Author: Joel Garcia

Don’t Waste Your Life

Posted on by Joel Garcia

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

Matthew 28:18 – 20

Calvary Chapel Lapu

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Anand, Raju & Aaron

Thank you for praying for us while we were visiting Calvary Chapel Lapu! Our 4 day trip outside of Kathmandu started with 12 hours of driving and then a 6 hour hike straight uphill to the top of the mountain where we were able to visit Pastor Raju (one of our graduates), in Lapu village.  The scenery was beautiful and we were very excited to see Raju in his home where he has been faithfully serving.  Our team was welcomed as a part of Calvary Chapel Lapu as we attended Saturday morning service, followed by a woman’s fellowship, and a small children’s ministry during a Q&A session. The church fellowship continues to grow and the people who are attending Calvary Chapel Lapu are beginning to understand the Bible as Raju teaches verse by verse.  Raju has been helping out people in his community with their farming or fishing, as well as discipling and sharing the gospel. 

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Calvary Chapel Lapu Church Service

It has been a huge blessing to see the fruit in Raju’s life as a Bible College student to seeing him now pastoring a church and ministering to the people up in his remote village.  Being able to visit for ourselves and to see Raju pastor a Calvary church plant was so encouraging for us.  We love being able to visit where our students are from, it gives us perspective on how far they travel to come to study the Bible and what they endure to continue in their labor for the Lord.  Please pray for Pastor Raju as he continues to serve in Lapu Village, and for him to be faithful to do what God has called him to do.

Calvary Chapel Baniyatar

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Aaron with Rabi translating for our
mid-week Bible Study

We have been able to visit with Pastor Rabi and his home fellowship!  Rabi graduated from Bible College two years ago and has been fulfilling his desire to teach God’s Word.  Pastor Rabi and his wife, Mahima, are newlyweds and began their Bible study in their living room.  Their family, along with many people from their community, has been attending this growing church service at Calvary Chapel Baniyatar!  Along with his other responsibilities at the Bible College, Pastor Rabi has been faithful and committed to the start of this new Calvary church plant.  Please pray for him and Mahima as they reach out to the people in their neighborhood as well as their family.

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CC Baniyatar home fellowship

Pastor Rabi has also been serving with us at Calvary Chapel Pastor’s Training Center & School of Ministry.  He teaches twice a week through the Gospel of Luke, and has been helping a lot with translating some classes from English to Nepali.  From when Rabi was a student in Bible College, he would host Bible studies during the semester breaks, and disciple many of his friends here in Nepal and some friends who had gone to work abroad.  His calm personality turns to a bold and courageous one when it comes to preaching Jesus to anyone who would hear.  Rabi is also going to train the students in weekly evangelism through our community and help them prepare for our semester outreach.

Calvary Chapel Dumre

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Pastor Milan leading worship at CC Dumre
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Milan & Aaron enjoying some fresh fried fish from the local river in Dumre Village

Most recently, we took a trip to visit with Pastor Milan at Calvary Chapel Dumre.  We enjoyed our time spent with our brother and his family, and being able to see how the church fellowship is doing.  We brought a group of students from the Bible College who are from the same district as Milan so they could see their families as well as seeing a Calvary Chapel church plant in their hometown.  During our time in Dumre, we hosted a small youth fellowship one afternoon, attended church service at CC Dumre and Milan’s uncle’s church, and had family time at Milan’s home.  It was encouraging for us to see our brother serving wholeheartedly, and watching him be faithful to the work of the ministry.  He has been pouring into the lives that have been placed in front of him and has demonstrated a life surrendered to Christ as he has been serving in his village.  Please pray for Milan who has been sharing the gospel in his community and discipling the youth.  Please also pray for him as he has been managing the remaining construction work of the church building.

Pastors Conference 

This past week, Pastor Bond, Heather and Breanna have come to visit!  While they are here, we’ve invited the pastors of our students who attend the Bible College and also the Calvary Chapel pastors who have graduated and started church plants like Pastor Raju, Pastor Rabi & Pastor Milan.  During our three-day conference, we hosted 9 visiting pastors at the college campus, taught through 2 Timothy and had a time of Q&A about Calvary.

