José López surgery - (Sequel #6)

Sequel #6 (positive) to July/August 2010 Update - José López Passes the Baton and the Race Continues 10-9-10 The Sunday after church that Martín, Erén and I went to Loma Alta to remove Pastor José López’ stitches was more than a mere “positive sequel.” It was a monumental moment that passed so naturally, I don’t think we even realized its magnitude. With stitches removed, wounds bathed in Betadine, and a re-bandaged, still miraculously infectionless leg, José accepted the challenge to pray for his “sons” in the faith and “brothers,” Benjamín and Manuel.

They were to return to Tepic with us for an early-Monday-morning departure in the UIM plane that would drop them off in two remote mountain villages for a solid week of intense doctrinal teaching. The brothers and sisters from the churches in those isolated communities of La Quemada and Los Aires, respectively, had set aside the entire week for studying to show themselves approved. With eyes brimming with tears and a voice teeming with emotion, José passed the baton as he asked God’s protection, wisdom, accuracy and stamina for the two volunteers who would take his place, implementing the 2 Timothy 2:2 mandate: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” UIM pilot, David Wolf, left the Tepic runway bright and early Monday morning with his “precious cargo.” He dropped off Benjamín on the Tierra Blanca landing strip, a 40-minute hike from the Los Aires church, but before he could land with Manuel on the Zoquipan strip near the village of La Quemada, the Cessna developed engine problems requiring that the landing be aborted, and a forced return to Tepic. The needed replacement part, not available in Tepic, would not arrive until Wednesday. Manuel made the decision to leave by bus at 4 am the following morning, Tuesday, making the trip to La Quemada via a 13-hour bus ride to Zoquipan and then hiking on to the village. The rains have practically demolished the rural mountain path that the bus takes, and half-way to the destination, the driver announced he was turning back to Tepic. Manuel chose to get off the bus and hike the rest of the way on foot. Never for a moment losing sight of his “commission,” he arrived by moonlight at 2 a.m. in Zoquipan and waited till daybreak to continue on to La Quemada. He began the teaching with which he had been charged that very morning, and by Sunday, when the pilot was able to fly back to the nearby village to retrieve him, the lessons had been taught, the tests were taken, and the enemy’s efforts had been thwarted by the perseverance of God’s faithful servants.