THEY SANG IN THE NIGHT

Late one night during our recent travels in Mexico Lloyd heard music that sounded like praises to the Lord. He had stepped outside our motel into the balmy night air to walk around in the walled courtyard. Since we had been looking for small churches that needed Bibles, he was excited about visiting that particular church the next morning. Because the music was so clear, he was sure it would be very near the motel. How convenient it seemed for the Lord to lead us to a place for the night right next to a church.

The next morning we left the motel and searched for blocks but didn’t see a church of any kind. We asked a boy on a bike if there was a church nearby, but the only church he knew of was several blocks away. Not knowing what else to do and a little disappointed, we kept driving through that side of town until we found a pleasant little church called the Mount of Olives. A woman who turned out to be a member of the congregation came walking down the street and we asked her for information. She offered to send for the pastor; and meanwhile she and some others who happened by got the key and opened the church.

Soon the pastor and wife showed up, out of breath with excitement and curiousity. When we told them about the music in the night, they confirmed that they had held a meeting the night before and had been singing together. But could we have heard them in our motel so far away?

By this time several others had joined the group inside the church along with Pastor Benito Zamora and his wife Anita. It was a spontaneous time of celebration because it was evident that we had been led to that place by songs in the night. This was the perfect time and place for us to take communion together as we prayed, worshipped and sang in the little church called Monte de los Olivos (The Mount of Olives).

Before we left these great and unforgettable people, the pastor’s wife Anita and the other women shared an almost unbelievable and exciting bit of information. Two months ago Anita had dreamed that Americans would come to visit their church!

Pastor Benny told us that there are many who need healing in their congregation and in that town. He said that the state of Vera Cruz has more cancer victims than any other state in Mexico; and there are many other health problems. We promised to pray with them about these needs and then we encouraged them to keep on singing and praising in the night!

THE CHILDREN OF POZA RICA

Poza Rica in Vera Cruz is a large city situated near the Gulf of Mexico and surrounded by hills. Our goal was to visit the Church of God Childrens’ Home we’d heard about there. Alfa & Omega is located near the Walmart Store and Sam’s stores in Poza Rica. It’s strange to see those stores along with Home Depot, McDonalds and other familiar names so far away from home.

It wasn’t easy to find the childrens’ home. We were forced to stop several times in the heavy traffic to ask directions until finally we wound our way up a steep and narrow road to our destination. There were several clean white buildings perched at different levels on the hillside. The view from each level was breathtaking; we could see the city spread out below us. It was like we were in an eagle’s nest, protected and secure.

Pastor Elias Herrera and his wife Teresa greeted us with enthusiasm; inviting us to spend the night with them. Our room was next to a balcony that overlooked the buildings below and the countryside. The air was cool, the windows were open wide and large hawks soared in the air around us.

Pastor Herrera told us how he began over 20 years ago ministering to the abandoned children who lived under the bridge in the city park in Poza Rica. He took food to the children for some time until one night a large group of them appeared at his church parsonage. They had been threatened by a gang of older children and needed sanctuary. He took them into his own home and gradually established the childrens’ home. There are no more children living under the bridge in Poza Rica, because now they have a place where they are safe.

During the evening we had a time of sharing with the 35 children presently living in the home. It was very touching when Pastor Herrera asked them to gather around the two of us and pray. It’s hard to describe the feeling of so many soft little hands resting on our backs, along with hearing their whispered prayers for us.

Alfa & Omega continues to be challenged by the need for water for their facilities. They have drilled for water on their hill many times and have been unsuccessful. All the water they use must be purchased and hauled in by trucks.

Please pray for Alfa & Omega and for Pastor Herrera and his wife Teresa shown in the above photograph. They have given up their lives to provide a Christian home for many children who were lost in Poza Rica.

LORD, PLEASE CLEAR A PATH!

Our prayer request for months had been for the Lord to clear a path into Mexico for His Word. There were many people joining us in this prayer. We had heard all the negative reports from south of the border and had been advised by many not to attempt such a trip. But we knew that we had been instructed by the Lord to go. If we were on a divine mission, there would be divine protection.
From the moment we left Weslaco, Texas until our return two weeks later, we were never once stopped, questioned or searched by authorities. Not one person asked to see our papers, our passports or our visas. We had an amazingly clear path!
We distributed hundreds of Spanish Bibles and thousands of gospel tracts to churches in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Vera Cruz and Tabasco. In past years it was difficult to take large amounts of materials into Mexico because of the military and federal checkpoints, the questions and the red tape. But many times on this trip we wished we had brought a lot more materials with us. This time the doors were opened wide for God’s word.
There was not only a clear path, but the liberty and boldness to witness to the people to tell them that Jesus is coming soon and that they need to be prepared. We had the distinct feeling that there were angels watching over us, preparing the way and giving us directions. More than once we wondered if the person we had just talked with was sent specifically to guide us.
We were reminded over and over that our God is full of compassion and love for the Mexican people. It was so thrilling to find small humble churches in remote areas and to tell pastors that we had come to give them Bibles. It was encouraging for them to realize that God knows exactly where they are and what they need. And it was encouraging for us to know that we were always on the right path!

AN ANCIENT LAND AND THE ANCIENT OF DAYS

We took an amazing and successful trip into Mexico with Spanish Bibles last month. There were friendly people everywhere ready to help us or give us directions or just visit with us.

It’s hard to describe the many contrasts in that country. We drove slowly on dirt roads into remote areas in the mountains and we drove on new four lane highways across the flatlands. We spent nights in high places where we were surrounded by soft green hills and we stayed along the Emerald Coast on the Gulf of Mexico. In one cafe near a beautiful plaza pigeons walked around our feet searching for crumbs. In the night green geckos clung to the walls and ceilings watching for insects. Old men rode burros and carried heavy loads while young men sped around town on motorbikes. And always there was the feeling that we were traveling across an ancient land.

Our first destination was the old city of Ocampo that is nestled in a high valley. The city was established in the early 1700's near an old Catholic mission. Indians who lived in the nearby hills joined the Spaniards in farming the land and raising sugar cane. The city was first known as Santa Barbara.
We stayed in the home of Pastor Carlos Chapas, on a shady cobblestone street at the edge of town. The place was full of the sound of turtle doves singing in the enormous old trees. Almost every backyard was home to chickens and roosters, one or two pigs and lots of fruit trees. Since there was little traffic, there were always dogs sleeping in the middle of the streets.

Pastor Chapas guided us into remote areas in the countryside, down narrow winding lanes looking for small churches that needed Bibles. In one area we met Pastor Rodrigo Olvera Vazquez who had been crippled since childhood. After giving the pastor and his wife a box of Bibles, we joined with them in prayer, especially for him to be healed. And we all felt the presence of the Lord in that secluded and quiet place.

We stood holding hands in that ancient land praying to our Father in Heaven, the "Ancient of days." Daniel 7:9