Pastor Raul of Iglesia Altar de Noe

Only one of us on the trip got to the church of the most outgoing of the pastors, Raul Contreras (pictured above right, with Jose Domingo to his right). Raul is a pastor in training who we met two years ago. Pastora Juanita stayed with Pastor Raul’s family, and later Sunday evening Juanita returned to the Contreras home, which turned out to be a manse near the church itself. (Both are located in the El Cerritos neighborhood of El Estor.) Worship at the Iglesia Altar de Noe (Noah’s Altar church) (a church of some 140 members) was still going on when Juanita arrived home, and she went over and checked it out. I believe she may have spoken briefly also.

During the whole weekend, we’d been half joking that we could learn something from the Estreño Presbyterians not only about spirituality, evangelism, and church growth but also about sound amplification. We’ve been having some trouble with our church sound system. Several weeks earlier a sudden loud sound coming from the Crescent Hill church sound system – during worship – had spooked many of us there – including Juanita, who had just had heart surgery.

Most of these tiny, poor churches had good sound systems, with the one at Pastor Mario’s San Jorge church, readers might recall, was turned up particularly loud. Juanita said that the system at Altar de Noe also seemed strong, until, while Pastor Raul was leading a closing prayer at the church, a loud noise (like at our church, but longer) started up. Two church people tried frantically to turn it down, while Raul just continued to pray. Juanita said that Raul calmly finished the prayer, and then walked over to the sound system and unplugged it. Then worship was over.

Like most of the pastors, Raul was married and had a number of kids. Juanita said she talked little with Raul’s wife, whose Spanish may not be great. He was also a musician. In the various churches he sang, played marimba, and played electronic keyboard, and he also shared with us a CD of his music.

One of Raul’s other prized possessions was obviously his motorcycle. He showed up dramatically, with Juanita riding behind him on the motorcycle, arriving there for the Sunday morning partnership discussions. I failed to snap a picture of that entrance. I did, however, get a picture of Raul and Juanita’s exit from the El Chupon mission church – again, on Pastor Raul’s motorcycle (below).

-- Perry