At this time, we have three new church construction projects underway in Tijuana. We still need construction teams for this year and 2008.
Please pray about this opportunity and if God leads you to help in some way, please contact us and we will do all we can to make it happen!
CHURCH CONSTRUCTION IN TIJUANA
Here it is 2008--a new year, a new opportunity. However, I should have said: “Here it is Saturday, a new day, a new opportunity.” We all know that it’s the individual days and hours that really matter. If each day has value, then the year cannot help but be a great one! As the days fly by (much faster now that we are older), we stop to think about the time we have left to make a difference. This morning, I listened to a beautiful lady with tears in her eyes tell of her burden for the children of Africa. She’s a woman close to retirement age, feeling God calling her to serve. She said that she feels her window of opportunity to help is small. My response was that even if she were 28 years old, her window would still be small. Our lives are but a wink of an eye in all eternity and whether we are 16 or 60, we need to make each day count.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the mundane details and difficulties of life. Here in Mexico, our lives are just like yours. We have road blocks thrown in our path and hills to climb, but we rejoice that God is with us. When we go through a dark valley, God is faithful, and when we stand upon a mountain rejoicing, He is there. We praise God for what He accomplished in 2007, praise Him for the victories, and stand exhilarated on the threshold of a brand-new year and a brand-new day to serve. While our personal “window” of time may be small, our opportunities are endless!
In 2007, we began working with one of our local churches in an outreach to the widows of the city. It is a blessing to help provide for these ladies and we are thrilled to be planning our 4th widows program for later this month.
For each outreach, 20 widows are selected, some from the local churches, others from the communities nearby. These are ladies who have tremendous needs, both physical and spiritual. In addition to providing groceries for them and personal gifts, the ladies are invited to a luncheon where there is music and a devotional. It is a beautiful time of ministry and fellowship.
At each luncheon, we meet the most incredible ladies, who have such amazing stories--some tragic, some inspirational. Often a Christian widow gives her testimony of how God has sustained her through her life. Most of the ladies are crying when they receive their gifts. For some, it was the first time that they had ever been in a restaurant. It is beautiful to see God working in the lives of these ladies, as they are touched by God’s love in action. Caring for widows and orphans—-a beautiful part of God’s plan His Church. What a thrill to be a part of this plan in Mexico!
Toree Fuerte (Strong Tower) the new church in the colonia south of Tijuana was completed and dedicated in October. What a day of rejoicing that was for us all!
Their brand-new congregation streamed in for the dedication service. They were so happy that they no longer had to meet in the little rented house at the bottom of the hill and could now worship in their very own church. Pastor Carlos is a hard worker with a vision and we are seeing the fruits of his labor, as new souls are coming to Christ, and the church is growing. We look forward to the day when the walls will be bursting with people and the church have to be expanded.
Pastor Carlos and his wife Dora were beaming. Their dream of a church on top of the hill in the new colonia had become a reality.
Another of the churches under construction here in Tijuana is Templo Bethania. We are so grateful for the many teams that have worked with us this past year to bring it to this stage in the construction.
This past month, the walls of the orphanage have been bursting with new children. We now have 28 children, which is a very large family for our small home. We have run out of room, and there is no place for our children to play. Not only is our family growing, but so are the children, which seems to magnify our need for more space.
We have begun looking for land where we can build a new children’s home. Please help us pray that God would provide the land and all we need for this new and exciting vision.
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who cannot pay you back.”
John Bunyan, author
Pilgrim’s Progress
We are privileged to be working with Pastor Jorge and Rosa. They are amazing pastors, with a heart to serve and reach out to their community. They don’t just talk about ministry; they are out there doing it. (This is the church that we assist with the Widows Outreaches.) On Saturdays in the midst of all the construction, they open the church to the single moms of the community with sewing classes, child care and parenting classes. Even though there is only a small space on the lower level to congregate, ministry as usual continues on this corner in this little colonia. We are hoping to be able to finish construction by the end of the year, but in the meantime, we know this church will continue to have church!
Art jumping rope with the kids of the neighborhood
(Shouldn’t someone tell him how old he is?)
To see photos of the children at the orphanage and updates on the other projects,
