The pictures are of people milling around during one of the breaks outside the church and the others are of the pastors and missionaries in attendance
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Missions Conference-March 14th, 2009
Here are a few photos we took on our recent trip to Navojoa for the mission's conference at Iglesia Bautista Bet-el. I spoke on Saturday night out of Acts 14:26 on "What it Takes to Fulfill the Work of Missions".
The pictures are of people milling around during one of the breaks outside the church and the others are of the pastors and missionaries in attendance
The pictures are of people milling around during one of the breaks outside the church and the others are of the pastors and missionaries in attendance
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
March Prayer Letter
Dear Friends of Prayer,
A Missionaries Worst Nightmare - Sort-of:
With living in Mexico comes a certain fear of the violence that one may experience because of the drug violence that goes with the territory. You know - such as being held at gunpoint. Well, I now have had that experience but it was not like you imagine. I was helping another missionary tow his pickup back to the states for repairs. We had safely transversed 500 miles of Mexico but just about 5 miles into the United States I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was put to the ground at gunpoint by about twelve U.S. officers including the Border Patrol, the Highway Patrol, the Sheriff's department and some of the city of Nogales' finest. Seems someone was trying to steal my truck and take it to Mexico - only I was still driving it!Thankfully the situation was all quickly sorted out and I am still alive. Thank you for praying for us though, even in the false alarms of missionary life.
A Missionaries Work Needed - Soul-winning:
Personally - I am sure Peggy gets weary of all the people I invite to come over and have dinner with us, but it provides such an effective way to get to know people one on one. We continue to attempt to witness to our Jehovah Witness neighbors and with the sowing of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit we trust God to bring salvation to their house.
Publically - All of our family has just returned from town were we spent about three hours handing out gospel tracts and talking to as many as God put it our way. In all that time not one refused the gospel tracts and we left many reading the tracts as we moved on. So far we do not have names that we can give you as to salvations, but we do have many such as Eduardo from Nicaragua who saw us both yesterday and today and sought us out to talk to us. In time God will begin to gather those whose heart are receptive to the gospel.
Pursuedly - Each morning in our class devotion for the children's school and then each evening during our family devotions we make it a point and priority to pray that we might see souls saved. I believe that this ought to be the consuming passion of every believer. Pray with us that God might work beyond our limitations to bring glory to himself with the salvation of many here in Magdalena.
Thank you for praying for us as we continue to seek to establish ourselves and a gospel witness here in this town. We continue to be excited about God's calling on our lives here and the work that He has for us.Thank you for partnering with us.
For the salvation of souls,
The Harris Family
A Missionaries Worst Nightmare - Sort-of:
With living in Mexico comes a certain fear of the violence that one may experience because of the drug violence that goes with the territory. You know - such as being held at gunpoint. Well, I now have had that experience but it was not like you imagine. I was helping another missionary tow his pickup back to the states for repairs. We had safely transversed 500 miles of Mexico but just about 5 miles into the United States I found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was put to the ground at gunpoint by about twelve U.S. officers including the Border Patrol, the Highway Patrol, the Sheriff's department and some of the city of Nogales' finest. Seems someone was trying to steal my truck and take it to Mexico - only I was still driving it!Thankfully the situation was all quickly sorted out and I am still alive. Thank you for praying for us though, even in the false alarms of missionary life.
A Missionaries Work Needed - Soul-winning:
Personally - I am sure Peggy gets weary of all the people I invite to come over and have dinner with us, but it provides such an effective way to get to know people one on one. We continue to attempt to witness to our Jehovah Witness neighbors and with the sowing of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit we trust God to bring salvation to their house.
Publically - All of our family has just returned from town were we spent about three hours handing out gospel tracts and talking to as many as God put it our way. In all that time not one refused the gospel tracts and we left many reading the tracts as we moved on. So far we do not have names that we can give you as to salvations, but we do have many such as Eduardo from Nicaragua who saw us both yesterday and today and sought us out to talk to us. In time God will begin to gather those whose heart are receptive to the gospel.
Pursuedly - Each morning in our class devotion for the children's school and then each evening during our family devotions we make it a point and priority to pray that we might see souls saved. I believe that this ought to be the consuming passion of every believer. Pray with us that God might work beyond our limitations to bring glory to himself with the salvation of many here in Magdalena.
Thank you for praying for us as we continue to seek to establish ourselves and a gospel witness here in this town. We continue to be excited about God's calling on our lives here and the work that He has for us.Thank you for partnering with us.
For the salvation of souls,
The Harris Family
Friday, January 16, 2009
January 2009
Dear Friends of Prayer,
The History of our Town:
We have arrived! - in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico and we are so glad to be here. By God's grace we have had safety in our travels and believe that God has led us all the way. God has provided a rental house suited for our family's needs which we believe will be comfortable and secure yet amongst and accessable to those whom God has sent us to.
