Learning from God's Silence

September/October 2016 Newsletter

We look for the emotional side of life. We like excitement, fun emotions and movement. If we analyze life we will find that a very small percentage of our life contains these elements. Life, both in the physical and the spiritual aspect, is a chain of mundane, constant plodding that brings us fulfillment in all we do. It is the three meals a day, the washing and cleaning, the reading of the Word and a lot of other things that make life tick. It in these times of calm and silence that we learn to hear the voice of God.

Missionary work is not an exciting life in the sense of being highly emotional. Missionary work is exciting because you have a chance to mix 3 or more cultures and choose the best of them. There is my culture from my home country, the culture of the country where I am working and then there is a church culture that I live in and try to teach. All three of these cultures are imperfect and adaptable. Each culture adapts to the area where it is used. As we teach the Word of God we have to understand that the Bible also contains culture. Abraham sent his servant to look for a wife for his son Isaac. That just won´t work in the western culture we live in. 

Here in Mexico we are challenged with letting the Spirit of God change people without trying to make them part of my culture. In teaching I have to ask myself once and again: “Is this biblical or is it only culture”. A missionary has to learn to teach the Bible without teaching his or her home culture. After being on the mission field for over 35 years I find that I have lost my culture. I don´t fit in neither in Canada nor in Mexico. My prayer is that I will fit in in Heaven.

The 16^th of September is Mexico´s independence day, a national holiday. It is the season that there is fresh corn, vegetables and fruit. This year we decided to have a corn get together at the school. We take fresh tender corn that is still covered with its leaves and cook it over hot coals. It sizzles in it´s own juices and has a flavor all of it’s own. Then we cut 50 or more avocados and make a big guacamole salad. The drinks made from fresh limes; guavas and nanchi´s are a delight. All this together with good Christian fellowship, a little soccer and other sports makes it a delightful day. You may ask: “Is it spiritual” and I would answer YES. It is neither a church service nor a teaching session. It is a time of joining together as a family, creating unity and fulfilling the Bible where it says: “ …But on God who has given us all things to enjoy them”.

We thank you for your prayers and offerings that make this work possible. Dad (David Tolman) is doing great and is adapting to life as a widower. Changes are not always easy, but they are necessary. Please continue to believe with us for the fund that we need for the construction of our new school building. We are still lacking about 65% of the $42,000 dollars that we need for the first floor construction.

Philip, Lucy, & Vanessa Tolman