Casting a Gentle Giant Shadow in Puerto Rico

Ruth Luttrell "Mama Ruth"
1926-2014
San Juan, Puerto Rico
WBMJ The Rock Radio Network

Saturday 15, 2014 at 3:40 am, Ruth Luttrell was called into the presence of the One she loved from an early age, the Lord Jesus Christ, her Messiah and King.

Her service to our Lord and King was exemplary. She was to many a mentor and counselor. To others she was an example of what a Christian woman should look like in word and deed. And to a multitude of people she was the picture image of what an ambassador for Christ should be. To these multitudes she was the representative of the love that Jesus Christ has for them, for she shared the good news: "to the Jew first and also to the gentile." (Rom.1:16-17) It did not matter where she found herself at the moment, for to Ruth every single moment was the opportune time to share the Good News.

During the course of her life, she sowed the seed (forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection), she watered, she cleared back the weeds, and she was even used to do some pruning. Not only did she nurture her own family in the counsel of the Lord, but many in the Christian community in Puerto Rico called her "Mama Ruth".

As for my wife, Linda and I, Ruth and her husband Donald Luttrell were crucial in helping us form a family. Because of them we, Linda and I, received the help that eventually culminated in the adoption of our two beautiful children, one from the Dominican Republic and the other from Honduras. Both of our children are mature adults today. Up to now, we have four grand children and all of this is because Ruth and her husband said yes to the Giver of Life, Jesus the Christ. Linda and I will always remember their love for us in the time of need.

Ruth was physically a small person, but because of her commitment to the Lord Jesus, the Lord cast a giant shadow in Puerto Rico. None of what is said here, about Ruth, is because of her own doing, but rather because of Whom she allowed in her life, the Lord Jesus the Christ. Therefore, the Lord had a great impact in the community where Ruth served Him, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and we dare to say, many other parts of the world!

You, too, can have an impact in the lives of those that surround you. By believing Jesus Christ took your place on the cross and accepting his gift of forgiveness of sin, you too, can have a life that influences other people.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For more information on the life of Ruth Luttrell go to:
http://rockradionetwork.org/present-with-the-lord-ruth-luttrell-1926-2014/

Tío José Luis Espada Orlandi

31 de Mayo de 1921 al 26 de Enero de 2014 

El domingo 26 de enero del 2014 al medio día nuestro querido tío, José Luis Espada Orlandi falleció. Le sobreviven su hijo Anthony (Tony) y su esposa Iraida; su hija Evelyn y su esposo Angel y su hija Linda Espada. Tambien sus nietos Jose Luis (Pepe Luis), Jenny, Esteban, Teresa y Isabela.   

De sus hermanos solo le sobreviven su hermana mayor Josefina Espada vda. de Morales y su hermano menor Kelvin Emerson Espada.

Papillo, Mamilla, José Luis y Josefina

José Luis nació en La Romana, República Dominicana durante el viaje misionero de quien fue su padre el Rev. Espada Marrero. De los 8 hijos del reverendo y su esposa Josefina 4 nacieron en la República Dominicana, José Luis, Samuel Leocadio, Ismael Francisco y David José; hubo un varoncito que nacio en Puerto Rico pero a los 11 meses de nacido fallece en la República Dominicana, Eduardo Alfredo.

Tío José Luis fue un ser apasionado de la vida en todo el sentido de la palabra. Entre todas sus pasiones se destacaron su pasión a la familia y pescar mar a fuera. Su pesca predilecta, a mi entender, lo era el "Chillo". 

Me acuerdo una tarde que yo había llegado de la escuela en casa de Papillo, ya que mami y papi no habían llegado del trabajo, llega tío José Luis y le dice a Mamilla, mami, con un beso, un abraso y con la bendición, aquí tienes unos chillos. Saco unos pocos de la nevera portátil y se los dio. Yo, curioso, miro dentro de la nevera portátil, esta estaba repleta de chillos con los ojos brotao.

