Hello friends and family, partners in the Gospel! Or shall I say, hola amigos y familiares, companeros en el Evangelio! We had yet another amazing week, seeing more and more people accepting Jesus into their hearts, and hearing amazing stories of faith and miracles. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how God has moved in the lives of fellow believers, serving as a reminder that God has not changed; the God who performed numerous miracles in the Bible still performs them to this day!

We started our week serving the newest Calvary Chapel church plant, La Mina, cleaning out the building and reaching out to the local neighborhoods. Myself and a few others went out in two groups to hand out COVID-19 relief bags and church invites. Our group met people who were relatively unconcerned with their impending eternal judgement, either due to ignorance or trauma from organized religion, as we saw with a man named Mando. Mando grew up in Los Angeles as a Catholic, and already struggled with religious tradition as a young man. Confusion gripped his mind as he tried to learn the beliefs and practices of his ex-wife, who was a Jehovah’s Witness. Contempt then entered after going to a church which demanded money on his first visit, a church which even sent him nearly a year’s worth of envelopes predated for weekly donations. He struggled to hear that he needed to get right with Jesus, not only because of these horrible experiences, but because years of apparent drug abuse has rendered his mind less capable of handling stressful situations.

While we spoke to these people, we also had questionnaires to gauge the needs of the community both physically and spiritually. Most said more security was needed, but it was one man’s answer that gave tremendous hope for this community. This man, Vicente, said the people of La Mina need the Gospel. Vicente is a believer, a leader even, at Principe de Paz (Prince of Peace), another Christian church here in Rosarito. While we were at La Mina for Sunday service, we saw the Gospel starting to transform lives, one life being a lady by the name of Dolores. Dolores literally means sorrow or pain, which she had plenty of, as she was considering killing herself and her quadriplegic son. She felt it would be merciful for him, and that their family would be better off, removing the burden she perceived her and her son to be; but the Lord touched her and convinced her otherwise. The enemy kept her from attending church for a month or so, but Sunday she made it and with tears of joy accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior! We pray Pastor Reuben of Calvary Chapel La Mina would continue to address this need, and fulfill his calling, to see the transforming power of Christ spread like a wildfire through this community.

Stories like that of Dolores are incredibly inspiring, and we heard plenty more this week as we heard from speakers at the church planting conference and guests speakers Cory Kilgus and Yaron Sachs. Mario Medrano, or Super Mario, shared extraordinary miracles of the old testament in his appropriately named class, Big Faith. After going over amazing acts of God performed through faithfulness, like Moses splitting the Red Sea and Shedrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in the fire, he shared some personal miracles he has experienced through his own faithfulness. After leaving a well-paying job in California to church plant here in Mexico, Mario struggled, having as little as a single peso. One day after he had acquired fifty pesos, or about two and a half dollars, he went to the market with the intention to purchase himself some food. But he came across a man with an infant in the parking lot, and God told him to buy them some milk. The milk cost forty nine pesos, leaving him yet again with a single peso. Mario then argued with God, asking Him if he wanted him to return to the world and his well-paying job, but he woke up the next morning and promised to stay faithful. Almost immediately after, he received a phone call from a pastor friend back in California. This particular friend wrestled for two years whether or not to support him, and in that moment God put it on his heart to do so; another friend called shortly after to do the same. It really goes to show you that big faith produces big results!

For we walk by faith, not by sight - 2 Corinthians 5:7

Another incredibly inspiring and miraculous story was that of Yaron Sachs, a Jew who came to faith because of his dog. Yaron was in Lebanon while he was in the Israeli Defense Force, and some children began to yell at him and throw rocks. He scared them off with his well-trained dog, which had them beckoning for their mothers. Soon after, him and his dog were surrounded by adults prepared to stone them to death. His dog, who would never run away from him, did just so, and he walked through the angry mob like the Israelites through the Red Sea. She proceeded to zigzag through the neighborhood, waiting for her master at each and every corner. He was led to a Christian church, where a woman told him he was not going to be saved and asked if he believed in Yeshua. After protesting, claiming Jesus was only for the gentiles, the Holy Spirit had her give Yaron John 14:6. This pierced the veil of darkness that was over him, and he has been a believer, a Messianic Jew, ever since.

And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed - Deuteronomy 31:8

Thank you all so much for reading yet another update! I hope these stories were as inspiring to you as they were for me, it’s so encouraging to see that God has not changed. I pray that we would all have a biblical faith, always believing in God to do the impossible. I am excited for this week to come and what the Lord has in store as we continue to seek Him. My time here has been so edifying, I can’t believe four weeks has already passed. The Lord has been clarifying a vision for my life and I am excited to walk in the good works which He has prepared for me. As always I thank you so much for your supportive prayer, intercession and finances, work such as this would not be possible otherwise. I look forward to our continued partnership in the Gospel, and as always feel free to reach out if you would like any prayer requests of your own! May the Lord bless you and keep you!

Prayer Requests

1. That Mando would be freed from the confusing and blinding strongholds in his mind

2. That Pastor Reuben of CC La Mina would see many more souls, like Dolores, saved

3. That we would be rid of all illness and be safe during the rest of our time here

4. That we would strengthen our faithfulness and see God perform miracles in & through us