AFTERGLOW

The sun set as the church service ended in Nuevo Progreso.

We’re a church without a pastor, but not for long. Somewhere there is someone the Lord has to lead the church forward in Nuevo Progreso. Meanwhile, the Church of God makes sure there is an interim pastor behind the pulpit each Sunday evening. This week we welcomed Pastor Oliver from Rio Bravo and he brought his two little girls - Dulce and Estefania. Pastor Oliver spoke about the importance of having the Holy Spirit within us to give us boldness to speak God’s word.

After the service, we all gathered around to visit and fellowship. Fellowship binds us together and is a very important part of any church. It helps make us a family.

The rich smell of coffee drifted into the auditorium. Azucena and Catalina helped bring out the large coffee urn, sugar and cream and all the other necessary items. Alejandro brought in a huge container of atole, a mixture that tasted like thickened strawberry milk, and a tray of cookies. In this relaxed atmosphere, we talked about plans for the future.

Brother Oliver is standing at the far right with his daughter Dulce. Lloyd is talking with Sister Catalina and her brother.

Soon we had established a workday for Wednesday. Several of us planned to meet and begin cleaning out the rooms in the parsonage making it ready for the future. We planned a huge bonfire to do away with anything that couldn’t be used. Enthusiasm was high and volunteers were eager to be more involved.

Azucena and Catalina set out the coffee service.

Even a small stray puppy had a good time during the afterglow. The tiny little black and brown dog slipped in unnoticed during the service and went to sleep under a bench. A small white dog called Pela is in residence at the building. We call him the guardian of the church because he seems to stand watch at the front gate. Lloyd took a large container of dog kibble for him and a dish that’s all his own. It feels good to know that a dog is always present at the building during the week when there are no activities there.

Estafania made friends with the puppy.

It was good to see the children happily coloring in their books while we talked and drank our coffee and atole. Soon they too were standing at the serving table wanting their cups of atole and their cookies. 

Children active at their favorite pastime.

There certainly was a glow at the church, a real glow!  The sun began to set just as the service was dismissed and Brother Oliver pronounced the benediction over us. Rays of the setting sun came through the windows forming large bright patterns on the walls behind the pulpit. It was a perfect illustration of what we call an afterglow, that time of fellowship after spending time with God!

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  Psalm 133:1

CHURCH NEWS FROM MEXICO

Our arrival in south Texas on the Mexican border November 13, 2017.

Every year we go back to Illinois for the summer to rest and regroup, leaving the church in Nuevo Progreso in good hands. Late this summer our Pastor Gerardo Estrada sent us word that he was resigning from the church and was returning to his former home in Nayarit, Mexico.  Gerardo’s father, a pastor in Mexico, passed away in June. Gerardo had been asked to take his father’s place in that church. We will greatly miss Pastor Gerardo, his wife Miriam and their four children: Gerson, Nahum, Dana and Esly. They pastored the church in Nuevo Progreso almost 10 years and they had worked hard. They were multi-talented, spirit filled and well educated people. We pray they will succeed in their new assignment.

Pastor Feernando Colorado with his 2 children.

Pastor Gerardo placed the church in the hands of the northeast district of the Church of God, Superintendent Fernando Colorado who pastors a church in Reynosa.  And every Sunday evening since that time, Pastor Colorado and a small crew of volunteers have arrived at the church to maintain the grounds and conduct a church service.

Several families remained faithful to the church, although some drifted away. We had no idea what we would find when we first went across the border to the church.

It was chilly and windy when we drove over the rough unpaved roads through Colonia Jardin (the Garden) to the eastern side of town.  This is one of the poorest areas of Nuevo Progreso. The last row of little dwellings before reaching the farmer’s plowed fields led us to the place where the Lord had directed us to build a church.  When we drove over the hill we immediately saw men with machetes hacking away at weeds on the south side of the building. There was lush green grass in the front and east side and the building didn’t look abandoned.

Lush green grass surrounded the building. Everything looked well maintained.

Pastor Fernando greeted us and explained that friends from the church in Reynosa came an hour or so early each Sunday to do things around the building. Everything looked well kept and inviting. Soon Sister Catalina arrived and after lots of hugs and enthusiastic greetings, she and her son Nicholas and his wife brought out their brooms and buckets of water to sweep and wash down the pews that had accumulated a lot of dust during the week. There was sugar cane “snow” on the floor. When nearby sugar cane fields are burned off, black ash drifts through the air to fall like black snow to decorate everything.  The men and women made quick work of the place, readying it for church.

Pastor Fernando led us in some worship songs and then preached a short sermon. He then asked everyone to bring at least one other person next Sunday. One volunteer from Reynosa works in a bakery. He brought along a small bag of freshly baked rolls and pan dulce (sweet bread) that we all shared before leaving the church. Lloyd and I promised that next Sunday there would be coffee to go along with his promise of more cinnamon flavored rolls.

