Everything after this date will be listed on a brand-new site. Nothing more will be posted here. For now, this site will remain as an archive of everything that has been posted to date.
Click on the title to go to the NEW Ralph Hiatt's Argentina.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Apples on the ground, pie in the oven
I have never seen so many apples on the ground. This has been one of their best years for apples here at the Patagonian Bible Institute. Some of the apples are as big as a softball. They are already harvesting some. They take them to a special cold storage place that keeps them fresh until November so they can continually use them with meals for their 59 students.
I am staying in the very nice director’s home on campus here. (See photo) Directors Martin and Charlotte Jacobson, (photo) missionaries from Kentucky are two of the best of the best. This afternoon Martin picked up some apples off the ground and made us all a “smoothy” by combining chopped up apples and bananas. Uuuummm delicious! This couple works tirelessly during all their waking hours. They are constantly in a building program. Their dorms are fairly well finished on the inside and filled with students, but need to be stuccoed and finished on the outside. The large library/chapel building has a roof, but is far from completed and cannot be used. Naturally, like always, they are out of money. So building on the library/chapel has been halted awaiting another miracle. If you happen to have $60,000 hidden under the bed and don’t know what to do with it… well, just send it to the AGWM Missionary Ralph Hiatt account #283632 marked Patagonian Bible Institute. I’ll make sure it gets where it’s supposed to go.
Years ago, when Frances and I were here with our MMM (Mobile Ministry Module) they were trying to get the academic building up and going and had finally reached the end of all resources. Charlotte wept because they would now have to send the main builder, a wonderful brother, back home and close down the progress on the construction. About that time I received an email from a name I did not recognize asking me “What would you do if you had $100,000?” I thought it was just another gag and didn’t even answer it. But then a pastor wrote reminding me about the letter that his secretary had sent me. I knew this minister. He pastored a small church that was meeting in a school classroom. I responded, presenting him with the need of the IBP academic building. He immediately sent me (through the AGWM) $65,000 which I gave to the Jacobsons just after they had been in tears because they were having to shut down. The building was completed and classes started right away in those classrooms. I never asked that generous pastor what he did with the other $35,000… ha. I’m sure it, too, went for a good cause.
Lord, we need another one of those miracles… any time now, please.
Ralph
I am staying in the very nice director’s home on campus here. (See photo) Directors Martin and Charlotte Jacobson, (photo) missionaries from Kentucky are two of the best of the best. This afternoon Martin picked up some apples off the ground and made us all a “smoothy” by combining chopped up apples and bananas. Uuuummm delicious! This couple works tirelessly during all their waking hours. They are constantly in a building program. Their dorms are fairly well finished on the inside and filled with students, but need to be stuccoed and finished on the outside. The large library/chapel building has a roof, but is far from completed and cannot be used. Naturally, like always, they are out of money. So building on the library/chapel has been halted awaiting another miracle. If you happen to have $60,000 hidden under the bed and don’t know what to do with it… well, just send it to the AGWM Missionary Ralph Hiatt account #283632 marked Patagonian Bible Institute. I’ll make sure it gets where it’s supposed to go.
Years ago, when Frances and I were here with our MMM (Mobile Ministry Module) they were trying to get the academic building up and going and had finally reached the end of all resources. Charlotte wept because they would now have to send the main builder, a wonderful brother, back home and close down the progress on the construction. About that time I received an email from a name I did not recognize asking me “What would you do if you had $100,000?” I thought it was just another gag and didn’t even answer it. But then a pastor wrote reminding me about the letter that his secretary had sent me. I knew this minister. He pastored a small church that was meeting in a school classroom. I responded, presenting him with the need of the IBP academic building. He immediately sent me (through the AGWM) $65,000 which I gave to the Jacobsons just after they had been in tears because they were having to shut down. The building was completed and classes started right away in those classrooms. I never asked that generous pastor what he did with the other $35,000… ha. I’m sure it, too, went for a good cause.
Lord, we need another one of those miracles… any time now, please.
