Weekend Rendezvous

Had a bit of an exciting weekend to say the least!  One of the things the leadership at the school has tried to do over the years is stay connected with past students, at times going out to visit them in their various places of ministry to see how they are doing and to encourage them.  This has meant travelling to different parts of Mexico, right down to the south-central part of the country.  This weekend didn't see us going quite that far, but we made a trek, myself along with one of the main teachers and three other men, to connect with one of the couples who were students last year at CEC.

We travelled about 300km southeast of here to a small remote town called Basiroa, with a population probably close to 1,000 people.  The first 250km were on nice four lane highway.  But gradually the roads reduced in size and quality from there till the point where we were on winding gravel roads described by someone on the team saying, "You couldn't make better washboard if you tried!"  None of us had actually been to this town before, we only knew the name and had a rough idea of how to get there.  Rural Mexico obviously does not have much for signs (if anything at all!) and so part of the adventure is just in arriving.  We quickly renamed this little town llega-si-puede which means something like, "Get there if you can!"  Fortunately, after stopping at houses and asking for directions we did get there!

The couple, Jesus and Maribel, have been working in this community since they graduated from their first school term, last April.  Jesus grew up in this town but hadn't lived there for a long time.  His parents were still living there and they felt God's call to come back home, so to speak, and preach the gospel in this town where there was only a Catholic church, no evangelical church to speak of.  We were greeted by them and a number of children, who had been waiting for us.  As we heard more about their ministry in this town, we heard about their ministry especially with the children.  We could tell right aways that they had a special connection with some of the children in the community.  They had a solid group of about 25 to 30 children with whom they worked regularly.  In their experience, building inroads with the adults was much more difficult, as it takes more time to gain their trust enough to be able to share and see the gospel touch their hearts and pull them out of the catholicism that they have grown up with.  So, they have poured a lot of their time and energy especially into the children, gaining the confidence of the community and an entrance into the homes through the children.

Jesus and his wife Maribel

Part of the purpose of our trip, aside from connecting with the couple was to encourage them in their ministry.  We came together with Rob Kehler, who has a film ministry, travelling with portable equipment to show evangelical films and giving out Bibles.  That evening we had planned to show the Jesus film to those in the community.  We arrived around 4:00 and started going from house to house, inviting people to the film showing later that evening.  As the sun went down we setup our outdoor mini-theatre and got the show going.

Setting up the cine

Children waiting for the show to start

We were treated at the beginning by a song the kids had prepared for us, "Bienvenidos, bienvenidos!!"  (Welcome, welcome!)  We were delighted to see some 75 people altogether, children and adults, glued to the screen in silence, watching the life of Christ portrayed before them.

The children singing our Welcome song

After the film, we handed out New Testaments to those who wanted, both a children's version and an adult version, and also handed out reading glasses to those who needed so that they would be able to read their new New Testament.  One of the men also shared with everyone before they left the opportunity they could have to respond by giving their lives to Christ.

The next evening, we decided to show another film in the same place, this time a movie called "Last Flight Out", which tells the story of a pilot sent to help some missionaries working in a remote tribe surrounded by guerrilla-style oppression, and how this man eventually comes to know the Lord through the example and witness of the missionaries.  Once again, a strong crowd came out, many children and adults.

Though, before this weekend I had only met in passing this couple, it was very neat and encouraging to see those who have come through the school faithfully serving the Lord.  It's amazing how quickly you can feel remote and somewhat cut off from "civilization" here in Mexico.  Though we were only about one and a half hours away from a large urban center, gone were a lot of the services we become attached to like cell service, phones, internet, etc.  Cooking your food is done over a wood fire, washrooms are brick outhouses.  But this couple was willing to leave the modern conveniences behind to be faithful to the call they had received.  They did not have a house and were living with his parents.  They did not have a place to meet as the place they had was no longer available and they were now meeting in someone's home.  But their plans are to establish themselves in this community and continue in the work they've started.  Praise God that He is raising up people to reach those who don't know Him!

As some of you may remember, I've had the chance to travel with Rob Kehler on motorcycle trips to different parts of Sonora and into the state of Chihuahua.  It's amazing to see how many communities there are, especially in rural Mexico, who have a Catholic church but little or no evangelical influence much like the community where Jesus and Maribel are working.  It's exciting to think that the students of this school are and will continue to reach out to these people for Christ!  ¡Dios les bendiga!

Week Five

Just one month into the school term and it feels like we've known these students for much longer!  It took a couple of weeks for everyone to find their places and to get settled into routines, myself included, but here we are, a third of the way through our time together!

The students are much younger than they have been in the past year (so I'm told!) and it brings with it its own unique blessings and challenges.  The youngest is Yarely, a young woman who us 17 years old, turning 18 soon, the oldest is Roberto, 28, who is here with his wife and two young daughters.  Often in the past they have had pastors who are in their 40's or 50's and even one man who was 60.  But this year God saw fit to bring these particular students!

