Missionaries

Other friends say goodbye. Part 3

2006-03-05T02:26:00.000-06:00

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Originally uploaded by isaacmex.

We also had a great time with other friends that are not part of the college ministry. These people are other families and couples that have been a true blessing for our lives. We've been blessed by their wisdom and their parental love and care. Their friendship is one of God's gifts that He's used to make an impact on our lives.

The college-student ministry says goodbye. Part 2

2006-03-05T02:10:00.000-06:00

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Originally uploaded by isaacmex.

We also had a very special time with the college student group. It was special with them because they have been the people we've grown spiritually with. This is the ministry that I was involved with. These are the people that God used so many times in my life: as friends, as sheep, as co-leaders,... It was special for them as well because they see the first couple that came from them being sent. Thank you guys for being such great friends and for teaching us important lessons.

The church says goodbye. Part 1

2006-03-05T02:03:00.000-06:00

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Originally uploaded by isaacmex.

This is one of the most memorable moments. The whole church gathered, lead in prayer by one of the pastors from the Monterrey team. It was very encouraging for us and for the congregation as well because they got to see two of its disciples being sent to another country to reach out people for Christ. It's a great feeling to be there with so many people praying for you. By God's grace the vision is being fulfilled. That night some people started to say goodbye and we started to feel what it's like to leave the people you've been together with.

Our move to Monterrey. The series.

2006-03-04T23:25:00.000-06:00

Hello friends

Since we haven't been able to write during these last days we are writing this series of articles that describe what happened the last days before our move and what has happened during these first days in Monterrey. We invite you to read and check out some pictures and follow with us the amazing things God is doing here.

Help us pray for...

2006-02-18T10:20:00.000-06:00

These are some things you can help us pray for. Remember your prayers are listened and they have an eternal impact.

Our personal connection with JC. There are hundreds of things to do, hundreds of people to be with but only ONE necessary thing: to worship Him and know Him better.
Our family: it's really hard for our parents to see us leave. Although they understand we are fulfilling the GC, emotionally speaking, separation isn't very nice sometimes.
The appartment we're looking for: a 2 or 3 bedroom appartment in Cumbres with furniture and appliances included at an affordable price.
The people we're going to meet. May we find grace before their eyes. We want to "be" true friends to them.
That God will continue to provide financially for us. We still need to reach our goal and there are several moving expenses to take care of.
That our hearts would always remain humble before God. That He would be number one in our lives.

Thanks.

The Monterrey team says goobye

2006-02-18T09:54:00.000-06:00

The Monterrey team that remains in Honduras organized a nice honduran dinner to say goodbye to us. Actually it's more a "see you soon" than a "goodbye". As you can see in the picture, there are still several families that are waiting on God's time to leave for Monterrey.

Currently, there are 2 families already settled in Monterrey. Sergio's family who was the first one to leave and Juan Manuel's family. We are the 3rd family to move and we feel very honnored to be part of this great team. It was a great time together and the brothers and sisters are starting to see how God is turning his promise into something real. We had a great time praying, laughing, thanking God for who He is, food and some very encouraging words that the brothers expressed to us.

Great garage sale!

2006-02-16T10:19:00.000-06:00

Last February 4 and 5 we had our garage sale. This was just one day after we confirmed that we would be leaving on February 23. This is a picture of the house we lived all of our married life. On Feb the 5th we moved to my parent's house to be with them the last days before leaving for Monterrey. God blessed us with a great place to live for about two years and we are praying that God may provide a very nice place for us in Monterrey. The purpose is to welcome all our friends who will visit us in Monterrey and to welcome our friends and disciples from Monterrey. Please pray that God may provide us a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment in Cumbres. This is a very startegic area that's close to the main universities and where some of the families from the church would like to live. Pray that this appartment would include furniture and appliances so we won't have to buy those at the beginning.

