The Traveling Tome Returns to Home

Now back in the states, I quickly acclimate to piles of laundry and desk work.  The regular routine rapidly returns, and the Chile trip soon will be a great collection of ministry, memories and photographs.  What a blessing.

Even on the last morning, we fine-tuned items in the library and turned over passwords, instructions, and flash drives to Sharon, Kathy, Linda, Leslie, and Bob.  The Rubins provided a delicious last-lunch-in-Chile, one of the traditional dishes--cazuela, and we all had a good meal together there at the school.

Our trip home, thanks to prayers and pilots, went smoothly and was slightly ahead of schedule on both legs. Getting through the Atlanta customs and immigration was long and seamless--although at immigration, the agent did grill me more than usual (Where do you live in the US? How long were you in Chile? What were you doing in Chile? What type of volunteer work? etc.) The other two ladies got "Have a nice day." Hmm.

Anyway, apparently I seemed harmless and they let me through to the good-ol-USA.  All our luggage arrived, and our rides picked us up on the other side.  Colleen picked me up and we drove straight to the Dayton VA medical center so I could give hubby a hug.

On the way home, Colleen asked me, "So, what was the highlight of the trip?" That came quickly to my mind -- absolutely the people.  Even though I love the work of organizing and cataloging all those great books, what makes these trips special is the people -- three groups specifically.

First of all, the kids for whom we do the service.  I have a special place in my heart for missionary and third-culture kids.  Mostly from having worked with and loved so many of them (four of them being my own, of course). MKs and TCKs go through a lot of different journeys than many do, and through any service the Lord has me share with them, I am blessed.

The second group of people--the ABWE Chile team.  This bunch of people offers so much to so many. They sacrifice on the field and pull together to get every job done even if they were not originally the ones planning on doing that "every job."  Plus, they offer so much hospitality and care to those who come to minister with them.  Huge blessing.

Lastly, the people that make this ministry SO great are the members of the team.  Last year with Ginger working with us, and this year with Debbie--how I appreciated getting to know both of them.  Along with Dr. Beverly Monroe--all of them work diligently and with shared responsibilities and with vision of a ministry completed for the kingdom and its people.

I love getting to know these women better, and what a privilege to work together. THANK YOU, each of you!

Please pray for us as we travel back to the US on Wednesday, July 13.  We have finished up in the library, and my numbers yesterday may have been a little high.  I am certain that we handled that many books (over 4000), but the actual count of entries is lower than 4000.  And we definitely reached that glorious 10,600 mark. The shelves are neat, and I guess I better take one more photo tomorrow, but here's a recent one...

Phew, the time comes quickly to a close, and the Lord has blessed our time with great progress.

Today, after processing around 3600 books in these few weeks (it's hard to count because some we take out, then we add others, then we fine-tune others and reprint labels--so that's an estimate), we reached the count of 10,600 books in the SCA school library.  We did work 15 work days, usually between 8am and 5 or 6 pm.

On Wednesday (July 13), we return to the states (we'll be there by the 14th, early).  Pray for safe travels.

BLAST FROM THE PAST:  Over the weekend, we visited an area some 60km southeast of here with Becky Patten.  On the way we stopped  see James and Coletta Morsey.  Back in 1996, both the Pattens and the Morseys were in language school with us in Texas.  Well, actually the Pattens were ahead of us a term, and of course, many others were studying, too, but its neat to be back all together for an "instant."

After spending several hours of snacking and catching up on memories and ministry, we got back in Becky's little red car and continued southward.  Another stop was at the Chile's military club and also at Casa del Bosque (house of the forest)... which reminded me of something from Tolkien's Shire (or upon seeing pictures, Colleen decided it looked like something from Dr. Seuss).

We went on to visit another favorite (with good reason) spot of Becky's, that of Cascada de Animas (Cascade of Spirits).  We enjoyed some good walking through forest paths with mountain views and a great restaurant at the end.  Beautiful sights and delicious dishes.

On Sunday, Doug and Sharon Kreeger took us to their church -- Living Hope BaptistChurch -- where the Rubins also minister.  We enjoyed listening to Mark Rubin teach adult Sunday School, and then Pastor Christian interrogate all the Sunday School classes over what they had just learned. We heard the littlest ones recite a memory verse in strong unison, the youth sing a chorus, and finally we heard Pastor Doug share a message regarding the importance of following the Bible as the map for our lives.

Our last two really sweet times of fellowship included dining with Sharon and Doug Kreeger at a churrasqueria on Sunday, and having rotisserie chickens with the Amundsens on Monday evening -- in spite of the fact that the latter are in the middle of moving between houses. But we were eager to spend time with these friends from our time at Sojourn and to meet their adopted toddler girls.

