Until All Have Heard

Soap for Sale!

2008-04-12T12:02:00.004-04:00

The women in Mexico City at Casa de Paz Church are making soap - GREAT SOAP! Made with ingredients such as real oatmeal, milk, lemon, flower petals, and different oils. It will be shipped out this week and available for purchase through SEED from the FMWM office in Indianapolis. This soap smells amazing and is very practical for every home...and you can be supporting the ministries here in Mexico City every time you wash your hands! They also make great gifts.

We have 5 different varieties presently available (click on each picture to see them in detail). Oatmeal and Milk (contains honey, oatmeal, milk, vitamin E, and almond), Honey Lemon (contains honey, lemon, vitamin E and almond), Calendula (contains almond, coconut, pear and calendula petals), Cinnamon (contains orange, cinnamon and almond), and a tropical nut version (contains coconut, lemon, lime and orange) that is used locally to treat skin dimpling and cellulite.

A regular size soap bar sells for $2.50 or mix and match with 3 smaller squares for $5.00. To order your soap today, just email seed@fmcna.org or call 1-800-342-5531 ext. 249. Check out the SEED site and find some other great items that can make a difference around the world!

The Only Shares That Are Going UP!

2008-03-20T19:11:00.007-04:00

As friends of the Mexico Mission District which includes Mexico City, you have an awesome opportunity to invest right now in some shares that are guaranteed to bring longterm gains. How is this possible you might ask with all of the economic fears in today's down-turning market? Is this another scam out of Nigeria or China? No!

Today is the day you can invest in Mexico Country Shares! These are hot commodities and likely won't last long. The Mexico Country Shares are used to support a variety of Mexican-led ministries that go hand-in-hand with the other mission activities taking place in Mexico.

For example, the Mission District Director (Jorge Guarello) is responsible for overseeing 10 different churches throughout Central and Southern Mexico. Most of these churches are led by pastors who don't have a lot of experience. Many of the churches including the one of which the Director is the pastor do not have enough resources to pay a living wage to their pastors. Country Shares are used to pay for the Director's travel as well as his family's grocery money. He is known to share these funds with other pastors who don't have enough to meet their monthly needs.

The Mexico Country Share Budget for 2008 is a little over $31,000. Churches in the Great Plains Conference have committed $7500 this year and South Canaan FMC has committed $500. That leaves $23000 available for your church or Sunday School class or family! Would you prayerfully consider how you might partner with us in seeing these vital Mexican ministries not just survive but thrive? Feel free to email your questions or comments to any of the missionaries you see linked in the right hand column of this blog.

Belated Update from February

2008-03-13T13:51:00.002-05:00

Friends, here are some news bits from Gary and Jann Allen's February newsletter. You can email them at garjann@gmail.com if you would like to receive their updates in your email.

Several new and exciting things have happened this month.

-- Janette Miller has opened their home to a Women's club for the
church and neighborhood women. It is drawing many women and meeting
various needs. Since we will probably be moving into that house when
the Millers are on home assignment, Jann has also been an active
member of the club.

--Another round of English classes has started. Jann teaches the
basic class, Gary helps with whatever level is needed. Through the
classes we have made a contact to help a university student with
English needed for an economics class. Jann's students showered her
with candy on the "Day of Love and Friendship."

--We opened our guest room to two different couples this month. What
a great chance to renew friendships!

--A VISA team from Peterborough, Canada has been here for the last
week and a half. They have been a huge help finishing up several
construction projects at the Tizoc (our oldest church in Mexico City)
and presenting some exciting and entertaining programs for the
children. The roof of the church parsonage was leaking. They
discovered some termite damage in the process of repairing the roof.
The damaged roof supports have been replaced and the infected areas
have been treated for the termite problem. Just a few of the tiles
needs to be replaced and they have been ordered. We have made new
friends during their stay and they have helped the Tizoc church make
a number of new contacts in the area.

