Spanish Gospel Mission

Visit by Javea International Baptist Church     May2009

Miki stood at the front of a packed hall. She spoke confidently of how she became a Christian.   Once she reverted to her native Adalucian tongue in her excitement.   Heather, interpreting for the group of English speakers, was momentarily flummoxed, as were the Bolivians, Romanians, and all the people of other nationalities who had been following Miki’s story in Castillan Spanish. It became a moment of shared joy in that God calls all nations, all tribes, all tongues and all lands together to Himself.

The Spanish Gospel Mission in Manzanares is a church of about sixty people, of whom Miki was the first and founding believer. It was established about eight years ago. Now they own a small, but beautiful, hall. This is equipped with a platform with lectern, keyboard and sound system in situ, sound desk and separate power-point desk, expertly operated by young men projecting pictures, scripture texts and songs on to the front wall.  There is a side room for Bible study where a large table seats a dozen or more people. The children have their own room appropriately decorated and filled with toys, books, activities and furniture for little people. Further back a kitchen is screened off with curtains, as is a large storage area on the opposite side of the hall where they keep cleaning equipment and materials. Both this storage area and the Bible study room were stacked from floor to ceiling with boxes and packets of food and cleaning products that they have been collecting and gathering together ready to give out to the poor. This was accomplished through the social services, benefitting over fifty families, during the week after our visit. Leading off the entrance lobby are, to one side, a small office for Manolo the pastor, and on the other side, the toilets. Outside the church a sign simply says – ‘Iglesia Evangelica’. There are long slim windows on the far wall letting in light. These have been painted brightly in simple stained glass fashion. There is no ornamentation, but a scripture text on the wall announces boldly – ‘Predicamos a Cristo’ (We preach Christ) – and below it – ‘Dios es Amor’ (God is Love). The atmosphere is one of peace, deep abiding peace, so tangible you feel you can breathe it in. There is tranquillity and serenity which stops you in your tracks and lifts your head and you are happy to be part of this quiet calm, to partake of the beauty and assurance within this sanctuary.

Our weekend visit began with our arrival, after a drive of about five hours, at the Hotel Manzanares on Friday evening.  Having found our rooms and freshened up we gathered in the lounge bar where we were met at 7 p.m. by Manolo and his wife, Tony. Introductions were made and excited conversations lasted throughout the evening as we proceeded to see the church building, meet local believers and go out to eat. After the meal, Manolo went to pay the bill for all of us (!), but Peter stepped in and we each reimbursed him later.

Next day, Saturday, began with a trip to Valdepenas, about 25kms south. We went in our four car convoy with Manolo leading the way in his car. Here we visited an old castle, now an hotel and restaurant with function rooms and huge gates and an impressive history.  We looked around the Wine Museum, full of lively information, graphic displays and artefacts. Here a stage was erected in the courtyard. It is a regular concert venue. In the coming week the Spanish Gospel Mission were due to give a gospel concert here. From there we walked into town, breaking into smaller groups for exploration, shopping, coffees and so on. The twenty minutes allowed extended into an hour or so as people got involved. No matter. Then it was time for lunch. The new restaurant was called the 1^st July 1980 after the sudden devastating flood which wiped out many homes and claimed lives. The menu was varied and appetising being a succession of dishes, some shared, some individual, all ate the same. More fellowship and sharing took place over the meal as we sat near different people this time. This time Naomi, Manolo’s sister, who runs the mission in Valdepenas, joined us.

We had time to go back to the hotel for a short siesta of one and a half hours before going back to Valdepenas to the mission house for the evening barbecue. Some of the guys were cooking meats over a huge log fire. Some of the children were playing football against the big walls in another corner on a dusty pitch the size of a tennis court. Ken joined in. We were shown around the unexpectedly large facilities; a meeting room with book-lined walls containing a library of theological tomes, a kitchen and a large dining room, also an accommodation block. It’s amazing to think that this big property in a residential street should have been established before Franco’s rule and once again come into its own. It was on this evening as we met that we heard Miki’s testimony, heard Jonathan’s beautiful voice singing solo and unaccompanied  in worship to God, learnt a song in Spanish and taught the Spanish-speakers an English song, ’ Majesty’.  There was much laughter and clapping as we all joined in together. Sue taught a song in Russian – “nadie entiende” – (nobody understands!), but discovered they knew it in Spanish, which we learnt and we in English too, which we all sang. Pastor Manolo and Pastor John had a few words to say, and then to eat, as always talking to our neighbours and meeting new brothers and sisters. Other missionaries were there from outlying places, Bob and Debbie and their new helpers.  All too soon we from JIBC headed back to base and sat a long while in the lounge talking together, sharing life experiences.

On Sunday the church service was from 12 noon until 2 p.m., followed by a buffet lunch in the hall until 4 p.m. It was all very special and beautiful. Toni led worship and played keyboard, accompanied by one daughter playing electric guitar and another playing drums. Jonathan sang and a girl gently played tambourine. Songs and music were continuous and the presence of God was tangible among us. The church was full of young people, children and young adults, and us sixteen from JIBC. Later, Heather and Sue played as we contributed some songs and the address was given by Pastor John with Mario (a Romanian) interpreting from English to Spanish.  Mike made a moving presentation to Manolo of a bilingual leather-bound Bible (to which we had all contributed) as a mark of our bond of fellowship. Chris took photos to record the important occasion.

After the service all the local people helped set up tables and chairs and a spread of many kinds of food, each nationality having provided a dish typical of their country. After the many savoury dishes there were cakes and coffees. 

The whole weekend was marked by love, by giving and sharing, by fun and caring. We made so many friends it was hard to tear ourselves away to go home, turning back several times to wave and call out “Adios”.