Youth Camp -Magdalena Part One

YOUTH CAMP - MAGDALENA:



Each year that we have been here in Mexico we have been privileged to be part of the youth camp ministry of the Iglesia Bautista Sahuaro of Hermosillo. They rent a camp facilities either just up the road in the town of Imuris or here in Magdalena. This year the facilities here in Magdalena were available and are conveniently within a half mile of our house. Our house was full all week with quest coming in and out for the camp. We had two teen boys stay with us from Arizona for the week and for the first half of the week another missionary and for the second half Pastor Perez of Hermosillo and his family stayed with us. Several extras came over to shower at the house and to do some laundry.There were just under 100 campers this week and although we have had good camps each year this one seemed to be better than the previous years. We had campers from as far south as Los Mochis, Sinaloa as far north as Arizona and from as far west as Tijuana, Baja California.One of the afternoon activities was to go soul winning for our mission work. The group met at our building and from there distributed just under 1,000 gospel tracts in the immediate area around the church building. We had 2 professions of salvation as a result.

Teaching at youth camp

Youth Camp- Magdelena, Part Two

More teaching at youth camp

Snack bar is now open!

Pastor John Perez, Steven Harris, Pastor Miguel Flores

Ballon volleyball

Anna joins in the fun

Youth Camp- Magdelena, Part Three

Abigail and the short bus

Pastors vs teams




Ezra has his eye on the basket

Fill a tub the wet way

A truck load of soul winners

Youth Camp- Magdelena, Part Four

Team Yellow soul winning

Team Green soul winning

Team Blue soul winning

Coca-cola time after soul winning

Gathering after soul winning

July 2009 Newsletter

PLANNING THE WORK:

Since arriving here in Magdalena we have been praying about where God would have us locate the work and looking for a potential building to rent or property to purchase and begin from there. Of course we have also asked you to pray specifically for us in this area. This month we have signed a lease on a building that we believe is the answer to your prayers for us and the end to our search for the location that God has for us. We had posted a picture of this building with the others that we were asking you to pray with us back in April and then again in June on our blog site. The price was $4,000 pesos when I first ask but then went to $6,500 when the owner showed it to me in June. We ended up renting it for $5,575 pesos.

WORKING THE PLAN:

ON OUR BUILDING:
The family has been busy working on cleaning the unit up. It has been used as a cabinet shop and I do not believe that there had been any attempt to clean it since it was built (thirty plus years). I purchased an extending high pressure washer wand and rented some scaffolding and Ezra and I went to work. We literally pressure washed the building inside and out from the roof to the floor. The building is now clean but still requires some build-out work inside, a repaint outside and new front entrance doors.

OF OUR BUSINESS:

Our number one job is getting the gospel out in Magdalena with or without an official meeting place or even a dedicated name other than Baptist. With a building though we are going to be able to officially give out our address and we have decided on a name. How about Iglesia Bautista de Magdelena for simplicity? There are several reasons for that choice but simplicity and identity are primary.
This month there is a group of independent Baptist Churches here in the state of Sonora that have a youth camp together at a rented camp located right on the outskirts of Magdalena. Their planned activity for Wednesday afternoon will be soul winning on behalf of this work. It will be a tremendous blessing to have so many young people out at once to help us cover more of the city with the gospel of Christ!

PLANNING MORE WORK;

Surely the reality is that if you ever come to the place that you fail in your plan it is because you have failed to continue in your planning. And so we ask God for His providential guidance and you for your continued prayers as we plan more work for the salvation of souls wherever God's will finds our steps. Thank you for caring enough to send us.

For the salvation of souls,
The Harris Family

Youth Camp -Bahia De Kino

YOUTH CAMP - BAHIA DE KINO:We have just finished participating in two weeks of youth camp back to back. This first one was held in Bahia de Kino (Kino Bay). The church, Iglesia Bautista Monte Sion, and Pastor Hermenehildo Martinez Davila rent a house on the shore to hold their camp. It was hot but the ocean breeze was enjoyable and helped some at keeping the mosquitoes at bay. They had a good group of young people with a good spirit and enjoyed some great preaching from those preachers who had been invited to preach for the youth camp. We were blessed to also meet up with Pastor Ismael Zamarron of Navajoa, and Pastor Alvaror Carazco of Huatabumpo.

English Classes

We have been invited to give English classes to a small group including a Mexican missionary and his daughter. The group has twelve students in total although only three have been to every class - three classes so far! Evidently there is a tremendous cultural hinderance that affects all of life more than just starting a church. Of course the English class is also a great help to my Spanish.