--The COAPA church plant celebrated its first anniversary with a pot-
luck dinner celebration. (The truth is we have a potluck dinner the
first Sunday of every month anyway to celebrate the birthdays of the
members during the last month. The anniversary celebration may have
guaranteed a bigger or better dessert selection!)

In His Glad Service in Mexico City and area,

Gary & Jann Allen

Canadians come to Casa de Paz

2008-02-27T18:13:00.005-05:00

While the Seattle team mentioned in the post below worked in Leon, a team from Peterborough, Canada ministered in Mexico City. This group of 14 worked in construction and kids ministry.

The children's ministry was especially impacting as over 50 kids and many of their family members showed up on the final Sunday. During the week, they had enjoyed games, crafts, puppets, memory verses, and clowns. All of the children in attendance for this last service received a small gift bag from the team. Everyone enjoyed a traditional meal of pozole (po-so-lay) after the service as well as birthday cake to celebrate. We saw many new faces during the week and pray that the seeds planted by our friends grow into new life in Christ and new life in the local church. Thanks for joining us in that prayer.

The team also accompanied Pastor Juan and Eva to a new work in a part of the city called Xochimilco. There have been 2 adults and 2 children faithfully attending a short class on Sunday morning. The team had the chance to visit that work twice during their time here and invited many new families and children to the special kids service. They also gave groceries and clothing to some of the neediest families. Pastor Juan reports that the week following the team's departure, 16 people came to the Sunday School! We praise God for this new work and are praying that God raises up the necessary leaders for the harvest he has prepared.

Better Vision in Leon

2008-02-27T18:00:00.004-05:00

Here is part of Kevin and Nicole Housel's report from the recent eyeglasses clinic in Leon. A VISA team of 20 people from the Seattle area came down to make this clinic happen. If you'd like to see the rest of the Housels' newsletter, send them an email at knhousel@gmail.com.

Our past week was spent working with a group from
Seattle, Washington. The group came down to serve
the church here in León by offering a vision clinic
and doing construction. During the vision clinic we
were able to hand out fliers about the church and
English classes.
It was a week of hard work for all involved. Each
day the vision clinic had lines of people waiting to
have their eyes checked and to be fitted with glasses.
The group brought thousands of pairs of glasses with
them. Some of these glasses may have been your old
glasses because some of them came from the Lions
Club!
During the week, we saw more than 800 people! On
Tuesday we had a record setting day because we saw
more than 270 people and worked for 11 hours. Most
days were closer to 200 people. We prayed everyday
that we would have the glasses that the people coming
would need. There were very few people that we
were not able to fit with glasses.

Little Hands in Mexico

2008-01-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

"I want to help," said six year old Nasya Myers as I prepared the
Communion elements. So together we filled the tiny cups and arranged
them on a tray to be used at our COAPA church plant. Will this
little girl, whose hands are so eager to help, grow up to be a
missionary like her parents?

"STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM," the beckoning signs read as we traveled
home from a mission retreat with another missionary family. We
pulled over at a roadside stand and ordered the treat. A little girl
was busy helping her mother in any way she could as the dessert was
prepared for us. In most family businesses here in Mexico, the
children begin taking on responsibility and learning the trade as
soon as they are able to handle the small tasks with their little
hands.

Little hands reached out for the gifts brought by a mission service
organization. These children (pictured above) live on the edge of the city dumps.
Their life revolves around their small community. Our mission
personnel was invited to go along as translators. Medical, dental,
and vision clinics had been offered, as well as a beauty salon for
these residents. Now it was the last day for the mission
organization to be there, and they gave a Christmas party for the
children.

While we were in Campeche over the Christmas holidays to teach
leadership classes, we were invited to attend a kindergarten school
program. Little hands carried the symbols of Christmas as the
youngsters joyfully sang about the birth of Jesus.

Little hands presented various items to the bride and groom at the
altar. Each item represents a commitment the couple makes to each
other as they repeat their wedding vows. Gary officiated at the
wedding of the young people that we have known since their early
teens. What a joy it was to see them beginning a new family unit,
centered around Christ.

