Food for Thought

To use a Charles Spurgeon analogy, if you put on one side of a room a steak dinner, with all of the fixings, from the best chef in Texas, and on the other side, a pig trough, filled with pig slop. If you released a pig in that room, every single time he would go to the pig trough.

Why? Because he's a pig. It's what pigs do.

Now, if the pig was supernaturally transformed into a human being, he would not want to eat from the pig trough any more, he can't even get close to the pig slop without vomiting, and so he'd choose the steak dinner.

Why? Because he's a human now. He's not a pig anymore.

If you are true believer, then that analogy has just described your conversion. When God supernaturally changed your will and desires from a sin loving and righteous hating pig, to a sin hating and righteous loving human.

Believers are not perfect, so every once in a while, the Christian may forget that he's no longer a pig, and go to eat from the pig trough. But as soon as he does, he'll want to vomit, and if anyone sees him eating from the pig trough, he's ashamed.

Why? Because he's not a pig anymore. Humans do not eat from pig troughs.

Now to develop the analogy further:

If someone claims they are a Christian, but they have little or no appetite for righteousness, and would rather live in sin, i.e. they have not much interest in going to the steak dinner, but would rather eat from the pig trough, then it's evident they're probably still a pig, as the evidence is showing their will and desires have not been changed by God, but rather that they are unregenerate and unconverted.

As Jesus said "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." Mt 7:19-20
In others words don't pretend you're a Christian when your life is marked by a rebellion to God's will.

Being a bit of a porker most of my life, I praise God I'm no longer a pig.

Lewis

Weekend Travels

Saturday, Donna and I loaded up the wagon and headed south on old 43. Seemed like the logical thing to do since the temps were in the single digits at our house that morning. We drove down to Fayette, AL just 58 miles north of Tuscaloosa. A bit too close to that Crimson Tide for this Tennessee boy, but it was all in the name of our Lord's work.
My cousin, Trah Anderson and his wife Dwan were gracious host allowing us to stay in their home. Their two sons, Logan, 6 years and Luke, 2 years, provided much entertainment and there was never a dull moment.
We had the opportunity Saturday to go over and visit with Orie Knowlton and his wife Rosemary. Orie was with us in Guatemala this past October. After returning home he found he had five heart artery blockages and had bypass surgery in early December. He is doing well but still needs our prayers.
That night we met up with some of the other guys from the mission team, along with their wives or significant others, for supper.
After our meal and some fellowship Donna and I called it a night. I had started the day at 3:30 AM and was ready for bed.
Sunday morning we drove over to Millport, AL where I had been invited to preach at New Covenant Baptist Church. The service went very well and after the service they presented us with a brand new trailer and 4 window air conditioners for our work in Guatemala.

Pictured are Bruce Myers, Tommy and Laura Beth Gordon and Pastor Myers, Bruce's dad, and pastor of the church.
We are so very grateful to these guys and the folks at New Covenant Baptist for all of their support.
We made it home by 5 PM and I shared tonight with our church about all of the 2009 mission opportunities and challenged the people to pray and see where God would have them serve.
THANK YOU ALL for your prayers and support. To God be the glory!

Lewis

Newsletter Catarina, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008

Vacation Bible School! Just how many children will fit in a 24x18 foot building? Over 150 if you stack them three high. : ) Only kidding.

150 plus children and adults attended and Shelly McNatt and crew did an outstanding job! Songs, Bible Stories, crafts, snacks and gifts were all sung, taught, made and handed out.

If you have ever wondered if old stuffed animals, toys and other trinkets sent down are really appreciated....

A picture that's worth more than a thousand words.

We finished Wednesday afternoon at Catarina, said our tearful good-byes and headed out. We had more work waiting us at the village of La Mountanita.

Wishing all of you a blessed day!

Lewis

Church Construction

The flight down to Guatemala was pretty much uneventful. As always the airport there was hectic and crowded but Ely was there to meet us and carry us away quickly.

A birthday celebration awaited us at Ely and Rosa’s home as we arrived there around 10pm. After some cake and fellowship our beds were a welcome site, it had been a long day.

The trip our to the coast seemed to take for ever on Sunday. I guess partly because of the constant rain but the traffic was heavy. We arrived at Piedra Partida around 8:30pm set up camp and hit the sack. If the rain would stop we had a physically hard week ahead of us.

The church at Catarina sits on a very small piece of property. The building is only 20 X20 and sits on the edge of a bluff. We will be working at the bottom of this bluff on another small property between the bluff and the river. We hope to complete the foundation aas well as a few rows of blocks before we leave on Friday.

This first phase of the building project will be two stories. The first floor will be the pastor’s house and the second Sunday School space. The new church sanctuary will extend out over onto this building once it is complete. This will allow it to be three to four times larger than it is today.

My Bags Are Packed!

