Newsletter Winter 2014

Hello again! Update from San Pedro

Hi everyone! Here's a short update of the latest news from San Pedro.

Yesterday we held a special event at TCL which combined fitness and evangelism. A group of trainers and fitness experts came and put over 60 people through their paces with a mixture of Crossfit and martial arts exercises, and afterwards shared the Gospel. One of the goals we set when building the new church was to make it a place for community gatherings and special events as well as services, and we're excited to see that opportunities are arising in this area.

El Calor played at home yesterday as well and won 3-1 against Deportivo San Juan, who traveled here from the state of Jalisco. After a slow start, El Calor is 3-3-0 (wins, losses, ties) and travels to Monterrey next Saturday.

September is the month we celebrate Mexico's independence and we had a party at TCL two weeks ago to commemorate over 200 years of freedom. There were contests for best costume, best food, best scream (look up "grito Mexicano" to find out more!), as well as karaoke and games for the congregation and guests of TCL.

Winner of best dressed boy!

Waiting for dinner!

Missions Trip

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, we sent the graduates of our Bible school on a 2-week missions trip. They spent the time in the state of Guerrero, in the town of Tenexpa. Here's a short testimony from one of the participants, Paty.

     We arrived in Tenexpa, and the only person we knew was Natali and her family (Natali came to know God through our youth camp several years ago). For the two weeks we were there we held a Vacation Bible School in the mornings and there was a great response from the people in the area. In the afternoons we went door to door sharing the Gospel. At night we had a cell group (home church) in Natali's house. 
     Something that surprised all of us was the hunger the people had to hear about God, especially the children. Every day they would look for us and ask us to read the Bible to them. On the last day of the trip we visited a family and every one of them accepted Jesus. 
   While we were in Tenexpa we found a church about 30 minutes away, and the pastor agreed to keep holding the weekly cell group to continue reaching the people in the area. 

We're so glad that we are starting to send out missionaries from TCL. We have been blessed over the years with many visits from many missionaries ourselves, and we are excited to see what opportunities we will have in the next little while to continue training and sending people throughout Mexico and the world.

Goodbye to Donald and Becky Kamese

This month we had to say goodbye to Donald and Becky, as they are taking on a new ministry opportunity and expanding SHM to the state of San Luis Potosi. Donald has been with us in San Pedro since 2007 and has been active in village ministry and in training new missionaries. Becky joined us a year and a half ago and in addition to helping Donald has also worked with our young people, mentoring and encouraging them. We'll miss them very much, but we're excited to see what God will do through them in their new location. Please pray for them as they get settled in their new home and start the new project that God has given them.

Update

At long last, here's what's been happening in San Pedro!

Bible school graduates - Our first class of student in our Bible institute has graduated. We're getting ready for the upcoming semester and working with a new curriculum that will give our students a degree.

Missions trip - and these same graduates are currently on a missions trip to the state of Guerrero. They're doing outreach in different towns and villages, primarily with children but also taking the opportunity to talk with and pray for families and parents.

TCL anniversary - at the beginning of the month we celebrated the 2-year anniversary of Templo Cristiano Libertad. There was a special service and time of fellowship as we celebrated God's goodness to the church over the past year.

Finally, last week we enjoyed a visit from a missions group from Tepic, Nayarit. Damara and Agustin brought a group of young people from their church to do outreach here in San Pedro and the surrounding area. The group had a well-prepared program of skits and music and we were able to minister to many children and their parents.

Evangelism Sunday

   Yesterday morning, instead of our regular church service, we went to the plaza and held a special evangelistic event. We were divided into teams; some of us handed out pamphlets and flowers, others prayed with the people we found in and around the plaza, we offered manicures and hand massages, and we presented dramas and music.

Face painting.

Reading pamphlets.

Manicures and hand massages.

Prayer.

    I was part of the team that gave out flowers, and it was almost funny to see people's reaction when we stopped them - they didn't believe that we were giving the flowers away, and many were reluctant to accept them until we told them clearly that it was a gift. I say it was almost funny, because to me it was sad to see that people really don't expect to be given anything for free; there always has to be a catch. 

 

 

Flower!

    

Come for your balloon! It's free!!

It was also sad for me when we gave out the flowers because we said to each woman that the flower was from someone who loved her very much, and then we asked if she had someone who loved her.   I was expecting everyone to say, "Yes, my spouse, my children, my parents...", but the number of women who didn't have an answer to this simple question was surprising. Maybe the women were embarrassed to be asked this question by strangers, but maybe they really didn't know if they were loved.

Afterwards I thought about our role as Christians and about what Jesus says to us in the Bible, and I thought of what he said the greatest commandments are: first, to love God with everything we are; and second, to love our neighbours as ourselves. How are we doing this in our everyday lives? Are we doing it at all? I know these aren't new questions, or even complicated questions. Sometimes the simple things cost us the most work, but they are the things that matter the most.

