Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

We are at the start of another year, and the activity and excitement of the holidays has slowly given way to normality. Every January many people resolve to change something about themselves and say, “This year I will be successful!” While it is good to plan and prepare for what may come in the future, it is also important to remember to live day-by-day. Lately I have been reading stories of people’s successes and failures with their New Year’s resolutions, and many of those who have failed to fulfill their plans say that they get bogged down when they think in terms of an entire year. “How can I (exercise, eat more vegetables, read the Bible, etc. etc.) every day for a whole year???” When we are overwhelmed by thoughts of the future and how we will cope, we can remember what the Bible says:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Whatever our goals for 2010, knowing that God’s mercy is with us day after day can give us the strength to meet our goals, to grow in our walk with Him, and do what He asks of us.

Here is a summary of our activities in 2009 and some of our plans for 2010.

1- Church in San Pedro: We are now full in both services on Sunday and are running over 300 people. With the exception of 4 people, all are new converts who have never served the Lord before. There are now 2 young men full time on the pastoral staff. We are planning on building for 700 in 2010. We are studying the most economical way of doing it because we refuse to go in debt.
2- The Soccer ministry has grown and now has 3 travelling teams covering two cities. We are reaching a group of about 200 young people from the ages of 13-19. Since August, 22 have become Christians along with several parents. Our goal is to win at least 80 to the Lord by next June. All of the teams are winning a lot and 2 of them are in the top 10 nationally. That's just added blessing!
3- The Drug rehab is still treating about 300 men each year. We are now receiving many who are also hiding out from the drug cartels because they are trying to escape that kind of life. Please pray for protection from violence for this center. We will be partnering with PROJECT AK-47 (Marcus Young) this year to start ministering to the kids caught up in the violence of the gang warfare.
4- The missions training School graduated another 5 students this year. Four of the students were also able to make their faith trip to a small town on the west coast and were able to help start another home missions work. We are still planning on sending out Latin American Missionaries to foriegn fields in the near future. Our evangelism teams still do campaigns with dramas at least twice a year.
5- In the social area we continue to teach English to underprivileged students. We have also opened a small secondary school for young people who dropped out and were not able to finish secondary school. the economic crisis has really rocked our city and over 5,000 jobs were lost this last year. We have built houses, fed the poor, scholarshiped 30 students, and helped create some job sources for the needy.

Please be in prayer for these programs and ministries and remember that those who send and those who go receive the same reward before God. We are your extension here in Mexico.