Today, I packed three suitcases, each weighing the 50 lbs. which is the limit for check luggage on international flights. One equipment bag is loaded with a set of Bosh cordless tools and a router donated by B&R Construction. One of the owners, Joshua Redd will be traveling with me on the trip Saturday.

We will meet up with the team from AL in Houston. Joshua will be teaching wood work to Eber (A-bear), the son of Pastor Enoch, from San Juan Bautista. Hopefully, in time, he can learn enough to start building some small furniture cabinets to be sold, thus providing income for their impoverished family.

We will be working out of Piedra Partida, for the week ahead, hoping to get some much needed work done on the church building at Catharina just down the road. I’m sure there will be an opportunity to preach and share the gospel as we go.

Pray for this team as they and we prepare to leave this Saturday. Also pray for our safety as we travel and work. We appreciate you all so very much, may God bless you and keep you.

God speed……Lewis

Update on Yeimi's Baby + News from Guatemala

Ely called this morning to say that Yeimi’s baby is now able to urinate. There was no explanation except it must be God and to God we give all thanks and glory. Yeimi had gone to the hospital this morning to feed her new born son. Thanks so much for all of your prayers.

It seems the rainy season just won’t go away this year in Guatemala. It is still raining everyday and yesterday Ely said it rained for seven hours solid. This has hampered our ability to work in the construction projects. We pray it will end very soon so we can continue.

This Saturday, I will be leading a construction team from AL to Guatemala. If the weather allows, we will be working on the church building at Catharina. It is very close to a river there and the rain has caused the river to be out of its banks for several weeks now. We know the Lord has a plan for us, so we are going to serve however we can and be flexible.

Thank you for praying for us as we make last minute preparation to pack our supplies to leave this Saturday at 2PM. I will update you if at all possible once we are there.

Lewis and Donna Thomas - Founders

October Travels to Local Churches

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to be with the folks at Smyrna Baptist and Fish Pond Baptist Churches in Lawrence County AL. We had a great time dividing the Word and sharing with them about our work in Guatemala. Brother Mickey, my pastor was preaching at the Harvest Day revival at Pleasant Grove Baptist in the same area

On Monday, we attended a pastor’s conference at the Muscle Shoals Baptist Association building where I shared a power point presentation with around thirteen pastors in attendance.

On Wednesday, I drove to Bolivar, TN to meet Bro. Jeff Gibson; Missions Pastor of Wynne Baptist Church in Wynne, AR. Bolivar is a half way point for us both. His church has two mission teams coming to Guatemala in the near future.

Wednesday evening Ely called from Guatemala to let me know Yeimi (Jamie), his daughter, and son in law, Fito, who are expecting their first child, were heading to the hospital. He called later for prayer saying Yeimi was going to have a C-section and again later to say both mom and the baby were fine.

Friday, Ely called to say the baby was having problems urinating. They catherized him but to no avail. Further test are being run and as soon as I know more I will post the update. Please pray for the baby, Yeimi and Fito and the entire family.

It continues to rain a lot in Guatemala as the rainy season just doesn’t want to go away this year. I have a construction team going down on October 18 and we really need the rain to end. We need to work close to a river that has been out of its banks now for two weeks. Also mud slides continue to be a problem.

Lewis & Donna Thomas
When Will We Cry Founders

June 26, 2008

The city of Mazatlan, MX rest quietly beside the Sea of Cortez on the western coast of Mexico in the state of Sinaloa. It’s fairly laid back and it boasts a population of around 350,000 people. The team I was assisting would hold a sports clinic there.

As we arrived we were ready to see what the Lord had in store for us for the week. A sports clinic is something I knew little about and have not been involved with before. I must say it was a nice change just being a foot soldier in the army of our Lord.

Each day brought an increase of children and teenagers and each day they not only learned about their particular sport but also about the love of Christ and how He could change their lives forever. It was a special thing for me to watch these coaches deal with the children and how well they listened and responded.

Every morning I prayed that the Lord would show me if there was more of a reason for being there than just helping out where I could. I was rooming with a young Mexican pastor named David whom I grew to love and respect. He was a humble but wise young man who had just finished seminary and felt God wanted him to come back and serve in Sinaloa. This required much faith of him and his wife for he was coming without a job or financial support.
Sinaloa is a state of 2.5 million people and there are very few evangelical churches there. Some areas have no Christian influence and the gospel is all but void. Needless to say this grabbed my heart and my attention.

I am not sure if God is calling When Will We Cry to become involved in MX but we are praying for his will concerning that. I do feel that He does want us to help David in his work that will began very soon there. One thing he needs is transportation. If anyone has a vehicle they would like to donate, this would be a blessing to him and his family. It would need to be a 1994 or newer because of the laws of MX, and would need to be road worthy for driving it to Mexico. If we receive such a vehicle When Will We Cry will bear the expense of getting it there.
Thanks for your prayers and help concerning this matter. After a short vacation I will be back in Guatemala in July. We are so very grateful for all our Lord continues to do in our midst. The mission teams coming are bringing much encouragement to the saints there.
Lord bless you all.

