Recently I was able to go to Nogales, Mexico for some meetings connected with
Street vendor with his blankets
the BEAMM ministry. I hadn’t been to Mexico for a long time. With all the notoriety of the border I must admit I did feel some fear as I crossed. I prayed against fear as I was to make my first steps into Mexico. I have no doubts that our enemy is fomenting the crime, drugs and murder going on along the border. Paul exhorts us to be prepared as we go into battle in Ephesians 6. He emphatically drives home his point that our battle is not against flesh and blood. Stand firm therefore! I also reminded myself of Paul’s encouragement to his disciple, Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7, that we have not been give a spirit of fear, but of power, love and sound mind.
I entered with some trepidation, but once I was in Nogales, and found my
La Policia
friends I had a wonderful time. I was quickly reminded of the things that I love, and had missed about Mexico. The wonderful people, great traditions and culture, and the unbelievable food. Even my Spanish kicked back in. Maybe the salsa loosened my tongue?
There are plenty of needs along the border, which is one of the reasons my wife, Dawn and I feel called to serve there. While I was in Nogales we dreamed about how we might see a transformed border as God works. There are tremendous needs on both sides of the border. I don’t believe we can effectively serve on just one side. There is a lot of interaction between the twin cities that straddle the border.
Dawn and I feel a strong call to Chula Vista, California which is just south of
Map of San Diego County
San Diego, and just north of Tijuana (see map). San Diego and Tijuana, or TJ as many call it, are the largest twin cities, two cities side by side in bordering countries in the world. The 2006 census reports that 56% of the population in Chula Vista is latino (for map and census report click here). There is plenty of work to do there, and that’s why we are on this journey. We plan to partner with Harbor Presbyterian Church Chula Vista. Harbor is one of the closer churches to the border. It provides a great partner, and a great launching point for the ministry!
In His Grip, Dave
Beyond Borders 
[…] started 2011 off by traveling to Nogales, Mexico to meet with many of our BEAMM co-workers. It was my first time in Mexico in quite a while. With all the notoriety about the border, I must […]
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