But you dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.
Jude 20-21
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Amigo Fiel (part 3)
FRIDAY:
We were up early in the morning for breakfast and devotions then off to the tent for final preparations. Some of the team started unloading and staging the shoeboxes while others finished blowing up balloons and beach balls. Kids started showing up and some provided crowd control and direction while some of us followed the kids inside and loved on them while we waited for everyone to arrive and the program to start. The boys and girls ranged in ages from infant to 14. We face painted them, played little games, made stuff out of the toy balloons, played catch with hacky sacks, juggled, did little tricks, and pretty much did anything goofy we could think of to just bring a smile to their faces. It was the funnest part of the whole trip and I looked forward to it each time.
The program would then start with a welcome aboard from Carlos and a prayer from Chuy. Music and beach ball madness was followed by a hilarious act by Nene the clown. The youth drama team from Amigo Fiel then took center stage with a cute musical-drama themed from the Lion King. The Gospel was presented and the children given a chance to accept Jesus as their Savior. They were then lined up for the distribution of the shoeboxes and Gospel tracts.
After the children left with their churches we got to clean up the tent, reorganize the chairs, and stage more shoeboxes. Amigo Fiel served us lunch with the drama team and then we were escorted around the neighborhood to hand out invitations to the evening outreaches.
Then we did it all over again and afterwards drove over to the actual Amigo Fiel church and got a tour. Played soccer with some of the kids there and then headed over to Base for dinner. Headed back to the tent for the evening outreach where Justin, our leader, gave an evangelistic message from John 15 (through interpreter Chuy) about the necessary importance of being connected to Jesus. Worship was headed up by the Italian missionary Leonardo and his daughter. A number of women came forward to accept Jesus!! What an awesome night. We headed home to Base late and fell to sleep exhausted yet again!
We were up early in the morning for breakfast and devotions then off to the tent for final preparations. Some of the team started unloading and staging the shoeboxes while others finished blowing up balloons and beach balls. Kids started showing up and some provided crowd control and direction while some of us followed the kids inside and loved on them while we waited for everyone to arrive and the program to start. The boys and girls ranged in ages from infant to 14. We face painted them, played little games, made stuff out of the toy balloons, played catch with hacky sacks, juggled, did little tricks, and pretty much did anything goofy we could think of to just bring a smile to their faces. It was the funnest part of the whole trip and I looked forward to it each time.
The program would then start with a welcome aboard from Carlos and a prayer from Chuy. Music and beach ball madness was followed by a hilarious act by Nene the clown. The youth drama team from Amigo Fiel then took center stage with a cute musical-drama themed from the Lion King. The Gospel was presented and the children given a chance to accept Jesus as their Savior. They were then lined up for the distribution of the shoeboxes and Gospel tracts.
After the children left with their churches we got to clean up the tent, reorganize the chairs, and stage more shoeboxes. Amigo Fiel served us lunch with the drama team and then we were escorted around the neighborhood to hand out invitations to the evening outreaches.
Then we did it all over again and afterwards drove over to the actual Amigo Fiel church and got a tour. Played soccer with some of the kids there and then headed over to Base for dinner. Headed back to the tent for the evening outreach where Justin, our leader, gave an evangelistic message from John 15 (through interpreter Chuy) about the necessary importance of being connected to Jesus. Worship was headed up by the Italian missionary Leonardo and his daughter. A number of women came forward to accept Jesus!! What an awesome night. We headed home to Base late and fell to sleep exhausted yet again!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Amigo Fiel (part 2)
I am now home!
Everyone is sleeping and I am still digesting the weekend.
