Discernment Lessons from Phinehas
July 16, 2026
East Asia July 2026 Field Report
July 28, 2026
From Routine Harvests to Renewed Joy in Giving
For 39 years, I have had the privilege of serving as a pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church across various regions of Colombia. Throughout these decades, God repeatedly called me to walk alongside congregations through seasons of strengthening and restoration. In 2021, that calling brought me to the Alliance Church in Algeciras, Huila.
I encountered a committed congregation built upon a solid foundation laid by faithful pastors before me. At the same time, I recognized clear opportunities to deepen unity, rebuild trust, and elevate congregational participation. For example, some members chose which worship service to attend based strictly on the scheduled preacher. This dynamic reminded us to fix our gaze continuously on Christ rather than human leadership.
Pastor Anatol leading a prayer of thanksgiving
We quickly recognized that authentic trust among people stems from trust in God. Our church committed deeply to prayer, fasting, and evening vigils. During that season, the Lord taught us that radical transparency fortifies trust. We intentionally established a robust culture of accountability.
At the beginning of each year, the church board presents the annual calendar, outlining the clear purpose behind every ministry initiative. As we complete these activities, we report back to the congregation, celebrating God’s provision and demonstrating faithful stewardship of every resource.
This shift transformed our collective mindset. Scarcity-driven expressions like "We don't have enough" or "There's nothing left" eventually vanished, giving way to a firm conviction: God owns everything, and He calls us to steward His gifts faithfully. Guided by this vision, we held an annual tradition within our church: the Harvest Celebration.
Pastor Anatol and a congregant of Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Algeciras
Algeciras is known as "The Agricultural Supplier for Huila." Our congregation consists primarily of farmers, coffee growers, and local business owners. Every year, families bring coffee and agricultural produce as offerings of gratitude for God's provision. Over time, we realized this celebration represented far more than an annual tradition; it offered a powerful venue to teach stewardship, generosity, and accountability.
Through God's faithfulness and the deep commitment of our members, we renovated church facilities, repaired a long-standing leak in the roof, acquired needed equipment, and expanded our outreach. Yet physical upgrades paled in comparison to our greatest fruit: a congregation growing in unity, commitment, and generosity.
This testimony carries even greater weight given our local context. For many years, violence plagued our region, and economic hardship still impacts many farming families. Even so, our congregation chooses to honor God first with the resources He entrusts to them.
Pastor Anatol connecting the POC team with coffee entrepreneurs
While the Lord reshaped our church through these foundational principles, He introduced us to Palmful of Coffee (POC) in late 2025 through Eliana Ramírez (GTP Global Project Manager), whose family shares a 30-year friendship with mine. During a visit to Algeciras, Eliana shared details about the project she is working on and introduced me to POC.
As she described POC, I recognized God's advance preparation within our congregation. POC provided precise terminology and a clear framework for the very values the Lord had cultivated among us for years: stewardship, generosity, transparency, and accountability, all within the context of coffee, which is woven into the daily life of our community.
Pastor Anatol, his family, and POC Team during the Harvest Celebration
In March 2026, our church opened its doors to host the inaugural POC curriculum training in Colombia. Eliana and Esther Zuluaga (POC Vision Architect) trained 23 participants, including board members, local growers, and coffee entrepreneurs. Our church board received the training with such enthusiasm that they immediately decided to share the curriculum with the congregants.
Throughout May, our congregation studied the lessons, preparing for the upcoming celebration. In June, we hosted our first Harvest Celebration after completing the curriculum. Men, women, and entire families arrived carrying heavy sacks of green coffee and fresh produce as joy-filled offerings to the Lord. By the end of the celebration, our church had gathered 286 kilograms of green coffee, along with various agricultural gifts.
Although our church had a long history with the Harvest Celebration, hosting the POC and GTP teams brought a fresh dimension. They traveled to our small rural town not merely to offer encouragement, but to learn directly alongside us. Their humble posture reinforced a key truth: God's Kingdom advances as we walk together.
Joyfully celebrating Palmful of Coffee
Today, I praise the Lord because POC did not replace God's ongoing work in our church. Instead, it affirmed the trajectory He set for us, renewed our joy in giving, and provided tangible tools to disciple our people while inspiring neighboring coffee-growing congregations. God demonstrates that when a church places total trust in Him, even a routine harvest becomes an opportunity to worship, disciple others, and advance His Kingdom.
As I near the conclusion of my formal pastoral ministry, I pray that future generations always remember that a church's greatest treasure lies not in physical assets, but in unwavering trust in God, faithful stewardship, and generous participation in His mission.
