We have been pleased to welcome a large group from Ohio to help us in various ways. The Parma Heights Baptist Church has sent a group of 27 people. We have split the group into three different areas of ministry: 1) Ecatepec, a "suburb" of 3 million people that are the NE corner of Mexico City -- This group will be helping the Iglesia Biblica Cristo Vive (Christ Lives Bible Church) with their VBS that begins tomorrow and will be held all week. They have had up to 300 children attend in the past!! Carolyn Ruiz is their missionary host. 2) Acolman, a small town just touching the extreme NE edge of Mexico City that is only 10 minutes away from the pyramids of Teotihuacan -- This group will do construction projects at the Lily of the Valley Retreat Center. We are excited for these physical labor contributions that will bring us ever closer to constant ministry use of the Retreat Center. Less people contact with local Mexicans but still a very valued ministry. Moises Ruiz is their missionary host. 3) Atizapan, another "suburb" of Mexico City that is located in the NW of the Mexico City metropolitan area -- This group will be putting on our first ever English camp for a target audience of middle school/junior high school to high school aged students of middle to upper class families in the area. Marcel and Ingrid Mitchell are the missionary hosts along with Craig and Denise Williams, CAM missionaries who live 10 minutes away and with whom we (Ruizes and Mitchells) hope to begin a new church plant. Much has all ready been accomplished at the Retreat Center and we are all ready enjoying fresh bright paint in the boys' dorm. Today the "VBS group" was busy all afternoon with decorating in preparation for the arrival of children aged 4 to 13 in the morning. The "English Camp group" has been preparing and practising music. Feedback from registering parents is that their children have had the English grammar lessons but lack opportunities to practise so we have all ready "tweaked" our new program for more emphasis in this regard.
Contacts made with family members through this English camp are how we hope to form a new church plant in our area. While our family, the Mitchells, were in Texas, the Ruizes and Williams hit the pavement and went door to door in many gated communities handing out fliers of invitation. We were hoping to have at least 50 teenagers attend. Our preregistrations have brought us 19 teens. Please pray for more attendees but most of all, pray for the connection of Mexican families who are searching for a life changing experience with Jesus.
A brief summary of our past weekend: We celebrated the 4th of July with our American friends with Mexican fireworks, purchased by our own local American fireworks expert, Craig Williams. We had a noisy time bothering our neighbors with fireworks for a change rather than the other way around while the whole group of 27 were at the Retreat Center for the weekend. This morning, each person was individually introduced to the congregation of Christ Lives Bible Church and some testimonies will be given next Sunday. Another big highlight was Richard and Sue's presentation of a new wheelchair to our Retreat Center caretaker, Juan. Posted is a picture of his old wheelchair with an added donut cushion to try and improve the comfort of the hard and narrow wheelchair seat. When Juan needs to put his wheelchair into his car, the wheels now remove with the push of a button rather than the previous butterfly nuts on his old wheelchair. The whole chair is lighter and more comfortable and Juan is very pleased and thankful.
Contacts made with family members through this English camp are how we hope to form a new church plant in our area. While our family, the Mitchells, were in Texas, the Ruizes and Williams hit the pavement and went door to door in many gated communities handing out fliers of invitation. We were hoping to have at least 50 teenagers attend. Our preregistrations have brought us 19 teens. Please pray for more attendees but most of all, pray for the connection of Mexican families who are searching for a life changing experience with Jesus.
A brief summary of our past weekend: We celebrated the 4th of July with our American friends with Mexican fireworks, purchased by our own local American fireworks expert, Craig Williams. We had a noisy time bothering our neighbors with fireworks for a change rather than the other way around while the whole group of 27 were at the Retreat Center for the weekend. This morning, each person was individually introduced to the congregation of Christ Lives Bible Church and some testimonies will be given next Sunday. Another big highlight was Richard and Sue's presentation of a new wheelchair to our Retreat Center caretaker, Juan. Posted is a picture of his old wheelchair with an added donut cushion to try and improve the comfort of the hard and narrow wheelchair seat. When Juan needs to put his wheelchair into his car, the wheels now remove with the push of a button rather than the previous butterfly nuts on his old wheelchair. The whole chair is lighter and more comfortable and Juan is very pleased and thankful.
1 comment:
Hey this is jessie(bernice's daughter) from parma heights baptist church. I worked with the Spanish team in Mexico. I just wanted to say thank you so much. I had an amazing tiem and was so glad I went. I'll be praying for you guys!!! Tell Emma I said hi!!!!
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