Well, that garage sale went very well. At the beginning we were kind of scared things wouldn't be sold because we had had very little time to tell our friends and neighbors about the garage sale. However, God made the miracle and some friends helped us spread the word and basically we were able to sell everything. We didn't have like a whole lot of stuff but still, everything was sold. We'll use this money to cover part of Jennyffer's legal expenses and for the first month of rent and another month of deposit. God is good!

We've set a date to leave!

2006-02-09T09:44:00.000-06:00

Hello everybody

It is a great pleasure for us to inform you that we've already set a date for our departure to Monterrey. February 23 is the date we've set to leave. As you may notice, we have very little time left here in Honduras. We are very excited about this. we had been waiting for about 2 years and now, God is finally opening the doors. Actually, He's been opening doors forever but now, this is it!

Jennyffer and I are so thankful to God and the people He's used to send us. Although we haven't reached our ideal financial goal, we have decided to leave on this date. We're still working on reaching that goal and will continue to work in this. Last friday, we confirmed this decision with the team's leading pastor, Sergio. Even though leaving without all of our finances might be considered risky we have decided to make this step and trust God to be our number one provider. Don't you think risk is necessary sometimes? Don't you think Noah took a risk by investing all of his time, money and energy building an arch when rain didn't exist? Don't you think Abraham took a risk by leaving his entire family and nation to go... well, actually, he didn't even know where he was going! Don't you think the prostitute Rahab took a risk by welcoming the spies in her house? They sure took some risks: Everybody used to make fun at Noah, Abraham left everything behind him and Rahab could have been hung by the ruler of Jericho. My question is: was it worth it? It sure was. They all glorified God's name in their lives. So... what made the difference in those people's lives: something called faith. Would you like to see a beautiful definition of that word? We find it in Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

We know God will be with us all the way to Monterrey and of course every day of our lives. We also want to thank you so much for your prayers, care and support. Your faith has moved mountains. We'll keep you informed on what's happening these days prior to our trip.

A miracle at the Mexican embassy!

2006-02-02T11:38:00.000-06:00

Hello friends!

We want to tell you about our experience at the embassy . On tuesday we went there at 9am sharp. We were nervous and praying at the same time. At the embassy there are usually two nice ladies from Honduras that check your papers and then they take them to the official from the embassy. But yesterday, this official was receiving the papers and we had to meet with him. He started asking questions and he didn't look so nice as the other ladies.

He told us that in order to get the visa we had better show him our tickets to Monterrey to prove that we would be flying back to Honduras. We didn't say a word. And he asked us this for the next day. So we asked Sergio (our pastor) for advice on what to do in this situation and he suggested to show them our flight reservations. It's not the same as showing the tickets but this would be plan A.

It's kind of difficult because we didn't know when we would be leaving exactly and we still don't have a confirmed date so we couldn't buy the tickets. Anyway we went to the embassy and went again to that office thinking about what we would say if they asked us for some explanation. And then the miracle happened! They gave us our passports with a visa to enter Mexico. And guess what? They didn't even ask us a single question. Just like this, they just gave us our visas and wished us a nice trip!

Isn't it amazing? This is God's grace working! He did it! It's such an amazing work, He does not look for our abilities. Humanly speaking we had no chance to get it but he made the difference. And this is only for his glory! He deserves all our worship because he's done mighty things among us. The waters of the Jordan river have been split, right before our eyes!

We just wanted to thank you so much for your prayers and faith: we know they have also made a difference. God has answered your prayers! Thank you because you're also part of this amazing miracle.

What a great man of faith!

2006-01-23T16:41:00.000-06:00

Today, I want to share with you the story of Caleb. What a great servant of God he was! This is what I call a man of character and integrity. A man who served the Lord until the end of his life and who patiently waited for what God promised to him. Here's a piece of his autobiography, we find it in Joshua 14. This is what he said to Joshua:

"You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.' [a]

10 "Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said."

