Last night, I was looking through an old Theology Proper textbook that we used long ago in our Mobile Bible Institute. I noticed that most of the pages had been filled with underlined passages and scribbled notes. About half of them I easily recognized as my handwriting, but the other notes were even more obvious. My dear friend, Jorge Espinal, had written the other notes in his distinctive cursive style.
At different times, both Jorge Espinal and I used the same book to teach different groups of rural pastors. The Mobile Bible Institute was really a fulfillment of his dream (along with Paul Talley) to make theological education available to the poor, bi-vocational pastors of Honduras and Nicaragua. It began in 1994 and continues today in many different countries.
You see, I was on a bus travelling to teach an MBI group last week when I received a text message about Jorge's death. His long battle with cancer was finally over. A large group of us had spent a few hours with the family and friends the night before and we knew that it was only a matter of a very short time. I had been given the privilege a week earlier to actually share a few words with Jorge. It felt like we were saying goodbye and I will always cherish the gift of that moment.
Last night, as I flipped through the pages, I sat in silence, praising God for my friend, his life and his legacy. His notes were not simply written on these pages but also on the reality of my heart....knowing that his kindness and generosity have helped to shape so many of us. Thank you, Jesus....Praise be to your name!
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