Geurink Link

Easter Sunday

2011-05-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Resurrection Day is always a special time of remembrance. In Mexico churches typically have a sunrise service, directed by the women in the church, as the women were the first to hear the good news of Christ's resurrection. People wear white to remember Jesus in his glorified body. "Agua Viva" celebrated Easter with the traditional sunrise service, complete with special musical participations.

We then had breakfast together, followed by the worship service.

In this service we accepted

two women as members, one, Brenda, by baptism

the other, Alejandra, transfered her membership. We also celebrated the baptism of Alejandra's daughter, Imelda.

We concluded the celebration with the Lord's supper.

Thanks Oak Harbor CRC

2011-05-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you Oak Harbor CRC, team 2011.

Store Fronts at "Principe de Paz"

2011-05-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

The group from Oak Harbor also helped to paint the five store fronts at the "Prince of Peace" church. The stores are almost ready to rent out! The money raised will help to purchase property for more missions in Tijuana.

New Kitchen for Agua Viva

2011-05-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

This spring a group from Oak Harbor CRC, (Oak Harbor WA) helped with building a kitchen for the "Agua Viva" Mission. This will be a great help as we have a potluck dinner the last Sunday of each month, as well as on several holidays. The kitchen was temporarily in one of the classrooms. The ladies are very excited to have a "real" kitchen. They showed their appreciation by providing dinner for the group one evening.

Thank you Denver Adults

2011-04-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you Denver Adults for another job well done!

Denver Adults in San Quintin

2011-04-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

This past week the adult team from 3rd CRC, Denver was with us in San Quintin, BC to help build the sanctuary building for the new mission "Cristo Vive" (Christ Lives). We arrived Monday at about noon. The team got started right away with making trusses and walls. By Thursday the building was framed, wired, and the shingles were on!

The group also decided to help a neighbor family with a home. Two families had been living in a temporary home made of old plastic and hose from the local greenhouses.

The team also helped to close holes and add support to the roof of another neighbor's home.

Mission Cristo Vive, San Quintin, Baja California

2011-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

One of the Reformed Presbyterian congregations, “Cristo Vive” (Christ Lives) has been led to start a new mission in the town of San Quintin, Baja California, about four and a half hours south of Tijuana. San Quintin is an agricultural area that grows strawberries, tomatoes and other vegetables. There is a great need in this area for churches. There is also a need to help train other local pastors, and a Timothy Leadership Training is being planned for later this year.

Members from the “Cristo Vive” congregation have made numerous mission trips to San Quintin. They recently made the down payment for a property there. On March 18^th, men from “Cristo Vive”, the rehab center, and others went to San Quintin to pour the foundation for the first building on the new property.

Duncan Christian School

2010-09-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

This week the senior class from Duncan Christian School in Duncan, British Colombia, have been with us on their class Mission trip. They have been busy pouring cement at the Agua Viva Mission in the mornings,

painting the new second story dormitories and meeting room at the rehab center in the afternoon,

and holding open air VBS programs for the children in the evening. We have enjoyed getting to know these great kids, and their teacher/chaperons!

Noche Mexicana

2010-09-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

On the 15th of September, Mexico celebrated 200 years since their declaration of Independence. At the Agua Viva Mission we celebrated this historic event with a Noche Mexicana (Mexican Night).

We invited families from the community to celebrate with us, and many came.

We had lots of good food,

special music,

costumes,

dramas by the guys at the rehab center,

a short message from Scott, and of course the famous "Grito" (yell) to honor those who began the fight for independence.

On the 16th, the Prince of Peace church also celebrated. Check out Pastor Isaac and Ruth!

Thank you 3rd CRC, Denver Youth!

2010-07-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your hard work this week, you served ferociously!

Friday morning a bit after 7, the group had a final prayer and said their good-bye's

note the message in the window!

Then they loaded up the buses for the BEACH

Pray for their safe travel home on Saturday and Sunday.

Thursday

2010-07-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday was even hotter, over 101 degrees! We still had 175 kids and 20 mothers attend VBS.

At the closing the students in each class that applied themselves the most were presented with a children's Bible and prize.

The mothers that learned all 4 verses were also presented with a Bible.

In the afternoon, the group poured a cement pad at "Agua Viva" It was HOT, HARD work, but they did a great job.

The basketball hoop was finally finished and used!

In the evening we worshiped with the men at the Rehab center, and the "Dios Altisimo Mission"

Wednesday

2010-07-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was a great day, we had 175 kids and 17 mothers enrolled in VBS. It was HOT close to 100 degrees.

The kids painted the cars from "Toys for God's Kids" They loved them!

The ladies made beautiful beaded necklaces, thanks Wilma and Gladys!

It was more like a sauna in the jumping castle.

In the afternoon part of the team helped to dig out part of the parking lot to get ready to pour cement on Thursday.

While a drywall crew continued the work at Terrazas.

In the afternoon the group cooled of at a local water park, for $4 each!

Tuesday

2010-07-14T15:43:00.001-07:00

Tuesday was another great day, we had 145 children and 12 ladies at VBS at the Agua Viva church.

In keeping with the theme the kids made sheep beadie buddies

and sheep masks.

The ladies also did two crafts, the new ladies did 3D stars and the ladies that were here on Monday did the sheep beadie buddy

Everyone had a great time

In the afternoon the ladies classroom was painted a light purple

and another team worked with a pick axe and shovels to get ready for pouring cement on Thursday.

At Terrazas the team continued with drywall

and yes, they did get all the sheetrock up!

Devotions by the senior men focused on servant leadership, demonstrated by foot washing.

Monday, day one

2010-07-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

Monday morning all of the team went to "Agua Viva" to set up for VBS. The kids started trickling in slowly but steadily all morning. By the end of the day we had 111 kids and 7 mothers enrolled.

As always the jumping castle was a big success!

as were the ham and cheese sandwiches.

The kids loved their crafts,

and their new friends

What a great start to the week. We expect a bigger crowd each day!

In the afternoon a sanding and painting crew worked hard to transform the small classroom!

In Terrazas, the drywall crew including some of the men from the Rehab center, worked hard to get half of the drywall up!! They promise it will all be done by Tuesday night.

3rd CR, Denver, Youth team

2010-07-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon exactly on time, the group arrived in San Diego, after two days of good travel.

At the border, we had a first; a drug sniffing dog went through the things in the trailers (and the things pulled out of the trailers). But from there on it was clear sailing to Pancho Villa and the Cristo Arca de Salvacion church.

We are so grateful the group is here to minister with us this week!

Father's Day, Mexican style

2010-06-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday June 20 was also Father's Day here in Mexico. Although not nearly as big of a day as mother's day it is celebrated.

At the Agua Viva mission the ladies prepared a special dinner for the fathers (and everyone else too!) There were even cakes!

The young people prepared games for the Dads

They played a relay with a lime in a spoon

a sack race with a stop in the middle to drink a can of soda and a stop at the end to answer a Bible trivia question

a combination of soccer/hockey using brooms and a tennis ball,

until someone broke a broom

and they were lined up for the firing squad of children with water balloons!

We are thankful for the men who are attending the mission and giving spiritual leadership to their families.

Esperanza Bracelets

2010-06-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

A Christian couple in San Diego had the vision to begin a new cottage industry here in TJ. The purpose of the Esperanze ("hope" in Spanish) Bracelets is to provide income for mothers who would rather work from home.