The day after Christmas, a new grandson was born into our family.
Julian Maddox Allen joined big brother Adrian and big sister Jade, in
the wee hours of December 26. Our son and daughter-in-law, Eric and
Summer are the parents of this new addition. We are eager to touch
his little hands when we take our summer vacation in Michigan.

Hands for the Harvest (Matthew 9: 37-38) is the mission theme for
2008. Little hands, big hands, hands around the world, are all
working towards this goal.

We personally thank you for the way you have supported us with
prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial giving over the past
year. We want to remain partners with you as we join hands to enter
a new year.

Your partners in the harvest,

Gary and Jann Allen

News from Leon and the Housels

2008-01-29T20:51:00.000-05:00

Friends, here is a report from VISA missionaries Kevin and Nicole Housel. They are serving in Leon alongside Pastor Jorge and Teresa. Please be in prayer for them as they adjust to the culture and as they look for ways to plug in to this young congregation. You can email them at knhousel@gmail.com or visit their blog by clicking on their names over in the right column of this blog.

English Classes Beginning

We are now offering English classes at the church. We have 2 classes for adults and 1 for kids. Please pray for this ministry opportunity. We are praying that through these classes we will be able to build relationships with the people in the classes and that more importantly we will be able to share the love of Jesus with them. Many people in other countries are so excited for the opportunity to learn English. We are thankful that we are able to reach out to the city of Leon through teaching English classes free of charge to the students.

Christmas Outreach to Hospital a Success!

A few days before Christmas, we went to the hospital to bring joy to the children. Usually when we go to the hospital, we take food for the relatives of patients in the hospital. For Christmas, we wanted to do something special. We made sacks and filled them with presents for all
of the babies and children that where in the hospital. It was so wonderful to see their faces brighten up when we handed them gifts. Along with bringing gifts for each of the children, we sang them Christian Christmas carols. We were able to bless 49 children and their families!
If you are interested in helping us give gifts to the children in the hospital for Kid’s Day, please contact us. Kid’s Day is a national holiday here in Mexico, so we hope to use it as an opportunity to reach out to the children in the hospital. It is an opportunity to bring joy to the kids who have to spend the holiday in the hospital.

New Ministry?

A new ministry God has placed it on our hearts to start ministering to a neighborhood very close to where we live. This past week we have been praying and talking to the Pastor about options for ministry. We feel that God is leading us towards a children’s ministry. We will write more in our next newsletter! (If you would like to receive the Housels' newsletters by email, simply drop them a note at their email: knhousel@gmail.com)

New Life at Casa de Paz

2008-01-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

By God's grace, we are seeing new spiritual life at the Casa de Paz local FM church. We believe that God is answering prayers (yours and ours) that His presence might be revealed here in Mexico City- in and through us. As God opens the doors, we are learning to walk through them. Pastor Juan and Eva are leading in this area by example. What a privilege to watch them share their testimonies and lives with all who will listen.

We are also learning that we all have a part to play in this effort. The following excerpt from a report I wrote on Friday illustrates how the church and social ministries are working together to give people opportunities to meet the Lord...

We are taking a prayer walk this a.m. in the neighborhood with Pastor Juan and Eva. God is at work here- there is a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air. A 50-ish couple (Andres and Bertha) made a decision for Christ this week. Their story is an example of what we hope/hoped would happen with the work here. They have a son in AA and had attended some of those meetings where they were introduced to the Bible and started reading on their own. Our first contact with them was through the clinic- they both had various physical complaints. Even in the clinic, however, their language betrayed the fact that the greater need was spiritual. "I have this emptiness inside that I don't know how to fill." "Something is lacking." As they came to the clinic almost weekly, we pointed them to Jesus and this Monday they made the step of coming to the Bible study.

