There and Back Again

Much has happened since the last update - and too much time has gone by as well.  Our first alumni retreat, a trip to Manitoba, and now back on the ground running in San Carlos with the Consiervos (Bondservants) Mission training course underway and a recruitment tour just around the corner.  This has been perhaps one of the busier "off" seasons, though there really isn't such a thing as an off-season - it just perhaps feels so compared to the busyness of January through April and our time during the course with the students here onsite.  Here are some past highlights as well as some of plans on the horizon:

Alumni Retreat

Being a huge success, we look forward to this being a continuing, yearly tradition.  Though it was somewhat short notice, with only one month of planning and getting the word out, we had a great turnout: 20 students came out for the first weekend in August, from over the past 13 years of classes.  One of our students even came from the southern most tip of Mexico, from Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, excited to reconnect with us and fellow students.  The goal of this weekend was more than just a reunion of old friendship but a time of listening to and encouraging the students in their lives and ministries.  There is no doubt that, while the time together in CEC during the course is powerful and encouraging for the students, some of the biggest challenges lie as they return back to their homes and ministries, living out what they have absorbed during CEC.  We try to continue to walk with them as much as we can from a distance, but events such as this where we have face to face contact cannot be replaced.  My coworker Guillermo challenged the students from the life and example of Joshua who experienced different stages of growth as he was mentored by Moses, later leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land, and eventually prepared the next generations in his departure.  The encouragement to the students was seeing God's continual work in our lives with Him is our focal point - He is accomplishing His plan through us in these various stages of our lives - something He continues to do in the lives of the students, wherever they find themselves.

The staff and students at our alumni reunion.

The time together was great, the interaction between the different years was enjoyable, and the openness with which the students shared, as though they had all already studied together was sweet.  We recognize the immeasurable value of this time together and look forward to, Lord willing, keep doing this in the years to come.

Trip to Manitoba

A couple of days following the alumni retreat I was on the road heading up to spend a month in Manitoba.  I was treated by probably the coldest day on record for an August summer, with a high of 12 degrees - coming from mid to high 30's with high humidity, this was a shock (though a welcome shock!) to the system! ;)  Aside from that, though, the month was spent in rest and relaxation with family and friends along with opportunities to share about CEC in a couple of local churches and finished off with a really great event planned together with a number of people both from my home church and others involved with CEC.  Denver and Katie Janz (CEC's directors) were able to travel in from BC, along with several of the local board members for the mission (including my Dad and Jake Friesen, who is from my home church), shared about the ministry and vision of CEC.  Over 150 came out in support of and to hear from us, not to mention one of our own alumni, who happened to be spending the summer working in southern Manitoba together with his wife and two kids, also shared about CEC and his experience as a student.  He went through the program back in 2017, coming from the nearby city of Empalme, about half and hour from the school.  Since his time in CEC he has been working along with others in the beginning stages of a church plant in a nearby village, working there primarily with the children.  He shared with us about his experience in CEC and how had been shaped by the time spent in the Word.  It is always a blessing to hear from our students, especially now years from their time at CEC, and to see how they are continuing on faithfully, through the ups and downs.  If there's one thing that stands about Jesús, it is his continued passion for the Word, not only in study but in sharing it with others and the power of the Gospel message.  This event really was a celebration of the ministry of CEC and what God has been doing through it - and it was exciting to see so many come in support of what God has done and is continuing to do in San Carlos.  

My time in Winkler not only drew to a close with this event, but all things were timed perfectly as my newest niece was born just days before I came back - five days before, in fact.  All in all, it may not have been a relaxing time away, but it was encouraging and rejuvenating.

Back on the Ground Running

On the next day back to San Carlos I was scheduled in for some tests to address some health issues that have been bothering me over the last months.  While not looking forward to it necessarily, I was hoping to find some answers as to what was going on.  Thankfully, all things checked out, it being nothing serious - thank you to those who were praying!  

This fall has shaped up to be fairly busy.  These are some of the activities that are lined up for this coming stretch:

• Consiervos (Bondservants) cross-cultural missions training program (Oct-Nov)
• Recruitment tour to visit past students and promote CEC to new churches/pastors (2 weeks in Oct)
• Millar College of the Bible missions module, hosted at CEC (last two weeks of Oct)
• Leadership conference (last week of Nov)

We are currently full swing into the Consiervos program with 11 students on site, several of them being CEC alumni.  I've had the privilege of sharing some classes on the History of Missions over the past few days, looking at both the successes and failures of the church over the years in carrying out the Great Commission, but mostly seeing how through it all, it is God who has been carrying out His mission to us, and how we are called to be a part of it.  The program, run by a dear missionary couple who themselves spent many years in missions to one of the indigenous groups here in Mexico, K and R Van Kirk, is very similar to CEC in the way that it is run - building into the lives of each of the students during their time here, but with a focus specifically on missions in a cross-cultural setting.