Marcia and another missionary friend have been involved by training several of the ladies and helping to supply the beads and materials. We hope to eventually have a web site where the bracelets can be ordered directly, until then please check out the blog site and see these beautiful bracelets and learn a little about the women who are making them.

Your comments, suggestions, and orders are greatly appreciated as we try to get this opportunity off the ground!

http://esperanzabracelets.blogspot.com/

Ramon and Alma

2010-06-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

Ramon and Alma from the Agua Viva mission were married last Friday in a civil ceremony. It has taken over a year for them to get all their paperwork together to for the marriage!

photo by Barbarita Lee

We rejoice with them and pray that God will richly bless their marriage and family.

Photo by Barbarita Lee

Ramon is also looking forward to his baptism next month. He and Alma will then be received as members of the Agua Viva Mission.

Thank You, 3rd CRC Denver!

2010-04-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

Friday was a great day, the church building was wired, shingled, and had chicken wire on all sides. Bunk beds were made for the Half-Way house.

We celebrated with a dedication service in the new sanctuary. Pastor Dave gave the message,

the team participated with a song,

the rehab guys participated with a skit,

and we all together thanked God for what had been accomplished.

Another "Sparky"??

2010-03-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Thursday, The end is in sight

2010-03-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

On Thursday the Dios Viviente team began shingling the roof,

stretching stucco wire on the outside,

and building a stage inside.

They also broke up a pad of old cement.

Wow! all this in four days!!

At Cristo Arca the front wall was built for the edition and work on wiring continued as well. They also began making bunk beds for the Half-way house.

Wednesday

2010-03-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, the Denver team accomplished a lot!!

At Dios Viviente all of the trusses were finished

and set, quite a feat with the high walls!

They also began working on the electrical wiring.

At Cristo Arca de Salvacion the second level is done, and the roof shingled!

Beware, Dave is always ready with the camera

2010-03-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, the work continues

2010-03-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning, under sunny skies, the group began working. At Dios Viviente, the rest of the walls were set, and covered with plywood.

The truss team worked hard to get more than half of the trusses built.

The 14 completed trusses were set on the walls!

At Cristo Arca de Salvacion, the walls were completed and the roof framed.

Several members from the church worked to pour the cement floor.

Monday

2010-03-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Monday morning some of the group made their way to the Dios Viviente mission to begin work on the new sanctuary. The adjustments were made and walls were laid out and raised.

The truss template was made and cutting begun on the plates and cords.

A second group stayed at the Cristo Arca de Salvacion church to begin framing a small addition to the Sunday school/parsonage building. They build the walls and had the deck on by the end of the day.

A great first day, and great start to the week.

Denver Adults

2010-03-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

On Sunday evening the adult group from 3rd CRC, Denver, arrived at the Cristo Arca de Salvacion church. They encountered lots of traffic in LA but arrived with no problem. The border crossing was also a wait, first in line, then the US inspection, and finally secondary inspection in Mexico. There was then a wait for the inspectiors and a line to get the paperwork stamped...WELCOME TO MEXICO!

We are looking forward to a great week

Back to square 1

2010-03-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday the last of the old sanctuary was dismantled. The men at the rehab center finished breaking up the old cement foundation, loading up all the cement broken cement and garbage, and finished pulling nails out of the 2x4s and plywood. We are ready for the Denver team to join us and the men from the center and begin construction of the new sanctuary on Monday!

Tearing Down

2010-03-17T11:23:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday the work of dismantling the sanctuary continued. The site needs to be ready for Monday!!

New Church Building for "Dios Viviente"

2010-03-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

The mission "Dios Viviente" (The Living God) in Terrazas del Valle, Tijuana has a problem, a good problem, they fill the sanctuary to overflowing on Sundays and Thursdays. The mission shares a property with the "Forjando Nuevos Destinos" Rehab center and the men from the center fill half of the building. Families from the community, some of them graduates from the rehab program fill the other half.

On Monday morning the men from the center began tearing down the old building, in order to be ready for the new building.

Teresa - a true Cinderella story

2010-02-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

Teresa's life reads like a fairy tale, just without the happily ever after ending we have come to expect. Teresa grew up in a shack in Tijuana, with her mother and four brothers. Her mother re-married and had more children. Several years later her step father died, and the family split; with her mother and older brothers all looking for work. For a time Teresa worked as a model at the local TV station in Tijuana, before ending up in LA with her mother, who had found work as a nanny for two small children.

The mother of the children was a buyer for a large department store and was killed in a plane crash some time later. In true story book fashion, when she was only 19, Teresa married the wealthy widower, Joseph. They had two girls of their own, and Teresa loved being a wife and mother to the four children. Joseph was intelligent, with 3 PhD's, and worked for the government, meaning they moved around a bit, and even lived overseas. Teresa lost all contact with her mother and siblings, and assimilated into the American way of life; becoming a US citizen, speaking only English, and living the "American Dream"

The dream began to unravel when Joseph died. Teresa lived with her grown daughters for a time, but began to have problems with making poor decisions. When a death in her family brought her back in contact with her siblings, she found out a very sad truth: her mother and several brothers had Huntington's disease, a fatal genetic disease that attacks the brain in the areas of movement, memory, and emotions. Teresa refused to be tested or even see a doctor, even though she was beginning to show some early symptoms of the disease. Eventually she ran away.

She ended up in San Diego living with a younger sister, until she took off again, this time to Tijuana. Things did not go well with her brothers in Tijuana and she disappeared again, this time no one heard from her for three years.

We met Teresa a month ago on a rainy Wednesday night. She showed up at the "Agua Viva" mission looking for a place to sleep. The ladies at church recognized her as a lady who lives in abandoned buildings in the Ojo de Agua community; they have even given her food in the past. With the cold and rain, we could not let her sleep outside, so we decided to let her sleep in one of the Sunday School room for three days until we could find a better place for her to stay.

When we met Teresa she had very unusual movements in her arms and legs, but seemed to be clear minded. When we asked her if she had any family, she began to tell us her life story, in perfect English. She gave us names and dates of all the important events of her life, however she had no phone numbers and only a partial address for one of her daughters in Texas. She also did not know where any of her documents were to be able to return to the US.

We know of a shelter for Seniors in Tijuana, and although they are over crowded, they agreed to let Teresa stay there while we tried to contact her family. On that Saturday we drove Teresa to the shelter and she gave us even more details of her incredible life. We were not sure whether any of her story was true, it seemed like a fairy tale. Using a search engine for genealogy research we were able to validate all of her story, and even find a current address for her daughter. We were unable to get any phone numbers so we wrote a letter and waited. Three days later her daughter called us crying; they had given up all hope of ever finding her alive!

A week later one of her daughters, a sister, a brother, niece and several family friends went with us to visit her at the shelter. It was a tearful reunion!

However, it seems she had all of her documents with her and they have been lost or stolen. Her family is trying to get the needed permission to take her to the US. They are also having to make difficult decisions about where she will live, and what kind of care she will need. Please pray for Teresa who is frustrated at being left at the shelter, pray also for her daughters and siblings as they gather the needed documents and make decisions about her future.

Agua Viva

2010-02-02T16:06:00.000-08:00

We are glad to be back at the "Agua Viva" mission. Israel and Scott continue to lead the mission.

