“Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.”
~ Psalm 112:1
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you know a dad who is in awe of God? Do you know a dad who has no problem doing the things that he knows that God expects him to do? Don Félix was in awe of God. Don Félix was a very humble guy. When your grandmaa, grandpaa, dad and Aunt Lynn arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in August of 1978, don Félix was working as South America Mission’s mission base’s caretaker. Don Félix’s responsibilities included maintaining South America Mission’s mission base grounds and opening and shutting the mission base gate whenever anyone arrived or left. Don Félix’s real passion in life was to do what he was doing at South America Mission’s mission base. Even after don Félix retired – because he really could no longer do physical work, don Félix would show up at South America Mission’s mission base to do whatever he could do. Your grandmaa and grandpaa right after they arrived in Bolivia were told two stories about don Félix. The first story that was told to your grandmaa and grandpaa about don Félix was that during a coup or an attempt to overthrow the elected government – which was not an uncommon happening in Bolivia before your grandmaa, grandpaa, dad and Aunt Lynn arrived in Bolivia and during the first years that they were in Bolivia, don Félix stood guard during one of the coups to protect Jack and Phyllis DeJong – who was at the time the missionary couple who was living inside South America Mission’s mission base compound, from any bad guy or guys who would take advantage of the unsettled situation to try to get inside the mission base’s grounds to take whatever the thief or thieves could find and possibly harm Jack and Phyllis. The second story that your grandmaa and grandpaa were told about don Félix was that right after don Félix made a decision of faith to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior that he showed up with his kids at South America Mission’s mission base to have his kids – in front of Jack, make a confession of faith in Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior. One of don Félix’s kids – Raúl, became one of your grandpaa’s good buddies. Your grandpaa and Raúl traveled together several times throughout eastern Bolivia. Raúl became an excellent evangelist. Raúl and his wife Meri were in the first class of students who graduated from the rural resident Bible education and leadership training program in Concepción, Ñuflo de Chávez. After Raúl finished his two years of studies at the rural resident training center, he and Meri returned to Santa Cruz – which is where they lived before going to Concepción, where they began a Christ-follower fellowship of guys, gals and kids. Raúl’s nephew Félix – who was named after his grandpa, was the first graduate from the Christian Seminary that World Gospel Mission began in Santa Cruz. Félix is the pastor of a local Christ-follower fellowship of guys, gals and kids.
Your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family was another humble guy. Your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family was a mail carrier who first delivered mail by horse and buggy and then by a ‘Tin-Lizzie’. Two of your grandpaa’s uncles on his ma’s side of his family became pastors of Christian Reformed Churches. Your grandpaa knows of two of your grandpaa’s grandpa’s grandkids on his ma’s side of his family who are now pastors – including your dad’s Uncle Hank who is the pastor of the Christian Reformed Church in Bellflower, California.
Both don Félix and your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of the family were the kind of guys who the psalmist scribed about in Psalm 112. Don Félix and your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family were both Christ-followers and both lived in awe of God. They both wanted their kids to become Christ-followers. They both wanted their kids to become upright, principled kids. They both wanted their kids to become gracious, compassionate and righteous kids. They both gave of whatever they had to help others. They both saw good come from their lives. They both did not fear bad news. They both had hearts that were trusting and steadfast in God. They were both blessed by God. Verse 1 says, “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.” Do you know a dad who is not in awe of God? Do you know a dad who says that he does not care that there is a sovereign, divine Being – God. A dad who does not live his life as how don Félix and as how your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family lived their lives – even though the dad says that he does not care, will have his stomach churning with doubts, will feel very annoyed – especially with Christ-follower guys and gals, will clench or gnash his teeth in frustration and will waste away in his disobedience to God’s ways. A dad who thinks that he and his kids do not need God as their God will come to nothing. He will live without hope. He will not want to help others. He will live in fear of the future. He will probably see his kids become like him. A Christ-follower – like don Félix and your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family, lives in the light of the knowledge that he or she has to hope while a non-Christ-follower guy, gal or kid lives in the darkness that offers no knowledge of hope. Don Félix or your grandpaa’s grandpa on his ma’s side of his family did not live easy lives but they both persevered in their faith. How have you been living your lives?
Psalm 112 (775)