October News
We hope all is well with you and your family. If you haven’t heard by now we wanted to let you know that we are transitioning from being Missionaries at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Mexico and moving back to the U.S. Our time here in Mexico has been most rewarding, fruitful, encouraging, hard, and fulfilling. We are blessed that God gave us the opportunity to serve Him here. We are even more blessed because He gave us a group of friends and family who have supported and prayed for us while we have been here. Thank you so much it has meant the world to us.
We really weren’t looking to move – at least not so soon. Pilar and I started talking about possibly retiring in a few years as I am now sixty-seven years old. The day to day pressures and physical work at the Bible College as the Director of Operations has been getting a little more challenging as time goes by. But I have loved almost every minute of it and it has brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Not so much for what I’ve been doing, but seeing God at work in so many miraculous ways. His guidance, His provision, His working in our hearts and the hearts of the staff and students, and so much more has been incredible. I have also enjoyed teaching the students while here. As we were just talking about retirement, it’s as if God started preparing us for a new season.
It’s been thirteen years since we moved to Ensenada. It is a long way from our family and friends, and though we have many friends here now, we have missed those we left behind. Recently while on vacation we visited friends we haven’t seen in over ten years. We had dinner and talked and laughed and got caught up with each other. We have also experienced a growth in our family and have gotten a taste of how much grandkids can grow on you. Four were born while we were here. We haven’t been able to spend much time with them and are really looking forward to that. We got to spend time with three of the four while on vacation. What a treat that was playing with little Leo, his new sister Olive, and their cousin Rex.
We recently bought a house in Seminary Mississippi (close to Hattiesburg) and are planning to move in October. Funny thing, we moved here in October thirteen years ago. Our house in Ensenada is still for sale. We know it’s in God’s hands and look forward to when it sells. Our Mission agency has encouraged us to ask you to continue to support us during this transition. They are willing to keep us as staff for the next six months and up to a year if we need it. We hope it won’t take that long for the transition but ask you to pray about continuing to support us as we move and get settled into this new season. We are really excited to see what God has for us.
Though it is exciting to move and we look forward to the new, it is also hard to leave behind the ministry and people here that we have come to love. Please pray for us – for God’s guidance and provision, for safety as we move, and for wisdom and opportunities to serve Him in our new community.
God Bless You,
The Gray’s
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Summer News
Calvary Chapel Bible College Mexico
Hola!
Graduation went so well, and was both a happy and sad occasion. It’s always hard to say goodbye at the end of the semester, and yet exciting to know God has equipped these students to go out and share with a world that needs to hear the good news of the gospel.
It seems to be another quiet summer here at the college. We only have three groups coming. But there are eight students that will be on campus to help out and they’ve got their work cut out for them! A group called Lazarian World Homes is providing the funds to help build our first building on the upper campus. It will initially be the kitchen, dining room, and chapel. Already the foundation has been poured, the Styrofoam blocks that will make up the walls are up and poured with concrete, and the roofing is being delivered this week. It’s really starting to look like a building.
Lastly we have some news we’ve been wanting to share. Leo and I will be returning to the states. As of now we are not exactly sure when because we would really like to sell our house in Ensenada before leaving. This is our number one prayer request. Let me give you some background on why we have come to this decision. Around six or eight months ago Leo mentioned to me the idea of retiring when he turned seventy (he will be sixty-seven this year). Through a series of events and conversations with some friends it seemed the Lord was moving up the timeline. The most amazing thing is it’s as if God just put the idea in our hearts and we are watching Him make it happen! But this isn’t the first time He has done that in our lives, and to be honest as I’m typing these words, my eyes are filled with tears and my heart filled with gratitude knowing He always is there leading, making the path, showing us the way! He is taking us to Seminary, Mississippi, close to Hattiesburg, where our son Elliott and his wife Kaci live.
During this transition time we appreciate your prayers as we go back to a different culture than what we’ve become accustomed to. Also we ask that you continue your financial support while we move and look for jobs to supplement Leo’s retirement. This is our second prayer request.