Emanuel, a graduate from the Tijuana Bible Institute, has agreed to help part time for this year. He will help with music, teaching, and evangelism.

The last Sunday of each month we have a pot luck dinner after the service. It was great to visit with friends and meet some of the new families that have started to attend.

There was even a game of soccer after the meal.

Home again

2010-02-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

We left Michigan the 5th of January and arrived in Tijuana the 8th of January. It is great to be home!

Israel, Elizabeth, Carolina and Emanuel did a great job at the Agua Viva mission in our absence. Carolina has since returned to Toluca, she will be missed at the mission. Emanuel has decided to continue to help us with music, teaching, and evangelism for the next year.

We are excited to be back involved in the ministry in Tijuana.

Home Service 09

2009-07-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

We left Tijuana on Thursday the 23rd of July. We drove through the night to get through the Mojave desert. Even at midnight, it was 100 degrees at the big thermometer in Baker! We arrived in St. George, Utah, at 4:00 am, took a nap, ate breakfast, and went to Zion National Park. We hiked the narrows. What a beautiful place! On Sunday we were at New Life CRC in Grand Junction, CO. Scott spoke and we had a great pot luck dinner afterwards!

We spent the next four days in the mountains. We had some great hikes in the morning, and got rained/hailed on each afternoon/evening/night. The last night it was raining and in the 30's. The forecast for Friday looked about the same, so we decided against climbing our first 14teener and came down to Denver. We are visiting with friends and looking forward to being at 3rd CRC, Denver this Sunday and meeting with the Mexico team Sunday night!

Monday morning we are off to Michigan. Please continue to pray for safety in traveling and for our visits with partner churches and individuals.

Friday, time to say good bye

2009-07-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Early this morning, at about 7:30, the group was all packed up

We thanked Pastor Armando and Adriana for their hospitality this week

And closed the trip with a prayer by Pastor Armando

Thank you all for a great week, we look forward to seeing all of our friends in Denver in two weeks!!

Thursday Projects

2009-07-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

The bathroom roof in Agua Viva now has rolled roofing!

At the Halfway house, the interior was given a primer coat of paint
The exterior was completely finished!!

VBS Thursday

2009-07-16T16:58:00.001-07:00

Our final day of VBS was lots of fun! We had 17 new kids attend, for a total of 120 kids and about 20 women. The total number of children and women who attended sometime during the week was 202!

The craft was to decorate picture frames with a photo taken of each child at VBS.

At the end of the day prizes were given to several children in each class. They were given a Bible and a toy. All of the kids rece3ived a small gift and a "boli" (freeze pop).

There were also prizes for the ladies who learned all of their verses, and did their homework.

Wednesday projects

2009-07-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

One of the first projects was to build a roof for the NEW bathrooms at Agua Viva. The guys built a knee wall, hung rafters and sheeted the roof.
At the rehab center one team continued working on mudding and sanding the drywall. They were able to texture some of the rooms, and get them ready to paint on Thursday.A second team was painting the outside of the building with a second coat.

Wednesday, VBS

2009-07-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today we had 28 new children come for a total of 112 children and 16 adults. Today the kids finished detailing their cars and made a paper plate boat or fish tank,
heard the story of Moses and the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea,

and enjoyed their sandwiches, prepared and served by women from the Agua Viva Church.

Tuesday Projects

2009-07-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

One of the first projects was a warranty issue on the bathrooms at "Agua Viva." The door hinges had major problems, but fortunately one of the original builders was here to help fix the problem.

At the Half-way house, work continued on the drywall,
most of the outside got a first coat of paint,
and another piece of concrete was poured.

Tuesday VBS

2009-07-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

Vacation Bible School went well again today, we had 47 new children attend for a total of 93 children and 14 women!
Laura Carolina, a missionary from Toluca, in southern Mexico, is giving the class for the women. She will also be helping at Agua Viva while we are on homeservice.
The craft was painting cars from "Toys for God's kids." The kids loved the cars, the younger ones finished decorating pretty quickly and right away started playing with them.
The kids love the personal attention they get from the young people.

Monday, continued

2009-07-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

After lunch, the group went to the Half-way house. One crew was putting up drywall,
and mudding.

The other crew was mixing and pouring cement for the patio.
A great day and a great start to the week!

Monday, the work begins

2009-07-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

Monday morning started early with the entire group helping to get the VBS ready at "Agua Viva". At nine when VBS was supposed to start it was already very warm, and only a handful of kids and women were there.

All morning the kids kept trickling in, and by the end of the day we had seventy some registered.

The jumping castle was a hit,

the kids loved the sun catcher craft,

and the ladies are busy working on their beads.

Denver CRC Youth

2009-07-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon the Denver group arrived safely, in time to play volleyball and soccer against the "Arca de Salvacion" church. The trip to Tijuana from Danver went well, no traffic in Los Angeles, smooth border crossing, and no traffic on the way to Pancho Villa! After getting things unpacked and set up, they are ready for the week ahead.

Ordination of Isaac

2009-06-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was a very special day. Pastor Isaac from the Prince of Peace congregation was ordained after passing his exam during this year's presbytery meetings. The service took place at Prince of Peace.

Family members of Isaac and Ruth from Toluca, the presbytery delegates, the Prince of Peace congregation, and several guests attended the packed out service.

The service lasted more than three hours, with lots of great singing, a powerpoint presentation for Isaac, the actual ordination, and a sermon.

Afterwards we celebrated with Chicken Mole (Veracruz style) and of course a cake!

Continue to pray for Isaac, Ruth, and Jas as they minister at Prince of Peace. Please also continue to pray for the congregation as they move forward on plans to officially organize as a church.

New Members at Agua Viva

2009-06-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, May 31st, two women joined the Agua Viva mission as members.

Mari Trinidad has been attending the ladies Bible studies since they started two years ago. She is transfering membership from another church.

Katia and her family have been living at the mission for almost two years. She also took the new member's class and was baptized on Sunday as well.
We also formally welcomed Dan and Tere and their two sons to the congregation. They transfered membership from another Presbyterian church here in Tijuana.

Please continue to pray for the Agua Viva mission, that we will be able to reach out to more families in the community.

Reformed Bible Institute of the North West in Tijuana

2009-05-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

During the month of May, Scott is teaching "Evangelism and Discipleship" to the 14 first year students.

Classes meet from 4:00 - 8:00pm on Saturday. The students have several hours of homework to complete during the week. Much of this course is practical, and the students will get first hand experience going door to door, sharing their teatimonies, and starting evangelistic home Bible studies.

Please pray for each of these students, that they will be encouraged to begin discipling others.

CRWM Mexico retreat

2009-05-02T09:47:00.001-07:00

This past weekend all 10 missionary families and two volunteers who serve in Mexico met at Puerto Nuevo BC (between Rosarito and Ensenada) for our annual retreat.

Dr. Donald Douglas (Prof. Emeritus Biola, and ELIC) was our speaker. The topic was how the church (and missionaries) have to be aware of and respond to the political and social changes.

Andrea, (a volunteer here in Tijuana), Karissa, Jennifer and Daniel helped by watching the kids. They had a VBS program Sea Odyseas planned.
It was a great time of fellowship, learning, and relaxation. Marcia took the kids horsebackriding at the beach Saturday
and back to the beach at night to do some grunion hunting. We did not find any grunion, and some people were begining to think they were on a Mexican "snipe" hunt. Ben made a nice fire, and we had fun anyways!
It was great to see everyone again, and we are glad everyone made it home safetly and with no delays from the Swine Flu scare.

