to haul it in.

Mike announced to everyone that he had finished his late December grapefruit harvest and wanted to share it with everyone in the church.

Sometimes we talk about contributing to the church in the form of "spiritual fruit," but Miguel showed us that sometimes just plain fruit can be a real blessing too.

Especially after eating all of those Christmas cookies.

Puerto Ricans Do Christmas Different

First of all, Christmas is so loooong here! From the week-end after Thanksgiving till the Sunday following Jan 6 is Christmas! 

The main Puerto Rican holiday is not Christmas, but Three Kings day, on January 6th. To celebrate, the kids keep shoe boxes under their beds filled with grass for the horses of the wise men. In Puerto Rico, the wise men always ride horses, never camels.

Then their parents sneak in at night and take the grass out and put the presents in the shoe boxes. In the morning the kids find the grass gone, proof that the wise men came and fed their horses the grass. The presents left behind are in gratitude for the kindness of the children for feeding their horses. 

I like this because at least it is more from the Bible than many of our traditions..

But because the United States now governs Puerto Rico, they celebrate Dec 25th with American customs besides just the January 6th festival. Christmas here now comes complete with inflatable snowmen and reindeer in the yards. Of course all the kids want presents on BOTH Christmas AND Reyes (Three Kings Day)! 

We have an unusual custom called Matutinos (Ma too TEEN ohs). It involves sneaking up on houses in the middle of the night and singing until they invite you in for a snack. Our church people do it every year and it is a lot of fun. We used to do it till 4 AM some weekends, but I guess I am getting older, because I am ready to head for home after midnight! 

Of course, if you stay at home, they may sneak up on you! Nothing like having 25 or so surprise guests drop by in the middle of the night for coffee and snacks! Of course we read the bible story of Christmas and sing Christmas hymns. It is a lot of fun, but it does take a little getting used to! Fortunately for us, that didn't take too long.

Our Daughter Bethany & Husband Abe Begin Adoption Fundraiser

Bethany (our daughter) and her husband Abe serve in the youth ministry of Southgate Baptist Church, in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

While they minister to the youth of this mission field, they have no children of their own.

They have been approved by the adoption agency, but are just beginning the long and expensive journey of the adoption process. Please be an encouragement to them and give them some help. Your prayers and financial support would be a great blessing to them.

They just started a blog and have kicked off a 10 day fundraising drive. Get a t-shirt, send a note or make a contribution. The link below will tell you how.

Here is their address and email: 

Abe and Bethany Kennedy

P.O. Box 24248

Christiansted, VI 00824
artistbethanykennedy@yahoo.com
Paypal

The Kennedy's Adoption Journey: Hope is my Anchor Fundraiser: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..." Heb. 6:19a Our first adoption fundraiser starts t...

A Death Notice and a Birthday Party in one Sunday Morning

(Note the man at 0.01 sec, on the left, in the orange shirt and white coat with the gray and black stripes. This is Juan, and this story is about a tragedy and a celebration involving him and me.)

Last Sunday, I was proud to let one of our deacons preach. He studied hard for a class on sermon preparation and wanted to give one of his sermons for our church. So I got comfortable and was enjoying the sermon when one of our ladies called me to the back. I saw the same deacon's wife sobbing and a few people clustered around her praying.

"Juan died" I was told.

Juan was her brother. Tina and I had just visited Juan in the hospital, where he received Christ as his Saviour. He attended 2 services after returning home and asked us to hold a special afternoon service in his home, which we did.

Juan was in his mid-fifties I believe. He had a great sense of humor and was usually the life of the party. He had started chemo therapy and we were expecting him to be around for a few more years at least.

Well, after this sad turn of events, Tina said someone wanted me in the back of the church. I expected to hear more of the same kind of news, but I walked into a birthday celebration, complete with a cake with my name on it and 1 candle.

That is quite a range of emotion for one Sunday morning church service.

What was especially poignant about this was this: I had prostate cancer surgery in June and celebrated my birthday last Sunday. My doctor wrote "Cancer free" on my last exam. Juan found out about his cancer a few months after I discovered mine. The same Sunday I celebrated another year of life was the day he died.

Because of my own struggle with cancer, I was able to witness to Juan with some good results. Please continue your prayers for our family. Our struggles have been rewarded, but they are still struggles and we need your prayers and support to stay healthy and remain fruitful in the work of missions.

Former Non-Christian Fiancee of a Church Member Confesses and Blesses.

After church today, Carlos came and sat next to me.

He said, "Pastor, I haven't been here in a while, but I want to take advantage of my visit today to tell you something."

Not knowing what to expect I said, "OK. What do you have in mind?"

