Posts Tagged ‘Pastor Rodrigo Vallarta and Nancy’

The Battle Rages

Posted: January 10, 2014 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer
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Connecting with Pastors and Their Wives
Abraham and Martha with Dawn and Dave

Abraham and Martha with Dawn and Dave

In the last two days Dawn and I have reconnected with some of the pastors and church planters that we are ministering with.

Last year at this time we hardly knew Abraham and Martha Velazquez and Rodrigo and Nancy Vallarta. We’ve grown to love them, and we look forward to our times with them. It’s exciting to hear what God is doing in their lives, which impacts the churches that they are pastoring.

The Battle Rages on as the Gospel Goes Forth
Pastor Rodrigo with his wife, Nancy and their children

Pastor Rodrigo with his wife, Nancy and their children in front of their church

One of the things that we’ve noticed is as our friends are growing, that the enemy is attacking them in various ways. On the one hand when we see opposition, we know that we are going in the right direction. As someone has said, dogs don’t bark at parked cars.

Even though the battle rages, we are experiencing victory on a number of fronts. What God is doing on the border through these churches is so encouraging.

The Importance of Prayer in the Battle

We are reminded as the attacks come to stand firm and to pray. Please pray with us. We are on the winning side, but we know we need prayer protection.

The Church Stands Victorious in Christ

I love Jesus’ promise in regards to his protection as the church marches forth, and as His kingdom expands.

…on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  —Matthew 16:18b ESV

Thanks for standing with us in prayer. We need prayer protection, and so do those that we are ministering with.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

A Great Outreach in Tijuana!

Posted: October 29, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Wow! What a Great Day in TJ
Christian Castro teaching a Bible Story for the children

Christian Castro teaching a Bible Story for the children

Thanks so much for praying for our Tijuana children’s outreach event. The Lord gave us an outstanding day!

This was one of my favorite events that we’ve done in TJ. We had a great team, which allowed everything to run very smoothly. Our team from Harbor worked very well with the Lo Mejor del Trigo church in Pípila.

It makes may heart glad to see all the children and those that are serving them enjoying themselves so much.

I loved seeing our people from Harbor working side by side with those from the Pípila church. The church is still building, so outreach events like this helps them to have a greater presence in the community. We pray with them that they will continue to grow as they share the love of Christ.

Much Fun – Many Smiles
David Diaso Jr. and Jenn English with some of the children in Pípila

David Diaso Jr. and Jenn English with some of the children in Pípila

We organized a number of fun activities for the children. They enjoyed songs, face painting, balloons, bubbles, painting a huge banner, making bracelets and games.

There were smiles all around.

Some of these children have started attending the church. It was encouraging to see some of the same children. They remember us and we get to know them.

Pray for the Pípila church

Continue to pray with us as Pastor Rodrigo Vallarta along with his wife, Nancy lead this church. Pray for wisdom and direction in building the church. This coming Sunday they will celebrating their first year anniversary at the church.

Another praise is that Rodrigo, who is a bi-vocational pastor had been out of work for over a month. His family was struggling to make it from week to week. Rodrigo found a job on Friday! That’s a huge answer for them, and it takes a lot of pressure off the family.

The children having fun playing!

The children having fun playing!

Thank you Lord, for giving us such a good day.

Many of those that came from Harbor told me when I saw them the next day, that they had a great experience. A number of them keep coming back every chance they get. It’s great to see others get excited about serving in a cross-cultural missions setting.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

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Ready for Outreach in Tijuana

Posted: October 25, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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We are getting Ready for a Big Day in TJ
Having fun with bubbles

The children at one of our recent outreach events in TJ having fun with bubbles

This week we are busy getting ready to take 30 friends from Harbor Mid-City and Harbor West down to Tijuana.

The organizational logistics side of these trips does challenge some of my weaknesses, but I do love getting people involved in cross-cultural outreach.

I don’t enjoy organizing the trips nearly as much as I love seeing people serve in this way. I suppose the complete package, even though it’s a lot of work is one of my favorite things.

Since we’ve done a few of these trips now the Lord has blessed me with a good team to help me organize the trips. I’ve recruited to my weaknesses, and as a team we are strong. This enables us to have a much better experience in preparation for the trip as well as on the day of the trip.

God Uses Willing Hearts to Serve

The Lord encourages me as I see friends from our church in the U.S. meet friends in Mexico.

Magic happens when these two cultures collide for the kingdom. God somehow uses it.

My goal for these mission trips in Tijuana is for those from the U.S. to be stretched, and to serve our Mexican brothers and sisters. The goal on the Mexican side is two-fold. One we want to help the church in this case Lo Mejor del Trigo in Pípila reach out and bless their community. Secondly, we want to encourage those in the church in Pípila.

