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!