Too much time has passed since my last update, but I sincerely want to thank each on of your for your continued prayers and support for myself and the ministry of CEC. It would be imposible to cover all that has happened during that last couple of months (and I was able to see many of you up in Manitoba, thankfully!) but before I get to them, here's a thank-you message from our students from this past year:
The first being not a highlight but sincerely a low point for CEC in the passing of Howard Dyck, our beloved founder and director this spring. As many of your were aware and accompanying us in your prayers, he went to be with the Lord this July after a long battle. While we greatly miss him, his joy, his presence, his animo (encouragement). Many in the community (from people at the bank, local stores, the insurance guy, etc.!!) have noted his presence. Students from the many years of CEC continue to reach out. All this shows the immense impact that he had on so many lives over the years. He worked behind the scenes in more ways than we could ever know (and are now finding out!) but in his absence we also are living in the wake of what God started through him and his wife Susan through the ministry of CEC. I remember first coming on in the early years of CEC and was given the opportunity to contribute in various ways, including opportunities to teach. Howard had a way of bringing people into the vision of CEC, empowering them, and watching the vision unfold into something much greater than any one of us. We look forward to the future of CEC because it was something that is greater than all of us - it is ultimately the Lord's - an instrument for the building of His kingdom. Over the years we have had a number of difficult situations with regards to staff members or different circumstances. Each year we think that "now we've seen it all..." only to be surprised yet again. But through it all too, we have seen God at work in our lives and in others too through this ministry, and for that we are thankful, though we wouldn't necessarily choose the paths that we have had to walk. We look forward to another season, especially now as we are making plans and confirming students for the next school term.
The last couple of weeks I've had the chance to pour through some of the testimonies that our students recorded before they left in putting together a promotional video and a video thanking our many supporters (see the link above!). It brings back many of the memories and how God worked through that time in the student's lives. Some of the highlights include one of our youngest students, Brayan, who shares,
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| Brayan, a first year student |
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| Fabián, another first year student |
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| Manuel, reflecting on his return as a 2nd year student |
I had the chance to visit Elías, another one of our returning students, who is helping to build a new rehabilitation center just outside of Hermosillo. Visiting them in July, in the Sonoran desert heat (+40 C on any given day), at a place where there is no electricity or even running water, as they are making bricks to build new facilities for a rehab center. He helps oversee the work there but he also leads the other guys in Bible studies, men who themselves are on the road to recovery as he once was. He is passionate about sharing from the Bible but is also an avid learner himself with a hunger to know the Word more deeply. Seeing his dedication is inspiring and humbling - what a privilege it is to continue to walk along side some of these humble and dedicated servants!
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| Elías, 2nd year |
Since CEC ended, we had an opportunity to spend extended time with three of our CEC students who took part in an English course ran by our ministry partners, Consiervos (Bondservants), an organization that is dedicated to equip others for cross-cultural missions. They continued on for an 8-week intensive English course that will help them in their ministry settings where knowing English will be an asset. In addition to helping them practice English, it gave us an opportunity to continue to connect with them in person and to encourage them in their walk.
I was able to get away up to Manitoba this summer as well, enjoying four weeks, seeing many of you in Manitoba, and getting a little bit of a breather before hitting the ground running now here in September. Tomorrow I'll be hitting the road for the next week and a half making some new connections for the school and fostering some old ones as well. A number of people have expressed interest already in coming for the coming school year and plans are underway, getting our calendar lined up. We are excited about continuing to grow our 2nd year program. This morning, in fact, we met together to discuss our plans, discerning the on-going needs of our students in their lives and ministries, catching up with one of our currently off-site teachers via video-conference. As we discuss different ideas the excitement grows for seeing another year come around the corner. There's a sense where, while CEC's footprint grows as more students come through our doors each year, there still is so much that still needs to be done - people whom we can reach with God's Word, so that they will be built up and equipped for further ministry. In the end it is not CEC's footprint that we are truly worried about, but God's - being a part of what He is doing here and throughout Mexico.
With that, I acknowledge once again my indebtedness to you and your prayers for myself and this ministry. Every year has had its challenges and this year is no different. But we are exciting as we move forward, carrying one what Howard started so many years ago with Susan (we also look forward to her continued presence and help on the team!) God bless each one of you! ¡Dios les bendiga!