Here are some amazing secrets the Lord taught me:

Age is not an issue for God: Caleb engaged in his most amazing journey at the age of forty when he became a spy. Is age keeping you from doing mighty things fr God?
Caleb worked for forty five years in one command God gave him. He waited patiently for God's results. How long are you willing to wait to see God's miracles in your life?
Caleb was faithful and brought a report according to his convictions. This only shows where he was in his personal relationship with God.
Perhaps he was also scared at the beginning. However he overcomed his fears and brought a good report.
He was so confident in God's purpose and promise that even when other ten people came back saying it was a land of giants and full of danger, he remained confident in his God.
After forty five years he was as strong as the day Moses sent him out. How do you feel? Are you full of energy, enthusiasm, joy and passion for the Lord? Are you vigorous to face new challenges?
He was eager to drive out the Anakites of that land as the Lord had commanded him. He asked God's help and finally made it.
The result: Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.

It's incredible to see how Israel received the Promised Land. At the proper time, they got it. And it's even more incredible to see that the 12 tribes of Israel received each a portion of the land, but the Bible mentiones two men who personally received a piece of land: Caleb and Joshua. Some heroes!

Joshua 1:1-9

2006-01-16T17:07:00.000-06:00

What an amazing piece of Scripture! Joshua 1 :1-9. This is such an exciting story. I have been thinking a lot about what happens here and it's so encouraging. JC really knows how to show us who He is! And He does it in amazing ways.

I have learned so many things in this passage that I wouldn't like to miss the opportunity to share them with all of you. There are promises, commandments, miracles, principles and vision in this passage. This is what God showed me, perhaps you want to share also what God taught through this passage. You might want to share it with a comment.

Joshua was Moses servant. For a lot of time he was behind the scene but at the proper time God made him appear on stage.
Joshua and Israel are about to receive the promise made hundreds of years ago.
The promise is superlatve: the Promised Land. This was every Jew's dream.
Which promise are you going after? Do you have a "Promised Land" in your life?
Just before getting there they found a great challenge: the Jordan River. Did this mean God hadn't thought carefully about the promise he made? No, He was just testing their faith. The Promised Land was theirs. And they were really close to it!
Verse 4 says... "your teritorry will extend from the desert... " What is your current territory? What would you like it to be? Do you remember Jabez?
A great promise: "As I was with Moses, so will I be with you" This makes me feel confident!
A commandment: "Be strong and courageous..." We've got to be strong but in not our own strength...
"Be careful to obey all the law". This is what it's all about: obedience. I may know the entire Bible but if I don't practice its principles I may be building my house on the sand.
In order to do everything written in the Bible, I've got to meditate on it day and night
Day and night means intensively, it implies a lot of time, it demands a personal commitment
Again, something to rely on... "the Lord tour God will be with you wherever you go". Whatever you do, whoever you meet, whatever obstacle you find, no matter how weak you are or feel, He will be with you every day of your life. Isn't this powerful? Isn't this enough reason to be really happy?
Verse 10: Joshua answered and acted in obedience... immediately!

I want to encourage you to make a personal commitment to the Lord. That you may be careful to obey all the law, to meditate on his Word day and night, not to turn from it to the left or to the right. And He shall be with you as He was with Moses and Joshua.

Which chair are you sitting in? (Part 2)

2006-01-16T16:45:00.000-06:00

This is the second part of this series. Once again, we encourage you to read this book. God has used it to change my mind in a lot of aspects.

Once we start reading and getting to know the characrteristics of the people sitting in the different chairs, we realize what a danger it is to be sitting in the 2nd chair. It is even more dangerous than to be sitting in the 3rd chair. Why you might ask? Usually the people from the second chair are christians who have grown tired and disppointed. They are tired of seeking God. They have found out that it is more "relaxing" to wake up at 7am, take a shower and then leave for work rather than waking up at 6am and seeking the Lord in prayer and in His Word. Watching TV 4 hours a day doesn't require much effort but going after the secrets of the Lord is only for those who fear him (Psalm 25:14). Making excuses for a selfish behavior is also easier than ackowledging our own weaknesses and admitting you're wrong.

