Post 11 The first billboard and the president's visit
Updated: Jul 6
Almost four months had passed since our arrival in San Joaquin. The Sunday morning open-air Sunday School was continuing with good attendance, and two boys came over to our house one night to accept the Lord, showing a clear understanding of the Gospel.
With the priest out of the town for a while, our Saturday night open-air meetings in the plaza were well attended, and about 20 were present at our Sunday night indoor meetings. Our indoor meetings were quite informal, and we made sure that everyone who could read had a Bible handed to them.
When Jim gave the message, as portions of Scripture were quoted, we both went from person to person and found the reference for them. It was a slow process, but necessary in order to show them that God's Word was the authority for what was being said. The local Catholic Church did not allow people to read the Bible, but we believed that God's Word brings light (Psalm 119:130).
It was sad to see people denied the Scriptures and kept in spiritual darkness, ignorance and superstition; to see Bibles and tracts torn up on the orders of the priest. We wanted them to have and to know the Word of God.
Sharing the Gospel by Any Means
The arrival of the plane from Cochabamba each week was the main social event of the town, apart from the frequent religious feasts and saints' days of the Catholic Church. Quite a crowd of people walked past our house to the airport and back, including the priest who was always in the forefront of the town's life.
So, high up on the side of our house facing the street, Jim placed a 9' long polished cedar plank on which he had painted the text "Christ Jesus is able to save eternally all those who come to God through Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 11:25).
Anyone coming from the airport could not help but see it—a wonderful silent witness from the Word of God against the doctrine of purgatory and to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as to the intercessory work of the Saviour and not of Mary and the saints.
From within our house we watched many folk read that verse of Scripture, but the priest always walked on the opposite side of the road and kept his gaze straight ahead!
We knew we were in a real spiritual battleground, but the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit, and from the home front came encouragement from our prayer partners, one of whom wrote "I am standing behind you in prayer that in San Joaquin there will be raised up a church of the Living God."
President’s visit to San Joaquin
The president of Bolivia was making a tour of the Republic for political reasons, and San Joaquin was on his route. The town council wanted to hang a welcome sign across the road, and having no doubt seen the text that Jim had painted and fixed on our wall, they asked him for help.
The priest was away in Cochabamba, so possibly that was the reason they condoned the text and asked the favour. It was to be painted on a width of calico seven yards long, and we had 2 1/2 hours to print the welcome in flowery Spanish. It was a rush, finishing with men running down the road fixing the sign to poles as they ran and erecting it as the president's plane landed.
The president marched to the council chambers with all the town in procession behind him; speeches were made, and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers, which he was still carrying as he headed back to the airport a little later.
He did not eat any of the good things that were provided for him, and we were told that these fellows are always scared of being poisoned. The president made a monetary gift of government funds to the local Catholic church, so he was considered quite a good fellow.
Vacation Bible School
Three weeks before Christmas we held a Daily Vacation Bible School for the children of the town, but many would not come inside the meeting room. However, six boys of ages ranging from 10 to 12 years were very keen, even helping us on one occasion in the open-air meeting at the plaza.
We taught them texts, choruses, ‘Bible drill’ (looking up Bible verses quickly) and gave them an outline study of the life of Christ. They also did colouring-in of a text, previously drawn and decorated by Jim.
It was a very profitable time of seed sowing, and years later, when they grew to be the young men of the town, they always showed respect towards the Gospel and friendliness to us.
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