Archive for the ‘Potential Team Members’ Category

The Abundant Life – “Vida Abundante”: The Silva Family

Posted: January 29, 2013 in Christianity, Church Planting, Family Happenings, God's Leading, Journey, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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family, Mexico, coffee, Mario & Silva Silva, Dave and Dawn Diaso

Dave & Dawn enjoying some coffee and tea with Mario and Silvia Silva

Mario and Silvia Silva along with their three children, Silvia, Cesia and Daniel just left on Sunday. They visited us for 10 wonderful days. They were exhausting days, but great all the same.

Our family loves the Silvas. The Lord has done a good work in their lives, and in their family.

Dawn and I were involved in a church plant with Mario and Silvia in Mexico City in the late 90’s. We became good friends during those days. The Lord used that time to give Mario and Silvia a heart to plant churches.

After we left Mexico City we didn’t stay in close contact with Mario and Silvia. The Lord used the Silva’s daughter, Silvia or “Chivis” to reconnect us. Mario reminded me of how Chivis was going to have a big Quinciañera party (when a girl turns 15 in Mexico they throw a fiesta). Then Chivis changed her mind, and decided she wanted to reconnect with us, and come live with us for six months. She lived with us in 2010.

God used that reconnection to spark something new. It rekindled our friendship. We began to dream about the possibility of working together on the border.

Mario and Silvia have worked as bi-vocational church planters in Mexico City. They call their ministry Vida Abundante or Abundant Life. Mario gets very passionate when he explains how most Christians are not experiencing the Abundant Life that Christ came to give us.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

–John 10:10 (ESV)

They teach the Bible in such a way that those that are learning begin to understand how they might experience the abundant life. Their heart is to see that ministry expanded on the border. Dawn and I love their passion. When we were together they shared about some of their dreams. What they hope to see the Lord do here on the border. We came away inspired and hopeful about what God might do!

In order for them to be involved with us here, they’ve got to get a visa. Join us in prayer as we work with them on figuring out how to get the correct visa. We are learning it’s not an easy thing. God is the God of the impossible, so we will trust that he will bring it to pass. We just have to wait on his perfect timing.

If any of you have experience with a religious workers visa or another type of visa please send me a note.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Mobilizing Kingdom Workers

Posted: December 7, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Journey, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members
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Dave Presenting at Covenant Seminary

Dave Presenting at Covenant Seminary

On Tuesday I was at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. I presented our work on the border to the students there. In God’s wonderful grace I met some great students! Young people who want to serve the Lord, and who are preparing themselves to be on mission with God.

I remember when I first went to the Covenant last April, I wondered what kind of students I would encounter? I thought, “maybe they are going to give me a lot of push back? Maybe they won’t agree with my philosophy of ministry?” I thought that might be the case in part, because in seminary it is a place where you study and think through how things ought to be.

Seminary is a great place to learn, but sometimes when it is removed from the messiness of life it can become a bit idealistic. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I wondered how it might influence how they received my presentation of our work on the border. I know about the idealistic tendencies in part, because I can remember going through some of that while I studied in seminary.

Despite all my doubts, I have been very impressed by the quality of students I have met so far at Covenant. The school has a reputation for preaching grace, and the students I’ve met also seek to exhibit grace in their lives.

Interacting with students at Covenant

Interacting with students at Covenant

I’m thankful that the Lord connected me with these students, and I look forward to seeing what he will do. Who will come and join us?

Our need is for those who have a passion for God, his mission and the gospel to serve with us. This also includes those that haven’t been to seminary, but have the gifts and character necessary to minister in a cross-cultural setting.

Dawn and I continue to pray that the Lord will raise up workers to join our team. We look to the Lord to bring us the right people. Those that God is calling to serve with us, who have the necessary gift mix to make an impact on the border. Of course, not everyone will be a good fit, so we are also praying that the Lord will protect us from the wrong people.