From 8:00-5:00:  And so you are asking, "with all this great visiting, when do you do any work?"  Well, of course we do work, but I'm not sure you really want to read about me entering data into the computer, finding new books to exchange with old ones, printing off labels, loading and unloading computer programs, labeling books (which is actually a two-step process, and maybe a four-step process if you have to prepare pockets and cards, too), and then the part that I personally dislike the most--shelving the books--all in perfect order (which actually I do like the order).  Today we worked on reading shelves, which means finding mistakes and putting things in final perfect order.  Plus, I made labels for the shelves so that the elementary kids can find their books on rocks, on David's flocks, and Seuss's Sox.

"When God created the world he had a handful of everything left: mountains, rainforests, deserts, oceans, cactus, lakes, glaciers, volcanoes-and he put it all in his pocket. But there was a hole in this pocket, and as God walked across heaven it all trickled out, and the long trail it made on the earth was Chile."  -- anonymous

The Traveling Tome: Thursday Night Bible Study

A summary of the Bible study given @San Nicolas Tabernacle Bible Baptist Church (Iglesia Biblica Bautista - El Tabernaculo de San Nicolas).

Dios quiere que vivimosen Él, una vida abundante – no de la abundancia de las riquezas del mundo, pero una abundancia que es delas riquezas de gozo y paz y los frutos del Espíritu. Y parte de esta abundancia es el regalo del trabajo, el labor.

God wants for His children whodwell with Him an abundant life (John 15; John 10:9-11).  Not an abundant life based upon the riches of this world, but rather one based on the riches of joy and peace and allthe fruits of the Spirit.  

And part of that abundance is His gift of work,of labor.  The labor He gave us – rightfrom the start in the Garden of Eden – provides care for the earth and care forothers; it provides purposefulness and progress. 

Then Godsaid, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds ofthe heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over everycreeping thing that creeps on the earth...And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." ...The LORDGod took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keepit.                         Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15 

The gift of labor came to mankind beforeour fall into sin. Work is not part of the curse, it is not a sentence resulting from our disobedience to God.

Yet many of our culture andtime consider it just that – a curse.  Youth avoid it like theplague and come to hate anything that resembles hard work.  As adults we complain about our jobs and work only toward some future vacation and/or retirement--some period when we hope to enjoy life instead of having to work. And at all ages, we look down at so many jobs as below our standards and abilities.

These lies of Satan keep usfrom finding purposefulness and satisfaction in the jobs we have before usdaily.  We are not to look forward to some day when we can enjoy life instead of having to work--we are to look forward to the day ahead of us and the opportunities each day provides.  Even the routine and "base" jobs are important for our earth and community tofunction.  Yet our society looks down on those who have to “settle.”

Why is work so important to God? I do not dare to understand the mind of God and venture to speak for Him, but part of the importance of work comes from that very way He created us in His image. Remember in Genesis 1:26, where God states "let us create man in our image." This plural pronoun refers to the Trinity. God Himself is a relationship-oriented being: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person completes one another within their Being--in ways that we only have glimpses of. Passages such as John 8:54 speak of Jesus glorifying the Father; in John 17:5, Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him. Other passages speak to the Persons of the Trinity working together in unity (I Peter 1:2; Acts 2:33-38; John 15:26; Luke 3:22). 

Just as the Three-in-One work in harmony and complete each other in purpose, God has created us to be relational beings and to complete each other in purpose. He wants us to bring each other into His kingdom and enable us to grow closer to the Godhead and more like Christ. That is our purpose through the work we do – to enrich others in the kingdom, even while on this earthly ground.

How can we do this? Well, have you ever seen one of those “one another” lists. These are reminders on how to increase and enrich one another through work and relationships in our earthly and eternal communities. Each one of these could be a sermon in itself on how to glorify God through glorifying others, but for now, use this list as a reminder of how God wants you to live out your job today.