Magdalena was settled in the sixteen hundreds by a Jesuit priest named Fransico Kino. He built the original catholic mission downtown and his bones are enshrined in the square for all to see. In the cathedral there is an idol of his likeness at rest to which devout catholics of the whole of this part of Mexico and the southwest of the United States make a pilgrimage to pray to. Having said their prayers, offered their offerings and burned their candles then they begin to kiss this idol from the toes to his face. Once at his head they ever so discreetly attempt to lift him off his bed. Those whose sins are light are able to do so! - Those who cannot lift him must seek continued penitance.
Each year in October Magdalena becomes the mecca of catholics of this whole part of North America. They come by the thousands and partake of all the old world catholic and pagan practices held so tightly by benighting tradition. It is truly heart wrenching to see the complete inner emptiness portrayed outwardly upon the faces of these sincere but misinformed souls.
The Hope of our Town:
It is the gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST - no more, no less. But how to go about the job of telling Magdalena. Really, It is not that hard - actually quite simple (other than the language thing). "Could I give you a tract to read? It's the Word of God."
Almost every day we are able to pass out handfulls of the gospel. Seldom ever are they refused even in the catholic square's shops. Almost always they are being read when we retrace our steps.
Today I was able to speak with a few. I spoke more at length with Javier and his brother Hañssel. I spoke with Jose at a grocery store and then Peggy, Anna and I had the privilege to speak with Maria Los Angeles, Angelita. She is eighty-six and is anxious to talk with us again. Jesus Garcia and his family are our neighbors - devout Jehovah Witnesses but God made no mistake when He put us in their way,
It is our hope to have the help of some of the young people that we have previously helped to train. We have one young lady that is to join us in the ministry in February. I have been praying for another specific couple to also come and work with us. It is my desire that as God raises up this work that it be a national work from the very onset. Please pray with us for God´s will in this specific matter.
We are also looking at various places to rent for services. We have found several good possibilities and we are excited about the prospects. We know that God has exactly what He desires for His work here in Magdalena, please pray with us as we discern God´s will in each of these things as well.
Thank you for allowing us to be here,
For the salvation of souls,
The Harris Family
The History of our Town:
We have arrived! - in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico and we are so glad to be here. By God's grace we have had safety in our travels and believe that God has led us all the way. God has provided a rental house suited for our family's needs which we believe will be comfortable and secure yet amongst and accessable to those whom God has sent us to.
Magdalena was settled in the sixteen hundreds by a Jesuit priest named Fransico Kino. He built the original catholic mission downtown and his bones are enshrined in the square for all to see. In the cathedral there is an idol of his likeness at rest to which devout catholics of the whole of this part of Mexico and the southwest of the United States make a pilgrimage to pray to. Having said their prayers, offered their offerings and burned their candles then they begin to kiss this idol from the toes to his face. Once at his head they ever so discreetly attempt to lift him off his bed. Those whose sins are light are able to do so! - Those who cannot lift him must seek continued penitance.
Each year in October Magdalena becomes the mecca of catholics of this whole part of North America. They come by the thousands and partake of all the old world catholic and pagan practices held so tightly by benighting tradition. It is truly heart wrenching to see the complete inner emptiness portrayed outwardly upon the faces of these sincere but misinformed souls.
The Hope of our Town:
It is the gospel of the LORD JESUS CHRIST - no more, no less. But how to go about the job of telling Magdalena. Really, It is not that hard - actually quite simple (other than the language thing). "Could I give you a tract to read? It's the Word of God."
Almost every day we are able to pass out handfulls of the gospel. Seldom ever are they refused even in the catholic square's shops. Almost always they are being read when we retrace our steps.
Today I was able to speak with a few. I spoke more at length with Javier and his brother Hañssel. I spoke with Jose at a grocery store and then Peggy, Anna and I had the privilege to speak with Maria Los Angeles, Angelita. She is eighty-six and is anxious to talk with us again. Jesus Garcia and his family are our neighbors - devout Jehovah Witnesses but God made no mistake when He put us in their way,
It is our hope to have the help of some of the young people that we have previously helped to train. We have one young lady that is to join us in the ministry in February. I have been praying for another specific couple to also come and work with us. It is my desire that as God raises up this work that it be a national work from the very onset. Please pray with us for God´s will in this specific matter.
We are also looking at various places to rent for services. We have found several good possibilities and we are excited about the prospects. We know that God has exactly what He desires for His work here in Magdalena, please pray with us as we discern God´s will in each of these things as well.
