“After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper.”
~ 1 Kings 19:12
Hi James and Ellen,
Your grandpaa met Héctor Pivaral the first day that your grandpaa went to the Equipo SEPAL office that is located in Guatemala City. After Héctor heard the CART (Central America Regional Team) – which is the name of OC International’s field missionary team in Guatemala), field missionary team’s Field Director speak at SETECA (Seminario Teológico Centroamericano in Spanish or Theological Seminary of Central America in English) – which is where Héctor was studying for a Bible degree (as of the editing of this missive – which is about 26 years later, Héctor now has a PhD from SETECA), Héctor was prompted to be a host country missionary with Equipo SEPAL. Equipo SEPAL is the name that is used by the OC International field missionary teams that are in four different Central and South American countries. Equipo translated to English is team. SEPAL is the acronym that is used for Servicio de Evangelización para América Latina (‘Latin America Evangelizing Service’ in English). Before Héctor began studying at SETECA, Héctor earned a civil engineer degree from the University of Guatemala. After Héctor received a degree in civil engineering, Héctor worked for a year as a civil engineer. Héctor is the youngest kid in his family. Héctor grew up in an upper class neighborhood. Héctor’s dad is a retired doctor. Because Héctor’s dad was a professional and because Héctor grew up in an upper class neighborhood, Héctor is ascribed having upper class status. Héctor writes songs. Héctor has a very good singing voice. Héctor can very capably play a guitar. Héctor is somewhat portly and very gregarious. Héctor felt prompted to be a host country missionary with Equipo SEPAL because he really wanted to help develop a pool of Bible educated leaders in Christ-follower communities of guys, gals and kids that are located throughout rural Guatemala. Normally – if a guy, gal or couple hopes to become a missionary or missionaries with a mission, the guy, gal or couple is to complete an application package and then be accepted by the mission. Héctor did not fill out an application package; Héctor walked into the Equipo SEPAL office and told Russ Bouden – who was the Field Director for the field missionary and ministry teams in Guatemala, that he wanted to be an Equipo SEPAL host country field ministry team missionary. Because of Héctor’s upper class status, Héctor had the ascribed right in Latin America culture and/or society to be audacious and presumptuous.
Elisha was a farm kid. Elisha was minding his own business – plowing his dad’s field with the last yoke of twelve yokes of oxen, when an old grizzled prophet showed up and threw his clock around him. Elisha was a rich kid. Only a wealthy landowner would be using twelve yokes of oxen to plow a field. Elisha was very willing to work with his hands. As the last guy with a yoke of oxen all in line plowing a field, Elisha was seen as the guy who was in charge. The weather beaten, worn out looking prophet who threw his clock around Elisha was Elijah. Elijah had just spent some time under a broom tree where he had really hoped that it was his time to die. When Elijah received a message from a very nasty queen – who was Jezebel, that he was next on her list to kill, Elijah headed for the desert to save his skin. 1 Kings 19 is the story of an exhausted prophet – Elijah, passing on a ‘baton’ to fresh legs – Elisha. Elijah – who is thought of as being the forerunner of John the Baptist, would pass on to Elisha – who is thought of as being the forerunner of Jesus, his very special and unique relationship that he had with God – as God the Father. God – as God the Father, even sent an angel one time to Elijah to help him. As Elijah was feeling sorry for himself under a broom tree, God – as God the Father, delivered to him – via an angel, a cake of bread and a jar of water. After spending time resting and eating, Elijah decided to make the long, grueling forty day hike to Mount Horeb where he met with God – as God the Father. Elijah was sleeping in a cave on Mount Horeb when Elijah suddenly had God – as God the Father, show up to ask him what he was doing. Elijah was told by God – as God the Father, to climb to the top of Mount Horeb because He wanted to pass His presence in front of Elijah. What do you think that the presence of God – as God the Father, is like? Would you like to be someplace somewhere where the presence of God – as God the Father, is really close to you? As God – as God the Father, passed by Elijah, a very powerful wind tore apart Mount Horeb – shattering the rocks that were around Elijah. God – as God the Father, was not in this very scary, powerful wind. After the frightening, powerful wind stopped, a terrifying earthquake shook Mount Horeb. God – as God the Father, was not in this very scary, terrifying earthquake. After the ominous, terrifying earthquake stopped quaking, a chilling fire appeared. God – as God the Father, was not in this very scary, chilling fire. The Kings Books historian recounts in verse 12, “After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper.” The gentle whisper was the voice of God – as God the Father, speaking to Elijah. God – as God the Father, told Elijah that he was not alone – that there were still 7,000 prophets who He had kept Ahab – who was at this time the king over the Israelite people group’s guys and gals and Jezebel’s husband, from killing. God – as God the Father, told Elijah at this time to find Elisha to mentor this farm kid to replace him as the number one prophet among His especially chosen guys and gals who lived in Israel’s land area.
Your grandpaa spent seven and a half years as Héctor’s ‘mentor’. Héctor is impassioned with the same passion that your grandpaa has – which is to enable rural guys and gals to serve the fellowships of Christ-follower guys, gals and kids who are living in their communities and villages. Elisha became a very exceptional, extraordinary prophet.
1 Kings 19 (710)