Campaña 2013

Wow!  This past weekend was wonderful...and busy!  Our church here in Tapachula held a weekend camp meeting.  We had a full house every service and Bro. Sidney Grant did a fabulous job preaching on the subject of holiness.

On Sunday, we held our regular morning service, ate lunch together, then had a multiple children's dedication service, and then went to the river for a baptismal.  God has been helping and moving here and it is a privilege to see individuals, couples, and families following God and being discipled!

Below are some pics for you to enjoy!

 ( Saturday night )

We were missing a few of our own, but we were thankful a group

from the Motozintla church came to help support the camp meeting.

( Sunday morning - we were packed out! ) 

( Michael and I did the singing for the services )

While we were singing the first evening, I noticed that I seem to have trouble reading Spanish words and music when I'm playing the piano.  Either the type is too small and too far from my eyes, or the light is too dim.  Anyway, I got smart the second night and used an iPad that has it's own backlight.  It worked much better!  =)

( Bro. Grant ) 

Like I said earlier, he did a wonderful job.  We were also privileged to have him in our home.  I'm not sure how much sleep the poor man got though!  He and Michael had way too much fun staying up late "chatting!"

( The children's dedication service )

It was so neat to watch as 12 sets of parents came forward to dedicate their children to God.  What an awesome way to change the next generation to be an influence of holiness in their world!

( "Down by the river..." ) 

The location of this river is beautiful and the water wasn't as muddy as it is sometimes, but the current sure was fuerte (strong)!

( Arnoldo )

He got saved about 6 months ago and the Lord has made a radical change in his life!

( Arnoldo's wife, Julbia )

She got saved around the same time as her husband.  It's been such a delight to watch how the Lord is working in their family!  Although they have been together for many years, they only recently got married in October (more on that in my Fall Review coming soon).

 ( With their family )

Keep this family in your prayers.  The Lord is using them to be a light to their other family members.  Arnoldo's sister recently got saved in one of our Bible studies.  We're also praying for his other brothers  to make a decision to serve the Lord.  "...but with God all things are possible."  - Matthew 19:26

*I'm almost finished with the Summer 2013 Review.  I hope to get it up here soon!

Evangelistic Campaign in Salvador Urbina

While we were home on furlough, several people from a mountain village called Salvador Urbina (aka: retiro) began attending our church in Tapachula and also began new believer studies with our pastors-in-training.  By the time we arrived, some of these believers were ready for baptism.

We held a two day evangelistic campaign (April 18-19) at the retiro with attendees from our churches in Tapachula, Motozintla, Guatemala, and of course, the local village people.

On Friday afternoon we held the baptismal.  It was a neat little spot.  The water was not deep, but it was a perfect temperature and the refreshing mountain breezes were nice for keeping us city folk cool!

Some of the children finding good seats!

A lot of the adults stood on the opposite bank.
And don't tell anyone, but I stood in a few
inches of water to keep cool and get good pictures!  ;-)

Uh-oh!  Someone looks like he was missing his afternoon nap!

↑  Two of Edith's aunts  ↓

Lucy.  What a change has been made in her life!  PTL

She's the wife of Arturo and a sister to Antonio, Humberto, Diana, and Abigail.

Carlos.  The son of Arturo and Lucy.

I looked up from taking pictures and saw these guys with their phones/cameras!  From what we've discovered in our area of the world...it doesn't matter how little money you make, everyone somehow has a tv and a cell phone!  Priorities, you know?

We had another great happening Friday evening during our service.  Rainy season hadn't officially started yet around these parts, so we thought our outdoor services would be "safe."  Yep - you guessed it!  About the time that Bro. Cruz got up to preach, it decided to POUR!!!!  Most everyone grabbed their chair and ran to the porch of a nearby house, while a few others disconnected the sound system, speakers, and keyboard!  After getting settled, we finished the service crowded in the house and porch.  Great memories!

We are so thankful for how the Lord helped us in this evangelistic campaign.  For now, the people from the retiro are still traveling about 45 mins. to our church in Tapachula on Sunday mornings, and Michael and a few others are traveling up the mountains every Friday evening for a Bible Study.  Continue to keep us/them in your prayers, as the one section of road that they travel on has been known to have robbers stopping travelers in recent weeks.

