New Additions to Kids’ Bible Club!!

With the change to a new church location, our kids’ club attendance dropped to zero- as the community was slow to hear of and respond to our invitation to children’s classes.  

However, we are already witnessing how the Lord is bringing children to know His Word!

This week, we had eleven children attend our kids’ Bible club!

Most of the children are our direct neighbors to the church building: a little girl from the

pharmacy in front of us, three boys from the welder’s shop beside us, and two girls from the house directly behind us.  Though all started out timid, they now come running to the class, waiting outside impatiently for it to start.  The parents have all commented how much their children enjoy attending. A couple of the girls seem especially deprived of attention and care at their homes, and not only attend kids’ club, but rush over whenever they see our doors open to come chat and play.

Our children’s day party also attracted other children from the community to our mid-week Bible club- a couple families who enjoyed the party and were touched by the Gospel of Jesus at the event started bringing their children weekly.

Not only children but even an adult is attending our Bible club!  Paty is an older lady with a noticeable learning disorder, who not only brings her nieces to kids’ club but stays to participate herself as a student:

answering questions, preparing craft, eating snack, and receiving the Bible lesson (at a level she can understand and apply).  She loves it!  Paty mentioned on Sunday that she will be inviting more children to our class.

We praise the Lord for each child/person that is starting to know God through His Word!

Mother's Day Brunch and Bible Message

The mothers at our established church were celebrated with a special breakfast- prepared and served by the men in the congregation!  Women greatly outnumber the men at the church, as many are single mothers, widowed, or wives of unbelievers- and are often not celebrated or appreciated on Mother’s day for their amazing ministry to their children.

Over 20 women attended our outside brunch, where they were pampered with an

abundant meal, dessert, games and fellowship time- all while taking a break from childcare responsibilities, as childcare was offered by the youth group.  Even a couple women new to the church joined our group- where they could experience and hear for themselves the Love of the Lord.

I gave the Bible message to the women from Matthew 28: our Jesus-given mandate to make disciples of all nations- especially our children!  And, considering such an

important, life-or-death task of guiding our children to salvation in Jesus Christ, we were encouraged by Psalm 18, which presents our God with the love, protection, and force of a mother toward His daughters who call to Him.  

The Lord’s love and enjoyment in me as His child has taken on a whole new meaning now (only my second mother’s day as a mother myself) as I love and enjoy my own child more than I could have imagined.

How great the Father’s love for us!

Our prayer is that each of the women would be strengthened and directed by God’s love and attention, as well as commands, to them!

CHILDREN’S DAY PARTY EVANGELISM

Only a month and a half after renting our new church location, “Children’s Day” in Mexico (like a “Mother’s Day” or “Father’s Day”) provided us with an opportunity to spread the Gospel among our new neighbors.

During the two weeks prior to the event, we regularly passed out flyers around the neighborhood and posted a big children’s invitation banner outside the building- we did not want the event to pass by unnoticed!

The front patio to the church was covered with children’s games: an inflatable bounce house, a rented trampoline, bowling, foosball table, soccer goal, craft station, face painting, ring-toss and more, with music blaring and candy distribution.  And the event certainly drew a crowd!  Approximately 50 children arrived along with 30 adults!  

After a time of games, the children enjoyed a puppet show presenting Jesus as the good

shepherd, and afterwards Paco shared the message of the Gospel with children and adults alike.  He marveled to see serious attention to the Bible message among the crowd and multiple heads affirming as he shared!

Before leaving, each child received a donut and ice cream cup- a special treat!

The community response to the event was very positive!  Three different families approached Paco afterwards to talk about

their relationship with the Lord, as well as the church schedule of activities.  

One family surprised Paco: they confessed that they had been wandering around looking for another Children’s Day event to start at the same time as our party, but after joining our celebration by mistake, they decided to stay.  Then, after hearing the Bible message they recognized that they wanted to grow more in the Lord.  We marveled how the Lord brought them, apparently by “pure coincidence”, to our

event where they were convicted by the Lord.  

INAUGURATION of “Calvary Grace & Truth”

We officially opened the doors and initiated worship services at our new church space under a new name:

“Calvary Grace & Truth”.  

