Rappahannock Baptist Association Hispanic Ministry Report

Fall 2011 Meeting

“When a foreigner lives with you in your land, don’t take advantage of him. Treat the foreigner the same as a native. Love him like one of your own. Remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt. I am GOD, your God.”  Leviticus 19:33

“GOD, your God, is the God of all gods, he’s the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn’t play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.”    Deuteronomy 10:18

“’Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling you the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me – you did it to me.’”

                                                                        Matthew 25:38-40

“Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible.”                        3 John 1:5

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Our work continues. Because of your involvement and your generosity, God’s love is shared with the stranger among us each and every day. We have been with you in your churches. We have had conversations in Food Lion and in Wal-Mart. We know that support for The Rappahannock Baptist Association’s Hispanic Ministry is waning. We did not receive as many school supplies this year and so we had to tell some families that there was not enough. Our food pantry has been low for a while. We only have a few Welcome Bags for workers who will be arriving in the next few weeks for the winter season. We know that the economy is bad and the money doesn’t go as far as we need it to. We know the doubts that are raised by how other states have chosen to address the problems of immigration. We know first hand of the misconceptions that people have about anyone that looks and speaks differently than they do.

BUT, God’s word is crystal clear about the treatment of foreigners. God’s mandate for the church is very specific about ministering to the stranger among us. The only question we have left is, “How is God calling our churches to minister to the Hispanic community in His name?” The hard part is discerning what God is calling you to do to welcome the stranger in our midst. How does God want you to love the immigrants that live next door to you?

This morning I was sitting in the first of a series of training classes that I’m taking to hone my skills as an interpreter.  We were going through one of those ‘getting to know you’ exercises.  I knew everyone in the class already, so my question became ‘how much MORE do I want them to know about me?’ 

I finally settled on this:  I struggle with despair as I watch what is happening – or not happening – in immigration in our country.

I would remind us all that we – the Rappahannock Baptist Association – are not an extension of any government – local, state, or federal.  We are an extension of the Kingdom, and THAT is what we are to be about.

In Christ’s love,

Kenny, Leslie, Hannah, Caleb and Judson Park

RBA Hispanic Ministry Report

Hispanic Ministry of the Rappahannock Baptist Association

Spring 2011

Welcome Grove church, Warsaw

About a month ago I was taking a family to an appointment in Richmond.  They were a younger couple, and had recently arrived in the area.  They had gotten my name from one of their friends who has lived in the area for several years, and knew me, and until we met in the Food Lion parking lot in Warsaw, I had not met them face-to-face. 

I tend to be an introvert, and it can sometimes be a challenge for me to open up and begin a conversation, especially with folks I don’t know.  The trip out was mostly quiet.  It was early morning, so we were pretty much all waking up.  By the time the appointment was done, we were awake, and stopped through a drive through to get some food, and began the trip home. 

As we got down the road, the husband spoke up and began to ask questions about what I was – as a Pastor – compared to a priest.  It is always easier for an introvert to be drawn into a conversation than it is for us to initiate one, and as we both warmed to the topic, our interaction became more animated and free ranging.  We got into the topics of the weight and place of tradition and church dogma over and against scripture, about what becomes unspoken church dogma outside the Catholic tradition, and other similar things. 

But then the conversation turned to a deeper theme.  He began to ask about what it means to me to believe, how I see my work as a minister.  What I believed about religion and faith.

It was an interesting moment, because as I began to explain what I believed, and expound on it, I found myself becoming more animated, I even felt as though my vocabulary broadened, that there was less hesitation in my expression, that I didn’t have to search for a word, or translate a phrase in my head from English in order to express an idea, there seemed to be a fluidity in speech that has on occasion not been there. 

What was so energizing about that conversation for me was that I was working on expressing my core beliefs in a way that stripped away the Christian jargon that we tend to load those kinds of conversations with – yes, it also happens in other languages, not just English – and it was coming out, as near as I could tell, in intelligible sentences and fairly clear ideas.

Necessarily, our conversation included shared biographies, telling each other about our families, and a few of our experiences.  As the ride drew to a close, I explained about our Gatherings, and where they were held, and what the upcoming schedule was.  Their response was positive both in their expression and enthusiasm. 

I haven’t seen or heard from them since. 

In ministry, that happens.  Sometimes more often than you would like.  You meet someone, you get involved in a conversation, it seems to go well, you feel like you connect with someone, the topic turns to spiritual matters, and it feels like things are going great, you get ‘good vibes’ from the folks you’re talking to, and you come away jazzed, you come away excited at the prospect of seeing them again and getting to know them even better.  It is not limited to any particular group or demographic.  It is no different with the Latino community here on the Neck.  There are folks that I’ve known since the first time I drove up here from Virginia Beach eight years ago to begin visiting workplaces and hold the gatherings who remain connected, but who don’t, for whatever reason, choose to involve themselves in our worship services and our Bible studies.  But they know what I do, and aside from not coming to our services, they still, when we see each other or meet at the store, like to bring up spiritual issues and matters of faith.

As I was thinking about that experience, the Parable of The Sower came mind.  We don’t always know how what we do and say will touch someone or not.  Wouldn’t it be nice if there WERE a simple, quantifiable way to be able to say ‘There.  Done.’  But I’ve found that’s its not that clear cut a thing.  Especially when you are dealing with cross-cultural issues, not to mention cross-denominational and superficial understandings of terminology and concepts.

I would love to be able to stand here and tell you we had X number of professions of faith, and so many baptisms in the last year.  But we are talking about people who in many instances are coming to us from a lifetime of BEING involved the practice of professing their faith already.  Claiming that they were not that before and now are strikes me as being less than respectful of their commitment and their belief.  The fact that we gather and share in worship, or that we connect in a passing conversation or during a car ride is enough for me to be able to share with you that, through your support of this ministry, YOUR ministry, lives truly are being touched and changed and hearts are coming under conviction and spirits are being moved.  And Christ is being proclaimed and salvation is being experienced. 

So it will ALWAYS be with the deepest gratitude that I will share with you the stories of the people that you’ve called us to minister to.

In Christ’s love,

Kenny