What Else Have We Been Doing?

Saturday evening....
After we left El Nino Saturday afternoon, we had a couple of hours before we began the events of the evening. Unfortunately, we did not get pictures of those meetings because we were all in different locations in the city! About 5:30, we dropped Dave off at a church where there was a Youth Meeting scheduled. The church is networked with Lo Mejor del Trigo (where we were in the morning), and has decided to have a monthly meeting for kids alternating with the Saturday evening monthly meeting out in El Nino. This was the first time, and they asked Dave to be there. He spoke a message to the kids about having the Heavenly Father's Blessing, and then several of the pastors who were there prayed with them to receive a blessing from God. Many of them have had bad relationships or no relationships with their earthly fathers, so this was a precious time for them.

In another church across the city, Pastor Jesus was presenting a workshop on marriage for pastors and church leaders and their spouses. I was scheduled to be at the same church in a different part of the building to speak to the single pastors and leaders. This turned out to be very interesting, as I was told they would be women, and I prepared accordingly. When we arrived and they began to trickle into the room, I realized that about half of them were young men -- leaders in their congregations. I felt a bit like the Apostle Paul when he saw the man beckoning him to Macedonia in a vision, but when he got there it turned out to be a woman -- Lydia!! I adjusted my teaching a bit, and we had a great time talking about Fulfilling our God-ordained Destiny.

Sunday morning was the beginning of another full day. We left very early in the morning to go back out to El Nino for the morning service. As we drove out of the city proper, Jesus called our attention to the very large drainage canal that runs down the middle of the highway, separating the two directions. This huge canal drains water away from the city when the rains run off the surrounding hills and flood the streets of the city. Down in the canal are little inlets that provide a measure of shelter when there is no water there. Jesus shared with us that approximately 1,000 people actually live in the canal. For the most part, they have been deported from the States and are trying to find a way back in. The Mexican government tries to send them back to the southern rural States of Mexico where their families originally came from, but they don't want to go.They don't speak much Spanish -- many of them having lived primarily in the States -- and they don't really know the culture down here. It's a very heartbreaking situation.
At Lo Mejor del Trigo, I had opportunity to meet with the Pastor and his leaders for about half an hour to talk with them about accomplishing the purpose that God had created them for. It was a precious time with them, and well received.

Dance Team at Vida Nueva

Pastor Marco, Jesus & Rosa Rodriquez

Pastor Marco & wife Kristina

After that time, Dave stayed in Lo Major del Trigo to preach for the morning service, and Jesus and I left to meet his wife Rosa at another church, Vida Nueva. Jesus and Rosa actually planted this church 14 years ago, and Sunday was the celebration of fourteen years being a church. And celebrate they did!! We walked into the middle of a worship time that you could hear a block away! These people give whole new meaning to worshiping with your whole heart, soul, body, and mind! The music was extremely loud, about 250 people or more were crowded into a room about 75 ft. square, the dance team were dancing beautifully with their tambourines, and in the midst of worship the shofar was blowing. Honestly, there are barely words to describe the spirit of celebration. Jesus preached, and of course we had to eat again (a common meal happens after EVERY service in EVERY church! We almost never go to church without eating.). By about 3:00 p.m. we were on our way back to rescue Dave, who by that time was watching the football game with Pastor Daniel!
We were back at the hotel, and free for the evening by about 5:00 p.m. Now here's a scarey part -- I fell sound asleep about 7:00 and didn't wake up until 6:30 the next morning! Dave left me and went across to the convenience store, and did a lot of banging around when he got back and I never heard a sound! God has been good to keep us rested on this trip! Since I was unconscious, there is nothing more to report for Sunday. It was an amazing day, and we have had opportunity to reconnect with many, many of our friends here. I'm picking up a bit more Spanish every time we come, so that also makes things a bit easier.

Next to come....Monday's events....