Ralph
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Seeking His Passion
Every Christian father and mother’s heart breaks for the sheep of their little flock that have strayed away. One never ceases to pray for them. Sunday night I preached from Luke 15, the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son… using some ideas from a sermon by AG Supt. George Wood. The lost sheep became lost by his own carelessness. With his face in the grass and never looking up he wandered away from the flock and the care of the shepherd. The lost coin became lost because of the carelessness of someone else since a coin cannot lose itself. Somebody who should have been responsible failed that take care of that coin. May God help us who have the responsibility to care for a few of His precious coins! The son became lost by his own rebellion even though he was part of a family with a loving, generous father. The father was deeply concerned for his lost son. He was not happy with 50% of his family inside his care. The woman was concerned for one coin even though she still had 90% of her coins in hand. The shepherd was concerned over one lost sheep even though he had 99% within the safety of the flock. It is of little comfort to tell a mother whose child has disappeared, “Don’t worry. You have another child.” Would we not be elated to have 50% of the lost in our city all saved and in church? But would Jesus be satisfied? Would we not be proud if we had 90% of the people in our town in our church? We would be on national TV and writing top-selling books. But would Jesus be happy? We would be flying super high if we had 99% of the people in our community saved and in church. But would Jesus be happy? God is not willing that any should perish. Our Good Shepherd will leave His flock and run to the mountains in the middle of a dark night to save that last bleating lamb from the jaws of the roaring lion that is hanging out nearby. God, give us the passion of Jesus!
The Patagonian Bible Institute (IBP) is a beautiful place. It our southernmost Bible Institute in the world I am told. The whole 10 acres was an apple orchard. The Welsh Christians that first settled in this area developed a wonderful system of irrigation powered by waterwheels driven by the river current and lifting the water high enough to run through irrigation canals. One of these little canals runs right through the campus. (Photo) They have had to remove many apple trees to make room for the academic buildings, kitchen, library and dormitories, but there are still hundreds of wonderful apples of all kinds on the 300 apple trees that remain. (Photo) The Lord seems to walk with you when you stroll among the trees. There are presently 59 students studying. They have just added a fourth year. The key figures in the development of this seminary are Martin and Charlotte Jacobson from Kentucky. They are so full of Jesus, so kind, tender and loving and yet so highly structured and self disciplined that they tend to reproduce these qualities in their students. The assistant directors, Eddie and Diana Echevarria, are also among God’s choicest servants. This morning I preached to the student body and staff. They extended the typical chapel time to allow for a good time of prayer. Who knows what God will do with these fervent students? I always say, “Watch out world! Here come the Argentines! Either step to one side or get run over, because they are going places for Jesus!”
Tuesday night I felt impressed to change my prepared message only an hour before arriving at the Rawson church, which is very unlike me. Once again I ministered on Jesus’ passion for the lost. I had no idea that this church had taken a theme for this month: “Seeking His Passion”. There was a strong congregation for a Tuesday night. The photo shows only a small portion of them. Most remained seeking His passion until around 11 PM!
God is treating me well. I still have a voice, not a super powerful voice, but a voice! It’s almost incredible! This week I’m only preaching 5 times. I have three days off to get ready for next week’s Spiritual Emphasis Week at our Mediterranean Bible Institute (IBM) in Cordoba.
Ralph
The Patagonian Bible Institute (IBP) is a beautiful place. It our southernmost Bible Institute in the world I am told. The whole 10 acres was an apple orchard. The Welsh Christians that first settled in this area developed a wonderful system of irrigation powered by waterwheels driven by the river current and lifting the water high enough to run through irrigation canals. One of these little canals runs right through the campus. (Photo) They have had to remove many apple trees to make room for the academic buildings, kitchen, library and dormitories, but there are still hundreds of wonderful apples of all kinds on the 300 apple trees that remain. (Photo) The Lord seems to walk with you when you stroll among the trees. There are presently 59 students studying. They have just added a fourth year. The key figures in the development of this seminary are Martin and Charlotte Jacobson from Kentucky. They are so full of Jesus, so kind, tender and loving and yet so highly structured and self disciplined that they tend to reproduce these qualities in their students. The assistant directors, Eddie and Diana Echevarria, are also among God’s choicest servants. This morning I preached to the student body and staff. They extended the typical chapel time to allow for a good time of prayer. Who knows what God will do with these fervent students? I always say, “Watch out world! Here come the Argentines! Either step to one side or get run over, because they are going places for Jesus!”
