February-March 2026 

Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. Jeremiah 18:6b. 

Since His ingenious creation of Adam, the Potter has been gathering and molding insignificant lumps of clay into an almost infinite variety of diverse and useful vessels for His glory. What a wise Potter He is, as He patiently selects, purifies, spins, shapes, and transforms His creation for good. The value and beauty of His handiwork are not derived from the worth of the common, rebellious raw material He uses, but rather from the sovereign ability of the Creator who transforms it. 

It is often difficult for that humble lump of clay to accept His plan, but as He communicated to Jeremiah, it is clearly His prerogative as the Potter to do as He pleases in the process. Over the past two months in Tepic, we have seen remarkable evidence of His power to design and produce vessels that reflect His glory. 

February started off with a round of cartel craziness and extreme violence with the assassination of the CJNG drug lord, El Mencho. The cartel retaliated with narco-blockades, carjackings, torching, firebombing of businesses, and all-around violence in our state and neighboring states. We were forced to cancel Sunday services at IBBM; schools and businesses were closed; all forms of public transport, including airport traffic, were halted; and flights were cancelled. Friends from the US who had planned a short-term mission trip to Tepic wisely postponed their visit. There is already a replacement for El Mencho, and “sleeper cells” are back at work carrying out more of their evil deeds. Regardless, we rest in the knowledge that the Potter is ultimately in control of the wheel. 

Intense preparations for the 13th annual Huichol youth camp, Clay in Your Hands, didn’t miss a beat. We never know for sure what the final count will be until everyone arrives from villages all throughout the Sierra Madre. We estimated about 200; 224 showed up. The theme this year was perfect as we studied the Potter, the clay, and what it means to become vessels of purpose through the examples of Mary Magdalene, Moses, and Peter. It’s nothing short of a miracle to watch the hard-working, committed student leaders from IBBM–Tepic coordinate, sacrifice, and serve the Huichol community with such love and enthusiasm, while Huichol leaders also take on the responsibility of learning, teaching, and training their own. The campground supplies nothing; we must store, transport, and set up everything (stoves, gas tanks, tables, chairs, even the electrical connections). As soon as everyone was registered and had received their camp T-shirts, blankets, and team assignments, we met under the enormous canopy for Pastor Refugio’s well-prepared introduction. 

No sooner had he finished praying and spoken a sentence or two of his opening remarks about our camp theme, Clay in Your Hands, than thunder clapped, lightning flashed all around us, and a super-intense tropical rainstorm, complete with one-inch hailstones, poured down. Our rainy season usually starts in mid-June. I’ve been in Tepic since 1977 and never have seen a rainstorm like this in March, the middle of the dry season. 

Everyone huddled together in the center of the auditorium under the giant canopy. Instruments were quickly stuffed into jumbo garbage bags. The IBBM volunteer staff went around with broomsticks, releasing gallons of water that kept accumulating in the canopy to keep it from collapsing. Tents were soaked, and the ground was completely saturated. Here’s a short video clip of the fun. Within minutes, what had been a grassy, dry campground turned into one giant vat of clay…in the Potter’s hands. 

After the rain had stopped, I walked to my truck to take some campers whose tents were soaked back into town to stay at my house for the night. We trudged through mud up to our ankles, and there was no high ground anywhere. 

It has been incredible to watch the response of the Tepic church leaders and youth staff as they poured out their last ounce of strength to serve the Huichol campers, all the while insisting that this is confirmation that God is doing something important that we must not ignore. By morning, blankets, clothes, and tents were spread out and hanging everywhere, soaking up the sun and drying out for the night. No one seemed to notice the disorder. Nathan (UIM pilot) and Kayla took piles of sopping wet, muddy blankets home to launder and dry by bedtime the next day. I am so very proud of them all. 

Last year’s camp theme was No Turning Back. This was a test, and they passed 100%. By the end of this camp, we could not praise the Potter enough for adding eleven new lumps of clay to His family, and many campers made the wise choice to give their lives to be vessels of purpose in His Kingdom. 

