Posts Tagged ‘Davis & Luz Pardo’

Church Planting in Baja California
Dave & Dawn with Pastor Petri & Yudy Petrikowski (top), Pastor Federico & Blanca Muñoz with their family (bottom right), Pastor Davis & Luz Pardo with their family (bottom left)

Last week I wrote about the pastors and leaders that we work within Mexico and on the Big Island. Dawn and I are excited about the Lord’s amazing and marvelous work. We give thanks that we are a part of our friends, who have become like families’ ministries. It gives us great joy to hear their testimonies, and we are often blown away by what God is doing through them. We give thanks to the Lord for how He is so faithfully working in their lives and through their churches.

I made a video with the help of my colleague, fellow missionary, Jim DeWitt. In this video, I highlighted three church planting works (photo above): Pastor Davis & Luz in Tijuana; Pastor Petri & Yudy in Ensenada; Pastor Federico & Blanca in Mexicali.

My son, Jonathan encouraged me to put out more videos, so I hope that you like this one. It’s about 5 minutes long. Let me know if you’d like to see more short videos. I’m trying to decide whether I should make more of them.

Beyond Borders – Video
Join us in Prayer for:
  • Pastor Davis & Luz in Tijuana
  • Pastor Petri & Yudy in Ensenada
  • Pastor Federico & Blanca in Mexicali
  • Pastors on the Big Island
  • Revival
  • Encouragement
Join us in Supporting These Ministries

Prayerfully consider making a donation today. Give to support these church planting ministries and those on the Big Island. The Coronavirus has hurt the economy in the cities that these pastors are working in, and it’s especially difficult on the Big Island.

Click here to donate

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Stories of Expansion
Dave right before going into surgery

Over the last week and a half I’ve been recovering from hernia surgery, which I must say isn’t fun. 😉 It has been a slower process than I envisioned. These days since I haven’t been able to be as mobile as I usually am have given me some time to reflect, and to encourage all those that we are partnering with in ministry.

Dawn and I moved to the San Diego-Tijuana border area 7 1/2 years ago. It’s beautiful to see how the Lord has grown the ministry. He has literally stretched out our tent, just as we prayed from Isaiah 54. I love the stories of the lives that are touched and transformed through those we minister alongside of. I’d like to share one of those wonderful stories with you!

Davis & Luz Pardo
Luz & Davis with their three cute children

You might remember that I asked you to pray for Davis and Luz Pardo, because they were looking for a home in Playas in Tijuana. They were having a terrible time finding an affordable home. God came through again, and provided in the last minute. Now they are getting settled in to their new place, which isn’t far from the beach (that what playas means, beach).

Davis and Luz are a gifted young couple. Luz means light or power. She has a radiant smile that communicates joy and love. Davis is a caring pastor, who is able to attract and encourage people that he ministers to. Together they make a great team.

Luz’s Love Shines in the Produce Section
Luz & Davis

God gave Luz the opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ just a couple of days ago in the local grocery store. She told Davis she was going to the grocery store for 5 minutes to buy some oranges. Well those 5 minutes turned into 40, because she met someone in need.

Luz met Mary, and it was obvious that Mary was having a difficult time communicating with her daughter, and there were other family dynamics that caused tension. Luz took the opportunity to talk to Mary, and she shared how Jesus came to give us hope and give us life. After Luz showed compassion to Mary, she asked her if she could pray for her. Mary said yes! And Luz not only prayed for her, but she was able to lead her to Christ!

Luz said she had never prayed from someone in a grocery store before.

Pray for More Growth, More Fruit
Dawn and Dave with some of of our church planters from left to right, Federico & Blanca Muñoz in Mexicali; Luz & Davis Pardo in Tijuana

When Luz and Davis shared this story with me, it made my day. God is so good, and He’s active. Luz asked for prayer for Mary that they will be able to follow up with her and help her to grow in her new found faith.

We also can pray that there will be many more people who are open to the good news of Jesus, like Mary. Pray for all of our church planters that God will open doors for them. Some of them share that they get discouraged along the way. Church planting can be a lonely work, so they need much encouragement and prayer!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Kingdom Expansion

The Red de Multiplicación conference in Mexico City

I was in Mexico City in May for a big conference with a number of different denominations and churches involved in church planting. There were church planters and leaders from throughout Latin America as well as a few from Europe and Africa. It’s exciting when groups come together from different traditions within Christianity for the cause of seeing the Kingdom of God extended.

The conference is sponsored every Spring by Red de MultiplicaciónMultiplication Network“. The conference location goes from South America to Northern Latin America. Last year it was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, and this year Mexico City.

