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Carlos and Ursula Pedd |
Many thanks for your prayers! As I announced in an earlier article, “A Trip to Croatia”, I left on April 28 for Argentina, having
just returned from Croatia on the 23rd. I was invited to share in
the annual convention in Posadas, Misiones, by Miguel and Gloria. I found a
British Airways flight on April 8 that was cheaper than all that had appeared
before. The only disadvantage was that it added four hours of flight time,
since I would have to fly to London from Madrid and drop from there to Buenos
Aires, a 13 ½ hour stretch. However, the flight, beginning at 22:25 (English
time) and ending at 8:10 (Argentine time) was pleasant and I managed to sleep
from five to six hours. Also the diabetic meals were delicious.
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Lilian, Alcidez, with their sons and Angel |
Carlos Pedd, along with Gary Zabel, who was also invited
to the convention, came to get me at the airport. The only problem was that
they were detained by traffic and I waited for about an hour without knowing what
had happened, since I didn’t have a cell phone with me. Neither did I have
Carlos’ telephone number. At any rate, I suspected the cause of the delay and I
got to know some taxi drivers quite well, who insisted every few minutes that
they would take me to my destination.
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Gary Zabel shares the Word |
Arriving at the Pedd home, Carlos prepared a beef
barbeque, from which he has gained fame (and remember this is Argentine beef),
and I was able to enjoy it, before I caught a bus to Posadas that afternoon. I
was accompanied by Angel, who lives and directs a drug center in Fortaleza in the
north of Brazil. Angel works with Reto and, as all the boys, he is only known
by the city, from which he originated… and even though I know him quite well, I
don’t remember what city it is. He was also invited to speak at the convention.
When we came to the principle bus station in Buenos Aires, we were informed
that they would have to look for another to take us to Posadas. We had to wait
two hours, but I believe that God had mercy on us, because in the first bus, I
had to cover my head with my jacket, because evidently the air conditioner was
stuck on high. Besides the second one was more comfortable and we could
rest well, as we rode all night long, arriving on the morning of April 30.
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Gloria and Norman in the "churro"-making room |
The work in Posadas, among other things, is a center for children that have been abandoned or abused. They deep-fry "churros" (a thin, ridged donut) and bake breads to assist with the sustenance of those, who are helped in the center. There I renewed acquaintance with the many people, now
beloved, that I knew from previous
conventions. Miguel opened the convention with a message on the evening of May 1 in the Reto center, but had rented a large
conference room in the vicinity for the following two days. Much to my liking, the musical group
started with a series of old hymns. Among the group were three of the Pedd
offspring with their spouses - Norman/Barby, David/Norma, and Gloria/Miguel. I was also very happy to see Lilian and Alcidez, who came down from
Brazil. All the Pedd family are dear friends of ours.
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Little girls that the center cares for |
I will mention one song that the musicians sang over and
over in Spanish, “You Are My All in All” and I think that all felt a special
touch from God as we sang “The Old Rugged Cross” with them, at the end of one
meeting. The second verse has powerful significance… “O that old rugged cross,
so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me; for the dear Lamb
of God, left His glory above, to bear it to dark Calvary.” Gary’s teaching, as
well as Angel’s, enriched the listeners. Personally, I delivered four messages
and Carlos finished the convention with a study about the Holy Spirit, before a
time of prayer for people, who had special needs.
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Ephesians 6:18... theme of the convention |
The following afternoon, May
4th, I had the sad obligation to say goodbye to all these dear friends and board
again the bus to Buenos Aires. The pain of the departure was lessened by the
presence of Oscar in Buenos Aires the next morning, a veteran in the work of
God, who along with his grandson, took me from the bus station to the airport.
I had to spend yet another night traveling in an airplane, flying to London,
and then several hours later, Margaret was in Vigo to meet me and take me home.
That was yesterday and this
Saturday, I must go to Northern Ireland to spend almost a week, sharing in
different churches and homes. Although I have often preached in the Republic of
Ireland and we have passed through the northern country, this is the first time
that I will preach there. As you can imagine, I would appreciate all those who
will pray for me, because once again, I will need physical strength, but more
than anything else, I desire the anointing of the Spirit in order to experience
results that are more than worth all the effort.
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The musical group, including Barby, in violet, Norma, in light red, Gloria and Miguel, at her side, and Norman and David, on the right. | | | |
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(clicking on the photos will enlarge them)
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