Thank you Denver Adults

2009-04-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

Right on schedule, the group finished rough framing the Half-way house.

They finished shingling the roof,
attaching stucco wire,

wiring the second story

and installing doors.

In the afternoon the keys were turned over to Carlos, the director of the Rehab Center. Later in the evening Carlos and his leadership team came to visit the group and share a cake. We enjoyed watching slides of the week and singing together "How Great Thou Art" in Spanish.

Saturday morning the group crossed the border and they are on their way back home. Pray for safe travels.

Thank you again 3rd CRC!

Thursday

2009-04-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday the group continued to advance on the construction project.

Trusses were lifted to the second story and put in place.

sheeting was nailed on top of the trusses

Meanwhile the first floor roof is shingled.

Electrical work continues, and has moved to the second floor.

this is how the Half-way house looked at the end of the day.

Walking by Faith

2009-04-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Dale, as the new guy, got to try out the stairs first!

Wednesday, the half-way point

2009-04-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Wednesday the group continued to work on the half-way house.

The walls on the second story were made, covered with stucco (chicken) wire, and raised.

Interior walls are also in place.

The stairs were finished, and nailed in place.

The wiring on the first floor is almost done,

there was some destruction work to be done as well.

At the end of the day, this is how the building looked.

We again had a great meal, great devotions and singing, and Scott was presented with a red flag to keep in his pickup for hauling loads that stick over the tailgate.

Tuesday was another good day

2009-04-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

The team worked on several tasks yesterday: finishing and delivering the trusses, instaling the trusses on the first floor roof,

building a deck for the second story,

installing the electricity,

and making a stairway.

All went well with only one minor injury.

Then it was back to Pancho Villa and another great dinner by Gladys, Donna, and Kelley!

After devotions, two outstanding team members (Steve and Mark) were honored for their outhouse building abilities in past years.

Then to pingpong, table games, or bed.

For more pictures watch the slideshow, or click on it for larger pictures.

no time for play

2009-03-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

The construction crew, led by Rick DeRidder, is a very serious outfit.

Welcome back, Denver Adults!

2009-03-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon, the adult group from 3rd CRC, Denver arrived at Pancho Villa after a great trip and easy border crossing.

On Monday morning they began three important projects: Installing a second hot water tank at the church in Pancho Villa,

building a half-way house for graduates from the Rehab center,

and making the trusses for the roof of the half-way house.

Great progress was made and by the end of the day the walls were up at the halfway house, more than half of the trusses were made, and there were hot showers!

for more pictures please see the slideshow on the right sidebar.

Thank You Dave and Jane Crum

2009-03-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, the 29th of March, the mission "Agua Viva" held a farewell party for the Crum family. The Crums, Missionaries with the Orthadox Presbyetrian Church, have served in Tijuana for more than 25 years. They will now be working for the OPC in giving direction to mission works in the western US.

Dave and Jane were part of the leadership team at Agua Viva until January of this year. We, along with all those at the mission will miss the Crums! We also wish them well in their new ministry.
Dave preached the sermon,

and led music!

Anciano Israel Ponce and Scott presented the Crums with a certificate of appreciation, with signatures from the members at "Agua Viva" on the matt.

Pastor Armando Ponce, pastor of the mother church Cristo Arca de Salvacion, and three elders were also present at the service. They had a time of prayer for the Crums at the end of the service.

We also enjoyed a meal, carne asada,

and deep fried chicken!

Everything was delicious.

Thanks again Dave, Jane and family for your years of service in Tijuana!

Sewing Class

2009-03-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Marcia has started a ladies' sewing class and Bible study at Agua Viva.

The ladies from the church are excited to learn how to sew.

Only one has ever used a sewing machine before!

There are five teenage girls in the class as well, so the dynamics are different. We have invited women from the community, and many seem interested, but none have come. Please pray that the ladies at church will continue to invite friends, and that they will actually attend. Pray as well for the ladies as we are learning to be "Women of Excelence"

"Prince of Peace" Storefronts

2009-03-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

For years the churches in Tijuana have had a plan on the back burner to build small storefronts on the "Prince of Peace" property. This year they decided to act, and each of the churches and congregations raised money for the project.

Together they were able to pay for the excavation, the footings,

and the eight pilars that will support the roof. These five storefronts are located on the main road in Altiplano. Some of the rent income from the properties will go towards the purchase of new properties for missions in Tijuana. We have also received help from churches in the US to keep going with the project. Later this summer we have a work group from Washington who plan to help pour the roof. It is our hope that this comercial building will be a blessing to many.

Half-way House

2009-03-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

The drug and alcohol rehab center "Forjando Nuevos Destinos" is starting a new ministry; a half-way house for men who have graduated from the center, but are not quite ready for life on the outside. They are planning a half-way house to hold about 25 men. These men will receive more indepth discipleship training, and will have the opportunity to learn a trade like electricity, welding, cement masonry, etc.

The men from the center are working at the site, they have cleared away an old building,

built a wall,

and poured the foundation for the new two story building.

A group from 3rd Christian Reformed Church of Denver will be helping us to frame the building later this month. We are excited about this new ministry. Please pray for Carlos and his leadership team, and the mother church "Cristo Arca de Salvación".

Alex and Suity's Wedding

2009-02-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

Wednesday the 25th of February we had the priveledge of witnessing the wedding of Alex Suarez and his "Sweety" Suity.

Alex is a member at the Emanuel Church, Son of Cupertino and Angelina. We have known Alex since he was a child.

The wedding took place at a local government office. The room they have for weddings fits 8 people max (squished). When the official saw all of the people there for this wedding, he led us outside to a gazebo where the ceremony was performed. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for an impromptu outdoor wedding!

The reception was at Cupertino and Angelina's home, delicious Birria (Mexican Stew). We then enjoyed a double-purpose cake!(the 25th of February is also Suity's birthday). Please pray for this young couple as they begin their new Christian home.

Thank you Calvary CRC

2009-02-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

A big thank you for the 8 men who came and helped at the Rehab center.

The bathroom was tiled,

the roof over the third section was poured,

many new bunk beds and storage boxes were made,

and good food was eaten!

On Friday we had a thanksgiving service with the guys from the Rehab center. Lee and Derek gave their testimonies as well as several men from the center. We prayed for each other.

The celebration ended with a meal of Carne Asada! The group was a blessing to Carlos, his leadership team, and the men at the rehab center, and they in turn were a blessing to the group from Calvary.

Calvary CRC

2009-02-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

On Saturday the 7th of February the team of 8 men from Calvary CRC arived in "sunny" San Diego.

On Sunday they worshipped at the Cristo Arca De Salvacion church in the morning, and with the guys at the rehab center in Terrazas at night.

Monday morning brought more rain, yes it does sometimes rain in Tijuana, and mud!

Despite the cold and rain, the men began working on various projects at the rehab center. Lee led the tile crew in the bathrooom.

Several men began making bunk beds for the new dormatories.

They learned how to tie the rebar together for the second floor.

and then they engineered a ramp for the cement pour that is taking place today, Wednesday.

