Once again it's been a while since the last post! Sorry for keeping you all in suspense for so long! We've made it through our super busy season with only one team left to go towards the end of April. We saw the last team leave on Tuesday after having three teams back to back, one team leaving and then the next team coming later on the same day. That's actually the second time that that's happened this year, that we've had three teams back to back to back. As you can imagine, we started to understand what marathon running must feel like, after running 20 miles knowing that somehow you've still gotta find it in you to push through the last six...not that I've ever even run more than six miles at one time in my life!
Back to Mexico though, it has obviously been a very busy but a very good year in many ways. Much was accomplished in the way of projects such as Pastor Rafael's church in the community of Fatima in Guaymas was dedicated one week ago with only some minor details remaining to be done on the adjacent kitchen which will be used for the feeding program. Praise God for the many hands who helped to make it happen with the first foundation stone being laid sometime in December. It is an impressive building and a monument to the vision that God has for that community. It is a large building and the pastor's vision is that the growing congregation will quickly fill it's walls!
Bus aside from the work projects, as is always the case the more important part and the more exciting part is seeing God touch people's lives. We've worked a lot in Fatima and so we've taken a number of teams into the area handing out food hampers along with members of Pastor Rafael's congregation. It's neat to see the connection that they have, whether it's the pastor himself or his wife, Marisela, with the people of the community and to use the food hamper as a connection, a way to get into people's homes and spend some time sharing the Lord with them or praying with them. And every so often we get the privilege to lead someone to the Lord; other times we get the opportunity to pray with them as they are going through some personal struggles. I remember one such case as I was leading a group along with Marisela. We came into this lady's yard and she was burdened with her son who was living a fairly rebellious life and taking it out on his family, and particularly his mom. She herself was not a Christian though Marisela had shared Christ with her before. We could see as Marisela shared with her that she was so close to surrendering it all to God but just couldn't quite take that final step. Nonetheless we prayed for her and her son and trust that God will bring her to the point of final surrender.
I know that there's so many more stories I could share of God at work in people's lives. It's such a privilege to be a part of those stories, even if I'm just a spectator. And to all of you who have been praying for us as a ministry, you are a part of these stories as well! God bless you for your part! You probably won't fully see the fruit of your efforts until we are on the other side, but for now you can know that God is using you powerfully!
I hope that you all have a wonder Easter, remembering not just how much our freedom cost but incredible joy and the power of the resurrection.
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:18-21
