Archive for January, 2018

Surprised by Cuba Again!

Posted: January 31, 2018 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Thank Jesus for His Amazing Work!
Dave & Dawn with Pastor Luis and his wife, May

Dave & Dawn with Pastor Lucas* and his wife, Maria*

In my last post I wrote about the amazing people the Lord connected us with in Cuba. How God went before us and truly prepared the way, and we were indeed surprised by our experience in Cuba.

Each time we’ve gone to Cuba God has knit our hearts to the people. This trip we especially enjoyed getting to know Pastor Lucas* and Maria*. From the moment Dawn and I met them we fell in love with them. They shared their testimony with us on the first day, and we were all in tears as they shared. We weren’t the only ones they had this effect on as the friends that went on the trip with also were deeply touched by them.

Lucas & Maria’s Amazing Testimony!
Pastor Luis and May

Pastor Lucas and Maria

I’ve met very few people with the commitment level and sacrifice that Lucas and Maria have made in the ministry.

We were amazed as they shared about how they felt called to minister to a community 18 kilometers from where they lived. There was no church in the community they wanted to reach out to. It was not an easy place to get to. There wasn’t any public transportation to this small village, so they walked more than 10 miles in the hot sun to get there. It took them four hours to walk that far. They didn’t have any sunblock, so Maria got sunspots on her legs from being out in the sun for so long.

They went into the community and started knocking on doors. Every time someone answered the door they said they were not interested in learning more about Jesus. They knocked on every door in the whole town, and they continued to get the same response. Finally, they got to the last house. The woman who answered the door said she was not interested, because she had two daughters who were confined to a wheelchair. She was mad at God.

Yet the two daughters heard the conversation and they told Lucas and Maria that they were interested in studying the Bible and learning about Christ. That’s how they began to reach that community.

Their Tremendous Sacrifice and Courage
Dawn and I were able to take Luis and May out for a treat. What a special time for all of us!

Dawn and I were able to take Lucas and Maria out for a meal. What a special time for all of us!

As we talked more to Lucas and Maria we learned that they live on about $20 a month. If they or their children need a pair of shoes or some clothing then they have to eat less that month. They live on a lot of beans and rice. While Maria was pregnant with their first child for about two months they had almost no income for food, so friends brought her fruit and whatever they could afford to share with them. Their son, David was born small, because of the lack of nourishment.

Then Lucas and Maria told us about all the warfare they face where they are working. They had to learn how to pray against the attacks. Part of their routine now includes regular fasting and prayer. They take prayer seriously, and they are experiencing results as the Lord works through them.

Dawn and I stayed a couple of days after the Discovery Center was done and Lucas and Maria didn’t leave until late the day after the Center ended. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to minister to one another. They told us more of their story, more of what they’ve learned and all that the Lord was doing through them. Dawn and I were able to bless and encourage them as well. I feel like it was one of the most special times I’ve ever had in ministry.

I truly wish I could bottle those experiences so I had them more often. 

It is not easy to communicate with our friends in Cuba, because they don’t have easy or inexpensive internet service. Yet, we have been able to email one another and encourage one another in that way.

Please join us in praying for Luis and May and all of our other friends in Cuba!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Surprised by Cuba!

Posted: January 25, 2018 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer
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Wow, Lord!
Dave and Dawn in Cuba. Quite an adventure.

Dave and Dawn in Cuba. Quite an adventure.

All I can say about our trip to Mexico City and Cuba is Wow! Wow! Wow! Well, at least that’s how I feel.

I had some concerns as we prepared to go on this trip because in both places we were up against some significant challenges, but God came through in a big way. Thanks so much for praying. Dawn and I asked a number of friends and groups on Facebook to lift us up in prayer. It might have been the most prayer covering that we’ve ever had on a trip, and I think it was one of our most fruitful trips ever.

There’s so much to share. I’d like to focus first on our time in Cuba.

The Challenges of Cuba
Pastor Daniel Nuñez and JD Pearring leading us through one of the exercises for the church planting evaluation.

Pastor Daniel Nuñez and JD Pearring leading us through one of the exercises for the church planting evaluation.

