Created to worship

Forty Days of Purpose continued at Reto a la Juventud (Teen Challenge Mexico) as co-director Alejandra Martínez preached this week on what it means to truly love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Each week the teaching is recorded and later aired on a local cable channel. What an opportunity to spread the message of hope and purpose to a wide audience! 

So remember, as we learned this week, we don't need to pretend with God (no necesitamos fingir). He simply wants you to be you (quiere que seas como eres). So just take your everyday life - your rest, your meals, your work, and your comings and goings - and give it all as an offering to God* (Toma tu vida cotidiana, la vida de todos los días - tu descanso, tu comidas, tu trabajo, y tus idas y venidas - y ponlas como una ofrenda ante Dios).

Please continue to pray for Alejandra and Gamaliel as they present this teaching week after week through October and disciple the residents of Teen Challenge day by day.

Thank you for your prayers, we have secured a new language tutor! He arrives twice a week for two hours at a time and already we feel the linguistic juices flowing more freely :)

Please visit our new and improved Missionary Profile on the AGWM Directory. There you will also find links to our Blog, a Newsletter Signup and Archive, as well as a giving link. Check it out!

*Paraphrase of Romans 12:1

Finding a blessing a little closer to home

Feeling a little queasy yesterday before church, so instead of opting for a 20 minute taxi ride and a 5 minute walk to Teen Challenge we decided to stay a little closer to home, therefore we visited the church we used to attend when we lived here our first term.

We enjoyed greeting so many familiar faces, and a few new ones. The cutest face of the day belonged to little Fabián. His parents prayed eight years for their little miracle. Felicidades to Vane and Alex!

The video doesn't do it justice, but the musicians and singers led us into a beautiful spirit of worship.

Que todo lo que soy,

alabe al Señor,

con todo mi corazón,

de tu grande amor, cantaré

tu nombre alabaré

Sound familiar?



As always, we appreciate your prayers. Today we hope to firm up our plans for a new language tutor!

Have you seen our Missionary Profile on the new AGWM Missionary Directory? Among other things you will find links to our Blog, Newsletter signup/archive, and Commitment to Pray. Check it out!

Created for Purpose

Yesterday at Teen Challenge Mexico (Reto a la Juventud), Director Gamaliel Cerda began a new series, 40 Días con Propósito (40 Days of Purpose). Everyone received a bookmark that outlined the teaching points for the next few weeks and a workbook to follow along.

You may not know this, but Sunday services are are not just for Teen Challenge residents and visiting families, they also include individuals from the surrounding community. In fact, I've noticed a couple of familiar faces these last few weeks from those who participated in the health clinic last month. However, this particular series will also serve a wider audience as it is being filmed to show every Thursday on a local cable channel.

Please take a moment to pray right now for Directors Gamaliel and Alejandra and their staff at Teen Challenge. Pray for a clear presentation of the teaching, a receptive audience, and that people will find their purpose in life by finding the God who created them for a purpose.

***

We are grateful for the ministry opportunities that continue to present themselves to us, even in the short time we've been back. Thank you for your faithful support that allows us to minister in this crazy, busy, wonderful city. If you haven't already, please subscribe to our newsletter so we can stay in touch. Thanks again!

The old has gone, the new is here!

It's hard to believe that we returned to Mexico City just one month ago. I'm still amazed how much time and effort it takes just to settle in and make your house a home after an international move. Although, we're still plugging away at the process we've also enjoyed plugging into Teen Challenge on Sunday mornings (Reto a la Juventud). 

Teen Challenge Directors, Gamaliel and his wife Alejandra, greet and encourage the residents and their families here in Mexico City. Yesterday was a particularly special day as Eliu shared his amazing testimony.

Raised in a pastor's home, Eliu strayed far from the Lord. A bright young man, he graduated law school at twenty-one and became a district attorney. Eliu successfully prosecuted drug lords, but then became addicted to drugs himself. His drug use led to other illicit behavior and soon he realized he was HIV positive. 

Although Eliu surrendered his life to Christ, he eventually lay sick and dying of AIDS. While he was at the brink of death, friends and family fasted and prayed for him. A missionary friend (also a nurse) convinced the doctors to try a new drug therapy. Today, Eliu's HIV is considered medically undetectable. As Eliu preached yesterday, he is a new creation in Christ. Eliu is married now and has a six year old son. Both his wife and his son are HIV negative. Eliu pastors a church in Mérida.

 This week, Pastor Eliu is in Mexico City to study Greek at the Anna Sander's Seminary. As much as I appreciated Eliu's testimony of transformation, I also appreciate his dedication to continuing education. Many pastors here who want to complete their bachelor or master's degree must travel to do so. It takes a lot of effort, time away from family and ministry, and of course finances to continue their education. But a good education is that important to them. 

Please pray for Pastor Eliu, his wife and congregation, as well as the young men at Teen Challenge. I trust his life and testimony encouraged many yesterday to continue seeking the Lord to become new creations in Christ. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Por lo tanto, si alguno está en Cristo, es una nueva creación. ¡Lo viejo ha pasado, ha llegado ya lo nuevo! 2 Corintios 5:17