Baptisms 2013 (video)
What a great day yesterday! 26 people were baptized from the two Sendero de Vida churches in Ixtapaluca. Take the time (less than 3 minutes) to watch the video below and praise the Lord with us!
ST Highlight
Baptisms (and one in particular)
What a day! Wow!
Today the two Sendero de Vida churches in Ixtapaluca got together and – had a baptismal service!
I’ll try to get some video and pictures up later. But let’s just say it was a truly unbelievable day. 26 people were baptized from the two churches! And – the stories behind each one of those lives – it’s SO incredible to see what God is doing here! It takes your breath away! (No, it wasn’t just the cold water in the pool – although that takes your breath away too!)
And guess what? Hannah was baptized! What a JOY to hear Hannah give her testimony and obey the Lord by being baptized! And our friend MartÃn and I had the privilege of baptizing her!
After we got home, a rain and hail storm hit. So we spent some of the afternoon cleaning up a bit of flooding in our kitchen. I think it’s starting to dry out!
In spite of it all, what a great day! Thanks be to God for His goodness and mercy!
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
(Psalm 103:8-13)
Next Week: Evangelism Study Begins
I’m sitting here preparing for an evangelism study, which will begin next week on Tuesday night in Jesús MarÃa.
It’s like this. I was starting to work through an evangelism course on my own – in Spanish. When I saw the material, I decided to show it to our pastor Ismael. And – one thing led to another – ! 🙂
Why an evangelism study? Well, I think every believer can improve in this area. I also think that there are a lot of “myths” here in Mexico when it comes to evangelism, and the Gospel itself. I’m sure there are myths in Canada too – we just have different ones here.
Another thing is, when you’re in a church with so many new believers, learning to share your faith is super-important because it helps you understand the Gospel yourself.
Also, the elders of the church are talking about doing a real focus on evangelism at the end of the year. This study is 8 week – theoretically we could go through it twice before then.
So – I have no idea how this will go or what will happen, but I’m stopping by to ask for your prayers right off the bat!
These studies are not just sit-and-listen, they’re interactive, and they will result in – homework – that is, people will be doing evangelism. We want to equip people in practical ways.
So, yes, prayer is needed.
And hey, if you’d like to help offset the cost of the materials we’ll be using, let me know! If you have 10 cents to spare, that will help us get one tract (by the way, these tracts will be used strategically (for example, as a conversation-starter), not dropped by hundreds from an airplane).
I’ll try to let you know how it’s going once we get started.
Why Baking Classes? (Amigas del Alma)
Yesterday Shari had another baking class, and it was a great success! So – how did all this get started?
Back in 2009, Shari, Mayra and Aurora started doing baking classes in Jesús MarÃa. I should mention Tiffany too, who was there for the first class even though she wasn’t living here at the time.
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Around the same time they also did a baking class in Santa Barbara.
This was the beginning of many more baking classes in both communities. So – what are they all about?
The ministry, known as Amigas del Alma, was described by Rod this way back when it started:
The phrase “Amigas del Alma” has two meanings in Spanish. The common meeting [sic] is “soul friends” or “best friends.” The second meaning is “friends of the soul.” Obviously the purpose of this dynamic trio is to reach women through different creative events, principally…are you ready for this…baking and cooking. So far, Shari has helped the women make banana muffins, and Tiffany assisted in making Christmas cookies. [original post]
Amigas del Alma has evolved quite a bit in over three and a half years, and the “amigas” have changed over time. But here’s the basic idea…
How it works
It’s nice to have a specialty, and Amigas del Alma has specialized in desserts. Yes, it could have ended up much broader, but sticking (more or less) to desserts has brought a nice focus, specialization and expertise. Shari has also tried to bring recipes that are less known here in Mexico City.
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Actually, dessert-making here is not especially common. You can buy cakes at the store, and you might make flan or rice pudding, but there’s not the variety that there is when it comes to other types of food. Not to mention that many Mexican women use their ovens more for storage than for baking!
Shari usually hands out the ingredients and what-to-bring list a week early (not the recipe itself – that would take the fun out of it!). Everyone brings their ingredients and what bowls and utensils they can.
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Then at the class, Shari goes through the recipe and everyone bakes more or less together. Some share ingredients, others bake their own thing – and it kind of depends on what’s being baked. But everyone wants something to take home! 🙂
As the goodies are in the oven, someone leads a short, simple devotional.
As time has passed, Shari has learned a lot (as have the rest of us!) about what and how to teach! For example, how to explain things in a culture that often just doesn’t have the specific words that we use in Canada when we bake (how do you “cream”? or “fold”?). Or what things are natural to those of us who have grown up baking, but are foreign to those who haven’t. (For example, a pie is not a stew – you can’t just put everything in at the same time and mix it like crazy and throw it in the oven!)