Apart from praying we are actively looking for those that the Lord might be calling to the border. “Lord, give us wisdom where to look!”

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Beat the Drum for the Border

Posted: October 2, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, God's Leading, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Team Members, Tijuana
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We are praying for the Lord to bring the missing pieces!

On my last post, Lord, Build Our Team I shared about our time in Atlanta meeting new people who have an interest in missions. Dawn and I are trying to encourage them to take a look at the border ministry. Obviously, the Lord is the one that has to work in their hearts to call them. Yet we must play our part. We our beating the drum and calling out so that people will be aware of the tremendous needs we have on the San Diego – Tijuana border.

We believe the Lord will raise up workers to join us and serve with us. The hard part is waiting, and I know that it’s dangerous to pray for patience. 🙂 I will stick to praying for more laborers.

This morning during our staff meeting with our friends from Harbor and Campus Outreach I shared about our trip, and our attempt to mobilize new workers to join us. I admitted that I felt some pressure to do a good job in describing the crying need here. I definitely still need the gospel in my life each day.

One of our friends at the meeting, Mark, asked, “What are the needs you have? What type of people are you recruiting?” That was a marvelous question. It made me think about who we need, so that we will be a more effective productive team.

It made me think, “I need to get the word out about what we are looking for. This will enable people to pray for us, and it could even help stir up some interest.”

So here I am late at night, writing on my blog. I do want to list here the type of needs we have. Please do pray with and for the Lord to hear our cry for workers. After all, he did command to pray for more laborers in Matthew 9:37 & 38,

“Then he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers in his harvest.”

Our needs for the San Diego – Tijuana border:

  1. Church planters and church planting facilitator – Both Mexicans or Latinos and Americans
  2. People with a heart for and gifted in evangelism and disciple making
  3. Someone to coordinate community development/mercy ministries:
    1. Facilitate and teach English as a Second Language (ESL)
    2. Homeless, orphans, sex-trafficking
    3. Construction
    4. Medical Missions
    5. Coordinate short-term mission teams
    6. Business as Mission (BAM) initiatives – businesses to support pastors and help the community.
  4. Administrative gifts
  5. Teaching/Training/Education
  6. An Intern coordinator – someone to minister to, recruit for and direct our internship program

Dawn & Davev

I hope that gives you a better idea of what our needs are, and how you can pray for us. “O Lord, Build Our Team!”

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Lord, Build our Team

Posted: September 26, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Dave presenting at MTW's vision retreat

Dave presenting at MTW’s vision retreat

Dawn and I are in Atlanta at Mission to the World’s (MTW) vision retreat. We both get pumped up when we are around people who have a heart for missions. We met some great people who love Jesus.

MTW’s vision retreat brings people who are interested in pursuing missions, but still have a number of questions together with missionaries who are seeking people to join their teams. These questions include when and where the Lord would want them to go?

It was so encouraging to meet with and interact with the other missionaries, and those with an interest in missions. I came away so impressed by those serving in the field with MTW. The needs on the various fields Japan, Thailand, Slovakia, Uganda, Mexico, etc. are huge. “O Lord, please do send us workers.”

Our prayer is that the Lord will bring people to serve with us on the San Diego – Tijuana border. The opportunity to be with other missionaries also brought home the truth that Jesus needs men and women to serve him in mission to help fulfill the great commission.

Dawn and I trust the Lord will move the right people to join our team in his good and perfect timing. We will see as we pray and continue to interact with those that came to the vision retreat whether the Lord would move them to answer the call to serve with us.

Please join us in prayer for God to move in the hearts of his people!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Harvest Workers: Good Times in Tucson & Nogales

Posted: June 21, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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On the US side getting ready to cross into Nogales, Mexico

On the US side getting ready to cross into Nogales, Mexico

Dawn and I enjoyed a great time in Tucson and Nogales with the three couples we are in conversation with about the possibility of joining our team on the San Diego – Tijuana border. We didn’t know them real well before we met with them, but the Lord blessed. It was encouraging to get to know them better, and we love their hearts desire to serve the Lord.