Thanks to Derek for the photos! for more pictures and the group's view of the experience go to their blog at http://calvarytrips.blogspot.com/

Testimony

2009-01-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

Antonio was born in the city of Obregon, in the state of Sonora, Mexico. He is now 40 years old, years in which he has had many struggles and difficulties, but most recently he has found happiness.

His difficult and critical times began when he was 8 years old; he began to smoke cigarettes while in third grade. Within three years he progressed to smoking marijuana. Soon Antonio got lost in the world of drugs and dropped out of school.

At the age of 16 Antonio met a teenage girl who became the mother of his four children. One of his greatest sadness is that he is still estranged from his wife and children because of his former drug addictions.

When Antonio was 29 he was sentenced to 6 months in prison in Tijuana for violent theft, again a result of his drug habit. During the ten years after his release from prison he lived on the street, rejected by his family, neighbors, and society at large. He suffered much during these years, yet God had mercy on him.

Over a year ago, God reached out and led Antonio to the “Forjando Nuevos Destinos” rehabilitation center in Terrazas del Valle, Tijuana. He is now drug free and continues to live at the center as a graduate, thanks to God’s power and Antonio’s salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross. Through the study of His Word, God has powerfully changed Antonio’s life. Since arriving at the rehab center he has learned to live each day in relationship with God. He is grateful that now he has the opportunity to serve others at the rehab center. Anthony is part of the leadership team at the center, and helps the new arrivals begin their rehabilitation. He also works as a school “bus driver”, using one of the center’s vehicles to chauffeur a group of children to school.

In January of this year, Antonio, along with 5 other men from the rehab center, enrolled at the Bible Institute here in Tijuana. His desire is to continue to grow and learn so he will be better equipped to serve others.

Answer to Prayer

2009-01-03T21:25:00.001-08:00

Sunday, the 28th of December, the Reformed Bible Institute of Tijuana opened for it's third year of classes. We have been praying for new students to attend, and God answered the prayer with 12 new students! Five of the new students are men from the rehab center, Carlos the director of the rehab will also be attending. In all there are 7 men and 5 women who began classes today!

Pray for these new students as they take this new step in their spiritual lives. Pray also for the returning second year students, and the two students continuing their studies at the seminary in Mexico City.

The two graduates from August (shown receiving a graduation gift) are active in their churches, one is working as an obrero at a mission.

Pray also for the pastors, missionaries and elders who teach at the institute along with their many other duties.
photos by Andrea Baschal

Thanks!

2008-12-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had LOTS of rain, even thunder and lightning. Rain means mud, especially in places like Terrazas where the Rehab center is, so the guys had a "rain day". Today Harv and Ed completed the last drawers under the new bunk beds in the new dormatory.

The men at the rehab center held a thanksgiving service for them in the afternoon and prayed for them and their families. They are grateful that 12 men now have their own bed!

Harv and Ed completed their work at the rehab center early and helped us put up trim board in the sancturary at Agua Viva. Tomorrow they head back to Michigan, if they don't end up with a snow delay!

Update on the Rehab center

2008-12-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

This week Harv Koetje and Ed Holstege from Rusk CRC of Zeeland, Michigan, are building bunk beds for one of the new dormatories at the Rehab center. There are 12 new beds complete with a storage drawer underneath!

The rehab center now houses over 80 guys, and many do not have beds or are sharing single beds. We continue to build better facilities, and this new dorm room is part of the two-story construction which began this spring.

The 6th of December the Rehab center held a graduation for 30 men who completed the 3 month program. Many stay on for a longer time, up to two years. There are plans to build a half-way house for graduates to help them to readapt to life on the outside. This would also give them an opportunity to continue their Bible studies and be part of a discipleship program. Several graduates have already become members of the mother church "Cristo, Arca de Salvacion" and hope to someday study at the Bible institute.

Pray for Carlos Vazques and his leadership team as they direct the ministry at the center and as they plan for the new half-way house.

Queretero

2008-11-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

This month we had the opportunity to visit Marcia's sister Julie in Queretero, Mexico. We (Scott and Marcia) were in Mexico City for our annual business meetings and took a few days of vacation afterwards. Queretero is a colonial city with historical significance for Mexico.

The cathedrals, parks, and acuaduct are awesome!

Since we were there in early November there were still a few decorations from Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrated on November 1 and 2.

We also saw Guanajuato, a colonial mining city, hitting all the tourist spots except the mummy museum.

Give Thanks

2008-11-29T12:17:00.000-08:00

We are thankful for all of the blessings we have received this year. This year Marcia's parents are here to spend Thanksgiving with us. On Thursday we invited Pastor Armando and his family over for a traditional turkey dinner. We shared the meaning and history of Thanksgiving and then each took a turn giving thanks for blessings they had received this year. In the afternoon James, Barbarita, Joshua, and a friend came over to help us with some of the leftovers! On Friday we celebrated again with friends in San Diego. We have one more big dinner this weekend, a potluck at church on Sunday!

We are thankful for the many friends who pray for us and support our ministry. You are a blessing!

Family Life Training

2008-10-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

This week, from Monday through Thursday, 16 couples attended a training class with Family Life International. Leonel and Miriam Motta, and Gabe presented the training.

John and Shirley Wind from Merida were also with us during the training.

We learned how to give "Home Builder" Bible studies and what is needed to form a Family Ministry team here in Tijuana.

We worked on several group projects aimed at forming a vision and plan for the future. Please pray with us that the Bible studies that are planned will be a blessing to the couples who attend, and that as a group we would have a vision to promote healthy families in Tijuana.

Weekend to Remember

2008-10-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

This past Friday and Saturday, 61 couples attended a marriage conference "Weekend to Remember" given by Leonel and Miriam Motta with Family Life Int. We had 61 couples attend and all were blessed. Of the people attending, 10 prayed to receive the Lord, 81 prayed to give lordship of their life to the Holy Spirit, 69 renewed their commitment with God and their family, and 6 received assurance of salvation or lordship of Christ. 15 of the couples are also attending a training course this week with the goal of starting a family ministry in their churches and city wide in Tijuana. Please pray for these key couples that they would be encouraged to help others.

Agua Viva beach outing

2008-10-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, the mission "Agua Viva" had its first church outing. After the morning service we all went to a beach between Tijuana and Ensenada. The weather has been hot, in the 90's most days, but when we first got to the beach it was foggy and cold. Soon the fog burned off and we enjoyed a nice afternoon. We ate a picnic lunch, some brave kids went into the cold water, and others played soccer. We continue to develop a sense of fellowship at church. Please continue to pray for this new mission, the regular attenders, and visitors.

"Weekend to Remember"

2008-09-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

We (the Lees and Geurinks) are planing a Marriage conference called "Weekend to Remember" here in Tijuana. The conference is presented by Family Life International. We plan to hold the conference the 17th and 18th of October. Fellow missionaries John and Shirley Wind from Merida are helping us with the planning and will be here to help during the retreat as well. Please pray for us as there are still details to work out. Please also pray for Dr. Leonel and Miriam Motta (from Family Life International) who will be giving the conference.

We are planning for 100 couples to attend the conference. Please pray that at least that many will be able to come. There are several conflicts with the dates, and the economy here in Tijuana is difficult at this time. Marriages are in crisis, there is such a need, but we also feel opposition.