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Aaron & Tyler with all previous Bible College graduates who have now
begun Calvary church plants
(left to right: Majiya, Rabi, Milan & Raju)

It was a great time of glorifying God in the praise reports of what has been going on in each others lives. Among the attendees was Pastor Majiya, who shared an update with us about his work in the east side of Nepal of beginning Calvary Chapel Rangeli. While Majiya was a student, he sacrificed two years apart from his wife and two small kids to study God’s word. It has only been four months since he graduated and he has been traveling into Rangeli which is one hour on his bicycle to teach the bible in that area. Together with raising a family, sharing the gospel and teaching God’s word, he is working daily 12 hour shifts in an oil making factory to support his family. He makes the equivalent of seven dollars and fifty cents per day. It’s our heart to help Majiya and take away part of the financial burden so that he may focus more on his family and ministry. This will allow him to be about preaching the gospel in the midst of unreached people groups. Majiya wants to move into Rangeli so that he and his family will be missionaries in this new village.

We are beyond grateful to be a part of this work of training up future pastors and leaders!  Please continue to pray for each of these men who have listened and obeyed God’s call on their lives.

Praise Reports

  • Each visit to the three Calvary church plants has been so encouraging and a blessing to be a part of this amazing work!
  • CC Pastor’s Training Center & SOM has been going well, we are thankful for all who are on staff and serve with us.
  • We’ve been having more new people attend he CC Nakkhu fellowship after hearing Pastor Anand on the Radio Program
  • The Pastors Conference was an uplifting and inspiring time

Prayer Requests

  • For our team to be like-minded, have the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind.
  • That God would provide financially forus and for the ministry in Nepal & South Asia
  • For those divine appointments to share the Gospel with people
  • Pastor Raju’s parents who are practicing Hindus and don’t fully understand why Raju is pastoring a church.  He has been trying to be a good witness for Jesus, but can feel lonely at times when even his family isn’t the most supportive.
  • Pastor Ravi’s mom is a new born again Christian, but his father is not. Also, please pray for Ravi’s mom who has diabetes and has been struggling with her health.
  • Please pray for Pastor Majiya and the God would provide for him & his family financially.

In Christ,

Aaron & Jena Garcia

aaronjenagarcia@gmail.com

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The Kanyike Update – April 2019

Posted on by Joel Garcia


Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.      Hebrews 10:25

Dear Friends and Family,

He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

We pray that you all are having a wonderful time celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This month we once again saw many things taking place here in Uganda within the church, the guest house and our family.

First off we received the sad news that a very good friend of mine who I ministered with in the Refugee camp lost his 8 year old daughter. We were able to talk with him several times on the phone but unfortunately I was undergoing tests at that same time for blood clots so we could not attend the funeral.

On a positive note one of my pastors, Rob Douglass, came for the funeral and was a great encouragement to our friends during this very difficult time. He was able to stay with us for one week. When I moved to Uganda almost 20 years ago to work with FRM in the Sudanese refugee camp, Rob was our team leader. The last time Rob was with me in Uganda was for Brian’s and my wedding. Rob walked me down the aisle. While Rob was here we spent a lot of time reminiscing and sharing all that we have seen God do and have experienced over the years. It is amazing how our faith grows when we remember all that God has already done. It gives us hope for all that God has yet to do. Since Rob was here for a Sunday he was able to share at Arise Christian Fellowship. In light of the death of our friends daughter, eternity had been on everyone’s mind. Rob taught the church a message on eternity. To help us better visualize what the message truly meant he used a long rope with about one inch on the end taped off to demonstrate how our life on earth is like the small section of rope while eternity, like the long part of the rope draped around the sanctuary, keeps on going . He challenged the church as to what they are living for. Were they living for that small one inch moment in time or were they living for those things that would matter for eternity. It was a very powerful message for everyone who was listening. The church was so blessed by the message they are still talking about it. I was so blessed to have someone I consider family to be with me and meet our church family at Arise.

For the last 10 years Tuesdays means Women’s Bible Study at my house.  It started off with just a few ladies from one church but has since evolved into a larger study with at least 4 churches represented and about as many or more nationalities.  Our group focuses on the Word of God, prayer and fellowship.  I alternate between teaching books of the Bible and relevant topical issues.  After each teaching I give a handout of discussion questions for the women to work on through out the week so they keep thinking and meditating on Gods word we have been learning.  Every Tuesday we begin by discussing the questions and sharing what the Lord has showed us through out the week.  After each study we share our prayer requests and praise reports with one another and then take time to pray over each request and for one another.  As the group leader I often feel like I am so privileged to be the one who studies and prepares the teachings because I feel I learn so much and often times that the message is for me and what is going on in my life.  I pray the ladies get as much out of what I am able to share.  Currently we are going trough a study I titled “Everything Unto the Lord”.   It is based on three scriptures the Lord used to minister to me while I was in the states very sick and mourning the loss of my mom.  It has been encouraging for me to be reminded that all we do is for the Lord and that even when times are tough they can be used to glorify God.