THURSDAY:
The 8 people on our team started carpooling at 4am from Chico to Sacramento...about a 2 hr drive in the fog. We were all a little sleepy since our first, final, and only team meeting wasn't over until 10:00 the night before. It is amazing that God uses us miserable creatures for anything! I think He takes great pleasure in using the "are nots"! (1 Cor 1:27-29)
After flying to El Paso, we were picked up at the airport in the afternoon by Chuy, one of Carlos' right-hand men. We crossed the border and immediately turned down into a drainage flood bypass. This was apparently the fastest most direct route through Juarez! However, during our many travels over the next few days we were constantly being watched over by guardian angels. People drive in Juarez like they are in a Death Race Destruction Derby!! It seems that only aggressive drivers get anywhere! The roads are horrible, signs are often only suggestions, and there seems to be no rules hardly at all. Our drivers kept us injury free and I praise God for our safety.
We disembarked at the mission Base, met Carlos, met four people from a Calvary in Alberquerque, and then headed straight out to the tent. It was out on the edge of Juarez in a real beat up neighborhood. It looked like a war zone with houses in crumbling disarray and dirt roads littered with debris. It was hard to believe that families were living in some of the homes. The use of the tent was provided by an Italian missionary, Leonardo, who owned and travelled with it doing outreach and evangelistic work. We got to hear him sing and play numerous instruments and preach! He was a one-man crusade!!
Our tasks that first cold evening were to set up chairs and build a simple barrier fence around the tent. We got to meet some of the members of Amigo Fiel who would be helping off and on over the weekend. Some kids from the neighborhoods were out doing recon and were told where to find the local pastors to get a bracelet. Then we headed back to Base for dinner, worship, devotion, and fellowship as one big Team. We went to bed exhausted from the long day.
THE TEAM:
They say that one of the biggest issues facing long-term missionaries is strife within their own ranks. Our Team wasn't together for very long but I did see the seeds of discord start to sprout. Thankfully we have also been shown the tools of peace and forgiveness. And our times of worship and prayer together were magnificent. It was a pleasurable experience to be either serving in ministry or praying or worshipping or fellowshiping with Christians or studying the Word nearly all day every day.
Our leader was our church's high school pastor and his wife. Many on the team had never been to Mexico, many had never been on a mission, a few were new to Christianity, some were veteran short-term missionaries, and all seemed excited to be there. A couple people were hampered with illness. Most did not speak Spanish. The youngest was 25, the oldest about 50. Some were able to do hard physical work. It was a very eclectic group and we all got along famously. Some were quiet, some were loud. Some led, some followed, some did their own thing. Everyone had a niche where they fit in and found something worthwhile to do at every event. Sometimes that meant getting up and giving an evangelistic message, sometimes it meant mopping the floors. There were 12 of us...we were the Americanos!
Everyone is sleeping and I am still digesting the weekend.
THURSDAY:
The 8 people on our team started carpooling at 4am from Chico to Sacramento...about a 2 hr drive in the fog. We were all a little sleepy since our first, final, and only team meeting wasn't over until 10:00 the night before. It is amazing that God uses us miserable creatures for anything! I think He takes great pleasure in using the "are nots"! (1 Cor 1:27-29)
After flying to El Paso, we were picked up at the airport in the afternoon by Chuy, one of Carlos' right-hand men. We crossed the border and immediately turned down into a drainage flood bypass. This was apparently the fastest most direct route through Juarez! However, during our many travels over the next few days we were constantly being watched over by guardian angels. People drive in Juarez like they are in a Death Race Destruction Derby!! It seems that only aggressive drivers get anywhere! The roads are horrible, signs are often only suggestions, and there seems to be no rules hardly at all. Our drivers kept us injury free and I praise God for our safety.
We disembarked at the mission Base, met Carlos, met four people from a Calvary in Alberquerque, and then headed straight out to the tent. It was out on the edge of Juarez in a real beat up neighborhood. It looked like a war zone with houses in crumbling disarray and dirt roads littered with debris. It was hard to believe that families were living in some of the homes. The use of the tent was provided by an Italian missionary, Leonardo, who owned and travelled with it doing outreach and evangelistic work. We got to hear him sing and play numerous instruments and preach! He was a one-man crusade!!
