Four Itchy Feet

February 2, 2025. Iglesia Bautista Melipal, Bariloche,Argentina.

Today, we worshiped with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Iglesia Bautista Melipal. In the Gospel of John, Chapter 13, Verse 35, he writes, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” It is evident that the Lord’s disciples are in attendance at this church, for their love and affection for one another were overwhelmingly clear.

As soon as we walked in, one of the pastors came over and welcomed us. As I reached to shake his hand, he bypassed it, hugged me, and kissed me on the cheek. Then, as I walked to my seat, several others did the same. I immediately noticed that both men and women greeted each other in this manner. Many came over to welcome us with warmth and kindness. Robert, an older man who volunteered as a greeter, approached our seat, greeted us, and said, “I am Robert. I sit in the back—if you need anything, I am here to serve.”

The worship was moving, and tears of joy ran down our faces as we raised our hands in praise. Many of the songs were the same ones we sing in contemporary churches in the United States, and our voices blended from Spanish to English as we gave ourselves over to the music.

We then had a special time of worship and preparation before taking communion. The service continued with a message from John, Chapter 9, Verses 1-25—the testimony of Jesus healing a blind man.

After the message, we sang and worshiped even more—wow, how awesome! Then we prayed, asking for rain to extinguish the fires that have been so destructive in the region. It was such a raw and heartfelt prayer, coming before God and asking Him to protect His creation. It dawned on me how often we pray for the means to resolve our problems, but God Himself, through His own power and not ours, can intervene.

We left the church filled with the Holy Spirit, and that feeling carried on through our entire day and evening. What an incredible worship experience!

The Spirit of the Lord lives and resides at Iglesia Bautista Melipal in Bariloche—we saw it, we heard it, we touched it, and it touched us. We came to Bariloche to see what the Lord had made, hoping to find His works in the mountains and lakes, but His most miraculous work is evident at Iglesia Bautista Melipal.