Final Thoughts of the Trip

Hey yall! I want to let those of you who don't know yet that we have made it back safely home again (actually we have been home for a week this tuesday). Thank you very much for your prayers this summer. Here are some final thoughts:

-The church there is doing well. The main thing that we've been focusing on right now is discipleship; many of the people in the church are new to the faith (they've been coming for less than a year), and they have been learning the bible/memorizing scripture/inviting their lost family members to the church. We have seen them grow, and it will be exciting to see what God will do with them in the future! There are 7 people in the church that want to be baptized, and hopefully as soon as possible it will be done (it was raining the last week when we left, so they couldn't do it then). Right now the normal attendance sunday mornings is around 20, 30 including children. Wednesday service is actually right about the same, maybe a few less.

-For those who were praying, my sermon went well, praise the Lord! I spoke over evangelism, and we are praying that the Lord will use it. At the end, around 4-5 people made commitments to speak with a particular lost person in their life over spiritual things.

-An important lesson was affirmed to me this trip about the ministry: trees don't grow overnight. Eloy, Scott, and I were faithful to pray for the people every day these two months, and the Lord has been working, but sanctification is a long process. Many Christian groups like us come to Mexico for a short trips, witness, build buildings, plant seeds, etc. And all this work is good and needed! But it takes a special breed of Christian to labor and love over those seeds; to be patient in prayer when it seems like there is no growth; to not lose hope but continue shepherding the flock, and trust that God is moving. In this area we only got a taste of what pastoring is like, and it is where I believe Armando, his wife, and the other leaders of this church shine. They're not super-christians; they are doing the duty that they have been called to, and will continue to do so until the Lord calls them elseware. It has been a priveledge working with them these two months.


Thank you all for your prayers and support this summer. This next school year I will be an RA (Resident Advisor) in a dorm on campus. I have a feeling that the things I've learned/experienced in Mexico will directly apply to this coming year. Again if you've got any questions, or would like to talk, or whatever, email me at chris1634@gmail.com. May God bless yall!

Peace,
Chris

"The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing." Proverbs 20:4


ps: oh yeah, pictures! We've got em, alot of em, but right now they're all still on the camera. If any of yall know of a good picture-sharing website that is open to the public, lemme know! I'll try to let yall know when we get em online.