What A Week...

“A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). This has been quite the busy and crazy week.  This verse in Proverbs has really become evident and true this week, with all the events that have taken place.

Monday started with the wonderful opportunity to bring Pancho’s mom, to Chihuahua to visit her son for the first time since the surgery.  What an emotional and powerful day it was.  My daughter was especially excited to go to “Cheezwahwah” as she calls it.  She spent the morning making Pancho’s “get well” card, full of colors and stickers.

The hospital is very strict in regards to visitors, only allowing a few to pass at a time.   Nieves went up first and we were hoping that Antu would be able to go as well to deliver her picture. Unfortunately they don’t allow kids in the recovery rooms.  Nieves took her picture and promised he would give it to Pancho.  After he left, I looked at my little girl and saw the tears begin to form in her eyes.  I picked her up and asked what was wrong, “I’m sad...they won’t let me see Pancho daddy...”  I held her tight as we walked, and talked and cried...and I promised her that Pancho would see her picture and know that she wanted to come visit.

Pastor Luis and I went to visit him next.  There was our brother, alive, awake and excited to see us.  As I mentioned before, the doctors had thought that he would barely be able to talk, however that wasn’t the case.  Pancho was speaking in full sentences and praising the Lord for that.  Pastor Luis leaned over to give him a hug and Pancho began to weep.  Of course, I started to tear up as I watched my uncle hold this frail, weak and crying man, and begin to pray over him.  It was a wonderful 10 minutes as we rejoiced with this dear family.  As we were leaving, I had to take a picture of what stood tall on the table tray behind me, directly facing Pancho’s bed...Antu’s beautiful “get well” card

We had a lot to do Wednesday to finish getting ready for the team.  We had a quick meeting at the Vargas house...talking about our day and continual plans for the team coming on Friday.  That was interrupted by Nieves’ text from Sabrina...letting us know that they had just released Pancho and he was ready to come home.  So, i found myself back in the van with Nieves, driving to Chihuahua to bring our brother home.  God has continued to answer the prayers of his saints, for this brother.    We also found out that God lowered the cost of his surgery and hospital stay from 20,000 pesos ($1600) to 365 pesos ($30)...WOW!

Thursday morning came early for Pastor Luis, Kim and myself, as we departed for El Paso to meet the incoming missions team.  Calvary Chapel Northwest, in Bellingham WA, sent 6 brothers and 2 sisters who arrived safely Friday afternoon.  They have been praying, fasting, believing and trusting that God will do great things on this missions trip.  Our goal is to paint the inside of the orphanage. Lots of planning and preparation has taken place, to get things ready for this big project.  Paint is ridiculously expensive down in Mexico and they estimated cost was atleast $2300 for the paint.  God had a different plan and we are rejoicing about that.  A brother at Calvary Chapel Northwest, has a company that knows a guy who knows a guy, who ended up getting us all the paint we needed for $909.  Not only that, but after sharing with the Sherman Williams guys, what the paint was for and what we were doing down in Mexico, they gave us a bunch of free stuff...WOW!

We had no problems getting across the border with the team and paint...and they have safely arrived in Bachiniva.  However, for myself, I am back here in El Paso.  My grandmother, who lives in Las Vegas, went home to be with the Lord early yesterday morning.  The last hours of her life were very painful and difficult.  Everyone was praying that the Lord would just take her home.    I woke up yesterday morning to a text message from my mom, saying...“IT IS FINISHED...grandma is dancing with Jesus!  No more pain, no more sorrow!”

God worked things out in a way that both the team will be greatly taken care of in Mexico, and I will be able to join my siblings and family, in Vegas for the memorial service.  I arrive back in El Paso, at 11:55 PM Tuesday night, and then will head back down to Bachiniva early Wednesday morning.

As I sit here at Starbucks, trying to take in the madness of this past week...God continues to give that great “peace which surpasses all understanding.”  Last week, I had everything planned out the way I thought it should go this week, yet that was completely turned upside down.  And God has a wonderful plan in it.  We must never lose sight of His ways being better then our ways.  No matter what happens, it happens for a reason and God ordained purpose.

Please pray for the missions team and the painting project.  They desire to complete it but are completely open to any other plans the Lord might have.  Please pray for Pancho for a speedy and quick recovery, and, that the cancer will not return.  Please pray for my siblings and I as we travel to Vegas.  We are trusting that the service will be a Christ centered time and encouragement to all who come.  Please pray for my wife and daughter as we are apart for 4 more additional days.  Thank you very much!

“...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Santo, Santo, Santo...

