Celebrating Youth Birthdays: Sleepover and Grill

Two of our youth had birthdays this month and were joyously celebrated!

 

The youth girls celebrated Zuri´s 17^th birthday with a slumber party at the house.  We baked pizza, decorated flip-

flops, played charades and watched movies with ice cream.  Lots of laughter all night!  This was our first girls-only youth activity, and was very blessed.

We celebrated Memo´s 18^th birthday with a taco grill and charades at the house with a big crowd. 

 

Memo and Zuri are very special youth, committed to the Lord even at their young age.  We thank God for their lives! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Greatest Journey” Children´s Discipleship Conference

Besides child evangelism (through Operation Christmas Child), Samaritan´s Purse also equips churches in child discipleship.  After the children receive their Christmas shoebox of gifts, they are invited to continue attending church to study more about Jesus through

the discipleship program “The Greatest Journey”.  Therefore, our Samaritan´s Purse team in Tlaxcala not only prepares the churches for “Operation Christmas Child” but also trains the churches to disciple their children using the program “The Greatest Journey”. 

Paco, as the assistant discipleship coordinator of Tlaxcala, attended conferences on “The Greatest Journey” in Mexico City this month, along with our regional coordinator.  There he met Samaritan´s Purse team leaders from each state of Mexico, and heard

both their testimonies and struggles of training churches in their state.   The conference was a huge blessing for Paco and our Tlaxcala team, as he gained new material and ideas to help our Tlaxcala churches disciple their children! 

And, the Lord protected him during his three day stay in Mexico City (even if he was stuck 2 hours in rush hour traffic in one of the biggest cities in the world!).  Now that he returned, we are working as a team to incorporate these new ideas for the program! 

 

 

Parents´ Workshop: Children and Technology

With the abundance of modern technology, children and youth spend their day skipping from one screen to the next: from TV shows to videogames to internet surfing to cell phone texting to hours on Facebook. 

Our church hosted a parents´ workshop to discuss how to apply Scriptural commands to parents to our technology-focused world.  Studying Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it,” we asked the question: How

can a parent train their child in godly use of technology at their fingertips?

Our workshop was very blessed!  Each parent shared ideas and situations from their own experiences, to enrich our discussion and conclusions.  We were also pleased at three parents attended who are not part of the church, and could see for themselves the

application of God´s truth in life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evangelism Course with Youth Group

During September and October, our youth group has been studying and practicing evangelism: sharing our faith in Jesus Christ with others.  Using the evangelism basic training course developed by Living Waters, we have studied Scripture to learn how Jesus presented the Gospel to others, memorized Bible verses to use in evangelism, recited the Ten Commandments of God’s law, watched video examples of conversations about

the faith, and practiced evangelizing in partners. 

Each week we give 10 gospel tracts (o pamphlets) to each youth to distribute during the week- either among family, at school, or on the street.  They even ask us for more each

week!

One Saturday, we walked around town as a group distributing tracts and talking about Jesus.  By God’s grace, one couple recognized they needed Jesus as their Savior, and even asked where they

could attend church and learn more.  The very next day, Paco and I picked them up to take them to Sunday service with us.  What a blessing from the Lord that the youth could see fruit of their evangelism efforts our first day giving our tracts!

Paco and I have loved the course! We have already seen a new perspective in the youth since starting the study.  In the process of learning to share their faith with others, the youth have understood at a whole new level why they themselves need a Savior and

follow Jesus- affirming their own faith.    

 

 

2nd “Operation Christmas Child” Meeting in Calpulalpan

It seems that Christmas is right around the corner!  I´m sure you have seen all the Christmas decorations already on sale since beginning of October, and Mexico is just the same. 

With the rapidly approaching

Christmas season, we continue to prepare churches in Tlaxcala to participate in “Operation Christmas Child” in December (a children’s evangelism project through Samaritan’s Purse).

We gathered more churches in northern Tlaxcala for a second

“Operation Christmas Child” information meeting in Calpulalpan earlier this month, as well as another in the city of Apizaco.  Already over 50 churches have joined the project!  May each one be used by the Lord to reach children in their areas with His love and salvation!

 

Mexican Independence Day Party

Our church celebrated the anniversary of Mexico’s Independence on September 15^th with a fellowship gathering. Brothers of all ages, from children to seniors, participated in the games, activities, and meal.  The Lord truly blessed our event- the body seems even more united after fun fellowship together. 

Our program included a competition, where all the families were divided into 4 teams to compete in various patriotic challenges, such as a chile-eating, corn-eating, best traditional dress, best Mexican yell, longest list of Mexican platters, names of famous Mexicans, best interpretation of “Cielito Lindo” song, and more.  The games had us all laughing and enjoying ourselves, as all ages participated with their teams. 

At our photo station, each family was dressed in traditional Mexican style, and posed before an Independence Day backdrop.  The prints in black-and-white turned out very authentic-looking!

What Mexican fiesta would be complete without food?  We enjoyed traditional pozole soup (broth with corn and chicken), chalupas (fried tortillas), atole (sweetened corn masa) drink, and pastries.

The event took place in our church construction (in a corn field!), and Paco managed to illuminate the whole auditorium with hanging lamps (as we do not have lights or electricity in the building).  And, though a rainstorm threatened to wash out the festivities one hour before the party, the Lord blessed us with a beautiful clear night for the event (in answer to my fervent prayers J). 

¡Viva Mexico!