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Praying together

The Lord is always surprising us with how He is going to provide.  We recently were talking about how we wished we could get some sturdier chairs for the church but did not have enough money to do so.  It was really a necessity because a couple of times already the plastic chairs we have crumpled, then snapped causing the people sitting in them to fall down.   This past month just 2 weeks before Easter, we got a call from Pastor Michael from South Sudan telling us they were bringing down 50 of the chairs from their old church.  It was such a surprise and just in time for the holidays.  We are so thankful.  The whole church clapped and ulated in thanksgiving to God and Calvary Chapel Cush for blessing us.

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Thank you for praying for our family and the ministry in Uganda.                                                           

In Him,

Brian, Jill,Luke, Laylee and Liana           

Prayer Requests                                               

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  • Praise the Lord for the ministry and spiritual growth of the member at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Praise the Lord for his continued provision and blessing upon Arise Christian Fellowship
  • Pray for our friends James and Jane Nyika who lost their 8 year old daughter.
  • Pray for Jill’s health to continue to improve and for the treatment of her thyroid and blood clots to be successful.
  • Please for Jill’s dad who is in the hospital with sepsis and heart failure.
  • Pray for all the ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship as well as the other ministries we partner with..
  • Pray for Jill and the children as they homeschool. Pray for the children to be excited about learning.
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

Miracles & New Ministry – Mosley Family April 2019 Update

Posted on by Joel Garcia

There comes a point in our relationship with the Lord that we must decide if we truly believe what is written in the Bible. When challenges and hard times come, they test whether or not we will stand on the word of God or not. There is not one word in the Bible that we cannot depend on. The Bible is the one thing that will always be true, right, and faithful. I mention this because it has been something that has been very real in our lives lately. I have sat with the Bible in front of me on multiple occasions and questioned myself by saying, “Either I believe what this book says, or I don’t”. I have chosen to believe what it says, though it’s been challenging, God has come through every time. Like God asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” I can hear God asking me, “Do you trust me”? “Do you trust me no matter what it looks like, no matter how big the waves are, no matter how deep the valley, no matter how mighty the enemy……. Do you trust me?”

It was a whirlwind of a decision to move to Portland, Oregon. There have been many ups and downs as we have tried to, once again, detach ourselves from one place and plug into a new one. As we began to explore housing in Portland, we quickly realized it wasn’t as inexpensive as we thought. We took a weeklong exploratory trip up to Portland during the beginning of March to talk and pray with our friends at the church that we’ll be serving at, explore the area and look for houses. We retuned back to California empty handed and feeling a little scared. Scared for a few different reasons, one of those being the cost of living. As you can imagine, Mexico isn’t as expensive to live! 

After spying out the land and returning to California, we continued to pray and ask God for a house and direction. We looked and looked for a house but, found nothing. Additionally, it was very hard to try and find a house in Oregon while we were in California. Different obstacles stood before us as we looked for a house such as needing to make 3 times the amount of the rent to rent through a property management company, providing pay check stubs, and committing to a one-year lease. More than one time we began to lose heart, wondering, questioning, praying if we were doing the right thing. We knew that we needed God to do a miracle for us. 

Even with the discouragement we continued to feel that the Lord was pushing us to go forward and head up to Portland even though we didn’t have a house. Were we going to trust the Lord that He called us to Oregon, even if it meant sleeping in a tent? We decided we would and trusted the Lord to provide. Once again we packed up the van with all of our earthly possessions and April 3rd, (Penelope’s birthday) we left not knowing where we were going. That night we stayed with Jackie’s family in Shady Cove, Oregon. The same night we received a text message asking if we were still interested in seeing a house. When I saw the picture of the house, I didn’t remember the house or sending a message inquiring about it. I showed Jackie the picture and asked if she remembered sending a message about the house and she told me she had not. Nonetheless we arranged to see the house the next day.

