Later I found out later that Bernardo was an illegal living in Oregon, was caught up with and placed into prison. He was then sent to Honduras where he was imprisoned there. He had just gotten out of prison and his mother asked him to be our interpreter, where he agreed to this. He was a trained Muslim who also left a daughter in Oregon. He told me later that every time he led someone to receive Jesus Christ in the prison, he himself was also receiving Jesus. Bernardo also interpreted for the pastor training for 2 ½ days, where the word of the Lord went into him in a powerful way. When we left, I gave him my jacket which was to him a memorial to his salvation experience.
In January 2014 as we went down, he again was our interpreter, he had joined Dario in the ministry there leading XMA teams up into the mountains to show the Jesus film. He has a desire to attend Bible school and become a pastor. It was good being with him and seeing the grace of God at work in his life.
In the middle of 2014 I had a desire to turn this ministry over to a younger group of man promoting them into the ministry. I had wished that someone would have open doors for me when I was a young man. God has placed this into my heart at 75 years of age; others have called me a door opener. In the teaching ministry I always like to leave a deposit of something that will help people in the years to come. I had believed that God and put it on my heart to use Bob Mumford's series on the "Principle of the Purpose of Temptation." I have used many of Brother Charles Simpson's series on the mission field. As I presented this to my son David and Tim Smith giving them the CD"s and outline; I wanted them to decide if this was God. They went with this series which involves entering into the promises of God.
As I was packing for this trip, I remembered that I had eight nice pair of slacks and also eight shirts which I took down. We also took six new guitars and 200 Spanish Bibles. Again, Bernardo was our interpreter who does an excellent job. In the middle of our time I sat down with Bernardo to have a one-on-one visit. He told me that he was interpreting for American pastor in the mountains above LaCeiba. The church has about 250 in attendance. He was living in a house with no windows, no lights, the commode didn't work, no furniture, he slept on the floor. I don't remember ever meeting anyone so humble and eager to serve the Lord. I am put to shame! He told me that his pants were coming apart and his mother had given him two pair. He wore size 38 x 30 the exact size that I had brought down and the shirts also fit him.
The pastor had gone back to Louisiana and told him to fill in the pulpit for the next three Sundays and speak on the promises of God. He said that he did not have any messages on the promises of God but after teaching this series by Bob Mumford he had the teaching and the outline to go by; it was an answer to prayer. He has been able to put Windows in the house, repair the commode, has two drop lights. Someone has given him a couch, a chair and a small refrigerator.
I am thankful for the manifestation of God's presence in all that took place on this mission trip. My prayer today Sunday, January 18, 2015 is that God's Holy Spirit will fall on Bernardo as he brings the word of God.