·        “…Loveone another…” (John 13:34-35; John 15:12, 17)
·        “…Bepatient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2)
·        “Carryeach other’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2)
·        “Speakto one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19)
·        “…Instructone another” (Romans 15:4)
·        “Livein harmony with one another…” (Romans 12:16)
·        “…Stoppassing judgment on one another” (Romans 14:13)
·        “Acceptone another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” (Romans 15:7)
·        “Encourageone another” (I Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)
·        “Throughlove serve one another.”  (Galatians 5:13)
·        “…makeyour love increase and overflow for each other” (I Thessalonians 3:12)
·        “Encourageone another” (I Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)
·        “…Buildeach other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11)
·        “Encourageone another daily…” (Hebrews 3:13)
·        “Spurone another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24)
·        “…Prayfor each other” (James 5:16)
·        “Offerhospitality to one another without grumbling” (I Peter 4:9)
·        “Eachone should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (I Peter 4:10)

That last one especially touches on the theme of using our work to help one another…. Remember, too, the parable of the good servant who invested his money/talents for the master and was rewarded for the bounty he presented (Matthew 25:21). With what was he rewarded? With greater responsibility. With more work! The Lord God values work and considers it worthy of being a reward for those who are faithful.

We need to match our view of labor and work to His. Moreover, we need to teach our children and grandchildren the Kingdom Joy of work.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature. II Peter 1:3-4

future discussion

, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,⁷and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Another time we should talk about how God has for us in work both the maintenance of the world and the creation of new art and invention. We have souls and abilities so blessed –let us not take them for granted.  

And when we create, it’s interesting how we mix purposefulness/progress with beauty/art….Just as He did in creation.

The Traveling Tome enjoys Sunday ministry

We have visited ABWE Chile only twice, but one of our favorite ministry visits is the Iglesia de los Sordos--the Deaf Church in San Bernardo, led by the ministry team Mauricio, Christian, Catalina, and Lori. We are encouraged by the dedication these brothers and sisters have to come long distances to be together. We enjoy hearing them sing--sounds unintelligible to us streaming along with the fluid motions that express sincere and sacrificial praise to the Lord. Along with the service, the ministry involves an hour of prayer--you have to pray with your eyes open so you can see what the person praying is saying. After prayer time comes a sign language lessons for the people. Most of them are of the oldest generations, and in their days of education, that which was provided for the deaf was not quality nor consistent, and still to this day, five different versions of the sign language exist in Chile. Many cannot read much either, so the lessons deal with both reading Spanish words and learning the signs. Lori Brock, who teaches, focuses on words that will be incremented in the Bible message for that morning. Today we learned derramar, confiar, creer, esperar, y sacerdote among others.

I especially enjoy the opportunities Pastor Mauricio gives me to share a greeting/testimony and to translate for the other ladies. He is easy to interpret for because he is being deliberate and distinct as he signs along with his preaching.

Afterwards, we went out to a nice restaurant, Bávaro, which served parilla-style meats. Delicious and tender with a side salad that included palm hearts (palmitos), mushrooms (champiñones) and avocado (aguacate).

On the way to and from to the various places today, we passed many schools that had their school desks thrown up against the gates and bars surrounding the institutions. The students are on strike for reform.

Tonight we worked three hours in the library. I'm still working through troubleshooting details, but the ladies are booking along (pun intended).

The Traveling Tome ...touching down and getting to work

Hace dos días llegamos en Chile y es invierno, y hace frio, pero no es tan miserable como pensaba sería.  (Rusty but happy Spanish. :) )

We arrived in Santiago on Thursday morning, and were greeted by Jennifer and Kendra Rubin, who brought us to the apartment at Santiago Christian Academy (SCA).  We stay in the same apartment as we did last year which makes this feel more at home.

We started work that very day... Working on the glitches--mostly technology-based) took a while, but we're past that now. (Thanks to the Lord, some ingenuity, and Bob, Becky, Kathy, Duane, Leslie, Jennifer, and others.)

We have now started to roll down that busy library highway of organization and circulation.  Our project focuses on the elementary/early sections and the biographies and a variety of miscellaneous. Pray that all the bugs are behind us and that the momentum will continue.

As far as Chile goes, snow capped mountains greeted us and decorate the edge of our vista here at school.

The people are warm and welcoming and remember us. That warmth balances out the chilly early winter weather--as do the tiny gas heaters and electric sheet warmers (thank you, Leslie!).

The ABWE team here radiates hospitality. They provide a great apartment, sprinkled with sandwich fixins' in the fridge, a bowl of fruit on the table and a tray of tea and cookies on the counter. They quickly offer to help out with errands, and Bev enjoyed getting reacquainted with an old friend John Barram, an 81-year-old volunteer teacher. I enjoyed seeing friends from Texas (language school), ConoSur days (ABWE South America), and Costa Rica (kids and parents who studied Spanish at ILE/Sojourn Academy).  Sweet, sweet reunions and hugs. What memories and ministry!

After work on Saturday, Jennifer Rubin drove us to Los Dominicos, a restored convent that now houses more than 170 artisan craft stores.  Yes, we went shopping in an intriguing and artistic setting.