All of this is going on while we to continue to plan and recruit for this coming year.  Please pray for the plans still to be made and particularly for teachers that are needed to fill some big holes left behind by some who will not be able to return this coming year.  One ground-breaking, historical note, though - WE ALREADY HAVE OUR FIRST STUDENT ENROLLED!  Now, this may not sound like something that amazing, but considering that normally we only receive our first application sometime in December, it is incredible to already have one student confirmed.  Please continue to pray for this coming school year, for our still-unknown students, and for us as staff as we prepare for another season.  Pray for safety as we embark on a short recruitment tour in the coming days (planning to leave this coming Saturday), for new connections, new students, and also for our alumni whom which we plan to connect with.  As always, thanks for your continued prayers for myself and for the ministry of CEC!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

The Classroom of Ups and Downs

It's always encouraging to hear from students outside of our formal training time with them.  Just the other day a student contacted me whom I had not heard from for a year or two - he came in 2021 and recently reached out to me, sharing about some of the ways he has been serving as of late, including teaching at a local Christian rehab center and some other local churches.  He expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the impact of his time at CEC.  He wrote,

"God has prepared us for battle - now it is our turn to act, and where there is fertile land to sow, I will do so tirelessly." - Fernando Rojas

It's hard to keep track of all of the students who come through CEC but it is always an encouragement to not only hear from them, but to see how they are continuing on serving the Lord, years after their time here.  Continue to pray with us for our students, both recent and past!

Without a doubt, while their time during the 3+ months we spend together comes with its challenges, some of the greatest challenges await them as they leave CEC and return home.  And while there is plenty of opportunity to put into practice things that are being learned while here (while they live together in community not to mention their weekend places of ministry...), the biggest tests await them beyond graduation.  This shouldn't be surprising, of course - I'm sure we can all look back to our own experiences, not to mention so many stories of even the great leaders in the Bible, to the ups and downs, failures and successes, of each one on this journey.  The learning continues far beyond the classroom and time at CEC, mirroring it in many ways with its own highs and lows.  He continues to teach and show His faithfulness. 

So, it is encouraging to hear from students like Yuleni and Fernando who are back serving in their congregation - a small agricultural village about an hour from here - investing in the children of the congregation.  Yuleni shared about how she was deeply impacted during her time in CEC - in her words, "by coming to know God more deeply through studying His Word."  Her husband, Fernando, a man of few words, gradually grew in confidence himself as he slowly opened up and shared what he was learning from God in our morning devotion time.  They are currently working with the children in their community, hosting them every Saturday for a time of games and Bible lessons.

Jesús and his wife Yuleni, serving at one of our off-site ministry opportunities for children.

Other students have had to navigate some challenges upon their return home.  One of our students, for various reasons, chose to step back from the ministry he was involved with to dedicate more time to his son - God has been at work to slowly bring restoration to a difficult family situation - while also providing opportunities to serve in different churches and rehab centers in the area.  Another one of our recent students is facing a similar situation with regards to his ministry - please pray for him that God would lead him in any decisions that need to be made.

One thing becomes especially clear as we continue to hear from the students - all of the "theory" that we learn, also has to be walked out in our lives.  While we do this as much as we can while we are together, it will be an ongoing task both in life and in ministry.  We have been thinking about what it looks like to continue to walk alongside the students as much as we can, to continue to encourage them in their lives and ministry.  To that end, we had our first (maybe anual?) alumni evening - lighting up the pizza oven and hearing from those who could return from this past year and enjoying one another's company once again, even if just for several hours.  It was a pleasure to reconnect with six of our students.  We are also planning an alumni weekend mid-summer, open to students from all 15 years, sometime mid-summer.  We hope and pray that it will be a time of encouragement for each one who comes as they continue on in service.

At present we have several activities/tasks going on that you can keep in your prayers:

• Continuing to plan, as we confirm teachers for next year - we have some significant holes to fill left behind by some great teachers.
• Consiervos English class - now almost halfway done its 8 week course (for people who need English in missions/ministry).  We've had the opportunity of continuing to connect with a couple of our past CEC students who have returned for this course.
• Alumni Retreat - planning for a weekend in August, a time of fellowship and encouragement for  past students.

I'm also looking forward to being out in Manitoba once again this summer, for the month of August till into September.  We are planning an event in the Winkler, MB area on September 8th where several CEC staff, including Denver and Katie Janz, the directors of the school, will be out to share about the ongoing ministry of CEC (more details to come!).  While I'll have the opportunity to share this weekend at my home church BMC, in Manitoba (via video-call), there is nothing like being there in person.  I look forward to connecting with many while out there!  Until then, thanks again for the faithful support and prayers.  They are deeply appreciated!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

A Class in Review

Two weeks have passed as the dust settles from another school season. The first week after classes is lived in somewhat of a trance - exhaustion coupled with the emptiness of a school campus and a relatively free schedule.  I had the opportunity to spend some of those days with my parents as well as another couple from my church who were visiting me during the final week of classes.  It wasn't until that first full week had passed, after getting over a cold, that some semblance of the "new normal" began to take shape and with it an opportunity to look back over this school season to appreciate many of the things that took place.  Without a doubt the students go through the same process as they leave CEC.  After about a week of relative silence from them as well, we are beginning to hear how they are doing too.

