Sis. Alvear's Official Picture Thread

[Sister Alvear]

SOUTH AMERICAN FOREIGN MISSIONS

Rev Raul and Janice Alvear
PO Box 797, Jonesville, LA 71343 – Phone 337-290-2658
CP 204, Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil, South America 57020-970
Phone: 011-55-82-9909-9351

DEAR HOMELAND FRIENDS:

JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE POEM WITH YOU PRECIOUS FLKS WRITTEN BY RUBY C. HARRIS….THIS POEM CONTAINS MY FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS ALSO AS AN OLDER MISSIONARY….






DO I REGRET THE YEARS ALL SPENT AND GONE?
THAT I CANNOT RECALL THEM THIS IS SURE.
WOULD I UNDO THE GOOD THAT I HAVE DONE
AND LOSE THE LOST ONES WHO HAVE BEEN MADE PURE?
WOULD I EXCHANGE THE HARDSHIPS I HAVE KNOWN
UPON AN ALIEN SHORE (THAT DID NOT CARE
TO HAVE ME SOW THE SEEDS THAT I HAVE SOWN)
FOR THINGS I HAVE MISSED IN LANDS MORE FAIR?

HAD I KNOWN THE SORROW AND THE BLOOD
THE SWEAT AND TEARS WITH NONE TO UNDERSTAND
COULD I HAVE PEERED INTO THE LONELINESS
OF STANDING BY A GRAVE ON ALIEN LAND
OF SAILING HOME AND LEAVING IN THAT SOIL
THE GRAVE AND THE LOVE THAT LAY THEREIN
WITH FOREIGN FACES, BLANK AND FOREIGN HANDS
I WONDER IF I HAD IT ALL TO DO AGAIN?

IF I WERE YOUNG AGAIN AND KNOWING ALL
THE PAIN, THE FEAR, THE FRIENDLESSNESS,
THE LONELINESS, THE BITTERNCE THE GALL
STILL I WOULD TURN TO YOU IN CONSCIOUSNESS
THAT WITH THE HURTS CAME BLESSESNESS AND GAIN
TO FURTIVE FACES HAUNTED BY DARK FEAR
CAME THANKFULNESS, DELIVERY FROM PAIN
ALL THIS BECAUSE MY LIFE WAS GIVEN HERE

DEAR LORD, I’D GIVE IT ALL NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
WITH YOUTH’S EXUBERANCE I’D YEILD ONCE MORE
TO YOU WHATEVER STRENGTH TO MEET THE TASK
YOUR GOODNESS GAVE TO ME, JUST AS BEFORE
WHAT I HAVE MISSED OR WHAT I GAVE YOU LORD
WAS A MITE IN COMPARED WITH WHAT I WISH
YOUR PRECIOUS NAME, THE NAME IN WHICH WE BLESS!

TOO SWIFTLY HAVE THE CONSCRETED YEARS
RUSHED BY AND OH! THE WORK I COULD NOT DO!
HAD I A THOUSAND LIVES, A SEA OF TEARS
TO GATHER IN THE SUFFERING WORLD TO YOU
HOW GLADLY WOULD I RUSH YOUR ALTARS LORD,
AND LAY THEM ALL BEFORE YOUR PIERCED FEET! I’S NOT EXCHANGE MY LIFE FOR ANYTHING
IN ALL THE EARTH! IT HOLDS NO GAIN SO SWEET! ( RUBY C. HARRIS)



MISSIONARY LIFE MAY NOT ALWAYS BE EASY BUT IT IS WORTH IT! THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE IT EASIER AND LIFT THE LOAD.


YOUR MISSIONARY FRIENDS

BROTHER AND SISTER ALVEAR SR