We left Shady Cove the morning of April 4thwith no house, no hotel secured, nowhere set up to stay that very night. During the drive the six of us took turns praying. The kids asked God for a house that very day, which seemed impossible as many of you can understand, especially knowing the process of renting a house. We arrived in the Milwaukie (Southeast area of Portland) and met with the owner of the house on Angel Ln! As I prepared to see the house I questioned if I should even look at it due to the cost and not wanting to get my hopes up. I was actually going to cancel the meeting but Jackie suggested I at least meet with him and see the house, so I did. The house was more than I would have ever expected or hoped for. As I began talking to the owner, I observed very quickly he was a very gentle, easy going, and friendly guy. As we walked through the house he randomly mentioned he would be fine with a month to month rental agreement, which is something both Jackie and I hoped for as we are still seeking God’s direction on how long we will be here in Portland. Long story short, he ended up letting us move in that very night with a 3-month “lease”. We were in awe of God’s goodness and how He answered our prayers! It was pretty awesome because Isaiah made the comment on his own that God had answered his prayer for a house the same day! 

After settling in for a few days, I jumped in and started working at the Faith on Hill Church. It has been nice to get familiarized with the operation of the church and start doing some needed projects around the building. I was able to install my first deadbolt lock. I had to cut the holes out and everything. For many of you that is probably no big deal but for me that was pretty huge! I did get a bit excited with the chisel and had to use a fancy wood marker to cover up my excitement! I was also able to sit in on a Pastor’s meeting that was very informative and gave me some good tools about sharing the Gospel! The focus on the meeting was evangelizing both inside and outside the church. Our goal over the next few weeks is to really start building relationships with folks at the church and in the community. 

During our time in Napa, my friend, John and I started a First Responders group that seeks to strengthen, support, and love the believers within that community. There is a lot interest and excitement in a Christ Centered group where we can gather together and sharpen one another. I believe God is looking for Christian leaders within the First Responder agencies. Leaders who will stand for God first, not compromise, and shine brightly for God’s glory. We have committed to meet once a month and I will be flying down to California to meet with this group. John and I have begun recording weekly videos encouraging the Napa First Responder group in their relationship with the Lord. The videos are intended to prepare everyone for the coming monthly meeting. I do not have space to write about everything that is going on with this but I am really excited about it. 

I have begun trying to reach out to First Responders in the Portland area as well. I have also been speaking with the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Agency in this area in hopes of building a relationship with more First Responders. They invited me to their monthly Chaplin meetings as well as meeting one on one with them. My hope and prayer to start another First Responder group here in Portland! After talking to other Brothers and Sisters in the Law Enforcement community, I have discovered that there is a hunger to meet together with other Christians working in this industry. The job our First Responders do on a daily basis is so crucial and important. They see things, hear things, and experience things on a daily basis that many would not be able to handle mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. This environment can also be a stumbling block in one’s relationship with God which is why it’s important to be meeting together and encouraging each other in Christ. 

We always appreciate your prayers and here are a few things we are asking you to join us in prayer about this month: 

  • Please pray that doors would be opened for ministry to the First Responder community here in Portland. 
  • Pray that God would provide us many opportunities to serve in this area and share his love in new, bold, and creative ways.
  • Pray also that God would help us know the best way to serve Faith on Hill and Pastor Adam and his family.  

As always we want to thank you for your support and prayers for us. It is exciting to see new ministries starting to sprout. We are looking forward to what God will do in the coming months! 

With love, 

The Mosleys 

The Adventures Continue – Garcia Spring 2019 Update

Posted on by Joel Garcia

Hello Friends and Family!

Well, it’s springtime now, almost Easter, and that is the due date for our fourth little one, Clara, to make her appearance! So, I thought I would give you guys an update before we enter the busy season of bringing a new infant into the family 🙂

After my trip to South America, I expected that maybe my return to the SGWM home office would be a bit of a downer. Don’t get me wrong, I was more than ready to return home! But when you’re out on the field amongst all of the “action” of missions, it can make the things we do as senders back in Yorba Linda seem a bit mundane. Praise God I was wrong! When I see these families on the field doing the work of the ministry, it inspires me and excites me even more to put my hand to the plow back at the home base. Not only that, but life has been as busy as ever since my feet hit home turf again; the adventures have simply continued here in Southern California. Here is a quick rundown of what we’ve been up to via pictures 🙂

Just a few days after my return from South America, I had the privilege of representing SGWM at CC Downey, the home church of our missionary Zully Ruano who is preparing to go to Spain. At her informational dessert gathering, I told her friends and supporters about who SGWM is and the work we do for missionaries, and we had a sweet time of prayer over her!
In early March, we took a little vacation with Amy’s parents to their time share in Carlsbad, which included a fun family day at the San Diego Zoo!