Our tasks that first cold evening were to set up chairs and build a simple barrier fence around the tent. We got to meet some of the members of Amigo Fiel who would be helping off and on over the weekend. Some kids from the neighborhoods were out doing recon and were told where to find the local pastors to get a bracelet. Then we headed back to Base for dinner, worship, devotion, and fellowship as one big Team. We went to bed exhausted from the long day.
THE TEAM:
They say that one of the biggest issues facing long-term missionaries is strife within their own ranks. Our Team wasn't together for very long but I did see the seeds of discord start to sprout. Thankfully we have also been shown the tools of peace and forgiveness. And our times of worship and prayer together were magnificent. It was a pleasurable experience to be either serving in ministry or praying or worshipping or fellowshiping with Christians or studying the Word nearly all day every day.
Our leader was our church's high school pastor and his wife. Many on the team had never been to Mexico, many had never been on a mission, a few were new to Christianity, some were veteran short-term missionaries, and all seemed excited to be there. A couple people were hampered with illness. Most did not speak Spanish. The youngest was 25, the oldest about 50. Some were able to do hard physical work. It was a very eclectic group and we all got along famously. Some were quiet, some were loud. Some led, some followed, some did their own thing. Everyone had a niche where they fit in and found something worthwhile to do at every event. Sometimes that meant getting up and giving an evangelistic message, sometimes it meant mopping the floors. There were 12 of us...we were the Americanos!
Amigo Fiel (part 1)
I am sitting in the El Paso, TX airport having just uneventfully crossed the border from Mexico. My time in Juarez, MX was, however, quite full of events. It will probably take a number of posts to fully recount my adventures; so I have taken the liberty of labeling this "part 1".
Let me first give you some background...
Amigo Fiel is the name of a very small church in Juarez. Translated it means "Faithful Friend". Jesus is this friend. And everything I observed and participated in down here revolved around Jesus and the salvation He and He alone brings. This church and the various ministries associated with it is the product of the burning vision placed in a man's heart about twenty years...Pastor Carlos Garcia. He was born in Juarez, moved to the US, became involved in ministry at a Calvary Chapel in Alberquerque and then in Santa Fe. He has a family and a business and makes his home in New Mexico. But twenty years ago he responded to the brokenness of heart he was having for the people of his birthplace, Juarez.
These are broad brush strokes; but basically, Carlos started traveling regularly to Juarez. His purpose down there has evolved and today his ministry's mission is to equip the believers in Juarez to do God's work in preaching the Gospel and ministering to others. All social and humanitarian efforts come second to the delivery of the Gospel. And Carlos happily admits that he freely uses various forms of "bait" as he conducts his spiritual fishing trips!!
He has also constructed an extremely hospitable mission base where mission teams, like mine this week, can come and serve on a limited basis and then return to their home churches having had their spiritual, physical, and emotional horizons broadened.
Amigo Fiel is a hub of numerous evangelistic-oriented ministries. They have an after school program in place at the church. They regularly conduct concerts and outreach events for various groups. They have an outstanding drama team. Their congregants also try to arrange for the church to serve the community in whatever capacity they can dream up.
Carlos has also worked extensively with hundreds of churches and pastors to coordinate activities and aid. Many resources have been funneled through him from US churches. He has surrounded himself with devoted men and women who have (or have adopted) his vision and committed themselves to carrying it out.
My church became involved with Carlos through Franklin Graham's Operation Christmas Child (OCC). Carlos has taken the power of a simple gift and taken it to the next level. In the months leading up to Christmas, Carlos and his network of pastors begin planning and organizing. Using the shoeboxes as bait, they encourage the children in their churches to reach out and bring two of their classmates or friends to church to get info on how to receive a box. They also get all participants to commit to a 12-week discipleship program that will follow receiving the gift. Some schools have even gotten on board and send entire classes!