Lewis & Donna Thomas
When Will We Cry Founders

June 18, 2008

Ely had never seen me so excited as we anticipated the next groups arrival. I couldn’t hide my joy because my bride of 32 years was traveling with them. Donna works full time back in the states and only gets to accompany me once or twice each year on trips. That leaves me flying solo 8 to 10 trips each year so when she comes it’s a special time for me.

My anticipation faded a bit as I learned of the team’s delay in Miami. I had gone to the local flower shop and purchased a rose for each of the ladies arriving and of course, a dozen for Donna. Roses are very inexpensive in Guatemala.

The next four hours passed slowly as we waited and the team’s plane finally landed around 10 pm. Thankful they had arrived safe and with all of the luggage, we made our way from the airport.

This team, lead by David and Allison Mitchell of FBC Pulaski, TN, brought 10 suitcases of much needed school supplies with them. That’s 500 lbs of supplies! During the week they would be painting the school at Piedra Partida as well as holding VBS at the church in Santa Teresa and blessing some pastors with food and money.

On Sunday. the weather was beautiful as we traveled toward the coast. Arriving at the dormitory by 7PM we set up camp and prepared for the week ahead.
5AM comes early even in Guatemala. On Monday, we woke as the coffee brewed and the roosters crowed and by 6AM the team was painting the school. We stopped the painting by 9 or so for breakfast. As always, Rosa cooked up a delicious hardy meal for us each morning and we were filled with joy and contentment.

After breakfast, we loaded food and supplies and drove to some very remote areas each day to bless some of Ely’s pastors. Blessing pastors is always a very special time for the team and this time was no different. We were deeply touched with each and every stop we made.

In the afternoons, we held VBS each day and there were around 150 children who attended. The team did a wonderful job sharing Bible lessons with the children through skits, songs and stories. On Wednesday, 10 children prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior! We praised God, packed up, said our goodbyes and drove quietly back to the dorm. Many lives were touched but none more than ours.

One of the bright spots of the trip was picking up children who were walking to VBS. Many walked quite far and the temp was very hot so as we saw them along the road we’d give them a ride. One day in our van, already full of gringos, we found room for 14 more children who were walking. Twenty three in a van that seats only eight! As Ely would say…..”It must be God.”

On Thursday, we packed our things and dropped the trailer at a hotel in Malacatan. We decided to try something different this trip and spend our last night at a hotel. Ely knows the owners there and they gave us a really great rate of $25.00 per person. We drove to the mountains and visited some pastors then we retreated back to the hotel where we enjoyed relaxing around the pool, air conditioning and a hot shower.

On Friday, we rose early and drove to Lake Atitlan, a lake over 1200 feet deep and surrounded by volcanoes. At Panajachel, a village on the lake, the team did some shopping and we enjoyed lunch together at Don Rodrigo’s. We loaded up once again and finished our 3 hour journey back to Ely and Rosa’s home in the city.

We are grateful to all who come and serve with us in Guatemala. Our prayer is that your life will never be the same and you will always remember to pray for the people and the work there. May you be forever blessed in our Lord’s service.

I will be leaving this Sunday morning at 2:45AM with a mission group from our church to help out in Mazatlan, MX. I will return on Wednesday and then leave again on Friday for a family vacation. I will be going back to Guatemala on July 12 and will be working once again in the village at San Juan Bautista.

One quick praise report…..Our home church, Mars Hill Baptist, just finished their VBS and averaged over 300 children each day! There were many who received Christ and their Mission Offering was just over $1300.00! This money will go to help children in Guatemala.
I just wanted to say a GLORI A DIOS!!! WAY TO GO KIDS!!!

Thanks again for your faithful prayers and financial support.
Your Road Weary, Follower of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus,
Lewis & Donna Thomas
When Will We Cry Founders

June 15, 2008

A former high school foot ball coach of mine, Jerry Adams, taught me much about life and over coming adversities, as well as things like strength and endurance. All of these have proved profitable on the mission field to me. Coach, we called him, had several sayings also, and the one that I remembered the most was….. “If the good Lord’s willing and the creeks don’t rise.”

Well, a few weeks ago in Guatemala the good Lord was willing but the creeks, rivers and streams all rose. It rained nearly non stop for 10 days straight and this hampered our plans a bit. Perhaps the Lord had a different plan…….

Peter Moncrief from FBC Shreveport, Louisiana arrived a few days early to set up work for the medical team that would arrive a few days later. This team was going to give parasite medicine and vitamins to children in the San Marcos region. School is still in session in Guatemala so one would assume the best place to find children would be in the schools.