We thought that we would be able to get through our meetings and get back to Phoenix in the same day. Wrong! I’m not always very realistic when it comes to assessing how long it will take to meet with people. Dawn and I love connecting with people, and it’s a positive thing when we end up spending more time with them. Ministry flows out of relationships.

At about 11 PM we finished our “cena” (evening meal) and our time together. This prompted us to decide it was probably better to spend the night in Nogales. Even though we didn’t bring any extra clothes we managed! It also gave us more time to “convivir” (to live with) our friends.

It was a wonderful time. Dawn and I left so encouraged! If I could bottle that feeling and sell it I’d be a rich man.

On the Mexican Border

On the Mexican Border

We don’t know what the Lord will do. Yet there are some things we do know. God has a heart to reach the city, and the nations, but the timing and the how are unknown. It’s comforting that God is a good God, and He holds all of these things in His hands. They are simple for Him. Silly putty.

Dawn and I continue to look to Jesus and pray, “Lord, bring us workers. You told us the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. You exhorted your disciples to pray for workers, so we ask you to send your servants to work in the harvest field (in this case San Diego and Tijuana) for your glory! Amen.”

Thanks again for praying with us.

In His Grip, Dave

P.S. Tomorrow morning we head off to Fresno for my high school reunion, and to connect with a number of family and friends.

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

Convinced of the Power of Prayer

Posted: June 17, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Dave sharing about our border ministry at New Valley Church on a previous visit in December

Dawn and I are looking forward to worshipping with friends at New Valley Church in Phoenix today. I must say that I’m not looking forward to enduring the heat, although I do love the warmth of the people. We are building a relationship with this church, and talking to them about partnering with us in a variety of ways on the border.

While we are in Phoenix this week we will be connecting with friends and ministry partners. On Tuesday Dawn and I will be talking to three families about the possibility of joining our team on the border. We will meet with one American couple and two Mexican couples.

Wow, do we ever need your prayers!

I notice as we are involved in front line ministry and recruiting people to join us that we often get attacked. It’s a reminder that we need people to hold us up in prayer. Last week we were going out and prayer walking and evangelizing in City Heights in San Diego, and in Rosarito, Mexico. God wonderfully blessed our time. While I was doing this Dawn was praying with and ministering to a family that had some major strongholds in their lives.

Some of the guys we were out sharing with In Rosarito

Some of the guys we were out sharing with in Rosarito

Then the onslaught began. First, my debit card was hacked, and some purchases we didn’t make came up on our statement. I had to close that debit card, which is really tough when you are traveling. I’m still dealing with the fallout of that.

Next on the way home I got stuck in Houston, and partly because of the problem with my debit card I wasn’t able to find a hotel, and I spent the night in the airport. NO fun! I posted on Facebook that I felt like Tom Hanks in the movie, The Terminal. Pardon the language, but I think it was the trip from hell.

The main point here is we need prayer coverage.  We move forward on our knees. We are convinced of the power of prayer!

My wife has reminded me more than once that dogs don’t bark at parked cars. As we seek to share Christ’s love, and in a real sense invade Satan’s territory it’s not surprising that we encounter opposition. We appreciate your prayers this week as we interact with friends about our ministry, and recruit some new potential workers. We keep seeking the Lord and asking for workers. Could this be an answer to our prayers? Stay tuned!

In His Grip, Dave

P.S. Happy Father’s Day! It’s not a job for wimps.

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

The Joy of Mobilizing for the Kingdom at Covenant!

Posted: April 13, 2012 in Christianity, Church Planting, Journey, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Dave sharing with the seminary students at Covenant

Dave sharing with the seminary students at Covenant

Mobilizing for kingdom work. It’s something I enjoy.

It gives me energy to interact with young people who love Jesus, and have an interest in missions. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Covenant Seminary. When I think about it I love to tell our story, and to share about the needs of the border. It’s not difficult to build a case for the area of the world we minister in.

