A Week In Ciudad Acuña

Twelve years ago we met Esteban and Nohemi and their two boys Esteban Jr. and Mario, in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico. Immediately drawn to them, it wasn’t long before we were visiting in their home regularly. Here's a picture of Esteban's family.

On our recent visit Nohemi told us that she had an auto accident and they had to pay the damages by selling their home. They lived with family until recently when they began constructing a new dwelling on the other side of town. Nohemi was left with damage to her neck. She had a large area of swelling and inflammation around her throat that was from all the stress and pressure they’ve had. We anointed Nohemi with oil and prayed for her to be healed. By the next evening the swelling had begun to diminish and she felt better!

Bibles Into Remote Areas

On our recent trip to Mexico we were privileged to take boxes of Spanish Bibles, gospel tracts and Sunday School literature to two little churches in Ciudad Acuña, one in Santa Eulalia and one in Jimenez. We drove west of Ciudad Acuña on winding country roads to Santa Eulalia through the scrubby landscape; seeing nothing but cactus, pale green chaparral and the occasional vehicle. About the time we thought Santa Eulalia didn’t exist, we saw a small cluster of houses in the distance and finally entered the sleepy little place. There were one or two small grocery stores, a little garage and one tiny restaurant which was closed. But we found a Baptist church that gladly received a box of Bibles and materials. It was called Cristo Viene or Christ is Coming.

Trip to Jimenez in Coahuila

Esteban and his family accompanied us on the trip east of Ciudad Acuña to the small settlement of Jimenez. There we visited José, whose wife who is from the jungles of Chiapas. In the last few years the two of them have successfully translated the New Testament from Spanish to the Indian language of Chiapas and recorded it on CD for distribution. We were inspired by hearing their testimonies of how the Lord has blessed their ministry. Also, we were happy that Esteban’s family shared these moments with us.

Dangerous Roads in Coahuila

The sun had set long before we left Jimenez. The six of us climbed back into the Jeep and drove out of the settlement toward the main road back to town. We drove up an enbankment and made a sharp turn to the right onto the blacktop where we were almost hit by an enormous truck that was barreling toward us without any lights. That event reminded us of the importance of prayer and how necessary it is to be under the protection of the Lord at all times.

There is no way to measure the success of such a trip, but we left Ciudad Acuña knowing that we had done God’s will. We hope that perhaps we have made a difference and that we brought some encouragement and hope to the people we met. Here’s a photo of Esteban and Nohemi, Esteban Jr. and Mario along with Nohemi’s mother and father and a nephew.

Souls Saved in Nuevo Progreso

Two weeks ago a young couple came to Pastor Gerardo's house asking for help. The couple had been living together not married and they were feeling very guilty. It wasn’t long before the two were on their knees repenting and accepting Jesus into their hearts. The couple wants to get married as soon as possible and they are planning to attend church.

One night soon after that Gerardo was awakened by two noisy young men outside in the street. He went out to talk to the men and learned that they live nearby and are both drug dealers. Seeing that they were evidently very troubled, Gerardo talked to them for a long time outside in the dark. Before their conversation ended, both men had repented and accepted the Lord.

Gerardo and Miriam told us of other salvations and of more families who are especially interested in the church. There are others who want to join them in their weekly Bible studies.

God is answering our prayers for the salvation of souls in Nuevo Progreso.

In the photo Pastor Gerardo and Miriam are visiting with a woman who lives next to the church.

Javier

As a Bible student, Javier came to Nuevo Progreso three years ago to pastor our mission church. He worked hard to build up the congregation, visiting people in their homes, praying for the sick and making a lot of friends in the area. Many people were saved during the time he was pastor. In July of 2008 Javier accepted a position teaching in the Church of God Bible College in Hermosillo and Pastor Gerardo was sent to replace him in Nuevo Progreso.

Javier came to Nuevo Progreso early in March for a brief visit and we had a good reunion. There was a powerful moment when we all joined in prayer for the project in Nuevo Progreso. Then Lloyd laid hands on both Javier and Gerardo and asked the Lord to use them as leaders wherever they are. It’s very inspiring to see these two faithful young men committed to God’s work.