Tuesday night I felt impressed to change my prepared message only an hour before arriving at the Rawson church, which is very unlike me. Once again I ministered on Jesus’ passion for the lost. I had no idea that this church had taken a theme for this month: “Seeking His Passion”. There was a strong congregation for a Tuesday night. The photo shows only a small portion of them. Most remained seeking His passion until around 11 PM!
God is treating me well. I still have a voice, not a super powerful voice, but a voice! It’s almost incredible! This week I’m only preaching 5 times. I have three days off to get ready for next week’s Spiritual Emphasis Week at our Mediterranean Bible Institute (IBM) in Cordoba.
Ralph
Monday, April 11, 2011
Weekend Spin
Check out the excited youth group in the young Las Grutas church! (Friday night Photo)
I spent all day Saturday in the hotel in Las Grutas praying and preparing for a weekend of ministry in Sierra Grande, Puerto Madryn and Trelew. I took no time for anything else… didn’t even stop to eat. I finally finished a rough draft of a message for my Sunday night message just in time to load my suitcases in the car and get myself 130 kilometers down the road to Sierra Grande for the evening service. I arrived in time to spend some quality time with the pastors, Jorge and Norma Coba, before the service. Here the pastors are a dear couple that many years ago were my students at River Platte Bible Institute in Buenos Aires. They served for a time as missionaries to Brazil, then later, something like 7 years in Bolivia. Sierra Grande is kind of a ghost town whose mine closed down years ago. The church is small and has suffered some set-backs. The pastors said it had only 3 or 4 people in it when they came here 7 years ago. During the prayer time at the close, the keyboard player was keeping the music going while praying fervently down on his knees. I couldn’t resist clicking the camera. (Photo) Later I invited the married couples to gather up front for special prayer. There were 12 couples, plus the pastor and his wife…. (See last photo) That’s a pretty strong Saturday night congregation for a ghost town.
After church I drove another 135 kilometers to Puerto Madryn, arriving at my hotel at 1 AM. I got right to bed at 2 AM so I could be up and at the church at 7:45 AM for the 8:30 morning service where I was scheduled to minister. What a great church we have in Puerto Madryn! Pastors Horacio and Julia Balbi are the greatest! They have been like family to Frances and me. This is the area where the Welsh Christians settled many years ago. Madryn is a pretty city facing the sea. During certain times of the year huge “Right” whales can be seen playing in the waters. They say they come here to mate. I even saw one breach clear out of the water here once. Another time Frances and I and a bunch of tourists watched several of these monsters only about 150 feet from the shore just hanging around “tourist watching”… whispering to each other, “Hey Moby… Check out that guy with the striped shirt, short pants and dark glasses!” The Madryn AG church has Sunday School for the kids after the Sunday morning service and I stayed to have Felipe share a Bible story with a bustling church-full of kids of all ages. Then I drove the 84 kilometers to the Patagonian Bible Institute in Gaiman where I will now be staying in for a week in the home of Directors’ Martin and Charlotte Jacobson’s. They served me a delicious Sunday lunch. Then I crashed for an hour before rising to finish preparing my message for tonight in Trelew. Pastors Ramon and Blanca Saucedo have a powerful work going in Trelew with its fingers reaching out for hundreds of kilometers in several directions. I preached from the three parables in Luke 15: Lost Sheep, Lost Coin and Lost Son… and asked the congregation of about 300 to come seek God for the same passion for the lost that Jesus demonstrated. This church is always good for a great altar time… and I was not disappointed.
Hey… It’s 2:30 AM again… past my bedtime. Good night.
Ralph
Friday, April 8, 2011
Miracles come in many colors!
