Oasis

I mentioned in an earlier blog that recently we travelled to Poza de la Becerra, an spring-fed lake in the middle of the desert, about 2 hours away from San Pedro by bus. To get there, you have to drive through a long stretch of desert – rocks, sand, scrubby plants, and mountains. Then, a quick left turn and suddenly…trees. And grass. And a lake! In the most unlikely place imaginable, there is an oasis, actually a series of waterholes fed by an underground spring. Each is home to a species of fish that isn’t found anywhere else in the world – if you stand too long in the shallow water, though, they tend to bite your ankles! Ever since I arrived here, people have been telling me about this place and saying, “You have to go”, but honestly, when the day of the trip finally came, I didn’t want to go. It was two days after youth camp had ended; that weekend we had also gone on an all-day trip Saturday and had a full day of Sunday services. I really just wanted some downtime, not another trip. However, it turned out to be one of the most relaxing, fun days I have had in Mexico. The weather was perfect, there were no crowds to speak of, and for a while we could forget about the work waiting for us at home.

In Matthew 11, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He knew what it was to be weary and in need of rest, and he offers himself as an oasis for our souls, a place where we can go and be refreshed with living water. A church service, your time alone with God, reading the Bible, prayer – all these things can be oases, springs of life in the middle of whatever desert we are going through. BUT, we do have to make the journey! I could have stayed home and rested, but I would have missed experiencing the poza, something I could only do by making the journey. Sometimes when we’re tired, the last thing we want to do is go to church or read the Bible – but if we don’t, we will miss the chance to have a closer encounter with God. And just like the water in the poza is continually renewed from the underground spring, each time we seek an oasis with God, he will bring something new into our lives and spirits.

They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water. (Isaiah 49:10)

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Prayer Request

Please pray for Gerardo, the man who runs our rehab center in Torreon, as well as his family. Last week his daughter, who had been sick with a kidney condition for several years, was hospitalized suddenly and died early on Friday morning. She was a Christian and so we know and are glad that she is in the presence of Jesus and that her suffering is over. It is a difficult time for her family, though, and we ask that you pray for peace and comfort for them.

Vacation?

We've just reached the end of Easter vacation, although I don't know how relaxing it was - I don't remember being this busy since I arrived! The day after camp finished, we went to Monterrey to visit an amusement park...but it rained the entire day (it was awful, like the worst November day you could imagine), so we headed off to do some shopping, instead. We had our regular services on Sunday, and then Monday we travelled to Cuatrocienegas, about a two hour bus ride away. Just outside the city, in the middle of the desert, there are a series of small lakes, each containing a species of fish unique to that spot. About 20 youth and others from the church went and enjoyed swimming, volleyball, and soccer. We also had some visitors from Tennessee staying with us this week - when they planned their trip, I don't think they expected quite so much activity! Two bus trips, camp, tours of San Pedro and Torreon, and two days of repairing roofs - did I say this was a vacation??

Campa 2007: Wrap-up

So, I didn't quite reach my goal of posting every day of camp...but almost! The final day, Friday, we had an excellent Praise and Worship workshop in the morning - God's presence was very tangible among the young people. After another full day of activities, we wrapped up the camp with an awards ceremony recognizing the best overall group and the king and queen of the camp, as voted on by the campers. After the service 7 people were baptized, all of whom had attended the camp, and some of whom had just accepted Jesus in the Thursday night service. Of these people, one was a soccer player for El Calor, 3 were from the Torreon rehab center, and two were friends of Elisa's from school. I was amazed at how God was able to bring people from different areas of outreach together in this one place and time, and how their hearts were opened to receive him.

Camp 2007: Day 3

The late nights and early mornings caught up to everyone today as we started almost half an hour late! After running the obstacle course and relay again, we ate and headed to our classes. First, everyone attends an hour-long worship workshop, and then we divide up into teams for the next 3 hours. Each team rotates between 4 40-minute workshops: drama, crafts, team dynamics, and Bible study. After lunch, we have competitions and games. Today, each team had to race the other to fill up a pop bottle with water from a bucket, using only a sponge. They filled the sponge with water, ran to the other side of the yard, and squeezed it into the bottle, which was resting on the forehead of another team member.

Thanks - updated

A huge thanks to Mark for the sound equipment and instruments that he donated to the church, as well as the soccer balls and other items you brought. You and Jordan were a blessing to us while you were here, and we hope to see you back soon!

