WELCOME, SCOTT AND DIANNA



DiAnna Olsen on her first visit to the church in Nuevo Progreso.  She spent time listening to Pastor Gerardo and Miriam and heard their testimonies.

 We welcome Scott and DiAnna Olsen who will join us in ministry at Bethesda Tabernacle in Nuevo Progreso April 19 and 20 and many times in the future.  Scott and DiAnna will begin by bringing their professional medical expertise to minister to those in need. 

We met this couple from Minnesota through this blog, they had been searching for a way to help people across the border and the Lord opened the doors to make this possible.  The people at Bethesda Tabernacle look forward to their friendship and their visits.  They will bring a fresh touch and some new projects to add to what the Lord is doing in Nuevo Progreso. 

Thank you, Scott and DiAnna for your obedience to the call.  We pray for a new anointing on your lives, a new vision and the strength to pursue that vision to victory.  And we thank the Lord for sending you.


Miriam told DiAnna how she had had a difficult childhood but she worked her way through school without parents to help her.  She heard the Lord call her at an early age.

HOLY DAYS AND SOLDIERS

They celebrated the grand entrance into the city with palm branches and loud praises for the Son of God.  At the same time there were soldiers in the streets armed with weapons, wearing helmets and shields, prepared for battle.  The holiest week in Jerusalem history and the people were divided.

We drove through crowded streets with many vendors, visitors and people celebrating the holy days.  And just like that first holy week, soldiers stood guard in the streets, armed and ready for battle.  This was not Jerusalem, it was Nuevo Progreso, Mexico!

Two times we were stopped on our way to our church by groups of soldiers.  Two times we were questioned before they motioned for us to proceed, and the second time the soldiers and their huge green truck were stationed at the entrance to the church.

This was Semana Santa - Holy Week in Mexico and all week there were celebrations and many tourists in Nuevo Progreso.  The contrast was dramatic, Holy Week and soldiers in the streets like that week in Jerusalem when Roman soldiers tried to keep order in a large and violent crowd.  The soldiers were polite, asking us where we were going and what was our business.  Lloyd gave them gospel tracts in Spanish and we told them we thanked God for them.

No one seemed to know exactly why the soldiers were so prominent this holy week, but there were lots of rumors.  Someone said the new president of Mexico wanted to provide protection for those wanting to celebrate the holidays.  Someone else said a cartel gang member grabbed a pastor's van to use for a temporary job, returning the van a few days later.  We may not know exactly why they stood guard around town, but we are thankful for their protection as we pray for their safety.  And we are reminded that we live in uncertain and dangerous times.

PAINTING PARTY!

Just like Tom Sawyer, we recruited lots of friends to help paint the outhouse at the church.  There were four children painting along with Lloyd, Pastor Gerardo and Apolinar.  It didn't take long to finish the job with so many hands and when it was done Miriam served us all a delicious meal.  She had prepared a dish called beef steak ranchero which was small pieces of beef cooked with potatoes, onions, peppers and chopped swiss chard.  Along with that we had pinto beans and tortillas.  Everyone agreed the dinner was a great reward for painting the little building behind the church!

A BOY AND HIS HORSE

Using only a rope halter and sitting on a blanket, this small child rode his horse to visit the kids playing at the church.  The horse seemed gentle and well trained and tolerant as he was taken through the shallow water, up and down the roads and through the vegetation around the church.  A foal followed behind the mare staying as close as possible to it's mother.

It was evident that the boy and the horse spent a lot of time together and knew each other very well.  With nothing to hold onto but the rope on the horse's neck, the boy had perfect balance and control.  It was a charming scene just like something out of the past - a handsome little boy and his horse.

THE VISION



Beautiful clouds in the sky over Nuevo Progreso.                                               


We've been working many years in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico on a project called Bethesda Tabernacle.  It started from an urgency Lloyd felt to build a church on the south side of town in colonia El Jardin (The Garden).  He knew exactly what he wanted to build and also knew the future purpose of the building.  And we've remained true to that purpose.

In the Bible, Bethesda was a pool of healing and that's our vision for Bethesda Tabernacle in Nuevo Progreso.  There was to be a place of worship including a parsonage.  We had visited too many churches in Mexico where the pastor lived elsewhere and couldn't be found.  Our church would have a pastor who lived on the premises.  The second floor of Bethesda Tabernacle would contain classrooms and a central open area for study or for small gatherings.  We saw a Bible school, trade school and an adult education center.  The vision was to meet many needs, both spiritual and physical.

There were endless possibilities for other buildings in such a mission:  an orphanage, a home for senior adults or maybe a youth center.  Only the amount of our faith would limit this vision.

It has been twelve years since we broke ground to begin the project.  Each year has been a challenge to our faith as we faced problems of every kind while the building grew.  But during that time many new friendships were formed and we experienced the warmth and love of the people.  We watched children grow up and have families of their own.

