Saturday, April 18, 2009
Company
This past week it was our pleasure to have Imelda Zamarron stay with us. Imelda is the youngest daughter of Pastor Ismael Zamarron in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. Imelda had originally purposed to come work with us but was offered the opportunity to work in the ministry there in Navojoa (Iglesia Bautista Providencia). She took her vacation week to come be with us. She is hoping to come back for the summer to work with us.
Magdalena
Magdalena lies in a valley. The area economy is supported by two major factories and several mines.
Magdalena is known as the most Catholic of Sonoran towns and was founded by a Jesuit priest in 1688, Francisco de Kino. Consequently the town is steeped in the idolatry that Catholicism promotes. In the heart of town is our town square built around the Catholic church. The bones of Kino are unearthed and enshrined on one side and on the other side in the Catholic church is an open room with a full-sized idol of Kino laying at rest. The people enter and begin to kiss this idol beginning with his feet and work their way to his head. Once at the head they attempt to life him. If they are able they are taught that their sins are light - if they cannot they must do more penance as their sins are still heavy.
From a Biblical perspective I understand that this is spiritual bondage. Now let me state the obvious: spiritual bondage cannot be of God because God makes free! I have only lived here a few months and I have seen the cable connected beneath this idol. Why the cable and who controls it?
The answer to this blinding bondage is to put the Truth into the hands of the people of Magdalena.
Magdalena is known as the most Catholic of Sonoran towns and was founded by a Jesuit priest in 1688, Francisco de Kino. Consequently the town is steeped in the idolatry that Catholicism promotes. In the heart of town is our town square built around the Catholic church. The bones of Kino are unearthed and enshrined on one side and on the other side in the Catholic church is an open room with a full-sized idol of Kino laying at rest. The people enter and begin to kiss this idol beginning with his feet and work their way to his head. Once at the head they attempt to life him. If they are able they are taught that their sins are light - if they cannot they must do more penance as their sins are still heavy.
From a Biblical perspective I understand that this is spiritual bondage. Now let me state the obvious: spiritual bondage cannot be of God because God makes free! I have only lived here a few months and I have seen the cable connected beneath this idol. Why the cable and who controls it?
The answer to this blinding bondage is to put the Truth into the hands of the people of Magdalena.
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