The interesting thing about this is that it's not meant to be something to make us feel even worse. I don't believe Jesus intentions are to make us feel guilty or miserable. God just wants us to realize that our commitment to Him is something very important and if we have been feeling kind of frustrated or disappointed, his sole purpose is to restore us and encourage us. He is an awesome God!

Which chair are you sitting in? (Part 1)

2006-01-05T14:43:00.000-06:00

This is a good question that you might want to ask yourself. Have you ever heard of the powerful principle of the three chairs? Bruce Wilkinson talks about this powerful biblical principle in his book called Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs. I must say that this is an extraordinary book. I'm reading it right now and I consider it a christian jewel.

It will make you think about where you are in your spiritual journey. There are three different chairs:

The 1st chair is for those christians whose lives are committed to serving and honoring God. The Bible calls them "Spiritual men". This is the chair you want to be sitted in. Your heart is humbled before God: you are his servant and He is your Lord. You live for Him and not for your self-centered plans.

The 2nd chair is for those people who are saved and are good christians but have grown tired and kind of disappointed in their lives. The Bible calls them "lukewarm". They are not committed to the Lord in the fisrt place anymore but to themselves. They seek their own benefit. They are seeking either pleasure, power, fame or possessions and asking the Lord for it. They live for God's dream as long as it doesn't interfere with their own dream. They have good intentions and want to be good disciples of JC, they just don't want to pay the price of being one. They were once on fire for Jesus nevertheless this fire has slowly and constantly been put out.

The 3rd chair is for non-believers. The Bible calls them "the natural men". It's the kind of people who radically live for themselves. They do not consider God or his principles for any decision in their lives. They seek peace and hapiness but do not have a clue on where to find them. These people are not saved.

I encourage you to read this book and meditate about your own life. Which chair are you sitting in?

2006...

2005-12-31T15:45:00.000-06:00

We've reached the end of the year. Today is the last day. It's a special day because it's the last of the year. There is a verse from the Bible that has really amazed me and caught my attention: Psalm 90:12. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. I agree with someone that once said that living is an art. Indeed, it's an art because we ought to learn how to live. In this particular case Moses was asking the Lord to teach him how to live, and how to live one day at a time. It's interesting to realize that today is a gift from God. Yesterday is already gone and we don't know if tomorow we're going to be alive. We don't eve know if there is going to be a tomorrow. So the point is how to live in these 24 hours that the Lord has given. Had you ever thought that this could be our last day? It's interesting that Moses didn't ask for direction on how to live his years, months or even weeks. Our days. This is God's gift to us: today.

So, how can we live today that we may acquire a heart of wisdom? Here are some ways I can think of... perhaps you can think of more and let us know...

Live according to priorities. What's more important for you? What is it that God wants you to focus more on?
Plan according to priorities. Once you've identified what God wants you to focus on it's time to start acting that way.
Change your yearly-perspective to a daily-perspective. Not that you don't have to plan for the future but start living one day at a time.
Recharge your batteries everyday. You'll need supernatural power to live this way. You need God's love and power everyday to keep up the pace.
Live for the glory of God. If you want your life to count for eternity, seek and live everyday for the glory of Gos. There's no greater purpose in life.

Please let us know how this truth has affected your life. You may leave a comment.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-22T09:49:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas! Wow! another year has come to an end. What are your plans for Christmas Day this year? It's interesting to remember what Christmas is all about. Let me tell you what it's like here in Honduras. Usually it's the time for people to go shopping, buying new things; it's the time to prepare nice food and a have a nice dinner and also to get together with family and friends to celebrate... yes, but to celebrate what?