Afterwards, the Rubins hosted us for a grill-out at their home.... with their kids--Matt, Micah, Julianna, and Kendra--all a little older than last year.  Matt and Julianna even invited me up to their high-rise clubhouse.  I went, but no, no pictures exist of that adventure.

Tomorrow we are excited to venture out to church with Lori Brock. She works with the deaf in a church where we visited last year. Vibrant people. Pray that in spite of the language barriers--Spanish and Sign Language--we will be sharing God's love and joy.

We have arrived...

... to snow-capped mountains (the ANDES!)
... to drug-sniffing dogs who found a banana in someone´s carry-on (and that did raise a small dilemma for the girl)
... to driving through the very-organized, advanced roadways of Santiago
... to seeing old friends made last year (Lori, Sharon, Kathy, Clara, etc.), made a few years ago (the Swierenga kids, Leslie and Stephanie Schneider), and made even many years ago (the Pattens and Rubins).

What fun and what hugs.

Already we´re getting to work and working out the bugs. Every library project has a few glitches in the beginning, but the library is so well prepared for us, and the hospitality here just overflows.

11:31am


Only a few hours until I travel to Dayton, Atlanta, and Santiago.  Travel in itself can be a real adventure and pleasure, but this particular trip also brings the joy of ministry and work--and I am excited to get to it.  


In my last few hours  here at home, I plan to finish some laundry, brush the cat, and get a coffee with hubby.  But for today as I travel, and for the next three weeks of work at Santiago Christian Academy, I pray the blessing of Colossians 1:9-12 on this venture...

"We haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. 

"We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. 

"We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. 


"It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us." 
(The Message)

The Traveling Tome Update

Life is quite busy these days with graduation preparation.  Our third child, Colleen, will graduate in just a few days from high school, so we are involved with ceremonies, practices for ceremonies, open-houses, planning for open-houses, visitors, and preparing for visitors.  Oh, and then of course, it's the end of the academic year, so work at school ascends to its peak, and then we'll arrive at summer break.


Which brings me to only 18 days till travel time!  On June 22, I will meet with Deb Haas at the Dayton airport, and we will fly down to Atlanta where we will catch up with Dr. Bev Monroe (Deb's mother, btw) and fly southward to Santiago, Chile.


Our communications with the Chile team have encouraged us toward our travels and ministry.  The ABWE team in Santiago generously takes care of their workers, and we already enjoy and are committed to the work involved and the students it serves.



Thank you to those who are already praying and thank you to those who have provided financially.  Both the spiritual and material are necessary and so very encouraging.  Since so many more are able to pray, please join that prayer team (and I will be glad to keep you posted via emails), and if you are able to give financially, I lack only $560 of the original $1900.  (Gifts can be sent to my home church--with the notation of Open Treasury for Tia Reilly--at Grace Baptist Church, PO Box 12, Cedarville, OH 45314. )


Thank you all, and with faith in Him,


Tia L Reilly

The Traveling Tome hits Santiago again!

Dear Family Friend,

Over the years, you along with others have supported our family in our ministries overseas in church planting and Christian education.  Because of that, I want to take you along with me on my next adventure as well.  Most of all, I want you to come along with your prayers and communication, and of course if you feel that the Lord would lead you to participate financially, I’ll share more of that below.

Last year I had a most exciting opportunity:  my first short-term missions trip.  Along with Dr. Beverly Monroe and Ginger Kirk, I traveled to Santiago Christian Academy in Santiago, Chile.

Dr. Monroe takes two or three small teams each year to English-speaking, Bible-teaching seminaries and schools around the world to assist in cleaning, organizing, and putting online campus libraries. With the goal of updating and providing better student and professor access to materials, the teams bring along supplies (sometimes even new computers or printers) and render days and weeks of work to help these schools and seminaries better operate for God’s glory and in His kingdom.

This year we have been invited back to finish the project—an estimated 4,000 more volumes (last year we completed 8,000). We will also have opportunities to visit churches, encourage missionaries and students who attend the school.  This being my third opportunity to work with Dr. Monroe, I look forward to using my abilities in both library services and in the Spanish language.  

And I would like you to come along via my blog http://selah-brary.blogspot.com/.  At that BlogSpot even now you can see last year’s highlights. I will also send out email updates, and if you are receiving this note, you will be on that mailing (let me know if you want to be removed).

If you are able to help financially, I still need to raise $900 out of a total $1900.  Gifts can be sent to my home church (with the notation of Open Treasury for Tia Reilly) at Grace Baptist Church, PO Box 12, Cedarville, OH 45314. 

With faith in Him,

Tia L Reilly