A Busy Sunday

What a busy and eventful day yesterday!!!  We knew the day and all its events would be busy, we just didn't realize how eventful it could be!

Saturday evening, I (Crystal) started with a stomach virus.  I woke up Sunday morning still not feeling well, and wondering how I was going to make it through a jam-packed day.  What I didn't realize at first, was that Michael woke up with the same stomach problem.  Michael was thinking the Lord was really going to have to touch Bro. Butch Heath in case Michael couldn't make it through all the preaching, etc...  And then we found out that this crazy stomach virus had hit Bro. Butch in the night also!  Now life was getting interesting - we all had to give it our best and try to make it through the day!!

And so we gave it our best, and the Lord made up the rest.  Sunday morning, Bro. Butch Heath gave a challenge to us on family and marriage while Michael translated.

Then, since we have a lot of couples in our church who have only been married by the government and not in a church, there were several who wanted to take vows in a church setting.  What a bless-ed time this was!

Ramon and Juanita

Antonio and Sonia

Humberto and Edith

Benjamin and Naomi

After the morning service, we had a pitch in meal.  Unfortunately, the three of us sick people decided not to try the good smelling food because we surely did not want to make any hurried and unplanned trips to the bathroom!   =)

The next event on our schedule was to have one more marriage seminar session.  It was a SUPER hot day, but the Lord helped Bro. Butch and Michael as they taught.  Throughout the whole weekend, the people seemed to really enjoy each session.

If you're interested, you can click here to read about last year's marriage seminar.

Since we finished the events held in the church, it was time to take a short drive and hold a baptismal!!  It's always such an exciting time!  As we drove up to the river, we wondered if we were seeing what "the muddy Jordan" might have looked like!!  Wow!

What a blessing it was to watch these discipled converts share their testimony and then as the scripture says, "...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost..." (Matthew 28:19)

Ulises

Ninfa

Ramon

Juanita

Daniela

Anna Laura

To see pictures of last years baptismal, click here.

And so, after all these wonderful events, our day "of work" was finally done.  And you know what?  The Lord helped us and blessed us, and by the time we got home, we three sick ones were feeling pretty good!

What an awesome, but busy Sunday!!!

Baptismal Service

Thank the Lord for another opportunity to hold a baptismal service - because that means that lives are being changed and then established in this Christian walk!

Yesterday, after a "shortened" service, we went about 10 mins. outside of the city to the river. There we baptized 4 people. These two couples were saved and then discipled while we were gone on deputation (by one of our church men who is studying to be a preacher) and now they live a changed life and share an awesome testimony of what the Lord has done!

It was a beautiful day for a baptism.

Blanca

Ignacio

Diana

Julio

And here's the group afterwards with their certificates.

After the baptismal, we all went back to Antonio and Sonia's house for a meal together.

Diana and Parker - bestest buddies :-)

Our First Baptismal Service

The Sunday before we left Mexico (March 14th), we were privileged to have a baptismal service where 5 believers were baptized! We took a large group of people from Tapachula, and drove up into the mountains picking up others from Faja de Oro and Santo Domingo.

God's presence was with us throughout the day as we had a short service, then listened to the testimonies of how God had changed the lives of those who were being baptized.

The scenery was beautiful...

A look from above.
There were approximately 50 people in attendance.
Some of the children during the service.

Michael along with the 5 baptismal candidates.
Arturo.
He was originally saved at H.I.M.'s West Palm Beach church in FL, but now is able to be a testimony and witness to his family in Mexico.
Mario Antonio is only 12 years old...but God has changed his life!
In other news...

We have safely arrived in Texas and are awaiting the birth of our baby.

During our absence in Mexico, we will be having several different individuals/families fill in for us while we are in the States for our baby's birth and also for deputation. Right before we left, we were privileged to welcome Jonathan and Renee Springer and their family to our home. They will be filling in for us until June 1st. I'm sure they would appreciate your prayers!