It was my fourth trip to Cuba and Dawn and my second trip together. Cuba is a hard place to visit. There’s so much oppression, and many people struggle to just to survive. There are very few people in Cuba who eat meat every day. They have to live off of rice and yucca. Most Cubans live off of $25 a month.

One of the reasons this trip was even better than past trips to Cuba is that we were able to build off of the relationships that we made their last year. The last time Dawn and I were there together it was only a month and a half after Hannah moved to heaven, so we were in a much more vulnerable place.

Thankful for Our Cuban Friends
Dave and Dawn with Pastor Mario and his wife, Yanny

Dave and Dawn with Pastor Mario and his wife, Yany

The Cubans are a warm and friendly people. Those that we met last year embraced us this year. We felt very loved. One of the younger church planting couples that the Lord gave us a special connection with when we first met them was there as well. Their names are Mario and Yanny. Yanny is close to Hannah’s age, so I remember when Dawn first met her she started crying because it reminded her of our daughter. Yanny and Mario reached out to us in love. It was so good to see them again and to be able to deepen our relationship.

So it was so good to see them again and to see all that the Lord was doing in and through them. Mario was able to buy a horse that they used to provide more income for themselves so they could build their church. I was excited to learn how his church was becoming a self-sustaining church as they looked for creative ways to fund their ministry.

Dawn with Pastor Oniel and his wife, Heidy and daughter, Rosa

Dawn with Pastor Oniel and his wife, Heidy, and daughter, Rosa

The couple that leads the group is very special also, Oniel and Heidy. Last year the Lord used Dawn’s prayers to bring healing to their daughter, Rosa.  What the Lord did in healing their daughter has helped Oniel and Heidy to grow in their faith, and it has encouraged a number of people. Oniel is on the short side, but he’s a very dynamic preacher and leader.

Pastor Justo Pila Reinoso sharing with the group

Pastor Justo Pila Reinoso sharing with the group

We also love Justo and Sara, who are amazing evangelists. They have a deep love for Jesus. Sara gets up at 3 AM every morning to prayer, and both of them share their faith with almost anything that moves. I don’t know if I’ve ever met a couple that has led more people to Christ than Justo and Sara. They have already planted a number of churches. I’m just in awe of their love for Jesus and their passion for the gospel.

Our Wonderful Team
Our team that came from the US and Mexico. Such a great group!

Our team that came from the US and Mexico. Such a great group!

Dawn and I went to Cuba with a team of five Mexican national partners and two Americans who we also partner with in ministry. It was such a blessing to serve together. One of the many things that struck while we were together was hearing our Yoli, who is from Mexico share with the group that when Americans come to Tijuana to visit most think that they are poor or that they have very little and live under difficult position. Then when we were in Cuba together our Mexican friends realized how little the Cubans have and how much they suffer. It was an eye-opening experience for all of us.

The Lord blessed us with six church planting couples that we were evaluating. They were also awesome, and I’d like to share about them in my next post.

Thanks so much for praying. We felt it, and we saw the Lord answer in major ways as we saw breakthroughs. Yay God! Yay Jesus! We pray for more!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

2018 Has Begun With a Bang!

Posted: January 16, 2018 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer
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Thankful for Kingdom Activity
Incubator Church planting training

Incubator Church planting training

We started the new year off running with our church planting incubator training. The activity hasn’t stopped since as I was in Monterrey, Mexico last week to pray and plan about how we can partner and collaborate with other like-minded ministries to reach Mexico with the gospel.

Dawn and Dave with David Jr. when we first arrived in Mexico City

Dawn and Dave with David Jr. when we first arrived in Mexico

The last few days Dawn and I have been in Mexico City, which brings to our roots in ministry. We had only been married a little over a year when we first moved here. What we’ve found when we are in this huge city is the Lord always has some surprises for us and some amazing opportunities for us to minister here. One of my goals is that #MTWMEXICO (MTW) will have a greater presence in Mexico City. I’m praying for more workers and more opportunities to partner.

In all of the training and meetings I’ve had it’s with one purpose to see the kingdom of God extended in Mexico and beyond.

Thankful for our Partners & For All That God is Doing!

Enjoying a meal with the Cisneros family. Dave met them the first time in 1985 on his initial trip to Mexico. Thankful for Special memories!