Since the other Bible study attenders are in a leadership curriculum, Pastor Juan took them into the parsonage and they decided to start the Timoteos (basic discipleship) series. They had their Bibles and started the first lesson- "How to start living a Christian life". By the second verse of the study, Bertha was weeping and Andres was visibly broken. Juan stopped the study and asked them if they would like to have this kind of life. They gave their lives to Jesus and are now continuing their walk alongside the rest of us. Last night they came to the prayer meeting and are planning to invite one of their friends to the Monday night study next week. You read and know about the Spirit working in this way but when it happens in your life and with your friends, it is still amazing and refreshing. God wants to use us and we want to be available for the Spirit to work through us, transforming lives.

We praise the Lord for this fruit that he is giving. Andres and Bertha were in church yesterday, praising the Lord for their new life in Christ. They are still learning what it means to be a Christian and we are glad for the opportunity to come alongside them. Would you be in prayer for them too? Would you also pray that God would continue to give the spiritual fruit as we obey Him?

-from Joel Miller
(Sorry there are no pictures in this blog. We'll try to get some new ones on here soon.)

Gift-Giving in Mexico

2008-01-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

In Mexico this year, many families did not have the extra money to buy gifts for their children. That money rather went toward food and shelter and clothing. We praise God for the ways that he provides for those basic necessities. At the same time, we thank many friends and churches across the United States who sent Christmas bags and allowed these children to have something special. While the gifts are not extravagant, each child who opens one of the Christmas Joy bags is reminded that they are loved and that they are valued.

This year's gift-givers ranged from entire church participation to individual families that wanted to teach their children the joy of giving in a season that tends to become me-focused. Each gift had an impact on a child in the Mexico Mission District- an area of Mexico that stretches from Leon all the way down to the Yucatan peninsula. In addition to using the gifts for the churches' Christmas celebrations, some of the gifts were given to hospitalized children in the government hospital in Leon, Guanajuato.

On behalf of the Mission District children, thank you for your generosity and your willingness to show love to some of your younger brothers and sisters in Christ. May the Lord bless you in this new year and reveal himself to you in new ways as you seek him.

To see a video of the Christmas time in Ticul, go to the post below this one and click on the play button.

Operation Christmas Joy 2007: Ticul

2008-01-08T09:29:00.000-05:00

Ladies Retreat to Tepotzlan

2007-11-21T20:07:00.000-05:00

Recently, 60 women traveled from across Mexico to Tepotzlan to attend the first annual Retiro de Damas (Ladies' Retreat). Women came from the Yucatan peninsula, Cuernavaca, Mexico City, and the northern state of Sonora to encourage one another and be challenged. Some of the highlights were the times of praise and worship, delicious food (served by a few male volunteers!), an evening campfire, and the beautiful surroundings of Tepotzlan.

Some of these women worked throughout the year to save enough money to attend the retreat. Thanks to a WMI grant from the Free Methodist Church, the cost of the retreat was affordable for everyone who wanted to attend. Olga, a young woman from the Mexico City Casa de Paz church, held a bazaar at the church every week to raise money for the retreat. Despite delivering her second child just a few of weeks before the retreat, she went to the retreat. (We are glad to say that 2 weeks ago, Olga made a decision to trust in Jesus. The altar call had been for other needs but later that week, Olga told missionary Janette Miller that she had accepted Jesus as Savior. What a joy to welcome Olga into the Christian family! We look forward to seeing how God uses Olga in the months ahead.

We'll try to add pictures to this post in the next few days.

Housels Settling In

2007-10-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

Kevin and Nicole Housel have arrived in Leon at last! They are serving with VISA ministries and are joining the Mexico Mission District team. The Housels are working directly with Pastor Jorge and Teresa Guarello in a very new work in Leon. There are many possibilities there and much work to be done.

Would you pray for the Housels as they find a place to live, study more Spanish, and begin plugging in to the ministries there? We praise God for this young couple and look forward to the ways that God is going to work in and through them in the months ahead.

Two funerals and a wedding...