The tale of two cities. You have the beauty of San Diego, yet under the surface, deep in the social fabric of the city there are some huge needs. Drugs. Sex trafficking. Immigration issues, and the list goes on. The tale of Tijuana is well noted. Crime and violence have been rampant, although they have slowed down recently. The problem can’t be ignored.

Do we have an answer for this problem?

We just celebrated the answer this past Sunday. Christ triumphant is the answer. The gospel is the answer, and it’s man’s only hope! He is the light of the world. He is the living water. He brings hope for the broken and downtrodden.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at Covenant. Thankfully I was pleased and invigorated by the quality of students that came to our lunch presentation. It gives me faith that there are individuals out there that the Lord is calling to serve Him in missions. Some in God’s grace will join us on the border.

The Arch in St. Louis

The Arch in St. Louis

Of the students I met with yesterday about five expressed some level of interest in future internships. There may be some other doors that open as I follow-up with the students. I’ve already begun to talk to the school about a return visit in the fall.

Finding people who God is calling to work with us is sometimes a slow process, but it’s a good one. We have a terrific albeit challenging work, with some outstanding partners. Our story is compelling. I had at least a couple of people tell me that when I showed them the Harbor video that I have on my ministry partners page that it moved them. One said, “it makes me want to go.” That’s what I like to hear.

This journey is a journey of faith. We trust the Lord to raise our funds. We trust him to sell our house. We trust Him for our family. We trust Him to build our team. We trust Him to call people to serve with us that are a good fit.

Continue to join us in prayer for laborers for the San Diego – Tijuana field of harvest.

In His Grip, Dave

P.S. On Friday, April 13th at 4:30 PM (PT) we launch our English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Please pray for a good group of students, and that God would draw them to Himself.

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

Let Liberty Ring!

Posted: February 8, 2012 in Journey, Ministry, Potential Team Members
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Dave at Liberty Church

Dawn and I had a great time at Liberty Church in Owings Mills, Maryland, this past Sunday. Liberty is a great name, as we think of the liberty that we have in Christ! This church supported our ministry when we were in Mexico City. It’s thrilling to connect with them again! Thank you, Jesus.

It was a great encouragement to worship with them, and to share about what God is doing on the border. They expressed interest and enthusiasm about our ministry.

While at the church we met a college student who would like to explore a possible internship with us. Dawn and I got to know her better over dinner  and she has a neat heart for the Lord. She would be a wonderful addition to our team. Pray with us that the Lord will lead and guide her as she prays about and considers the possibility of working with us after she graduates.

Dawn and I are praying for the Lord to raise up many interns. Young workers that we can build into. We’d love to see them grow, and gain ministry experience with us. We would love for them to be thrust out into the mission field, including BEAMM San Diego – Tijuana, for long and short-term service. O Lord, hear our prayer!

We do have two interns that are already committed to working with us this summer, Zach Lutz. He is a student from Moody in Chicago. Our son, David is ministering with our partner, Harbor Mid-City. This summer we will put them to work to help us as we launch our BEAMM ministries.

Another huge need we have now is for somebody to head up our mercy ministries. There are so many needs and opportunities on the border – ESL, medical, food and clothing distribution, job training, etc. We need a person called by the Lord that can head this ministry up. This will enable us to mobilize friends to get involved in reaching out in the love of Christ to meet some of the physical and spiritual needs.

Dave & Dawn - with you on the journey!

Wow! I just received an email as I was writing this from a friend who has been considering working with us. She said  she has a strong interest in working with our team this summer. Thank you, Jesus! It’s possible that she could help us with mercy ministries. Could this be our answer to prayer for someone to lead mercy ministries? Stay tuned!.