Lord, Increase Our Borders

Our church plant in Ensenada led by Pastor Petri and his wife, Yudy

Dawn and I had been praying for the Lord to increase our borders, and for an opportunity to network with others to see more churches planted. We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner with Red de Multiplicación. We believe that our relationship with them not only extends our reach, but it also helps us here.

Dawn and I are excited to see all the Lord is doing and to serve here on the U.S. Mexico border on the Baja and Beyond. We are starting to see movement, there are more churches being planted. We helped launch a new church plant last year in Mexicali with Ministerios Transformación. That’s a very special church for us, because we built it in Hannah’s memory. Two years ago we launched a new church in Ensenada. Now we are praying for and working towards getting three churches off the ground. One of them is in La Paz, Southern Baja California. One is in Mexicali and the other one is in Tijuana.

The Church in Mexicali

The church in Mexicali will be planted by Federico and Blanca Muñoz. We are excited for them. They’ve faced some huge challenges in getting to this point, but the Lord is so faithful and he has carried them through. When they first moved to Mexicali about 4 years ago, they didn’t have any furniture and they were sleeping on the floor for almost two years. I don’t know how they made it through that time.

Federico graduated from seminary in early May, and they just found a place to rent in the community in Mexicali where they would like to plant their church. Again we are praying for the Lord’s provision for them. They still have almost no furniture, and it’s very hot this time of year in Mexicali. We need the Lord to come through for them, and we know he will, we just don’t know how yet.

More Growth in Tijuana

David & Dawn with Luz and Deivis. Wonderful friends and ministers of the gospel

The other church planting project that we are just starting is in Tijuana with Davis & Luz Pardo. They are in a similar situation where they are looking for a place to live, and their income is limited right now. We are actually working with them on the possibility of helping to be involved in a business which would help them to earn an income and to support them.

These are faith building experiences. I’m working on raising funds for them, and at the same time praying and seeking the Lord so we can find creative ways to support them and provide for their needs. I think ministry is challenging any where. The battles one faces may be slightly different, but they are still there. In this case in Mexico it’s funding the church plant and getting it to a point where it’s a fully self sustaining church.

Join Us in Prayer

Dawn and I appreciate your interest and your desire to pray with us and even support this wonderful work of the Lord. Pray with us for the Lord’s provision for Federico & Blanca and Davis & Luz. Pray that the Lord will lead them to the right people and community where the light of Christ will shine forth with power.

These projects are impossible for us to do in our own strength. We will not succeed without the Lord being at the very center of what we are doing. We also desperately need friends to be standing with us in prayer. Friends that are willing to to in battle with us for the kingdom!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Our Vision for Growth on the Border, The Baja & Beyond!

The view towards the Pacific from the church plant in Rosarito

The view towards the Pacific from the church plant in Rosarito

Our vision for the Border, the Baja and Beyond is to see church planting movements ignited and flourishing. Some of the ways we’ve envisioned doing this is through partnering with like-minded ministries, to enlist, engage and equip leaders.

One of our important partnerships is with the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico (NPCM). When I was in Mexico City last week I was able to meet with the president, secretary and treasurer of the NPCM. I felt encouraged as we discussed the importance of planting churches and reaching Northern Mexico. You can pray with us that the relationship grows, so that we can see a Spirit filled move of God.

Presently, we have two main projects with them in our region. One new project in La Paz that we started in May of 2015, and one in Ensenada that we are getting ready to start this Fall.

A New Project in Rosarito

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Pastor Davis Pardo & and his wife, Luz leading the church in worship

Recently, I’ve started developing a relationship with a new church planter that is working in Rosarito. Davis & Luz Pardo went through our discovery center last November and they are beginning a new work in Rosarito.

This past weekend I visited the church site. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a great experience. I met some people from a group of churches from San Diego that are interested in supporting this church planting project and helping it get off of the ground.

God has blessed Davis and the church with a great location for a church. It’s set on a hill in the middle of a community that doesn’t have any churches. Since Rosarito is not far from the ocean, and the church is set on a hill it has a beautiful view of the Pacific.

I’ve invited Davis to go through our church planting training that we will be starting up in June. This is a two-year training program, called the incubator, that equips pastors to plant their church.

Join Us in Prayer

Pray with us that the Lord will guide and lead us in these strategic partnership relationships. Pray for Davis and Luz as they lead the core group that they’ve raised up in Rosarito. Pray for Victor and Fanny Gonzalez, who are planting the church in La Paz, and for Petri & Yudy who are planting the church in Ensenada.

Dawn and I are also excited about our partnership with our friends from Ministerios Transformación led by Pastor Daniel Nuñez. We are getting ready to plant a new church with them in Tijuana this Fall, led by Obed & Cesiah Lares.

The church is growing! God is at work! Hallelujah! Praise Him!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org