*Pictures and videos from this year’s Huichol youth camp, Clay in Your Hands, here.

April/May 2022 Make known his deeds among the people! Tell of all his wondrous works!

April/May 2022 

Oh give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Psalm 105:1, 2

We children of God have “our Father Who is in Heaven…” the Creator of all that exists, the Controller of every historic event, the Contriver behind the plan of redemption, and the Champion of its completion. That Commander in Chief is our Father. How can we not sing praises to Him and tell of all His wondrous works? 

The ninth annual Huichol youth camp is history, but His wondrous works will last forever. After having to cancel camp for the past two years, both the Huichol campers and leaders and the IBBM-Tepic church staff and student leaders were raring to go. This year 113 campers along with their respective pastors and youth leaders from nine mountain villages attended. Though it was chosen for 2020, Lead Me to the Cross could not have been a better or timelier theme as it reinforced our focus on “Ground Zero” for the reason we have the hope we cherish. Huichol pastors and teachers taught dynamic Gospel-message lessons like: The Significance of the Cross, From Creation to the Cross, The Glory of the Cross, The Theology of the Cross, Living at the Foot of the Cross, His Cross-My Cross, and finished up the day before Good Friday with The Crucifixion of Jesus. 

Seventeen hard-working, joyful, and non-complaining Huichol ladies came along with their campers to do the cooking and make hand-flapped tortillas every day for the entire camp. The cooks prepared over 2,300 meals during the week for over 200 happy eaters. 

In addition, several members of the Tepic church donated their time and skills to teach specialty workshops. Every camper (their pastors, too) registered for electricity, hair-cutting, first aid, or music theory, to learn basics from professionals in their fields. That was a huge success! What a blessing for some pastors who, until recently, didn’t even have electricity in their villages, but now they can install electrical outlets, switches, and light sockets safely and effectively in their homes and churches! 

Twenty-six student-leaders from the Tepic church gave up their Spring break to serve God and their “neighbors” with their whole hearts. This camp would be impossible without their creativity and hard work. They are learning to serve well! The rented campground is very rustic; it’s a converted brick “factory.” Everything we use has to be hauled from Tepic and set up: the canopy, tables, chairs, kitchen supplies, refrigerator, stoves and gas tanks, blankets for the campers, tents, musical instruments and audio/video equipment, stage and scenery, everything. Then when it’s over, everything is returned, cleaned, and stored for next year. The student leaders from Tepic know that the job isn’t done until everything is back in storage. It’s nothing short of a miracle to watch them joyfully in action and to witness their hearts of love and service for their Huichol brothers and sisters. 

In all, for starters, there were a lot of mouths to feed, transportation costs to underwrite, campground fees to pay, games to organize, scripts to compose, and lessons to prepare. It was a marvelous opportunity for the Mexican young people to learn to minister to Huichol campers and for Huichol campers to hear the Gospel and be discipled in a very out-of-the-ordinary setting. Several, at least six, recognized their need for the Savior, and the campers left begging for camp next year. Though IBBM-Tepic hosts and does the legwork, this project certainly is not the work of a single person or church. It requires collaboration from God’s people all over the world who sincerely love Him and His plan and faithfully give Him the glory as His Word is proclaimed, and many are led to the Cross. 

Making known His deeds among the people didn’t end with camp. The campers and their leaders returned to their respective villages, and several celebrated Resurrection Day with baptisms. In La Bendición, 14 new believers, five of them from camp, were baptized giving thanks to the Lord and telling of His wondrous works. Could we “with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made” it would not be enough to tell the stories behind these new followers of Jesus. Sing praises to Him! 