The class of 2024 - I was going to put the "official" looking class photo but this one captures much more accurately their true personalities!  Back row L-R: Jesús Fernando y Yuleni, Nazaret, Luis, Jesús Ramón; front row L-R: Juan, Isaías, Ariel, Manuel, Jesús, Armando.

Without a doubt, as with every year, it is encouraging to look back and see how God works in their lives far beyond instilling in them a greater love for Scripture and a deeper understanding of who God is.   These are of course foundational and in our morning times where the students had a chance to share with each other their reflections from their daily morning Bible reading (as they read in chronological order about six chapters per day), time and again students shared how they were impacted by how they were coming to know God more deeply and truly as they spend time in His Word.  One student, reflecting on her time in CEC remarked:

"My perspective changed, my way of thinking changed, my way of living and my conduct changed, the way I express myself changed, dramatically, by coming to know God more deeply through His Word." (Yuleni)

It is always exciting to see how God works through His Word, through the classes, through the circumstances, and through the community to reveal Himself and bring about deep change in each one of the students lives.

As I think about some of the "highlights" from this past year, I can't help but notice how they are couple with what one could call "lowlights."  By lowlights, I mean challenges that the students faced where they were being confronted by circumstances in which God was at work in their lives: ultimately, to learn to rely more deeply on Him.  These highlights (and lowlights) marked not only the students lives but ours as staff as well - challenges that had to be worked through together, that caused growth in all involved.  Luis, whom I had the opportunity to mentor this year, comes to mind.  

Luis comes from the nearby fishing village, El Choyudo.  He serves faithfully in the church one of our staff members, Guillermo, pastored for many years and continues to oversee.

There were several points throughout the school season where he was ready to leave - something he openly shared with us, especially during the first weeks, asking for prayer to make it to the end.  Having grown up largely on his own (his parents abandoning him and leaving him with other relatives at the age of four), it was a challenge to live in an intense, structured community setting.  Luis came in with a love for the Bible, having learned to read not in school but out of a sincere desire to read the Bible, and was serving faithfully in his local church.  The work that I saw God do in him during his time here was in learning to live within this loving, close-knit community.  At one point in particular, he came to find me one evening after an altercation between some of the students.  It just so happened, however, that I wasn't at home.  (I had burned my hand lighting a hot-water heater and so my neighbour, a fellow staff member, Guillermo, had taken me to a doctor to get it treated.)  Luis later shared that he had come to find us to say that he was ready to leave but was "forced" to, instead, wrestle through the night with what was on his heart because he couldn't find either one of us.  He was able to find refuge in God and to work through it in prayer.  That ended up being the last time we heard from him about leaving CEC - he finished in many ways a changed person.

One other situation stands out concerning a dear brother who comes from a nearby church whose pastor has also previously been a student at CEC.  Both pastor and student are named Manuel (to make it confusing!)  Manuel had intended to come last year but due to issues with his business was not able to get things arranged for him to be away for the three and a half months of the program.  This year, however, everything fell into place.  Manuel, in many ways, also struggled with the intense structure of CEC; being a business owner, he was accustomed to relative freedom in the sense of managing his own time.  Towards the end of the program an issue arose putting into jeopardy, in a sense, his involvement in CEC and his ability to properly complete the program.  Due to a personal concern he was contemplating skipping out on our final weekend of ministry where the entire team prepares and serves in a neighbouring community, putting into practice some of the practical aspects of the training they've received.  Without going into details here, he shared what was going on in his heart with myself and a fellow staff member.  All we could do was listen, pray with him and trust the he would allow God to work in him in this matter.  To be honest, I was preparing to be disappointed by the decision Manuel might make; my co-worked, incidentally, had more faith than I did!  The final weekend went off without an issue and, thanks to God, Manuel came along and faithfully served.  I knew that it was very significant for him that he did, knowing that for him it was a significant step of faith and that God had worked in him to give him the peace necessary to be able to do so.  These seemingly "small" steps are evidence of great works done in the hearts of the students and we are privileged to walk along side them in this process.

Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers for myself, for us as a staff, and for the students as well!  May is a time of reflection, evaluation, organization, and planning for the coming year.  The students also find themselves in their home environments, missing the CEC community, but also with ample opportunity to share in both word and deed how they were impacted during their time here.  Please pray for me as this year takes shape, as plans are made, in how to best invest my time, with CEC opportunities regarding promotion and connections with students, to local opportunities to serve as well.  Also, this time after CEC is a rejuvenating time, a time to "fill up the tank" after extended withdrawals.  You can pray not only for rest but also spiritual rejuvenation and renewal for myself.  God bless each one of you...¡Dios les bendiga!