This afternoon I was driving only two blocks from the hotel, returning from a delightful lunch with Pastors Stella y Jorge Orellano, when I heard a strange sound under the car. I thought I had caught a wire or something in a wheel. I drove the two blocks and parked at the hotel, then looked underneath the hood. The main serpentine belt that runs everything important to the function of the motor and steering was disintegrating into long strings of flapping rubber. I asked the hotel desk man, Hector, if he knew a mechanic. He was just getting ready to change shifts and leave someone else, but he knew one and called a friend to get the mechanic’s number. I called the number. The mechanic’s shop is only two blocks from the church where I preach tonight. The mechanic knows the pastor. Moments ago he came and towed the car away to his shop. (See photo)
Well, what’s so miraculous about that? I’m so glad you asked. I have just driven 5,357 miles in this car on some of the most isolated roads on this earth. 95% of these areas had no cell phone service available, no mechanics, no tow facilities, no smiling faces to rescue me… unless some daring soul were to stop out in the middle of nowhere. In some cases there was only one car every ten of fifteen minutes! So the serpentine belt decided that it had no more to give and surrendered… exactly in the most convenient possible place! Had it broken at 3500 RPMs on the open road, damage could well have happened to the engine before I could bring it to a stop. Did you ever hear of anyone whose car broke down… who yelled a big loud “Thank you, Jesus!” and really meant it? Well… now you have.
I know it! I know it! You have been praying for me again. What a joy to be in His divine protection! When Frances knew that she was in her last days on this earth and I brought her home from the care center at her request, I posted two signs in large letters on the wall where she could see them. One was “Welcome Home, My Darling!” and the other “The Eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut. 33:27. Oh, what security and comfort in those everlasting arms!
Bless you, each prayer warrior! Keep it up. You are a vital part of this team!
Ralph
Well, what’s so miraculous about that? I’m so glad you asked. I have just driven 5,357 miles in this car on some of the most isolated roads on this earth. 95% of these areas had no cell phone service available, no mechanics, no tow facilities, no smiling faces to rescue me… unless some daring soul were to stop out in the middle of nowhere. In some cases there was only one car every ten of fifteen minutes! So the serpentine belt decided that it had no more to give and surrendered… exactly in the most convenient possible place! Had it broken at 3500 RPMs on the open road, damage could well have happened to the engine before I could bring it to a stop. Did you ever hear of anyone whose car broke down… who yelled a big loud “Thank you, Jesus!” and really meant it? Well… now you have.
I know it! I know it! You have been praying for me again. What a joy to be in His divine protection! When Frances knew that she was in her last days on this earth and I brought her home from the care center at her request, I posted two signs in large letters on the wall where she could see them. One was “Welcome Home, My Darling!” and the other “The Eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut. 33:27. Oh, what security and comfort in those everlasting arms!
Bless you, each prayer warrior! Keep it up. You are a vital part of this team!
Ralph
Just Do It!
Much of Las Grutas beach totally disappears when the tide comes in… so scramble to safety!
I was pleasantly surprised tonight to find that Pastor Julio Chazarreta (photo) has enlarged and fixed up his church building very nicely. His was the first Assemblies of God church in San Antonio Oeste. Twenty two years ago he was a deacon in Valcheta, 65 miles to the west. At that time Juan Sepulveda, another son of old Brother Pedro Sepulveda, was his pastor. He says that Pastor Juan Sepulveda just told him to move over to San Antonio Oeste and start a church… no money, no house, no property and no back-up plan. It was a repeat of old Pastor Pedro Sepulveda’s style… “Just do it!” and his kids caught the virus. The church is small. The people humble. God’s Word is important… important enough to carry a ragged, well used Bible even when walking with your family a long way to church.
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Please understand that I am finding it very time consuming to keep up with my ever changing list of email addresses and may soon be forced to rely on my blog site to reach you. So please be sure to check out my new blog by simply double clicking on this site: http://hiattargentina.blogspot.com/ Thanks for your understanding.
Ralph
Thursday, April 7, 2011
"Dead" Child Raised to Life
So much to tell! Last night I ministered at San Antonio Oeste. The city of 17,000 sets in a cove where fishing boats set out for the sea.
