NUEVO PROGRESO UPDATE

The international bridge was full of traffic going through customs on our return into the United States.

November 29, 2014 marked our return to Nuevo Progreso for another season of working with our church and Pastor Gerardo and his family.  Unseasonably cold wet weather has provided challenges and many people have colds or the flu.  There is standing flood water in outlying areas from heavy tropical rain in the month of September.  But the church, the body of Christ, continues to grow stronger and continues to impact the city and surrounding area.

Nuevo Progreso has a new Delegado (mayor) who is very sympathetic to evangelistic churches.  The new Delegado met recently with the city's ministerial alliance where he shared his thoughts about his country's problems and how churches play a major part in solutions.  Nineteen pastors including Pastor Gerardo in attendance at that meeting gathered around the new Delegado to pray for him and his co-workers.

In August there was a huge march of evangelical Christians down the main street of Nuevo Progreso. Everyone was dressed in a red shirt and there were many colorful banners and lots of music.  Crowds of people lined the streets showing their approval.  The city has remained relatively peaceful all summer.  The general opinion is that this peaceful atmosphere is because of prayer and unity among believers.

Pastor Gerardo and his wife Miriam recently attended the Church of God assembly meeting in Monterrey, Mexico.  While there along with many other Church of God leaders, they heard statistics about how evangelical churches are growing rapidly and making a difference in Mexico.  November 28th, Church of God pastors from the state of Tamaulipis met at the church in Nuevo Progreso.  After the meeting, a meal was served by ladies of the church.

On our drive to the church we met our friend Pancho who lives near the church in Colonia Jardin.  He told us that he and Reyna lost another family member to the Rio Grande River.  Their daughter-in-law drowned while crossing the murky brown flooded river three months ago.  Their son Benjamin drowned in June.

Pastor Gerardo and Miriam travel to the nearby city of Rio Bravo each Wednesday where they have a church service in the home of Jose Luis, a member of the congregation.  The elderly mother of the family has been ill and since she isn't able to come to church, they take the church to her!  Several neighbors have joined the group and there were recently two who accepted the Lord as Savior.

There are many needs and there are constantly new challenges to the faith. Please pray with us for the city of Nuevo Progreso.

"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9&10 NKJV

PRAY FOR VERA CRUZ

The ladies we met at the church in Vera Cruz.

Monte de los Olivos (Mount of Olives) is a small church along the coast in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz.  Even though it's been several years since we visited that church, we again sense the urgent need to pray for Pastor Benito Zamora and his congregation.  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.

An amazing series of events led us to Monte de los Olivos while we were distributing Spanish Bibles to churches throughout Mexico.  Late one night outside our motel room Lloyd heard music that sounded like praises to the Lord. Since we had been looking for small churches in that area, he was excited about visiting them the next morning. Because the music was so clear, he was sure it would be very near the motel. The next morning we left the motel and searched for blocks but didn't see a church of any kind. 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 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 our motel was not near enough to have heard the music. Several others joined the group inside the church along with Pastor Benito Zamora and his wife Anita and we had a great time of fellowship and prayer together.

We promised to pray for their church and their needs, and before leaving we encouraged them to keep on singing those worship songs in the night!

Join us in prayer for Monte de los Olivos in Vera Cruz.

"He shall call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."  Psalm 91:15