2007-10-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

Here is a another great report from the Coapa church plant that meets in the house of Ken and Letty Myers.
"There is just a great "family" feeling at our church plant. One young woman got up and told about what her life has been like since her mom died in January. We all rejoiced with her that she has decided to go back to school to give her life a focus. A few weeks ago her sister told us that SHE had enrolled in Bible school, and we could see the difference in her attitude right away. Sunday the other sister commented about how her sister has changed for the better since she started Bible school. Another couple (not married) told how the Lord has been speaking to them about things in their life. Then they announced their engagement. Our church plant will soon have its first wedding! (We have already had two funerals.)" by Jann Allen

What if we were not here?

2007-09-30T16:25:00.000-04:00

Here is an excerpt from Jann and Gary Allen's most recent newsletter:

Last night a group from our Tuesday Bible study group went to visit a
member who has been absent lately due to two eye surgeries. She has
been so confined for these months as she must not do anything to jar
the surgical results. We were welcomed into their lovely home to
share a short devotional time and a meal. Two other women were
invited also, and the hostess told us that they have met for their
own fellowship time since they have not been able to drive to the
regular weekly meetings.

That evening made us reflect on the many people the Free Methodist
Church has touched here in Mexico. Just within our small circle of
acquaintances we can think of widows, children, broken marriages,
persons with addictive habits, lonely people, the injured (both
physically and emotionally) who have found a friendly, loving
atmosphere within our walls. Then we think of the talented youth who
have been given an opportunity to share their music, to teach, or go
to Bible School.

People have come into our church who just noticed our sign as they
walked by, came to one of our outreach or service programs, or were
invited by friends.

Some of you know that our church has just opened a new work in Leon,
in the state of Quanajuato. It is a city of about three million
people. The economy there is strongly dependent on the sale of
leather products (shoes, wallets, purses and belts) on an
international level. Our church there came into being due to an e-
mail that was sent over five years ago to our mission district
director as some people there were looking to affiliate with our
church. Several months ago, they made contact again, and now there
are Bible studies, Sunday church services, and some social outreach
ministries that are happening as a result of this new work.

Who would have welcomed or helped those people if the Free Methodist
Church were not present here?

Let Freedom Ring!

2007-09-21T11:40:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, the Casa de Paz and Coapa churches had a combined service celebrating Mexico's Independence Day and focusing on the freedom that we can find in Jesus. A praise group from a nearby evangelical church led a lively time of worship before Pastor Juan shared about true freedom. The world offers a self-indulgent freedom and we suffer the consequences of that freedom and are enslaved. The good news is that Christ broke and continues to break the chains that bind us. Pastor Juan's testimony of freedom from addictions continues to minister to the local congregation and encourages us that no one is so sinful that Christ cannot rescue him.

Kevin and Leah Book-Satterlee (pictured below) enjoyed another party. We also had some mid-service excitement as one of the girls pictured on this post lit a sparkler in the front row of the sanctuary. (Can you guess which girl it was?)

Mexicans Reaching Mexicans

2007-09-14T20:30:00.000-04:00

After two years of preparation a team of 17 from the Manantial de Vida church in Nogales, Mexico went to the opposite corner of their country, to a distinct culture to serve a church in the Mayan community of Ticul, Yucatán. They faced a steamy, jungle climate, new foods and even the typical illnesses mission teams get. The mission was accomplished! Bonds of friendship forged, bathrooms for the church built, and a strengthened relationship between the Ticul church and the city leaders.

Why is this significant? Because it was totally led and funded by the Mexican church. There have been other smaller outreaches, but this is the first project of this scale.

We praise God with our friends in Nogales that He allowed them to have this cross-cultural experience!

Thanks, Betsy Crawford, for sharing this news with us!

I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Something To Eat

2007-09-12T20:19:00.000-04:00

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat..."

How often have we taken these words of Jesus as figurative and not literal? Despite the fact that very few of us have ever known hunger, there are people in our communities who are regularly hungry. We're not talking about a hunger for something better to eat or a wish that dinner could be at 5:00 instead of 6:00. No, there are people who go days without a bite to eat. They are hungry. Jesus says that He is that hungry person. When we feed them, we are feeding Him. When we intentionally ignore or fail to consider the hungry around us, we ignore Him.

