Eliezer was born in Valencia. His family moved to Houston, Texas when he was 4 and they resided there for about 10 years, before moving back to Spain. His Dad is a pastor and is currently at a church in the southern island area of Spain. Eliezer met and married his wife, Virginia, who is also a student at the Seminary and they have a sweet little one year old boy named, Pablo. Eliezer and Virginia co-pastor the church in Toledo.
Eliezer and I became fast friends. When we got into the car he showed me an order of service and we talked briefly about that and prayed together. After he started the car, he looked at me and said, “I’ve never been here before.” I waved my hand and said, “Oh great, I do this all of the time in the States, and I have been helping people get around Spain too (see yesterdays blog entry for details) – this will be fun.” We both laughed and I showed him how to get onto the expressway.
After getting set up for my concert at his church, he took me through town to “culture” me and “culture” me he did. I had chestnuts that were roasting on an open fire (stop singing the song!), for real, I had them for the first time and they were good. Of course, Eliezer and I tried to sing the song together. We couldn’t remember all of the words, but we didn’t let that stop us from singing with our mouths full and laughing. He took me to a bar (not the kind in the States). It was small (as they typically are here), and they usually have a few more people in them than they can actually hold, but they serve their meals there too. It was like a really small European Waffle House except it was clean and they don’t call you “Darling.” We had “Tapas” which are little portion dishes with the Toledo cuisines – cheese, ham, olives, sardines, a potato omelet thing, and of course fried squid. It was all very good. We ate with a toothpick! After getting full we walked through town for a while – looking at the sites and then finally ending up back at his church.
I played a concert there around 6:00 pm and we had a wonderful time together. Eliezer interpreted for me. Another very gracious family, Daniel, Lorela, and their 10 year old daughter Greyson Ungunreanu, took me home with them for the evening. Lorela is going to have their second daughter ANY DAY now. They are from Romania and have been here about a year. We had such a wonderful visit and shared an incredible meal together. Daniel and I stayed up until about 2 am, visiting and enjoying fellowship.
This morning (Sunday) we went back to church and had another wonderful time of worship. I played a few songs, we sang, read from the Bible, then Daniel translated for me as people got up and shared something that God has been teaching them, or a prayer request. We closed by partaking of the Lord’s Supper together, and then I actually got the last word and song (I had to come all the way to Spain to get the last word).
It was an extraordinary time for me to relax and reflect as I begin to process this incredible journey. I can already see how much God has changed me in only in only 10 days. When I arrived here all I could see was our different EVERYTHING is here especially the way we “do” church, and the difficulties each of our country’s face in trying to spread the gospel. This morning, as I sat, breaking bread with brother’s and sister’s in a “far away” land, God began opening my eyes and heart in such a way that allowed me to begin to notice all of our similarities. I will continue to ponder those things and blog about them, but this morning I tried to cherish those moments as simply as He revealed them.
Right now, my heart truly aches to look upon the faces of Jennifer and Matthew. My body thirsts to feel their embrace. I have definitely felt the separation on this trip as the time differences and the lack of being able to retrieve my emails have not allowed me to talk to them very often. I do look forward to seeing all of the people that I’m used to seeing in my normal day to day life, but there is also a slight sadness in my spirit. I have made many friends in Spain. The Dixon’s have made me feel at home and I have been in need of nothing while I have been here. I have met so many wonderful people who have invited me into their homes and hearts – knowing I’m from America and we have so little in common. I have friends in Spain now, and I may never have the opportunity to be in the same room with them again on this side of heaven.
When I’m traveling around the United States, particularly when I’m not in the South, I often try to point out in my concerts that even though we have differences, we are still brothers and sisters. As I sat across the table in Toledo, Spain fellowshipping with the Ungureanu’s and as Eliezer and Virginia were driving me back to the Dixon’s and I thought about their stories and felt their passion for God and seeing glimpses of their spiritual journeys, that truth has never been more evident. There is absolutely NOTHING that can make barriers of race, language, and culture, completely disappear OTHER THAN the saving grace and relationship to God through Jesus Christ.
When I stood up to share what would be the last song that I would play in Spain, I thought I had picked it because it was the only one I hadn’t played at this church that was translated into Spanish (real spiritual process – I know). God always works way ahead of me. That song was Doxologia “The Doxology” (Praise God, from whom all blessings flow…” This song became our song of worship and my prayer for the Christians in Spain. I told them to please accept it as my prayer for them – not from my country to theirs, but from my heart to their hearts as brother’s and sister’s. It was a good day and has been a good trip!
Whether we look upon one another’s faces in Spain or in America – we can know for sure that we WILL see one another again – we will sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow in unity again.”
In His Grip!
Cliff
|