Today the vision is alive and well in Nuevo Progreso.  The parsonage is finished and a pastor and his wife and family live there full time.  They have also caught the vision.  Even though the rest of the building is a work in progress, services are conducted regularly.  The vision is to lead people to salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Bible says in Hebrews 12:1 that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.  We have many friends who have witnessed and shared this vision through the years and prayed for it.  If you are reading about this from another part of the world, we welcome you.  We will hold fast to the great vision and we are encouraged knowing that you are with us!

THREE MEN ON THE ALTAR

Apolinar, Marcelino and Carlos - these three men are forever on the altar.  Their names are inscribed in the cement on the southeast corner of the platform and altar that they finished last week.  It's as if they are in God's Hands.

Although there are other projects to be completed, Lloyd suggested we work on the platform and altar area inside the auditorium.  After all, this is the heart of the church.  The two level platform allows plenty of room for musicians and the pulpit; and it holds the baptismal facility we finished last winter. 

Apolinar, Marcelino and Carlos seemed very reverent and serious when they were around the altar.  We all said it seemed only fitting that we give them credit for the fine job they did.  The next day when we inspected the project, we were touched to see the three names beautifully etched in one small corner of the altar, put there by Pastor Gerardo.  So now our great friends Apolinar, Marcelino and Carlos are forever on the altar!

Recently finished platform and altar.  The baptismal pool is in the center of the upper level.  There's plenty of room for the new drum set and for other musicians.  A wooden altar rail will complete the front of the platform.

THANK YOU, WALTER, RICK AND MARTHA!

Here's a big "THANK YOU!" to Walter LeGette, Rick Jewell and Martha Stoyanoff for all the work they did at the church in Nuevo Progreso.  It would be impossible to report all the projects they finished and tell about the love they shared with our friends and neighbors, but here are a few pictures of the work in progress:

Marcelino and Martha Stoyanoff at his home in the new little village of San Francisco near Nuevo Progreso. 

Work begins on outdoor toilet facilities behind the church.  This facility will help when there are large crowds attending the church.  A double toilet, one side for men and the other for women,  this little building will alleviate a lot of traffic going in and out of the parsonage

This building is strong enough to withstand strong storms or hurricanes. 

Rick Jewell spent much time making benches for the congregation.  There are now enough benches to seat quite a large group of people.  The benches are sturdy and well braced to last a long time.  In this picture Lloyd lends Rick a hand.

A set of drums was donated by Shelby Hellemeyer, daughter of Scott and Charlotte Hellemeyer of Bethalto, Illinois.  Rick put the drums together and tuned them and all during the process he had a small audience.  Julio was fascinated as he watched Rick tune each piece of the set.

Gerson was extremely happy with the drums.  He played them for the first time at a church service on Sunday and he seemed right at home and at ease.  Since he was 7 years old, Gerson has begged for a set of drums.

A new refrigerator was delivered to the parsonage courtesy of Walter LeGette.  The family refrigerator failed just 2 days before the two men arrived to work at the church.  And it had been in Walter's plans to purchase a new refrigerator for them even before the need for a new one was known.  The Lord took care of this need!

A lot of work was done in the kitchen.  Here Marcelino mounts cabinets on the wall on either side of the window.  A new sink was also installed.  Two new doors went into place, one to the bathroom and the other to Gerardo and Miriam's bedroom.  There was a lot of activity in the kitchen, but we found room to gather around the table and eat lunch together every day.

Sunday there was a special service inside the auditorium.  About 70 people attended and stayed for dinner..  The young man with the helmet is an epileptic and has to wear head protection all the time. 

Apolinar gave his testimony about how he has recovered from the terrible accident last July.  He was nearly electrocuted while painting a building downtown.  Burned over most of his body and incapacitated by scars, at first Apolinar was unable to move much, dress himself or even hold a pencil.  Now he is working again on the church!  Work is great therapy for him, forcing him to flex his arms and his neck to break up the scar tissue.  And he is so happy that he sings while he works!  Apolinar has experienced a miraculous healing.

Besides all of the work that was done at the church, Walter and Rick brought with them about 800 pounds of beans and rice!!  That will go a long way toward helping families in Nuevo Progreso.  The beans and rice were donated by the people of Bethalto Church of God, Bethalto, Illinois and also The Hope Center in Cottage Hills, Illinois.  Many other items were given to the work and everyone sends their thanks.

Over 800 pounds of beans and rice will help many families!  The Sunday before Walter and Rick came to Mexico, Bethalto Church of God laid all the bags of food on their altar and the  food was prayed over and blessed by the congregation.

The church in Nuevo Progreso is full of excitement, knowing that the Lord is providing things that are needed.  More importantly, we know that the Lord is blessing us with His presence.  Thank you, everyone!