February/March 2025. Redemption from the power of darkness. Colossians 1:13-14

February – March 2025 

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 

God’s eternal plan of redemption is powerfully revealed in the lives of believers who, having been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom, now witness the same transformative grace at work in their children. 

So, I wish there were time for an entire book about this redemption story: Modesto and Santa are an amazing, God-loving, hard-working couple from the village of Zapote de Picachos. A few years ago, they were excitedly awaiting the arrival of their precious gift from our Father, their first baby. She came very early and severely malformed; she died before delivery. Her parents were devastated, but they trusted that God’s plan always is best. Years have passed, and no new babies. They work hard to receive meager income from a local fishing co-op and harvests from fields all around our state, and though income is limited, they generously share their time and resources with their church family. They are faithful leaders in the Zapote OANSA children’s club helping every child but their own to hide God’s Word in their hearts, while their own hearts are aching. Pastor Martín and Erén have taken them to see a doctor friend who has not charged them for her services, and we have helped with the cost of nutrition, fertility studies, and medications, but still no baby. 

A couple of months ago, a very young Huichol girl with a severe intellectual disability began wandering into the Zapote church compound. Her family, living amid despair, has rejected the Gospel, and struggles to care for her. It became obvious that someone in her dominion of darkness had abused her; she was expecting a baby. It’s a horrible situation, and it’s heart-breaking to think of her profound suffering. 

There are too many details to relay, but the rest of this story is one of radical redemption. Santa’s mother ended up being the midwife at the birth, and Santa was there to receive the newborn baby girl into her open arms and heart. The young girl, the baby’s biological mother, never even wanted to see the baby; she honestly doesn’t realize her role in the relationship and could never care for her. Modesto and Santa and some of the other Christians have taken her for medical treatment at their own expense, and she has returned to her family. That beautiful newborn baby was given to Modesto and Santa with her first breath, just as she came into the world, hopeless, helpless, with absolutely nothing but the love of a Creator Who arranged for Modesto and Santa to adopt a beautiful, perfectly formed, naked baby, in need of everything. 

Now, back to July 16, 2007. Jonatán García, Pastor Martín and Erén’s 10-year-old, eldest son, celebrated a very significant date in the history of God’s work in the Tepic church. He was among seven redeemed believers, who, in the horse trough on the lot adjacent to the Tepic church, followed Jesus’ example in baptism. Jonatán was the very first person of the second generation of believers in Tepic to be baptized. As a young person, his father had received Christ’s forgiveness in our early years in Tepic, and he and his wife had the privilege of leading their own son to Jesus. Pastor Martín baptized his son under the banner which reads, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 

Now advance to 2025. Jonatán and his wife, Paulina, have been blessed with little Ana Raquel who recently made her very first mission trip to visit her adopted newborn “cousin.” Paulina praises God that Anita’s “Huichol aunts and uncles” love her little girl and that God has blessed her with more than enough to be able to share with Anita’s new little cousin. Not only did they share clothes to keep the new baby warm, but also, they delivered a supply of packages of Anita’s own mommy’s milk that God has abundantly provided, for the baby’s tummy to be filled, as well. 

The story of redemption for this beautiful, adopted baby is nothing short of miraculous! Our prayer for Anita (and her “cousin”) is that one day she will place her faith in Jesus as her Savior and follow His example, too. If God chooses to answer our request with a "yes," Anita could be the first of the third generation of the redeemed from the IBBM-Tepic church: following her grandfather, Martín, who baptized the first believer of the second generation, his own son, Jonatán (Anita’s father)! 

God’s plan for redemption rescues us from the dominion of darkness and by His grace, adopts us, naked and destitute, into the Kingdom of His Son… no longer slaves to sin but heirs of His eternal promise and citizens of His Kingdom. 

…Delivered from the power of darkness…Translated into the kingdom of his dear Son…Redeemed. 

July/August 2017 Connections and Destination

July/August 2017

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:27–28

The life of every believer is a journey for which God has designed a unique and sovereign purpose. Regardless the means of transport, the itinerary, and unexpected layovers, making the right connection on this most important trip determines secure arrival at the destination.