En otra ocasión Tio llevo a Trucutu, Pichu y a Keve a pescar chillo. Mientras tio preparaba la lancha nos hablaba de lo que podíamos hacer y lo que no podíamos hacer. Entonces él nos pregunta quien de ustedes se marea? Ninguno dijo na porque sabíamos que el que dijera que se mareaba se quedaba en tierra hasta que regresaran de pescar. Ninguno estaba dispuesto a ser el has me reír de los demás y los primos teníamos fama de sacar le punta a cualquier situación. Así salimos y en camino al punto de pesca tio nos mira, parece que él noto algo en nuestros rostros y nos dice, el que me vomite en la lancha la va tener que lavar de arriba a bajo, mejor te agarras de la baranda y lo hechas fuera del bote y viento abajo. Así era él, difícil pero cariñoso a su manera. De esto yo puedo hablar por que desde que tengo memoria fui blanco de su jocosidad.y no empece a esto le quise mucho y busque su consejo. El que yo me acercase a el para consejo, pocos en la familia lo saben y posiblemente no me lo han de creer. Cuantas veces le pedí ayuda, el me ayudo.   

 

Tio siempre estarás en nuestra memoria y no te olvidaremos. 

Tu sobrino, El Keve

12 de febrero de 2014

¡Feliz Navidad!

Belén Efrata

(Miqueas 5:2-4)

José Espada Marrero
(1890-1972)

Belén Efrata, ¡qué nombre

a la memoria mas grato!

En tu romántica historia 

hay episodios loados.

Patriarcas, reyes, profetas,

pastores, ángeles, santos,

en la trama de tus hechos

la providencia ha enlazado.

Raquel, de Jacob llorada,

tranquila duerme en tu campo,

en un tosco monumento

a su memoria elevado.

Noemi de tus hijas fue,

Ruth espigó por tus prados,

y columpiaste la cuna

del gran David, rey y bardo,

que te coronó de fama

con el trono y con los Salmos.

¡Qué profecía más hermosa

 de ti Miqueas nos has dado!

Pequeña para tenida

por honra entre tus hermanos,

el Caudillo de Israel

nos darás tú, sin embargo.

Caudillo, Pastor,por tiempo

de la nación esperado,

aparecerá en tu seno 

un día, Belén, no extraño.

El recogerá los restos

dispersos del pueblo amado,

y se llamará en justicia

"nuestra paz", nuestro regalo.  

¡Y así fue! Belén Efrata,

en tiempo nunca olvidado,

vio la gloria del Mesías

y oyó la voz de lo alto.

José y María una noche

su hospitalidad buscaron,

y refugio en un pesebre,

¡oh dolor!, les fue brindado.

Allí nació el Redentor,

de este mundo en lo mas bajo;

sin engañosa apariencia,

sin oropel, ni boato.

Su advenimiento glorioso

por ángeles fue anunciado

a campesino sencillos

que cuidaban sus rebaños 

en las noches solitarias

y cálidas de verano.

"Nuevas de gozo", dijeron;

"nuevas, pastores, os damos";

"nuevas para todo el pueblo",

judío y gentil, bueno y malo.

"He aquí, os ha nacido

en la ciudad del rey sabio,

el Salvador, el Mesías,

Dios de Israel, humanado.

Le hallareis en un pesebre,

un niñito envuelto en panos",

junto a su madre, María,

y a José, noble y honrado.

Muy alegres los oyentes,

en el anuncio confiando,

fueron corriendo, y al NIÑO

en el aprisco encontraron.

Vinieron también de lejos,

con sus presentes, los Magos,

por la singular Estrella

en el Oriente avisados.

A unos y a otros la gloria 

revelo el Dios soberano,

y hubo alegría en el cielo

y en los pechos entusiasmo.

Cumplida la profecía

fue así, después de años,

y apenas te diste cuenta,

Belén, del mayor milagro.

