December 2024 – January 2025 …that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith...

December 2024 – January 2025

…that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine… Romans 1:12

Even this, our loving Father thought of to motivate His children. Paul’s inspired words remind us of the power of Christian fellowship, that we are not meant to travel this journey alone, but to uplift and strengthen one another in faith. The Tepic OANSA kids are learning about the life of Timothy: his identity, from Whom he obtained his power, and how he could live boldly staying true to God’s Word. The deep bond between Paul and Timothy was a relationship built on faith, mentorship, and mutual encouragement. Paul told the Philippians: I have no one else like him...you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. — not one-sided — Neither are the abundance of reassuring answers to prayer this past two months here in Mexico one-sided. God has used a faithful team for encouraging, building, and upholding His work. Thank you for your vital part in that. 

No sooner was the beautiful overhead structure at the OANSA court at Zapote de Picachos finished, than a team of the talented lesson writers made a trip to the village where all the Huichol youth camp teachers agreed to assemble for orientation. Of course, we chose to meet under that enormous, encouraging new blessing to review each Bible message that will be taught at this year’s camp: “No Turning Back.” Daniel and his friends, mutually encouraged by each other’s faith in their all-powerful God, did not turn back. There’s lots to pray about; David García designed a poster in English to remind us of some of the details. 

What could be more unimaginable than this? Jaime, the grandson of Nate Saint—the pilot who gave his life alongside Jim Elliot and three other dedicated missionaries in the jungles of Ecuador, a story that convinced a junior-high kid named Kirt Mellberg to someday invest his life in sharing the Gospel with the people of a foreign land—arrives in a Huichol village called La Bendición. His story and vision, representing the Indigenous People’s Technology and Education Center (ITEC), encourage both UIM pilots and Huichol villagers. Adding to the incredible connection, Jaime Saint’s words in English were translated by David, the son of Martín—Kirt’s spiritual Timothy. 

Think about it: Nate Saint’s grandson, Jaime, working alongside Kirt’s spiritual grandson, David, for the cause of the Kingdom, right here in La Bendición! You can’t make this stuff up! We don’t have to—it’s just another encouraging part of the Designer’s master plan. 

It's been nine years since the IBBM Christmas celebration, Come and See Him...the King of Heaven is my Savior! Nahúm, the adorable, little singing shepherd boy, was born to a 16-year-old single mom. His high school drop-out dad was disoriented and suicidal; hopeless. That Savior about Whom Nahúm sang, came to rescue his lost parents and him. Thank God for those children who came to see Him and accepted His wonderful gift. Now, this year, Nahúm was the protagonist in the IBBM Christmas celebration entitled: If Jesus Hadn't Come… Nahúm’s dad? He’s the lead singer of the IBBM worship team. Yes, what if Jesus hadn’t come? We’re weekly mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 

Pastor Phil McKeown from North Village Baptist Church retired this past month after 41 years of faithful service to his Lord and his beloved congregation. Though his ministry continues as he presses on toward the prize, he has passed the pastoral baton to Pastor Sean Myers. It is a joyous answer to prayer to witness this transition—one that honors the past, while today, embracing a renewed vision for reaching the lost within the church’s community and beyond. Pastor Sean, born the same year Pastor Phil began his ministry at NVBC, grew up in the neighborhood and experienced a very difficult childhood. Yet, through God’s miraculous intervention and guidance, he navigated a life of pain, suffering, and rejection, ultimately finding redemption, healing, and adoptive parents who helped nurture his faith. Now, divinely appointed for this role, he carries a deep personal understanding of the needs of the lost and underserved in the community. I am filled with expectation for what the Lord has in store for our sending church.               …that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith…

    

December 2023 - January 2024 His process of redemption in the lives of those who are waiting to hear

“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, …eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day…She began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:33-38 

Through her love, devotion, and constant service to God in the Temple of Jerusalem, day and night, Anna was divinely positioned to see Him face-to-face and witness the presentation of baby Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Savior of the world Whose coming had been prophesied just following the very first sin in the Garden of Eden and for Whom Israel had waited all these years. 

No longer did it matter who Anna’s father was, though his name, Phanuel, means “Face of God,” nor was it so important that she was from the “lost” northern tribe of Asher (certainly not lost or forgotten by God!), nor that she was just a little old widow lady. All that mattered was that she had been privileged to personally know the Savior, and she resolved, wholeheartedly, to introduce the Redeemer to all who waited. Anna, the prophetess, would be the very first missionary mentioned in the New Testament, a proclaimer of His redemptive truth. 

The past two months in Tepic have been filled with God’s divine positioning of faithful servants who, day and night, witness His process of redemption in the lives of those who are waiting to hear.

In the last part of December at the Tepic church, IBBM, we had our annual OANSA Christmas party. LOTS of people worked together night and day to have everything in place, games, piñatas, food, special treats, and most importantly, the story time sharing the best Gift ever! Not everything worth doing comes off without a hitch; the enemy sees to that. For starters, the OANSA-mobile refused to move, so several of the leaders with their servant’s hearts, jumped in available cars and trucks and drove the bus route to pick up the kids from the other side of town who can come only if they have transportation.

