Thursday, November 16, 2006

Morroco Report

Hello All,

Earlier this month, Pastor Carlos and my good friend Johnny Love took a 10 day trip to Morocco. This is one of the main reasons why my family and I have been attempting to come to Spain, so that Carlos can continue his work among the Berber people.

That is what really impressed us when we first came. Here we were thinking that we were coming to show this congregation about a missions heart, and they blew our minds by showing us that they already knew all about it! The entire church (except for our family and a few others) has been to Morocco with Carlos at one time or another. And, every time Carlos gets ready to go, the entire church springs into action, helping to prepare items and load the vehicle.

When Carlos goes, he takes all manner of items, from toys and candy for the kids to medical supplies for the clinics that he takes people to in the mountains. It takes about 2 days to prepare his 4 wheel drive for the trip, and that is rushing it! I am always amazed at how much he fits into that car!

And Carlos never goes alone. He has always had someone with him. This time he went with my longtime friend Johnny Love. Johnny has been on many trips in his life, but none have ever been quite like this.

After the trip, I sat down with Johnny and got a little feedback on the trip. This is sort of my little moment to be the night time anchor man on the news! Not quite a dream of mine, but...anyway, here is a little sample.

Frank : What unexpected things did you find about this trip?

Johnny : I did'nt expect so much hospitality. The hospitality that we were given there, fresh tea and bread, everywhere we went, these people just welcomed us with open arms. They had basically nothing, but gave us what little that they had.

F : Talk about the poverty that you experienced. You mentioned that it was unlike anything else you have ever experienced.

J : Yes, this is the first missions trip where I stayed with different families. The houses were made of stone, there was no running water except from the creek and there was no natural gas. They always made due. They made room for us and we slept on blankets (on the floor). They made the most of what they had.

F : You mentioned that Carlos did a lot of medical type work. What else did you guys do?

J : We gave medication for common ailments, like colds and headaches. Carlos performed a minor surgery with the aid of a physician. In addition we painted the school rooms. Everyday was different and I did'nt know what to expect.

This mission trip really impacted my friend John and I know that both he and Carlos had many other stories, which would require much more space. Suffice it say, it was an encouragement to the people of Morocco and an encouragement to our church here in Jerez. Please continue to pray for provision for Pastor Carlos regarding these trips. One of his biggest needs currently is a vehicle which will traverse the rugged roads of the Moroccan mountains.

For now, another trip is in the books and the Lord has again shown Himself to be faithful and true.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Johnny shared his slide show and some stories with us when he came back. He was so blessed by these people and has a calling to continue this ministry with Carlos. Praise the Lord that your faithful move brought these two men together.
We miss you Sanchezees!
Patty and fam

Frank And Lela said...

Hey Patty,

I am glad that these two were able to share the trip together as well. John represents a great segment of the body of Christ, who are able to help in great ways because of their mobility and semi-flexible schedule. I hope others with similar employment will follow his lead.

And we miss you guys as well! I just remind you that the next time our families are together, I will ask anyone closely resembling someone famous if they actually are! I am still researching to see if I can ascertain if that was indeed Mario Van Peebles!

Thanks for checking in on us.

Blessings,
F.S.