With this new name came a new schedule: instead of Sunday afternoon services, we inaugurated Sunday morning services at the church.  

This change was a emotional decision because it required missing Sunday morning worship services at our other established church- where each member had become like family to us.  However, we believe the morning schedule at Calvary Grace & Truth will be more conducive for attendance by people in our new area.  

On our final Sunday at the established church, the lead pastor prayed and laid hands on us to bless and send us to the new ministry.  We felt so loved and supported by

the congregation- who joined our excitement at the Lord’s possible plans in the area.  

However, starting at a new location is challenging!- it feels like starting anew all over again: starting to evangelize the community, passing out flyers and schedules, meeting new people, teaching Bible studies to practically empty pews... 

The Lord encouraged us in this inauguration process when Eliud, the worship leader at our other established church, felt called by the Lord to leave the congregation and instead lead worship at Calvary Grace & Truth (such provision from the Lord when we did not have anyone to lead the music!).

We believe Eliud is the first of many that the Lord will call to join his body at Calvary Grace & Truth.  

Graduation Day in Ixcamilpa! - Children’s Discipleship Program

After "The Greatest Journey": 12 Bible lessons about God’s creation, Jesus’ birth, power, death and resurrection, God’s call to love one another, the promise of eternal life, and mandate to share the Gospel with others- we celebrated the participating children in the Ixcamilpa villages with a graduation ceremony.

Though approximately 30 children completed the discipleship course, over 60 children attended the graduation,

along with many of their family members from the village.

We used the graduation itself as an evangelistic event: we presented the Gospel through songs by the children, a craft activity which presented Jesus as the only way to heaven, an illustrated Bible message, and key memory Bible verses that had been taught throughout the course.  Each person in that

auditorium repeatedly heard the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.  

The graduates came forward to receive their graduation certificate, and each child received their own copy of the New Testament- a special gift for families with few books at home.

After enjoying their nacho celebration snack, children and

mothers alike approached to ask when we would teach more Bible classes for they children!

We were encouraged to witness their desire to continue learning more about the Lord, and pray that these children would grow in the truth as they read their New Testaments.  May the Lord's hand sovereignly guide each one of these children to walk daily with Him!!  

VBS Training

As summer swiftly approaches, my mind turns to Vacation Bible School (I love Vacation Bible School!)

This year, a church in Puebla offered an information session about the new Lifeway VBS program in Spanish  “A Jugar” (or, “Game On”).  A group of children’s teachers from our church attended to get ideas for our own program this summer.

Though still a few months away, we are

already starting to plan for this major children’s evangelism project in the summer.

MORE CHILDREN’S CLASSES IN VILLAGES OF IXCAMILPA

More 100 degree heat, more carsickness for Jemina, more bug-bites, more stories of scorpion-stings, more 4am travel... all to teach more children’s Bible classes (from “The Greatest Journey”) out in the isolated villages of Ixcamilpa.

Though the cost is great for each trek out to this desert region, the evidence of the Lord’s work there is so encouraging!

On this trip, just as the children’s

classes were starting, 9-year-old Janet walked by the village auditorium with her mother on her way to neighboring villages for weekly errands.  However, upon recognizing the classes, she begged her mother to allow her to stay and participate instead.  Not only did Janet happily join the classes, but her mother, with shopping bag in hand, sat to listen and observe all three classes herself- postponing her planned outings all morning!  Afterwards, she approached to comment, amazed, that Janet loved these classes and insisted on participating whenever we came to town, before once again rushing her daughter off to resume their day activities.  

We believe this reception to the Word of God in both children and parents of Ixcamilpa (such as in

Janet and her mother) is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in this distant community.

The village people continue to show so much love and gratitude for our visits. Elderly Mari again prepared us a meal of beans and tortillas at her humble home.  Then, upon noticing our little sweltering daughter in the strong heat, filled her wash basin with some of her precious/scarce water where we could bathe her.  Jemi was ecstatic: water play, and relief from the

heat!  She looked like one of the village babies splashing in the wash basin!  We see in Mari, and in many people of the village, the hospitality and love of offering the little they have to us in appreciation of our visits.