Salta Recon Expedition 2011

Posted by: Martin Lopez on October 03, 2011 | Staff Blog

One of life's important considerations is that "Time" was created by God; thus, God is not inhibited by it rather "time" serves Him. Here is a story of such a time-less encounter in an intersection of life.

It started back in October 2010. God begun to prompt me that this coming year I was to return to Iruya, Salta. He had business with me there.

The trip was planned in faith, an appointment with destiny begun that one late evening. Months went by and we felt the pressure of the September 1st 2011 trip to Argentina. Richelle and I were at peace knowing that God had set this trip in motion regardless of the lack of funds; two weeks before we were to leave, God provided our flight tickets and some spare funds to move about the country.

Having set our faces towards His purpose of the harvest, we encounter our first hurdle... Colombia. We were left stranded at the airport for 24 hours while our broken plane was replaced. One of God's time-less appointment took place at this Bogota airport. 

Enter: Francisco.

Francisco was approaching 60 years of age when he decided to "follow his heart" and fly to Argentina. This was a dream he had since young. He told his, now adult, kids the night before that he was leaving Colombia to go visit Argentina. I presume his eyesight was starting to fail him and he saw this time, this day, to be the one.

He was searching for "something" which he thought would be found in Argentina; little did he know that what he purposed to find actually found him!

Prior to this photo of Francisco, we had met briefly and had lunch, provided by the airline as a token of their apologies for our delay. Nearly 60 years went by before someone shared the peace and love of Christ with him. Only God knows how many times "someone" shared the gospel with him and how many times he failed to listen. All I know is that I was sitting on the floor of a full airport when Francisco found me and sat on the floor with me.

"What are your reading" he said, leaning on his right side and looking at the Bible in my hands. I felt the hunger inside of him and like at thirsty sponge he eagerly looked at me. Without any delay I said: "I was just reading about this guy named Paul; he was attempting to find the words to describe Christ to these people called the Colossians." 

I begun to read Colossians 1:15 "15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

We spent the rest of the time talking about how if anything is to hold together, it had to have Christ in it; family, relationships, work, future, desires and God given dreams. He recognized the fresh taste of living waters and opened his heart to Christ right there on the floor and in front of thousands. His countenance changed before my eyes. He was whole again.

For the next two hours as we embarked on our journey to Argentina he would find me again and asked if I could please read him more of the Bible. His family was concerned for he had never traveled outside of Colombia before. His phone rang. Francisco told his son on the line about what had happened because, you see, his son was a praying son.

"Here talk to my son, he wants to meet you" said Francisco. I'll never forget the thankful tone in that son's voice to know God had an encounter with his Dad and 'time' had not slipped away. 

In search for meaning in Argentina, an Argentinean believer found him and by the amazing timing and grace of God Francisco found lasting peace.