Noé and Caty were 100% sincere the night of August 18, 2004, when in their living room Kirt and I shared in their tears of rejoicing as they accepted Jesus’ forgiveness of their sins and turned their everything over to Him. From that day to this, they have systematically gone about restoring past wrongs and seeking avenues of service. In the 6 months following their conversion and before Kirt was promoted to heaven, Noé rarely left his side in sharing in tangible opportunities for ministering with his skillful hands. He was among the 5 who journeyed 16 hours by truck and 6 hours on foot to the Huichol village of Los Aires , 3 weeks after Kirt's graduation, to put the roof on that little rural church building. He and Caty immediately got involved in being personally discipled by Nacho and Lorena. Several months after coming to Christ, they acknowledged that though they had been together for 8 years, they had never been married, and the following day they headed to the government office of public records to officially tie the knot. They tirelessly have been involved in AWANA, visitation, prayer meetings, Bible studies and evangelism.

It occurred to Noé that having moved in with Caty years ago without marrying her was an offense against her family, and he determined to make that right. Noé went to Caty’s father to ask forgiveness, explaining to him that since he and Caty are now members of God’s family, He expects them to live according to Bible standards. They completed a 6-month course on principles of biblical marriage with Martín and Erén then planned a beautiful consecration service with the goal in mind of setting an example for the young people in the church and of getting Caty’s parents and extended family to come to church to witness their commitment to Christ and to each other and to hear the clear presentation of the Gospel. Her parents are extremely antagonistic toward anything but their own traditional religion, and they have rejected Caty’s choice to become a Christian, but they agreed to attend the ceremony. It was a beautiful testimony to God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness; and Caty’s family was positively impacted by the love, unity, and supportiveness of the Tepic church “family.”

I felt honored that they asked me to present them with the Bible in keeping of that meaningful tradition in Christian weddings at the Tepic church. The following is a translation of a little note that I read to them during the presentation:

Noé and Caty,

This happy celebration is motive for much rejoicing, for many reasons. Among them is the fact that this is one more step in your development as our maturing brother and sister in this, God’s great big family. Kirt and I were present the night the two of you were born into the family of God, when you surrendered your hearts to Him, and deposited your faith in Jesus Christ, the only One who is worthy of our complete confidence for the forgiveness of sins.

Just like the Apostle John in III John 1:4, Kirt would say, and I do say: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

The Bible is Truth, the living Word of God. It is where Christ’s followers go to learn what God has done, what He is doing, and what He has yet to do. It gives testimony of God’s grace in our world and of His faithfulness to His people throughout the course of time. It demonstrates that God loves us, and it helps us see our great need for Him. There is no greater authority on earth. As followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we recognize that the Bible is our source of truth and life. It opens for us and lays bare the mysteries and heart of God. We must go to the Word of God to know the God of the Word.

Noé and Caty, with all my love, I present you with this Bible. Listen to the Word of God. Learn and share its truth. Discover its mysteries; honor its commandments; and rejoice in its good news. My prayer is that this Word that gives life, will motivate you, encourage you and make you wise in your life of service together as His followers.

November-December 2007

Romans 11:33, 34: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor?"

December is a very special month. This year we celebrate 32 years since Kirt and I arrived in Mexico as missionaries. As we all have come to realize, life rarely meets our expectations, whether good or bad; and thankfully, God has an incredible way of turning filthy rags into riches, mourning into dancing, sackcloth into rejoicing, and sow's ears into silk purses. You have been a vital part in our ministry, and I thank you for your encouraging words, for praying for me, and for your tangible support which all make you fellow reapers in His worldwide harvest.

November started off with the celebration of the 3-year anniversary of the completion of the church building in the relocated Huichol village of Zapote de Picachos. Apart from the usual preaching, singing, sharing, eating, and fellowshipping activities we always enjoy, we were able to deliver 65 soft, warm and meaningful blankets made by children of the Tri-City Baptist Temple in Oregon to the Huichol children who were present at the celebration.

