Men’s Bible Conferences in Puebla

Our sister Calvary Chapel church in Puebla hosted interdenominational men’s Bible conferences titled “Here I am”.  

Because of our friendship and church relationship with Calvary Puebla, Paco helped a little the day before the event to get the building ready.  

It was amazing! The Calvary Puebla staff brothers were so attentive and helpful, the building was well equipped for adults and children, and the speakers, both local and out-of-town, were Spirit-led, and everyone was blessed.  Many of the men from our church plant were able to attend- for most it was their first men’s Bible conference.  Paco was pleased for the opportunity for our men to meet with other believers and be

encouraged/directed by other Bible teachers.  I was also thankful for the children’s ministry team who loved on my babies J.  

God is good to bless us with church fellowship around us!

Starting “Operation Christmas Child” Season- sharing the vision!

Our “Operation Christmas Child” 2019-2020 season has officially started.

This ministry is so much more than a Christmas ministry- as it starts in August/September and ends in June each year!

We invited church around our state for our first “vision projection” meeting- to share with the pastors and local churches the vision of OCC (to

evangelize and disciple children around the state) and introduce the ministry materials (the shoebox gift, the illustrated gospel booklet, the discipleship workbooks, the children’s New Testament, etc.)

Our focus at this meeting was encouraging the churches to minister to unreached children- who have never heard the Gospel.  As the smallest state in the country of Mexico (the

“Rhode Island” you could say), we run the risk inviting the same children to OCC events each year.  However, the desire is to use these materials to bring the Gospel to new children.  We brainstormed ideas with the church leaders at the meeting of children to invite to their events: children of police officers, children whose parents work at the open-air markets (whose children are beside them all day while they work), children of single mothers, children hanging out in parks…  I am excited to see the churches’ enthusiasm for the vision- praying that many new children will be reached this year. 

Into the desert: Mission Trip to Ixcamilpa

Paco never ceases to witness the Lord’s presence and work on each of his trips to the communities of Ixcamilpa.  This month, he testifies that:

-Rains were especially scarce this summer for this already dry area, and the majority of the crops did not survive. The villagers of these isolated areas live primarily on what they harvest- corn tortillas with salsa and peanuts almost 3 meals a day.

Everyone that Paco visited this trip shared their concerns about food the coming year with so little harvest. The bags of groceries delivered were met with abundant thanks.

-After 15 years of constant use, the Bible and guitar of the pastor of the 6-family church were literally falling apart. Pastor Domingo admitted that the congregation had even been singing acapella for some months without a working instrument to accompany them. The gift of a new Bible and guitar were an encouragement to the whole church family.

-Paco visited the homes of many elderly and disabled to pray and pass out food-bag vouchers for the evening

movie and Bible message. Sabás, blind with diabetes, did not attend in the evening, not because of his disability but rather in resistance to associating with Christians and the Gospel. The next day, Paco took a grocery bag to his house, explaining it was a free gift of grace, even though he had not attended the event, just like Jesus’ gift

of salvation.  Sabás, surprised and humbled, actually had tears as he held the food bag. After many conversations on previous trips, Paco thinks this act of grace brought him one step closer to Jesus.

-After presenting the movie “Ben Hur”, Paco shared about forgiveness-

both from God and for one another.  Carmen, a practically blind 60-year old woman, approached Paco with tears afterwards, explaining she needed God’s forgiveness for living her life separated from Him, and help to forgive others (her bitterness had been an obstacle to her joining the small church).  She begged Paco to

come to her house for breakfast the next morning, where she shared her regrets: now that she finally wants to read the Bible, she is blind; now that she finally wants to teach her 4 children the Truth, she has lost contact with all but one who is in jail… After prayer and encouragement, Paco gave her money to visit her son in jail two hours away  (which would have taken her months to save for the relatively short trip) and a Bible for him (which he could read also read to his mother during her visit), and Gospel tracts for her to pass out on the bus there!   She was so thrilled that she said she wished she could look on the faces of these men who had brought her so much hope and purpose

(Paco and Javi told her, laughingly, that she was not missing out on much by not seeing their faces!). 

-During these months of almost 100° heat, mosquitos abound, and many of them are dengue-infected. Almost half of the people that Paco visited in the villages this trip had recently suffered dengue fever (still waiting to see if Paco or Javi show signs upon returning!)

We thank the Lord for His love for these people and His work that He allows us to see.

Packing food bags for isolated communities of Ixcamilpa

Paco plans a trip to Ixcamilpa each year around September 24- the anniversary of his first trip to these isolated communities after the severe earthquake of September 19, 2017 that devastated the area. 

With that trip on the calendar, a church in California, moved by the Lord, contacted us with a desire to send goods to these poor communities. What joy to have even more with

which to serve!  Others were especially generous this last month as well, which allowed us to purchase even more: a guitar (at the petition of a local pastor), Bibles, medicines, cleaning supplies, and more. 

Paco went shopping to prepare 50 loaded food and grocery bags for the Ixcamilpa people who will be suffering the effects of a poor harvest this year.  After insufficient summer

rains, the fall crops will be consequently insufficient to feed them during the next season. 

Our church gathered the Sunday before the trip to pack all the food bags and prepare all the goods and supplies for loading into our car- 1000 lbs of supplies!

Our church body marveled at all the food, amazed that people in another country (the United States) would show so much love to people here in Central Mexico so far away.  And, they rejoiced to be part of the ministry of packing and preparing the donations.  Most of the families in our congregation are very low-income, without the means to participate much

financially for our Ixcamilpa ministry.  However, their hearts of service to the Lord and love for others filled them with the desire to minister to the Ixcamilpa people. Through the food donations that they packed, they were blessed to participate in missions themselves.

Javier, a man in our congregation, asked for vacation time from work to join Paco on his 3 day trip.  The Lord continues to provide new companions for Paco’s trips!- which serves not only as a huge help for Paco in all the ministry, but also peace of mind for me that he is not alone out there isolated from cell phone service, and also as a one-on-one discipleship

opportunity for Paco with men from the congregation.

On Saturday, before Paco’s trip on Monday, his grandmother in southern Mexico passed away, and he left on Sunday, 4am with his siblings to drive to accompany the family at the funeral. Even in his absence, the church brothers took charge in preparing all the donations for loading into the car.  When Paco arrived at 10pm, everything was ready and waiting for him at the church. After packing the ton of materials, and filling up his gas tank, he finally arrived home at 12am. He only slept a few hours before leaving at 6am for Ixcamilpa.  Honestly, I was very

concerned about his sleep-deprived state and back-aches with so many straight hours in the car and packing even before his mission trip.  However, the Lord took abundant care of him.  (I am starting to recognize a pattern of obstacles before each of Paco’s trips to these communities- obviously the enemy, Satan, tries to deter the Lord’s work in this area.)

CORN ROAST! For Mexico Independence Day

September 16^th, Mexican Independence Day, is met with celebrations in almost every home in Mexico- including our church plant, Calvary Grace & Truth.

Our church family gathered for a corn roast (Mexican “elotes”- corn-on-the-cob prepared with mayonnaise, grated cheese, lime, and chili powder), fellowship and games, to the sound of

traditional Mexican music.   And, a rare gift: there was no rain! (Of my years in Mexico, I expect rain every Independence Day).  Events like these bring so much unity to our church family- as we laugh and eat together.   

As I watched our happy church group on a perfect, sunny afternoon, under our Christian church sign, with our children running around, and hearing the joyful Mexican music, I was overcome with thankfulness for freedom to gather, to profess our faith, to raise our children in His way… ᵢViva México!