Peace in La Paz
Last week Dawn and I were in La Paz, Mexico which is on the Gulf of California side of the peninsula. We went there to get some time with our fellow missionaries, Peter and Jenny Boling, and our church planters, Benjamin and Blanca Romero.
It was our first ministry trip that we took where we had to get on a plane since the pandemic began.
La Paz, Baja California Sur
It’s always good to get some face to face time with those that we work closely with. Even though La Paz is on the same Peninsula as Tijuana it’s about 800 miles away.
Dawn and I get a lot of time with our church planters in Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada, or at least we did until the COVID-19 restrictions began in March. Since these cities are close to where we live it makes it much easier to visit the church planters and encourage them.
Expansion Even in the Midst of the Pandemic
Despite, the difficulties that the coronavirus restrictions have caused it has forced us to be creative, and in doing so we’ve been able to work with other church planters. In the last year, we’ve started funding, coaching, and training church planters in a number of other cities in Mexico: Neri and Karina in Tapachula, Chiapas; Manuel Santos in Durango, Durango; Roberto and Gabriela Mendoza in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora; Hector and Lulu Bautista in Hermosillo, Sonora; Eraclio and Amy Conde in Culiacán, Sinaloa; Jorge and Clara Izaguirre in Querétaro, Querétaro. And on top of that, there are all the church planters that we are supporting on the Big Island.
As I wrote the list of church planters we are working with I thought, “well it might not be all that exciting to read through that list, but if you consider the Apostle Paul and many of his letters he would end them greeting all the people he partnered with.” Part of the point is that we don’t do ministry alone. Too often church planters tell me, they feel alone and isolated. We are trying to change that. I’m encouraged by all the Lord is doing, and in the next few months, we are planning on partnering with even more church planters in other cities in Mexico.
That does encourage me! It represents kingdom expansion and that’s what we’ve been praying for.
Hard Times on the Big Island
Before I go I wanted to update you about some concerns on the Big Island. We just learned that the powers that be bulldozed a church. As you can see in the photos above the church was destroyed. This has all our familia there very concerned! They need our prayer. You can learn more about the tearing down of the church via this website: 14ymedio.com.
The Scarcity Continues
Also, we’ve been getting more reports about the lack of basic needs like bread. And as I mentioned in my last post some church planters are not able to get the medicine they need. One of our pastors, Roberto has diabetes and he can’t get any insulin to help with his glucose levels.
Pray with us for these needs and give to help provide for these families. I wish that you would have the chance to talk to some of our familia, they are so grateful for the ways that we have helped them. Many of them call the help that they’ve received, “Friends Hands.” You are the friends that extend your hands to help them.
Pray and Extend Your Hands to Help our Friends, our Familia Today!
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In His Grip, Dave
Beyond Borders 