Thank you for allowing us to be here,
For the salvation of souls,
The Harris Family
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My testimony
I was privileged to be born to missionary parents in the country of the Central African Republic. Our normal routine was to live four years on the field and take a one year furlough in the U.S., so for the first fourteen years of my life I spent the majority of it growing up in the Central African Republic. I grew up speaking both English and the national language of the country - Songo.
It was there in the Central African Republic that I also realized that it was not just the African who was eternally lost but the missionary child as well and I repented of my sin and accepted Christ as my Saviour. Shortly after my salvation I recognized and submitted to God's call upon my life to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Beginning the third grade I attended a missionary boarding school which was two days away from the village where my parents lived. We were there for the whole school year with a short CHRISTmas vacation. I came to the U.S. to finish high school while my parents returned to Africa.
After high school I went on to two separate colleges and graduated from the Fellowship Baptist College in May of 1985. Upon graduation I served as an assistant to my pastor and church in Goshen, Ohio and then was able to return to Africa with my father for a three month term to help in his ministry there. In March of 1986 I was ordained and commissioned by the authority of the Cozaddale Baptist Temple as their missionary.
During my college years I married the one who God had for me, Peggy. God had allowed us to meet there at Cozaddale Baptist Temple. Peggy was part of our youth group and had a clear and good testimony with my pastor and our youth director. We were married in June of 1984. Through the years God has given us a tremendous family (six children), wonderful opportunities of ministry, and a great love for one another.
Missionary life began in New Zealand. Peggy and I thought that New Zealand would be the only country we would ever serve in. It was there we planned to live, to raise our family and to give our life for the Lord Jesus Christ. Just two short years latter through the illness and death of our daughter Bethany we were back in the U.S. Although it was our hope to return to New Zealand God placed us in Bullhead City, Arizona to serve Him. The youth and fervency of our lives were given to God to start the Mohave Baptist Church. What a tremendous time those years were for us as we saw God do what many said were impossible. Thank you God and thank you members of the Mohave Baptist Church!
In November of 2003 God moved us again allowing us to return to foreign missionary service. Although we spoke no Spanish God moved us to Mexico. After a short furlough back in Ohio with our home church we began co-labouring with the Nelson Dorr family in the city of Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico. Visit their ministry at http://www.providencebaptistministries.com/ to get an idea of our first years in Mexico.
We are now in the process of beginning anew. Pray for us as we seek God's will for that exact location. Currently we are looking at the town of Magdalena de Kino.
For the salvation of souls,
Steven Harris
It was there in the Central African Republic that I also realized that it was not just the African who was eternally lost but the missionary child as well and I repented of my sin and accepted Christ as my Saviour. Shortly after my salvation I recognized and submitted to God's call upon my life to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Beginning the third grade I attended a missionary boarding school which was two days away from the village where my parents lived. We were there for the whole school year with a short CHRISTmas vacation. I came to the U.S. to finish high school while my parents returned to Africa.
After high school I went on to two separate colleges and graduated from the Fellowship Baptist College in May of 1985. Upon graduation I served as an assistant to my pastor and church in Goshen, Ohio and then was able to return to Africa with my father for a three month term to help in his ministry there. In March of 1986 I was ordained and commissioned by the authority of the Cozaddale Baptist Temple as their missionary.
During my college years I married the one who God had for me, Peggy. God had allowed us to meet there at Cozaddale Baptist Temple. Peggy was part of our youth group and had a clear and good testimony with my pastor and our youth director. We were married in June of 1984. Through the years God has given us a tremendous family (six children), wonderful opportunities of ministry, and a great love for one another.
Missionary life began in New Zealand. Peggy and I thought that New Zealand would be the only country we would ever serve in. It was there we planned to live, to raise our family and to give our life for the Lord Jesus Christ. Just two short years latter through the illness and death of our daughter Bethany we were back in the U.S. Although it was our hope to return to New Zealand God placed us in Bullhead City, Arizona to serve Him. The youth and fervency of our lives were given to God to start the Mohave Baptist Church. What a tremendous time those years were for us as we saw God do what many said were impossible. Thank you God and thank you members of the Mohave Baptist Church!
In November of 2003 God moved us again allowing us to return to foreign missionary service. Although we spoke no Spanish God moved us to Mexico. After a short furlough back in Ohio with our home church we began co-labouring with the Nelson Dorr family in the city of Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico. Visit their ministry at http://www.providencebaptistministries.com/ to get an idea of our first years in Mexico.
We are now in the process of beginning anew. Pray for us as we seek God's will for that exact location. Currently we are looking at the town of Magdalena de Kino.
For the salvation of souls,
Steven Harris
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
E Mail
For personal e mail to the Harris family please e mail us at harriskjv1@juno.com
For blog related issues please e mail Kristy at mexicomissionariesofcbt@yahoo.com
For blog related issues please e mail Kristy at mexicomissionariesofcbt@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
