Home for the Holidays

We were able to head back to Ohio for the second part of December.  It is not that we wanted to make plans to be back in Ohio for CHRISTmas but that is how it all worked out.  As you can see from the accompanying photos we left here fully loaded.  Our son Simon, and his family had made a move early this year back to Ohio but had left all of their belongings in Bullhead City.  We had taken the opportunity for the first week of December to visit with Mohave Baptist Church for their annual Faith Promise Mission's Conference and picked up Simon's household items at that time.

Simon's things were stored in a friends garage in the Tucson area for a short time and then were reloaded onto the pickup and front part of the trailer for the trip back to Ohio.  On the back part of the trailer we loaded Abigail's little pick-up already loaded with her things to also move to Ohio.  Abigail was moving to Howard, Ohio to live with my folks and attend the local community college.  Anyway it made for a full load.

God gave us a good trip with safety and good progress although we did end up buying three tires.  It seems that heavily loaded trailers and the Arizona sun are not a good combination for tires.  The only bad part was that after the first tire blew and I had used my spare the second tire also went less than ten miles down the road.  Oh well, I was able to "borrow" one off Abigail's little pickup although it was necessary to take the tire off the Ranger rim and mount it on the trailer rim.  It's all good!

So the main reason for the trip back to Ohio was actually our daughter's Sarah's wedding.  Moving Simon as well as moving Abigail was just trying to kill two (three) birds with one stone.  Anyway Sarah was married on December the twenty-first.  It was a lovely wedding and a joy to see Sarah make that sacred and Godly commitment in her life.  Our best wishes and prayers for Sarah and her husband Matt.

Since we were back in Ohio and it was the twenty-first we decided to hang around for a few days and celebrate CHRISTmas with the family.  We were able to go up to my folks and spend a few days with them as well as see my two brothers who were also in.  Then it was back down to southern Ohio to be with Peggy's family as well as with all of our own children!

The last two pictures are taken in my parents basement which is now Abigail's apartment.  I used the OSB (plywood) that I had purchased to make the boxes on the pickups and the trailer to make a room for Abigail.  Nothing fancy, sort of like a rustic cabin, but Abigail is ever so happy with "her place" and it will give her a sense of "home" while in college.

After a whirlwind stay in Ohio I then flew back to Tucson and on back down to Mexico.  As I write this Peggy and Anna as well as Ezra (who volunteered to help Peggy drive home) are on their way back.   Ezra will spend a few days here with us and then return to the frozen north of Fargo.

The work here in Magdalena continues very well.  Our people have a genuine excitement and are growing in the truths of the Lord.  Continue to pray with us that we might see others saved and that in God's timing His man will be sent our way to take up where we are with the work.

On Any Given Sunday

I have taken some pictures and have missed a lot of other photo opportunities but getting them in order has been the delay.  We are either staying really busy or we are moving more slowly than before.  I think it is a little of both.  We have some activities upon us which I will attempt to update in the next few weeks along with some I am currently jumping over but here are a few pictures and captions to help keep you up to date with us.

Last week I attended a Conference for Families in the Ministry held by the Iglesia Bautista de Sahuaro in Hermosillo, Mx.  This is Pastor Perez' and the church's  second conference to help encourage families in the ministry here in Sonora and bordering states.  It was good to see fifteen families and nine separate churches represented. 

This week we conclude our first series of institute classes for our work here in Magdalena.  Our students have done a tremendous job in being faithful and in their studies.  We will take a break for December and plan on beginning again in January.  The purpose was to begin training one man specifically that believes that God has called him into the ministry and my purpose was to prove his sincerity and I must give him an A+!

As the title suggest, these photos are of any given Sunday.  A group photo of our people, a couple of Sunday School shots, and an outside shot.  The other photo is one I took on Saturday visitation of a local house.  It is suppose to be a "nativity" scene but incorporates a lot of witchcraft and idolatry.  The god of this world sure has confused and confounded the minds of most.  Souls need the Truth.

