August-September 2026 

The good hand of his God was upon Ezra. He had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach it.”                                        Ezra 7:9–10 

What is it about this place that it has become a training camp for servants who are answering their call to prepare, study, obey, and teach God’s Word? What was it about Ezra’s place that enabled him to set the example?

The IBBM-Tepic OANSA kids learned this past Saturday that it certainly wasn’t about the place. Only the fittest Jewish hostages had survived Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion, the roughly 900-kilometer desert journey to their new location in idolatrous Babylon, and the ensuing 70-year, well-deserved exile. It was a banishment prophesied by God through Isaiah more than a century prior and reiterated through Jeremiah in the Lord’s sacred scrolls. 

    

Ezra was born in Babylon, decades after Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon and authorized the first wave of Jews to return and rebuild Jerusalem. He was a scribe and a priest, a descendant of Aaron, and Ezra says of himself that he purposed, like Daniel had before him, to prepare his heart to study the law of the Lord, to obey it, and to teach God’s decrees to his fellow Israelites. That was the task, and Ezra accomplished it only because “the good hand of God was upon him.” He was diligent, and God used him mightily. That’s what God does. 

OANSA-Tepic resumed with the great anticipation of eighty kids chomping at the bit to return! The leaders are an army of diligent servants who have prepared their hearts, studied, obeyed, and are now teaching the next generation of IBBM leaders by both word and example. The theme of our first five-week series is “What Are We Talking About?” We’re talking about where and how we got the Bible in our language; why it is our authority, why it is understandable and a light for our path, why it is necessary, and why it is sufficient. 

And now, like Ezra, we can simply “do what it says,” knowing that the good hand of the Lord our God is upon us, too, to teach it where He leads. 

Three years ago, Mirelis and Hector came from their home in Cuba to IBBM-Tepic for a year-long internship before heading to Encarnación de Díaz, “La Chona,” as church planters. Missionaries from Cuba to Mexico! Praise God that IBBM-Tepic has become known for being like the church at Paul’s Antioch where the Spirit of God could say, “I have a special task for sending all kinds of chosen people beyond your own doors to carry the Gospel.” Pastor Martín and Erén and the church family have the vision to roll up their sleeves, learning and taking part in the process alongside those whom God has set apart to take His Word where it is not known, to carry the Gospel where it is not, and to plant a church where there is none. Mirelis and Hector traveled back to Tepic last week for the first time since they left here two years ago. They have spent the week joyfully reporting on what God has done in a very dark and difficult place. They have prepared, studied, gone, and taught His Word. God’s hand is upon them, and the children and leaders of IBBM-Tepic OANSA generously joined the team, giving them a special offering.

Last Saturday, Pastor Manuel from Zapote de Picachos called to ask us to pray for his brother, Martín, from his natal village of Playa de Golondrinas. Martín has contracted hemorrhagic dengue fever. His family managed to get him down the mountain, to the river, and to Tepic, where surprisingly, he was admitted immediately for surgery because of an intracranial hemorrhage. Though the prognosis is not favorable, his family clearly knows that God has a plan that often does not meet our expectations. 

Pastor Manuel and a team of teachers from his church at Zapote had already prepared to leave for the village of Guásima del Caimán to celebrate the anniversary of the baby church there and to teach the new believers the next lessons in the series of Biblical Discipleship. 

The trek to Guásima is long and requires emulating mountain goats for hours; it certainly is not for novice hikers. Manuel told me that he had determined that there is nothing he can do for his brother while he is hopefully recuperating in the hospital, so the trip will continue as planned. They have prepared their hearts, studied, chosen to obey, and they’ll go, and teach. Manuel said he will see his much-loved brother when he returns, or in Heaven. They have learned, for sure, that this life is not about this life…and the hand of God is upon them. 

And speaking of life, this past week marked three score and ten, plus four, for me. They have truly seemed “but a vapor.” Apparently, some of my sweet friends have learned to use AI; this must have been quite a party! I can only bow my head in thanks that the good hand of our God has surrounded me with an army of self-sacrificing, stuff-sharing, Jesus-loving friends and family. May we all continue together to prepare, seek, do, and teach His Truth where He leads. 

See albums of the past two months' activities here. 

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. 

