NTM

Saturday, September 19th, I celebrated my 60th Birthday with an evangelistic emphasize. I invited a Christian Ranchero Music group to entertain us. A Mexican family provided a pinata and candy for 100 children. My Mexican and mission friends helped with food preparations and some of the ingredients for the food. I invited my unsaved friends and neighbors to the party – a birthday is a great excuse to get people together.

The event went well. The music was fabulous and the food was delicious. My friends had taken organizing the food and serving over 140 people. The pinata was a delite to both old and young. I for sure wanted to hit it and so did some of my friends.

Then the time came for a Mexican friend to give a devotion. The black clouds began to roll in. We had prayed for months to not have rain. Clouds would be fine to keep the people shaded, but no rain. I began to pray furiously. People began to leave. I felt disappointed. It really never poured but the drizzle forced people under the trees and into the covered patio area.

I would have to be content  that the music had a Gospel message and they all listened to that.  Later I heard that many people in the neighborhood were sitting outside of their houses listening to the music. The words could be hear all over the village.

Well, the party continued under the cover of the patio, from home made cakes to opening gifts.  The band kept playing for another hour.  It was a fun time but the rain still concerned me.

The next day another missionary family that lives in the village was talking to a neighbor.  She was told that the rain brought me good luck.  They believe that when you have rain at a Birthday party that the person will have good luck for the next year.  Well, that put a new light on the subject.  What I thought was bad, God was using for good