Camino Global

13 October 2017

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings

Jim Ministry glimpses, Practical matters, Prayer and Praise 1

Aeromexico This is going to be a month of travel for me (Jim), starting today. Lord willing I’ll be heading to Texas for an evangelism summit in Frisco, and then a series of Camino Global leadership meetings in Van (both near Dallas). Then I’ll pop back to Ixtapaluca for a day to lead worship music at our church, before heading to Tecolutla Veracruz for a retreat with our Camino Global team here in Mexico. This will be a time to update everyone on what I learn at the other meetings, as well as – I hope – a much needed time of refreshment for all!

I would appreciate your prayers for all of us for wisdom as we spend time in prayer, deal with various issues and look to the future of our ministry here in Mexico. Also for my health, which naturally tends to suffer with all the changes in altitude, diet, and schedule.

Pray also for Shari, Hannah and Nathanael as they carry on with ministry here, as well as an especially busy time for home school.

26 July 2017

A Prayer Request, and Remembering a Friend

Jim Prayer and Praise 4

A friend and fellow missionary just passed away. From what we know so far, Jim Eberline passed away Monday night, very suddenly. He was 67.

The prayer request first. Jim was in Guatemala at home. He had been in a video conference that morning, and appeared fine. His wife was in the USA.

So do please pray for the family. Cheryl is trying to get to Guatemala, I’m not sure where things are at now.

So for obvious reasons, please pray for Cheryl, her kids and grandkids and other family and friends at this time.

There has already been a huge outpouring of grief and also fond memories of Jim. I won’t presume to add much to that, other than to say we have appreciated Jim and learned from both Jim and Cheryl for many years.

Jim Eberline When we first moved to Mexico, Jim was the field director. As you might imagine, having a Jim & Cheryl and Jim & Shari at parties led to a bit of confusion! But even after Jim and Cheryl moved on to other ministries and other countries in 2008, we still had contact with them and received an encouraging and challenging word, and even training in various areas that have been helpful in our ministry.

We are sad that there will be this temporary separation, we’re heartbroken for what Jim’s family must be going through, but we remain thankful. As I write, I keep remembering more and more lessons that Jim taught (or tried to teach!) us over the years. His life will continue to make a difference for many decades to come – and of course, for eternity.

19 April 2017

Ixtapaluca Project: Complete!

Jim Ministry glimpses, Prayer and Praise, ST Highlight 0

A few years ago, our team initiated a project to help the local church in the community of JesÃºs MarÃa, Ixtapaluca, to purchase land and begin construction. Great news! We have reached our goal, and completed the project!

This project of course is only a gift to help with some of the cost. The church has raised a great deal from other sources, such as offerings and garage sales. But working together, these funds have now been mostly converted into soil and brick and wire. The church has land, and part of a structure.

The next goal is to finish the walls of the main sanctuary and put up the roof. Lord willing that will be done this summer!

For all of you who helped with this project – thank you! If you donated, you should receive a final report sometime soon.

Already this building has been used for Sunday services, Bible studies, counselling, classes for the community, temporary storage of things like wheelchairs for people in need, and much more. As I’ve said often, the building is only one of many means to an end – to see disciples of the Lord reaching out to share His truth and love.

This is a good time to post a few pictures, to remember what has happened over the past few years…

First Service JesÃºs MarÃa — Very first service in a small rented house in 2010. It was packed!

Construction begins — Peeking over the wall, you can see construction beginning. First, they had to demolish the old pig sties! (2013)

First service on the new property — First Sunday service on the new property, in the temporary sanctuary (2014).

Baptisms 2016 — Baptisms in the roofless sanctuary in 2016.

Children's Ministry Seminar 2017 — Representatives from all three Sendero de Vida churches at the Children’s Ministry seminar in JesÃºs MarÃa (2017).

5 December 2016

Retro: Christmas Party

Jim Just for fun, Retro 0

For once I’m posting a picture that has none of us in it! I guess we were all sitting on one side of the room here. This was a missionary Christmas party that we went to only three weeks after we arrived in Mexico, ten years ago today. As you can see (and you can’t see everyone!) it was mass chaos – I believe we were in the middle of a gift exchange!

Any of our fellow missionaries recognize anyone in this tiny picture? I bet you will ….

Christmas Party 2006

17 September 2016

‘Tis the Season for … Meetings?

Jim Ministry glimpses, Prayer and Praise, ST Highlight 1

It’s an interesting season around here right now. No, I don’t mean autumn – that doesn’t start for a few days.

It’s “conference season”! Well, that’s what it feels like. It just so happens that there are three different conference-type events coming up right now.

First, Camino Global missionaries in Mexico all get together for three days every year to do “housekeeping”, to worship together, to pray for needs across the nation, to be fed from the Word of God, and to relax!

Last year we enjoyed having the Brubacher family here, and they provided the worship music for the conference. This year I’ll be leading a little team, so I’m busy getting all the music ready for that.

Next comes a women’s conference, which is for the women of the “Bible churches” in Mexico City and area. Shari is the conference speaker this year, so she’s been busy studying and preparing for that. The theme is “Finding Peace” (see the graphic below, which is being used for promotion of the event).

Finding Peace Between that and preparing to lead worship at the first conference, there have been a lot of books and Bibles open all over the place!

After that (this brings us toward the end of October) is the week of meetings for Camino Global team leaders from all over the world. Last year the meetings were Guatemala, and this year they’re in Mexico.

Thankfully, there are a lot of other kind people who have been putting the work into that, but there are some things that I need to do by way of preparing for the meetings (being a team leader myself), and organizing some things for our visitors to the country.

So there’s lots to keep us busy up until the end of October!

Adding to the fun lately have been some – somewhat mild – sort of – computer issues lately, which need to be solved especially so that school work can go smoothly ahead.

Anyway, that’s just a little summary of some of the projects we’re working on right now!

28 February 2016

Coordinating Team: Mexico

Jim Ministry glimpses, Missions, Prayer and Praise, ST Highlight 1

As the leader of my team of Camino Global missionaries, I’m also a member of the Coordinating Team for Camino Global in the Mexico field.

Now the Coordinating Team (CT) actually doesn’t coordinate all that much – most decision-making is done at the team level. And most of that tends to be done by consensus (on our team, anyway). You thought I was actually important there for a second, didn’t you? 😉

Seriously, though, the CT does have some important roles. Facilitating communication between the various teams of missionaries, for example. Making sure field-wide events happen, talking about field-wide strategies. And representing Camino Global in communication with certain organizations in Mexico – in our case that includes Camp Koinonia and the Puebla Bible Seminary, as well as the churches that are related to our mission.

There are a lot of seismic shifts taking place among these groups here in Mexico, which makes our job much more interesting – and challenging.

Today I’m on my way to the city of Puebla, where the CT (made up of of missionaries from various parts of the country) will be meeting tomorrow to discuss a variety of things – many of them very important, things that could impact the ministry here in Mexico for many years to come. We would very much appreciate your prayers as we meet!

‹ 1 2 3 4 ›»