Dawn was breaking a little after 5:00AM when I picked up Abraham at the paved road.  He was graciously available to travel with me after Pastor Juan Flores canceled his trip due to an injury to his Achilles tendon.

As we passed through a valley, the morning mist began to dissipate with the first rays of the morning sun - my friend's life's vapor was likewise slipping away.  Heading south where we had ministered in the early 90's, familiar scenery flashed and I imagined Pedro's life was on fast forward in his mind's eye.

We arrived in Encarnacion in about 4 1/2 hours and went straight to the Social Security Hospital with a former deacon.  The guard looked at my Bible and gave us a hard time before saying that we could go on down the hall to pray with Pedro for five minutes!

Opening the door and seeing the ravages of sickness playing out their role on my 47 year old friend took me back a little - swollen feet, jaundiced skin, a fixed stare and labored breathing greeted us.  A mother, sister, wife and daughter were at the bedside.

Two months earlier Pastor Pedro was recovering from his second surgery in the Social Security Hospital in Asunción when I asked him what passage of Scripture I could read to him.  His response was, "You can begin anywhere and read all you want!"  Now, although unable to respond, I knew that my friend needed to be reminded of God's promises as he walked through the closing paragraphs of his life: 2 Corinthians 5.1-9 mentions the dissolution of our earthly tent and the confidence that departure from the body a believer is present with the Lord.  Romans 8:28-39 assured my friend that he was soon to be conformed to the likeness of God's Son and that nothing could separate him from God's love in Christ Jesus our Savior.  Psalms 23, 90 and 91 echo the fact that God our Shepherd is eternal and in his Almighty presence we live and move.  In 1 Corinthians 15.54-57 the Scriptures reminded Pastor Pedro that death and the grave could not hold him because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has won the victory. 1 Thessalonians 4.13-17 describe the event that will reunite us again - the return of Christ to rapture his Church.  "Pedro," I said, "You have run the race well, we will miss you but know you are prepared to meet our Lord.  Let go my friend, we will see you soon."  Ninety unforgettable minutes of sacred sharing with my friend.

Before I left I asked Pedro's wife, Irene, if she was willing to release him to God.  She said that so far she had been unable to do so.  I suggested that perhaps Lord was delaying his home going until she was ready.  As Abraham and I met briefly over lunch with the former deacon and his wife we received word that God's servant had gone to be with our Lord just 45 minutes after leaving his room.

At the viewing that night, where I was given the privilege of speaking, I asked Irene if she remembered what we had talked about in the hallway earlier that day. She said that she did and after I left went into the room and released her husband to God's will.  The Lord flooded her soul with peace and acceptance through the wake and funeral services.  What a contrast to many funerals where the relatives have no hope, are without God in the world.

The next morning Abraham and I went to the funeral home where I was able to encourage and become more acquainted with some family members.  At 1:00 PM, before leaving the funeral home for the cemetery, several shared from the word of God and how much Pastor Pedro had affected their lives. 

Pastor Juan Carlos Escobar preached from John 11 to the 150 or so gathered under the pavilion where the casket was placed before being taken to  the the burial site. I preached Christ, the hope of the resurrection, from 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15.  We sang, "Victory in Jesus" as the casket was lowered into the ground to await the coming of the Lord in the air.

Someone asked me the other day how Pastor Pedro was doing.  I told him that he was more alive than ever.  He said, "Well that is good."  I then said plainly that he is with our Lord forever!  

Rodrigo, Cristian, Romina, Pamela and Priscila will miss their Daddy and Irene her husband.  One day, perhaps very soon, we all will enter eternity.  Are you ready when the candle of your life burns out?

Pastor Pedro Gonzalez 

6/29/62 - 8/26/09