In our first year here in Nicaragua we went through an excellent missionary training called Perspectives.  One of the articles we studied was about finding the ‘man of peace’ in the community a person was going to work in.  This ‘man of peace’ was an individual that bridged the cultural gap.  This individual could bring two groups together and help them understand each other and their cultural differences. 

This person would often be the face of the ministry.  They would help to develop relationships.  They were usually an individual that God would bring forward that was good at sharing the Gospel from the perspective of their own culture.  Because they understand subtleties of their own culture, they are more successful at communicating the Gospel in a way that their culture understands.  Something a foreigner might take years to understand.

John Carey spent seven years in India before he had his first convert.  God used that convert as a bridge to open doors to Carey and soon he was seeing results through the efforts of this ‘man of peace.’

About six months before my 60^th birthday I had a four foot Papa Smurf piñata made and placed it in the corner of our front room.  Something amazing began happening.  People that would usually just walk by our house began stopping.  Children wanted their picture taken with Papa Smurf; we even had a 63 year old church elder (Don Beto) got his picture taken.  Smiles would spread across people’s faces and they would talk with us.  This was amazing.  We were getting to know people just because of a piñata!

When we purchased Chelita she was a pet for me.  Natalie is a cat lover and I am too insecure for cats.  Dogs are a different matter.  They come to you when you call.  They are excited to see you when you have been away from them for a period of time.  She was a blessing.  When things were depressing or stressful she has a calming effect that both Natalie and I experienced.  But, we were to get a bigger surprise.

Chelita is a ministry dog!  You say; how can that be?  You might even think that is a stretch.  But let me share a few things.  I can walk around town and very few people will speak to me.  Mostly it is my students, fellow brothers and sisters from our church or churches I have spoken at.  But, take Chelita with me and things quickly change.  Children light up when they see her.  Even adults with frowns light up. 

We have met and spoke with so many people because of Chelita.  She is a bridge.  A common experience we share with others that bring down walls and opens up conversation.  Now we can be walking around town and people call out; Chelita.  Sometimes people we do not even know.  She apparently has a following.

We look for opportunities to connect with others.  Gospel outreaches share the message of God’s Word, but those outreaches do not tend to lead to relationships.  Certainly God can use and has used outreaches, but, we have shared more with people we are in relationship with.  Chelita brings down walls.  She ‘inflicts’ smiles on people and changes their mood.  This positive experience opens up conversations which then have the potential to lead to relationships;   opportunities.

Amazing how God can use a dog. Chelita is a ministry dog.  She is a bridge.  And we love her.

For His glory,

Stephen Goff
Stephen.Goff@N-Response2.com
www.N-Response2.com
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