As I shared earlier, just like when we come to the end of a semester our feelings for leaving this place, this ministry, and these people is hard. Yet we are also excited to see what the Lord has for us in Mississippi. Thank you for partnering with us over these last twelve years! God has taught us so much! We have learned to depend on Him totally. We have seen Him supply all our needs, protect us, stretch us, and bless us. We are so thankful that He brought us here. We are so thankful to you for enabling us to be a part of the work in Ensenada Mexico.
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Spring is in the Air
April 2021
Spring has to be one of the best times of the year. Everything starts turning green, the flowers start blooming, the winter weather starts letting up as the days get warmer, and the daylight hours get longer. We hope you had a good Easter Sunday this year.
We took Easter week off for Spring break to visit Leo’s Mom, Granny, in Florida this year. She lives in an older neighborhood in Pensacola called East Hill. It has a lot of older flower bushes and trees and it is just beautiful this time of year. The Dogwood trees in her neighborhood take the prize for being the prettiest this year. Living in the dessert in Baja, there’s a whole different set of trees and flowers to enjoy too. Granny is 91 years old and still walks a mile every day after breakfast. We really enjoy spending time with her. She seems to always have a project going and has a schedule to keep us busy. I think my favorite time is after supper and after Wheel of Fortune. We sit around the table and play Skipbo or some other game she likes to play. We were staying close to her home because of Covid, but did manage to visit some of our friends while we were there.
We do have some good news about the Bible College this month. We have most of the work done on our lower campus – Phase I and will start building our first building for Phase II very soon. The plans are for the building to be a kitchen, dining room, and a Chapel. It’s exciting to work on the plans and put out the stakes for the building location knowing that the building will allow us to have more students and room to grow.
We have a couple of needs before we can start the new building. We have to put in some of the infrastructure – the most expensive is the electrical service. It will serve our needs for all of Phase II and provide the electricity for all the buildings on the upper campus. The cost is approximately $8000. If you would like to make a gift towards the new building you can send a check to CCBC Mexico 591 Telegraph Canyon Rd. Unit 167 Chula Vista, CA 91910. You can put infrastructure on the memo line. If you would prefer to give electronically just contact me at leo@ccbcmexico.com and I will get those instructions for you.
The semester is going well. Spring Break is here and a lot of the students will be going on a Mission Trip to San Felipe over on the Gulf side of Baja. They will be working with churches and other ministries in that city for a week. We are praying for them to have a safe trip and many blessings as they serve with our brothers and sisters in ministry there.
We hope you are doing well and want to let you know how much we appreciate your prayers and support. We really consider you as partners with us in the gospel as we train the students to reach the world for Christ. Drop us a note or email some time, we would love to hear from you. Email addresses: Pilar@ccbcmexico.com or Leo@ ccbcmexico.com or you can write us at: Leo and Pilar Gray 3621 Vista Campana South Unit 75 Oceanside, CA 92057.
If you would like to support us financially you can send a tax deductible gift by check to: Saving Grace World Missions 17451Bastanchury Road Suite 203 Yorba Linda, CA 92886 write Leo and Pilar Gray on the memo line or click the Become a Financial Partner button on our web page for credit card or bank transfer at www.SGWM.com/gray.
God Bless You,
Leo and Pilar
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January Update
The Grays/ CCBC Ensenada Mexico
We had a wonderful holidays visiting with our boys and their families. We started out in Florida spending time with Jacob, Alex, and Oliver and their families. We have three grandkids there, so we got to watch them and give their parents a break to go shopping, go on a date night, or just be there to have a good time with the grandkids. Ollie’s wife Jenifer has a brother who passed away from cancer while we were there. He was only thirty three years old. Please keep them in your prayers. Last June her father was killed in an automobile accident. It has been a hard year for their family. Also while we were in Florida we had the chance to visit with Leo’s mom and Sister Angie for a few of days. Granny is doing well. She still walks a mile every day and can still play a mean game of Skipbo.
Last stop on our trip was Hattiesburg, MS. Our youngest son, Elliott and his wife Kaci, live there. He turned 29 this year while we were there. His father in law took us fishing down on the Mississippi coast for a day to celebrate the occasion and we came home with a cooler full of fish. The Lord was good to us as always.