Watch Huichol Camp video recaps here (by Caleb González): 

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

July-August 2007

Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

For my first "real” missions trip ever, I was honored to be invited to go to Hungary during the first two weeks of July! When Kirt was promoted to heaven, and I told the Lord that I would walk through any door He opened, I never imagined how many unlikely doors that would include! North Village Baptist Church (NVBC), my sending church, is earnestly involved in training and equipping all of its members to be effective in “Crossing Streets, Crossing Cultures and Crossing the World” to share God’s love and light. One of NVBC’s objectives is to establish a greater grassroots personal relationship with believers around the world by adopting and networking with specific sister churches that can mutually and effectively join efforts in fulfilling the Great Commission. I was invited to go along for the purpose of serving as a liaison for my sending church in Phoenix, NVBC, my home church in Tepic, IBBT, and our new "sister" church in Szolnok, Hungary. If you are interested in some personal highlights of this unforgettable trip, read the following Szolnok, Hungary, trip summary, and click here to watch the corresponding slideshow.

Back in Tepic, the month of August began with a visit from Pastor Gregg Cantelmo and seven members of his church in Phoenix. Pastor Gregg did an excellent job teaching a series on The Emotions: God's Motivators, and Timmy did an excellent job serving as interpreter for him. The team played a big part in acting as "God's Couriers" of 5 large suitcases full of blankets made by the VBS children of the Tri-City Baptist Temple in Oregon and a large box of Huichol New Testament Mp3 players that we are steadily getting in place for distribution to the Huichol villages. The blankets will be presented to the Huichol children of Zapote de Picachos on November 2, the third anniversary of that village church. The team’s servant's hearts and willingness to roll up their sleeves, tromping through the tropical mud, and contributing to the max the gifts God has plentifully given them for reaching out to the needs of other people will pay off eternally in the lives of the recipients of their vision. Pastor Gregg's statement that “God loves us just as we are, but He loves too much to let us stay the way we are” is the key to all Christian service. May none of us ever forget it, and may we be prepared for the commitment that it requires. See a slideshow of some of the Bridgeway team’s Tepic activities click here.

Still another privilege this month was the presentation of the 2nd annual Kirt Mellberg Memorial Scholarship to Marisol Rojo. The scholarship fund, donated by interested sponsors, is a living investment awarded in Kirt’s memory for the purpose of recognizing and encouraging students who have distinguished themselves as leaders, who exemplify the servant qualities of our Lord Jesus Christ, and who are actively preparing themselves for ministry in missions or in a local church. Marisol moved to Tepic seven years ago with her mother and 2 older brothers. Her father had just been murdered mafia-style, in the state north of ours in a drug-related vendetta, and her mother determined to leave that region so her children would not be further entangled in the lifestyle. Marisol, a tiny 12-year-old girl who in her short lifetime had been exposed to way too many of the world’s activities and snares, was invited to AWANA club at the Tepic church, and soon gave her heart to Jesus. She was faithful to church and obedient in memorizing and applying God’s Word, and after graduating from AWANA, Marisol became a prized AWANA club leader and a Sunday school preschool teacher. Kirt challenged her to use her musical abilities to learn to play the violin. He offered to loan her a violin and to pay for her classes, and he told her that after one year, if she would play a special song in church, she could keep the violin. She worked hard to follow through on her commitment, and she played Silent Night at the annual community Christmas celebration. In time she learned to play along with the congregational singing every Sunday morning, and she motivated 3 younger children in the church, David, Shadai, and Erika, to follow in her footsteps. They can’t wait to master the violin enough to be asked to accompany on Sunday mornings. When Marisol graduated from high school last June, she announced that she felt God was leading her to attend a Christian college in Monterrey, Mexico, to become better prepared to serve. She will be studying elementary education and music. What could be more fulfilling than for one of Kirt’s little people to be this year’s recipient of a scholarship offered in his memory? To see some pictures of Marisol’s faithful involvement in the Tepic church click here.