Christmas is the time of the year when we remember Jesus' birth. Along with his death this is the most amazing event in history. It changed the course of humanity forever. Our Savior was born. The greatest act of love was performed when God became a man and lived among us. And then He died volunteerly to pay our debt. No one will ever love you more than what God loves us. God cannot love you more than he does because He loved us so much that he gave what was the most valuable to Him: his own Son. Wow! What a gift! Indeed, we are valuable because of Him. God wanted to show us how important we are for Him and how much He loves us by sacrifying his own Son. This is Christmas. It's all about Him! It's his birthday!

So we wanted to wish the best Christmas ever. We especially hope you are closer to God than ever before and let us gather with family and friends to celebrate Him! Merry Christmas everyone!

A special thank you!

2005-12-20T11:21:00.000-06:00

We're about to end another year and soon begin a new one. We hope God will use you in many powerful ways during this next year. Today, we want to give a very special thanks to all of you who have been close to us either physically, emotionally or spiritually. We want to thank all our friends for their incredible support on our way to Monterrey. Thank you for your prayers, for your care, for your encouragement, for your financial support, for your friendship and especially for loving the Lord and expanding His kingdom here on earth. You are so special for us and we pray the Lord will provide you with all you need and use you in your communities to transform them. Thank you for allowing us to fulfill the Great Commission. We feel closer to Monterrey than ever before.

Facts about Monterrey (Part 2)

2005-12-13T12:36:00.000-06:00

In Mexico...

25% of Mexican women have suffered or are suffering from domestic violence
15 % of the population suffers from depression
Monterrey has one of the highest suicide rates in Mexico among teenagers and young adults
Car accidents due to alcohol is the 1st cause of death among teenagers under 20 years old
76% of the population affected by illegal drugs is between 15 and 29 years old.

One major conclusion: Mexicans are in desperate need of God's love and salvation

Facts about Monterrey: "The City of the Mountains" (Part 1)

2005-12-13T11:32:00.000-06:00

Monterrey...

The city is a major industrial center and produces 25% of Mexico's products
Mty's major industries are: Steel, glass, aluminum, auto parts, machinery, electrical wiring, telecommunications, processed food...
It is known as the industrial capital of Mexico
In December of 1999, It was recognized by Fortune magazine as the best place in Latin America to do business
The city has the highest GDP per capita in Latin America
It's one of the most important educational centers in Mexico and Latin America. There are over 30 universities in Monterrey.
The TEC of Monterrey is one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America with more than 40,000 students both local and from abroad.

The end of the year: a time to examine ourselves...

2005-12-01T15:51:00.000-06:00

The year 2005 is reaching its end. One more year... so, how did it go? What was this year like? Was it a good year? Or maybe a year to forget? What made it great? Or what made it so bad? I could even ask: what made it the same as last year? Do you wake up every morning excited about God's plan for that day? or do you just wake up, do your job, eat and then go to sleep? I believe the end of the year is always a good year to make a pause and evaluate your whole life. It's a great time to ask the Lord, yourself and other people to examine what you've done this year. However, the idea is not to feel guilty or miserable... I don't think God wants you to feel that way. Even if we've messed up. It's just a time to make changes and to make them happen! It's a time to straighten your path. A time to humble yourself before God and seek Him.
So I wanted to have you consider four different aspects of your life:

Your personal relation with JC (Psalm 25:14)

Has it been regular? Do you feel closer to Him than any other time in your life? Do I have time for Him? Or am I too busy? Do I know him better? Not just know stuff about him, but to actually know and trust him, the way He is. Please, let us not feel down... the only purpose of this is to make the appropraite changes.

Your family life (1 Tim. 3:4-5 ; 5:8)

How's your relationship with your spouse? Is he or she your best friend? Are you a servant in your house? Do you spend enough time with your children? How often do you pray together? Is your family growing stronger?

Your character (1 Tim 4:15-16)

Is it better? worse? or the same? Are you still growing spritually? Do other people see your progress? It's OK if we struggle sometimes but the most important thing is our attitude. Are we conscioussly fighting to improve?

