THE QUINCEAÑERA

Dana Ajeleth Estrada Razo.

Dana, Pastor Gerardo and Miriam's daughter, celebrated her fifteenth birthday March 19.  She was honored with a huge fiesta called a Quinceanera.  The family's many friends and family members sponsored the Quinceanera so that Dana would have an event she will always remember.

Dana's parents laid hands on her in a prayer of dedication to the Lord.

Brother Fernando Colorado, District Supervisor of the Church of God in Mexico spoke to all of us about the importance of serving God.  Dana's theme for the Quinceanera was grapes on the vine, so Brother Colorado used the theme to emphasize our need as branches to remain connected to the vine in order to produce real fruit.  He spoke of Dana's transition from childhood into adulthood and her new responsibilities.  As part of the ceremony, Dana was presented with gifts representing her new role in life.  Lloyd and I gave her a new Bible with her name engraved on the cover.

Dana was presented to us as a senorita, a young woman.

The Quinceanera is very popular in Mexico and many other countries.  Today's celebrations embrace religious customs, and the virtues of family and social responsibility. The Quinceanera tradition celebrates the Quinceanera, the young girl, and recognizes her journey from childhood to maturity. The customs highlight God, family, friends, music and food.

The Quinceanera celebration traditionally begins with a religious ceremony. A Reception is held in the home or a banquet hall. The festivities include food and music, and in most, a choreographed program performed by the Quinceanera and her Court.

Dana has many friends.  She chose ten to stand with her, including her brother Nahum and her sister Esly.

It is traditional for the Quinceanera to choose special friends to participate in what is called the Court of Honor. Usually, these young people are her closest friends, her brothers, sisters, cousins - the special people in her life with whom she wants to share the spotlight.   Dana had ten in her court, five boys and five girls.  They all wore purple to match her theme.

There are many traditions throughout the Quinceanera celebration. One of the most popular is the Changing of the Shoes. Pastor Gerardo formally changed Dana's flat shoes to high heels. This is a beautiful symbol of the Quinceañera's transformation from a little girl to a young lady.

Pastor Gerardo and his family are proud of Dana.

Dana wore a small tiara for the ceremony, but later she donned a dramatic purple sombrero.  This Spanish accent further emphasized the many years of traditions behind the Quinceanera and it's meanings to everyone.  Dana is now a señorita, a young woman.  She will begin classes at a prep school in Rio Bravo next fall and eventually hopes to become a doctor.  Dana needs our prayers as she begins this new phase of her life.

PASTOR COLORADO

Pastor Fernando Colorado with his daughter Isabella.

Fernando Colorado is not only the pastor of a church in Reynosa, Mexico, he is the District Supervisor of the Northeast Mexico District of the Church of God.  And that is a very big responsibility as there are six churches under his supervision in Reynosa, Rio Bravo and Nuevo Progreso.

Brother Fernando is married and has three small children including the shy little one in the photo.  He is also very interested in missions, promoting the recent emphasis on helping pastors in Cuba by taking them bicycles, office supplies and teaching materials for a Bible school.

In a recent visit with Brother Fernando, he expressed a strong desire to go to Cuba when the next trip is made in July.  He very much wants to help build a church there and see first hand the many needs.

Brother Fernando needs sponsors to help him make this important trip to Cuba.  He doesn't have the money to make the trip and for the expenses involved.  He said he knew the Lord will make a way for him to go, but we told him we would ask our many friends if they would like to help.

Most importantly, please continue to pray for Cuba and Christians there.  Continue to pray for the faithful pastors who minister without having access to helpful materials and supplies.  And pray for souls to be saved in Cuba.

CUBA

Mexico and Cuba are not far apart.  It's a short distance from the Yucatan Peninsula to the capital city of Havana.

The Church of God in Mexico has heard the call to help pastors who work in Cuba.  Supervisors and church leaders in the Northeast section of the country have extended this call to their congregations and anyone else willing to help.  Evangelism is against the law in Cuba, so the focus is on assisting Cuban pastors by providing them with supplies for their Bible Schools and for Sunday Schools.

Pastor Fernando Colorado, Supervisor of the Reynosa district of the Church of God, visited the church in Nuevo Progreso this week with a brightly decorated box for mission offerings.  Brother Fernando brought two members of his congregation with him, one of whom will be traveling to Cuba in July to help distribute the much needed materials.  The men told us that school supplies are the main focus at this time, paper, pencils, crayons and other office supplies.

A team of men from the Church of God will travel to Cuba, taking with them several bicycles that they will leave for the pastors in Cuba.  Bicycles are the main source of transportation there.

Mexico has a unique opportunity at this time since there is an open door for travel between Mexico and Cuba.  There will be many trips made to Cuba in the future with the hope of encouraging those pastors who have few resources and do not have the freedom of religion we enjoy.  Now is the time to pray earnestly for Cuba. "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." Revelation 3:8

We are taking many things to the church in Nuevo Progreso to help fill the missionary box for Cuba.  It doesn't seem like much, but we will all work together to spread the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."  John 9:4

ROGELIO

Rogelio's mother Carla with his little brothers and sister. We don't have a picture of Rogelio.