De los Ángeles oyeron

pocos lo que proclamaron,

ni vieron a los pastores

en el pesebre, alabando, 

ni por tus calles siguieron

a los mas famosos Magos,

ni contemplaron la Estrella

de mas esplendor y encanto.

Belén, para tu desdicha,

tenias los ojos cerrados, 

y el corazón imbuido

en lo efímero y profano.

Aun así eres grande,

y tu nombre, un relicario;

te veneran los poetas,

te recuerdan los cristianos,

porque en ti su cuna tuvo

Emmanuel, el Deseado.

Remember

By Kelvin E. Morales

Nov. 18, 2013

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The Story of Chanukah

To read a concise narrative of this event, go to:

http://www.holidays.net/chanukah/story.html

------------------------------o------------------------------

The Feast of Lights is commonly known as “Hanukkah/Chanukah”. This year, 2013, Hanukkah coincides with our traditional celebration of Thanksgiving. This is an 8 day celebration with the use of a nine candle menorah called a “Hanikkilla”. Each evening the center candle is lit and with it you light another candle. The center candle is call the “Servant” candle. By the eighth evening all nine candles would be lit.

This past Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013, in our bible class at Christian Community Church we learned about how important it is to G-d that we remember what he has done for those that believe in Him. For example G-d used the Passover to bring Israel out of Egyptian bondage and gave it to them as a feast at the giving of the Law and they celebrated Passover every year after that. Why? To remember how G-d liberated them with an outstretched arm. And G-d gave Israel a total of 7 Feasts for the sole purpose to remember His redemptive plan and thru it, showing once more how much He loves Israel and also all of the Nations (Gentiles). For He told Abraham in thee shall all the nations be blessed. There are four promises that are mentioned as part of the “Seder/Passover”. G-d wants Israel and us to remember them. Do you know them?

Four Promises

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

1.    I will bring you out

2.    I will set you free

3.    I will redeem you  

4.    I will take you

Titus 2:11-15

 For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

You know what? Yeshua/Jesus kept the Feasts even Hanukkah! Jesus? Feasts? Hanukkah? Yes. Let’s see in John 10:22-23 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. The “feast of dedication” is Hanukkah/Chanukah.

The season is upon us, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. Enjoy, whether you choose to celebrate one or all, we should do so with one purpose in mind, to Remember.

What is it we need to remember? G-d’s four  promises. 

I will bring you out

Rom 6:6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin;

I will set you free

Rom 6:8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him;

Rom 6:9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.  

I will redeem you 

          Rom 6:7 for he that hath died is justified from sin.

     Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;

Eph 5:26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

I will take you

Exo 6:7 and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah your God…

Eph 5:27  that he might present the church (assembly/a people) to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

          Rev 19:9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God.

Victory is to live on the basis of these four promises!

There is much to be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving

Remember

Las Siete Antorchas

Rev. José Vicente Espada Marrero

El Rev. José Vicente Espada Marrero publico un libro titulado Las Siete Antorchas. El mismo es un compendio de bosquejos y poemas que él genero durante el transcurso de su carrera ministerial/pastoral con el propósito de proveer recursos para aquellos que estaban empezando a enseñar la palabra de Dios. Don Espada fue un excelente educador de la palabra de Dios. No tan solo predicaba y enseñaba la biblia él la vivía día a día. Su amor por las congregaciones siempre fue evidente en como trataba a cada miembro y en particular aquellos que tenia necesidad de encontrarse con el Cristo/Mesías resucitado. En el libro cada uno de los puntos es apoyado por una diversidad de referencias bíblicas.  Aquí esta el bosquejo principal que se titula de igual manera que el libro " Las Siete Antorchas":

"Menorah"
La lampara de siete antorchas del Tabernaculo
de Moises y el templo de Jerusalem

1. El Señor Jesucristo

2. La Palabra de Dios

3. El Cuerpo De Cristo

4. La Oración

5. La Fe

6. El Amor

7. La Conciencia


La lampara o antorcha del centro se conce en hebreo como "Shamash"="Siervo". Shamash = Jesucristo
Todas las lamparas o antorchas miran hacia la del centro.