Your work (1 Tim 4:6,10)

Are you doing the right thing? Are you doing it well? Are you constantly improving? Are you working as a team?

These are just some areas we can consider. I bet there are many more we can think about. So again, let's throw ourselves into God's open arms and let us rest in his grace and love.

Thanksgiving

2005-11-29T10:25:00.000-06:00

What did you do for Thanksgiving? Did you have a big feast? It's such a great holiday! It's a favorite one for many Americans. But, what is it for? Besides getting together with family and friends and having a really nice meal It's such a beautiful day to rest and think about all the amazing things God is doing in your life and around you. It's a day to thank Him for all his blessings... for eternal life, for his love, his sacrifice on the cross, for his plan and the purpose he has given to us... It's a time to thank Him for your family, for your health, for your friends, for your house, for the food you eat everyday... for nature, for his miracles, for who He is...
However, one thing I have to say: maybe you can tell me... "yeah, I know... but I just don't feel like doing it" Well... Don't wait for the feeling to come. Start doing it and the feeling will come afterwards. Maybe someone else will say that he or she is going through some really difficult times. "I lost my job" or "I'm sick" or "I'm not satisfied with..". But let us remember all things God works for the good of those who love him. (Rom 8:28)

Psalm 104

2005-11-16T10:42:00.000-06:00

Can I ask you a question... what makes you really happy? Is it your family? Work? Your ministry? Vacations? Whatever that is, remember that God is the one who makes you able to enjoy it. Had you thought about this? Let us remember that He gives us... wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make our face shine, and bread that sustains our heart (psalm 104:15). Here are some other questions... How much do birds have to worry about getting their food? How much does the grass have to worry about getting water? Did the wild goats have to worry about a place to live? How do wild donkeys quench their thirst? How does nature keep such a perfect balance? We might find the answer in verse 27: These all look to you [Lord] to give them their food at the proper time. Gos is the answer. He likes to give to us. Of course there is a balance between God's answer and what he asks me to do. Verse 23 says: The man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. So next time you feel anxious or worried about God's supply remember that He wants you to do your job, whatever that is, and then just sit and wait for his miracles...

Does depression affect you?

2005-11-15T10:06:00.000-06:00

15 % of Mexicans suffer from depression. Is this something scary? If you add to this the fact that suicide is the 3rd cause of death among the youth, it starts to become scary. In addition, 50% of the suicides last year were committed by young adults between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. Monterrey is one of the cities where this happens more frequently. These young adults are in great need: not exactly of good self-estime programs or special places where they can be treated. It goes beyond that. What they really need is God's love and forgiveness in their lives. Only his love brings purpose, self-estime and joy into our lives. These teenagers and young adults deserve an opportunity to hear the message that will change their lives forever. They long for a little taste of God's kingdom in their community. In spite of the fact that Monterrey has the highest GDP per capita in Latin America, that it is a major industrial center in Latin America and that it has some of the most prestigious universities the need is superlative: the Gospel of JC, his love and forgiveness; and a godly, loving community are part of what these people really need. May God use Jennyffer and I as we move to this beautiful but needed country.

Reaching out to young adults

2005-08-29T15:36:00.000-06:00

Did you know that 20 % of Mexico's population is young adult? (ages between 20-30). This is about 21 million people we're talking about. These young men and women are stepping in one of the most important stages of their lives. Think about this! How many people do you know that have been reached out for Christ during this time? As part of the strategy to reach out to the most number of mexicans we've designed this ministry to meet the spiritual, emotional and professional needs of these young adults. By God's grace, we'll be working hard to offer these people true friendship, long-lasting relationships and a little taste of God's kingdom inthis world. Juan, Sergio and Ada are three young adults we met during our last mission trip to Monterrey. Not only they got saved but they also wanted to grow in a personal relationship with JC and other christians. Too bad we had to leave them... This is why we're eager to go back on permanent basis and start investing in their lives and many others'.