In previous prayer updates, I have mentioned the pressing need to remember the newest Huichol believers from the village of Guásima del Caimán as they have faced severe persecution from unbelieving villagers and rural, government-appointed officials. Thank you for your prayers for them. The little family of believers has decided to relocate on the outskirts of the village of Puga, about 40 minutes from Tepic, where Pastor Valentín leads his growing flock. They have pooled their meager resources and the sweat of their brows to build temporary housing on a section of land that Pancho, a believer from Puga, owns. As a priority, they have joined ranks and are buying a plot of land for their “new church building.” As always, after the rainy season has passed, getting water will be another issue. It has been a very difficult decision for them to uproot from the place many of them were born, but the advantages of solidarity with other more mature believers, increased access to medical treatment, and better schooling opportunities for their children convinced them to move. In spite of those advantages, the new believers recognize and are very concerned about the dangers of closer ties with “civilization” and its corresponding temptations. They are thirsty for God’s Word, and their pastor, Refugio, is determined to learn to be a worthy shepherd. This is all still in the very beginning stages of "what to do," and it is important that they be directed by the same God that directs us in "what to do" when the need arises. It is also the stage that is very tempting for the "great white fathers" to intervene and tell them what is best for them. It is best for us to pray our heads off for them and be supportive of the decisions God lays on their hearts. Please continue to pray for God's wisdom as they work out the spiritual and physical combining of the two churches, Guásima del Caimán and Puga.

I am grateful for the unanticipated opportunity God has given me to participate in His great and mighty things surrounded by the most humble, generous, loving, caring, and hard-working brothers and sisters from both sides of the border, on the face of the earth! Thank you for your part in making it all possible.


Quick Reference Version of July-August Prayer Requests:

· Bible Baptist Church of Szolnok, Hungary
· Marisol Rojo – Bible college student
· Guásima del Caimán/Puga - transition, faithfulness, growth
· OANSA – club begins September 1
· Huichol Old Testament translation project
· Huichol New Testament Mp3 project

September-October 2007

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” Psalm 31:19

As we approach the traditional time of year for “thanksgiving,” again I am acutely conscious that I have much for which to be thankful. I am thankful for your faithfulness in sharing in this ministry that is much bigger than I am and daily finds me shaking my incredulous head wondering why God has chosen to send me through doors that He constantly opens before my very eyes. Your supportiveness has made those steps of faith possible.

September began with opening day of OANSA (AWANA) with over 60 kids in Tepic and 80 in the Huichol village club of Zapote de Picachos. In the Tepic club, each leader is randomly assigned to a specific group for the year, and I love my special assignment with Leonardo and Fredi, 8th grade boys! I especially loved having the opportunity to emphasize to them that I would not be a very good friend of theirs if I didn’t make sure that they had made the decision to repent of their sins and accept the gift of eternal life that God offers by His grace to all who will place their faith in Jesus’ payment. Leonardo admitted that though he has been coming to OANSA for several years, he never really had taken that step. I am thankful I had the privilege of witnessing the birth of my young friend into God’s family. Last Saturday, we celebrated "Color Day" in the Tepic club. The kids and leaders contributed to the max and reaped the blessings of a very special day. I am thankful that so many leaders, many of whom were once OANSA clubbers, have a heart to reach out to children who will soon be the future leaders of the Tepic church.

I was invited to participate in the Summit Conference at the Kansas City Baptist Temple as a representative of Huichol Old Testament translation project. It was an unforgettable opportunity for growing personally, enlarging vision, and meeting many new friends, while sharing God’s amazing blessings on His incredible work in Tepic. If you want to see the Huichol OT Project part of the Summit Conference click on "Debbie Mellberg” under September 24.

September 30 was another very significant date in the history of God’s work in the Tepic church. David García, Pastor Martín and Erén’s 9-year-old son, was among the six believers who, in the horse trough on the lot adjacent to our church, followed Jesus’ example in baptism. Following his brother, Jonatán, David is the second to be baptized of the second generation of believers in Tepic. As a young person, his father accepted Christ in the early years of our ministry, and he and his wife now have had the privilege of leading their sons to Jesus. Pastor Martín baptized his son under the banner which reads, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Please remember to pray that the first generation will continue to be faithful to commit themselves wholeheartedly to God’s commands and not fail to repeat them diligently to their children.