The next week, October 20 - 23 the Mottas will be giving a training session for couples in Tijuana who want to begin a ministry to families in their churches and the city. We are praying for at least 15 couples to take this training. Our hope is to organize a local group to give follow up Bible Studies, and plan future conferences.

We appreciate your prayers for the conference and those who will attend.

Summer Vacation

2008-09-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed several weeks in Michigan this summer. We spent a week at the Christian Reformed Conference grounds on the shore of Lake Michigan.

We also spent a weekend "up north" kayaking.

We had time to visit family and friends as well.

The hardest part was saying good bye to Dan and Melissa.

Farewell Party

2008-08-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we hosted a farewell party for four of the young people here in Tijuana who will be leaving to continue their studies at Bible colleges and seminaries. Diamandy and Tito will be studying at the Reformed Seminary in Mexico City, Melissa will be studying at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Michigan (formerly Reformed Bible College), and Jana will be studying at Providence College in Ontario California.

We had a cook out in the back yard, played volley ball, and had a piñata (which was really the paper mache balloon we used for the VBS puppet show).

Friday, saying good-bye and thank you

2008-08-01T21:54:00.000-07:00

This morning at 8:30, the group was all packed up and ready to leave. We thanked pastor Armando and Adriana for their hospitality at the Cristo Arca de Salvacion Church in Pancho Villa. The border wait was a long one, but there were no problems returning to the US. The group had giant pizzas at the beach and enjoyed the water, sun, beach , pier, and shops while the guys dropped the boxes off to be shipped back.

At 2:00 we said good-bye to the group and Daniel, as they left for the airport. Thanks again for all of your work and ministry this week. Thanks as well for allowing Daniel to come, what a wonderful surprise.

Thursday, finishing well

2008-08-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday was the last day of work, and it was a lot of work!

The Agua Viva team poured two more slabs of cement, finished laying and grouting the tile, primed the instrument storage room, and worked on the bathroom foundation. In the afternoon, the entire team met at Agua Viva and had a prayer for the new mission, that God would fill the buildings with people who want to know more about Him.

The VBS team had a good last day with 110 children attending. In the evening we had a closing service for the VBS. The entire group from Haven, the men from the Rehab center, many of the children, and several mothers and fathers attended. The youth from Tijuana did the puppet show again along with help from a few Haven youth. Marcia gave the last lesson about Naman and his encounter with God. We also sang some worship songs and a few children's songs. Please pray with us that the seed that was planted this week will be watered. Pray also that some of the children and their families may begin attending services at the Dios Viviente mission.

Wednesday

2008-07-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

Today was another great day. The work crew painted the sanctuary, poured another cement pad, continued work on the drywall, and almost finished laying tile, just the splashboard to go!

VBS also went well, we had about 94 kids again, a few of them new. We have also made friends with a sibling group that lives near the church. I am sure you will hear stories about them soon.

Agua Viva team, work, work, work

2008-07-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

The work crew at Agua Viva poured two more cement slabs and have a third almost ready to pour. They also poured three footings six columns for the bathroom foundation.

The drywall crew finished the sanctuary and is moving along in the classroom and storage room.

After the drywall was done a coat of primer was put on the sanctuary walls by the paint crew.

The tile crew in the parsonage got half of the floor tiled!

Way to go guys!

Tuesday, another great day!

2008-07-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we had another great day of work.

The VBS crew had things down smooth. All but five kids from Monday returned and 28 new children came for a total of 94 kids!

The story was about Moses and the bronze serpent, the kids loved snake craft. They also love playing with their new friends!

The painting is almost done, today they worked on the last few spots of the wall and the brown trim.

Great job guys! For more pictures watch the slide show on the top right hand corner. Click on the slide show to see the pictures larger.

Monday, another work day

2008-07-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Monday morning the group again divided up into two teams, a VBS team and a work team at Agua Viva.

The first day of VBS was a success. The day started out slowly with about thirty children at the opening. They kept trickling in all morning and by the end of the program we had 71 children. They enjoyed their class time, game time, sandwiches and lemonade, and their craft. Several of the kids stayed afterwards to play and help clean up. The group also enjoyed playing with them.

After lunch the VBS crew worked on painting the buildings again.

The Agua Viva team also worked hard. They formed and poured two slabs of concrete, dug a foundation for a new bathroom, worked on drywall, and began preparing the parsonage for a tile floor.

By evening all were tired, but shared "God moments" from the day. They were blessed while being a blessing to others.

Haven CRC, Zeeland

2008-07-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

Friday morning a work team from Haven CRC arrived at the San Diego airport. We were excited to meet them, knowing that Scott's sister, Deb, her husband and son would be among the 42 people on the team. What we didn't know was that our son Daniel was also part of the group. What a surprise to see him jump out at us from the crowd! Thanks to all who made it possible for him to come and visit for a week.

We did some grocery shopping in San Diego and tourist shopping in downtown Tijuana before arriving at the Arca church to set up camp.

Saturday was a work day, half of the team went with Marcia to Terrazas to get ready for the VBS. They organized the crafts and games, and passed out fliers dressed as clowns. They got lots of attention from the kids and adults on the street. In the afternoon they began painting the church building and the classroom/parsonage.

The other half of the team went to Agua Viva where they built a stage in the sanctuary, poured a cement slab, and worked on drywall.

Sunday we worshipped at Agua Viva, and stayed afterwards for their monthly pot luck dinner and fellowship. Then we went to the beach where we enjoyed a fun afternoon of body surfing and games, a hot dog roast, and a worship service.

The Work Continues at the Rehab Center

2008-07-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

This week, Dave Crum hosted Dave Nuewsma and his work team. They began the week on Monday, helping out at the rehab center pouring part of the cement roof (which will eventually also be the floor for the second floor of the building.) They worked together with the guys from the rehab to mix the cement, in four giant piles on the ground. They used 43 bags of cement in total, so each big pile had ten sacks of cement.

After mixing the cement, they moved it by bucket brigade to the roof.

The end result was this second floor/roof.

For more photos, click on the link to the Forjando Nuevos Destinos album in the right sidebar.

25th Anniversary of the Cristo Arca de Salvacion Church

2008-07-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 20th, the Cristo Arca de Salvacion church celebrated 25 years of service for the Lord in the community of Francisco Villa. The special service began at 9:00 in the morning, there was a meal afterwards, with activities and games, including a bonfire, until after midnight.

Abraham and Doris Marcus, missionaries who helped to begin the work, attended the service as well. There were stories and pictures with the history of the church. The work began with projecting Christan movies in an abandoned house in the community. Later they bought the property where the church is today, for a whopping $400! There were pictures of the quanson hut which served as a church and parsonage for many years.

Pastor Armando and Adriana have been working at the Arca church for 22 years now! They were also the ones who lived for many years in the quanson hut. There were pictures of the early services at the church, attended mostly by children, and even pictures of their own children as babies!

What a blessing it is to see God's faithfulness throughout the years. The Arca Church today is also in charge of three missions in neighboring communities, and the gospel continues to spread as Tijuana continues to grow!

Thanks 3rd CRC Denver!

2008-07-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

We are thankful for the youth from 3rd CRC Denver who were here to help us last week. The VBS was a great success, with 1 70 kids on the last day. In all over 210 kids attended at some time during the week. We also had a great group of women, 32 in all, who had their own special class with Jane. They also had craft time.

The closing service was great, there were prizes for the top kids in each of the older grades who learned all of their verses. Eight of the women also learned their four verses and received a Bible.