It looks like this semester we will have forty-four students on campus. A handful of students arrived early and are helping to get everything looking good for orientation starting next week. While we were gone a team from California came down, built a Pergola for outside dining. The one we had previously was starting to cave in because the bougainvillea bushes got so big and heavy. It was a shame to have to cut them down, but this new Pergola looks beautiful, and it won’t take long for them to grow back.
Leo will be leading the Operations team and teaching two classes this semester, Growing Strong in God’s Family and Bearing Fruit in God’s Family. Pilar will be working in the Campus Store and managing the students who work with her. We are both looking forward to having the students back and being a part of what God is doing in their lives.
Thank you so much for supporting and praying for us. We really consider you as partners with us in the gospel as we train the students to reach the world for Christ. Drop us a note or email some time, we would love to hear from you. Email addresses: Pilar@ccbcmexico.com or Leo@ ccbcmexico.com or you can write us at: Leo and Pilar Gray 3621 Vista Campana South Unit 75 Oceanside, CA 92057.
If you would like to support us financially you can send a tax deductible gift by check to: Saving Grace World Missions 17451Bastanchury Road Suite 203 Yorba Linda, CA 92886 write Leo and Pilar Gray on the memo line or click the Become a Financial Partner button on our web page for credit card or bank transfer at www.SGWM.com/gray.
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April News
Pray for peace the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee. Psalm 122:6
March 23, 2018
Dear friends and family,
It has been a hard couple of months for Leo and me. There’s been joy and tears.
Our middle son was married to a sweetheart on December 29th. It was a joyous occasion and we are delighted to have Jennifer as part of our family! The Lord gave them a beautiful sunset, but what made it even more special is Leo’s father officiated the wedding.
As some of you know, Leo’s father passed away in February. He was a wonderful man, and he loved large. Not only his family, but his community and those he came in contact with. He fought the good fight and was a faithful servant.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support for us and all our family. We see God’s grace in all of it. Part of that grace was being there when normally we would have been back in Mexico for the start of the semester. But the Lord gave us a trip to the Holy Land with some wonderful people from Hattiesburg Community Church and so our stay was longer. And in the midst of the turmoil he gave us time to walk where He once walked and be with fellow believers whom now we call friends. Thank you Hattiesburg for taking us and sharing in our suffering.
Leo is still in Florida helping his mom. He plans to come home in a couple of weeks. Please pray for him as he makes the drive back. I came home a couple of weeks ago because I needed to renew my Mexican visa, and I am happy to say that I now have my permanent residency card paperwork in!
The semester is at its halfway mark, and there are around forty students going on the spring missions trip next week. Please keep them in your prayers for traveling mercies and protection along with the Spirit of God to use them as they share in service and giving people the Good News.
Thank you again for all your support. Please continue to pray for us and for Mexico 😊
God Bless You,
Leo and Pilar
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Oliver and Jenifer Gray
Mom and Dad / Ed and Agnes at the reception
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New Year New Semester Renewed Passion
We had a great time in January visiting family and friends in Florida and Alabama but when the time to come back to Mexico came around we felt like we were headed home. We had a week to get ready for the 2015 Spring Semester and the students return this week for Orientation. It is so exciting to hear what they’ve been doing during the break and it’s so good to see them return for another semester.
I’ll be teaching a Discipleship Class, Deepening Your Roots In God’s Family on Monday mornings and a Bible Study on Thursday nights. Pilar’s Tuesday morning Bible Study is starting back up too. Pray for us as we teach these studies that we will have time to prepare and that God will use us to draw others to Himself and that they grow in their walk with Him.
The roof is on and the shingles are the next thing to do on our latest dormitory project.This will be the last building in the Phase One of the Bible College Project. We are in the planning stages for Phase Two and are seeking wisdom in the planning process. There is still a lot to do to finish the Master Plan for that phase of the building project. Pray Pray Pray.
We are so thankful for your prayers and support. It is such an honor and a blessing to be here serving in Mexico. Drop us a note or email some time, we would love to hear from you. Email addresses: Pilar@ccbcmexico.com or Leo@ ccbcmexico.com
You can write us at: Leo and Pilar Gray 3621 Vista Campana South Unit 75 Oceanside, CA 92057.