Near the end of March, I took a day trip to Mexico with Pastor Tim, his fiancé Jenn, and our friend Denise. We visited the special needs orphanage that we work with in Tecate, Mexico. Denise will be spending her summer there serving at the orphanage, which takes care of both young people and adults who are unable to care for themselves due to mental and physical handicaps, so we wanted to scope things out with her. We were also there for Pastor Tim and I to interview Miguel Romero, who manages the orphanage, to officially partner with us as SGWM missionaries. We are blessed to be in the process of bringing them on board with us!

Finally, I was blessed to be able to be able to go back to my former employer, Evangelical Christian Credit Union, and share about my South America trip and my ministry with SGWM. ECCU was such an amazing company to work for, and they have such a heart and generosity toward ministry and missions! It is always a blessing to return and share there and see all of my friends I used to work with!

Finally, Pastor Tim and I have been holding the fort here at the SGWM home office as well as the church, as Pastor Trent and Pastor Mike are in the middle east. We’ve had the privilege of interviewing Nepali national missionaries via Skype, teaching through the Psalms on Sunday mornings with our congregation, teaching our Thursday night School of Discipleship and Ministry, and generally helping things to continue running smoothly while a few of our team members are away.

Please continue to pray for us in this busy season, especially for Amy’s health (and sanity!) as she gets through these final days of pregnancy. Also, would you pray about becoming a financial partner with us as we serve SGWM missionaries around the globe? We love you all and thank you for your prayers, support, and for taking the time to read about what the Lord is doing in and through us!

Love in Christ,
Joel, Amy, Maggie, Harrison, Jude, and Clara Garcia

Harris Family March 2019 Update

Posted on by Joel Garcia
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”  2 Cor 5:17
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Thank you so much for the prayers and for the support that you have given to us as a family.  Our ministry here wouldn’t be the same without you!  

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300 kids showed up to hear the Gospel at VBS!

In our last update we wrote to you about how our organization was going to step into the new venture of ministering to widows.  On the 23rd of March we had our official launch!  The widows ministry is a huge blessing to it’s participants, giving them discipleship for their spiritual health, with both monthly food packages and the ability to start small home businesses for their physical health.  In the future we hope to be able to include some sort of health care plan.  The great part about this ministry is that since we are operating it through our students churches, it provides a practical means for their further discipleship.  Even after they graduate from our school we will still have the opportunity to walk with them.  We were happy to host a small team from Rocky Mountain Calvary who had the privilege of helping us with that launch.  

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The short term team handing out food packages at the Widows Ministry launch.

On the 27th of March we had the whole community of Adak (the village where we live) join us for the grand reopening of our health facility, which underwent great remodeling during December and January.  We pushed the party to March so that the team from the US would be able to celebrate with us.  At the party we had speeches from pastors, political figures from the community and from our staff, as well as a skit and a time of cultural dancing.  

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Noah learning to walk!

As our family has been learning the Acholi language, we have been seeing some of the sadness and hopelessness of our community.  Much as in Bible times when they used to name their children after circumstances, the Acholi also name their children after the most significant parts of their lives at the time of the child’s birth.  As a result, our community is full of names meaning things like “poverty”, “born through witchcraft”, “Born to the second wife through witchcraft”, “tired”, “problem”, and even the name “cursed” is very common.  This last month I (Matt) have had the unique opportunity to bring the hope of Christ to future generations.  As some of you may know our clinic delivers into the world approximately 40 babies each month, and as a means of seeking Gods presence and blessing, many mothers desire men of God to name their newborns.  Children who’s parents are named “Cursed” are now being named “Blessed”, who’s parents are named “Painful Death” are called “Mercy”!  Never before had I named a strangers child, but it is a great honor to be requested to dedicate a new child to the Lord in such a way. Praise God!

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Shout out to our home church, Calvary Worship Center, thank you so much for the package you sent. It made it just in time for Emma’s 4th birthday!
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Matt, Noelle, Emma, Madeline and Noah

Vincent Family April 2019 Missions Update

Posted on by Joel Garcia

Greetings from Mexico,

I have some exciting news to share with you about an important new ministry in the church! In March, we opened up the “El Faro” (lighthouse) halfway house/discipleship men’s home! This new ministry is run by my friend and minister partner Uriel Gonzalez and his wife Jody! (and son Jonathon too!)

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Uriel came to our church straight from a US jail over 10 years ago, with a tough past and looking for hope! Over the years, Uriel has graduated from our intern program, completed a 9 month discipleship program, found a virtuous wife at the church, and even left for a season to serve as an assistant pastor of one of our new church plants! But three years ago, God called this Godly couple back home to Rosarito with a vision to start this discipleship home!