Hilario came "waltzing in" from Los Aires (quite a LONG waltz—a 7-hour hike from Los Aires to the rural bus stop, then a 13+ hour "ride" from the bus stop to Tepic) the day before I left for the Summit Conference. After the customary, "How's the wife? How are the kids?" etc., we got to the "point" that he had finished his assigned translation chapters, 12-19 of Genesis, due the last week of January, next year. He "waltzed" back to Tepic the first week of October to key in the data to Vuhasi, one of the Huichol OT project laptops, and to attend the two intense days of classes on Bible interpretation for Huichol pastors that my son-in-law, Jacob, tailored to their needs. Hilario is pretty amazing, and Jake’s pretty amazing, too. His love, patience and connection with the Huichol brothers is nothing short of phenomenal.

If you look carefully at the picture of Hilario smiling his little stoic head off, you will notice one of the MegaVoice Mp3 players on the little stick table on the front porch. We finally got what we thought was the last of the compressed and formatted missing files back from MegaVoice, and Jake got them uploaded to 25 test units…only to discover that chapter 1 of Hebrews is missing! The chapter has already been recorded, but somehow it never got processed for uploading. Unfortunately we didn't find that out until the day the pastors were leaving to return to their respective villages. As far as we know, that is all that is lacking for the completion of the project and beginning the distribution of the units. The 25 test units are out "on loan" in 4 villages for the purpose of checking for other possible missing or erroneous passages. If all is well, Jake will be back in January and begin the process of reloading the 25 and uploading the complete NT to the remaining 975 units. The guys were so happy to see and hear the almost-finished product, they even insisted on playing it all through our lunch and during break times. I am thankful for the participation of many who collaborated to help make the completion of this project possible.

I am thankful for the 16th anniversary celebration of the Tepic church this past month and for the visitors who came from North Village Baptist Church to share in the festivities. I am thankful that Kiki could serve as interpreter for Pastor McKeown’s challenging messages about God’s gift. She does a great job; when she opens her mouth to interpret they say that "nopales and frijoles" (cactus leaves and beans) come out! I am thankful for the exciting and miraculous news that she and Jacob are expecting my 2nd grandchild in June. I am especially thankful that every one of my children loves our heavenly Father and that they and their spouses love and participate actively in the work that their earthly father was led to begin.

This month marks the 2-year anniversary of the "new birth" of the first 36 Huichols from José Lopez' natal village of Guásima del Caimán. All of the believers of that community have relocated on the outskirts of the village of Puga, about 40 minutes’ drive from Tepic. They held a big corn-sharing festival in honor of the anniversary. I am thankful that in spite of major persecution, they have remained faithful, and Refugio is becoming an exemplary pastor for his little flock of 80+ believers.

On November 2, we will be celebrating the 3-year anniversary of the completion of the church building in the relocated village of Zapote de Picachos. The word is out, and we are expecting people from LOTS of villages, including the "brand new" believers from Paso de Alica. Juventino and Manuel brought back the news from the group of brothers (about 15) from various villages that opted to pass on the invitation to share in the celebration of 16 years of the Tepic church in order to take an evangelistic trip upriver, the first week of October, to Paso de Alica. About 20 people gave their hearts to Christ, and 20 more "signed up" to believe at the next opportunity. That sounds weird, but, that's how it happens. Juventino shared that when they arrived in the village, they were greeted by the local professor who received them with open arms. They went to the village commissioner to ask for his consent to share their faith publicly, and he told them that since the village square was so full of drunks, it would be best to ask the professor for permission to use his large vacant lot. Authorization was given, and they began one-by-one, communicating the change that God's gift has made in each life. They sang songs accompanied by the stringed instruments they took along, and Manuel shared a message and an invitation to everyone who gathered around to hear. Juventino also told me that years ago (before he was even born), there were believers in the village; their pastor was Nicho, but when Nicho died, the flock began to scatter, and now no believers were left. I am thankful that visitors from Phoenix agreed to be "God's smugglers" of the blankets that the VBS kids of the Tri-City Baptist Temple in Oregon made that we will pass out to the families that attend the big celebration in Zapote de Picachos.

