December 2025-January 2026

Let us not therefore be weary of well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.   ~Galatians 6:9 

                                                                                                                                       

Seriously, I can hardly believe how God has answered our naïve, but sincere, prayers so spectacularly, and I'll never run out of gratitude for countless friends and co-laborers who have been vital to that well-doing process. December 12th, the Day of the Virgin here in Mexico, marked 48 years since our first day of arrival in Tepic (other than passing through en route to language school). We didn't even know what the Day of the Virgin was back then! Nor did we dream of the lifetime of stories, chapters, and sequels the Author and Finisher was about to write. The last week of December also marked 50 years since we crossed the US/Mexico border heading to Querétaro for language school...but a vapor, for sure! 

Blessings of God’s gracious harvest and “fainting not” — Years ago, more than forty now, during our early times in Tepic, Kirt met Lucio, a middle-aged man with whom he began to share the Gospel. Putting it mildly, the message was not well-received, and eventually, Lucio refused to listen at all. In fact, he was furious that we had come to Tepic for the purpose of spreading God’s Word, which he called, “the opiate for exploiting the masses.” Lucio faithfully read, memorized, and was determined to proclaim to his eight daughters and three sons, as well as everyone else he met, the teachings of his own “bible,” the Spanish version of Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. There were no family portraits hanging in their house, instead, the living room was decorated with posters of Marx, Che Guevara, and Fidel Castro. 

Only our omniscient Father could have orchestrated the divine detours and appointments over the decades that followed, detours that began penetrating the hardened and hurting hearts of the children of that harsh and demanding father. All have professional careers, as he insisted; are divorcees, as he expected; and for years were open but empty targets of the enemy. Seven of those “girls,” now in their late forties, fifties, and sixties, have become believers in Jesus and followed Him in baptism. They are being marvelously transformed into new creatures, healing, growing, being discipled, and learning to use their God-given gifts to share the Truth with others as they begin serving their new-found Savior. 

As I walked one of them, Mirta, an esteemed director in Tepic’s public education system, through the six-month process of the basic steps of True Discipleship, God reinforced the promise that faithfulness and perseverance bear much unexpected fruit. Mirta repeatedly stopped our one-on-one sessions, placed her hand on her new, beautifully bound Bible, and with tears welling up in her eyes said: “If only I had known this before…I could have avoided so many tragedies in my life…my daughters…my ex-husband… the people I have hurt… the pain I have lived with…” 

And who would have imagined that one of hard-hearted Lucio’s grandchildren, Libertad (Her name means “Liberty”!), would be prepared to share the Gospel with him one last time, on his deathbed? We don’t know if Lucio’s last-minute confession was sincere, but we do know that his indoctrinated daughters are now our friends, sisters, Jesus’ disciples, and co-laborers. And we do know that Galatians 6:9 sustains us: Let us not therefore be weary of well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not. 

And speaking of fainting not and reaping, we’re ramping up preparations for this year’s Huichol youth camp, Clay in the Potter’s Hands. We’ll be studying the Potter and the clay and learning to become vessels of purpose. This will be our 13th annual camp, and we’re expecting about 200 campers from across the Sierra Madre. It’s a logistical nightmare, but a dream come true, to watch hard-working, committed student leaders from IBBM–Tepic coordinate, sacrifice, and serve the Huichol community with such enthusiasm, while Huichol leaders also take on the responsibility of learning, teaching, and training their own. 

In our most recent planning meeting, it occurred to me that two kids from the very first youth camp we ever organized (not Huichol), more than four decades ago, were Martín, 15, from Tepic, and Erén, 14, from Culiacán. Who would have imagined that one day, Martín, who would become the pastor of IBBM-Tepic, along with Erén, now his wife, would be working together with the youth from our church to host a camp for young people from the Sierra Madre, who we pray will become the next generation of leaders in the Huichol church? 

No, you can’t make this up. He is faithful to His promise that in due season we will reap, and His vessels will bring ultimate glory to the divine Potter. 