If you would like to support us financially you can send a tax deductible gift by check to: Saving Grace World Missions 17451Bastanchury Road Suite 203 Yorba Linda, CA 92886 write Leo and Pilar Gray on the memo line or click the Become a Financial Partner button on our web page for credit card or bank transfer at www.SGWM.com/gray.
God Bless You,
Leo and Pilar
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Merry Christmas from Leo and Pilar
It seems like everything gets really busy this time of year and the whole month of December gets compressed into what seems like a week. We are four days past our thirtieth wedding anniversary, one week from graduation and all those activities, just over two weeks from Christmas, and then the year is over. 
The Bible studies we have been leading and hosting are winding down and taking a break over the holidays, most of the students will go home on break after graduation, surf school takes a break, and we look forward to a couple of weeks to work at a slower pace so we can plan and regroup for next year.
We plan on staying here in Mexico this Christmas. We will miss being with family and friends but at the same time enjoy being here with our new family and friends. We are realizing more and more that Christmas is about what God has done for us and not what presents we find under the tree.
Students from one of the classes, The Minor Prophets, asked us to be Joseph and Mary in a timeline they were doing to illustrate the topics they had covered this semester. They had stations illustrating each of the Old Testament books they studied and ours was the last one. One of the students told about the station we were in. He said the prophecies they had studied pointed to Jesus and his coming to live on earth with us and that He was the focal point of history. None of the prophets realized what their part in the larger picture was, but they each one did their best to represent 
God to the people.
His words to us was that though we may not know the whole story as we serve the Lord , we should do our best to make Him known and at the end of history we will see how it all worked together.
We are so thankful that you choose to spend time praying for us and support us as you do. We would not be here without the support of friends and family sharing with us. We hope and wish and pray for you to have a Blessed Christmas and a great New Year in 2013.
In the coming year if you want to partner with us financially you can click on the Become a Financial Partner button on our website at SGWM.com/gray for bank draft or credit/debit card. Or you can send checks to SGWM 17451 Bastanchury Rd. Suite 203 Yorba Linda CA, 92886. If you send a check please make it payable to Saving Grace World Missions and in the Memo Line write – “Gray.”
To contact us by mail: By email:
Leo and Pilar Gray leo@ccbcmexico.com
3621 Vista Campana South #75 Pilar@ccbcmexico.com
Oceanside, CA 92057
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November News
It’s almost Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for, especially as Christians. We have the privilege of serving the one who has given us everything we need and blessed us beyond what we deserve. We hope you enjoy this season with family and friends. Pilar and I are planning
to cook a traditional Thanksgiving meal for the students who don’t go home on break. It gives them and us such a sense of family and home. We are really thankful for those of you who have been supporting and praying for us here in Mexico. I certainly don’t understand how he does it but God works through you so that we can be here for you , representing Him in Mexico.
It is harvest time here – we feel the chill in the air of autumn, the fall semester is well on its way, and we are starting to work on plans for the semester break in December. We see and hear of God’s harvest time here in Mexico through the testimonies of the students. It is so amazing to see His hand on their lives as they study to serve Him. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul tells Timothy “And the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” I got a short Facebook note this week from one of our graduates just saying thanks. She is teaching and discipling others using what she learned here at the College. Our prayer is that many more will be trained and will leave to share with others what they are learning also.
It looks like the next few months will be busy and challenging. The director of Casa Horizonte Orphanage ( a special needs orphanage for severely handicapped children) is leaving at the end of November. The orphanage 
was built on the college property so that students can have the opportunity to learn about children with special needs and put into practice what they are learning at the college. Currently there are three children and eight staff members and volunteers who provide twenty four hour a day care for them. The leadership of the Bible College has been asked to oversee and direct the orphanage when the director leaves at the end of the month. We have been working with him as he transitions out and are getting to learn those lessons ourselves.