Pastors Ricardo and Alicia Espejo, founders of this new church, reminded me last night of how they were called into ministry. In 1995 Frances and I were visiting several small towns out in gaucho territory south of Buenos Aires, towing our living quarters with us. We called it our MMM “Mobile Ministry Module”. It served as our only home for 6 years. We were leaving one town when we were informed of a teenage girl and her family that wanted so much to go to the camp meeting that was just starting, but had no way to get there. So we offered to take them although it meant that Frances and the mother and daughter would have to ride inside the mobile house. We had to go about 80 miles out of our way on a back road filled with huge potholes. I remember having to slowly drive off the edge of the broken pavement many times with a huge drop off. It was stuff that no 8 ton fifth wheel should ever be forced to endure. When we got to the camp their preacher had not arrived, so I was invited to preach. Ricardo and Alicia were one of the young couples among the several hundred campers. That night I preached John 12:24 “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains sterile, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.” Ricardo and Alicia responded to the call to come forward and plant the seed of their hopes and dreams in the fertile soil of God’s will. That night God called them into full time ministry. They left everything, sold their home and their car, took their family with them and rode a long distance bus to Rocky and Sherry Grams’ River Plate Bible School in Buenos Aires.
Upon graduation they felt a powerful call to San Antonio Oeste. They had nothing at all. Only a call, no backing, no money. Today they have a thriving church in a rented hall.
Pastor Ricardo is an unassuming guy that lets his wife, Alicia, do the talking. As we sat in their tiny borrowed house eating a midnight dinner at their table, she told of miracle after miracle, some last week, one the previous day. She says sometimes when her faith was very weak, her husband would make scary faith declarations.
Check out this recent miracle. There she is in the group of kids at Felipe’s feet. (See photo) She is standing on the far right wearing white shoes, a pink blouse, a big smile and a sparkle in her eye. She is a four year old whose mother is an alcoholic. Several months ago her mother gave her sleeping pills to calm her down and put her to sleep. Either her mother in a drunken stupor gave her an overdose or perhaps the little girl herself had access and took them all. The result was she did not wake up the next day. Her mother tried to awaken her but it was hopeless. She was limp as a rag doll. A lot of time passed. Much later her grandmother found her still in this condition and rushed her to the hospital. The doctors said it was too late to pump the stomach. The deadly medication was already in her blood stream. There was nothing they could do. The grandmother had been attending Ricardo and Alicia’s new church. There was no sign of life in the little child, but she carried the limp, apparently dead body to the church and interrupted the service. At her desperate pleas Ricardo stopped preaching. He took the limp body in his arms. The arms and legs dangled down. There was no indication of life whatsoever. He prayed for her and then they placed the slumped over little body in a stroller that someone had there. Pastor Ricardo announced to the church that before the service was over that little girl would walk out of there on her own. Then he went on preaching. Alicia admits she was worried. “After such a declaration, what will happen if she still lies there dead? He will be called a liar.” To the amazement of everyone the little girl awoke, climbed out of the stroller and walked around normally and with no brain damage. Everyone broke into praising God.
Last night a young lady called as she was returning home from the hospital in far away Buenos Aires. She had been suffering migraine headaches. Here in San Antonio Oeste the scans showed an ugly tumor inside her head, high in the frontal area. The doctors here were sending her to a hospital in Buenos Aires for the delicate operation. But Pastors Ricardo and Alicia laid hands on her and prayed. Then Alicia says, “He just announced to everyone not to worry because when she got to Buenos Aires the tumor would already be gone.” Again Alicia thought, “How can he dare to make such a statement?” Well yesterday this young lady called her pastor and announced that they had done all kinds of scans and x-rays and that they can find no trace of the tumor. The doctors are stymied. They have the previous scans in hand that clearly show the tumor, its size and location, but now it could not be found. They said there is no explanation and just sent her home. So now she is on the bus heading about 800 miles back to San Antonio Oeste. To God be the glory!
I’m asking the Lord to bless again tonight at our other AG church in San Antonio Oeste. Next week I am actually planning a couple of days off! I just checked and I have ministered 20 times in the past two weeks! The remarkable thing is that I still have a voice.
