Another year has come and gone. It is always good to do a reflection over the victories, losses, advances and hindrances of the last year. The year that has gone will not return but we have another 12 months to plan, work and achieve the goals that are before us. I like so much the Lord´s words to Moses in front of the burning bush. He told Moses that he would know that God had sent him because he would return to that same mountain but in completely different circumstances. Sometimes we have to complete the circle but the circumstances will have changed.
Christmas is a big event in the churches. Each church has to have it´s own Christmas party. A side from that, the youth have theirs, the leaders have another and each family programs something special for the 24th in the evening. I think in one week we attended 8 different Christmas parties. We really enjoy this time, not for the parties but as an opportunity to share Christ. While the world wants to take CHRIST out of CHRISTMAS and give us only Happy Holidays, in the church we have the privilege of making CHRIST the center of our holidays. We get to share His birth at each party. The Bible and the plan of salvation is the center of it all.
In one of the Christmas plays that they did in one of the churches, they had ¨Santa¨ and ¨Christ¨ come on stage. Santa Claus spoke out that he was just as important as Jesus. But wait… Santa didn´t die for our sins, he doesn´t heal our infirmities, he doesn´t live in us nor does he give us his spirit. Christmas without Christ is just nothing.
The dream of most young ladies is their wedding day but that doesn’t always happen. One of the reasons is the custom of just living together without a marriage covenant. Once a couple gets saved there is the job of making their lives line up with the Word of God. This was the case with Raymundo and Edelmira. Their lives together had not been easy. This was one of the reasons that they started to seek God. On the 9th of January we had the honor of marrying them in a simple church ceremony. The blessing is twofold. In first place they now have a covenant that will help make their marriage strong. Secondly they have brought God into their marriage. We all know that a threefold cord does not break easily.
Aside from our weekly routine of services, school and visitation, we are starting to gear up for our annual youth camp. We always have it on Easter week because of the school holidays at that time. This year Easter comes early so we will be starting camp on the 21st of March. There are a lot of young people already asking us where camp will be this year (we change location almost every year) and how much it will cost. The work is not only the logistics of setting up a camp in the middle of nowhere but also being sure that the Spirit is God is present before we arrive and continues there until camp ends. Camp without a special move of the Holy Spirit would not be camp.
This year we are getting funds together to build new classrooms at our Christian school. With our 45 students we are almost at our limit. We need new classrooms to be able to make our primary school grow. We are planning to build in two stages, the first being 3 classrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor. Our next stage will be another 4 classroom on the second floor. Our goal is to raise $78,000 dollars for this first stage by July of this year. We invite you to invest in this project and as you do, you will be investing in children´s lives.
My dad (David Tolman) continues with us. We learn that often life is a struggle until the end. Dad continues firm in his faith and in his sound mind.
Thank you for your offerings and prayers.
Philip, Lucy, & Vanessa Tolman
