Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Pray for Nogales

Three brothers from Rio Rico were in fair condition at a Tucson hospital on Monday, a day after they and a Nogales, Ariz. man were shot during an early-morning attack in Nogales, Sonora that left an off-duty police officer dead. “According to preliminary investigations, they were chatting with two people – one of them an agent of the municipal police who ended up dead – when various unknown people apparently arrived and shot them.” Nogales, Sonora has seen unprecedented drug-related violence in 2010, with more than 180 murders tallied so far on the year. Last weekend, three people were killed and another 12 were injured.

See entire article

Monday, September 27, 2010

Sunday 9/26/10

A couple of prayer requests: On our visits we had the opportunity to talk to Vidal and Jasmin as they were washing the mud off their car. Vidal said that his uncle visits our church now and then. He said that he wasn't sure of where he'd go when he dies, Jasmin said she was sure she'd go to heaven. I asked her how she was sure, she said that she was a good person. I assured them that we had good news for them and asked permission to share in about five minutes what the Bible said about how to be sure one was going to heaven. They said OK, and we shared what the commandments said concerning sin. They both agreed that we are not good people, and do not deserve to go to heaven. Then we shared the Good News what Christ did for us and what He wants to give us. Pray that they both receive Christ. 


Also pray for Hector who came to church on Sunday. He hasn't come for more than five years. I used to disciple him when we were here in Nogales briefly before we left for Sinaloa. He said he hadn't been attending any church since then, but that he wanted to begin again. 


Thanks for praying.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Dear E-mail Prayer Partners

"Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer." John Bunyan

Kind of a scary morning with our brother Alfonso. Everything was good while making our morning visits into the neighborhood, it was after the service that I really noticed that he wasn't right. He said that he has eaten breakfast, but it was obvious by the way he was acting that he hadn't. So I quickly got him a coke, made some beans and heated up some tortillas and he was soon his usually jolly self. That diabetes is nasty stuff.

We have kind of adopted another one in Nogales. No not another kid, but a lady in the Buenos Aires neighborhood who just about died from not eating right, or rather at all. She's about 70 I figure and as thin as a rail. This economic crisis is definitely effecting the elderly the most here on the border.

Our Sunday school in MascareƱas is still going well. It varies from three to sixteen on any given Sunday. Alfonso really enjoys working with the kids, and they really like him. Yesterday during the singing he was playing air guitar by my side while singing. I asked if he wanted to use mine, and he said no, that his doesn't go out of tune. And of course all the kids laughed. We really have a good time with them, and they are so eager to learn and participate in the stories and memorization of Scripture etc. We thank God for the Giles work that we are able to use for them (take a look).

There continues to be more and more interest in music, especially in learning the guitar among the youth in Buenos Aires. We have been rounding up old guitars, gluing them back together, stringing them up so that they'll have something to use. We're really hoping that out of the bunch, a few will develop into a group of worship leaders. We are praying that God will move one or more to become interested in serving the children out in MascareƱas.

The cartel wars on the border seem to continue the same. There are killings here in Nogales just about every day. The police presence has been especially high these days because they are celebrating 200 years of independence and 100 years since the Mexican Revolution.




Things on the home front are doing well. Cesar has healed from having staples in his head from a cut he received while playing. Gracie is getting straight A's in school. Mary Ann loves working at the Crossroads rescue mission. I continue to find people just about every week in Mexico who have been touched by the mission and thus opens doors for me to share with them about why we do what we do.

Thank you all for and with us that God will continue to open doors, and that men, women and children here might pray and thus "cease from sin."

Your fellow workers,

Darwin, Mary Ann, Gracie and Cesar.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

August 2010

Dear friends in Christ,

Here we are in the middle of summer and monsoon season. Monsoon actually means “season” so we are really saying season season! We pray you are well in all regards. We hope this brief update will edify you in some way. Thank you for praying. God bless you!

Praise for our trip to the mid-west to visit the World Mission Prayer League and the Association of Free Lutheran Churches. We spent a week with WMPL missionaries at Hunky Dory in Wisconsin. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and fun. The kids loved VBS and swimming. Cesar entered the 'Swim Across The Lake”
and made it in good time without a life preserver. Mom didn't know that fact until afterward! Darwin was privileged to be one of the speakers at the AFLC conference at Medicine Lake, Mn. We thank God for times likes these that He blesses us with.

Praise for the Sunday School class Darwin and Alfonso have in Mascarenas. None of the parents attend church so they are going after the next generation. Please pray for this small ranching community. Most have some kind of involvement in drug trafficking. May God rescue them from their addictions and greed.

Praise for a successful VBS in Buenos Aires. There were lots of kids and lots of help! May there be eternal fruit from the labors.

Prayer for Pastor Antonio of Buenos Aires. He is going through some kind of medical condition but won't say what it is.

Prayer for our kids as they have started school. Grace is in 4th grade. She has an awesome teacher who is a candidate for teacher of the year and Cesar is in 6th grade so is now in middle school. They both have tender hearts and love Jesus, but it can be rough for a Christian in the public schools. Thank you for your prayers for them.

Prayer for Mary Ann. She deals with men just out of prison, mentally challenged people, men in the recovery program and so many people with different needs. Prayer for wisdom, spiritual and physical strength as she serves at the rescue mission. She really loves her job and thanks God for the opportunity to serve Him in this capacity.

Praise for each of you. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and support because by it we are encouraged in heart and united in love. God bless you for your faithfulness to the Lord and may He keep you in all of your ways.

Thank you for your continued prayers for the border situation and our safety. Only two miles separate us from all the drug cartel violence. Things are getting worse, not better as the cartels and police battle it out. The new chief of police just resigned after 9 months of office, his predecessor was gunned down by the cartel. Pray that good will overcome the evil!


Darwin & Mary Ann Jackson, serving in Mexico with the World Mission Prayer League and AFLC
1071 N. Royal Rd.
Nogales, Az. 85621
(520)287-9097