We pray that liberty will ring on the border, and that the captives will be set free. Isaiah 61 speaks of proclaiming the gospel to the poor, and setting the captives free. That passage describes our hearts’ desire to see the gospel so fill the border that those living in San Diego and Tijuana are transformed in every way, socially, culturally and spiritually. Join us in prayer for a movement of the God’s Spirit on the border!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

Praising the Lord for His Blessings in 2011! – Part 4

Posted: December 30, 2011 in Journey, Potential Team Members
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Cesia, Mario, Chivis, Diane and Silvia (from left to right)

One of our huge highlights for 2011 was reconnecting with our friends from Mexico, Mario and Silvia Silva. You might remember that their daughter, Chivis stayed with us for six months starting in September of 2010. Mario came out to Colorado to bring Chivis home in February. Then we were with the whole family in San Diego in August. It was so good to see them again!

We hadn’t seen them in almost 10 years. Mario and Silvia were our best friends in Mexico during our second term. They were very involved in one of our church plants in Mexico City.  We love them and their family. So it was a thrill to be with them!

Mario and Silvia are very gifted in ministry. They have a great love for people to reach out and serve others. We’ve been praying for God to raise up a team to work with us, so to make it even more exciting I asked Mario to pray about joining us in reaching Hispanics on the border. God is working and Mario and Silvia have a growing desire to serve with us in the bi-national city of San Diego – Tijuana. Thank you, Jesus!

When Mario was with us in Colorado I asked him to share more about his calling and how the Lord is working in his life. So Mario shared his call to ministry on some short videos that David and I shot. Check them out here – God’s leading and call for Mario Silva 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Mario & Silvia, Dave and Dawn with the Phelans

It was a lot of fun to be with them, and we loved having them meet our co-workers, partners and friends. And they made quite an impression. Stephen Phelan keeps asking me about them, and letting me know how much he and Bradford enjoyed getting to know Mario and Silvia.

We are praying that Mario and Silvia can join us in our work on the border soon. Please pray with us. There are two big areas that we have to figure out with them. One is getting them a visa to live and work on the US side of the border, and secondly is their funding.

Another big highlight for the Silva’s was the birth of their son, Daniel Ezequias. He was born on October 28! Their first boy. Wow! God is so good! We love the Silva’s and pray that the Lord will give us the privilege of working side by side with them for the harvest.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

P.S. Please be in prayer with us for David Jr. He had an MRI for his knee which he hurt playing rugby. We will find out today whether he will need surgery or just physical therapy.

The Arrival of Daniel Ezequias – Give Thanks!

Posted: November 22, 2011 in Potential Team Members
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Daniel Ezequias Silva

I’ve asked you to pray for the birth of Mario and Silvia Silva’s baby boy. Daniel Ezequias arrived on October 28! Mario and Silvia are proud parents and we happy for them. They have two daughters, Silvia “Chivis” and Cesia. You might remember that Chivis stayed in our home this last year from September till February.

We are praying and trusting the Lord with Mario and Silvia that they will be able to join our team on the border. It’s been encouraging to see the steps of faith that they are taking towards moving to the border. Mario pastors a church in Mexico City. They are building a relationship with another church with the idea of merging with them. This will provide someone to lead and care for the people after they move.

It’s very encouraging for me to see these steps of faith, as there are still many unanswered questions before us. Two big obstacles to overcome are getting them a visa, and coming up with the finances for them to live and serve with us. We’ve talked about a bi-vocational model which can help ease some of the financial burden. We walk by faith, and not by sight, right?

Dave, Dawn and Hannah with Mario, Silvia, Chivis, Cesia and Diane

Dawn and I appreciate your prayer for Mario and Silvia’s growing family. We pray that the Lord will show us the way, and make the path straight.

The more I think and pray about it, I believe that having them be part of our team is key as we seek to plant a church, and see a movement of God on the border. Our prayer along with our partners is that the gospel will so fill the binational cities of San Diego – Tijuana that they will be renewed in every way–socially, spiritually, and culturally.

We are thankful for you as we celebrate Thanksgiving! Thanks for standing with us. We couldn’t do it without you.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

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