Ralph
Pastors Ricardo and Alicia Espejo, founders of this new church, reminded me last night of how they were called into ministry. In 1995 Frances and I were visiting several small towns out in gaucho territory south of Buenos Aires, towing our living quarters with us. We called it our MMM “Mobile Ministry Module”. It served as our only home for 6 years. We were leaving one town when we were informed of a teenage girl and her family that wanted so much to go to the camp meeting that was just starting, but had no way to get there. So we offered to take them although it meant that Frances and the mother and daughter would have to ride inside the mobile house. We had to go about 80 miles out of our way on a back road filled with huge potholes. I remember having to slowly drive off the edge of the broken pavement many times with a huge drop off. It was stuff that no 8 ton fifth wheel should ever be forced to endure. When we got to the camp their preacher had not arrived, so I was invited to preach. Ricardo and Alicia were one of the young couples among the several hundred campers. That night I preached John 12:24 “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains sterile, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.” Ricardo and Alicia responded to the call to come forward and plant the seed of their hopes and dreams in the fertile soil of God’s will. That night God called them into full time ministry. They left everything, sold their home and their car, took their family with them and rode a long distance bus to Rocky and Sherry Grams’ River Plate Bible School in Buenos Aires.
Upon graduation they felt a powerful call to San Antonio Oeste. They had nothing at all. Only a call, no backing, no money. Today they have a thriving church in a rented hall.
Pastor Ricardo is an unassuming guy that lets his wife, Alicia, do the talking. As we sat in their tiny borrowed house eating a midnight dinner at their table, she told of miracle after miracle, some last week, one the previous day. She says sometimes when her faith was very weak, her husband would make scary faith declarations.
Check out this recent miracle. There she is in the group of kids at Felipe’s feet. (See photo) She is standing on the far right wearing white shoes, a pink blouse, a big smile and a sparkle in her eye. She is a four year old whose mother is an alcoholic. Several months ago her mother gave her sleeping pills to calm her down and put her to sleep. Either her mother in a drunken stupor gave her an overdose or perhaps the little girl herself had access and took them all. The result was she did not wake up the next day. Her mother tried to awaken her but it was hopeless. She was limp as a rag doll. A lot of time passed. Much later her grandmother found her still in this condition and rushed her to the hospital. The doctors said it was too late to pump the stomach. The deadly medication was already in her blood stream. There was nothing they could do. The grandmother had been attending Ricardo and Alicia’s new church. There was no sign of life in the little child, but she carried the limp, apparently dead body to the church and interrupted the service. At her desperate pleas Ricardo stopped preaching. He took the limp body in his arms. The arms and legs dangled down. There was no indication of life whatsoever. He prayed for her and then they placed the slumped over little body in a stroller that someone had there. Pastor Ricardo announced to the church that before the service was over that little girl would walk out of there on her own. Then he went on preaching. Alicia admits she was worried. “After such a declaration, what will happen if she still lies there dead? He will be called a liar.” To the amazement of everyone the little girl awoke, climbed out of the stroller and walked around normally and with no brain damage. Everyone broke into praising God.
Last night a young lady called as she was returning home from the hospital in far away Buenos Aires. She had been suffering migraine headaches. Here in San Antonio Oeste the scans showed an ugly tumor inside her head, high in the frontal area. The doctors here were sending her to a hospital in Buenos Aires for the delicate operation. But Pastors Ricardo and Alicia laid hands on her and prayed. Then Alicia says, “He just announced to everyone not to worry because when she got to Buenos Aires the tumor would already be gone.” Again Alicia thought, “How can he dare to make such a statement?” Well yesterday this young lady called her pastor and announced that they had done all kinds of scans and x-rays and that they can find no trace of the tumor. The doctors are stymied. They have the previous scans in hand that clearly show the tumor, its size and location, but now it could not be found. They said there is no explanation and just sent her home. So now she is on the bus heading about 800 miles back to San Antonio Oeste. To God be the glory!
I’m asking the Lord to bless again tonight at our other AG church in San Antonio Oeste. Next week I am actually planning a couple of days off! I just checked and I have ministered 20 times in the past two weeks! The remarkable thing is that I still have a voice.
Ralph
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