BELOVED DUDES

 The Beloved Dudes show up at our house on Wednesday afternoons.  While most of my (Gary's) work in Costa Rica is with Spanish speakers, the dudes are a group of English speaking high school boys who have kindly agreed to hang out with a 49 year old beloved dude.  We open our time together by introducing ourselves in the style of alcoholics anonymous:

 "I'm Drew"

"Drew is a Beloved Dude."

 Many of the guys are missionary kids and have grown up with church services and Bible studies in both languages.  The challenge for such kids (in my humble opinion) is to hear the gospel as more than just the family business, and to let God love them and challenge them.  In my experience, guys carry burdens that they don't often talk about.  Issues of shame, self-esteem, temptations, and societal definitions of manhood are just a few of the issues faced by men and boys.

 On a journey through I John we learned that we are beloved, forgiven, called to walk in the light, and called to love in tangible ways with servant hearts.  We have learned to "test the spirits" and seen that both George Bush and Barack Obama have made idolatrous claims (thanks Shane Claiborne), and that burning the Koran is dangerous and dumb.  We have heard from Mylinda about how to better understand and honor the women in our lives. (It's probably time to review that one.) We've talked about what it means to be a man, using Jesus as our example and rejecting macho stereotypes.  We've talked about world hunger, conflict resolution, college plans, and how to make a difference in the world. 

 We make a point of praying together, taking turns pronouncing God's blessing over each dude, and thanking God for his unique gifts.  We don't quite have the manhood thing figured out, but realizing that we're beloved dudes is a start.

 Thank you for your prayers and financial support that allow us to work with Costa Rican partners and "beloveds" of all genders and ethnicities. 

 Gracias,

 Gary

 P.s. Thanks for your prayers for Mylinda's mom, Ginger, as she battles heart issues.  Please keep those prayers coming.