   We are hoping to see great results from yesterday's work, and we're hoping to hold another event in a couple of months. I'll keep you posted!

Teeth....

Another rainy day here in San Pedro, which thankfully has brought some relief from the heat! We're getting ready for our evangelism Sunday, where we will be spending several hours in the plaza downtown instead of holding our regular morning service. We have different groups with different activities planned, including prayer, making balloon animals, hand massages, giving out flowers and washing cars - anything we can do to interest people in hearing the Gospel. I'll be posting pictures likely on Monday or Tuesday.

I'd like to share briefly a need and a prayer request. Stephen needs some dental work done; one of his front teeth fell out suddenly and we are praying for $2800 to replace it and to take care of other work that needs to be done as well. Thanks first and foremost for your prayers, and if anyone feels led to give an offering, it can be sent through the PayPal link on this page or through regular mail at the addresses on the left sidebar. I'll keep you updated (and maybe Stephen will let me post a picture....or maybe not!).

This week...

...and some of last week, too! Happy May, and just like every year, with the start of this month someone turns on a switch and it's HOT. Right now it looks like it wants to rain, but we'll see if it's water or dust that falls.

El Calor's season ended on Saturday with a 2-0 loss in Cancun in the first round of playoffs. One of the players suffered a broken leg and was operated on but is recovering well. Please keep praying for the team and this ministry over the summer; the boys are still here training and we are still hoping to find some partners to help with the expenses in the coming season.

In Cancun attending to our player with a fractured leg.

  Club G-VI celebrated Children's Day on Saturday (Children's Day is a big deal here, lots of games, candy (sometimes for the adults, too!)). We had a good turnout, and the kids had a break from their regular classes and enjoyed games and fellowship.

Minute to win it activities - wrap someone in toilet paper without it tearing - easier said than done!

Desserts! Cupcakes and Jello cake.

We're getting ready for a special outreach service in 2 weeks. Our Sunday morning service will be held in the main plaza downtown, and we are preparing groups to minister in different ways to the people we find throughout the morning.

El Calor

Pre-game prayer, April 19, 2014.

El Calor played away this weekend in San Juan de los Lagos and lost 2-1, but they are assured a place in the playoffs. They are set to play in Cancun, and Stephen is off to Mexico City to a meeting to decide on the exact schedules. Please be in prayer for him and for the team, and that God will provide the funds for plane tickets, refereeing, food, and all the costs associated with playoffs.

During the game.

Camp 2014

We're in the middle of spring break here in San Pedro and as we do every year, we held our youth camp from Tuesday-Thursday last week. We had over 100 youth from ages 12+ attend the three days of activities and services and God moved powerfully in the lives of many. Here are a few pictures; I will be posting more over the next couple of weeks as they get organized.

Day 1: So. COLD. No, really, it was freezing cold and windy but we were out at 7:30 running around the property to wake up.

Cross the ropes without falling....

Through 2 hanging tires...

Across the monkey bars...

Down the slide...

After crawling under a muddy log....

Jump!

Tire run, which is harder than it looks!

Across the pole (again, no falling!)

Under the ropes...

Running back from the park...

Through the spiderweb...

 Day 2: Weather still cool, time to play!

Throw and catch water balloons without breaking them (not done very successfully!)

Hug a water balloon and drop it in a bucket...

Just like this...

Crawl 15 feet without dropping the balloon....

Group prayer in Bible study.

 Day 3: Photo rally! Each team had 2h to take 34 photos and videos.

"I can't believe we all fit here" (20 people in the baptism tank)

"Picture of all team members in a tree"

"Picture with firemen" The San Pedro fire department are always good sports about this one!

Kick a soccer ball across a wet, soapy piece of plastic, score a goal, do not fall.....

Happy April

It's April! We're getting ready for the switch to Daylight Savings Time this weekend (I know, a month behind the rest of the continent...). We're also gearing up for our youth camp from April 14-17 (15 hours a day of running! yelling! playing! competing! and very little sleep....).

This past weekend El Calor traveled to Guadalajara and won 2-1 against Atlas, bringing their season total to 6 wins, 4 ties and 0 losses. They're in 2nd place in their group and are guaranteed a place in the playoffs, which are coming up in May.

Post-game prayer in Guadalajara.

Club G-VI had another successful session on Saturday (in spite of heavy winds and dust. Lots and lots of dust). We're planning a special event for Children's Day at the end of the month and are hoping to invite all the parents to see what their children are learning and doing each week.

Aslan and Club GV-I kids waiting to go to their classes.

Very happy with his craft!

Please...no pictures!

Explaining a group competition.