CHURCH NEWS FROM MEXICO

Our arrival in south Texas on the Mexican border November 13, 2017.

Every year we go back to Illinois for the summer to rest and regroup, leaving the church in Nuevo Progreso in good hands. Late this summer our Pastor Gerardo Estrada sent us word that he was resigning from the church and was returning to his former home in Nayarit, Mexico.  Gerardo’s father, a pastor in Mexico, passed away in June. Gerardo had been asked to take his father’s place in that church. We will greatly miss Pastor Gerardo, his wife Miriam and their four children: Gerson, Nahum, Dana and Esly. They pastored the church in Nuevo Progreso almost 10 years and they had worked hard. They were multi-talented, spirit filled and well educated people. We pray they will succeed in their new assignment.

Pastor Feernando Colorado with his 2 children.

Pastor Gerardo placed the church in the hands of the northeast district of the Church of God, Superintendent Fernando Colorado who pastors a church in Reynosa.  And every Sunday evening since that time, Pastor Colorado and a small crew of volunteers have arrived at the church to maintain the grounds and conduct a church service.

Several families remained faithful to the church, although some drifted away. We had no idea what we would find when we first went across the border to the church.

It was chilly and windy when we drove over the rough unpaved roads through Colonia Jardin (the Garden) to the eastern side of town.  This is one of the poorest areas of Nuevo Progreso. The last row of little dwellings before reaching the farmer’s plowed fields led us to the place where the Lord had directed us to build a church.  When we drove over the hill we immediately saw men with machetes hacking away at weeds on the south side of the building. There was lush green grass in the front and east side and the building didn’t look abandoned.

Lush green grass surrounded the building. Everything looked well maintained.

Pastor Fernando greeted us and explained that friends from the church in Reynosa came an hour or so early each Sunday to do things around the building. Everything looked well kept and inviting. Soon Sister Catalina arrived and after lots of hugs and enthusiastic greetings, she and her son Nicholas and his wife brought out their brooms and buckets of water to sweep and wash down the pews that had accumulated a lot of dust during the week. There was sugar cane “snow” on the floor. When nearby sugar cane fields are burned off, black ash drifts through the air to fall like black snow to decorate everything.  The men and women made quick work of the place, readying it for church.

Pastor Fernando led us in some worship songs and then preached a short sermon. He then asked everyone to bring at least one other person next Sunday. One volunteer from Reynosa works in a bakery. He brought along a small bag of freshly baked rolls and pan dulce (sweet bread) that we all shared before leaving the church. Lloyd and I promised that next Sunday there would be coffee to go along with his promise of more cinnamon flavored rolls.

The church in Nuevo Progreso, Bethesda Tabernacle, remains firm and stable even without a pastor. Until a pastor is appointed for this mission outreach, we are confident that the work will continue with God’s blessings. It was evident that the people were taking over responsibility for their church. This is the goal for our mission, that one day we can leave the work in their hands.

Catalina cleaned the furniture before church began.

Another lady swept Texas black "snow" from the floor.

“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”  Psalm 2:12