Thank you also to Earl Stone for his generous donation of a portable generator. We'll be using it on outreaches and trips around the country.

Camp 2007: Day 2

Day 2 of camp came much too early, as we woke up to the sound of blaring sirens - good morning!! I will never complain about my alarm clock again...we met in the church at 7am, had a brief service, and went right into the day's first activity, the most involved and dirty obstacle course I have ever seen. Each team had to run through tires, crawl under logs, clamber around a nearby playground, and jump off the water tower using a zip line...but I'll let you see for yourselves:

Camp 2007: Day 1

It's just after 8pm and youth from all over Mexico are arriving for our annual youth camp. Tents are being set up, there's a soccer game going on, and the property has been turned into a gigantic obstacle course, full of people, activities, and games. Check the site daily for updates and pictures, and pray that everyone who comes will have an encounter with God and go home changed.

Update and Thanks

Stephen and the kids returned safely from Houston on Tuesday night. Now, everyone's gearing up for camp next week, which will run from Tuesday night to Saturday morning. Stay tuned for more details - I'll try to post daily summaries and pictures.

Thanks to Ruth for her contribution toward new tires for the truck. We appreciate your generosity (and, if you look at the post "What Are The Odds?", you'll understand why!).

Travel

Stephen, Elisa, and Timothy left last night on their way Houston, where Stephen will be preaching and ministering this weekend. Please pray for their safety and that God will speak in these services.

San Pedro Projects Blog

In the last couple of weeks we've started a new blog called "San Pedro Projects". We want you to know the projects we're working on and praying for, and some of the needs of the ministry. The blog address is here at: SHM San Pedro Projects

You can also go to the site by clicking on the link on the left side of this page. We will be updating the blog to reflect progress and to let you know specific areas you can pray for. We ask you to pray for the needs that are presented, and also about how you can help complete the work. We've set up a PayPal account for those of you who might prefer to donate online; just click on the "Make a Donation" button on either the Projects blog or on the first San Pedro blog.

If you have any questions or want more information about any of the projects, please contact me at sanpedroshm@gmail.com. If there are questions about the missions school, you can also direct them to Paul at paulsworth84@gmail.com; he's overseeing the development of this ministry and is happy to tell you more about it.

God bless you as you continue to participate in his work here!

The Growing Church

In the last week, we've had 6 baptisms in the church. Those baptised ranged from an 11-year-old girl to an elderly woman who was introduced to the church through the cell group program. Praise God that his people are obedient in taking this step of faith and demonstrating their commitment to him!

Last Friday we welcomed our new youth pastors, Cesar and Paulina. They came to us in January from the state of Nayarit, where they worked and studied with Philip, David, and Elizabeth. They are currently living with us on the property and have already shown much willingness to act as mentors and friends to our youth. We're excited to see how God will use them to lead the young people in changing lives and spreading the Gospel.

We're just two weeks away from our annual youth camp, which this year is taking place on the property from April 3-6. The theme is "Go for more", and we're expecting between 100-200 youth from all over Mexico to come and participate in 4 days of fun, work, and ministry.

Last week in Cartonlandia, the area where we hold our weekly children's breakfasts, several houses caught fire and about 25 families lost everything except the clothes on their backs. Thankfully, no one was killed or injured, and the fire was contained to a relatively small area. Please pray for protection for the people living in this impoverished area, and for us as we minister every week.

A Generation Without Limits

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
(Rev. 17:14)

On March 3 the youth of Templo Libertad took part in a youth gathering in Torreon, along with about 200 youth from 8 other churches. The theme of the conference was missions and Stephen was the main speaker. For some time we have been praying that God will open the way to establish a missions school here, and now things are starting to fall into place. We are still in the planning stages, but we are aiming to open the school in September. Stephen felt very strongly called to preach at this gathering, and in keeping with the missions theme he shared a message entitled "Called, Chosen, and Faithful", which he also preached in church a couple of months ago. God calls us to his service, but we must respond to his voice. Those who are called are chosen by God to be part of his family and to bear fruit for him. We do not choose God first; he chooses us because he wants us as his children, whether we feel worthy or not. Being called and chosen, we must then ourselves choose to be faithful to God no matter the cost - as he was and is faithful to us.

We're excited to watch the plans for the missions school unfold, and just a few days after the conference we have already been contacted by people who want to enroll. Please pray with us for the success of this new area of ministry, and that many here will respond to the call of God in their lives.