Pastor Gerardo And His Family

We took our first trip of the season across the Mexican border in 100 degree weather. We travel the 8 miles to visit Nuevo Progreso, Mexico numerous times a week while here in Texas. Yes, the military presence was at the entrance to Nuevo Progreso, but there were thousands of American tourists walking down the main street enjoying themselves. Nuevo Progreso has no major city nearby and is not attractive to drug gangs. Our challenge will be to drive deeper into Mexico with Bibles. We’ll need a heavy covering of prayer. At the international bridge we heard the squawking of parrots and the calls of exotic birds. We were surprised to learn that the sounds are recordings being used to discourage the roosting of flocks of longtail grackles at the bridge.

As usual the street was lined with parked cars, the sidewalks jammed with people until many were forced to walk in the street alongside traffic. Food carts take up space in the street, and people purchasing food were standing dangerously in the lanes. It was like navigating a noisy obstacle course.

Our plan was to meet the new pastor of our church in Nuevo Progreso, Gerardo Estrada and his wife Miriam. Pastor Gerardo is 41 years old and Miriam is 34. They have 4 children, Gerson who is 11, Nahum 10, Dana 8 and Esly 4. The two older boys were playing with tiny green geckos, letting them sit on their shoulders, climb on their faces and sit on their heads. Gerardo and Miriam live in a 2 room apartment near the center of town. They don’t have a car yet and walk everywhere. They were both happy to see us and wanted to hear our vision for the work in Nuevo Progreso. Our first meeting with the new pastor was very encouraging.

The Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico

We took Brother Gerardo and Miriam to meet the new delegado (mayor) of Nuevo Progreso. Our request was for the use of the city "payloader" so the huge piles of fill dirt we were given can be used to build up the area close to the church. There are drainage problems on the land and hurricane Dolly in 2008 caused flooding even in nearby Colonia Francisco Madero, threatening several houses. The heavy clay soil of northern Mexico holds flood waters for a very long time. We have been praying for a solution to the problem because it affects so many families in Nuevo Progreso.

The delegado told us that truckloads of caliche (gravel) were being delivered to our neighborhood for use on the streets and he would send someone to the church to see the situation. He mentioned the possibility of creating a small canal to the Rio Grande River for better drainage since we are only about a half mile from the river. There is also a plan to lay drainage pipes in the low lying area so the problems during the rainy season will be eliminated. All of this was encouraging information. We appreciate the many ways the delegado and the city of Nuevo Progreso have helped us and the church through the years.

Marcelino and his family continue to do well. It was good to visit and see how the Lord is blessing them. Marcelino did a lot of work building our church in past years, sometimes camping out on the roof of the building to keep an eye on building blocks and supplies. Even though Marcelino doesn’t attend church yet, he realizes that he is being blessed. Missionaries from the nearby Methodist church built them a new home, a one room building they and their 3 children will use for sleeping. Their old structure which leaked badly when it rained, will be rebuilt into a cooking area. They were also given a new refrigerator. Marcelino and his family are being repaid for all he has done for God’s work, and the good thing is that he acknowledges and claims that it’s true.

All the children in the colonias surrounding the church are being invited to attend Sunday School. Miriam is excited about the classes and is making plans for possibly large numbers of children to be there. Brother Gerardo plays the guitar and keyboard, so there will be music along with Bible stories and activities. Sunday School is one of the most important elements in any church since it builds a strong Biblical foundation in the lives of children. The establishment of Sunday School is a major step forward for the Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.


The picture is of the sign at the church which says Iglesia De Dios, meaning Church of God in Spanish.

The Latest On Armando Treviño

Last spring our friend Armando Treviño was told he had only one week to live. Because of a heart attack, his kidneys failed and improper treatment caused infection to set in. Since Mexico allows euthanasia, he made plans to die with dignity.

On one of our last visits with Armando in Mexico he prayed and accepted Jesus into his heart. At that point his life began to change. Suddenly he decided he wasn’t ready to leave his wife and little girls, so he asked his family to take him to the international bridge. Because Armando was still a US citizen, he decided to request admission into a hospital in Texas even though it meant leaving his family.

Armando’s life was saved, but both of his legs were amputated along with most of his fingers because of the infections. He now lives in his childhood home in Donna, Texas with his wife and children who joined him last summer. They are all very happy to be together again. The pictures show Armando and his three girls in their new home in Donna, Texas.