Carlos smiled and said, "You know that when I was engaged to my wife, I was not a believer and neither of us was serving the Lord. But you were open minded and willing to council with us. Because of your challenge, we decided to begin our marriage as believers and have a Christian family. Today, both of us are serving the Lord. Thank you. If we can ever help you in any way, we will be there for you"

I remembered that, indeed, they were in an unequal relationship. But instead of outright rejecting their idea of matrimony, I decided upon another strategy. I said that I would consider it, if they came to 3 premarital counseling sessions.

During the second session I said, "I can't marry unequal pairs. I could marry two sheep or two goats, but I can't marry a sheep to a goat. I will do the wedding on this condition: 1. You both become sheep (Christians) or 2. That one of you rejects your faith and you both become goats (non-Christians).

They looked doubtful, but I said," I do not want an answer this week. Talk about it among yourselves. Decide. Do not give me an answer I want to hear. Tell me the truth about the foundation you wish to build your future family upon. It is a big decision. Take your time. I hope to hear that you both deide to found your family in Christ, but whatever you decide, you should be united."

I am glad Carlos and his wife decided in favor of Christ and that they have built their young family upon the rock of his teachings. He came by today to thank me for his happiness and the part we played in his decision. It was a blessing to hear that, but I didn't make the difference in his life, Christ did. I am happy though to have had a part in introducing him to someone who makes all the difference.

What a Monkey Experiment Taught Me About Being Thankful

I was surprised by the results of this interesting and funny experiment on the roots of discontentment and envy.

A monkey throws away food that made it happy when it sees another monkey get better food, even though they were both doing the same amount of work. The food for the monkey on the left remained the same. It made him happy before. The animal was the same and the reward was the same. The only thing that changed was his expectations. Seeing someone get more raised them. After that, his pleasure was replaced by rage.

The expectations that someone has are internal things. Being internal,  they should be under the control
of one's mental processes. Learning some self control, celebrating the success of friends, being content with what you have are also internal conditions. The internal landscape we posses does not have to be tossed about by the chaos of emotional torments. It can be cultivated and ordered to bring about peace in our inner world.

True peace doesn't come from getting what the other guy has, because there will always be somebody that has more than you. True peace comes from being thankful for what we do have and learning to be content with what we have received.

Sleep Update

Because of some nagging hip pain, I struggle with sleep deprivation. I am able to do my work, but getting 4 hours of sleep or so a night over many months makes me feel really ragged during the day.

Searching for the cause of this led to finding cancer in my prostrate and having it removed this Summer, so I can be thankful (kind of) for that.

But the problem persisted.

Last month, I went and saw a specialist in arthritis and he prescribed a medicine called Gabapentin or Neurontin. It worked great. I have been able to get back to my 6 hour a night schedule and I feel a lot better.

Thanks to God, your prayers and modern medicine, I feel a lot better.

Fellowship of Suffering

My prostate cancer experience has opened some doors.

Tina and I visited a man named Juan in the hospital. He was there because of a tumor affecting his lung.  Juan used to attend our church in the past, but he showed little interest in taking serious thought about his life. That is until recently.

When he found out he had lung cancer and the prognosis was bad, his attitude changed. Juan listened intently to my story of cancer and recovery. He decided it was time to get serious and prayed with me.

 Sunday, he was in pain, but he came to church anyway. Later he invited us to hold an afternoon service in his home. He is having a lot of emotional ups and downs, but is finding comfort and encouragement in our church and in fellowship with our people.

I have been accused in the past of having an exaggerated sense of humor myself. I still have it. But my encounter with cancer has provided what some people call "gravitas" or a serious side. It has served as a bridge to share and sympathise in the sufferings of others.

Please pray for Juan and myself. I think we can each help each other, as God helps us both.

We teach kids new songs, But then this happened...

On our way to church, I stopped by the college dorms and picked up two of our Sunday School teachers. Adaia, our student from Barcelona, Spain, came out and was depressed. I asked her what happened.

She sighed and said "Pastor, I made song sheets for the kids, but then I put them on an ironing board just a minute ago, and I guess someone spilled water on it, because it soaked through and ruined the song sheets."

I told her it was OK. We used what we could and the kids had fun anyway. Later I took the college girls to Office Max and we loaded up on new poster board, colored markers and stuff to decorate them.

We appreciate our workers and consider any money spent encouraging them as money well spent.

(In the video, we sing Joshua 1:8 "Nunca se apartará de tu boca este libro de la ley, sino que de día y de noche meditarás en él, para que guardes y hagas conforme a todo lo que en él está escrito; porque entonces harás prosperar tu camino, y todo te saldrá bien."

In English: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success")