Families in the Ministry Conference

On Any Given Sunday

The Street in front of the Church

Under age eleven Sunday School Class

Sunday Morning

A Little Bit of Every Belief without the Truth

It's a Party - Take Two

Since our last update we were able to participate in a mission's conference with Opelika Missionary Baptist Church and Pastor Richard Fairbanks.  Pastor Fairbanks and I have "traded" places.  When we were starting the work at Mohave Baptist Church he was one of our faithful missionaries serving in Australia.  After many years of faithful service and some heath issues he has now turned out to pastor!  Anyway, Pastor Fairbanks tracked us down and invited us to be part of the churches first ever "Faith Promise Mission Conference".  It was a great joy for us to attend and a needed little break for the family.

Abigail was also able to take a trip to Scotland and England with some missionary friends.  She enjoyed her trip and time and I am sure that what she experienced will be a lasting memory for her life.  It is our (her parents) desire to affect her life to live for God and not self and to be actively involved in missionary outreach to the uttermost part of the earth.  Thank you for taking a part in helping her take that mission's trip.

So "It's A Party - Take Two".  Last Friday we had a fiesta here at the house for our people to celebrate both Peggy and my birthdays.  Our people really enjoyed the night.  We set up outside with some ambiance lighting and God gave us a great climate and a good time.  We had purchased seven kilos of meat to grill and all the fixings and extras for beef tacos.  Everyone left full.  Fiestas are the norm around town on any given Friday or Saturday night but I am sure ours made an impression in the neighborhood for what it lacked - the loud music and the drinking. 

So what's next.  Another fiesta!  Our people have expressed interest in an American Thanksgiving.  Of course with the emphasis on turkey!  Still it has all ready given me opportunity to preach on the believer's responsibility to be thankful. 

Thank you for your interest in the work here and in the lives of our family.  We are rejoicing in the goodness and blessings of God.

The Birthday Couple

"Manning the grill"

 Appetizers

The Main Course

Tacos Carne Asada

Happy birthday to two special people!

Happy birthday, Pastor Harris (Oct 19th) and to Peggy (Oct 28th). You both are a blessing.

 

It's a Party!

September and specifically the week of the 8th through the 14th was for birthdays.  We had a birthday on the 9th, the 11th, the 12th and the 14th.  Wednesday night Fransica had a birthday party for her husband Jesus at their house.  They invited the whole church over and had decorated their front yard for the event.  It was a good time of fellowship and some good food.  We had Anna's birthday party earlier in the week in that we were going to be traveling again on the 12th.  Anna was happy with her gifts.  One of her gifts was a new comforter that goes with her newly painted bedroom.  Definitely bright and festive!  The last birthday of the week was for Aylin (our youngest soon to be church member).  She turned seven on Saturday and enjoyed the morning on visitation with Peggy and I.  We treated her to some chips and then everyone also enjoyed an ice cream (it's still very warm [105] here).  Sunday night her parents (Alonso & Rosario) had a party at church for her with pinata and all.

On a side note Abigail is in Scotland for the new few weeks.  She was invited to travel along with the James Males family as they revisit their former mission field.  They will be checking in on the works that were started during their stay there as well as checking on the possibility of future works.  Abigail has been looking forward to this trip and will no doubt return with a new zeal and life perspective of missionary works.  Thank you to all who have participated in helping her financially and please continue to be in prayer for her travels.

 Anna (the birthday girl)

Jesus' birthday party

Jesus & Fransica

Martin & Imelda

Mario & Marisol

Alonso & Rosario

Jesus (the birthday boy)

Forced Fellowship

I used to tell our folks at Mohave Baptist Church that I was purposely involving them in "forced fellowship" when we would have work days or take trips or plan various activities.  Every now and then I would try to get a group together to do something especially when we had the opportunity and privilege of having a missionary around.  I found that it was a great way of helping new Christians grow and older Christians continue to mature and not loose their zeal.

Now for those of you who know me personally, you know that sitting around talking is not my forte, not even close.  Send me to the dentist for a root canal, sew me up without anesthetic but please don't make me sit around and talk about nothing in general.