Some things we’ve more or less invented Spanish names for – fun!
Why it’s so cool
There are a lot of reasons why the baking class has been an awesome ministry! For example:
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- It’s delicious! What a great thing to share – and to bring home to your family! Good feelings all around!
- It’s relational! What a great way to get to know people – believers, unbelievers – what a great way to make friends!
- You can invite your friends! It’s a fun, non-threatening atmosphere.
- It’s a great skill! As a matter of fact, some women have used what they’ve learned to earn money for their families!
- You can bring your kids! And many women have over the years. It’s a great mother/daughter event! (And yes, some guys have come once or twice – but here in Mexico, that’s just pretty weird.)
- You can pass it on! You can teach baking – and then someone else can take the same recipe and do the same thing – and some have!
- Short termers can be involved! As Tiffany did when she first visited, many others from the USA and Canada have come and have been involved. Can’t speak much Spanish? No problem – just come and share a recipe, help stir, and share a smile. You’d be surprised how powerful it can be!
Oh, and of course when someone shares something from the Bible, something else happens. People start to think about spiritual things – and struggles, and hopes. And conversations get started. And people are introduced to – the Pan de Vida (Bread of Life)!
And His food and drink last forever!
Thanks to those who have prayed for this ministry, and those who have donated supplies. Sometimes at the end of a series of classes, the women are invited to one of our closing programs, and they get a little gift. It’s especially fun to get something that’s expensive or hard to get here, that can help with future baking exploits!
And looking back, it’s so neat to see women in the church who got to know other believers through Amigas del Alma. And of course, they got to know Jesus.
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me shall not hunger,
and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)
More about Amigas del Alma:
- Soul Friends “Amigas del Alma” (2009)
- Another Event Starting Now! (video) (2010)
- Community Centre Event (April 2011) (video) (2011)
- Baking Class with Shari! (2012)
- (10/30) BAKING CLASS! (2013)
Why a Sports Camp?
This week two friends, Teo and Mike, have come from the city of Puebla to run a sports camp in Jesús María. It will run every afternoon from 4-6:30pm in the area in front of the community centre. Soccer and Basketball!
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Running through the middle of the community of Jesús María is a large area with places to play soccer and basketball, a playground, places to walk, and so on. The community centre (Centro Cultural Tiempo de Vivir) is right in front on one side, and so we have excellent access.
But why have a sports camp?
For one thing it’s a service to the community. Mike and Teo aren’t just playing around with the kids – they’re teaching an organized program of drills and games. The kids really are learning, and they have “something to do” for a good part of the afternoon.
They’re getting a healthy snack, exercise, and they’re meeting new friends – in a safe environment.
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This is a great opportunity for people of our church to be involved, as well as the interns we have here from the USA. Serving snacks, helping to teach, hanging out with the kids – there’s lots to do.
Today was the first day. In spite of a little rain, about 50 kids came – great turn out to start!
When snack time came, Mike and Teo shared a story from the Bible. They talked about Nehemiah today.
Mike has been using materials from the international sports ministry Uncharted Waters. You might remember that UW has been here in the past, training people to run sports camps for Christ.
I asked Mike what he wanted to see happen this week. He answered,“Miracles!”
Well, of course! We’re used to watching for miracles here. And we could always expect more.
Mike and Teo want to meet new people, make new friends, have fun, and share the Gospel in the power of God’s Spirit. Yes, you can do all those things at the same time. 🙂
We have the privilege to be a small part of it. I met a nice couple today that I didn’t know before. And those of us here have the privilege of getting to know some people over the longer term.
A sports camp is just one thing that we have going on here. I hope that gives you a bit of an idea what our vision is.
than all that we ask or think,
according to the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever.
Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
What’s happening at Tiempo de Vivir?!
Even though summer doesn’t officially start until next week, our sizzling summer activities are already heating up! Here’s just some of what’s happening…
- Sports Camp (June)
- Youth Day Camp (July)
- Kid’s Club (August)
- English Classes
- Baking Classes
- Exercise Classes
- Wheel Chair distribution
the gospel of God
but also our own selves …
(1Thessalonians 2:8)
We’ll be assisted by friends coming from the USA and other parts of Mexico (hey – where are the Canadians?). Marcy is already here, teaching English to classes of 50 (!) at a local junior high (!!) as well as at the community centre. Jacklyn is back, helping at the Frys’ house with home schooling and getting involved in other activities. A total of 5 people will be here to help by the beginning of next week, when the sports camp begins.
We would appreciate your prayers as we reach out in the weeks ahead – feel free to share the above graphic to have people join us in prayer!