Rogelio is a young man typical of most his age in Nuevo Progreso.  He has a wife and a baby girl and even though they were living with their parents, he was working to support them.  Rogelio was paying on a small piece of property where he had started building a tiny house in the new colonia of San Francisco.  But Rogelio is now in prison in Reynosa with very little hope of being released anytime soon.

Even his parents don't understand exactly why Rogelio was arrested and imprisoned, except that he was accused of having a vehicle without ownership papers.  Rogelio claims that he bought the car, but that the papers he was given were invalid.  It will take an attorney to sort out all the facts in the case to the satisfaction of the officials.

Rogelio's little brothers, Julio and Javier.

Meanwhile, Rogelio has been away from his family for six months as of this date.  Apolinar and Carla cannot afford to pay an attorney to look into the situation.  Rogelio's wife Perla continues to make the trip to Reynosa every week to visit him.

Without a doubt Rogelio had done business in the past with people who were of questionable character.  Maybe they took advantage of him, or maybe he knew what he was doing.  Either way, Rogelio faces years of incarceration unless he receives a miracle from the Lord.  First Rogelio would need to submit himself to the Lord and change his way of living.  Could it be according to Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good?  Let's pray for God's will to be accomplished in Rogelio's life.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

EDGAR

There was an interesting visitor at the church in Nuevo Progreso last week.  He stood and told his story and won the hearts of everyone there.  Edgar had just been released from prison and had a remarkable story to tell.

Edgar had been a member of Mexico's drug cartel and had been arrested and sent to prison in Sonora, Mexico.  He was sentenced to eight years behind bars.  While serving that time, Edgar was visited by Rafael Jiminez, a Church of God pastor with a prison ministry; and he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.  Remarkably changed, he began praying for a miracle, "Lord please shorten my sentence!"  Edgar's sentence was soon shortened to  3½ years and he was released a short time later.

Edgar told Pastor Jiminez that he believed God had called him to preach and share his testimony, but first he wanted to go home to Matamoros to see his family.  Wanting to see him established in a church, Pastor Jiminez told him the nearest Church of God to Matamoros is Betesda in Nuevo Progrso, and he sent him there by bus.

After the service when it was too late for Edgar to take the bus to Matamoros, Pastor Gerardo and his wife Miriam decided to drive him 25 miles to the huge city where Edgar's family lives.  During their time together, Edgar shared that he would like to return to Sonora and attend Bible School before launching out into ministry.  They talked about how there are established churches in Reynosa and Rio Bravo, but there is no Church of God presence in the ancient city of Matamoros.  Now Edgar has a strong desire to begin a work there.

We need to pray for Edgar who was rescued from the clutches of the cartel and a life of crime.  His strong testimony will influence other young people to give their lives to the Lord.  Pastor Gerardo said he is honored to be included in this ongoing story, and hopes to be an encouragement to the new convert.

PERSECUTION IN MEXICO

Lloyd took this picture on one of his trips into Mexico with Spanish Bibles.

When we think of the persecution of Christians, we seldom think of Mexico.  But there is a long history of such activities all throughout the country south of the border.  For various reasons, many Christians have found it difficult to worship openly even in the most unexpected places.  A missionary who recently returned from a short trip into San Luis Potosi related this amazing incident:

An isolated church high in the mountains of central Mexico was harrassed by groups of people who did not want the influence of the church in their area.  They burned down the homes of the Christians and did other things to discourage church services, but worship continued.  Finally the son of one of the members of the church was kidnapped and a stern warning was sent back to the humble little group.  "Close the church and stop your meetings and we will return your son."

Members of the church immediately went into urgent prayer for the return of this young man, but they were not willing to agree to the kidnappers' terms.  The very next day their prayers were answered and they saw the victim as he made his way back home.  He said he had been set free!

When he asked his captors why they were letting him go, they said it was because they were very afraid.  During the night they had seen great balls of fire coming down out of the sky and they had been terrified.  The leader of the group said they knew that the God of the Christians was very strong and powerful, and they had to let him go.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."  Hebrews 12:1

LAUGHING IN SPANISH!

A serious moment during the game with flash cards.

Laughter sounds the same in any language!  Laughter brings us together with a common bond!  And there's nothing better to bring on laughter than trying to learn together to speak a foreign language!

Lloyd and I enjoy teaching English at the church in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.  And at the same time we are learning more Spanish and having more confidence with the different pronunciations of that language.  We make up lessons involving simple exercises such as matching words, filling in the blanks and finishing short sentences. At the end of each lesson we bring out the colorful "flash cards," a picture on one side and the appropriate English word on the other.

These flash cards represent many different things, from animals to people, food items and articles of clothing.  Most are basic words that might be used in everyday life.

Lloyd and I have created a game out of the flash cards, one that involves a prize for the person who wins.  Even though the prizes are small, the game creates quite an atmosphere of fun and excitement.  Everyone looks forward to the flash card game.

Some of the pictures are amusing to all of us.  Some are more serious and enlightening.  But there is one card that always causes quite a reaction when it turns up on the table.  It's the picture of an unusual ostrich and it looks as if it's smiling!

Everyone likes to draw this card because it makes us all laugh!

The ostrich card always brings laughter from everyone!  This amazing photograph sends everyone into spasms of giggles and funny remarks.  It's a moment we all enjoy.

Nothing brings people together quite like laughter.  And laughter sounds amazingly the same in any language.

"Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them."  Psalm 126:2