At the Mexican History Museum

2005-08-19T19:37:00.000-06:00

This is the team at the Museum. We could appreciate the different moments in Mexican history and learn more about the country's culture.

Residency being processed

2005-07-14T16:45:00.000-06:00

One of the amazing things about the trip was that we were able to start the process of our residency. Hopefully, when we go back to Monterrey in November we will be able to sign the papers and obtain our residency. This is something that usually takes much more time but God has opened the doors and has put in contact with some great lawyers there. When we get our residency we will be able to open bank accounts, to have social security, to have the option of getting loans, etc... This is something great and again, it only shows how great God's grace is. This is something that in my own efforts would have been very difficult or even impossible to achieve.

Tender and soft hearts

2005-07-12T10:32:00.000-06:00

Perhaps, the 1st thing that caught my attention and has me really impressed is how people responded to the gospel of JC. In a country where people are 95% catholic, their desire to hear the good news is amazing. Even though they are catholic they know very little about JC, his sacrifice and his personal interest in a deep relationship with them. We had the opportunity to share with over 120 people and we saw a great percentage of these people get saved. We had a special meeting where we invited all of our contacts and we got the opportunity to share the gospel again and to establish a more personal relationship with the people. Four people came: they all wanted to meet again next week but this wasn't possible. We got their emails and phone numbers and we'll keep in touch with them until we get back in November. Personally, I am amazed by the needs these people have. Their biggest one: to hear about Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. They don't know this! One 16 year-old teenager thought Jesus had died for his own sins! When he found out Jesus did it for him, he said "Nobody had told me this before" We got the chance to share the good news wth different kinds of people: from college students to business men, cab drivers, high school students, mothers, children, homeless people... I'm just so willing to go and do this, not for 11 days, but for the rest of my life! May you be famous Lord all over Mexico!!!

Back from Monterrey

2005-07-12T10:21:00.000-06:00

Hey everybody! It's good to be back in Honduras after 11 days of intensive learning and work in Monterrey. The trip was amazing! It's going to take a while to have everybody updated. We have now seen the land where the JC is taking us. It's incredible: the city is very nice and the people are just fantastic! They are so friendly and kind; it's easy to make new friends (which, by the way, we did) and to establish ever-lasting relationships. People's hearts are open to the Gospel, these people are thirsty for the good news of salvation. Thanks for your prayers. I'm sure they really made a difference.

Leaving next week

2005-06-22T17:29:00.000-06:00

Well, this is it... next Thursday, God willing, we'll be on our way to Monterrey. We are flying from Tegucigalpa to San Salvador and then to Mexico City. From Mexico D.F we will travel to Monterrey by bus. It's a 12 hour trip from the Mexican capital to our final destination. I feel very excited about this trip. It's going to be a great opportunity to expand God's Kingdom! We'll be sharing the Gospel with students from different universities, we'll be visiting an orpahanage and painting the auditorium of a small church. We'll have a chance to share experiences with other missionaries from the United States (Columbus and Colorado). We're going to be working a lot and this is great. We are also going to have a meeting for new contacts made during our trip. I hope to be able to take some pictures and share them with you when I come back. Thank you all for your prayers and support. I hope I will be able to blog from Monterrey.

Good news at the Mexican Embassy

2005-06-14T15:18:00.000-06:00

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Hey friends! I got some great news to tell you all. I got the mexican visa today!!! Yes, that's great! Yesterday morning I finished gathering all the requirements for the visa. So, I went to the embassy and they told me to come back the day after. What has really impressed me and what I've learned during this process is the fact that God is the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. In my human strenght, it would have been impossible to get the visa. Neverthless, the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Cor 10:4). I want to thank you all because I know your prayers have reached their destination. Thanks for you encouragement as well. Now, I have to prepare for the trip to Monterrey in two weeks. There are many things I still need to work on and I know God is by my side.