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The “Lighthouse” discipleship home is a sober living house for men who have graduated from a rehab center/ mens’ home! As you can imagine, many men struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. Our church is (and always will be ) a place where anyone can come and receive free help and Godly counsel.

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And on average, we place 4 men and women in rehabilitation homes. The problem is that many of these friends have much difficulty staying sober and faithful to the Lord when they leave/ graduate and attempt to move back into society!

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Three years ago, Uriel came to me with his vision of opening up and leading a sober living men’s home! In this facility, the men would work full time at a job and pay rent and their own expenses, while also being disciple daily, and learn to serve in our local church! Just this past month we had our official grand opening as four men moved into this new rental home directly next door to the house of Uriel and Jody!

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These men got to move in free, and have everything provided for them, as they went out each morning to search for a job! Even though our economy here is struggling, praise the Lord, all four men found full time employment WITHIN THE FRST WEEK! These men also have their personal devotions each morning followed by a discipleship breakfast with Uriel.

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After work, these men return home to rest and serve in the church which is located only a few blocks away! These men are learning sober living skills that we believe are going to last them for a lifetime! Many of them are also hoping to be restored to their children and families!

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We are so thankful for each one of you our precious ministry partners! It is through your love, prayers, and financial partnership that we are able to reach what Jesus called, “the least of these!” Thank you so much for partnering with us. We feel honored and blessed to serve the Lord together with you in the ripe mission fields of Mexico!

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Con mucho amor de Mexico,  (with much love from Mexico)

Mike, Sarah, Grace, and Daniel

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My son Daniel, playing keyboard at the end of the service!

Prayer Requests!

#1-  That God would bless the four men that are living in our discipleship/sober living home!    

#2-  That God would continue to provide for the needs of our family and church in Rosarito!  

Praise Reports!

#1- Praise God for our 22nd church plant that we were blessed to send out to Campeche at the end of March!

#2- Praise the Lord for the grand opening of our long prayed over men’s discipleship home, El Faro!  

Introducing Eden Grace

Posted on by Joel Garcia

Thank you all for praying for Tonielle’s pregnancy and the birth of our daughter. We are very happy to announce that Eden Grace Sarkar was born, via emergency c-section, on February 16, 2019 at 11:40am. She weighed 3.42kg (7.5lb) and was 18.5 inches long. 

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It has now been a month and a half with our sweet little girl and we are having a great time getting to know her. She now weighs 4.78kg (10.5lbs) and she is 21 inches long.

This past month has been a month of rest and adjustment for Tonielle, while Pankaj has been busy hosting teams, teaching at church, and preparing for the opening of the School of Worship.

Please continue to pray for our family – especially for Levi – as we all adjust and learn how to function as a family of 4. 

Love, Pankaj, Tonielle, Levi, and Eden Sarkar

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Cambodia Missions Update: In Season and Out of Season

Posted on by Joel Garcia

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2

We are going through a time which is both “in season” and “out of season” at the same time. On one hand, our various ministries are expanding both in breadth and in depth, which I will share more about in this update. On the other hand, Cambodia is going through its hot/dry season now so daily blackouts of up to six hours nationwide (so far, by God’s grace, we’ve been spared from most of these), highs around 99F, running water cuts and shortages, sicknesses, exhaustion, car repairs, and serious upcoming financial needs, mean that we must choose to keep our eyes on Christ and not the many storms around us as we walk by faith.

Christian Apologetics Classes:

Darryl will finish teaching the Leadership and Christian Apologetics Training Course the end of March. The Pastor wants him to teach more in the future but given the “seasonal challenges” mentioned above, we are not sure whether these trainings will be done before our visit to the USA this summer or in the fall, after we return to Cambodia.

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Darryl with Pastor Phanet (right) and Apologetics/Leadership students at Kingsway Church.

Darryl will also start teaching Christian Apologetics classes again at the Cambodia Presbyterian Theological Institute between the end of March and the middle of June.

Visiting the USA and Urgent Financial Need

We will be spending some time in the USA this summer between June 20 and August 6. We will be mainly in the LA/Orange County areas of California. We need to take care of some banking needs and to reconnect with our senders and relatives in the US since we have been out of the USA for two years.

