Linda Vista/ Beautiful View

Iglesia Cristiana Virtud y Amor de Dios. This is the church that Jamie and I attended Sunday morning in Linda Vista. This area is one of the newest sites that Pura Vida Missions missionary teams started visiting this past summer to do Vacation Bible School and Construction Projects. Pastor Carlos graciously let us use his little church with dirt floors (well, dirt floors at the time till Harvest Bible Chapel from Palm Beach Gardens came in and laid down concrete floors and put in bathrooms) so we could hide out with the kids from the afternoon downpours. Linda Vista, which means "beautiful view" in Spanish, is definitely just that. The dirt road is lined with small, tin-roofed houses and crisscrossed, low hanging power lines that lead up to this beautiful view of San Ramon and surrounding mountains. There is just something about this place. The Lord continues to tug on my heart every time I step foot there.

So as we are walking into church I was greeted by some of the kids that I had made a special connection with this summer. There were some wooden pews added and about 12 adults and 7 kids who attended.  As I'm worshipping and listening to the message given by a visiting Pastor I sensed desperation around me. Not desperation for the things of this world but for the Lord. The message recharged me and the Holy Spirit moved in this little church with just a boom box for worship and pin holes in the tin roof for light to enter. I couldn't stop looking at the girls from our summer VBS who came to church even though their parents didn't attend. There was such an affirmation of our missionary teams that served at this site this past summer sitting on those old wooden pews. Linda Vista, beautiful view, this place is definitely giving me a beautiful view of who the Lord is, and who I want to be through Him.

My girls from Linda Vista

I once received a letter from a church secretary during a really tragic time in my life and she signed off with "Because He Lives", words to one of my favorite hymns that really put my life and purpose in a clear perspective. May it do the same for you.

Because He Lives,

Natalya Clemens