As with their age, in many ways these students are young in their faith.  Several of them have testimonies of lives lived in drugs and violence until the Lord brought them to a place of repentance and change.  Others have grown up "in the church" so to speak and are learning what it means to walk in a greater intimacy with the Lord.  The other evening we had a time of sharing, a "family time", and it was encouraging and challenging to hear what God is doing in their lives.  Some of them are grasping onto some basic concepts such as what it means to meditate on God's word, and encountering God in deeper ways in those personal times.  Others shared about their desire to return to their communities and share the gospel with those who live there.  One woman in particular, Luciana, the wife of Roberto, who has a particularly tender heart towards the Lord shared with tears how she was sad to think of the people who were perishing who haven't heard or haven't put their faith in the Lord.  Here desire is to return to her town and share with those who don't know the Gospel.  How I wish I had the same depth of passion for those who don't know Christ that she does!  Its encouraging to not only hear from their hearts but to see how God is shaping and moulding them, placing His desires in their hearts.  More than anything, that's the goal of the school here, the desire we have for the students, not only that their knowledge of God would increase, but that this knowledge would lead to transformed lives!

My role is becoming more defined as I go along.  Now that school is in session, my roles have been more in the administration as well as working with the students. A fair bit of my time is spent in the office, helping with whatever needs to be done from helping to prepare for the classes, organizing the weekend ministry placements each of the students take part in each weekend and things like that. I have also been doing a little bit of teaching music as well as sitting in on a small group with all of the guys. It's been a lot of fun to get to know each one of the students and we are excited to see God doing a work in each one of their lives. Some of them, especially some of the guys are particularly reserved or quiet when it comes to sharing what's on their heart, specifically what God is doing in their lives but we pray that He will continue this work deep in their hearts and that they will let their guards down to share this with others.

We've put together a brief description of each of the students, and how you can pray for each one of them.  You can view these mini-biographies HERE.

Pray for us as a staff also! Living in community as the students do always brings with it it's own unique set of challenges but these are all moments to shape and mold character and to become more like Christ! Pray that we would have wisdom as we seek to model Christ's character and walk along side the students in this process!  Pray for me personally as I continue to find my place in this new ministry. I want to be willing to do whatever God may want me to do, for His honor and glory!

  

Week One

The start of a new year always brings with it a natural time of reflection, looking back where we've come from, perhaps making some needed adjustments (ie. those dreaded New Year's resolutions!) and looking forward to what's coming.

This past year has been a year of changes to say the least as many of you already know, having accompanied me in prayers, thoughts, and counsel.  And God has been good, bringing me to a new place of ministry, with new exciting opportunities.

Just before I made a surprise visit home to be with my family during Christmas, I got moved into my new place of residence, a camper just across the street from the school facility.

My home? The camper on the right.  The other camper
houses the resident teachers, Eric and Roxanna Ericcson.

It is nice to have a place to call "home" for the near future!  As I also just mentioned, I did make a surprise visit home, coming home to a pair of shocked parents mid December!  It had been three years since all of us had all been together for Christmas and I figured it was time to brave the cold and indeed by the look of unbelief and shock on their faces, it was well worth the effort!

I made it back to San Carlos on the 3rd of January, just days before this winter's school term starts.  As is often the case here in Mexico, there was little knowing exactly how many students would show up until they did in fact show up!  We did have 10 students come, really the perfect size of group for the type of school that it is.  There are several couples in the mix, one newlywed couple and another two couples with young children.  A number of single men and women round out what is a very young group this year, ranging from 18 to 28.  Often there are students in the 30's, 40's or even 50's who come.

Orientation started on Monday.  This being my first experience working here in the school I felt as though the orientation was as much for me as it was for the students as we are all figuring out our new roles, responsibilities, etc.  By Tuesday classes were more or less underway though it will still be a week or so before we all find our place!

I'm very excited for this school term though.  The term is 14 weeks long, neither long nor short, but I think the key is intense!  Students have classes throughout the morning and afternoon, Monday thru Friday.  The evenings are often filled either with group activities, or watching videos such as the movie of Matthew or, like every Thursday evening, spent sharing communion together.  Though there is lots of information that is passed along to the students, the real goal of the school and desire of each one of the staff is not amassing information but personal transformation.  The goal is that each of the students is significantly impacted in their lives by the work of the Holy Spirit and to that end everything is focussed.  

Pray with us as we enter into this new semester.  I'm looking forward to share with you as we progress through this term, sharing victories and struggles, but for now just pray with us as we pray for the students, that God would touch their lives and accomplish in them whatever it is He wants to accomplish!

Pray also for us as a staff.  Whenever their is the will and desire to serve the Lord, the enemy will do what he can to distract.  Not only that, but the students can very well come with their own baggage and issues that will need to be worked through so pray for us as a whole.  Ephesians 6 talks about this spiritual battle.  Verses 18 and 19, Paul acknowledges in specific the power and importance of prayer in the context of this spiritual battle.  So with that in mind, pray for us!