October 21 was Kirt's 59th birthday, and I invited Pastor Martín and Erén, and Pastor Nacho and Lorena and my 5 little Mexican "grand" kids to Burger King for lunch for our annual celebration of the momentous occasion. Kirt loved taking them there, and they love going. All during the "birthday party" I found myself reflecting on how blessed I am to be able to continue to share with these wonderful, maturing servants of God, and how fortunate I am that friends like you have made that possible. Thank you so much for your confidence and for all you have done to be a big part of the "means" He has provided to keep this work moving, even in Kirt's absence. We have MUCH for which to be thankful!

Quick Reference Version of September-October Prayer Requests:
· Tepic and Zapote OANSA
· Pastors Martín, Nacho, and José Luis – Tepic
· Huichol pastors: José, Manuel, Joaquín, Hilario, Custodio, Porfirio, Valentín, Refugio, and Gregorio
· Kiki and Jacob’s baby
· Zapote de Picachos dedication anniversary
· Huichol Old Testament translation project
· Huichol New Testament Mp3 project

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

February - March 2023 Christ… died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live for themselves, but for him who died for them, and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15

February - March 2023

Christ… died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live for themselves, but for him who died for them, and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau survey “there is an epidemic of loneliness today”; around 60% of people in this country regularly feel lonely. How is it possible that in this world, more connected than ever, with opportunities to share “selfies” of me, by me, and about me with the world at large in a mere instant, hearts are starved for real love? The apostle Paul reminds us that “It’s not about me!” The cure for loneliness is not to live for myself. Ron Hutchcraft says to reverse the camera lens and start taking “youies”! A meaningful life is derived from being there for someone else and living for Him who died and rose again. It's refreshing to see brothers and sisters in the Tepic church who have caught hold of this remedy and are learning to put it into practice with those whom God places in their paths, especially some of the IBBM-Tepic young people who have spent years in training for such a time as this. A well-tuned team of student-leaders is willingly giving up their Spring break to serve God and their Huichol “neighbors” with their whole hearts at the 10th annual Huichol youth camp. This camp would be impossible without their creativity and hard work, and their choice to live for Him who died for them and rose again. Camp starts on Sunday afternoon, April 2, but the labor of love in hauling and setting up camp at a very rustic converted brick “factory,” has already begun. Everything must be transported from Tepic: the canopy (auditorium), tables, chairs, kitchen supplies, refrigerator, stoves and gas tanks, blankets for the campers, tents, musical instruments and audio/video equipment, stage and scenery, everything. Then when it’s over, everything must be dismantled, returned, cleaned, and stored for next year. It’s nothing short of a miracle to watch the student leaders joyfully in action, focusing on “youies,” and offering their hearts of love and service for their Huichol brothers and sisters. Just this past month four of these IBBM-Tepic students stand out for their excellent “youies.”

David is Pastor Martín and Erén’s son. He has grown up, following Jesus’ example looking for every possible opportunity to prepare himself to serve. He graduated from the School of Music; he’s an excellent conductor, violinist, and pianist at church. He was chosen to go on a mission trip to Canada, so he learned French, and now he teaches French in a private junior high school. Then he enrolled in an intense school of English from which he graduated with honors. He has used that skill to interpret for visitors to IBBM from the States and as a liaison with a youth group that is coming to help with the Huichol camp. That’s not enough; he’s studying Chinese and just passed the first level. He graduated this year from the University of Nayarit with a degree in biochemistry. He is a leader in OANSA, the game director, and just recently coordinated a six-week teaching series for which he made a soldier piñata to dress in the “whole armor of God.” This coming week David is Huichol youth camp game director and pianist for the worship team, and for the first time, he'll be part of the panel of Bible teachers. No “selfies” for this guy! 

