CALM IN THE STORM

Pastor Gerardo's car in Nuevo Progreso.

Sunday night it seemed like we lived the sermon Pastor Gerardo had just preached from Mark 4:38 & 39.  The disciples were in a boat with Jesus in a storm. Gerardo kept emphasizing that if Jesus is in the boat with us, there’s no need to fear. He’s always in control.

As soon as we arrived at the church that night in Nuevo Progreso, Miriam, Dana and Gerson came in exhausted from walking. They had run out of gas several blocks from home. Church started a little late and there weren’t many there. But the sermon was very encouraging.

After church and a time of visiting, we took Gerardo to get gas for his car. We went to the car to get his gas can and then went straight to the only gas station in town.  On the way back, it wasn’t until we got near some houses that Gerardo noticed it looked really dark.  The lights were evidently off all over town.   We’d just been to the station and when we had left the church all the lights were still on. Now there was no power in Nuevo Progreso. Then in the darkness of the Jeep we heard Gerardo say “God is good.”  We had gotten the much needed gas moments before the station was blacked out!  And earlier the lights had been on until church had been dismissed! Then we heard him say, “God is in control.”

Pastor Gerardo and family after church on a Sunday night.

Only car headlights and people with flashlights could be seen as we followed Gerardo back to the church. Miriam and the kids were huddled in the doorway waiting for him. Miriam told us they heard the power was out all over the area, including the enormous city of Reynosa 25 miles away.

When we pulled away from the church in the darkness, a huge flash of lightning lit up the sky, but there was no thunder. Gerardo had just preached about a sudden storm described in the 4th chapter of Mark. Driving back to the border through dark streets we wondered if the bridge would be closed because the power was out. It was a relief to see lights inside the toll booth. The officers at the bridge had no idea why lights were out, but they said a big storm was headed our way.

Setting sun in Weslaco. Everything was calm and dry.

When we got to our home in Weslaco, everything was quiet and dry. Any storms in the area had faded away, but the evening news told us what had happened.  Strong winds had hit Laredo, Texas which is about 160 miles west on the border. Power had been cut off in that city and many others, including Reynosa.  Huge trucks were turned over and the international bridge at Laredo was closed due to heavy damage. The news confirmed that electricity was out all along the northern part of the state in Mexico and that included Nuevo Progreso.

The next morning we saw there had been a soft gentle rain during the night. Our area really needed the rain, but we were glad we didn’t have the strong storms.  Electricity was out for almost 24 hours in Nuevo Progreso.

UPDATE TO THE ABOVE:

Three people accepted Jesus as Savior under Pastor Gerardo's ministry during the recent drama and chaos in Nuevo Progreso.

“Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”  Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.  Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?”   
Mark 4:38 & 39 CEV

DISCIPLING OTHERS

Jose Luis conducting Sunday evening church service.

 One of the most important parts of Christian work is discipling others.  If we can influence someone else to live for the Lord and follow His way, we will have lasting rewards.

A disciple is one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. He’s one who gives full loyalty and support to another. He follows in the footsteps of another and patterns himself after him.  He’s someone who helps to spread the teachings of a famous person, such as the 12 men who were sent out to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.

José Luis is becoming a disciple in Bethesda Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.  Pastor Gerardo is teaching him to become a leader in the church.

Recently in a Sunday evening service, José Luis testified that he feels God calling him and his family into missionary and evangelistic work.  He’s not sure where he will be going; and until he knows for sure, he will remain at the church, learning and assisting wherever he can.  José Luis and his wife and little girls live 15 miles away in Rio Bravo.  He said the long drive to church in Nuevo Progreso is worth the effort because he is learning so much from Pastor Gerardo. Viviana, his wife, is preparing for when God opens a door for them in ministry.  Until that time, she and José Luis both have full time jobs and spend their free time with their families.

Viviana had a Mother's Day poem to share Sunday evening.

José Luis has been given the responsibility of opening each Sunday evening service with prayer. He is in charge of that special time in the service where people in the congregation are encouraged to participate by singing a special song, reading a favorite scripture or testifying to answered prayer.  This is excellent experience for José Luis. And lately he is learning to practice another very important leadership role: praying for people who come to the altar.

We’re proud of José Luis for having the courage to step behind the pulpit and begin exercising his faith. These soft spoken and humble people are being taken out of their comfort zones to answer the call.

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20

BLUE TREES

The Jacaranda Tree in bloom.

The Jacaranda tree is a flowering tree native to tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, South America, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and the Bahamas.  It has recently become common in Africa and Australia. We call it the "blue tree."

The name Jacaranda means fragrant, and parts of the tree are used in dyeing and in medicine. The tree ranges in size from a shrub to 100 feet tall. Producing blue hanging flowers in May, the tree then has oval seed pods containing numerous slender seeds.