The good news today is that by supporting the Mission District with your prayers and finances you can feed the hungry. Pastor Jorge and Teresa Guarello recently shared how the small church in Leon is involved in this outreach. There are several large government hospitals in Leon as it is one of the main cities for the entire region. When patients are hospitalized, families are forced to not only see to the needs of the patients but also to find food and lodging despite not being able to work due to the distance from their homes. Many of these family members simply go without food and sleep in the entrances to the hospitals for as many days as is necessary. Last week, the Guarellos and 2 other couples prepared small sack lunches (tortas, apples, and juice for the detail-oriented among you) and served around 150 of these people at the hospitals. We wish that you could have seen the surprised smiles on the faces of these people who were on the receiving end of a free lunch- that's grace at work, isn't it?

And the better news is that not only were these Christians able to feed the hungry but they were also able to pray with some of the families. Pastor Jorge reports that this is a wide open mission field and that the authorities, instead of questioning their motives, invited them to come into the hospital to share the food with those inside. We are praising God with our brothers and sisters in Leon for this open door. Won't you pray with us that the physical and spiritual hunger which is so obvious will be satisfied by these sack lunches and by the Holy Spirit? And won't you keep your eyes open as you move in your city for those who are hungry and for the One who says, "Do it for them and you're doing it for me!"

Update from the Allens

2007-09-08T22:05:00.000-04:00

WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED that almost every time the doors of our
Mexico City churches open there are new people, or folks that have
not come for a while, walking in. The atmosphere is friendly,
especially at the occasional coffee times and pot luck dinners.
Pastor Juan and Eva have a wonderful way of sharing God's Word with
both adults and children. People are inviting friends, family, and
co-workers.

The Myers family has returned to the house we were holding for
them. They have agreed to let the Coapa church continue meeting in
their living room for the time being, but the group may soon outgrow
the facility!

WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED that our new apartment is just right for
our needs. The move went smoothly, though not without a few
glitches, which is normal! When we moved in, the street in front of
the apartment building was a relatively quiet side street. When we
returned from vacation, we discovered that our street is now the
detour for the main road a block away that has been closed for
construction of an overhead express lane. We thank the Lord for
helping us find this first floor place with very nice landlords.

Prayer requests and praises:

Leadership classes have started in Mexico City. It is very
encouraging to see the number of church people who want to be
included in leadership training.

We hope to make a trip to the Yucatan in October to teach leadership
classes.

None of our church people were seriously affected by the hurricane
in July.

There will be a women's retreat near Mexico City in November.
Please pray for the planning phase that is in progress right now.

Your partners in missions,
Gary and Jann Allen

Return to Routine

2007-09-03T13:03:00.000-04:00

School has been back in session for a couple of weeks now and we are seeing the city and our neighborhood returning to a routine. There is something comforting about this rhythm that seems to pervade much of the world. In the late summer, students return to school, people return from vacation, and the rains come in Mexico.

Attendance at the Casa de Paz church has been steady at about 50 people on Sundays for the last few weeks. We are all encouraged by the faithfulness of Pastor Juan and Eva in inviting new people and the ways that other members of the church are welcoming and embracing the new people.

The Coapa home church group has also seen encouraging signs as they recently had over 20 people in attendance. Their current challenge is to find a new place to worship as they have outgrown the living room where they are meeting.

The clinic at the Casa de Paz church has been slow this summer but we trust that things will pick up again as students share their colds and coughs and minor illnesses. Julianne Gilmore is getting to know the routine and will be helping out with registering patients on Wednesdays. Our assistant, Lilian, is starting nursing school today. This is a dream she has had for many years and thanks to the generous gifts of many of you, she can finally realize that dream. This morning in the clinic, she was tearful as she prayed and thanked God for this special day in her life. Would you be in prayer for Lilian as she enters school and for her family as the adjust to not having her as available as before?