We Need Your Prayer
Pastor Rodrigo and Nancy at their church in Pípila

Pastor Rodrigo and Nancy at their church in Pípila

When we bring big groups into Mexico there is always a huge need for prayer. I don’t think the enemy likes what we are doing, so we have to pray for protection. We pray that he will guide and lead us as well as use us along with our Mexican brothers and sisters to be a loving witness in the community.

Pray especially for Pastor Rodrigo and his wife, Nancy. The church is coming up on its one year anniversary. They’ve seen slow, but steady growth. Our hope is that events like this might give them a boost, and move them forward some as they seek to make a difference for Christ in Pípila.

Thanks for standing with us on this journey, and keep us in praying leading up to the trip, and especially on Saturday.

I will be sure to report how things went, so stay tuned.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

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Missions at San Diego Christian College

Posted: October 21, 2013 in Christianity, Family Happenings, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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College and Missions at SDCC
Dawn, David Jr. and Dave enjoying our time together at San Diego Christian College's missions fair

Dawn, David Jr. and Dave enjoying our time together at San Diego Christian College’s missions fair

This last week was a good albeit super busy one. My days were filled with fruitful ministry activities, but it made it difficult to find the time to post anything. One of the highlights was participating in San Diego Christian College’s (SDCC) missions fair.

Dawn and I enjoy interacting with the college students at the school. What makes it even more enjoyable is our son, David Jr. is the student body president, so it was fun to get some time with him.

We are proud parents, and we love being with David and his friends.

SDCC’s Rich Heritage

Every year SDCC has a missions emphasis week. The school provides opportunities for short-term missions trips into Mexico during the school year, and other far away places like Thailand during the summer.

David Jr. & Dave cooking Carne Asada for the dinner at SDCC's missions fair

David Jr. & Dave cooking Carne Asada for the dinner at SDCC’s missions fair

God has used SDCC to send out literally hundreds of students into the mission field. It’s great to be part of a conference at a school with such a rich tradition.

I’ve heard reports that even with all the talk about being missional that the missions force in the U.S. is dwindling. God is raising up missionaries from other countries, which is a huge praise. Yet we pray the Lord will still continue to use our churches in the U.S. to send out laborers into the harvest field.

Pray for Workers!
David Jr. is proud of the time he spent as a child in Mexico

David Jr. is proud of the time he spent as a child in Mexico

Pray with us that in the Lord’s timing he will raise up missionaries to serve alongside us here on the border. I also pray that we can be creative to involve people we meet here in serving in missions.

This Saturday, October 26th Dawn and I will be taking a team of about 30 people from Harbor Mid-City and Harbor West to work with a church in Tijuana. We will be working with our friends, Pastor Rodrigo and Nancy and their church in Pípila. We plan on doing a children’s community outreach, and we are praying for at least 120 children to come.

Thanks for standing with us, and for joining us in prayer!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

God Brings the Increase in Pípila, Tijuana

Posted: September 20, 2013 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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Lo Mejor del Trigo – Pípila
Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

Just the other day Dawn and I met with Rodrigo and Nancy Vallarta. Rodrigo pastors the Lo Mejor del Trigo Church in Tijuana in the community of Pípila.

Rodrigo was excited as he was sharing about a new family that started coming to the church in May. They came to Christ through the witness of the church, and they were baptized this last month. Our prayer is that the Lord will bring many more to the cross.

The church in Pípila is going to celebrate it’s one year anniversary on November 3rd. Just a year ago Harbor helped them to start the church. It’s encouraging to see all that the Lord has done in the last year!

Outreach to Children and Families
Festival Infantil - Outreach to Children in Tijuana

Festival Infantil – Outreach to Children in Tijuana

Harbor Mid-City continues to partner with the church and bring down groups to serve, and help with evangelistic outreach. In June over 120 children came to the “festival infantil”. We already have the next one planned for October 26th.

I love being able to bring together those in our church at Harbor to minister alongside our brothers and sisters in the Pípila church.

Having fun with bubbles

Having fun with bubbles

When I visited the church last month I recognized two of the children who had come to the children’s event, and they are now attending the church.

Rodrigo and Nancy tell us that bringing all the Americans down raises curiosity, so more children and families come.

It’s so good for our people to encounter some of the needs, and differences they see when they cross the border. I believe the Lord even uses the long border wait to get back into the U.S. to teach some valuable lessons about what many have to deal with daily.

Join Us in Prayer!

Pray with us that the Lord continues to grow this church. Pray that he gives pastor Rodrigo and his wife, Nancy wisdom as they serve together and provide leadership for the church.

Dave with Daniel Nunez

Dave with Daniel Nunez

On a side note, Daniel Nuñez, the leader of the Lo Mejor del Trigo movement, and I are leaving for Monterrey, Mexico early today. We are going to visit the Church Planting Center with the hope of increasing our vision for church planting in Tijuana. I also believe it will be a great opportunity for our friends in Monterrey to meet Daniel and to learn about his vision and what he’s doing to accomplish it.