The group also helped by finishing the drywall in the sancturay, applying an orange peel texture, priming and painting. Sheetrock was installed in the storage room which doubled as the adult classroom during VBS. The group also finished painting the outside of the church building. On Thursday after the VBS, they also poured a small slab of concrete on the side of the church.

A smaller group was working at the home of Ana Maria, mother of Pastor Armando, putting in insulation and sheetrock in her house. They also framed a bathroom and closet. She is so apreciative, her house is a lot cooler already!

The group also helped out with the rehab center, getting things ready for the cement roof of their new bathroom, dormitory, and detox center. As a group, we also worshiped with the guys at their Thursday night worship service. What a blessing.

Tuesday, Day two

2008-07-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

Today we enjoyed another great day with the youth team from 3rd Denver CRC. At VBS we had 57 new children, for a total of about 145 for the day. We also had 26 women in the adult class. They are rapidly outgrowing their space in the storage room!

During VBS, there was a team working at Pastor Armando's mother's house, installing a bathroom and insulation. Another team was at the rehab center helping again with cement.

After lunch the church building got a second coat of paint outside, the drywall on the ceiling inside got another coat of mud, and more drywall was hung in the storage room.

If you would like to see more pictures, there is a slide show in the upper right hand side bar. Click on the slides enlarge them.

Monday, getting started

2008-07-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

On Monday morning, the entire team went to "Agua Viva" to help set up for VBS. We had to unload and set up the craft room and jumping castle; set up the sanctuary, sound system, and instruments; set up the puppet stage; and make space in the storage room for the ladies to meet with their class. By 9:00 all was ready and the children began to arrive. The jumping castle and balloons were a great announcement!

The first day we had 97 kids enrolled in the VBS and 19 women in the adult class. With a few minor glitches it was a great first day!

The afternoon was spent painting the outside of the sanctuary the same bright peach and blue as the classroom, putting up drywall in the storage room, and working on "mudding" the sanctuary.

A seperate group of workers went to the rehab center to help put up supports for pouring a cement roof/second floor.

Everyone arrived back at the Pancho Villa church tired but with a feeling of accomplishment!

3rd CRC Denver Youth

2008-07-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

This evening the work group from 3rd Denver CRC arrived safely at the "Cristo Arca de Salvacion" Church. They had two good (but long) days of travel, and a very easy border crossing. We were at the church to welcome them, meet several new members of the team, and give a short orientation to Tijuana. Tomorrow morning we will head out at 7:30 for the "Agua Viva" mission to begin VBS. Please pray for the group, the teachers, and the children who will be attending the program this week. We will be posting an update and pictures daily.

Home Invasion!

2008-07-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up to a surprise, toilet paper covered our cars, was hanging from our trees, and our roof! Evidently someone jumped the wall and entered our yard in the middle of the night. How they entered with our guard dogs (one mellow Lab and 2 Cocker Spaniels) on duty is one of our questions. We suspected that they were people known to us and our dogs! This was further confirmed when we found four peace offerings with names on them. How did they know that I like Reeses peanut butter cups? The culprits left further evidence in a text message sent at 2:20am. They are friends of the family who are also students at the Bible Institute. Could it be they were not completely happy with their grade for the course Scott taught last month? The next question is, what will happen to their homes?

On a serious note, we have lived in safety during our years in Tijuana, with very few things ever stolen from our yard and never has anyone broken into our home. With the rise of crime in Mexico and especially the big cities, we covet your prayers for continued safety for ourselves, fellow missionaries, and friends.

Special Days

2008-06-30T17:20:00.000-07:00

This week was special for our family in many ways. On Tuesday, Melissa finished her last class in high school. We went out to eat and celebrate! We also went to Imperial Beach to take pictures, some serious and some crazy.

On Saturday, June 28th Daniel celebrated his 20th birthday. He spent the day with family in Michigan at the CRC Conference grounds on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Saturday, Scott and Marcia also celebrated 22 years of marriage. Scott had to teach his class at the Bible Institute, so we went out for a late dinner.

First Day of Summer

2008-06-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

We woke up at six this morning to a temperature of 84 degrees! Hello summer! Yesterday our thermometer read 104, and today at about 1:00 it read 99 (in the shade). The news has the temps between 105 and 115 today. This is unusually warm for us in June; we usually enjoy "June Gloom" which follows "May Gray" where we have fog in the early morning which keeps the temperatures down. Residents of Southern California and Baja California love the May and June weather, but visitors looking for sunny days at the beach are sometimes disappointed. The closer you are to the beach the longer it takes for the fog to burn off. Some days the coast is fogged in all day. But this year we have had several days of over 100 degree weather in both May and June. We are begining to wonder what August and September will be like!

Scott is teaching a course on Evangelism and Discipleship at the Bible Institute this month. His class starts at 4:00 and ends at 8:00pm. I got a call today, just before 4:00 from Scott asking me to please bring a fan for his classroom. I loaded up our big "Hurricane Force" fan and drove the block to the Emanuel Church where the institute is located. Very excited students came to help me unload, but they quickly noticed there was only one fan. "You don't have any more fans you could lend us for the other class room?" they asked. So I made one more trip with two smaller fans.

Scott really loves teaching this particular class, discipleship and evangelism are two of his passions. He is excited to have a part in training men and women to be lay leaders. Giving them practical experiences; like writing and sharing their testimony, and begining evangelistic home Bible studies with their family or neighbors, is an important part of this course. Please pray for the pastors and missionaries with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Mexico as they teach at the Bible Institute. Pray also for the students, many wish to be lay leaders in their churches, or evangelists at new missions. The pastors and missionaries would like to set up a mentoring program to help the students get even more practical experience and hands on learning.

Two of the students will be attending the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary in Mexico City this fall, to further their studies and prepare for full time service. Pray especially for these two young people, Diamandy and Tito.

Thanksgiving Service

2008-06-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

We had special front row seats in the service.

Pastor Isaac preached about the missionary work of Paul

A final song and prayer for our family and minsitry.

A group shot of Prince of Peace

Sunday night, June 8th, the congregation of Prince of Peace surprised us with a special service to thank us for our eight years of ministry with them. Several families prapaired a special song or reading, and Pastor Isaac preached a sermon about Paul and his missionary service. They sang a final song "Misionero Que Va" (Missionary that Goes) and prayed for our new work at Agua Viva. It was a very special service! Afterwards there was food; including Chiles Rellenos, Marcia's favorite Mexican dish! We have been blessed during our years at Prince of Peace and continue to have special friendships there. Remember Prince of Peace in your prayers as they are working toward the goal of officially organizing as a church in a year or so.

Dedication Service

2008-06-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

A group picture of those attending the dedication service.

A special prayer for the family.

Last Saturday evening, we attended a house dedication with the Emanuel Church. A family that attends the church lost their house to a fire on the 26th of February. They and 6 of their children and two grandchildren have been staying in two classrooms at the Emanuel Church since the fire. Pastor Adolfo was able to coordinate with Amor Ministries to have a new house built for them. The house is only rough framed, but the family wanted to have their new home dedicated before they began moving back in.

We have known this family for years, since we started the Emanuel Church. They have passed through many trials before, with cancer, a daughter almost died of a ruptured appendix, and others have suffered illnesses. They would attend regularly for a while, and then drift away. The family began attending church again several months before the fire, and have continued to attend and become more involved in the life of the church.

