New Photos

Click on the link to see our new ministry photos on Flickr.

Do Drop In

In April, Anita and I visited Mexico City and spent one day helping at a drop in center for the homeless.  That day 20 homeless people came to the center for two meals, a shower and to wash their clothes.  On the street, they live in "families" and the 20 were from 3 different families.

There was a time of rest and games.  There was also a time of singing and Bible study.  The discussion was open and lively.

The staff, in top photo, is working to develop relationships that support and

encourage those that come to the center.  After a time of relationship building, the staff challenges the homeless person to work to improve their lives.  If the person rejects help, they will not be able to enter the center just to use it as a handout.

The day we were there, the young lady in the photo visited for the first time and accepted Jesus.

It is a very challenging ministry, but the staff is doing a great job of holistic ministry.  At the end of the day, Anita and I had the opportunity to share words of encouragement to the staff.  It is mostly a thankless job that the staff has.

Water Park Baptisms

When Anita and I visited Mexico City in April, we were privileged to attend a baptism service of people from newly established house churches. 

Since house churches don't have a baptistry, the baptism was held at a water park!  Two bus loads and 7 SUV's of people from 13 house churches went to the water park for the service and a day at the water park.  About half of the people were unchurched.

Since November 18, 2008, our Mexico church group has started over 50 house churches.

Passengers and Immigrants

As I stood in line at the airport ticket counter to leave the Caribbean, a group was ushered to a designated line especially for them. Those of us who had been waiting wondered why they were receiving priority treatment.  At first it was said that they were a tour group.  Then we found out that this group of about 100, mostly younger families, were immigrating to Mexico.  As I moved from line to line, I had to follow them.  As they waited to go thru immigration, they hugged, and then hugged some more loved ones they were leaving behind, maybe never to be seen again.

As I waited at the gate, the emotions went from laughter and congratulations to uncontrolled sobbing.  The pay phones had lines, making one last call.  Families talked about what it would be like on the airplane.  

One man walked sternly across the terminal right up to the gate.  He stood there until we boarded.  Was he ready to go, or, was it his way of dealing with his emotions.

What prompted them to leave their country for another?  An unknown country.  Will the new place bring a better life?  They have a hope in something they have only heard about, not seen.  For the parents, probably not a better life.  For the children, they will have more opportunity, if they take it. 

As I moved with this group and sat among them on the plane, my heart raced and my eyes watered as their emotions went up and down.

We have a hope in something unseen and the promise of a better place.  We can depend on the promise of God for eternal life and as passengers on this earth we anticipate our immigration to heaven.

Caribbean Mother and Daughter

Back in September 2007, I had went to the Caribbean with another OMS missionary to give a training on evangelism and church planting.  Our focus was to transition church planters from planting churches, to being trainers of people who plant churches.  Each one could have 6-8 people in on-the-job training for planting churches and training the leaders of the groups.

I had written about a mother and daughter, Estela and Eunice, that had attended and had received a vision to saturate their province with churches.

When I visited the Caribbean in January 2009, I had asked to visit Estela and Eunice to see first hand what they were doing.  They live in a beautiful city on a bay of the Atlantic Ocean.  It is one of my favorite places to visit.

I was extremely happy when they told me that they were training leaders of 10 new groups in the year following the training!  Members from one of the new churches started four new groups.  This is an example of churches planting churches.

In the photo below is the owner of a house where a church meets.  He was willing to add a room along the side of the house so that about 50 people can attend every Sunday morning.  The owner also has a horse and carriage and picks up 43 people for church every Sunday.

Caribbean Youth Ministry

I had the opportunity to visit the Caribbean in January 2009.  It was a wonderful time of meeting with various ministry leaders.  I came away from my time there very happy with young leaders that I have had the privilege to support, encourage and work with to expand their ministries.

The family in the photo has started 3 house churches in the past 7 years.  They have a passion for the Lord and creating caring communities of faith.

I was in their home two and a half years ago when Jairy, the son-in-law in the black shirt, told me of a vision the Lord had given for a new ministry.  It was a ministry to high school age kids, which are 14-17 years old.  The kids go to boarding school during the week, and go home on the weekend.  The setting is much like a wild university frat house, with condoms being given out and drugs are prevalent.  This is during a very difficult time in the life of a youth.

Jairy and staff members go onto a school campus and speak with the kids.  Jairy would seek out a local church close to the school so that they could invite the kids to a safe place and use alocal church as a base.

This ministry has gone from a vision from the Lord to 60 full time staff in just 2.5 years!  WOW!  The ministry is in many schools and staff are being added on a weekly basis.

It has been a privilege to be part of this and I look forward to attending a staff leadership training event when I visit in May.  Please pray for protection over the ministry and for the staff training event at the end of May.

We Prayed for You!

October 1, 2008

Each month the OMS staff spends a half day in prayer. We have a different prayer focus each month, such as praying for a region of the world and the OMS ministries in that region.

Today was a half day of prayer, and we had two topics of prayer.

We prayed for the persecuted church. Many people are coming to know Jesus around the world. In many places, this causes a harsh reaction from family members and/or governments. It is not a subtle thing, but one where people are putting their lives on the line for their faith.

The other prayer topic was YOU! Each of us had in hand the names of our supporters. We prayed for you health, work, businesses, families and protection. We are doing this ministry because you are supporting us, and we are very thankful for your support.

THANK YOU!