Please also pray that God will open doors for us to connect with more regular financial partners. Up until now, Kayo’s parents in Japan have been sponsoring Benjamin’s Christian school tuition. This has been a huge blessing, even though they are not Christians (yet). They are retiring soon and so we need around $600 additional each month to cover the financial gap starting this fall. We have additional financial needs beyond this, but this is just the most urgent.

Light Times Magazine and Christian Videos Update

Darryl continues to write apologetics/evangelistic articles and help with English editing for Light Times Magazine, the only Christian magazine in Cambodia. Because it is a magazine, non-Christians are much more willing to receive and read it than they would be to receive and read a tract. Recently the format has changed to focus on readers younger college and career age readers. Below is a Facebook post from Soksan, LT’s founder.

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Darryl has also joined Cambodian Christians along with French, and Indian missionaries in a joint project of producing live-action Cambodian Christian videos for social media through True Media at https://www.facebook.com/mediais4god/

The missionary from India told Darryl that when he was in Bible School in Bangalore, India that one of his textbooks was, Christianity: Reasons for Faith which Darryl co-authored a few years ago! It remains a mystery how the book moved from Cambodia to India.

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One of True Media’s Videos

Partnering With Persecuted Christians

Darryl continues to work to encourage, equip, and partner with Christians from Ch!n@ and P@k!$t@n who have been forced to move to Cambodia for religious freedom. Because of the freedom here in Cambodia, we are planning to develop Christian materials here in their own languages and then send them back to their homelands via social media and underground methods.

Kayo’s Ministries Updates

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Precious Women Organization helps poor women who work in the “night-time entertainment” industry to learn new skills for better careers and Christ’s love.

Kayo also continues to minister to Japanese missionaries and workers in Cambodia who are currently struggling with environmental challenges mentioned above and also have greater difficulty communicating with Cambodians because of language barriers. Kayo is also involved in helping the international church’s worship team learn and use new administrative software. This is even more more urgent because the main worship leader had a stroke yesterday.

In Christ’s Hands,

Darryl, Kayo, and Benjamin

Family In Spirit – Aniku Family Update April 2019

Posted on by Joel Garcia

“For as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” Col 2:1b

CC Flower Mound, Texas was amazing!  God really showed us how close we are to those who pray for us and we for them, even if we have never met in person!  From the moment, we met everyone, it was like seeing a best friend you hadn’t seen in sometime and need to catch up. Like Paul says in Philippians, true companions. Encouraging each other in Christ, sharing the amazing things He has done and is doing.  What a beautiful family we have in Christ!  Please never cease to pray for those you have not met!  We are knit together in God’s Spirit!  

Heading Home

Finally, we are getting ready to head back home!  We leave April 9thbut do not reach Midigo until Palm Sunday.  Please pray as the spiritual warfare is getting strong.  We praise God we still have 2 times to share and encourage the body of Christ before we leave.  This time in America has been so amazing.  God has kept us busy for sure which was our prayer.  Encouraging our American brothers and sisters to be bold in the faith, sharing the gospel, for the days are dark.  Zachary was able to grow, reaching goals quickly through the therapies he had.  Zachary shares how he is excited to go back home and serve God helping the crying babies. Ian made friends and learned how to work through being bullied.  Ian has turned to prayer for everything!  His faith amazes me!  Can’t wait to see how God will use them!  Vincent was poured into by many pastors and given things to equip all the ministries! God also sent so many people to pour into me too!  From weekly discipleship, women’s ministry, Bible College (so far, I am getting A’s!), Children’s Ministry trainings and conferences for both missions and children’s ministry! 

Luke 12:48 “To whom much is given, from him much is expected.” With all that was given to our whole family these months, we are expecting big things from God for each of us!  Excited, yet sober minded, knowing the enemy is like a lion.  Please continue to pray for us!  

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for our last teachings.  One of my fillings has just fallen out.  Pray they can fix it before we head back.  
  • Please pray for our packing, travels, health and adjustments.  We will be hitting the ground running for sure! We are going back with Destiny who will be serving alongside us.  Please remember to pray for her!  This will be her first time to Uganda.
  • Continue to pray for our Ugandan Children, Ministries and the church!  
  • Please pray for my parents!  I’m sure it will be quiet with all of us out of their house.

Praise Reports

  • God has supplied the money to start construction on the Library and community center!!!! Pray God continues to go before us and pave the way!   We don’t want to put God in a bubble and we don’t want to veer off His path in any way! 
  • We were able to get all our goals done and then some!  My friend Diane spent a whole day helping me look up recourses.  It is possible that we went a little laminating crazy.  I feel equip, at peace and blessed!  All I can say is WOW God, thank you!  All God has taught me, especially about His mysteries has blown my mind!   

