Open Doors

Many miles (and many days!) have been covered since the last update - there's lots that has happened!  But during that time I was able to connect with many of you, spending a large part of August up in Manitoba, and then several weeks on the road where I travelled down to the southern-most coast of Mexico together with my coworker, Guillermo.  Yes, it's the same Guillermo who I wrote about previously, who got significantly sick on our previous trip to the neighbouring state of Chihuahua.  As I shared in the last blogpost, without a doubt, the experience, as he sat in the hospital for ten days, had quite the opposite effect from discouraging any future outings - if anything, it served to inspire a renewed vision for the urgency of the work at hand, wherever and however that might look, as God continues to lead.  That was certainly the case over the last month as we took off in the CEC-mobile, a little four-door Corolla, that travelled many miles throughout Mexico, over the course of nearly three weeks this past September.  In about ten different stops over nineteen days we saw God continue to open doors in ways that we honestly, didn't expect - and we look forward to how He will continue to connect us with people and churches hungry for His Word, all across Mexico.  

Click on the map to see our route, and the places we visited.

Here are some highlights from this trip together:

Over the course of those 5,000 kilometres traveled, we were able to visit some of our alumni, Leoncio being one of them, who studied in CEC in 2016.  He lives in Mazatlán, our first stop on the trip, together with his wife and three children.  It had been a number of years since I had last seen him, but he continues to pastor a little church that meets in a recently constructed building made of pallets with a tin roof.  Leoncio hasn't changed a bit.  He continues to passionately and boldly preach the Word both to his congregation and as he's out on the road during the day making deliveries of the product that his wife daily prepares in their house - refried beans (a Mexican staple!)  Through this home-business, they are able to provide for their family and it also enables him to have the freedom to continue to serve in ministry, the routes he takes daily themselves serving as opportunities to minister to people throughout the day.  He regularly goes to different areas in the city, sharing openly the Gospel; they also have started a children's ministry where they regularly provide a meal and biblical teaching to children in the community where they serve.  If you spent just five minutes with Leoncio, even without knowing the language, his love both for God and for others would be more than obvious.  It is so encouraging to see, even after all of these years, how many of our students, like Leoncio, continue to minister faithfully, in spite of whatever difficult circumstances they have gone through.  This was just our first stop.

Leoncio (left), together with his family, the congregation, and Guillermo (back, centre).

Our next night (don't worry, I won't go through every single stop!) came about through a young man who had studied English at the Consiervos program that has run out of CEC the previous year.  David, whose dad is the pastor of a church in Tepic, Nayarit, had invited us to come and present CEC in their church.  What quickly came to realize the incredible work that God has done through them over the years, through a man who had never had the pastorate in his sights, but whom God has used to help reach far into the neighbouring mountains, the Huichol people (one of the many indigenous people-groups in Mexico).  We met with one of those communities, a group of people who many years earlier had had to leave their homes and re-established themselves close to the city, now with a thriving and growing Christian church.  We had the chance to share with them the ministry of CEC with some of their church leaders, several of whom expressed a sincere desire to continue to grow through study.  We left greatly encouraged seeing not only the work that David and his dad were involved with (even partnering extensively with a number of Mennonite believers from the state of Durango) but also seeing how God lead us to these thriving communities at the heart of some of Mexico's indigenous people-groups.

David (front), his dad (left), Guillermo, and myself.

Our next two stops featured pastors/churches that we had visited the previous year, but in both situations we saw the doors that were already open, swing open even wider.  Specifically in one, we had intentions of visiting a second pastor in the immediate area whom we had met last year.  Unfortunately, we had misplaced his contact information and were not able to communicate with him, so our plan was to seek him out once again.  As we arrived to our destination (the same contact we had last year, who had connected us with this other pastor previously) we heard about some unfortunate circumstances that had taken place to this other pastor - the one we had lost the contact information for.  However, our hosts began to share about how they had recently made some inroads to two local pastors alliances in the region, how God had been opening up doors to them.  They presented this opportunity to us, inviting us to return and connect with these alliances, and (as would become a familiar tune during this trip) spend more time in the area preparing some mini-conferences for these pastors/churches.  Our original plans of connecting with that other pastor were effectively "foiled" however, they were replaced but something far greater than what we had originally anticipated.  We began to see that the doors were opening not only to share about the ministry of CEC, but to become more involved on the road, on-site at these churches.

One of the churches we visited, just outside of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

On our way to the furthest point we would visit, the southern coast of Oaxaca, we found an even greater openness.  We spent two jam-packed days visiting and participating in four church services, the first one being at 6am, Saturday morning, in this small, rural church where the people started filing in, almost a hundred in all (and this was a "smaller" number than normal).  We typically were given the opportunity to preach, as well as share about CEC's ministry and the opportunity to study in the coming year.  As we interacted with the people and particularly some of the pastors in the area, we quickly saw not only the need, but even more so the desire to receive help, specifically in biblical teaching.  Our host (who is himself a pastor, the father of one of our full-time staff members here in CEC) put the offer plainly on the table: we will provide the facilities, the accommodations for the people, prepare meals, and even compensate for travel costs: just come and teach!  All of this to say, the opportunities seemingly abounded in this trip, more than we had anticipated.

