Concentrating on Prayer

We could use your prayers on Wednesday as we temporarily move our prayer location from the adjacent Cedros area to our own home.  We want to have a time of prayer separating the parents from the children.  We have the freedom in our home to send the kids upstairs where our girls can organize a time of prayer and crafts for them.  Meanwhile, the adults can freely share prayer requests and pray for one another without interruption.  We hope to have our first communion service at this time.

When Prayer Counts…

On Wednesday, we were surprised to load up our van with about 15 to go over to the prayer meeting in an adjacent section “Cedars.”  After a time of songs, prayer requests and sharing blessings, the kids and the adults divided up for times of prayer and age appropriate activities.  The adults concentrated on how to worship God from the scriptures and the kids focused on coloring a page about praying for different parts of the world.  God is showing us just how important corporate prayer is.

Who’s in Charge?

On Sunday, I needed to go out to pick up Tracey and the girls from a trip they had taken.  The only glitch was that I had to go when church service ended and English classes began.  I had hoped to have some help from someone in the One in Christ congregation, but she was unable to come.  So I left the classes in the hands of the capable members of our congregation.  Gerardo quickly deputized one of the men, Edgar, and began reviewing what they had learned a few weeks ago.  He told me, “I really enjoyed the class and had fun with it.”  I’m glad to see that even the English classes can be taken over by the believers in our congregation.

Green Card

That’s it!  I went on Friday to the government offices praying that they would give me my “Green” – visa – card.  The official website didn’t indicate that the card was ready, but after a month of waiting, I decided to chance it, assuming that they’d ask me for another missing document.  Well, surprise!  They handed me my card!  But they wouldn’t allow me to pick up Tracey’s due to the lack of a document.  So, Tracey and I will journey once again with the requested document trusting that we’ll get her card this week.  Thanks so much for your prayers.  God is faithful.

Building Up

Seen the new roof on the La Presa “multi-purpose” building?  How about what’s underneath it.  On Sunday, a group from the 1 More in Christ congregation went to teach the Bread of Life church a choreography and I was invited to preach.  Before the service began, I took this short video to help remind us how things look underneath the new roof.  There’s lots of space and lots of possibilities.  I also saw a new wall being built on top of the new roof.  As I spoke to Ignacio, he said that the church continues to build with the remaining materials that are left, hoping that this will keep the project alive and people giving to it.  Wow, they haven’t settled for just the roof, but anticipate more…

Our New Home?

With our youth group growing too big for our home, we went over to a local park, only a stone’s throw from our home that has a place protected from the rains.  This tiny park has a Kiosk big enough to allow our group to grow and space around it for our activities.  We hope to make this the new home of our youth meetings.  Meet some of our young people…

Prepared

The late morning women’s study that began two weeks ago is going strong.  With their last meeting, Tracey mentioned, “Socorro shared her experiences and she had her study worksheet completely done.  Tracey has enjoyed meeting the women in a group and looks forward to helping each one through their hurts and pains, and then move on to training them to be the best women, wives, moms and believers that they can be.

A walk through

Keila is taking an online film course where her teacher has her experiment with different techniques and themes.  As one of her homework assignments, she decided to film our Sunday service from start to finish.  That is, she taped our music class, then the service and well, she’ll have to save the English class for another assignment.  Hope you enjoy this glimpse into what we do on Sundays.

Sunny with a chance of …100% rain?

As some of you know, over this past week Mexico was caught between two storms.  With one on each coast of the country and Mexico City in the middle, we had constant rains and flooding.  As a result we had to move up our Independence Day celebrations from 5 to 2 p.m. and also had to cancel our outdoor “drive-in” theater for the youth.  Here I thought we were getting some sun breaking through when suddenly it started to rain.  After all, it’s still our rainy season.

Church in the Park

I was invited to preach in our sister church in Tizayuca.  They meet in the park under a small archway where they wrap the four columns with plastic to hold back the winds and the cold.  That day it was cold and drizzly.  It was good to see many friends there and to challenge them to serve with all their hearts.  The pastor, Domingo, accompanies the worship team with his guitar.  He said, “Each time a speaker comes, I have the privilege to sit and listen and learn.  After all, I’m learning just like the rest of the congregation.”

Just getting to know you…

The youth from our congregation ventured up the hill to the mother church for a time together with their youth group.  We braved the rains and the torrents of water running down the streets.  I told the youth, “Pray that we make it or else we’ll have to get out and push the van.”  

They enjoyed the opportunity to play, pray and make new friends.  We also took along the youth leader from the One in Christ church so that she could get some ideas on how to run her meetings.

Lighting up the skies

Yesterday evening at midnight began the celebration of Mexican Independence Day.  The day was filled with parties and lots of fireworks.  In looking for what local customs are, I was told that fireworks are actually illegal, but then I saw this posted on Mexico state’s website:  Important Suggestions for Fireworks

It reads: Make sure there is adult supervision. You should stand 8 meters from them and light them away from homes and animals. Use a lighter and don’t get in the way of the fireworks.  All this for something that is illegal?  I asked a Mexican about it, and he said, “Yes, but this is Mexico!”

