Friday, October 14, 2011

Baptismal Celebration in Buenos Aires

Last Saturday we celebrated the Baptism of Little Joel, Pastor Antonio's Grandson.
He just turned one year old on Monday so after he was baptized we had a fiesta, including a piñata.
Here's a picture of Gracie taking a wack at the piñata. I even got to take a wack at it, although adults are blindfolded when they try.
It was a happy day in Buenos Aires.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Vacation Bible School Buenos Aires and Mascareñas 2011

We had twenty seven children this weekend in Mascareñas for VBS. It was really fun having so many helpers with us. 
                                
Elisabet and Pati did most of the teaching.
I finally got Gracie's Sentri card so the she can cross the border easier, so she came with me to Mascareñas. Can you tell spot her in this shot?
(her shirt says "girl" on it)
Everyone even enjoyed the bologna sandwiches and chicharines with chamoy souce on them and good old fashioned cool aid.
All of us in Buenos Aires and Mascareñas thank you so much for your prayers.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A Jordanian in Nogales


On Sunday as Alfonso and were visiting the neighborhood of Buenos Aires. We found Baja, a man from Jordan who has been in Nogales Sonora for about three months. He doesn't speak Spanish yet, but does speak English. He said he doesn't like Mexico because of the violence, but needs to work. As we talked about the differences between Islam and Christianity, he told me Islam was a loving religion that respects and accepts all religions (yea right). I asked him what he believed the Coran teaches about forgiveness with God. He told me it was difficult to achieve, you first have to believe God (Alla) is one, and has no son. Then keep all the rules. After listening to him, I then shared with him what the Bible says about forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Pray we can visit with him again on Sunday.

Marcos came again this Sunday. Pray some of the youth in the congregation will befriend him, and that he find peace and fellowship with Jesus. 

Our brother Jose is still in pretty bad shape. He either has a broken or dislocated shoulder from falling. I it seems he has a really bad open scab on the same shoulder which the doctors who were there when we arrived say it's from herpes. Supposedly they can't treat the bones in his shoulder because of the scab. His wife Chui says the whole village can hear him at night as he wails in pain. Carlos, the father of a couple of our Sunday School kids came again to their home for the service. Pray that God work in Jose, Carlos and this home group.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Here are some of the delegates of the AALM (Mexican Lutheran Apostolic Alliance). We enjoyed four days of fellowship, worship, studies, testimonies and planning for the future.

Gracie was able to come for a couple of days of the conference. Here she is with Floriberto and his daughter Andrea who we lived with when Gracie was born in Huahuaxtla Puebla. Andrea is seeking to go to the Bible school after finishing high school in July. Play the Lord lead them as the seek His will.
It was pretty awesome to see and hear how our brethren have grown in their walk and ministries over the years. To think that we've had a hand in helping these brothers in their ministries is pretty rewarding. All of you who have given and prayed should also be encouraged at their progress.
Here is Edgar in between Antonio and I playing the guitar at the conference. He has been playing for the church for over a year now at the church in Buenos Aires.




Saturday, April 9, 2011

Cesar's adotion final

Cesar's adoption has been finalized. We were quite the troop going into the courtroom. The judge said that we made her day, she said she doesn't get to judge good cases, normally always for something bad having happened.

She even wanted to be in the picture holding Malina. (I had to block out Rachel and Gabe's faces for legal purposes. Afterward we rented a hotel room in Tucson with a pool so the kids could spend the day swimming, then we went out for dinner.

We have been working together with Triumph Free Lutheran Church here in Nogales to try to earn moneys to take the kids up to Colorado this summer to the A.F.L.C youth convention (http://www.aflc.org/youth/fly). We have been doing garage sales and are going to do some car washes as well. I will be taking Gracie, Cesar, Rachel and Gabe and we'll be traveling along with youth from Triumph and the Churches from Tucson and Phoenix.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Close call for Alfonso and I

On Friday at 2:00 pm I was walking down this street getting Gracie's Mexican passport renewed, at 5:00 our brother Alfonso who I work with was walking down this same spot when the men two men jumped out of a white car, Alfonso said they practically pushed him over as they jumped up onto the sidewalk and opened fire on the barbershop. Pray for us down here, this war isn't over yet. 
Here's a portion of the police blotter I translated:

Nogales, Sonora .- A young resident of Buenos Aires was shot dead and five others injured, by on Friday afternoon in a barbershop in the heart of downtown and within walking distance of City Hall.
Merchants, pedestrians and motorists took refuge upon hearing the blasts of the assault rifles used by the gunmen. The young man killed, a barber, was identified as Rey David Peña Vázquez, 26. The wounded were assisted by Red Cross disaster workers to the General Hospital. The incident took place at the Barber shop “Alexander” which is located on Avenida Obregon and Gonzalez Street, around 5:00 pm. Witnesses said at that time came two gunmen approached the barbershop, and without saying a word, openned fire with their assault rifles known as “cuernos de chivo (goat horn),” without warning.The mortally wounded Rey David Peña, received at least ten bullets in different parts of your body.After the shooting law enforcement began searching the streets of the city for the attackers, with negative results.
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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Road hazards

It used to be that the road out to Mascareñas was a hazard just because of the rocks, holes, and washes. Now with the new pavement a lot more riff raff are using it. I was warned about using one of the new sections by a young man who says there have been car jackings and that smuggles use it at night because if runs right along the boarder in spots. So, I quit using it at night. They say that at night I should not stop for anyone except the police or military. I guess some park a car along side the road, open the hood, and have a girl standing there asking for help. Then out from behind the bushes come the bad guys. This Sunday I thought this was going to happen to me. Sure enough, just like they said, a car on the side of the road with the hood open and a girl standing there waving for help. So I decided to take heed to the warnings and drive on by. But Alfonso, my fellow worker, said to me, "you can't do that, leaving a girl all alone by herself with her car broken." So, I turned around and we went back to help. As I pulled beside her car, we notice beer cans. I said to Alfonso, "oh, oh, looks like they've been drinking." He says, no, they're girls. But as I walked around the front of the car, I saw she had a beer down low in her hand. She said they ran out of gas and the battery ran out. There I saw another girl slouched in the front, and another passed out in the back seat. Man, I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I said, "aw, no hose to siphon, and no cables for a jump." And we were out of there. Poor Alfonso couldn't believe that three girls were drunk as skunks on that road. Later that evening we saw them in Mascareñas, so they made it at least that far ok.

Slain missionary feared Mexico violence, relative says

A Texas couple who were attacked at an illegal roadblock in one of Mexico's most violent areas had been delivering babies and doing missionary work in the country for three decades, and they had come to expect such confrontations, the couple's son said Thursday.
Nancy Davis, 59, was shot in the head Wednesday while her husband, Sam, was trying to speed away from suspected drug cartel gunmen who may have wanted to steal their pickup truck, authorities said. Sam Davis frantically raced to the Pharr International Bridge border checkpoint with his wife bleeding beside him, but she was declared dead at a McAllen hospital.

See complete story

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Continued preparation for annaversary in Mascareñas.

Things are kind of crazy out in Mascareñas these days. Last week in our Sunday school class the group from Rey de reyes church came (surprize!) to set up the band equiptment so that really interrupted the normal flow of things, let alone we couldn't hear each other think as they began to practice with their instruments (drums, keyboard, electric guitar and bass). Anyhow, pray for patience.

They did get a few of the local Christians to come to the service thought, that was a good thing. I believe they are going to come out again this Sunday. I will continue to serve the shut-ins as well. We again had over twenty kids for the Sunday school, so we continue to pray for helpers.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Pray for workers for Mascareñas

Pastor Jose from Rey de reyes Lutheran church in Nogales, Sonora (the only other Lutheran church in Nogales), was pretty inspired by the turnout for our Christmas service in Mascareñas that he has decided to "go all out" for the churches anniversary on the 6th of February. He has also committed to coming out to Mascareñas on Sunday afternoons to try to open the church. So far he has come twice, but no one from the congregation (or, what used to be the congregation) has come. So, he has joined us in one of the home churches. Pray for this effort of his.

Last Sunday we had the biggest turnout ever for our Sunday school. We had twenty three kids, and they were just great. Again, the stress seems to weigh upon Alfonso, my fellow worker. This time he got upset at one little boy while I was sharing the Bible story, and before I could stop him he actually smacked he smacked him on the head. I stopped and told him that the little guy is autistic and really can't help it. I really believe God has to have another helper, we just need to pray him out. Please join me in praying for another worker.