NEW YEAR, NEW HOPE
ADIÓS, MARÍA ELENA. HELLO, HOPE!
January started with a bang this year as we continued our ministry in Casa Manantial, the women’s rehab center. On January 3, we had an extra celebration of hope as we said, “Adios!” to and had a formal send-off for one of our ladies. María Elena was sent to us from another city, 3 hours away from Culiacán, with no way of returning home. After completing her program just before Christmas, she was able to go home, accompanied by one of the ladies on our ministry team. There is no greater joy than being able to partake in the fruits of your ministry! Our eyes were filled with tears of joy and hope as we said goodbye, and María Elena was sent off with innumerable hugs and prayers.
The Transformadas staff sending off Maria Elena (left – Maria Elena is the one on blue) and our weekly online prayer meetings where we pray together for the ministry, the staff, the center, and all of the women’s prayer requests (right).
With the delicate situation in our war-torn city, people’s hearts are still VERY open the Gospel. As a result, we have seen an unusually high number of professions faith in the rehab center. Join us in praying for María Elena’s reencounter with her family and the construction of her new life in Los Mochis, but don’t forget to pray for all of the women still in the rehab center who are so eagerly seeking salvation in Jesus Christ.
“THANK GOD, YOU’RE BACK!”
A few days later, Sammy and I headed down to Nayarit with a team of 30 people to continue our work among the unreached Cora tribe in San Gregorio. After a rather adventurous trip down, we had an amazing time on the mountain! (Our borrowed bus broke down at least once every hour of the 6-hour trip to Ruiz, and after getting up at 4:00am after less than 4 hours of sleep, we missed our bus to San Gregorio and had to take a later route.)
Our arrival was received with great joy. After our initial visit last August and follow-up visit in October to deliver more than 70 Bibles house-to-house, the authorities were more than happy to lend us their community center for our base camp again. As soon as we set up camp, the ministry began. Between the medical brigades and the children’s ministry, our days were packed! We had so many patients show up that we had to ask them to come back in the morning. With no electricity, we could only work until the sun went down… though we kept working by flashlight for nearly two more hours. The best part was the after-ministry. Many people gave their lives to Christ, and many more told us, “I’m so glad you came back! I have so many questions, and I didn’t know who to ask!” It was a time of great joy and thankfulness as we welcomed new brothers and sisters into the family of Christ and discipled many baby believers.
Fixing the bus on the way to Nayarit… again (left) and preaching to those gathered in the “waiting room” of our campsite in San Gregorio waiting for their turn to see the nurse during the medical brigade (right)
One of the men who was asked to return the next day to receive medical care turned out to be an answer to one of our prayers. Nicolas returned early and was one of our first patients. While the nurse attended him, he asked if we would be able to go talk to his family, because they wanted to hear more about Jesus. He told us they lived “just up the hill.” We found out later that “just up the hill” meant an hour and a half hike straight up the mountain! LOL! The poor guy had hiked an hour to see us, an hour and a half home after not receiving care, and another hour back down the next morning. Now that's longing for the word of God! We sent a team of six people back with him that afternoon. They found 20 people anxiously awaiting the Gospel, almost all of whom gave their lives to Christ. The coolest part is that Nicolas and his brother want to be trained as pastors, so they can start a church and minister to their community and San Gregorio. We're praying about how to train them so that we can turn that desire into reality and an answer to our prayers for a local church and pastor.
Nicolas and his brother, the 2 Cora that want to become pastors, with David from our team (left) and Rendila (center), one of the Cora ladies I was privileged to disciple. We even listened to the Word of God together in Cora (right)!
Currently, we are collecting donations of shoes for next trip to Nayarit in April or May. (Let me know if you would like to donate!) We hope to finally be able to return to the Kuáre in Ojo de Agua and its neighboring communities with shoes to protect their feet, and the Gospel to save their souls. Join us in praying for Nicolas and his family and for the communities of San Gregorio, El Zapote, Ojo de Agua, and others where the Gospel is still waiting to be preached.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
Despite the situation we are facing here in Culiacán (the civil war among cartel factions), Calvary Culiacán continues to remain faithful to all that God has called us to do. On January 13, we started the second semester of the E.P.I.C.C., our church-plating school. We are still online only, but by the grace of God, these students will become real live world changers in spite of their difficult beginnings. Join me in praying for the 13 faithful students at our North campus and the nearly 40 other students at our South, West, East/Patria, and Aguaruto campuses. We know that one new church is about to be born as a result of this school (#12 here in Culiacán!), but we trust that God will continue working in the hearts of our other students, calling them to continue to take the Gospel where it has yet to be preached.
January 25 saw the end of an era and the renewal of another for our women’s ministry. Our small group celebrated its final meeting to be replaced by official, monthly meetings of Idónea, our main women’s ministry that had been virtually dormant for the past year. I’m very excited to join the staff as we present a verse-by-verse series based on the women of the Bible.
Our church’s online small groups continue meeting while we pray for a reduction in the violence in our city so we can meet physically again. I was privileged to preach to the women again this month as we continue our series in James. Please pray for these and all of our church’s ministries as we continue to seek not only God’s will but our own safety in all that we do. May God give our pastors wisdom to keep making tough decisions.
TIMES OF REFRESHING…
In spite of all the activity, we also got to enjoy a little bit of downtime this month. From ice skating on New Year’s Day, to a special birthday breakfast from my kids, to birthday cookies from a friend, to a Super Bowl party, God provided some well-earned moments to rest and refuel. But the best gift of all was a birthday present from my parents – access to an online exercise program designed for people recovering from cervical-spinal injuries. It has truly been a God-send! With the improvements I have seen in the last few weeks, there may yet be a full recovery in my future!
Times of refreshing: ice skating with my kids on New Year’s Day and celebrating my birthday on January 18.
HOW CAN YOU PARTNER WITH ME IN THIS GRAND MINISTRY?
Pray for us! The best way to support us is with daily prayer support. We can’t do what we do without the support of those at home that are committed to covering us in prayer every day. Here are a few things you can pray for…
- Pray for our continued safety and health during these difficult times in our city.
- Pray for my children – that Ruby would have continued favor with her job, that Sammy would do well in school, and that both would continue to grow in their walk with the Lord and find a ministry in which to serve.
- Pray for all of the ministries we are involved in, especially the women’s rehab center and the staff of Transformadas and all of the ministries of Calvary Culiacán.
- Pray for upcoming ministries including the revival of our outreach project in Valle de Agua and our continued mission trips as well as several upcoming conferences and events in February and March.
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