Josué is Pastor Nacho and Lorena’s son. He, too, has grown up, following Jesus’ example of service. He’s in his last year of Economics after passing a very selective entrance exam at the University of Nayarit. His nickname at church is the “erudito” (scholar). In addition, Josué (Joshua) is a very effective OANSA group leader, teacher, and club secretary/ coordinator. He also graduated from the School of Music, and he’s the IBBM worship team leader. He plays violin, bass, guitar, and the cajon. Josué did an excellent job preaching his well-prepared first sermon this past month on the attributes of God. This guy has no time to be lonely; he’s into “youies.” 

Nearly 20 years ago, Armando began bringing his little daughters to the Tepic church OANSA club. María (4) and Lynethe (5) cried every single Saturday when their dad dropped them off at “Cubbies.” Finally, they realized how much they really loved hearing stories from the Bible and hiding God’s Word in their hearts. They learned how much their leaders loved them, and best of all, that Jesus loved them and gave His life for them. Years have passed; the girls have learned not to live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. María and Lynethe are nurses. Both sisters are dependable OANSA leaders, willing servants, excellent Sunday school teachers, and worship team participants. María plays flute, and Lynethe manages the church A/V equipment. They’ll be working next week at camp, too. Their love for Jesus spilled over to their parents, and they also believed and have become faithful disciples. 

David, Josué, María, and Lynethe have discovered by experience that joy comes from not living for themselves anymore but for Him who died for them and rose again. Their fulfilling life mission is simple: No “selfies.”

One year ago last July...How could that possibly be? Nearly a year-and-a-half ago, the Tri-City Baptist Temple of Oregon invited me to be the “resident” missionary for the week of Vacation Bible School. The theme of VBS was “FIESTA,” and what a breathtaking party it was! We considered the truth that Jesus is our Friend, our Life, our Leader, our Savior, and Jesus is our Helper; and because of that, we want to serve Him with everything He has given us.

It’s no secret that the world is full of millions of people who cannot meet basic needs for survival; we also know that we can’t do everything, but we can do something! And how much better if by giving of our selves we can earn the privilege of sharing with those who may not know what God’s Word says about God’s greatest gift of all.That’s the premise behind the massive effort that was exerted to make, store, transport, and deliver 65 soft, warm and meaningful blankets to Huichol children in the Mexican mountain village of Zapote de Picachos.

The Tri-City VBS children all participated in assembling and tying together the colorful, orange fleece sheets that brightly proclaim, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesús Me Ama.” To avoid exorbitant international shipping fees and possible "loss," a family from the Tri-City Baptist Temple transported them from Oregon, in their motor home, to Phoenix en route to their vacation destination. North Village Baptist Church stored them in the missions office until willing “smugglers” heading to Tepic could bring them along in extra suitcases. Members of the Bridgeway Community Church and of North Village Baptist worked their way through customs inspections as they brought ridiculous amounts of luggage for their short visits to Tepic. And at long last, Friday, in celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the completion of the church building in the village of Zapote de Picachos, an energetic band of believers from the Tepic church conveyed the precious cargo to the Agua Milpa dam, loaded it on the boat, and thankfully, were met by strong Huichol couriers at the landing, a healthy 40-minute hike from the village.



After all, Pastor Manuel asked me to share with his growing congregation the long story behind the gifts made and delivered in love; but best of all, the story of the greatest gift ever given, the same Jesus whose name appears on the soft, warm blankets, God’s very own Son who lovingly gave everything that we might receive eternal life.

“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink…naked, and ye clothed me…Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?...or naked, and clothed thee?…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:35-40