This “travel business” has been obvious during the past two months in Tepic. More than two years ago, a Mexican missionary friend who works on the Manawan reserve with the Attikamekw people of Canada observed the passion and excellence with which the young people from IBBM Tepic minister annually in the Huichol indigenous youth camp. He proposed that they prepare themselves to carry out a similar activity with the Attikamekw near Quebec. David, Jonatán, Luis, and Josué took the challenge and began preparing and making appropriate connections to be the first ever foreign missionary team sent out from IBBM Tepic. They kept foremost in mind the concept that if a “sower goes out to sow” he must first have the seed in hand. They went about preparing the seed, taking French classes, translating verses and music, and raising finances for such an expensive and demanding mission project. 

They made and sold frozen treats, took over the church custodial work, played their musical instruments for hire everywhere they were invited that didn’t conflict with church activities, taught classes -- anything they could think of to earn the money for trip expenses and the OANSA equipment they donated to the little Attikamekw church so they could begin their own children’s Bible club. Offerings the team didn’t expect came in to help offset expenses. A friend, who loves them, underwrote the cost of their flights from Guadalajara, Mexico, to Montreal. Another paid the fee for their grueling and time-consuming US visa interviews ($160 US each). Since the flight to Montreal had a layover in Houston, they would be landing on US soil, so they were forced to be approved and pay for expensive US visas. It’s a miracle in itself that 4 single, formally unemployed young men were individually granted US visas! From the moment they landed in Guadalajara, the travel was a disaster. One team member discovered that despite scrupulous preparation, he had left his expense money back home four hours away! 

That resolved, they boarded the flight from Guadalajara to Houston where they were obligated to deplane and pass through US Customs. The lines were enormous as the Immigration computer system was down. The very generous 3 hours they had allowed for Customs, Immigration and re-boarding the flight to Montreal where they would meet their hosts ran out, and they missed the connection. They were re-routed and finally ended up in Montreal well after midnight, 3 hours from Quebec…without their luggage. Determined to continue their calling with “Brave Hearts,” at long last they made it to their destination. Their efforts paid off with 10 days of hard work, faithful service, and a mission well-accomplished. They made the right connections; they arrived securely at their destination. 

Sofía, Pastor Martín’s mother, is a well-worn traveler who has had innumerable layovers and obstacles on her life’s journey. She was born in a remote mountain village in Oaxaca. Her father abandoned his family leaving her mother and siblings penniless. They worked hard in the fields barely eking out enough to eat. Sofía was unable to study beyond 2^nd grade. Her mother sent her off to work as a maid in Mexico City where she was severely mistreated. She met Fidencio, escaped with him when she was 15, and they were married. There were lots of unimaginable twists and turns in their journey before they were sent by the military to Tepic the year Kirt and I landed here, 1977. Shortly thereafter is when we met their young son, Martín. That’s altogether another journey. Martín chose to believe in Jesus as His Savior, but his family remained devoted to tradition and rejected the Gospel, and him, and us for sure. For years, Sofía resented us, refusing to listen. Then came the day, only by God’s grace; she heard, repented, and placed her faith in Him alone. She made the connection by faith, now her imperishable destination is eternal life. A year ago, Sofía signed up to study a basic one-on-one discipleship course with me (How ironic!). It’s only 16 lessons, but it took us a year as she struggled with reading, writing and memorizing Bible texts. 

We celebrated her discipline, passion, and perseverance to learn with a “graduation” breakfast at a rustic, ranch-style restaurant. Every time we got together to study, we prayed together, begging God to move in her husband and Martin’s father’s heart, that Fidencio also might make the “connection” that leads to eternal life. We determined that her graduation celebration would be an intentional exercise in discipleship, inviting Fidencio to join us, and putting into practice specifically sharing the Gospel and inviting him to believe. He heard and agreed that his faith is placed in something other than Jesus, but like Agrippa, though persuaded, he still rejects the connection destined to eternal life. Please pray with Sofía and me that Fidencio will hear the Shepherd’s voice and follow Him.

Jesus is the one-and-only connection whose destination is eternal life. Getting to heaven is not up to us, but making the choice to connect by faith and follow the Shepherd is.

I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.