Peter had worked hard to get the needed permission for the team to come to various schools and everything was set……or so we thought. The rain continued and the creeks did rise and classes got cancelled for the entire week the team would be in Guatemala.

Monday evening, after returning with the construction/VBS teams from the mountain town called Palo Gordo (Fat Tree), we learned of the medical team’s dilemma. Ely called a few of his pastors and they in turn set up for children to come to their churches and receive the medicines for the rest of the week. You see the creeks did rise but the good Lord already had other plans.

Have you ever tried to move wet sand? Sand that had received nearly 10 inches of rain? I can tell you first hand……. it ain’t easy. I guess a five gallon bucket weighed nearly 100 lbs. and we had to move this heavy marsh down into the basement of the church in Palo Gordo along with rock and concrete. This was not a job for the weak at heart. Working at 8000 feet above sea level produced some difficulties in it self and the cold rain didn’t help matters. The construction/VBS team from FBC in Shreveport ,lead by Pastor of Family Life Ronnie Joe Webb, rose to the task. Weary and worn, soaked and chilled to the bone they pressed on until the job was completed. This was one job I was thankful to see come to an end.

Even with all the rain the children came and experienced a wonderful VBS each day. On Wednesday, Administrative Pastor Gene Hendrix preached his very first sermon in Spanish to the congregation at Palo Gordo and afterward the weary bunch headed back down the mountain once again.

Gene did give us a scare later that night but seems to be doing well now. We greatly appreciate your prayers.

On Friday, the Shreveport team left Malacatan at 8AM going back to Guatemala City. The rain stopped and Ely and I began making preparations for a team, from Pulaski, TN, that would arrive the next day. We finished buying needed supplies by 2pm and started the 6 hour journey back to the city. We made it just in time to join the folks from Shreveport for one last supper together. They were very gracious and generous to us and we appreciate their hard work and dedication.

To God be the glory forever and ever…….Thanks again for your prayers and financial support.

Lewis & Donna Thomas
When Will We Cry Founders

Pastor's Conference 2008

I am so very grateful for all that our Lord is doing in Guatemala. Ely and Rosa, and their family, are true saints of the faith who give all for the sake of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. It is a privilege and blessing and an honor to be called to serve with them.

Sleeping in the city sometimes is hard for me and Sunday night was one of those nights. Noises of the city life, excited about getting back home or just plain ole insomnia all played their role. Of course there was the turkey that gobbled all night outside of our window. This turkey also was not use to the sounds of the city. One of the pastor’s wives from the country wanted to bless Ely and Rosa with a live turkey which made the journey back to the city with us. Perhaps I to might also gobble the night away if this was to be my last.

The pastor’s conference out at the coast was tremendous. We had 40 pastors in attendance along with some of their wives with us Friday morning through Sunday noon. The schedule was tightly packed as Pastor’s Mickey Brackin and Will McReynolds did outstanding jobs dividing the Word, encouraging, exhorting and challenging all with thought provoking messages. Daniel Brackin did some interpreting and was very helpful with his knowledge of the Spanish language. I did what I do best......Halleluiah.....A men! and Glori a Dios.....worshiping our Lord and encouraging the preaching. I too shared some words with the pastors and we were all vastly blessed.

We came prepared….. to preach and to teach, to love and to seek, but no preparation could have readied our hearts for what we would experience. We were filled up and emptied out; we were torn, shattered and humbled by our Lord’s presence as well as their humility and hospitality. We pray now that they received as much as we, and that they will be encouraged for another year to continue reaching the lost and making disciples.

As always the temps hovered around 100 degrees as did the humidity at Piedra Partida. In spite of these conditions we made it rather well with only one pastor’s wife suffering sickness from the heat.

Daniel and I, both being muscle heads, did manage to find a gym in Malacatan, one afternoon between sessions. I guess I have thrown away better stuff than this small gym had, but it still did the job. It was at least 115 degrees in this compact box of fire and steel, and you had to step over, crawl between and go around the make shift equipment to get anything done but we were happy to do so. We had a small group of followers who watched our every move as we pushed, pulled, strained and wiped the sweat from our brow. The boys conversed with Daniel, and we hurried back having only a short time to shower and return to the conference.

The six hour journey, on Sunday, back to the city was uneventful and we were thankful for that. A bit weary and worn we landed in Nashville last night around 8:30 PM where we were greeted by Donna, and Cindy Brackin (a site for sore eyes). It was once again good to be back home.

In 10 days or so (May 31) I will leave again. This time it will be for two weeks with teams coming to serve. Please pray for FBC, Shreveport, LA and FBC, Pulaski, TN teams as they prepare.

As always……THANKS for your prayers and financial support. It is with your help and our Lord’s grace and mercy that we are able to continue in His work in Guatemala.
All To His glory,
Lewis and Donna