One of these churches, who received some Bibles that we were able to bring with us, thanks to some generous donors.  Resources like these are harder to find in the southern part of Mexico as opposed to areas closer to the northern border.

From there our journey took us back to an area we know very well, where we have had a number of students attend over the years, and a place that is almost like a home away from home already, with how warmly we are received by the church community there.  Some of our past students, through a recent youth retreat, made contact with a couple of churches within a few hours of their church, who were very interested in hearing more about the ministry of CEC as well.  This led us to a couple of our last stops, to new churches whom we had never had contact with before, one of which urged us as well to come back in the future, to spend more time with them, and to share some more extensive teaching with them, not to mention people who were interested in attending CEC's program in the new year.  

All in all, both Guillermo and myself, were elated with these new, opening doors, and excited to see where these lead us as we move forward.  It seems over the past couple of years specifically, in thinking about the ministry of CEC, God as slowly been opening more and more doors, providing more connections, with more people, and more opportunities, not just onsite in San Carlos, but beyond as well.  We reflected as we made the trip back home on how we sensed a hunger for God's Word and a desire for help, especially as we travelled further south - the precise kind of support that CEC seeks to offer in collaborating with the churches in Mexico through biblical teaching.  We see that He has led us specifically to these kinds of places, and we are grateful to be a part of it.

As I write this, we continue to make our plans for next year, with applications already coming in for January.  Also, in a couple of days I will head up to Phoenix to pick up a group coming from Millar college of the Bible, SK, who will be spending a week and a half at CEC while we host a transcultural missions module.  Beyond that, we are also looking forward to a conference the beginning of November as well as a six-week, Saturday night study in Ephesians, hosted by Guillermo, here onsite.  This year will quickly come to a close with just enough time to catch our breath before we run headlong into January and the new course.  

Thanks for your continued prayers for myself, and for this ministry here.  I am thankful for this opportunity to serve, and for the many ways that God continues to work amongst us, through this ministry, and in the lives of the students who have come through CEC.  ¡Dios les bendiga a cada uno de ustedes!  May God bless each and every one of you!

A Quick Update: Guillermo, Alumni Retreat, and a Trip

Guillermo is back home and we are anticipating around 25 people as we get ready for an alumni retreat over the next four days, not to mention I'm thinking about packing my bags for a trip up north this coming weekend, as soon as the retreat is done...

GUILLERMO

We are so thankful to have him back home with us, in recuperation with a good bill of health.  It has been a learning experience, seeing God's provision throughout.  And that provision has gone far beyond the finances that have come in and even beyond the health that he is currently enjoying: I was witness to God's provision of peace and joy regardless of any outcome.  How did I see it?  The joy and peace that Guillermo had throughout the entire time, whether in the hospital or at home.  There is a kind of faith that goes beyond hoping for what God can do for us to just a faith in who God is regardless of any outcome.  This is the kind of faith that I could see in Guillermo throughout this entire time.  Of course that does not mean that we are not grateful for all that God has done throughout all this!  It's just to say that we are grateful that we can trust Him in whatever way that He works, knowing that He will do what is best, and whether that means continuing in service here in this life, or finally being with Him, all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28).  This is what Guillermo constantly expressed throughout this whole, monthlong ordeal...a testimony to God's goodness and faithfulness throughout - something that we have seen over the years in many ways, even as we have walked through some difficult circumstances as a CEC team.

ALUMNI RETREAT

We are glad to have Guillermo back, and we are looking forward to approximately 15 of our alumni (together with their spouses and some children - about 25 in total) joining us over the next four days.  Our goals during this Wednesday to Saturday are to enjoy once again their company, hearing from them about their lives and ministries, and hopefully encouraging them in the ups and downs that inevitably happen.  During some class and reflection time we will be looking at the life of Elijah, who himself experienced (in a short period) almost simultaneous highs and lows.  Through it all, though, even in the face of immense opposition and apparent failure, God's Word and God's purposes continued forward.  This is what gives us hope, even in the midst of trials or (apparent) failures - even when we are at the end of our rope.  There is no moment when God's plan does not carry forward - and we are privileged to be a part of this plan, even in our weakness and frailty.  Pray for this time together with the students, that it would be encouraging to each one of them!

TRIP TO MB

The day after it's finished I'll be heading up to enjoy several weeks up in Manitoba - and looking forward to see many of you over the next while before coming back to a fairly busy fall season with events and other trips planned.  Once again I want to express, and this comes on behalf of Guillermo and his family as well, so much appreciation for all the love and support that came this way throughout the last month - they were an overwhelming expression of God's love and grace.  God bless each one of you.  Don't forget to keep us in your prayers over the next four days of this alumni retreat... ¡Dios les bendiga!

When Things Don't Go As Planned...

Sometimes open doors look more like walls.

Our adventure began almost three weeks ago, with plans to spend two weeks in the neighbouring state of Chihuahua, following up on a number of opportunities that had presented themselves from a previous trip to this area last November.  God has been opening doors with new churches and new pastors primarily through alumni from that area and we made the trip, Guillermo, my coworker and I, together with another alumni here from the area who decided to tag along just a couple of days before departure.  Our plan was to connect with some of the churches we had visited previously, taking advantage of some conferences and church-alliance meetings to present CEC as well as making new connections.

