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)

RESURRECTION DAY

Flowers on the altar.

Resurrection Day services were held at Bethesda Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico. It was a hot, dry and windy day full of sunshine. The streets of Nuevo Progreso were abnormally quiet and empty. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air.

Sunrise service began at 6:00 am.  Morning service was at 10:00 am.  The ones who attended the sunrise service ate breakfast together, watched the sun come up and stayed to join in the second service.

Nahum opened the service with a scripture reading.

Nahum read a passage of scripture from the Bible about Jesus when his disciples were fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the other side and their boat overflowed with their catch. Then they ate with him on the shore.  It was good to see Nahum take a big part in the service. There were special songs during the time of testimonies and thanksgiving.  Viviana sang about the hardships of life and how God gives her strength to face each day.

Azucena also sang a song from her heart, expressing her thanks to the Lord. Azucena said she learned that she is named after a flower, the Madonna Lily, which we call the Easter Lily!

Viviana sang a special from her heart.

Azucena also praised the Lord with song.

Small children were happy to color in their books during the service.  A small table was set up for them, just their size. Pablo, who lives near the church, came to church by himself.  He also enjoyed a time of coloring and working word puzzles while he listened to the service.

Children with books and crayons during service.

Pablo came to church alone.

Jose Luis and his wife Viviana shared that the Lord has called them to become missionaries.  They are in a time of preparation and studying God’s Word, and they said they will know when it is time to begin their work. Meanwhile, they are content to learn from Pastor Gerardo while attending the church. It was a refreshing time of worship for everyone.  Easter lilies and other flowers dressed up the altar and the music floated out into the surrounding neighborhood. It truly felt like a day of new beginnings.

"He is not here, for He is risen."  Matthew 28:6

CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT

Nahum with his Certificate of Achievement

Conalep is a school in Nuevo Progreso that prepares students for college or for a trade.  They offer the preparatory classes Nahum needs to become an architect.  Conalep is assisted by people from the United States who want to help Mexico’s young people be the best they can be.

Nahum was awarded high honors Saturday and received a Certificate of Achievement for being #1 one in his class, having the highest grade.  He had a 9.5 out of a possible 10. There was a second place winner with a 9.1 and a third place with 9.0.  We learned that this isn’t the first time Nahum was #1.  He had the highest scores the last 2 semesters.

Nahum is showing Lloyd his name on the certificate

Each of the winners received a nice gift for their hard work.  Nahum came home with a computer notebook loaded with Windows 10.  He was extremely pleased with the prize since he enjoys using computers.

Consider the difficulties of going to higher levels of school in Mexico.  Not only is there a lot of expense involved, but the whole family needs to be supportive of these students.

At Nahum’s age most young men in Mexico are married and have a family, or they are working to help support their parents. Nahum has always had a dream and a vision for his future.  With God’s help, his dream will become real.

Prize for first place - a small laptop loaded with Windows 10.

And the winner is - Nahum Neftali Estrada Razo!

Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy youth. Ecclesiastes 12:1

MEXICAN HAT DANCE

The children watched as someone cut the birthday cake.

We had a dinner to celebrate March birthdays at the church in Nuevo Progreso.  There had been an unusual number of birthdays in that month.  Everyone had a good time, especially when the Mexican hat was passed around.

After the usual Sunday evening service, two long tables were arranged in the auditorium near the altar. Benches were placed alongside, making room for almost everyone to have a place at the table.  Others sat on benches close by or brought folding chairs to the ends of the tables.

A cool breeze finally made it’s way through the windows, making things much more comfortable. Distant lightning flashed in the east windows, but no rain or storm came near. The heat of the day eased away into a soft, warm evening.  It was the perfect time for a celebration.

Two long tables were placed together in the auditorium.

The main dish provided was chicken molé, which is chicken cooked in a rich dark sauce made of several kinds of chiles, spices and dark Mexican chocolate. Molé can take a long time to make because first the chiles need to be roasted along with the spices and the mixture blended together with chicken broth for a sauce that is so dark, it looks like melted chocolate.  This is a favorite dish for celebrations in Mexico.

Someone brought a rice dish to go along with the molé, another brought mashed potatoes, and we took our specialty - a large kettle of spaghetti with meat sauce. We all saved room for the special birthday cake, a white sheet cake covered with fruit.

Alejandro's daughter Monica was very pretty in the sombrero.

And in that relaxed atmosphere, someone brought out an enormous and beautiful purple Mexican sombrero that was covered in silver ornaments.  One by one everyone wanted to pose in the impressive sombrero.  On some it looked overly large and on others it looked small.  Monica was a beautiful example of a typical young Mexican girl.  It was easy to see pride on her father Alejandro’s face as he sat next to her.  Roman was asked to put on his “Pancho Villa” face when he wore the hat. And he did appear to be much different from his usual cheerful and smiling personality.

Roman's rendition of Pancho Villa.

Even little Kimberly got into the action and struck a pose in the sombrero.  Her portrayal of a Mexican bandit made us all laugh.

Kimberly was a lady bandit.

It was not a typical Mexican hat dance with the traditional music, but it was fun and different.  Before long, almost everyone had tried on the hat as it made it’s way around the table.

Social events such as these are a big part of our church.  They make us feel part of one big family, the family of God.  There were some neighborhood children there who regularly attend Sunday School at the church. They enjoyed the food, good clean fun and laughter as they were made to feel part of the family.  And the celebration dinner was a good way to set an example they will long remember.

Sunday School children enjoyed the celebration.

“We celebrated with laughter

    and joyful songs.

In foreign nations it was said,

    “The Lord has worked miracles

    for his people.”  

Psalm 126:2 CEV