The students down here are on spring break for 2 weeks.  Nieves and I thought it’d be a great idea to have a youth cleaning day at the orphanage.  Things started early yesterday morning as I was getting ready to leave.  Antu had been talking about how excited she was to go work at the orphanage.  I was going to have her come later, but she woke up extra early and insisted that she had to go with me.  She quickly ran to get dressed, grab her bike, dog, fruit snacks, blankie, all the essentials for an effective work day. As we were heading to the orphanage, she kept saying something in Spanish, “santo, santo, santo, sldkjf;alsdkjf;...” (couldn’t make out the rest).  I asked her what she was saying...she said, “santo, santo, santo, daddy.”  I didn’t put two and two together until she told me it had to do with my guitar.  Ah, she was singing one of the worship songs we sing.  Santo, is spanish for “holy”...and the chorus of the song sings, “singing holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”  Antu asked me if we could sing that song...so thus started our day filled with singing, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”

The plan was to clean the orphanage and prepare it for the missions team that is coming next week to paint the facility.  About 15 of us showed up for our work day.  We started off with a sweet time of worship and devotional, which of course, included Ayantu’s favorite song.

After about 4 hours of work, all the floors had been swept, mopped, scrapped, trashed picked up, supplies arranged neatly and windows washed.  Having been a youth pastor for so many years, it was such great joy to watch all of these young people, faithfully, willingly and humbly serving the Lord.  We all enjoyed ourselves so much, we are going to have another work party next week to prime the walls and ceilings for paint.

Throughout the rest of the day, I kept thinking about that moment with my daughter in the truck, singing “holy, holy, holy is the Lord” over and over and over again.  It reminded me of what John wrote in the book of Revelation...

“The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within.  And they DO NOT REST day or night, saying; Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Revelation 4:8)!

 How glorious that day will be, when we for all eternity...will be singing, “holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”

That afternoon, we called my cousin Becky, who was leading worship, and Antu asked her if we could sing her (Antu’s) song again at church.  Last night, as we were up there, leading worship, singing out to the Lord, I looked back and I saw my precious 3 year old, lifting her hands and singing with all her heart...”holy, holy, holy, is the Lord!” It was truly a blessed and wonderful day....thank you Jesus!

After a long hard, dirty work day...Antu insisted she had to wash her bike...

Easter Weekend...

Churches across the world celebrated Palm Sunday, this past weekend, in remembrance of when Jesus entered Jerusalem.  The gospel of Mark tells us that as Jesus came into Jerusalem, people threw done their clothes and palm branches and began to shout... “Hosanna (save now)!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest” (Mark 11:9-10)

This coming weekend...churches once again will celebrate, this time, in remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection.  Church attendance will be at one of its highest times, aside from Christmas.  For the believer, it indeed is a glorious celebration, for death could not hold Him down.  Jesus conquered the grave and made a way for us to spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.  For the unbeliever, it will either be just 1 of the services they attend a year, to feel good about themselves...OR...an opportunity for their life to be changed.

For the past 8 years, I’ve loved working with choirs and putting together special music for our home church.  I was very excited and interested in what Easter services were like down here in Mexico.  I had already been thinking about what we could do for the masses that would come for church.  When I brought it up, I was shocked when I heard what this coming weekend would consist of.  Rather then being one of the highest attended church times, it will be one of the lowest.  Instead of the pews being packed with believers and unbelievers, the local lake here in Bachiniva will be swarmed with close to 5,000 people, beginning Thursday night.  I had to ask again, because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  There are only 2500 people who live in Bachiniva, how in the world will there be 5,000.  The Vargas’ began to share that people will come from all over, for a weekend of drinking, partying and fornicating.  One year, the normal 5 minute drive from the church to their house, took the Vargas family close to 2 hours, because of traffic.  Roads are being fixed, fences are being painted and the whole town is gearing up for this grand ole party.

My heart was so saddened as I heard this.  I immediately thought of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, and what he wrote in chapter 5...

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles...”

Paul was basically saying, “...what you guys are doing is so messed up, even the heathens aren’t doing that.”  I thought that same thing...at least choose a different weekend to have this drunken party fest.  Why reserve it for Easter?  However, I realized, that this is the whole reason Jesus came, died and rose again...that the lost might be found.  People are perishing all over, especially those that come this weekend and what a tremendous opportunity we have to be a light in this dark community.

Please be praying for the town of Bachiniva and the thousands that will flock here this weekend.  Please pray for those who attend our church, that may choose going to the lake over coming to church.  Please pray for our church and the special services will be have starting Wednesday night.  The Lord desires non to perish, but ALL to come to repentance.  So do we and we trust and pray that the Holy Spirit will draw those that need to be here and hear the good news of salvation!

Here is the schedule for this weeks services...

Wednesday Night - Midweek Service                                                                            We will continue our in-depth study through Psalm 119, and then feed 50-70 people through the soup kitchen.                                                                                               Thursday Night - The Last Supper                                                                                This will be a time of worship and special message on Jesus’ last supper with his disciples.  We will gather afterwards for a potluck and time of fellowship.                         Friday Night - Good Friday                                                                                               This will be an intimate time of worship, prayer and anointing with oil for the sick.       Saturday Night - Special Youth Service                                                                     Jose Nieves (youth pastor) has invited parents and family to be apart of the youth service to see what takes place at youth group on Saturday nights.                                        Sunday Morning - Easter (Pascua)                                                                                We have put together a special band and music that will be incorporated throughout the service.  Pastor Luis, Jose and myself will each share for about 15 minutes on Jesus’ Life, Death and Resurrection.

Thank you for your prayers and intercession for us!

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have no believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14).