VALIENT MEN AND WOMEN

Roman got emotional when he told how he was treated.

A valiant person is one of boldness or determination in facing great danger.  Courageous, brave and stout-hearted.  Two members of our church in Nuevo Progreso testified yesterday about their recent encounters with great danger.  And both said that they felt the Lord with them and they were saved from death.

Roman came forward at church to emotionally describe what happened to him and his wife Karen last week when they drove their pickup truck to nearby Rio Bravo.

Their childrens' toys were left in the truck and Karen began to gather them together.  She picked up a pair of plastic handcuffs and put them on her wrists in fun.  At the same time a police vehicle came alongside them and continued to watch them for a long distance.  Then they signaled for them to pull over and suddenly there were 12 police cars surrounding them and men with heavy weapons came rushing toward them.  It was evident immediately that the police were accusing Roman, a young man with a mustache and beard, of being a member of the cartel and it looked like he had taken Karen as prisoner!

It is rumored that in their efforts to control violence,  the Mexican government wants the police to shoot first and investigate later when the cartel is suspected.  In this encounter, they yanked Roman from the truck, struck him in the face, hit him in the back and side with their weapons and made him put his hands behind his head and lean over the truck so they could search him.  Roman kept trying to tell them the handcuffs were plastic toys, but no one would listen to him.  For five hours they searched all over their truck for drugs and continued to harass Roman and Karen!  Finally the police released them and without any explanation they drove away.

Roman said he was really scared during the whole time, but now realizes just how the Lord kept them safe.  When asked for his final thoughts on the whole affair, Roman said:  "Dios es grande! God is great!"

Later when they got home, Roman hurriedly shaved off his beard so he would no longer even faintly resemble a member of the cartel!

Jose Luis lives in Rio Bravo and attends our church in Nuevo Progreso.

Then we learned that Jose Luis had also been a victim of violence, but this time it was the cartel. He had been so calm and confident during the attack by a group of men that after they roughed him up and stole from him, they asked why he wasn't afraid.  He quietly told them that he was a Christian and God was with him.  He was not afraid!

Jose Luis works in the petroleum industry, driving in Rio Bravo, Matamoros and Reynosa inspecting equipment.  The attack took place during the day while he was working in Rio Bravo.  The men took all his money and the company computer while trying to intimidate him, but he remained peaceful.  When they saw his faith and humility in action, they left him and drove away quickly.

We asked Jose Luis if peace suddenly came on him when he was attacked.  He said no, that he always has peace surrounding him wherever he goes.  He told us with great and quiet assurance that the Lord is constantly with him.

Francisco loves the church and has found his place as caretaker.

There is another stout hearted man in our church, our new friend Francisco.  It warmed our hearts Sunday morning to see him at the task he loves  He came early before Sunday School to sweep and clean the church!  "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalm 84:10

There are other men of valor in the church who constantly demonstrate God's love and His protection.  We are inspired by their testimonies, their humility and their service to the people of Nuevo Progreso.

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."  Psalm 27:14

ENGLISH LESSONS, Helping The People

View of some stores crowded with tourists on the east side of the main street.

Nuevo Progreso is a tourist town sitting directly on the border between the United States and Mexico.  The last estimated population of the spreading community was approximately 18,000 people.  There is no industry in Nuevo Progreso, but there is a very large tourism trade.  People come from all over the world to visit this quaint and colorful city, and most of them speak English.  Many days it's almost impossible to walk through the crowded sidewalks and many chose instead to walk down the street among the cars and trucks.

Most of the people we know have contact with tourists in one way or another.  Many work in stores while others sell on the street directly to the passing men and women.  It has become very important for these vendors to speak at least a little English.  This helps them earn their living to support their families.

One day when the street was full of tourists.

It would be impossible to name all the types of businesses in Nuevo Progreso.  There are dozens of pharmacies, doctors' offices, dental offices, beauty shops, barber shops, tortilla factories, souvenir stores, restaurants and cafes, leather stores, shoe stores, pet supply stores, jewelry stores and grocery stores.  In addition the sidewalks are lined with outside vendors selling baskets, table linens, CD's and DVD's, pottery, religious statues and more.  Men and women parade back and forth carrying their products to sell such as toys and balloons, carved wall decorations, strings of garlic, chopped cactus and hot peppers.  And everyone tries to get the tourist's attention by calling out their wares in English.  Some can be heard calling out: "Almost free! Almost free!"