Pray that it is a fruitful and productive trip. Also pray for Dawn while I’m gone. She does get lonely, so it’s a sacrifice for her when I travel.

Thanks so much for standing with us in prayer!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Prayer & Provision in TJ

Posted: June 14, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

The Gospel Shines Brightly

Earlier this week Dawn and I met with pastor Rodrigo Vallarta and his wife, Nancy. They lead a Lo Mejor del Trigo (The Best of the Wheat) church in eastern Tijuana. The area of the city is called Pípila.

It was so encouraging to meet with them, and to learn how the Lord was providing for them.

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about their church, and I listed some of the needs they had as a prayer request. Click here… to see that post and those requests.

The Lord’s Awesome Answers

God has provided in wonderful ways for Rodrigo, Nancy and the church.

  1. The local church was able to pull together and put some bars on the windows for security, since it had been broken into and it wasn’t safe to leave things of value in the church.
  2. God reminded Rodrigo of a dentist in Tijuana that told another pastor friend that he would be willing to treat people who didn’t have the means to pay. Nancy went to the dentist this past Wednesday. We are anxious to find out how that went! She still suffered through tremendous pain for more than a month.
  3. Some items were also donated to the pastor and the church: a car, a computer and the funds to put in electricity at the church site.
Rejoice in His Provision

Sometimes we pray, but forget to thank God when he answers. I want to make sure everyone knows, and ask you to rejoice with us in how the Lord marvelously provided for them!

David reminds us in Psalms 103:2 (ESV)

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits

Family Outreach in Pípila
Nancy & Dawn - We are praying the Dentist visit will take care of the pain Nancy has had, and bring healing.

Nancy & Dawn – We are praying the Dentist visit will take care of the pain Nancy has had, and bring healing.

Tomorrow (Saturday) a group of us from Harbor are going to partner with the church in Pípila to do an outreach in the community. We are going to have a number of fun activities for children, and then a meal for the families that come. There are 20 of us that are going on the trip.

Friends from the church in Pípila are already messaging me, and letting me know how excited they are that we are coming. When Dawn and I met with Rodrigo and Nancy on Tuesday, Rodrigo said he was thrilled that we were coming so soon after we helped start the church last November.

Rodrigo also told me that the church is growing. God is moving in the community. We pray that this outreach will help them to further their reach.

Join us in Prayer

Join us in prayer that the Lord uses the fun activities and Bible stories to help the church make a positive impact in the community of Pípila. It’s a wonderful way to get the word out, and to make more people aware that the church is there. A city set on a hill. We are also praying that we will be an encouragement to the people in the church. How pleasant it is when the brothers dwell together in unity!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

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God is Winning in Tijuana!

Posted: May 13, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Tijuana
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Daniel Nuñez with the pastors of Lo Mejor Del Trigo

Daniel Nuñez with the pastors of Lo Mejor Del Trigo

God’s Amazing Work in TJ

I see God doing an amazing work in Tijuana, and it’s fun to be a part of it. There’s so much bad news in the world it’s refreshing to receive good news.

The Lord has blessed me with some wonderful pastors to work with in Tijuana. Last week I was especially encouraged!

On Sunday I preached at the church we helped start. Such a great group of people! The church responded well to my message. They blessed Dawn and me, and we felt we were able to love on and minister to them. God is using pastor Rodrigo and his wife, Nancy to build the church.

Then on Monday Bill Yarbrough and I were able to be with Daniel Nuñez and all the pastors with Lo Mejor del Trigo (The Best of the Wheat). Bill spoke on Christ centered preaching, and they loved it. It’s wonderful to see the gospel influence the influencers of a church planting movement.

Coaching and Encouraging Pastors
Rodrigo & Nancy, Dawn & Dave, Martha & Abraham (from left to right) pastors, ministers, pastors wives

Rodrigo & Nancy Vallarta, Dawn & Dave, Martha & Abraham Velazquez (from left to right)

Later in the week I met with some of the pastors that I’m coaching and encouraging in their ministries. I had a great time with pastor Abraham Velazquez. He shared with me how he is preaching the gospel in his church, and how God is using it in people’s lives. Some of the things Bill and I have shared with him he is passing on. Wow, that thrilled my heart to hear!

I do believe God is winning in Tijuana!

Abraham has a wonderful family. Dawn and I love Abraham and his wife, Martha. They are quickly becoming some of our favorite people in Tijuana. The Lord is doing an amazing work in their family and through their ministry at the church.

Praise Jesus for His Good Work

I praise the Lord that he is using our efforts to bring positive change in Tijuana.