Missionary, Frank Arrellanes, and 8 young people from the Gracia y Paz church in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, arrived in Tepic on a Saturday afternoon. They had prepared themselves and the tools necessary for their first mission trip to share God’s love and provide clean water for families in 4 Huichol villages, Puga, La Bendición (The name of the new village of believers who have relocated from Guásima del Caimán means “The Blessing.”), Zapote de Picachos, and La Mesa (the central hub for the Zapote de Picachos community). As usual, the sacrifice and effort made to reach out and be a blessing to our Huichol brothers and sisters was dimmed by their love and generosity toward us.

Noé and Caty were 100% sincere the night of August 18, 2004, when in their living room Kirt and I shared in their tears of rejoicing as they accepted Jesus’ forgiveness of their sins and turned their “everything” over to Him. From
that day to this, they have systematically gone about restoring past wrongs and seeking avenues of Christian service. Several months after coming to Christ, they acknowledged that though they had been together for 8 years, they had never been married, and the following day they headed to the government office of public records to officially tie the knot. It occurred to Noé that having moved in with Caty years ago without marrying her was an offense against her family, and he determined to make that right. Noé went to Caty’s father to ask forgiveness, explaining to him that since he and Caty are now members of God’s family, He expects them to live according to Bible standards. They completed a 6-month course on principles of biblical marriage with Martín and Erén then planned a beautiful consecration service with the goal in mind of setting an example for the young people in the church and of getting Caty’s parents and extended family to come to church to witness their commitment to Christ and to each other and to hear the clear presentation of the Gospel. Her parents are extremely antagonistic toward anything but their own traditional religion, and they have rejected Caty’s choice to become a Christian, but they agreed to attend the ceremony. It was a beautiful testimony to God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness; and Caty’s family was positively impacted by the love, unity, and supportiveness of the Tepic church “family.”

The OANSA (AWANA) children of the Tepic church celebrated Christmas last Saturday with a Christmas party called a “posada.” Every year the members of the church contribute candy, piñatas, food and time to provide for the big event. This year more than 80 children attended; almost 20 of them were invited visitors. All of the children heard the true meaning of Christmas and the plan of salvation in a dramatic presentation prepared by the leaders, and every child took home a copy of a story book entitled, “The Great Love of God” that was donated by friends in the States.

***Nearly eight years ago, Kirt and I sent out a letter requesting special prayer regarding the one-half acre plot of land directly adjacent to the Tepic church property. The federal government had confiscated it for back taxes nearly 5 years prior. We were told that Hacienda (the Mexican equivalent of IRS) would be auctioning the land to the highest bidder within the month, and many of you prayed with us and got involved in that project. After nearly two years of going dozens of times to the lawyer’s office of the department of government land affairs, it became obvious that the “month” that was originally promised, for some reason we have yet to discover, was thwarted. We opted to return funds that had been designated for that auction, though many of you requested that we use your contributions for other work-related needs. One friend of this ministry sent us the following encouraging note: “We believe with you that the Lord will provide that property next to the church, and we are also sure that His timing is perfect. He will overrule even the most clever schemes of men to interfere with His will.” We have clung to that truth as we prayed and waited for this day. Suddenly, with no previous notice, this week, I “just happened” to notice the government surveyors arrive on site with documents and camera in hand. To make an exciting, but long, story short, the property is being prepared, again, to be auctioned in February. The existing Tepic church campus is not only attractive, but also has been very practical and mostly adequate for our needs; however, the children’s classes are meeting in the Aldaco’s garage, and adult Bible studies meet in my living room (Thankfully, we both live next to the church.). That’s not bad, but we are land-locked, and this is a marvelous opportunity to make room for more! By no means do we want to cry "Wolf!", but it appears that this purchase will be either “now or never.” Please pray with me that our church leaders will make a wise decision in the amount they offer in the silent auction, that the auction will be carried out without fraud, that God will provide the resources necessary for the purchase when we do win the bid, and most of all, that the church, not the building, will continue to serve God joyfully and in unity.

How privileged I am to be a part of your missionary family and to experience God’s incomparable grace as He has provided and continues to provide the "means" for fulfilling His plan. Thank you for your part in making all of these blessings possible.


