Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
What an incredible privilege it is to be called according to God's purpose-- to be in His plans and following His leading. There has been ample evidence this last month or two that God works out all things according to His purpose for His children...
Girls Retreat
Fellow YUGO Missionary Cindy Pesina and I helped our churches we work with to put on a 1 day retreat for teen girls. Life in Tijuana's barrios can be very difficult for a teen. We have seen over the past couple years young church girls being drawn away by the world around them an in trouble far too early in life. A church had asked us to please help them serve their girls in helping to restore wayward ones and prevent their girls from being enamoured by the world.
The result was 44 girls from 4 churches and a children's home from 12-18 years old coming for a full day of teaching about inner and outer beauty, purity and real love. They had their nails and hair done, made crafts and heard God's Word clearly. In the end several gave their lives to Christ, others came to some older ladies we had on hand for counseling and prayer and 34 of them committed themselves to purity until God brings them their husbands that He is preparing them for! In the end, those girls were surprised with a committment ring to wear to remind them! God used the teaching and testimonies of Christian women from the US and Mexico to draw these teens to Himself. Some of the teachers had difficult life stories of what happens when we don't follow Jesus in this area. And God used those things for His good this day! Thank you to those who prayed and those who gave and allowed this to happen.
Graduation
We have graduated the 2nd generation of pastors and leaders from 3
different classes in Tijuana and La Mision (town about 45 minutes away)
There were 22 grads altogether and we had a great time celebrating
together.
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| All of our grads together |
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| A grad from the class at Valle Redondo |
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| The Canadian whos always talking... |
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| La Mision Grad |
2 Graduations
Jose Alfredo Cazares Cazares graduated from our Pastors and leaders training course after 2 years of hard work and study. He had been serving in his church as a sunday school teacher and sensed God's call to shepherd His church. By all accounts, Jose was a good man who had allowed Christ to transform his life in the last two years. His wife and kids all give testimony to the changes that God's Word had brought to their family through Jose. At the beginning of the course, Jose's family lived in anger, defeat and disbelief. At the graduation ceremony, we saw testimony to the healing that God had brought as Jose lived out repentance, faith and love in his family. It was a family restored, in love with Jesus. His teacher, Abelino, told me that God had done a good work-- whereas Jose Alfredo thought he should be a pastor to a church, first of all God had caused him to first shepherd his family. Less than one month after graduation, Jose Alfredo died in his sleep at the age of 50. In love with Jesus, the Scriptures, his family and Jesus' church. In Death, Joses life still is bringing fruit. On the day if His wake, Pastor abelino (pictured here in black) shared the hope in Christ that Jose lived with - and Jose's intense desire to see his siblings and parents come to follow Jesus. Jose's brother repented and placed his total trust in Jesus there-- got up and declared that he was filled with a peace- for the first time in his life- and he could not understand... That night he shared from Psalm 23 (the last message Jose had preached the week before as a guest preacher) and witnessed the whole family present receive Jesus Christ, freedom, forgiveness and peace.
Well Done, good and faithful servant...
Thank you so much for being with us here in prayer and financial support. God is doing great things here through us. Please pray that we would continue to seek His face, love His people and enjoy His presence.