Thanks for standing with us on this journey of faith for Jesus!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

God’s Work in Pipila, Tijuana

Posted: May 6, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Pastor Rodrigo Vallarta leading the church

Pastor Rodrigo Vallarta leading the church

Today (Sunday) Dawn and I had the privilege to spend some time with our friends at the Lo Mejor del Trigo (The Best of the Wheat) church in Pipila, in eastern Tijuana. You might remember that this is one of the churches we partnered with Harbor and Lo Mejor del Trigo to plant last Fall.

A Great Beginning

The church started last November, and it is off to a fantastic start!

Dawn and I enjoyed the opportunity to be with this young and growing church. Rodrigo and his wife, Nancy are doing a good job loving and leading the people. Rodrigo told me that the church is frequently going out  to share the gospel in the community.

I enjoyed the opportunity to minister to the church through preaching on grace today. The Gospel does change lives! They were very open to the message, and Dawn and I sensed the Lord moving among them.

The woman, who donated the land for the church was also visiting today. She has a great heart, and loves God’s church. It was the first time she was able to visit the church, since it was built. After the service she met with Rodrigo, Nancy, Dawn and me and she was very interested in the needs of the church.

The Church’s Needs

I’d like to share with you what we found out, so you can pray with us.

  1. The church doesn’t have its own electricity. They are having to run an extension cord from a neighbor’s house to the church.
  2. They don’t have any musical instruments.
  3. They need some better security. Someone has broken into the church through the windows.
  4. Nancy has some dental needs, and they don’t have the money to cover the medical costs.
  5. Rodrigo and Nancy don’t have a car, so it’s hard to make it to their many ministry activities and to cart around the music equipment they borrow.
  6. Rodrigo could use a computer to help with his sermons, studies and communication.
Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

Dave and Dawn with Rodrigo, Nancy and Luz

We are thrilled by all the Lord is doing at this young church, yet some of the needs do make us concerned. We wish we could do more. Jesus is making a difference through the gospel in the community of Pipila. Thank you Lord, for your continued ministry in the heart of men and women on the border.

Pray for these needs and this church. We hurt for Nancy, and her dental health. O Lord, please do provide a way!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

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Who Will Encourage The Pastors?

Posted: February 20, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Rodrigo & Nancy, Dawn & Dave, Martha & Abraham (from left to right) pastors, ministers, pastors wives

Rodrigo & Nancy, Dawn & Dave, Martha & Abraham (from left to right)

I have often wondered, who will encourage the pastors? I ask this question in part because I spend a lot of time with pastors. I see them loving and ministering to others, but I realize they also need to be loved on, prayed for and encouraged.

Pastors and their Wives in TJ

Tuesday afternoon the Lord gave us a wonderful blessing. Dawn and I spent the afternoon with two pastors and their wives: Abraham and Martha Velazquez, Rodrigo and Nancy Vallarta. Young couples involved in ministry with Lo Mejor del Trigo in Tijuana.

You might remember that we helped build the church in Pipila where Rodrigo and his wife, Nancy are ministering. They are very encouraged by all the Lord is doing in the church. It’s so good to hear how the gospel is entering into that community.

Abraham leads worship at Lo Mejor del Trigo, the mother church in El Niño, and he is the lead pastor in Rojo Gomez. He is a very gifted young guy, and he’s great to be around. I love Abraham’s smile and energy when he leads worship.

Dawn and I have made it a point to get to know some of the pastors in Tijuana and to love on them, and ask them about their needs. After 24 years in ministry together we’ve learned a few things that we’d like to pass on to our friends who are serving the Lord.

Nancy, Dawn and Martha - pastors wives

Nancy, Dawn and Martha

Ministry Flows out of Relationship

One of my mottos is that ministry flows out of relationship. This is even more true in Mexico. Relationships are so important. You can’t shortcut spending time with people to get to know them better and to learn what their needs are.

If we observe Jesus’s life we see he spent time with people. He saw that the people had needs, and he came preaching the good news of the gospel, which brought healing and hope.

It was a joy to be with these couples. We enjoyed a meal together, and spent time getting to know them. They genuinely appreciated our taking an interest in their well-being.

Martha told us, “It means a lot to us, just knowing that you care for us and that you are willing to be there for us.”

Great Dialogue and Discussion

One of the questions they asked was, “what are some of the most important things you’ve learned in your more than twenty years of ministry?” We talked about the importance of growing deep in grace, being humble and always being a learner among other things.

Abraham asked, “how can you emphasize grace, and yet not encourage people to think they can live however they want to?” That’s a really good question, which led to some great discussion.

After this time with our friends I feel filled up today, my cup is overflowing! Even though we sought to be a blessing to them, we received a huge blessing ourselves. Thank you Jesus!

Join us in praying for our friends who are serving faithfully in Tijuana!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org