Afraid?
Afraid?
Of what?
To feel the spirit's glad release,
To pass from pain to perfect peace,
The strife and strain of life to cease?
Afraid of that?
Afraid?
Of what?
Afraid to see the Savior's face,
To hear his welcome and to trace
The glory gleaned from wounds of grace?
Afraid of that?
Afraid?
Of what?
A flash, a crash, a pierced heart.
Darkness! Light! Oh, heaven's art!
A wound of His, a counterpart.
Afraid of that?
Afraid?
Of what?
To do by death what life could not,
Baptize with blood a stony plot,
Till souls shall blossom from this spot;
Afraid of that?

          ~ EH Hamilton
          (Found among the belongings of John and Betty Stamm
          after their martyrdom in China)

The congregation here gathered on New Year's Eve at the ranch of a family new to the congregation for a meal and time of fellowship.

The beautiful wooded setting mirrored the beautiful fellowship as we ate together and talked among ourselves, the children running in and out among us. Then it was time for the skit. The young children (8-12) had prepared their own drama, an original work reflecting their idea of walking with Christ.

The scene opens on two girls playing on the street. A boy, walking by, sees them. "Oh look! It's the 'Hallelujah kids'!", he calls out mockingly. Coming close, he kicks their toys, then them, yelling "We don't want your kind here!" When the older brother runs to their rescue, the bully turns on him, throwing rocks and leaving him lying in the street.

In the next scene, mom is washing and bandaging the boy's face. "I'll get him back for this!", the boy states angrily, "He'll pay!" "You know that's not Christ's way, son. You need to pray for those that despitefully use you." Moments later we see the bandaged boy on his knees in his room, asking the Lord to change his own heart and that of his persecutor.

Again the girls are playing on the sidewalk. Again the bully attacks them. And again, the big brother comes to their rescue.

"You don't need to that! We're not trying to cause problems with the people here! We just want them to know God's message!"

"Oh yeah! Like God has talked to you!"

"I mean in the Bible. It tells how people can have their sins forgiven and be certain of going to heaven"

(Suspiciously, but with a grain of interest) "Where does the Bible say that?"

The brother explains about the death and resurrection of Christ, inviting the persecutor to believe the Gospel. The two end on their knees in the street, as the former persecutor prays to receive Christ.

The play ends as the two girls and their older brother knock on the door of their former enemy to pick him up for the church meeting.

"Ready?"

"You bet!", he says enthusiastically, "Let's go!"

Now it was the parents turn, as everyone gathered in a circle to share testimonies of thankfulness. After half an hour, we began to pray, continuing until the sound of fireworks and gunshots told us that the new year had come.

One new family summed up our feelings about the evening later, when they said. "We had never had, or even imagined we could have, such a wonderful New Year's Eve!"

One extra cause for rejoicing:
Sometime back, I had a Bible study in Degollado, a city of 10,000 45 minutes from Atotonilco. When the family I met with moved away, there were no longer any believers there. At our New Years event, we had a newly-converted family from Degollado! There are now two Degollado families meeting regularly in the name of Christ. The desolate cities are being impacted with the Gospel of Christ!

What a privilege to witness the transformation of lives and families through the Good News of Christ!