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support of the growing work in the Mexico Mission District. Let us know if there are ways that we can be supporting you and your churches as together, we seek the fulfilment of the Great Commission.

Julianne Gilmore Joins the Team

2007-08-29T17:53:00.001-04:00

Julianne Gilmore arrived this week to join the Mexico City team for one year. She is a recent Greenville College graduate and is going to enter medical school in the fall of 2008. While she is here, she'll be helping with English classes at the Tizoc church as well as getting a better idea of medical missions by shadowing Joel Miller and some Mexican physicians.

Julianne brings a willingness to work and ability in Spanish. She grew up in the Dominican Republic as a "Missionary Kid" and so we will no doubt learn from her experiences as well. Her "stateside" home is in Oroville, California. We are looking forward to seeing God work in and through Julianne in the months ahead. Thanks for praying for her as she adjusts to life in Mexico City and to life with four little brothers and sisters! (She is currently living with the Millers.)

You can follow along with Julianne by checking out her blog that is linked in the righthand column of this blog.

Near Miss with Hurricane Dean

2007-08-23T16:45:00.000-04:00

Thanks to many of you who have inquired about how Dean affected the Mission District. While the potential for damage and loss of life was great with this hurricane, we thank the Lord that there have been no deaths reported in Mexico to this point. Many have lost homes and flooding continues to be a problem but none of our churches were directly affected.

Here is a brief report from Pastor Ruben in the Campeche church...

"Hurricane Dean slammed into our state on Tuesday August 21 around 2 PM with all of his strength. By the mercy of our God, in answer to many prayers, it had slowed down to a category 1 hurricane (with 160 KM/h winds). The church building served as a refuge for one family, Jessica's family, that lives nearby- Jessica is a faithful girl, in spite of only being 10 years old and coming from a non-Christian family. We hope in God that this help they have received from the church will help them to come near to God.

There has been no loss of life associated with this hurricane, according to our Governor, although many trees have fallen, but nothing dangerous.

Today I plan visit our brothers who are fishermen, to see how they and their boats are, even though there has been no bad news.

In general, we are very well, we were without electricity for 7 hours, but all is well now.

Please continue to pray for us,

May God continue to bless you,

Pastor Ruben Cupul

Campeche, Mexico"

Welcome Back, Myers Family!

2007-08-13T17:42:00.000-04:00

The Mexico City team welcomed Ken and Letty Myers back to town last week. After a 7 month home assignment, the Myers returned and are getting settled again. Ken will be resuming his role with VISA teams in Latin America as well as local ministries in both the Coapa and Tizoc (Casa de Paz) churches. Letty will be busy home-schooling Nathan (8) and Nasya (5).

It is always an encouragement to have the Myers around and we look forward to the ways in which God is going to use them in the months ahead. Would you pray with us that they are able to get all of the busywork done that comes with moving back to Mexico City and that they are able to reconnect with the people and churches with whom they were working before?

Tell Us The Story Again

2007-07-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

One of the young boys attending VBS this week asked Hermana Eva if she would tell the same Bible story about Lazarus and Jesus again the next day. She said that they would be having a new Bible story each day. To this, the little boy replied, "No, you should tell the same one again, it's such a good one." When was the last time you asked your Sunday School teacher or Pastor to teach or preach the same thing the next day? I know that I was challenged as I considered how casually I sometimes hear and respond to the stories from the Bible!

We continue to have a good week with near 80 kids each day. Today was the final day and was a "Game Day" with jumping rope, tug-of-war, water balloons, and tag games. Tomorrow afternoon is the closing session and a church service in which the kids will receive their certificates. Please pray with us that many of these kids and adolescents and their families will join us in worship and will keep coming back.

---Joel for the Mexico City team

Bible School Begins

2007-07-16T18:26:00.000-04:00

Last night, the Tizoc church and a team of Mexicans from Baja California, kicked off "escuelita" or Vacation Bible School. Our small worship area was filled to overflowing with new kids and their parents. 8 of those kids made decisions for Jesus as did a young couple visiting family in the area.