Unlike villages deeper into Mexico, Nuevo Progreso has evolved into an unusual place where new words are always being invented.  A cross between Spanish and English, it's called Spanglish or Tex-Mex. Communication with tourists is very important.

On a cold day this sidewalk jewelry vendor shielded his wares with plastic canvas sheets.

That's why we started teaching English at the church in Nuevo Progreso.  It's a way we can help the people make a better living at what they do best.  It's always pleasing to North Americans when they can talk to the vendors about their colorful and clever products.  Not only about the price of an object, but where it was made or if they made it themselves.  And it's another way we can minister to the people south of the border.

SUNDAY SCHOOL, The Backbone of the Church

This proud parent brought his children to Sunday School!

There's a new emphasis on Sunday School at Bethesda Church of God in Nuevo Progreso!  New classes have begun, including an adult class.  Attendance was good on the first day, there were 18 happy children sitting around the tables!

The adults were impressed with the Sunday School literature in Spanish from Pathway Press.  Their first lesson was from Genesis - The Creation - which was taught by Pastor Gerardo.  One visitor asked for more copies of the lesson that she could share with her neighbors.  Another man said he will invite everyone he can to come to Sunday School.  He was also inspired to take a generous stack of gospel tracts to pass around in the colonia.

These boys have been coming to Sunday School for a long time.

For a long time many small children have been coming to Bethesda Church of God on their own, asking for their teacher and attending classes.  Their interest has been inspiring and encouraging. Sunday School has always been very important to us.  These classes instill deep faith in our children.  We remember hearing about great people of the Old Testament such as Moses, David when he fought Goliath, Jonah and the whale, Esther and many others.  And then the greatest story ever told, the birth of Jesus, his life, death and resurrection.  These people become part of our family as we study their lives and their great faith.  

Chilren learn to pray in Sunday School.

Also, adults become stronger and more sure of their faith by studying God's word.  It is good to come to church for worship, but we need to know what God has commanded and what he has promised in the Bible.  It's a guide for our lives today.

We are excited about this new greater emphasis on Bible study on Sunday mornings.  Many great churches had their beginnings in the humble Sunday School.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

IN MEMORY OF PASTOR JEREMY ROBINSON, 1968-2015

Pastor Jeremy B. Robinson

Pastor of  Bethalto Church of God, Bethalto, Illinois.  Our home church.

"But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." Psalm 3:3

GUNFIRE IN NUEVO PROGRESO

Nuevo Progreso as it appears during the day when businesses are open.

An ordinary Sunday evening and time for church service to begin in Nuevo Progreso.  It was dark at 7:30 when we drove toward the location at the south end of town.  Many of the stores on the main street were closed, but people still wandered the sidewalks and a few vendors continued to sell tacos and other snacks and drinks.  We slipped in the doors of the church and found seats near the back as the service began.

After several worship songs, people volunteered to sing solos and children came forward to recite their favorite scriptures.  Pastor Gerardo's first words to the congregation were that we can expect to see extraordinary things happen when we worship the Lord!  Things outside the natural and normal, things that cannot be explained. Worship brings us victory!

Later as we started to leave in our different directions for home, our new friend Francisco and his wife Anna reported what could have been a catastrophe in their lives.  Francisco was accidentally caught in a crossfire in the street the day before and he had a very slight mark from a bullet on his wrist!  He had been near his home on the south end of Nuevo Progreso.

Francisco, our new friend, had a slight bullet wound on his wrist.

Everyone gathered around to hear the details of the incident and Pastor Gerardo urged all of us to join hands in a circle and pray for God's hand of protection.

It was near 10:00 pm when we drove back through town toward the international bridge.  There were still people milling around some corners, restless and preoccupied.  The officer in charge at the customs booth asked us where we had been and what had been our business in Mexico.  When we told him we had attended a church service, he asked if we had heard the gunfire people had been reporting.   He said that according to reports of others coming through the checkpoint there had been shots fired and smoke bombs were thrown at a location within blocks of where we had been.  We had not heard anything during the church service except for the soft pattering of a brief rain shower on the roof of the building.  As he handed us back our passports and waved us through the gate, he advised us to be very careful while traveling in Nuevo Progreso.

We appreciate your prayers for protection for Pastor Gerardo and his family and for the people of the church in Mexico.