It's a delight in May to see the outline of a blue tree along the roads of southern Texas and in Mexico. The blue color is very delicate, a mixture of light blue and purple, and sometimes it only shows up in brilliant sunshine.  At other times when we see a blue tree in the distance, we've wondered if our eyes are deceiving us.  Could that be a blue tree?  Is there such a thing as a blue tree?

Mexico has trees of many colors.  On one of our trips into the interior of Mexico we counted the different colors of large trees.  There were red flowering trees, yellow, white, pink and many other exotic combinations.  In fact, the Poinsetta is a tree native to Mexico.  And it is a very dramatic and beautiful tree.

A Poinsetta tree in Mexico. Photo from file.

We enjoy the variety of trees and plants here on the Mexican border in south Texas. We're learning that what we see may seem unlikely and impossible, but God created a world that is very interesting and diverse. It's an enriching experience.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  Genesis 1:1

MY HOUSE IS YOUR HOUSE!

Josefina, Rosa, Joyce and Lloyd.

Mi casa es su casa!  My house is your house!  Mexican people are very hospitable and love to have people visit their homes.  Today we were invited to visit Florencio and Josephina, who live a few blocks away from our church in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.  We were invited in, given the best seats and served cool pineapple drinks. Pastor Gerardo and Miriam accompanied us because we weren’t sure how to get to their house.

Florencio’s son and his daughter and her children live with them. Their son Elias works nearby and their daughter Rosa works across town. Their grandchildren go to school every day and they walk to and from school with either their mother or grandmother.  In the afternoons after school the sun is very hot which makes it uncomfortable for Josephina to walk the distance. But the children are never allowed to walk alone.

Lloyd and Florencio.

From left to right, Rosa, Florencio and his wife Josefina.

Sunday is Mothers’ Day, so Rosa bought a beautifully decorated cake for the occasion.  They had saved the cake for our visit, which was a great honor for us.

They brought out a glass table top and placed it on supports in front of the couch where we sat. Rosa brought out the Mothers’ Day cake and gave her mother the knife to cut the pieces to serve. One granddaughter brought out plates, forks and napkins.  It was a very special occasion.

We all enjoyed the very sweet layer cake that was topped with sugar flowers and had a jelly filling. In fact, there wasn’t much left of the cake when we finished.

Florencio told us his family has lived in that house for 23 years and they have seen many changes during that time. Originally their town was called Las Flores. Later when Nuevo Progreso was established along the border for the tourists, Las Flores became a part of that city. In their early days in Las Flores, horses and donkeys were used a lot instead of cars.  Florencio and Josefina walk to the church when the weather is good, but Pastor Gerardo or his son Gerson takes them home later in their car.

Today we really experienced Mexico’s hospitality at it’s best. And we know we’ll always be welcome at the home of Florencio.

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

CODE RED IN REYNOSA

Entrance to the city of Nuevo Progreso, which is situated on the border between Mexico and the United States.  Nuevo Progreso is 25 miles from Reynosa.

This has been a dangerous week in the city of Reynosa. The killing of three major cartel leaders in Mexico caused gunfights to erupt. Buses, cars and trucks were hijacked and set on fire to block major roads. Code red was announced and stores and schools were shut down.

Pastor Gerardo's son Gerson attends university classes in Reynosa. Those classes were suspended and everyone was advised to stay indoors and off the streets. Gerson is now at home with his family in Nuevo Progreso waiting to hear when it is safe to return.

Today in Nuevo Progreso we watched military helicopters flying over our church on the east side of town. They are patrolling along the Rio Grande River, on guard in case fighting spreads closer to the border. At one time last week there were alerts in Nuevo Progreso and there weren't many people on the streets.

Mexican Marines patrolling the highways around our area.

There are no police in Reynosa, so the city is under military protection. Mexican Marines have stood guard for months at the entrance to Nuevo Progreso, fully armed and alert.  It seems strange to see the military so visible on the streets, but it makes us feel more secure knowing they are there.

There are conflicting reports of how many deaths have occurred during this week's trouble in Reynosa.  One report said that several cartel members were shot by the Marines, but this is not confirmed. It is difficult to obtain news from these incidents because reporters have been threatened and are under extreme pressure to stay silent. And many reporters have already been killed throughout Mexico. But there are many reports from friends and other pastors saying that they could hear gunfire all night long Tuesday and again later in the week.

We're praying for peace in Mexico and for authorities to gain control over these dangerous and violent groups.  Pastor Gerardo and his family make many trips to Reynosa taking Gerson to the university; and also to attend meetings at the Church of God district office. We ask for God's protecting hand on them; and we also pray that Nuevo Progreso will not become part of the battle.

You are my mighty rock,

    my fortress, my protector,

    the rock where I am safe,

my shield,

    my powerful weapon,

    and my place of shelter.

Psalm 18:2 (CEV)