Día del Niño and April Baptisms

On Sunday we held a special service to celebrate Children's Day. We have a large number of children in the church and many are already involved in ministry, despite their young age. We have a group of young panderistas (tambourine players), a youth drama team composed of participants between 12-17, and young musicians. This year the drama team performed a skit for the younger kids, and afterwards all enjoyed a special dinner.
Also, last week we had several baptisms, one planned and four decided-on-the-spot...
As well, our soccer team, El Calor, has made it to the second round of playoffs, despite a difficult first round. They play tomorrow in Torreon and then will travel to Tijuana for a Sunday game. Please pray for the team as they travel and play for the glory of God.

55 Years Later

On Friday April 4, David and Elizabeth Tolman celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. Elizabeth was in Durango teaching at a women's retreat, while David was at home in Tepic, but I'm told they are planning to go out for dinner when she returns...

Shortly after their marriage in 1953, they left to serve as missionaries in South Africa. They returned several years later with "three and a half children" as Elizabeth describes it, and settled in Ontario, Canada. In 1976 they moved permanently to Mexico with their three youngest children. They founded Seedtime and Harvest Ministries, and now, over 30 years later, they are still together and active in service, along with 2 of their sons and their families.

Who knows what the next 55 years will hold?

Update

Some more news from San Pedro:

• Stephen left early yesterday morning for a conference in New Orleans. Please pray for his safety when traveling.
• El Calor tied 0-0 on Saturday and although it wasn't a full win, after 9 games they are still the only team in Mexico who have not received a single goal. This weekend they will make a 7 hour bus trip to play in the state of Chihuahua.
  

Camp 2008

Here are more pictures from our youth camp. All are from the morning rally, and looking back at them, I'm glad I was the photographer!

Camp 2008

Last week we held our annual youth camp and over the next couple of days I will be posting pictures taken over the 3 days. Here are some pictures from the obstacle course/race that we started with each day at 7:30am.

Update

Here's the latest from San Pedro:

• At our Sunday afternoon service 5 people accepted Jesus as their Saviour, including another player from El Calor. We're planning a baptism service in the next couple of weeks.
• El Calor won their 5th straight game on Friday and are now the only team in all of Mexico with a perfect record, and no goals against.
• Youth camp starts one week from today (!) and we ask that you pray for the leaders, staff, and youth that will be here, and that God will be glorified in all we do.
  

Outreach in San Rafael

This Saturday we took a busload of people from Templo Cristiano Libertad visited the town of San Rafael, about 30 minutes away from San Pedro, and held an outreach service in the town plaza. There was praise and worship, the band Reflejo played several songs, the tambourinists did a special performance, and the Brilla Jesus drama team performed 5 skits. The drama team has changed hands this year; it is now led by Lili, Marcela's sister and special events coordinator at the church, and is made up of "younger" youth, including Peter. They did an excellent job!

Update

I would like to thank all of you who were praying for Stephen and who sent notes of encouragement. He is doing well, now, although he is still on medication and has to take it easy at times. We are believing God to bring complete healing to Stephen and we ask that this be your prayer as well.

This weekend we were blessed with a visit from John and Oliver from Advancing Native Missions and from Pastor Mike Acosta of Grace Church. We're glad you could come and see for yourselves the work that is going on in San Pedro and thank you for your support and prayers.

Prayer Request

For about 10 days now, Stephen has been suffering with severe migraines and has been off his feet all week. Yesterday he was admitted to hospital in Torreon where he is in for rest and a round of diagnostic tests. He is being treated and we are expecting him to be released tomorrow, but please pray for his complete recovery and that this pain will no longer be a problem for him. Also pray for the family; Marcela has been with Stephen in the hospital since he was admitted, and the kids are taking turns visiting him as well.

Ministry Need: New Truck

An important member of the work here is not a person, but a vehicle. We have a 20 year old Ford pickup that we use for soccer practices and the children's breakfasts, and for general errands around town. However, it's on its last legs and should be retired after a long and helpful life...we are praying for a donation of a new, reliable truck, or the money to buy one, that we can use for these and other ministries.

Update

Hi from San Pedro! Just a quick update on what's been going on in the last couple of weeks:

• Stephen and family attended the Light Your World 2008 missions conference at Destiny Church from Jan. 20-25. We were blessed with great speakers and hosts and were encouraged that this year would be a year of breakthroughs.
• El Calor played their opening game of the season last Saturday and won 5-0 despite being down 2 players.
  
• We have started to work out of the new building with our children's breakfast, although the structure is not yet complete. Please continue to pray for this ministry, that God will provide people, food, materials, and money to complete and expand the work that has begun.
• We held a follow-up leaders meeting on Wednesday to check how we are progressing toward our goals as a church. We are happy to report that we have seen an increased number of young people attending as a result of consistent invitations and visits from church youth. We have also begun a home church in San Rafael, a town about 25 minutes outside of San Pedro, and another in San Antonio de Gurza, about 10 minutes outside of San Pedro.
  

Happy New Year

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)

Happy New Year! As we begin another year, we pray that you will experience the peace and blessing of God as you continue to serve him and seek his will for your life. Now is the time when many of us resolve to change our lives for the better, to give up old habits and become more like our "ideal self". And, as we all know, these resolutions tend not to last as long as we would like. However, the one thing we can always count on is the love and mercy of God. He promised to love us from the beginning of time, and his promise is renewed not every year, but every day.

This week the ministry team has held meetings to pray for and plan the church's activities and outreaches. We are planning new churches, more direct outreaches, and several new projects. More details will be posted as these things develop, but please be in prayer for us, for endurance, creativity, faithfulness, and above all, an openness to the voice of God.

Merry Christmas!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

(Luke 2:8-14)