Our "CEC" vehicle as it crosses through a mountain range that borders Sonora and Chihuahua - scenery that is very different from that in San Carlos...a welcome, brief change.

Our adventures took a turn of their own on the very first day as my coworker, Guillermo, already began to feel off.  This led to an emergency room visit that very first night, where he was diagnosed with an infection and given antibiotics to treat it.  To make a longer story short, he kept dealing with various symptoms on and off through the days that followed to the point where a pastor couple at one of the pastor's alliance meetings that we attended arranged for him to have a checkup with a specialist that same day, to diagnose more accurately what was going on.  In the end, they were a God-send, us being in a foreign city trying to navigate as best we could these health issues.  It was at this appointment that the specialist based on what he was seeing, urged immediate hospitalization.  As it turned out, the infection that Guillermo had been dealing with was more serious than originally diagnosed and this began a ten-day journey of trying different antibiotics and treatments that finally starting showing favourable results several days in.

Our plans?  Well, the first evidence of God's providence came in the fact that Manuel, the alumni who joined us on this trip last minute, had, in fact, joined us on this trip.  He became an even more valuable asset as he could accompany me on our previously arranged engagements while Guillermo was either resting or during the time when he was hospitalized (and his wife Carmen, who had come later to assist Guillermo).  Manuel shared on a number of occasions about his own experiences at CEC and how it had helped him in the church plant that he has been pastoring now for a number of years.  I'm not sure how we would have done it if he had not been along with us to help navigate all that came up during this time.

Our Hospital Stay

I could say, one one hand, that in spite of these unexpected circumstances, we were still able to complete most of our previously made engagements, thanks to someone like Manuel who was able to assist in Guillermo's absence, but this wouldn't capture the full picture.  It wasn't just in spite of these circumstances but actually because of them, we were able to make more and to make much more meaningful connections than we would have been able to make otherwise.

The couple I mentioned earlier, Luis and Monica, are pastors of a small and growing church that meets in their Christian book store Bendiciones, or "Blessings."  They were in fact a huge blessing in many, many ways, making and paying for that initial appointment, and as well as connecting us with a number of different people in the area (not to mention bringing us food almost daily, offering their home to stay in, blessing us with books and resources as we left, among other things).  The hospital we were at was not cheap, to say the least, but it was there that Guillermo was receiving the care that he needed, especially considering how complicated this situation ended up becoming due to his medical condition.  Within a couple of days of being there, wondering how the bill was going to be paid, Guillermo and Carmen were receiving donations from people whom they had never met - pastors in the area who had heard about their situation and were not only praying for them but also helping financially to cover the significant hospitalization costs.  Our final full day in Chihuahua, this couple, Luis and Monica, even arranged for a 15 minute Christian radio interview for myself regarding CEC - an opportunity to get the word out to a far greater audience that we could have imagined when we first set out.

Monica and her husband Luis, one of the many new connections we made in Chihuahua

We experienced God's faithfulness and His provisions in many, many ways.  For Guillermo specifically, as he sat patiently in his hospital room for those ten, at times, long days, he spoke frequently of experiencing God's goodness and faithfulness.  And it was a sense that he felt strongly not just because of the amazing love and support that was shown in so many ways or because of the new opportunities that were coming our way through this experience, but just simply because he sensed so vividly and personally God's goodness and faithfulness.  He frequently shared how God is always good and faithful - we just don't often realize it and it takes circumstances like this for us to become more intimately aware of it.  And it does not have to do with whether we are sick or well, whether we have all that we need or not - God simply is good and faithful at all times, no matter what happens, no matter the outcome.  It was because of this, that despite the discouraging lack of advancement that we saw at times, Guillermo was more and more convinced of God's faithfulness throughout this whole process.

One of several rainbows out of the hospital window following one of the many days of rain that we enjoyed during our stay in Chihuahua.

As we look back we can see so many ways in which God shows His love and favour towards us - thank you to the many people who were faithfully praying for Guillermo and his recovery.  Thanks also to many who generously helped out to cover the hefty medical costs that have been incurred along the way.  But we are also thankful to God and praise Him for how He has used what on the surface might look like a major interruption of our ("good") plans and ideas, to bring about something far better than what we could have (or would have...) planned on our own.  "All things work for the good to those who love God" (Rom 8:28) rings so true, and that includes even things such as sickness.  What appeared to be a "wall" in the way of our plans turned out to be a doorway far bigger than we could have imagined to bring about more and deeper connections than we could have planned on our own.

It encourages us as we move forward - we know our plans will continue to be "modified" as God sees fit, but we know that He will continue to be faithful and good, no matter how those plans might change.  We look forward to an alumni retreat in three weeks - pray for those plans as we prepare for a time of refreshment and encouragement for each one who attends.  Once again, thanks for praying for us on this journey and for the support that has come in so many ways. ¡Dios les bendiga a cada uno de ustedes!  God bless each one of you!