Not once have I not been profoundly humbled by how little I know and therefore challenged to dig deeper.
A great truth is that it takes time to assimilate spiritual truths. The time I spend in the Word preparing for these classes blesses my soul.
A pastor immersed in the work of the church may fall into a rut as far as his thinking and methods. Contact with students and colleagues brings freshness to his life that has become quite routine.
November 26, was the Bible Institute graduation. Mother wrote about it:
Saturday was the big day, Graduation. All morning we were busy cleaning shops, baking cakes, cleaning house, etc. After lunch it began to rain so no one came to the shops to visit as was scheduled at 2 P.M. However, they did come after the 4 P.M. Song and Praise service. Daddy played and sang "The Ninety and Nine", Mrs. Fay played her violin and sang "Submission", Pedro Berardo (Institute student) played his electric guitar and sang "Nada sé sobre el futuro." [I know who holds tomorrow] Tercilio Enrici brought his violin, tuned it up etc. so, Eduardo asked him to play. We also had an accordion solo by his son Daniel Enrici. There were testimonies in between times. At 5 it closed and they were free for about an hour to tour the Institute and the shops. At 6 we had supper in the Sociedad Española which is just around the corner from our house. It was nice because we could all sit down. We served sandwiches, cakes, coca-cola and orange drinks.
Aldo is taking his trimestrales (exams) but you'd hardly know it. He's had math and Geogrphy. Today he'll be taking Educación Democrática. His Math teacher asked him to prepare some pupils for exams that they have to give in Dec. A lady who lives up at the corner asked him if he would prepare her two children in English, one to give in Dec. another who takes it in March. He's going to have to make his own decision and he'll have to charge if not we'll have to oppose because we need him too badly. As it is he never has time to mow the lawn, either he has a watch, radio or some other thing to fix.
Such a busy talented brother!
Eight-year-old Ivan was to get his report card on November 29 and be finished with school. I'm sure he was very happy about that. It had not been a good year for him. He experienced some serious bullying. He shared this with me only recently. I don't know if Mother and Dad ever knew about it.
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| Alan & Ivan |
Alan was still free to enjoy the free and happy life of a three-year-old. The crooked Xs and Os at the bottom of the letter reminded me of the time he was learning to write his name and took a sharp tool and carved his name on Mother's sewing machine. Oh, dear, how does a mother deal with that permanent autograph?!
When we left Don Bosco in December of 1963, it was difficult to leave our beloved home and church, the people we loved and the ministries we had poured our lives into.
The parting was painful on both sides. One dear friend recalls the profound abandonment she felt. Graciela was only three or four years-old, several years younger than I, when she began walking to Sunday School with me. She grew up in the church; her family was very faithful. Being an only child, Graciela became very attached to our family. She felt our departure deeply, like losing siblings.
Now we, the Hoyt family, were also experiencing separation, with members living and working on three different continents. Lynn was back in Indiana at Grace College after the summer in Spain.The words of Jesus come to mind when He was preparing to leave His disciples.
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18 ESV)."
Jesus promised to send them a comforter, a helper. "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me (John 15:26 ESV)."
Their hearts were sorrowful, sensing but not totally grasping what was about to happen. He then assured them, "I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7 ESV)."
Furthermore, Jesus promised good and greater things to come not only for us, but also far beyond!
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:12-14 ESV)."