Once everyone was here, we met in the church auditorium for singing and the Bible story time. Jonatán, once in cubbies, now club Commander, oversaw the preliminaries, and María, along with a few leader friends, shared the story of God’s very best Gift. As I looked around, I realized that Jonatán, María, Adriana, Josué, David, Omar, Carlita, and Lynethe grew up in OANSA. They started as cubbies and went through the entire program, with at least 12 years of hiding God’s Word in their hearts, learning to apply what they learned, serving, and becoming leaders. When María shared that God’s Gift came to give His life so that we might be forgiven, she could hardly get through her tears. When little cubbies María first started attending OANSA, her dad never dropped her off without leaving her in tears. Now she’s an excellent teacher who freely speaks of Him to all who are waiting for redemption. This coming month’s OANSA theme is: “Did Someone Say Mission? I’ll Go!” 

The following week IBBM-Tepic hosted our annual community Christmas Celebration. It was another wonderful opportunity to share the plan of redemption with all who are waiting to hear…even if they don’t know they are waiting! We shared 200 plates of tamales, beans, and dessert after the program. 

Preparations are underway for the upcoming 2024 Huichol youth camp in which we’re expecting more campers than we can handle from various mountain villages. This is a HUGE problem (It’s a good problem!). We've had to set a limit this year after concluding last year that the facilities we rent just don't allow for more than 200. If the “polling” on the sign-up sheets coming in indicates the final outcome, we will have to turn away way too many Huichol young people from this year’s camp. We are praying for God’s provision of a larger, more user-friendly multipurpose campground (and that dream may be a possibility), but the old “modified” brick factory where we meet is all we have right now. The theme this year, chosen by the Huichol leaders themselves is, “Guard Your Heart.” Each lesson includes a specific kind of “heart” referred to in the Bible and a character who portrays it: Deceitful-Judas, Cleansed-David, Willing-Isaiah, Abandoned-Solomon, Stone hard-Israel, Serviceable-Anna – Oh yes, Anna, that little old lady who with no father, no husband, and no children, did not neglect to serve, night and day, in the Temple. She appropriated the blessing given to her tribal patriarch from Moses: “As your days, so shall your strength be.” And God was just waiting to share His very best with that overlooked little old steward who was faithful, with her servant’s heart, in the place He positioned her. And Anna gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to all who were waiting for redemption.

November/December 2014 ...they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered

November/December 2014                     

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.        ~Luke 2:16-18

That Baby in the stable, God with us, didn’t come to eliminate our earthly problems, pain, diseases, or death. He came to conquer death and offer us new life. We, who have seen Him, like the shepherds, have the privilege of sharing abroad so that all who hear it may join us in utter amazement and give the glory to Him. Lots of that “making known abroad” has been going on in Tepic during the past two months, and many have played a vital role in making that possible.

This past month marked 39 years since Kirt and I left for Mexico for the purpose of making known abroad our Father’s provision for all who would accept His Truth. Our good friends, Leonard and Susie Smith, missionaries in Culiacán, Mexico, joined us during that first year in Querétaro, for language training. It was a real joy to have them bring the Good News and an encouraging word this past month at IBBM-Tepic: Leonard presented a 3-day evangelistic conference; and Susie, a well-prepared workshop for teacher training that was attended by all of us OANSA leaders. All that heard them were amazed and encouraged to give God the glory.

A few friends and sister churches contacted me again this year with the encouraging news that they have been praying for us and wanted to collaborate in a tangible project for Christmas. Again this year, the evangelistic effort, Festiniños (meaning “children’s party”), was a “by faith” operation. We completely trusted God to provide the funds for 350 shoeboxes for one Festiniños program in Tepic and programs in churches in three distinct Huichol villages; Zoquipan, Loma Alta and Puente de Carrizal (the newest baby Huichol church). Due to work schedules, the Huichol church leaders opted to celebrate their Festiniños on New Year’s Day rather than Christmas, so pictures of those outreaches will be included in the next update.  

At the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista Misericordia in Tepic, 168 children and many of their parents heard the story of the King who came to offer Himself as the greatest gift ever. Each child received a copy of the booklet to take home, Conoce al Rey (Meet the King) as OANSA leaders acted out the true story of the birth of the King and His plan for salvation for all who would accept His perfect gift. Only time will tell how many of those little children who heard and wondered will accept His invitation.   

One of the little children who received a shoebox gift at Festiniños has just recently begun attending the IBBM-Tepic OANSA along with her three brothers. Her name is Reina Isabel (Queen Elizabeth). Her story reminds me of the reason that the “saying concerning this Child must be made known abroad.” When Reina’s mother, Érika, who is now 23 years old, was born, her own mother didn’t want anything to do with her. She eventually gave her to an adoptive mother who died when Érika was a young girl. Érika was left to fend for herself, and as a teenager, she met a man who fathered her two oldest sons who are now 5 and 6 years old. Their father abused them and Érika mercilessly and eventually abandoned them completely. Then Érika met another man who offered to take care of her. He left her soon after with little baby Reina. The story repeated itself, and we met Érika when she was in desperate need, expecting her 4^th baby, and abandoned by his father. Érika has been hearing all about THE Father who loves her and will never mistreat nor abandon His children. 

She is learning to trust Him, and she faithfully brings her small children to Sunday school and OANSA. Little Queen Elizabeth (Reina Isabel), along with her brothers, loves coming and hearing about baby Jesus, about God’s love and about the gift He offers, the greatest Gift of all. The three older children participated in the IBBM-Tepic community Christmas Celebration singing their little hearts out with the words to the songs they memorized: We will celebrate with joy; May the whole earth hear; Jesus is born; The Light is here…

 

Pastor Martín’s son, David, orchestrated and directed a potpourri for all of the IBBM instrumentalists, including 1^st-time flautists, Rebeca and María, and the teenaged girls’ choir presented a choral cantata. This year’s celebration was motive to join in with the returning shepherds glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2:20