The church in Nuevo Progreso, Bethesda Tabernacle, remains firm and stable even without a pastor. Until a pastor is appointed for this mission outreach, we are confident that the work will continue with God’s blessings. It was evident that the people were taking over responsibility for their church. This is the goal for our mission, that one day we can leave the work in their hands.

Catalina cleaned the furniture before church began.

Another lady swept Texas black "snow" from the floor.

“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”  Psalm 2:12

ISAIAH'S CHRISTMAS GIFT

Isaiah

God bless the United States for having compassion on those in desperate need!  Isaiah (Isaias in Spanish) was one of those who was blessed and helped and given an extension of life by United States immigration officers several years ago.  Isaiah was five years old. He was the youngest child of our friend Lydia in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

When Isaiah was born, we along with some friends from Brownsville, Texas visited Lydia and we prayed for her and helped her name her new little boy. Lydia was a single parent and life was always a challenge for her, but she loved all of her children and took care of them the best she could.  Five years passed and the next time we saw Lydia she was begging for help on the streets of Nuevo Progreso.  Isaiah was very ill.  Lydia had been given permission by the city to ask anyone she could find for help.

Isaiah was blind, couldn't speak and was unable to sit up or stand.

We learned that Isaiah had a tumor in his head and that a lot of money would be needed in order to treat him.  At the same time, our Texas friends contacted doctors in Brownsville and found one who was willing to treat Isaiah if we could get him into Texas.  That’s when doors were opened for Isaiah and the Lord helped him.

Early one afternoon we went to Lydia’s house, Lloyd picked Isaiah up in his arms, put him in our Jeep and along with his mother, we headed for the International Bridge. We parked the Jeep near the office and Lloyd carried the helpless child into the Customs and Immigration office where we were met with frowns from the group of people trying to get visas and also from the officers behind the counters. Lloyd hurriedly explained that there was a doctor waiting on the other side of the border if they would give us permission to take him across.

Of course there were decisions to be made, questions asked and time kept passing by. Lloyd laid Isaiah down on the cool tile floor and tried to make him comfortable, but Isaiah kept rolling around restlessly, gripping his head. Finally after making us promise we would return Isaiah and his mother to Mexico within 2 days, United States Immigration officers granted us permission to take Isaiah to the doctor who was waiting for us in Brownsville.

After a 40 mile drive, we placed Isaiah in the doctor’s hands, planning to come back for him the next day. But plans were changed dramatically!  Isaiah’s condition was so severe that he was air lifted to Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. There was no way we could keep our promise and return him to Mexico in 2 days.

Isaiah held my hand as we walked out of the hospital.

One of the best children’s surgeons in the United States operated on Isaiah and removed a large cancerous tumor from his head. Isaiah was in Corpus Christi for 30 days, during which time we visited once or twice. His mother Lydia remained at his bedside or in a room nearby all that time, even though she worried about her other children who were left in the care of her oldest daughter. Finally they called and said we could come and get Isaiah.

We will never forget the experience of walking into Isaiah’s room and seeing a beautiful five year old child who could see us, hear us and talk to us. He was so happy! His eyes were bright with excitement!  We passed a McDonalds in the hospital lobby and he insisted we go in and get a treat.

It was December 23rd and there were Christmas lights everywhere on trees, on fences, in windows and hanging over city streets.  “Mira! Mira!” (Look! Look!) he kept crying!  For the entire 2 hour trip home Isaiah exclaimed over all the Christmas lights and the displays in yards. It was all new to him and he loved it.

Isaiah in our van. He kept shouting, "Look! Look!" at the Christmas lights.

 When we drove up outside Lydia’s little dwelling in Nuevo Progreso, several of her children came running out to meet us. We opened the doors of the van and the lights came on, illuminating Isaiah who was now standing up. They said, “Who is that? That’s not Isaiah!” and they stood speechless for moments.  Finally Lydia lifted him out and stood him beside her while everyone pressed around him wanting to touch him.  It was overwhelming.  Isaiah was home and the family was together again.

We made sure the records in the Immigration office were updated on Isaiah’s return although we couldn’t keep our promise of returning him in 2 days.

Time went by and doctors in Mexico told Lydia that Isaiah needed further treatments to completely get rid of the cancer. But treatments were almost impossible because the nearest facilities were 400 miles away.  Friends helped Lydia take Isaiah to Ciudad Victoria once or twice, but it wasn’t enough.

Isaiah after one treatment for cancer.

At Christmas time that year Isaiah had been given the gift of an extra six months of happy and normal life with his family. Lydia took him to church and he played with the neighborhood children.  He had changed from the limp and helpless and blind child who cried all the time to one who never stopped smiling. Around Easter the next year he passed away. 