January/February 2019 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed… Mark 9:15

And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed… Mark 9:15

Last Sunday morning, Pastor Martín began his message at IBBM-Tepic from Mark 9 with a question: “When was the last time you were absolutely awestruck by God’s presence in your life?” He went on to share the story of the Transfiguration where Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses of the majestic presence of God incarnate. After this apex of God’s glorious unveiling, they reluctantly returned down the mountain to a conflict with Satanic oppression -- from a foretaste of millennial magnificence to a scene of pain and misery in the body of an agonizing young boy -- a vivid image of the life on earth into which Jesus willingly came for us. And when the crowd recognized Him, they were filled with amazement. Honestly, these past two months have been bursting with incidents in which it was impossible not to marvel at God’s absolute presence. The following samples of His display leave us nothing less than awestruck.

Pastor McKeown invited Martín, Erén, and me to be keynote speakers at the annual mission conference at my sending church, North Village Baptist. That’s easy to say, but it’s nothing short of astonishing to consider God’s marvelous presence in the mission effort that began over 43 years ago on the platform, from which Martín preached, of the very church that sent Kirt and me to Mexico to share the Good News to all who would hear. Using the AWANA motto, Pastor Martín’s Sunday-morning message, based on Matthew 19:13-15, was entitled: Because Kids Matter to God… only one young boy. Martín emphasized that there is nothing better than to bring children to Jesus. Bringing them to the AWANA club or to church is good, but we must bring them, first, to Jesus’ open arms that they may know Him personally. He used the illustration of David and Svea Flood who left for Africa in 1921. Svea brought to Jesus, “only a boy.” It seemed so fruitless. Later, God miraculously used that “only child” to bring his entire village to Jesus. Likewise, God chose to unveil His glory in bringing to Himself young Nacho, who invited his young friend, Martín, to “come and hear.”  The rest of the story is history … and future. 

Recognizing God’s presence does not stop with borders, timelines, or “one young boy.” 

It’s common knowledge that Jacob and Kiki’s son, my grandson, David, battled nearly six years of brutal treatments for his relapsed leukemia. In spite of the announcement that his final CAR-T cell experimental treatment had been a failure, David is miraculously “in remission!” In August, approaching his 7^th birthday, he was ecstatic that at last, he would celebrate out of the hospital. That didn’t happen. Just days before, his dad, Jacob, was diagnosed with super-aggressive, B-cell Burkitt Lymphoma; David’s party consisted of a pineapple upside-down cake that he and his mom made to take to his dad’s room at the hospital. It was a celebration of counting it all joy, not having to understand the “why’s,” but instead, choosing not to abort the process of learning steadfastness, with renewed determination to thank Him for this, another gift, and being, once again, absolutely awestruck by God’s presence in our lives. On the third day of the NVBC mission conference, after seven months of horrifically intense chemotherapy and a not-too-favorable prognosis, we got the diagnosis resulting from Jake’s surgical biopsy: “No evidence of disease!” Absolutely awestruck!

Two days after returning from the NVBC 2019 mission conference, Becky, Pastor Nacho and Lorena’s third child, celebrated her 15^th birthday. In Mexico, a quinceañera is a big deal. Nacho’s family determined that this celebration would not be to bring glory to them or to Becky, but would give testimony to all who could come, at their open invitation, to witness God’s amazing presence and mighty power in Becky’s life. Becky chose, Guard my Heart, as the theme of for her party. Javier (who, as a young boy came to Jesus in the IBBM OANSA club) and Libertad presented her with a Bible, complete with God’s instructions for guarding her heart. Sebastián and Ely presented Becky with a watch with the admonition to continue to use her time wisely, guarding her heart from the enemy as she embarks on the next stage of life. Fifteen of the young people from IBBM exhorted her one-by-one, each with a memorized passage of Scripture about guarding her heart (and theirs). Her father shared his blessing and words of caution from God’s Word to guard her heart. And the “Lady of the Rings” presented Becky with a heart-shaped promise ring to remind her to guard her heart as God has commanded her and she has learned through faithful teaching. We talked about Lidia, a lady who, like Becky, liked the color purple, one who worshipped God, heard His Word, and whose heart the Lord Himself opened that she might be the first follower of Jesus in Europe. Lydia resolved to guard her heart in a perverse and idolatrous society like Becky’s. Once again, we find ourselves absolutely awestruck by God’s presence as Becky, the beautiful daughter of Nacho (only “one young boy”), proposes and promises to guard her heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

One thing is sure, in mesmerizing moments of God’s action of unveiling His presence, we are never the main characters. When we, and those around us, behold Him, the contrast of His power and that of the enemy, leaves us greatly amazed, and we can do no less than bow our heads giving Him the glory for what great things He has done.

And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed…Mark 9:15

2nd annual Huichol pastors' conference at La Bendición 

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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