WALKING WITH GOD, STOPPING FOR THE ONE

11Aug

WALKING WITH GOD,

STOPPING FOR THE ONE

Hi Family and Friends,

The past weeks have been incredibly eventful and fruitful! We flew out from Tijuana, arrived in Mazatlán, and headed straight to Calvary Maranatha to get ready for Vacation Bible School (VBS). That very same day, I had the opportunity to volunteer with the games. At the end of VBS, I was blessed to give a soccer ball to one of the kids. While in Mazatlán, we also visited Calvary Chapel East Maranatha and were blessed to help clean up the church. Later, we did home visits, which turned into a sweet day of fellowship, encouragement, and prayer—definitely a divine appointment! We even had a free day to relax and unwind at the beach.

Last but not least, we visited an unreached people group called the Cora Tribe. They speak Cora and Spanish, and live up in the mountains in San Gregorio. When I first arrived, I was greeted by a little girl named Floricel, who smiled and hugged me. We partnered with an organization called Now Missions from Mexico, and Jenna was my group leader for the next four days. In this tribe, there is no church, no pastor, and the Good News is completely foreign to them. The people cultivate and live off the land, they do not have electricity, and visitors cannot enter the village without explicit permission. Their houses reminded me of old Western movies, and everyone wore beautiful, similar handmade apparel.

My very first interaction was with a little girl. I asked her if she knew who God was, and when she said no, I began to explain that God created the heavens, the earth, and her. She just smiled and listened intently. That was the exact moment I truly realized how badly they need the Word of God and the knowledge of the One True God.

The following day, we went door-to-door inviting the villagers to our community event, which included medical support, children’s teachings, and activities. I assisted at the medical camp. As people arrived and waited to see the medic, the Lord began to prompt my heart to share the Gospel with them. My brother in Christ, James, and I teamed up several times to share the Good News. The people were incredibly receptive and ready to receive Jesus as their Savior! I believe we were able to lead almost everyone we spoke with in a prayer of salvation. As Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

On our last day, we held a Sunday service. We went out early that morning knocking on doors to remind and invite everyone. The families truly responded and the lot was completely full! We even ran out of chairs and had the kids sit on blankets. Some families even brought the Bibles we had just given them. At the end of the service, we blessed them with free blankets to take home. During our time there, I also learned how to say "God loves you" in Cora: "Tabastere Ni’mu chueve."

Sharing the Good News is my greatest joy. Stopping for that one person who still needs to hear the Gospel was our entire heartbeat on this trip.

After leaving the mountains, we arrived back at Calvary Maranatha. The following day, we had some free time, so a few of the girls and I went to get our nails done. It turned out to be so much more than a nail appointment—it was another divine appointment! I got the opportunity to share the Gospel with four of the girls working there. They all wanted to place their faith in Jesus, and I led them in a prayer of confession, we also directed them to the local church Calvary Maranatha.

To end our trip in Mazatlán, the Lord reminded us once again what this journey was all about: stopping for the four precious souls in that salon, just like He stops for each of us.

How You Can Pray With Us

As we settle back in, our hearts remain with the people we met. Please join us in praying for:

The Cora Tribe: Pray that the seeds of the Gospel planted in San Gregorio take deep root. Pray for protection over the families, that they would continue reading the Bibles they received, and that God would send permanent workers to establish a church and pastor in their village.

The Four Nail Salon Girls: Pray for these young women as they begin their walk with Jesus. Pray that their faith grows strong, that they accept the invitation to Calvary Maranatha or find another healthy local church community, and that they would be bold in sharing their new faith with their own families.

Ongoing Fruit: Pray for Now Missions and the local churches in Mazatlán as they follow up with the people we encountered.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, support, and for partnering with us in this ministry!

Also, I still have a balance for my tuition so if you feel led to give, please click the link at the bottom of this newsletter and may the Lord bless you!