October - November 2025 True Heroes Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11 

The children of IBBM–Tepic are learning about heroic and faithful men and women of the Bible, “of whom the world was not worthy.” We’ve learned that God’s definition of a true hero is someone who believes, loves, and acts with courage and sacrifice. Last week’s hero was Paul, born Saul of Tarsus, a Jew, a Roman citizen, well-educated, professionally accomplished, a Pharisee, and a member of the Sanhedrin, yet severely blind to the Truth. While Saul relentlessly hated, chased, and persecuted followers of the Messiah, God, in His sovereignty, took away Saul’s physical eyesight and transformed him with daring spiritual vision for chasing the call of the Savior. These valiant heroes we’re studying remind me of quite a few right in our own backyard, and some who are learning from their example! 

This past week prompted a Thanksgiving pop-up memory, from 16 years ago, of a bountiful table full of heroes just getting started on the process of translating the Old Testament into the Huichol language. The entire team had not even been assembled yet, but there were plenty of them who believed, loved, and were eager to act valiantly and very sacrificially for the cause. Joe, the original New Testament translation consultant (he’ll be 97 years old this next week and is still working with his son, Chuck, polishing the Huichol dictionary!), and his wife, Barbara (now in Heaven), John, the programmer of Our Word, the software the translators mastered for the task, and José, Hilario, Manuel, Román, Emilia, and Joaquín…all heroes! 

The Old Testament job, as well as the revision of the original New Testament, is done, but that was only the beginning. Now that they have the printed treasure in hand, they’re systematically going about sharing its truth and discipling new believers throughout the Sierra Madre. We are so grateful that during the entire Bible translation project, UIM bush pilots have been heroic co-workers, and until recently, mountain airlifts to remote landing strips have saved countless hours and spared them from real dangers on mountain paths. As usual, the enemy thrives on persecution. This past month, local tribal authorities issued orders that Christian pilots and passengers can no longer land on most of the remote mountain airstrips. The bottom line is that discipleship trips now require much more time, effort, and expense. But that’s not enough to stop the heroes from fulfilling Jesus’ mandate. 

Two teams of determined volunteers from the Zapote de Picachos and La Bendición churches made plans to head to the mountain villages, regardless of hardship, to be faithful to their call to share the Truth with “the whole world” and to train new believers. They prepared to go a week without work, temporarily leave their families back home, travel by boat as far as they could, then continue on foot for hours, sleep wherever they landed, and share their prepared lessons from the Good News with those who are in undeniable need of spiritual nourishment. Afterward, they hiked back to the river to await the boat that carried them in return toward their own village homes…days of travel instead of the previous half-hour flights. 

When they got back home, the church at Zapote celebrated its 21st anniversary at their “new” location after having been wickedly kicked out of the village where they had valiantly sacrificed to build their former beautiful church building in its very center. This year, the Zapote team sent WhatsApp invitations throughout the mountains inviting friends and family to join in the 3-day celebration/conference on the Battles of the Christian Life. As hard as the persecution was that forced them to relocate, Pastor Manuel was right: “They meant it for harm; God has used it for good!” 

Not all of God’s chosen heroes are ancients; some of them sit at our own tables, pray with us, and serve beside us. Watching them in action makes me think of spontaneous combustion—no one has to remind them to do this job. They read their Bibles, believe, and obey. They’re heroes on fire! Despite constant obstacles, these brothers and sisters remain unstoppable. And the next generation of heroes is watching. Little Nora (a UIM bush pilot’s daughter) and Giana (the IBBM worship team leader’s daughter) made the wise choice to follow the example of the greatest Hero ever, who believed, loved, and acted valiantly and sacrificially that they might have their sins forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. 

God provides for all this without us ever having to ask. Thank you for your heroic part that makes this possible. Real heroism isn’t found in applause or recognition, but in steady obedience, wholehearted offering, and a willingness to see what God sees…as He rescues our stumbling world. 

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/debbiemellberg/collections/72157724445259344/

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.