Today I met with the national leadership of the Presbyterian Church in Mexico. We discussed the progress of some of the projects we are working on together as well as dreams for the future. I felt encouraged as they shared how a donation we gave them from MTW helped three churches in three different regions in Mexico that were damaged by the earthquakes in December. It bothered me when I first learned of all the damaged caused by the earthquakes. Now that Dawn and I are here many of our friends have shared how much it scared them when the earth shook so violently in and around Mexico City.

Thankful for our friends and for all the Lord is doing in Mexico

Thankful for our friends and for all the Lord is doing in Mexico

When Dawn and I go on these trips the Lord does so much in our midst that I find it hard to capture it all. I feel like I need a way to share those stories as well. Part of the challenge is the long days don’t leave me much time to write it down.

Next Stop Cuba

Tomorrow (Tuesday) Dawn and I are off to Havana, Cuba, which also promises to be an amazing time. Please pray that the Lord opens many doors for us to minister and love on the people while we are in Cuba.

Thank you, dear friends, for joining us on this journey of faith.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Giving Thanks for 2017: Looking Forward to 2018

Posted: January 8, 2018 in Christianity, Church Planting, Journey, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Reflections & Musings
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God’s Faithfulness and Healing Touch
Dawn and I give thanks for all the wonderful pastors and partners we serve with in Mexico

Dawn and I give thanks for all the wonderful pastors and partners we serve with in Mexico

As we begin 2018 I give thanks for all that the Lord did in 2017. This last year has not been an easy year for Dawn and me. It’s been painful to mourn our daughter, Hannah’s moving to heaven. Yet, I believe the Lord has also brought us a tremendous amount of healing. I give thanks for the comforting arms of the Lord. I’m grateful for so many friends who have reached out to us and loved us.

Even though it has been a year where we’ve needed much encouragement, much love, and much prayer which has been like a salve to our wound, we’ve also seen advance in the ministry.

Milestones in 2017
Redeemer San Diego Medical Missions Team

Redeemer San Diego Medical Missions Team

Some of the ministry milestones for 2017 are:

  • Renuevo Church launching in Ensenada in April
  • Redeemer San Diego sending their youth group down to Ensenada to connect with Renuevo to reach out to teenagers through sports and a fun day.
  • Redeemer San Diego partnering with Renuevo and bringing down a medical team to treat those with physical and spiritual needs. The doctor’s and the team that come down are so loving, and do such a wonderful job of sharing the love of Christ with their patients.
  • Skyview Presbyterian coming to Ensenada for the fourth year to help Renuevo lead a summer VBS.
  • Trained a number of pastors through the incubator that’s geared for church planters.
  • Coached church planters in Tijuana and Ensenada.
  • Raised the funds and helped build classrooms for one of the church plants in Rosarito that we started 2 1/2 years ago.
  • Worked with our friends in Cuba to aid in training coaches.
  • Gave leadership to MTW Mexico
Goals and Dreams for 2018
One of our goals for 2018 is to build a church in memory of our daughter, Hannah.

One of our goals for 2018 is to build a church in memory of our daughter, Hannah.

One of our biggest goals for 2018 is to plant a church in Hannah’s memory. We are still working on raising all the funds for the church plant. I spoke with pastor Daniel Nuñez this past week, and we’ve decided that we will build the new church on the weekend of April 13 – 15.

We also have a goal to get our church plant in La Paz, Mexico started in early 2018.

A goal that we have for MTW Mexico is to mobilize a minimum of one new missionary family to join our work in Mexico.

There are other dreams that we are praying for as we enter 2018. I’m starting to work on writing a book. I’ve actually begun working on it, but it’s been a challenge to figure out how to find time to write with all that’s going on.

Dawn and I have a trip to Mexico City this week from January 11 – 16, and from there, we will be going to Havana, Cuba from the 16 – 22. We need major prayer as we minister here on the Border, the Baja and Beyond. I feel that we need prayer especially as we begin to travel. Last year, we feel like we got a little worn out from all the traveling by the end of the year, so we hope to do a better job managing our schedule this year.

Thank you so much for loving us and standing with us dear friends!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org