The Anatomy of a Trip - Part One

Our oldest son Simon recently made his trip down the altar and we made a trip back to Ohio to be part of his big day. Over the next few weeks I will update our travels to and back from Ohio and fill in the details of our travels as well as what was happening here in Magdalena at that time.

In order to give Peggy and the girls time to prepare for Simon's wedding as well as an extended stay in Ohio to visit with Sarah, Izabell and Ezra as well as other family and our church, we loaded the Toyota for the event and headed north and east.


On our way back to Ohio we were blessed to stop and visit with the Albrecht Family who have been close friends since our Bullhead City days together. They are members of one of our supporting churches, Mt. Zion Baptist Church and Pastor Thomas Smith. A dear former missionary in that church, Barb Walker, graciously extended to us the use of her cabin for our few days stay.

Our stay in the St. Clair area was a great respite from the stress of living here in "drug alley" as well a refreshing stay in the middle of our travels to Ohio. Thank you Pastor Smith and the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, thank you Albrecht family, and thank you Sister Barb Walker.


Just by looking at these "cabin" pictures you will know that we were experiencing a little bit of "heaven" on earth!

Sowing, Sowing, Sowing

Someday when all the world is won to Christ and every Christian is right with God, I want to be a farmer. Okay, so my current calling is quite secure but I love the farm. The reality is that I am a farmer. It is my seed that differs from most farmers. I am a sower of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God.

Look at the seed I have stored in my barn to sow! Isn't it beautiful? Our home church has designed these John and Romans for my specific field. Wow, I just think this seed is so neat! We received our shipment in mid November and have been busy sowing in fields that we have been preparing for seed. My pastor has assured me that more seed can be sent as soon as I run out of what I have so I have been busy sowing, sowing, sowing. My confidence is in the seed and the omnipotence of God to send the rain and Son that is needed for it to grow. There will come a harvest - after all that is the hope of every farmer. That and we just love the farm.

By the way, take a look at just a sample of the crop that this precious seed produces! Isn't that just the prettiest thing you have ever seen? Man - I love this life!

Our Seed



                   

A New Crop Starting to Sprout!

A Former Crop Maturing!

 

 

Work For The Night Is Coming

One of our supporting churches asked us recently to send some sunset pictures of our area here in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico. The sun sets opposite of any good location to get a sunset picture over our town but I was able to take a few that give an interesting contrast. The Mexico soul enters a Christ-less eternity in the shadow of many "church" steeples.

Religion is still a hopeless choice. Salvation is in a personal relationship with the Person of Jesus Christ.

We also took a few new family pictures as the one we have been using is over a year old. Go figure - I have aged! The contrast is worse because it seems that my family is still ever so young.

Special Days-Part Two

The second part of our special days on October 8th and 9th when we had the Ortiz Family with us was our first baptismal service and pot luck. We began the day with our normal service here in Magdalena and after the service immediately made our way out to San Ignacio to combine the two works for a pot-luck meal, the baptismal service and a evening service.

We had seven new believers lined up to be baptized that day. As it ended up only two, Angel and Janet, followed through and we added one, Jael, who came forward during the actual service also wanting to be baptized. I took Jael aside to question him concerning his salvation and then asked Brother Ortiz to double check for any translation issues. Jael was sure of his salvation and just as sure in his question: "See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

Jael's mother was one of the original seven to be baptized and agreed with his desire to be baptized. They come from a very Catholic family and when they returned home and told the family Jael's grandmother's question was, "So what is your name now?"

God blessed the day. It was good to have the Ortiz Family with us and good to see God at work in these first steps of the establishing of the Iglesia Bautista de Magdalena.

Special Wishes To Two Special People

Happy birthday to Bro. Harris ( Oct. 19th) and Mrs. Harris (Oct.28th). Thank you, for your years of faithful service in the ministry. You've touched countless lives and you are a blessing to all who know you. May God continue to keep a hedge of protection around you. And, we pray God will continue to bless you, and those around you, as you faithfully serve Him. You are always in our prayers.

Special Days

October 8th and 9th were the dates of two special days for the work here in Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, Mexico.

Since the very first day here with the work we have emphasized and actively supported other missionary works. In August I led the work to make a decision of faith to commit to the support of one specific missionary on a monthly basis. Their decision was to support the Ortiz Family and their ministry in Miquel Aleman, Sonora, Mexico.
With this decision made I invited the Ortiz Family to come for the weekend for our families to get to know them personally better both to encourage our people to be faithful in their support of the Ortiz family financially and prayerfully. To this end we had two special days planned with the Ortiz Family.

This group of pictures is of our Saturday Fellowship here at our house. Some of our ladies came by earlier in the afternoon to help Peggy prepare the meal and then all those who were able to come came by that evening to enjoy the food and fellowship. Although some were missing we had a full house and a wonderful time.



"And Of Some Have Compassion, Making A Difference"

Thinking of compassion, there is another verse that comes to mind, "For God so loved the world .." I am so glad that God had compassion on me. How could I not or why would I not extend that compassion on to others.

This past Wednesday one of our ladies came to church with a very heavy heart. She has been really growing in the Lord and Satan had been doing his best to destroy her growth. "And of some have compassion, making a difference." What a blessing to have the fellowship of believer's to help encourage and help each other grow in the Lord. I thank God for the people He has given me to love and that they in turn love their "pastor" and his family.

We appreciate your continued prayer for us as God opens new doors each day to reach others with the love of Christ.