Quick Reference Version of November-December Prayer Requests:

• Annual Christmas celebration - Tepic Church 12-16-07
• 3 big Christmas celebrations in strategic Huichol villages throughout the mountains of Nayarit
• OANSA – club resumes 1-5-08
• Huichol Old Testament 2-week translation workshop – 1-28-08
• Huichol New Testament Mp3 project
• ***Upcoming auction of property adjacent to Tepic church – February 2008

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; yo no os la doy como el mundo la da. No se turbe vuestro corazón, ni tenga miedo. Juan 14:27

She didn’t know it; I didn’t know it, but God used Paz to minister and bring a reassuring touch of peace in a world of confusion and turmoil. Neither of us knew it, but that moment would be the catalyst that would ultimately bring true peace to her world of confusion and turmoil.

It was Sunday morning, March 20, at the San Rafael hospital in Tepic. What started out to be a happy road trip from the Nogales border south to Tepic, accompanied by our favorite Mexican pastors in their newly legalized Toyota pick-up turned into the longest “day” of my life. Over 24 hours had passed since leaving Hermosillo early Saturday morning, and I found myself exhausted, confused and afraid as Kirt was undergoing the first of many futile attempts to counteract further heart damage beyond that which had already been done in the first of several heart attacks. The “tyranny of the urgent” made any attention to eating or sleeping unthinkable. I left his side in intensive care for minutes to check on getting more medication from the hospital pharmacy, and when I returned, I found a large, sparkling-clear, parfait glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice on the meds table next to Kirt. He told me that the lady that works in the cafeteria had brought it to me while I was out. I’ve never tasted a more revitalizing glass of OJ in my life; and its “special delivery” made me all the more aware that I would never be left or forsaken by our Father. I felt compelled to go to the cafeteria and thank the “angel” who had reached out to me, a total stranger. Her name is Paz (Peace, in English). As I was thanking her, Noe and Caty (new believers from the Tepic church) came into the cafeteria looking for me. They were surprised to find me conversing with Caty’s Aunt Paz! I told Paz that I loved her name, and that she had truly lived up to it with the “peace” she had conveyed to me in her unexpected and loving gift. Shortly afterward Kirt and I left in an ambulance for Guadalajara.

A year and a half later, Caty and Noe were finally able to convince Paz to come to the Tepic church for our 15th anniversary celebration. I hadn’t seen Paz since that day, seemingly millions of years ago, March 20. We have been praying faithfully for all of Caty’s family who are extremely immersed in the traditional religion of Mexico and have rejected her for following Christ. Paz has passed through some exceptionally difficult physical, spiritual and emotional experiences during this past year, and they have caused her to search for answers. She identified with the four lost things, the sheep, the coin, the prodigal, and his brother that Pastor McKeown spoke about in his message that Sunday morning. She couldn’t forget his words, “God wants you to know that no matter why you are lost, He loves you. God wants you to know that He will stop at nothing to find you.”

Three weeks later, Caty was on vacation from work, and she determined that THIS vacation would count for something eternal. She prepared a delicious breakfast to which she invited Aunt Paz, Erén (Pastor Martín’s wife), Lorena (Pastor Nacho’s wife) and me. Determined that this breakfast, would not be just about eating, I prepared a short devotional to share entitled, “Peace (Paz) in the Midst of the Storm.” I shared that at times life seems unbearable with physical pain, demanding decisions, financial difficulties, the death of a loved-one, or shattered dreams, but Jesus promises that if we will anchor our hearts to the Rock, we will have peace though we are surrounded by raging winds, roaring waves, and perilous obstacles. The peace that God promises His children, peace that passes human understanding, does not necessarily mean the absence of storms, but calm in their midst. Erén, Lorena, and I assured Paz that she could have that peace if she would accept His gift of forgiveness of her sins. One day before Kirt’s birthday, Paz placed her trust in the Prince of Peace. Kirt is no doubt beside himself with joy as he has a new reward to place at the feet of our Savior! Happy birthday, Kirt! Happy birthday, Paz!