SPOTLIGHT ON THE FAMILY

This past weekend it was our privilege to travel to the city of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico to hold a Family Conference for the weekend. Pastor Manuel Garcia went to Guaymas about seven years ago to plant the Iglesia Bautista Getsemani. He has been doing a tremendous work in reaching those in his city. He now has a good nucleus of people that are excited about the things of the Lord. He has five young men that have recently been saved and for various reasons live at the church property and are an invaluable and impressive part of the work of the ministry. For our time with them we started Saturday afternoon with soul winning (the shade tree meeting), went on that evening with a youth meeting and then full out on Sunday with the emphasis on the family.

On Monday we traveled on south to spend some time with Pastor Ismael's family in Navojoa. Pastor Ismael was actually much farther south in Mexico at another conference but we had a good time with his family. In our absence here in Magdalena, Brother Freddy Davalos, one of Pastor Perez' young men, came up from Hermosillo to fill in for us. He really enjoys coming up and our people really enjoy each time he is here. The good part of being a missionary is that you are actually looking for someone to replace you and for your people to like your replacement!

Travel, and life for that matter, continues to become more risky here in our state for which we thank God for His protection and you for your prayers on our behalf. Thank you for keeping us before the throne of God.

LIFE HAPPENS IN THE MINISTRY

While actively seeking to plant a New Testament Baptist Church here in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico - life happens. Everyday it takes place. Sometimes it goes and comes quite quietly, at other times it is that tug on your shirt from your little daughter, sometimes its mechanical problems that remind you that you too live in the real world and yet other times it is the chamacos at the fence calling "Gringo" to see if he has anything to give them.

Anna wants a "fort", a "club or play house". Since we have very little space some creative thinking had to be employed. Hence the play house in the air.

Last week we traveled down to Hermosillo to help a church with a roofing project. While there I also got to go shopping at the local junk yard and pick up this beautiful, with optional grease, 1969 FMX automatic transmission. It was a deal and I got to pull it myself in the dirt. Thankfully my space was heated to 105 and the air conditioned with a breeze!

Almost every day I hear voices - the voices of these little neighbors climbing up our fence calling "Gringo". They live the next street over in a mud brick house with no windows. They throw rocks over our walls and pick our flowers. They tease our dog and try to smash our cats. Their parents are drug addicts. What the voices want to know is if "Gringo" has anything to give them today. I disappoint them most every day but about once a week they leave with a bar of soap, or a cookie, or a popsicle, or a trinket but always with a smile and I pick up the trail of trash when they leave.

Sometimes it amazes me all the things I could get done it life didn't come around so much! It came around again this morning a little past five.

I AM BLESSED

"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a godly heritage." Psalm 16:6

I agree with the Psalmist - that is how I feel when I think of the life that God has given me. I thank God that by His grace I was given the honor to be raised by missionary parents on the mission field. And not just "any" mission field but the center of Africa. And not just the Central African Republic but as far into the country as possible. I know, I am strange.

Now while God did not see fit to send me back to Africa (yet) He has allowed me to continue the blessed heritage that I inherited in missionary service! Our physical life here in northern Mexico compares little to that of Africa except in some aspects of danger but I enjoy serving the Lord. We appreciate your prayer for your missionaries. I am sure it is hard to imagine the life that each lives for the cause of Christ. The purpose of these pictures from my life in Africa are to lift that awareness. My normal Saturday's (today) takes me into drug traffickers territory to make my visits. I would not begin to attempt such risk without relying on the prayers of God's people on my behalf.

God has been so good to me. The pictures below tell the story of just how good God is to me!

Epic Failure or Resounding Victory?

The photos below tell a story of our fellowship after our evening services Sunday night, May 1st.

Was it an epic failure or a resounding victory? The fellowship was promoted for our May birthdays. Lucillia on the 2nd, Juan on the 12th, Jesus on the 15th, Leonicio on the 20th and Anna on May 30th. Of those five only two made the service and fellowship. Our most faithful family, Juan and Anna Orosco - two of the birthdays, were absent along with Leonicio and his wife. As a birthday fellowship - Epic Failure.

The May birthdays though were just an excuse to grow everyone just a little bit more in the things of the Lord. Resounding Victory! Even with 5 (of our normal) absent we had 22 in our evening service. We can now count 4 families as a very real part of our work here. There is an excitement and they relate to each other as a whole. Last night several made comment of how they were going to follow up on the ones that were missing. A realization on their part that it is not just the pastor/missionary job to "provoke one another to love and good works".

So how did the day turn out. Resounding Victory there was no failure in the day.

NEWs

Just a little update on some new things happening here in the work. God has recently blessed us with several new visitors. Of course that is always a blessing and tremendous encouragement. We also have new prospects. There is a possibility of a new couple coming to work with us. The compassions of God are new every morning! La. 3:23


- We have a new family of four visiting our services, pray for their salvation.


- The neighbor in front of church was our newest visitor, pray for her salvation.


- The new neighbors on our block have committed to come, pray for their salvation.


- We see new interest in the Word of God everyday as we visit! Pray for souls to be saved.


- Bernardino and Fernanda Escalante are considering this as a new ministry. Pray for their decision.

Irvingh

New Family

Sister-still For Sale

Always Active

Bernardino y Fernanda

Never Drive An Empty Truck-Part One Of Four. See Below

I attribute to my Dad the saying, "Never drive an empty truck". In Africa our truck was always (over) loaded. Literally, on top of all of the supplies that were needed to be hauled for any trip were the African pastors and students that always accompanied our travels, a few extra passengers and my brothers and sisters. (Some day I will have to post a few of those pictures)

For the trip we took this past week we used the Tacoma to travel. As you can see it doubled as a route bus. There were only six in the cab and although you can only see nine in the back there were a few more extra small that cannot be seen. The other route was run by a 95 Mercury Villager and had 22!

The greatest payload of all is counted in eternal souls!



Overflow Crowd-Part Two of Four

Saturday and Sunday we were in Miquel Aleman (aka La Costa de Hermosillo / La Doce) for a mission's conference with Iglesia Bautista Maranatha, a mission work of Pastor John Perez and the Templo Bautista Sahuaro. The work is being started by Missionary Alfredo Ortiz and his family. They are in their fifth year working in this town mainly inhabited by various indigenous groups from farther south working the farm fields of the area.

Saturday seats were set up outside to accommodate the group that gathered to hear the preaching of the gospel. The children had their own class as well. Thankfully the weather was very pleasant. I had the privilege to share with these folks the Great Commission and how they can and need to be a part of their church's Faith Promise Missions Giving. The average salary for working ten to twelve hours in the fields is $6.00 U.S. dollars a day! I visited with one man who after 12 years now makes the equivalent of U.S. $.75 cents an hour for his 24 hour shift every other day. What a tremendous blessing to be able to meet such great people.

On a side note: The mission is hoping to build in the near future (I will be designing a 30' X 30' building for them). They also need an older full sized van (a newer one would be vandalized) for the ministry if anyone would wish to help.