Please pray for this family, that they will be faithful to their promises, and that in this new home they will reflect God's love in their neighborhood.

Mexico Evaluation

2008-05-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

Darrly Mortinson,Scott Geurink,Steve Brauning

Marcia Geurink, James Lee, Joshua Lee, Barbarita Lee

This past week, a team of 6 people from the CRC, not directly involved in Mexico, came to do an evaluation of our ministry here. They all met in Mexico City for two days to meet and talk to some of our partners. Then the team went two by two to visit some of the other ministries. Darryl Mortinson (with CRWRC) and Steve Brauning (CRWM Dominican Republic) flew with Scott to Tijuana to visit. They met with all the pastors of the RPC and some other missionaries and partners. They also went to visit many of the churches in the area. They also met with the Lee's and ourselves to learn about our ministries, new posibilities, and opportunities. We continue to pray that the observations and recomendations from this evaluation will help us to better spread the Gospel in Mexico.

Ordination of Elders and Deacon at "Emanuel"

2008-05-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 25th was also a very special day in the life of the "Emanuel" church. At a special service in the evening, they ordained two new elders and a new deacon. We are excited to see how God is working in these three men's lives, we are also encouraged by the growth we see in the Emanuel church.

Inaguration Serivce, Sunday May 25, 2008

2008-05-26T22:49:00.000-07:00

The first Sunday Worship Service at "Agua Viva" was held on May 25, 2008 at 11:oo am. About 180 people attended the special service. The mother church "Cristo, Arca de Salvacion" came after their regular morning service. Their Pastor, Armando, gave the message from the book of Acts. The mother church also brought the food (carne Asada) and grilled it for the meal afterwards. The congregation "Dios Altisimo" also attended the service with us. There were also many new visitors from the community around the mission, and several regular attenders invited family members and friends.

Diamandy, with help from Jane, Melissa, and Karissa, had a lesson for the children. There were about 70 kids in one classroom! The kids learned about Noah's Ark, and at the end of the service recited their text for the adults.

The ministry team at "Agua Viva" is excited that the mission has taken this next step!

Dave, Israel, Scott

Jana and Jane, Elizabet holding Eliab, Marcia

Eliazar and Esteban, Diamandy, Karissa and Melissa

For more pictures, watch the slide show on the top right side, or click on the link to the Inaguration Agua Viva Album in the link section on the left hand side.

Getting Ready for the Big Day!

2008-05-26T22:30:00.001-07:00

This past week we were busy getting everything ready for the Inauguration Sunday Service at the "Agua Viva" Mission. The bathrooms (outhouse style) had to be moved and renovated, electrical shorts had to be fixed, fill dirt had to be brought in and leveled, the cement patio had to be swept, the drywall on the front wall of the sanctuary had to be finished, the wall had to be painted, and the sanctuary had to be cleaned and the chairs and other furniture arranged.

Some of the projects were done during the week, and on Saturday we had a work day at the mission. Several families came to help us get the work done. We started at 8:00 am and finished after 1:00. The work was made more difficult with rain, the mud got tracked inside and we ended up mopping the floor in the santuary three times. One of the ladies who could not make it to work sent over chiles rellenos (chili peppers filled with cheese, dipped in egg, and fried) and Alma, who lives at the mission, made burritos.

We were all tired, but glad to have the mission looking good for Sunday!

Family Camp: Video of Singing Group

2008-05-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Family Camp 2008

2008-05-12T18:03:00.000-07:00

Biting into a hot peppper.

Crawling through the water balloon and mud land mine.

The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Mexico in Tijuana held a family camp May 9 - 11. We all (around 300 people) camped in tents at "El Rancho" in the town of Lomatova just east of Tecate, in a high desert plain. Since the camp included Mother's Day (always May 10th in Mexico) the men and youth did all of the cooking! Early (5:00 am) on Saturday morning, the youth serenaded all the mothers with two special Mother's Day songs. They also had a rally prepared which included 15 different stations and activities like eating a hot pepper, "shooting" an apple of the head of a teammate with tomatoes, crawling in the mud through an obsticle course, and much much more! After the rally, the participants initiated a water fight and gave each of the youth who helped with the rally a bucket of cold water over the head.

The theme of the camp was unity in the family. Several pastors gave devotionals and talks. Scott and Marcia showed a movie to the kids during the evening session, many did not make it very long before falling asleep! On Sunday morning we had a special worship service in the shade of several large trees, with a musical group made up of participants from five churches. Pastor Armando gave the message based on Malachi 4:1-6, turning a father's heart towards God and his family.

Our Sunday dinner included carnitas (pork fried in lard), Barbacoa (barbacued mutton) and birria de chivo (lamb stew). Each was served with tortillas and condiments of salsa, onion, cilantro, and lime.

Four families from the Agua viva mission accompanied us to the camp. They all enjoyed the weekend and were able to meet new friends from other churches.

Vacation in Mexico City

2008-05-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Karissa in front of the Palacio Municipal in the Zocalo.

Scott and Marcia in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

We also spent three days in Mexico City so Melissa and Karissa could see some of the buildings, art, museums, and the metro. We stayed at the home of Dave Gifford, missionaries in Mexico City who are in Michigan on home service. Thanks for lending us your home! On Sunday we worshipped at the Getsemani Church in Coyoacan. We also saw the museum of anthropology. On Monday we took a tour bus in downtown Mexico City. On Turesday, with Alejandro Pimintel, new missionary to Mexico City, we returned to see Bellas Artes, the Palacio, and a few things we had missed. By that night we were ready to return home. We arrived in Tijuana at 11:30pm, but with the time change it felt like 1:30am. We had two days to unpack, wash clothes, pack and leave for the family retreat in Tecate this afternoon. All of the RPC churches in Tijuana are having a combined family camp at a ranch. Fortunately the water to the bathrooms was fixed today! Several families from the new mission are going to the retreat this weekend, pray that they would have a great time and that they will get to meet families from the other churches as well.

Vacation in Playa del Carmen/Cozumel

2008-05-09T12:38:00.001-07:00

Our family took a week of vacation after the retreat. We drove from Merida to Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun. On the way we stopped at Ek Balam, a Mayan ruin with a pyramid taller than Chichen Itza. There are parts of the pyramid that still have the original white stucco, and some paintings on the walls. After climbing the pyramid, we went swimming in a cenote, an underground pool at the bottom of a sink hole. We then drove to Playa del Carmen where we spent three days at the hotel Alux. We went snorkeling on Cozumel, and visited friends that Marcia knew from 25 years ago! We also went to Xcaret, a water and Mexican History theme park just south of Playa. It is always amazing to see the clear blue water of the Caribbian.

CRWM Mexico Field Retreat in Merida

2008-05-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

From the 24th of April to the 29th, the CRC missionaries in Mexico had their annual spiritual retreat. This year it was held at the Hacienda San Pedro Nophat, on the outskirts of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The hotel is a converted henequen hacienda, with several pools, lots of plants and flowers, and a wall around the perimeter. It was a great place to stay, and the kids had fun exploring and swimming. Jan VanEe led the sessions, using Ray Vanderlaan's "In The Dust of the Master" series. Jan added personal insights and extra information from his studies in Israel. Thanks to the Merida team for all of the work they did to make this a great retreat.