El fue pastor de varias congregaciones en la ciudades de La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris en la República Dominicana y en Puerto Rico las siguiente ciudades: Guayama, Comerio, San Juan, Playa Ponce y por ultimo la iglesia que esta en la avenida De Diego en Puerto Nuevo de la cual el es el fundador.
La iglesia Metodista Unida Rev. José Espada Marrero.

El retrato que aquí aparece son sus siete hijos:
De arriba a bajo:
1.Josefina
2.José Luis
3.Samuel Leocadio
4.Isamel Francisco
5.David José
6.Ibsen Ruben
7.Kelvin Emerson

Que curioso "Las Siete Antorchas", siete hijos.

MEN GONE FISHING

THE SEA OF GALILEE, ISRAEL, June 2007

By Kelvin E. Morales

June 13, 2013

 

Viewing this picture from my first and only trip to Israel brought back peaceful and joyful memories. The one thing that I enjoyed most was how my mind would recall passages of scripture related to the site we were visiting.  

One morning in the city of Tiberias I walked to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and took this picture of the sun rising over Galilee. I remembered the passage where Yeshua/Jesus called John and Peter to follow him and how they dropped what they were doing and followed him (Mark 1:16-18). Another time after teaching the multitude, Jesus with his disciples crossed the sea of Galilee. While crossing the sea He fell asleep and there came a great storm. His disciples had great fear and thought they would perish. They woke Jesus up and He spoke to the storm and everything grew still and his disciples marveled that He had power over the storm (Mark 4:35-41). On another occasion Peter ask Jesus if he could come to him? Jesus was walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). All these passages can provoke a great impact in ones life.

The one passage that always has left a strong impression upon me, takes place after Yeshua has risen from the grave. Peter, John and the other disciples return to fishing. One early morning Jesus calls from the Galilean shore and asks them, how’s the fishing? They respond in the negative, and Jesus tells them to cast the net over the other side of their boat and they do, suddenly they have so much fish the nets begin to tear; at that moment Peter recognizes who it is that is standing on the shore line. He simply jumps into the water and swims to shore finding Jesus with breakfast served (John 21:1-25). Peter is standing in front of the one whom he recently denied three times and still the Lord Jesus invites him to follow and serve when He tells him to “feed my sheep“. Total forgiveness!   

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY #1

ADVENTURES IN PARADISE

June 5, 2013

PUERTO RICO

Hi! I am Kelvin and I am happy that my blog has made it thus far. Yes, it was June 5, 2012 that I started this blog. The picture that you see above of myself was taken in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico by my wife.

 Notice the building in the background it is now an art museum. This part of town is called "Ballajá". The building is called " Cuartel de Ballajá" it was built by the Spaniards to house their militia. After the Spanish-American war in 1898 it became the US Army HQ and military hospital; it now houses the "Museo de las Americas". Here is a link to a short informative video about this building:

http://places.eyetour.com/whatToSee/san-juan/34/cuartel-de-ballaja-museo-de-las-americas

El castillo San Felipe del Morro

El Morro viewed from Isla de Cabras

Take another look at the building behind me in the picture above. If you were here and turned left at the corner of that building you would see the entrance to "El Castillo San Felipe del Morro", commonly known by puertoricans as "El Morro".

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. But a picture only gains significance to the person who has had the experience of being there to see it. So what are you waiting for? Come and visit Puerto Rico, there is much to be seen and experience; from historical sites, archaeological sites, local cuisine, beaches, scuba diving, snorkeling, rain forest,the little quaint "Paradores" (hotels) up in the mountains and of course the people. 

There are some things that are better if they tell you about it and there are other things that no matter how much you hear about it or how many pictures you see about it, you will never know until you experience it and that is PUERTO RICO! So stop thinking about coming, just come and enjoy "La Isla del Encanto", Puerto Rico!