“And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him.” Mark 1:41

BEYOND THE OPEN DOOR

Poli and Pastor Javier are on the left and Lloyd has his arm around Moises. They are packed and ready to start the trip. Poli and Moises accompanied them part of the way.

Beyond the open door

is a new and fresh anointing,

hear the Spirit calling you to go.

Walk on through the door,

for the Lord will go before you,

to a greater place than you have been before.

(Author Unknown)

Three thousand miles over rough and winding roads. Continuous rain made driving a challenge. The trip into Mexico February 2007 with Spanish Bibles was anything but easy.

Lloyd and Pastor Javier drove through several states in Mexico including Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz, Tabasco and Chiapas before entering the country of Guatamala. There they had to exchange their pesos into the currency of Guatamala and apply for another official registration sticker for the van. Everywhere they went the people turned their faces away from them, as if they were extremely shy. Of Mayan descent, it may be that one of Guatamala’s beliefs is that they must not make eye contact with strangers.

Chili cayotes for sale in Guatamala. The children turned their faces away from the strangers.

The land in Guatamala was very poor and mountainous. Corn was planted on terraced hillsides that were almost too steep to climb. And there was a different kind of vegetable called a chili cayote. These enormous melon or squash like vegetables were grown in abundance and sold along the roads.

At one of the churches in Guatamala a tiny elderly woman said she wanted to pray for Lloyd and Javier before they left. She insisted they get on their knees and she prayed earnestly and fervently for them. Later, exiting Guatamala was as difficult as entering the country had been. They were required to show all their papers and pay additional fees at the border.  The situation was so tense at one point that they were beginning to be concerned. But they had the blessing of the Lord on them, their papers were cleared and they were allowed to cross back into Mexico.  It was a difficult time but worth the effort to know they were able to leave many Spanish Bibles and thousands of gospel tracts in that country.

The entire trip took nine days. There are sure to be lasting results from the many Spanish Bibles that were distributed to churches along the way. And many new doors were opened for us to minister south of the border.

“I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”  Revelation 3:8

LITTLE YELLOW JEEP

If you want to let your light shine, drive a yellow Jeep!  

That’s what we learned to say after several years of driving throughout Mexico in a 1980 something two door yellow Jeep Wrangler. We didn’t think a bright colored vehicle was appropriate for us, especially when Jeeps weren’t all the rage at that time. But we needed a stick shift four wheel drive vehicle we could tow behind our motorhome without special equipment. The Jeep seemed what we needed, but there weren’t many used Jeeps for sale in our area. We had others helping us in our search but time was running short. It was almost time for us to load up and head for Mexico.

When a car dealership called with the news that they had a Jeep for sale in excellent condition, we jumped at the chance to see it.  “There’s only one thing,” he said.  “It’s yellow.”  We both said, “No way!  We’re not driving around in a bright yellow Jeep!”  But it was the only choice we had.  At the last minute we bought the yellow Jeep, hooked it up behind our vehicle that was loaded with Spanish Bibles and we headed down the road.

Fording the Rio Grande River in the Jeep.

It wasn’t long before we realized that the Lord had a plan for the little yellow Jeep. When we drove across the border and into Mexico, it drew lots of attention. When we drove into a colonia with Bibles, blankets, food and other necessities, the people saw us and began to recognize our vehicle. More than once we’d be driving slowly through town and someone would run out and knock on the back of the Jeep to get our attention.  Usually it meant someone in their family was sick and needed prayer.  The yellow Jeep was our calling card.

Sizing each other up, each loaded with cargo.

The trusty little vehicle carried Spanish Bibles to many states in Mexico. Once we forded the Rio Grande River at a low spot because there was no bridge.  We’d heard there was a small town across the river, and in those days we made sure to visit every town we could find across the border. Many times the bright and cheery vehicle broke the ice for us in new areas.  People were curious and we stood out and were different.  So the very reason we didn’t think yellow was right for us was the very reason that it could be used by the Lord.

The little yellow Jeep eventually wore out and had to be replaced. There have been two more Jeeps since those early years, but we’ll always remember those days when people.would greet us and say, “We saw you coming way down the road and we knew your Jeep!”

The Jeep took us where there were no roads.

We’re convinced that the Lord has a sense of humor and of course He knew all along exactly what we needed to help us get started.  These days there are Jeeps of every color being driven everywhere by people of every age.  Now we are proud to say that we once drove a brightly colored little yellow Jeep!

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

THE JESUS FILM

Scene from the Jesus Film

While distributing Spanish Bibles in Mexico we heard about The Jesus Film and that it could be shown in any language.  Since our knowledge of Spanish was scant at that time, we liked the idea of purchasing a projector, a generator and a video copy of the film we could show out in the open whenever and wherever we chose.  The Jesus Film was a great way to tell the story, to present Jesus in an entertaining and yet sensitive and caring way.

