Men Of Vision Evangelize

As Men of Vision Evangelize (MOVE) was planning a building project for 2011, it appeared we had a location selected and had even traveled to that country for planning. Yet for whatever reason, things were not coming together. We realized that particular location wasn’t a good fit at this time and contacted Vince McCarty at Open Bible International Ministries. He immediately told us of a church in another country that needed rebuilding. This was God’s call for MOVE in 2011. Though preparation time was short, God made that one all come together. As we honored His call, He blessed us with the opportunity to serve Him where He wanted us – Coihueco, Chile!

The church in Coihueco had been destroyed in the earthquake of February 2010. Pastored by Juan and Perla Leiva, the congregation had been forced to hold services in a shop building on the pastor’s property for a year prior to the MOVE team’s arrival.

Twenty-three men from California, Iowa, Oregon, and Washington made the long journey to Coihueco to help raise this temple again so the congregation would have a place to worship and bring others to the Lord. Though the structure wasn’t large, it was complicated to build and presented quite a challenge for our small crew. We spent long hours constructing the new building. Men from all skill levels mixed mortar and concrete, laid block, built rebar cages, and welded, along with many other tasks. No one had a problem going to sleep at night as we were very tired every day from working so hard.

Dave Bethany, Project Construction Director, got the most from his crew by only working them half days (12 hours!) and keeping them happy about it! The men were amazing; they worked hard in close quarters and did it with smiles on their faces the whole time. They showed the joy of the Lord to our constant audiences. A bus stop sits right in front of the church, so a steady flow of people watched every move our crew made and witnessed the joy in their hearts as they worked. It was a wonderful opportunity to witness to the people of the area.

Our team was blessed by the pastors, congregation, and other people in this wonderful country, who cared for as if we were family. Our lodging in Chillan at the Quinchamali Hotel was excellent, allowing much-needed rest for the team. A local man, Rodrigo, spent every day with us as an interpreter, guide, purchasing agent, brother, and friend. His presence with us was definitely an act of God as he was as much a part of our team as anyone who traveled from the U.S.

It seems most Christians today are seeking a way to serve our Lord. They want to be a part of His ministry, reaching the lost and bringing them to a saving knowledge of Christ. In the overall scheme of things, few are called to preach or go into active evangelization. This leaves many wanting to do more, sometimes feeling lost in their search for active ministry. Men in particular struggle with this if they feel they aren’t “called” to active ministry. The MOVE ministry is especially effective for men. Through MOVE a man can give himself completely to a ministry that helps to reach the lost. At the same time he can grow in his relationship with the Lord as he dedicates two weeks to serving Him and sharing with his brothers in Christ who are working with him. Healing, praying, and seeking His will in our lives are the keys to this ministry as men share their joys, hearts, fears, and needs with each other as they work and as they gather in prayer.

Each trip the Lord sends us on is not only a building project but an experience, a lesson from our Lord on how we should live our lives. Those who have participated in these projects will tell you of what the Lord did to make them better disciples, to serve Him more effectively.

Perhaps your spirit has been stirred when you’ve heard of or read about MOVE and its short term mission trips. Consider joining us on our next trip, put it to prayer, and watch for the announcement for the next mission. Is the Lord calling you to go?