We took the congregation to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with the One in Christ congregation.  We sang the national and state anthems, and did the flag salute in marching form.  Best of all we ate a delicious festive soup, “potzolle,” and had a great time of seeing our friends.

Need a lift?

 much like what we experienced

Sunday’s rains flooded nearby highways.  One of our volunteers, Jasmin, had to brave the elements to get to public transportation that would take her home once we dropped her off.  Our vehicle had to cross through high waters to get her there.  We are thankful that our van made it.  Last year, we weren’t as fortunate and water got up into the engine resulting in costly repairs.  God is faithful!

 Jasmin 

Giving it your all...

This morning, Pastor Ignacio from La Presa sent me photos of the roof that they had finished pouring this last week.  It was the end of a long road that began over a year ago.  Pastor Ignacio said, “We hadn’t thought about the construction this year because we didn’t have any funds.  But when the team from Canada came and gave us a nudge with their hearts, hands and prayers (not to mention finances), we pushed ahead and were able to raise additional funds to complete the job.  So it was a joint effort between the Byron United congregation and the Bread of Life church.  Thank you, all, for your prayers.

When asked about Bread of Life’s December anniversary, Pastor Ignacio said, “We now have a bigger place to invite the people to.  Plans are being made to inaugurate the new addition during the anniversary and afterwards use it to house the Sunday school classes.

Another year older?

We celebrated Kiana’s birthday a week ago on Saturday along with others who have birthdays in September.  She got to celebrate once with the youth, once with our family, and once with our missionary friends, the Vivanco’s.  That’s a lot of celebrating.  Congrats, Kiana!

Inspiring Generations

Last week, Keila was invited to share about her experiences in Africa with the leaders and pastors of various congregations at Monday’s staff meeting.  Tracey prepared an introduction to the report sharing about Keila’s past mission trips, her drive to raise the funds necessary to go to Malawi and our feelings about letting her go to a distant place.

Keila did a great job in giving those present a glimpse into life in Africa and the role that a short-term mission team can play in a country that has 2 doctors per 100,000 people, over 1 million orphans and AIDS.  Here’s the video she shared…

Something better

The couples in our congregation met at our home on Saturday afternoon with a desire to get together with our families, but to also learn something new and useful for our families.  We made sure that the kids were occupied and supervised and got to work.  We studied some basic principles of marriage and opened it up to talk about our experiences.

We were surprised at how the couples had already embraced some of the teachings which were directly opposed to their culture.  Afterwards we shared a snack together and thoroughly enjoyed the time together with our kids.  Thanks Keila and Kiana for keeping the kids busy with Lego and games.

Looking for something

As our afternoon service began, we were worshipping in song when a young lady and her son came in asking about the service times.  Assuming that she just wanted to think about it and return next week, she quickly left.  But after about 10 minutes, I noticed her come back and take a seat in the service.  Some of our ladies got a chance to talk to her.  We trust that God spoke to her heart that day through song, joy and his word.

In Good form

The Bread of Life church has not stopped in their plans to finish the task begun by the Canadian team from Byron United.  Last weekend they finished the crossbeams of the building which sets the stage for the last step, the laying of the concrete roof.  Extra support beams had to be added, but the church anticipates soon being able to use the new classrooms.

 

Ignacio added, “Please let the team know that we appreciate so much their help and their prayers.”

100 meters of columns and crossbeams were built to handle the weight of the roof and the other levels that will eventually be built on it.  This is where pastoral housing will be placed as well as the church’s auditorium on top of that.  Remember, La Presa is built on a hillside.

Night Shift

Several months ago, “I don’t know much about being a Christian….”  Sunday, “They switched me to the graveyard shift, but that’s OK.  Now I can be sure to join you for Sunday services,” said Miguel.  Because of his shift change, he’ll also join us for the new couples study which will begin next Saturday.

A postcard from Malawi! Yay!

During her time in Africa, Keila sent us a postcard from Malawi detailing some of her work there.  Unbeknownst to her, we were starving for information about her well-being.  Well, thanks to local “burro” mail, we just got a card from Keila this last week – a month after she’s been back – letting us know that she is well.  It was fun to read the card and for Keila to elaborate on what she was thinking at the time.

During breakfast, Keila has been reading excerpts from her journal describing her adventures in Africa.  Some entries are short and criptic while others provide a glimpse into her perceptions of the people and the country.

Jumpstarting a Youth group

On Saturday we took all our youth over to the One in Christ church with a desire to encourage them to restart their youth group.  We started with lots of games, a study from Luke and had a party afterwards to celebrate those who are having birthdays in September.  

 Tracey made dozens of cupcakes and Carmen made lots of “tostadas.”  We had lots of laughs, and encouraged Rachel who is the group’s leader.  Thanks for your prayers.

Back in to where we normally are…

On Sunday afternoon, we moved back into our rented hall.  After last week’s notice that it had been rented for a party, we’re glad to be back in the door and settled in to our regular duties – music classes, English classes and worship service.  We handed out special certificates for those who have finished the first level of discipleship Bible studies.  As you can see, the kids had theirs done too.  Congrats, all!