So guess what the Mexican people just love to do.  Yes, you got it, sit around and talk for hours on end!  The shoe is now on the other foot.  We are now in our fourth week of institute classes and while our folks are sponging up the material they are also loving the opportunity to sit around after wards and sip coffee and fellowship.

Last Sunday one of our families who is struggling just to put food on their table invited us over after evening services to enjoy more fellowship with a cookout at their house.  The invite ended up for the whole church and so we all met at their house after leaving the evening services and spent another couple of hours in "forced fellowship".  These folks have nothing and little worldly hope of getting more tomorrow yet they are willing to happily share what they have at the time with anyone.

In the end God blessed their desire to be a blessing and they enjoyed a buffet of ribs, pizza, potato salad, mac and cheese, chips and salsa and fellowship.  In the end the fellowship was enjoyed and not forced.

 Las Chicas of the work

Los Hermanos of the work

Cooking ribs by the flashlight

Just sitting and talking : Fellowship

 Transporting the Seed: 13,800 John & Romans

The Summer Sizzle

We do not really have it all that bad for climate here in Magdalena.  It is 105 today with 30% humidity outside with 62% in the house but only 85 degrees.  Back on the fourth of July we had the opportunity to be back in Bullhead City, Arizona and I think it was 126 degrees that day!  I was also recently in Fargo, North Dakota to pick up Abigail and they were "suffering" with some high 80 degree days,  Thank you Pastor Scheving for the lake invitation but us high heat desert dwellers don't take to water till it warms up.

Father's Day:

The first few pictures below show our men receiving their Father's Day gift:  a small LED flashlight.  Of course the gift was significant of the light that our father's need to be to their families and it was meant to be a helpful gift as well.  From left to right are Juan, yours truly, Alonso, Mario, Eduardo, Jesus and German.  Not shown of course are a few men that are not fathers.

Soccer Fellowships:

I used to "joke" in Bullhead City about our people and men specifically being involved in "force fellowship".  I would have work days or invite some of our men along for some other activity more to "force" our people to learn to fellowship with each other rather than just at church times.  Fellowship is essential for the growth and unity of a work.  Well here the shoe is one the other foot.  Our people have gotten together and are "forcing" their pastor to join in on their fellowships!  There is a municipal soccer field here in town that we found is usually vacant after our evening service.  After our evening services then we dismiss and regroup down at the soccer field until well after dark.  The ladies pack a picnic and everyone enjoys as the evening cools down and the opportunity to fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Guadalupe:

About two months ago while in town on a Saturday I was called across the street by a stranger who obviously was homeless and looking for some help.  I met Lupe (Guadalupe).  Lupe is originally from another state and was abandoned here in Magdalena.  To make matters really hard for him Lupe is disabled.  He had polio as a boy and has no strength in his legs.  Someone he manages to walk on crutches.  Anyway we invited him to services and invited him to lunch and helped him to a small degree.  The following week he "disappeared".  Two weeks ago Lupe calls and ask if he could have a ride to church.  Ends up that the police had arrested him twice as a vagrant (all his worldly goods including my phone number was taken from him) and then he was hospitalized for about a month due to his diabetes.  By the grace of God and a gospel tract Lupe had made a personal decision to accept Christ as Saviour in the meantime.  Lupe now lives on the porch of the building in the last picture.  It is amazing to me how God is taking care of him.  Yes, he is "homeless" but God has provided quite a bubble of help around him and Lupe is very aware that it is God that has sent these friends to help him.  He is actually an automatic transmission technician and today he started working for another contact that I have to open a transmission shop.  My hope would be that it is mutually beneficial financially to both parties but it will give Lupe a "home", some income and I hope that through his witness the Lord will bring the other contact to salvation. 

At the least surely you and I can be grateful for the health, the home and the help that God has given us in life!

Today is also the start of our summer youth camp.  We will catch up with you all on the flip side!

Desert beauty on our front window sill

Father's Day 2013

Soccer Fellowship

Lupe's "home"