Garcia Family Update: South America Pt. 3 – Brazil

Posted on by Joel Garcia

Hello Friends!

Who knew that one missions trip would require three updates for me to scratch the surface of everything God did with our team in South America! But alas, here we are at update #3 to talk about my time in Brazil, the final leg of our South America trip.

Drinking out of a coconut!

While some of my greatest spiritual warfare happened in Peru, Brazil was the toughest portion of the trip for me both physically and emotionally, despite the fact that (praise God!) my sickness did not follow me into the Amazon jungle. Physically, the pounding heat and humidity of the jungle wore on me over the first two days there, and emotionally, due to the length of the trip, I was really missing my family the most in Brazil, especially in the jungle where I had zero contact with them.

But we’ll start with the good… the Miller family, our missionaries in Brazil, are amazing! The four of us pastors quickly bonded with their kids, and good thing, because we would all be in close quarters for our five days in the jungle! The Millers were super hospitable upon our arrival in their home city of Manaus, which is a sort of hub for missionaries who serve in the Amazon jungle of Brazil. We spent a day in Manaus just getting to know the Millers, and doing some shopping with Brad Miller in the city in preparation for our trip, which was an adventure in itself.

These bananas are heavier than they look… I was struggling here!

The next day, we took a 2 hour drive to Manacapuru (say that 10 times fast…), the port city where we boarded our speedboat. That little speedboat would take the nine of us to the Apurina people, the tribe that the Millers minister to, in 11 hours down the Amazon river. The view was beautiful, but between that and the return trip, I’m not looking to board any more boats any time soon…

Beautiful view on our boat ride

The Apurina people are amazing, and the Lord is doing great things among them through the Miller family. Brad typically stays there in the village for three weeks at a time, sometimes alone and sometimes with his whole family, before going back to Manaus for a few weeks, and then doing it all over again. While there, he does a church service every evening on top of Sunday mornings, as well as Bible classes for a few of the men every morning, and a children’s ministry program on Saturdays. But perhaps the coolest thing is that some of the leaders Brad is raising up, who take over services for him while he is not in the jungle, are now preparing to go to other tribes to be missionaries there. It was amazing to watch God’s plans for unreached people groups unfolding before our eyes!

Group shot with the Apurina tribe in their church building

The brutal jungle environment did wear on me physically and mentally. Praise God He sent lots of rain while we were there, which did have the effect of cooling things down slightly, though the humidity was still overwhelming. One night, as I lay in the pitch black in my hammock, missing my family as all of the jungle noises made their best effort to lull me to sleep, the words of Martin Luther’s hymn played on repeat through my mind…

Let goods and kindred go
This mortal life also
The body they may kill
God’s truth will triumph still
His kingdom is forever

While I certainly wasn’t facing death, I realized in a deeper way than ever all of the comforts of home and family and friends and hot water and A/C and the English language, etc., that missionaries give up, because they count lost souls as worth that sacrifice. They care so much about God’s glory, about the eternal state of the souls of the lost and unreached, that they are willing to leave everything familiar to them. And believe me, in the jungle, there is very little that is familiar to us! I praise God for this insight, and that night in my hammock, He began the process of dealing with some of the idols in my own heart.

A typical jungle house
Me and Pastor Tim’s room, with a mosquito net-covered hammock

As seems to be typical in foreign countries, the locals love English worship, so I played plenty of songs for them. I also had the privilege of teaching their children’s program Saturday afternoon, as well as teaching their Sunday morning service! I will always treasure those special blessings.

Teaching the kids with Veronica Miller, age 9, translating for me!

When our time in the jungle was over, we went back to Manaus, where Pastor Trent got to share some ministry vision with Brad, and we got to bless the kids with some fun times, including a trip to see pink dolphins!

All in all, this whole trip was an amazing experience. I was so happy to go home to be with my family again, but I also came home a changed person, with the many things the Lord taught me and ways He showed me I need to grow. Most of all, I saw the importance of trips like these. SGWM is committed to not just making decisions from a desk in Yorba Linda about what is going on in the nations, but actually being willing to get our hands dirty, so to speak, and actually connect with the work the Lord is doing through our missionaries. That way, our partnership with them is more informed, our fellowship with them is all the sweeter, and we can carry back the great news of how the Lord is using them in order to stir up the church in America for missions. And that was more than worth it for a few days of me letting goods and kindred go.