Prayer needs

2005-06-07T15:43:00.000-06:00

Pray for us...

We encourage you to pray...

For our faith. Even if the circumstances are difficult we need to fix our eyes on Jesus.
For my visa. I'm taking my application to the embassy this week.
For the team's trip in July. We expect a fruitful trip.

Man's effort vs. God's mercy

2005-06-07T15:07:00.000-06:00

'It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy'. Rom 9:16
Our calling, gifts and opportunities do not depend on our desire or efforts. Let's remember that every good and perfect gift is from above. This is something important that we need to remember. God is primarily interested in our heart and attention. We ought fix our eyes in Jesus.

I've been considering these passages because I'm working on gathering all the requirements to get the mexican visa. It's not easy getting it because a lot of illegal immigrants enter the U.S. through the Mexican border. Sometimes I struggle with thoughts as if everything depended on me. But just then, I realize that even if I have to work hard on this, God has the last word. So. let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

A Missionary's Job.

2005-06-06T14:40:00.000-06:00

On December 2003, when the leaders of the church invited me to join the Mission team to Monterrey, I believe I had no idea what kind of business I was getting into. I thought the hardest part about becoming a missionary was making the decision to move to another country. So, when I made this decision about three weeks later I realized this was only the beginning- the beginning of a very exciting journey. "Yes", I said. "I'm willing to move". At that time, I didn't realize I was engaging in a process where God wanted to lead me all the way to a closer walking with Him.

So I believe God has matched the financial, emotional and spiritual struggles that I've faced with my need of humbleness and reliance on Him. When God called Abraham and told him to leave his country, his family and everything behind him, what Abraham actually did was to start the journey where his relationship with his Savior would change forever. This is why a misionary's first priority is to rely upon his God.

Trip to Monterrey in July

2005-05-03T17:36:00.000-06:00

Hello everybody! I'd like to tell you that the Monterrey team is planning a trip from July 1st- July 11. During this time different mission teams from the United States will be arriving to Monterrey to do some ministry there. Personally I'm very excited about this trip. I' d really like to go and help these teams that will be coming. We'd be doing some evangelism in two of the most prestigious universities (The Tech and the University of Nuevo Leon) establishing important contacts as well as visiting an orphanage and some social work. This is an incredible oportunity to spread the good news about Christ and to establish a foundation for what will be the church in Monterrey. As in this moment I'm working in the Fundraising: I'm going to need about US$ 1,000.00 in order to go there (this includes airfare, accomodations, etc...) Please pray so that I can raise such amount and have the oportunity to go and feel free to contact me if you'd like to invest in a special gift for me or provide me with ideas and suggestions on how to get there. My email is: isaacugc@hotmail.com

2005-04-18T16:25:00.000-06:00

Proud to be part of...

This is the challenge

2005-03-30T15:37:00.000-06:00

This is the challenge! It's Mexico's 3rd most important city. A 4.1 million people city only 2 hours away from the U.S. border.

My wife Jennyffer

2005-03-29T15:05:00.000-06:00

This is my wife Jennyffer. She's an incredible woman of God that supports me in fulfilling the Great Commission. She loves meeting new people and building strong relationships with them. She really has a heart to go and make disciples, and she's so excited to move to Monterrey. She loves to cook and bake and would like to start a bakery there after finishing her studies in this field.

Lunch at Sergio's place. Dec 04

2005-03-29T14:55:00.000-06:00

This was a meeting that really changed my life. We met with Nelson Guerra: he shared with the Monterrey team his heart for Monterrey. He also shared some powerful Scripture that changed my vision of Monterrey. Heb 12:1-3

My first post

2005-03-29T13:03:00.000-06:00

The main purpose of this spot is for people to get to know what is happening in our lives in order to move to Monterrey Mexico in November. It's an incredible experience, it's an amazing journey! I ask please to pray for this project and for the rest of the members of this team.

I'll let you know more of what's happening in future posts.