ST Highlight

6 April 2018

Missionary Kid Camp 2018

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3 MK Gals Last week we drove up north of Mexico City to Amealco, QuerÃ©taro, for an annual MK Camp! Lots of people were involved, but we especially appreciate Brock and Heather Hower, who hosted the event, and Tina, and Tina’s friends from the USA, and the speakers and … ok, like I said, a lot of people helped with a lot of things.

Thanks to everyone!

Art was a big theme this year, thanks to some tutoring from one of Tina’s friends. Many people produced works of art. Here are some of the campers hard at work:

Making art! And here are the artists at the end of the week (I’ll probably try to post hi-res versions of these photos in our photo gallery one day soon):

Finished art It was also cool to pray especially for Hannah, as she prepares to leave Mexico for school in Canada this coming year.

Praying for Hannah at MK camp

1 April 2018

Baptisms (and Anniversary Service)

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As most of you know by now, last Sunday was a very special service! It was the 8th anniversary of the Path of Life Bible Church in the community of JesÃºs MarÃa. But it was also a joint service – between the church in JesÃºs MarÃa and the new church in Las Palmas.

12 people were baptized on Sunday, from both churches. This was the first baptism service for the Las Palmas church (although some people in the church had been baptized before we officially started meeting.

Nathanael was the 12th disciple to be baptized. 🙂

I made up this video – about 4 minutes – to share with you, and also to show this morning to those who missed the service. It’s in Spanish, of course, so I’ll explain briefly.

This took place in the new baptismal tank in the new sanctuary in the church, so you can see the progress that has been made.

At the beginning, Pastor Ismael explained the theme – the unity of all believers. So you’ll see that. He shares a verse – you might be able to figure out what it is!

I would have posted more from the service, but so much was music-based, and YouTube gets skittish about that kind of thing because of copyright issues.

But there was congregational singing, there was a special women’s choir, participation from kids and youth, and Rod preached.

Afterwards, Ismael explains a bit about baptism, and then the baptisms begin!

It’s hard to get a picture, though I tried — but basically most people crowded around the stage to watch, with a few actually on the stage – those are the ones you will mostly see toward the end.

These are 12 people to pray for – and people that many of you have been praying for! Enjoy!

25 March 2018

Baptisms Today!

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Congratulations to the 12 people from 2 churches who were baptized today! Seven were from the church plant in Las Palmas. I’ll try to get some photos and video online in a week or so. Exciting day!!

And… special congratulations to Nathanael, who was baptized today! 🙂

Nathanael's Baptism

20 March 2018

Prayer Request: An Important Sunday!

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Every Sunday is important, of course, but this coming Sunday is a big one!

Not only that, but – well, many of you know the feeling when the spiritual battle seems to be unusually close to the surface, and the challenges are mounting and you just know you need to pray more than ever? Well, here we are.

This Sunday, the 25th of March, is the 8th anniversary of the Path of Life Bible Church in JesÃºs MarÃa (Iglesia BÃblica Sendero de Vida JesÃºs MarÃa). Can you believe it? Exciting!

So we’ll be meeting in their still-under-construction sanctuary to celebrate.

So do pray for the church and their preparations for the big event (and yes, it will be a big event!). Pray for all the things you would pray for in your own church – unity in the Spirit, growth in the knowledge of God, a new love for one another and the Lord (Ephesians 4:1-7; Philippians 1:9-11).

Baptism in JesÃºs MarÃa 2016 This service will also be a baptism service for both churches. That means that this will be the first baptism service of the Path of Life Bible Church of Las Palmas (although we have baptized some in this church, but it was not at a service of the church. It was before we started officially meeting.)! As you might imagine, there is a lot of spiritual opposition when someone wants to declare their faith in the Lord publicly.

So please pray for every person who is preparing to be baptized, and for their family and their church. That God would work in each heart, and maybe even bring more to Himself through this service.

Maybe some of you would like to make this a daily item of prayer this week. We sure would appreciate it!

This verse was included in our invitation to the service, from Pastor Ismael in JesÃºs MarÃa:
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

9 March 2018

Camp Bighorn Team

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Thanks to everyone who prayed for our time with the team from Camp Bighorn! As far as I could tell the team had a good time of ministry here. They are spending about a month in Mexico altogether, but their time in Ixtapaluca is done.

Thanks to the machinations of our friend Samuel, they had the opportunity to eat many delicacies that even many Mexicans haven’t dared to eat. After all, this is a group focused on “adventure”!

Camp Bighorn at school — The team with some high school faculty and students.

We went to a high school in a small town, where we had a chance to talk to and play games with the students. Some of the team members exchanged dance steps, though our class was too nervous to try (until later, when they thought they might get out of more classes!). Marcos, Rod and Bri

We also had an event where we provided hearing aids and reading glasses to many in need. One of the girls on the team shared her testimony and the Gospel with the group.

We were able to talk with some people afterward, and help them with their new hearing aids. Please continue to pray for those who heard the Gospel at this event.

Shari helping with a hearing aid — Shari helps a local woman with her new hearing aid.

The next team will be coming from within Mexico at the end of April. It will be another team from the Word of Life campus north of Mexico City.

Hopefully we’ll see Camp Bighorn here again!

7 March 2018

Cancer, and When Cancer Comes Back

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A young man, with his mother, recently started to attend our church in the community of Las Palmas. He was officially diagnosed with cancer less than a week ago, and it’s likely that he is struggling with one or more other diseases.

It’s been encouraging to see people of the church bringing encouragement to this young man and his mother, and they have encouraged us as well. We’re praying that God will do a great work in their lives.

God uses things like cancer. It’s certain that Satan wants to use cancer as well, for his own purpose. And so we pray for people in our church who have great and small struggles, that God’s light will shine in their hearts.

Around the same time we found out about this young man’s cancer, we received some other news. Our missionary team member, who was struggling with cancer last year, just found out that the cancer has returned.

We were thankful last year to see how God worked in her life, how God used the situation to spread His love and truth, and how God eventually brought her back to health. And we know God is still in control.

But as humans, it’s hard for us not to be beaten down. We need to lean on our Lord, because our strength doesn’t last.

So please pray for our co-worker, that she and her family will find strength as they lean on the Lord.

And pray for this young man as well, that God will reveal Himself to him and work His miracles.

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