The aim of Casa Horizonte is to care for children with special needs unto the glory of God. As the Lord provides it will grow into an orphanage for sixteen to eighteen severely handicapped children. Most of them will be at Casa Horizonte for the rest of their lives. I am excited about the opportunity to be more involved in this wonderful ministry. The three kids have been such a blessing already in the times I have been there. They are always happy when anyone comes to see them. I have to admit I am a little apprehensive too as I’ve never been involved in an orphanage ministry before. I know it is close to God’s heart to care
for them though. Needless to say, I have been praying for more help. One of the students who graduated in May, married a young lady from Ensenada, and has come back to help us at the College. He is helping me with the day to day managing of the students and some of the projects we are working on. He couldn’t have come at a better time. Also our son Alex has returned to Mexico to serve as a missionary. It is nice having one of our boys around again. Since he graduated from the Bible College in May he has been working in Pensacola. He will be serving here with us at the College. I hope you will pray for us through all these changes. I know God has a plan and we are all a part of that plan so that He will get the glory and many will come to know and love Him. If you want to mail financial support and partner with us in our work here you can click on the Become a Financial Partner button on our site at SGWM.com/gray for bank draft or credit/debit card. Or you can send a check to SGWM 17451 Bastanchury Rd. Suite 203 Yorba Linda CA, 92886. If you send a check please make it payable to Saving Grace World Missions and in the Memo Line write – “Gray.”
To contact us by mail: By email:
Leo and Pilar Gray leo@ccbcmexico.com
3621 Vista Campana South #75 Pilar@ccbcmexico.com
Oceanside, CA 92057
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He Is Risen!
He is risen indeed! Easter in Mexico for us has been a lot different than the traditions we are us
ed to with our family and friends back in Florida. We miss the sunrise service and the baptism at the beach. We miss having a house full of friends over for strawberry waffles and the big service on Easter morning. Last year we were at Pilar’s moms for Easter so this was our first ever Easter here. We went to the service at church Easter morning and then spent the day with other missionary friends here. It was nice hearing the traditions they were missing with us.
The students at the Bible College were mostly out of town either on a Mission trip to Chihuahua, Mexico or on Spring Break. We did have a group of forty other college students from a church and the Calvary Chapel Bible College in California come for four days on a spring break Mission trip . We had a great time with 
them and they got so much work done around the school. They served at other ministries here too. They came with a heart to serve and service is what they did. Every group who comes moves us forward towards the vision and goals of the College.
There’s not much time left in this semester, only six more weeks, so we will be busy finishing classes and getting ready for graduation.
Our son Alex is in this graduating class so it will be special for us. Pray for him as he is figuring out what t
o do next. He has been a better student than I ever was and has been involved in leading a discipleship group, leading one of the worship teams, and is quite the Foosball player. He played on our undefeated soccer team this year too. Right now he is planning to return to the states for a while to work and maybe returning as a missionary.
Thank all of you for your prayers for us, especially me and my back. I still don’t know what will happen but we did get the records to the doctor here but he’s on vacation. Most of the pain is gone but I have been taking it easy and trying not to do more than I should to keep from hurting it any more. I miss surfing and riding my bike but have more time for reading.
Pilar is staying busy at the school and is involved in two off campus women’s Bible studies. She has so many friends here it is amazing. She continues to encourage the girls at school too and seems like she is always serving by sewing, cooking, sharing, or whatever other girl stuff she can do with them.
One of the highlights of this semester has been having all the students over for a time of worship and dessert every month. I think it gives them a sense of home and brings back memories for us of having a house full of kids playing guitars and singing praise songs to the Lord. It is so neat to see them in worship and see them grow in their faith and spiritual walk with the Lord. He will do great things through them as they leave to serve Him.
We are indeed blessed to be here and look forward to the day when we see our risen Savior face to face.
Leo and Pilar
P.S. We would love to hear from you.
In case you didn’t get the new address and want to mail financial support to partner with us in our work here you can click on the Become a Financial Partner button above for bank draft or credit/debit card or you can send a check to SGWM 17451 Bastanchury Rd. Suite 203 Yorba Linda CA, 92886. If you send a check please make it payable to Saving Grace World Missions and in the Memo Line write – “Gray.”
To contact us by mail: By email:
Leo and Pilar Gray Leo@ccbcmexico.com
C/O CCBC Mexico Pilar@ccbcmexico.com
P.O Box 8235
Chula Vista, CA 91912
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