On the day of the distribution, the children are gathered by their local pastors, given an identification bracelet, and then escorted to the distribution site...this year it was a large tent (more on this later). Once inside the tent they are entertained with balloons, face painting, juggling, beach balls, clowns, and a drama skit that gently presents the Gospel. They are offered the chance to give their lives to Jesus and then lined up for the distribution where they receive an age and sex appropriate shoebox
and a Gospel handout. They then return home to begin their 12 week discipleship program under their local pastor.
Some pastors have congregations of 20-30 active members but close to a hundred children in the discipleship program. The intent is to next use the children as bait to draw their parents in; then to use the parents to reach the greater community.
The team I was a part of got to walk right into the most glorious part of all this and hand the gift box to the child. Carlos and his team humbly step back and allow us this incredible moment of joy.
In part 2 I will get you some of the details of what I got to do the last four days. Hasta la vista!
Let me first give you some background...
Amigo Fiel is the name of a very small church in Juarez. Translated it means "Faithful Friend". Jesus is this friend. And everything I observed and participated in down here revolved around Jesus and the salvation He and He alone brings. This church and the various ministries associated with it is the product of the burning vision placed in a man's heart about twenty years...Pastor Carlos Garcia. He was born in Juarez, moved to the US, became involved in ministry at a Calvary Chapel in Alberquerque and then in Santa Fe. He has a family and a business and makes his home in New Mexico. But twenty years ago he responded to the brokenness of heart he was having for the people of his birthplace, Juarez.
These are broad brush strokes; but basically, Carlos started traveling regularly to Juarez. His purpose down there has evolved and today his ministry's mission is to equip the believers in Juarez to do God's work in preaching the Gospel and ministering to others. All social and humanitarian efforts come second to the delivery of the Gospel. And Carlos happily admits that he freely uses various forms of "bait" as he conducts his spiritual fishing trips!!
He has also constructed an extremely hospitable mission base where mission teams, like mine this week, can come and serve on a limited basis and then return to their home churches having had their spiritual, physical, and emotional horizons broadened.
Amigo Fiel is a hub of numerous evangelistic-oriented ministries. They have an after school program in place at the church. They regularly conduct concerts and outreach events for various groups. They have an outstanding drama team. Their congregants also try to arrange for the church to serve the community in whatever capacity they can dream up.
Carlos has also worked extensively with hundreds of churches and pastors to coordinate activities and aid. Many resources have been funneled through him from US churches. He has surrounded himself with devoted men and women who have (or have adopted) his vision and committed themselves to carrying it out.
My church became involved with Carlos through Franklin Graham's Operation Christmas Child (OCC). Carlos has taken the power of a simple gift and taken it to the next level. In the months leading up to Christmas, Carlos and his network of pastors begin planning and organizing. Using the shoeboxes as bait, they encourage the children in their churches to reach out and bring two of their classmates or friends to church to get info on how to receive a box. They also get all participants to commit to a 12-week discipleship program that will follow receiving the gift. Some schools have even gotten on board and send entire classes!
On the day of the distribution, the children are gathered by their local pastors, given an identification bracelet, and then escorted to the distribution site...this year it was a large tent (more on this later). Once inside the tent they are entertained with balloons, face painting, juggling, beach balls, clowns, and a drama skit that gently presents the Gospel. They are offered the chance to give their lives to Jesus and then lined up for the distribution where they receive an age and sex appropriate shoebox
and a Gospel handout. They then return home to begin their 12 week discipleship program under their local pastor.
Some pastors have congregations of 20-30 active members but close to a hundred children in the discipleship program. The intent is to next use the children as bait to draw their parents in; then to use the parents to reach the greater community.
The team I was a part of got to walk right into the most glorious part of all this and hand the gift box to the child. Carlos and his team humbly step back and allow us this incredible moment of joy.
In part 2 I will get you some of the details of what I got to do the last four days. Hasta la vista!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Week 2
O Lord, you examine me and know. You know when I sit down and when I get up, even from far away you understand my motives.
Psalm 139:1-2
Psalm 139:1-2
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