Many times we loaded up our Jeep with our video projector, small and quiet generator, movie screen and various other necessary equipment for the showing of the video.  We’d drive across the border into Mexico and go into a small obscure neighborhood and begin to set up our equipment.  Sometimes we made plans ahead with a church in Mexico or with someone who had an empty yard, but it was always outside where people could come by an see the film or listen to it.  Many rode their bikes past our gatherings and would stop and watch. Some pulled up a concrete block or a stump to sit on, others sat on the ground or on a blanket, but everyone would quickly become absorbed in the lifelike images of Jesus on the screen. There were times we tacked a sheet on the side of a building and didn’t use the movie screen. More than once we projected the beautiful images directly onto the side of a building, making the life sized people in the film come to life before our eyes.

Here we are tacking up a white sheet so we can show the video.

Because it was necessary for us to wait for sunset to show the film outside, we have few photographs of these adventures. Also, the equipment was complicated at that time, so all of our time was taken up with getting things ready. Now it’s hard to imagine that we went through these procedures many many times, just the two of us! And the film spoke for itself - the life of Jesus - from His birth to His death on the cross - all taken from the Bible account in the Book of Luke.


The most effective part of each showing of the Jesus Film was the narrative. We cranked the sound up as high as it would go until the story could be heard across the streets and yards and out into the fields. People could hear the story and hear the invitation to come to Him for salvation. All that was necessary at the end of each showing was for us to stand in the front and beckon to those who were interested to come forward for prayer.  Even nature responded to the sounds from the film.  At the point in the story when Peter denies Jesus three times, a rooster crows.  And always there would be a response from all the local roosters to that sound!

Scene from the Jesus Film.

There are many good memories of projecting the film life sized against the side of a snow white building, making it appear as if the people in the story walked among us. Always the children present would sit on the ground nearest the film and once one little girl begged her mother to let her go join the Bible characters as they opened a door and seemed to walk through it. We heard her say, “Mama, can I go in there with them?” The experience was made so real, especially because the rocks, the plants and even the ground in the film resembled that of Mexico. And everyone wanted to be with Jesus!

We lost count of how many people came to know the Lord when we used the Jesus Film. But there were many. And there were surely many who did not come forward, but whose lives were touched by seeing and hearing the film. We had many requests to come back and show it again, or someone would say, “Come show the film in my yard.”  There were never any problems with authorities, we never tried to get permission to hold a meeting, we just showed up and set up the equipment. And the people would always come.  We went into areas that were probably unsafe for us, but we always felt welcome. Our pass into any area was the Jesus Film!

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32

ON THE RIVER

Church service in an empty lot.

Someone told us there was a group of people who lived near the banks of the Rio Grande River in Matamoros.  They said they were very poor and their dwellings were makeshift and their roads unpaved.  They said they had started out by camping in whatever location seemed the best with whatever means they had. These were people we knew would need food, blankets and Bibles.

 As usual, we had few directions to this colonia by the river, and could only start out at the international bridge to search for it. We made a left turn after crossing into Mexico and proceeded down the roads closest to the river until we found what seemed to be the newest and most humble neighborhood around. This had to be the place.  We met a few of the people, gave out the gifts we had brought, prayed for the sick and made our way back across the bridge into the United States.  Lloyd had one comment about the people so near the river - they needed a church.

Each week more people gathered in the empty lot.

A few weeks later we took two ladies with us and returned to the colonia by the river. One of the ladies was a Spanish woman we had just met.  She was an evangelist who liked to preach out in the open. Soon a crowd gathered around us in one of the empty lots near the center of the colonia.  We had a short worship service and then the evangelist preached God’s word. The empty lot was full of people who were hungry to hear her message.

We went back to the colonia by the river several times that winter, sometimes by ourselves and sometimes taking a speaker with us. It was evident the people wanted to have a church they could attend regularly, there was always a crowd in attendance.  And Lloyd continued to say, The people in the colonia by the river need a church.

A small church had been built.

It was almost a year before we were able to make it back to visit the people on that street. But we prayed and asked the Lord to make it possible for a church to be built in that location.  We were  surprised and delighted when we turned the corner and saw a small humble metal building standing in the formerly empty lot. The words identifying the building as a church were printed across the front!

Sunday School was held in the street.

Later we learned that the owner of the empty lot had donated her land for a church. With help from others, they had erected a small one room building there.  And already the building was full and running over with people.  The morning we were there, Sunday School for the children was conducted out in the middle of the street because there were no classrooms.

Children enjoying songs with actions in Sunday School.

God had answered our prayers.  And Lloyd was right, the people in the colonia by the river needed and wanted a church!

Acts 2:47

"And the Lord added to the church daily 

such as should be saved."

KJV