Many of those children returned today for the first day of VBS. Pastor Juan and Eva provided the wrap-up session while the Baja team shared puppets, clowning, and more songs. Gary and Jann Allen are coordinating crafts while Janette Miller, Lilian, and Angelica are getting the snacks ready. Several of the youth (Yazmin, Alejandra, Natalia, and Misael) are also pitching in. If you are interested in seeing more pictures of the VBS kids, you can visit the Millers' blog site here. The pictures can be found in the upper right hand column in the "VBS" photo album or embedded in the articles about the VBS.

Stay tuned for more updates as the week goes along.

Vacation Bible School Next Week!

2007-07-11T14:22:00.001-04:00

On Sunday, July 15, the Casa de Paz local church will initiate a week of VBS. We are expecting a small group of Mexicans from the Baja California area to help us for the first couple of days. The local church will then take over and finish out the week.

Previous VBS weeks have been led by mostly U.S. VISA teams. This will be the first year for the local Mexicans to take the leadership of this outreach project. They are excited about the possibilities for reaching new children and families with the transforming message of Jesus Christ. We are excited that the church is taking ownership of the project and giving of their time and talents to make it happen.

Would you be in prayer for Pastor Juan and Eva and the other teachers and for those who will come to the church? This week can be a week of harvest for the Kingdom and your prayers can make a difference. Look for more pictures here as the week goes on...

2007-07-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

We recently heard from Larry and Carol Foote, former VISA missionaries to Mexico City. Here are a few excerpts from their letter...

Adjustment to living in the United States again has been a challenge at times. For many days we felt like we should be packing up and returning to Mexico City. However, as time goes on, we find ourselves acclimating and appreciating the beauty and clean air of home.

So many times we have reflected back on our time in Mexico and are so thankful that we answered God's call. It was a time of growth in the Lord. We have no regrets and would gladly go again should He call. Many have asked, "Will you go again?" We are open to the call of God, whether short or long term and have no idea what the future holds. However, we desire to continue with short term mission trips.

We are thankful for the time that Larry and Carol invested in the work here and know that God will continue to use them in their new mission field- the Pacific Northwest.

2007-07-02T09:43:00.000-04:00

view out Tizoc windows

Dear Mexico City Friends,

Yesterday was an exciting day for us in Mexico City and we wanted to share it with those who know the work here and pray for it.

Most of us involved in the new COAPA church plant have wondered how the attendance would run once the Guarellos moved to Leon.

Last Sunday we were still in Campeche, and we understood they had 9- which is good, considering all of those who were out of town. Today we had 15 in attendance in Coapa. We will list the people and add some prayer requests for those involved:

1.)Santa and Sandy-who recently celebrated her 38^th birthday.

2.) Miguel Angel- His wife Teri did not come because her sister, Angeles, has cancer mets to the lung and now to the brain, and took a turn for the worse last night. Angeles is only 59, and one of the hard things is that they have a 24 y.o. son, who has the mental age of 4. Miguel Angel hopes to talk to her to see if she wants to be baptized. She has made a profession of faith with another pastor recently.

3.)Abraham and his daughter, Cynthia. Abraham spoke from Heb. 11 on faith and used lots of examples from Lucy's life and illness.

4.)Zaira and her husband Pablo. They are passing through some family struggle that has them very concerned.

5.)Miguel Angel (Jr.) and his girlfriend, Aline. He was recently baptized.

6.) Paty Gomez, who brought a friend of hers, who also lives on this street, just 2 doors from where the Millers used to live, and across from Paty. . Her name is Isabel, and she seems interested in activities at Tizoc too.

7.) Jann and I.

8.) Irma-who seems to be doing well after the death of her husband, and gave a strong victorious testimony, and thanks everyone for their prayers. She says her boys have been a big help to her with business matters.

9.) Eliseo-who played the guitar.

If you add all those up, I hope you get 15!

At 5 p.m. we went over to TIZOC for their evening service. Misael, the Murua's (new pastors at Tizoc) son played one keyboard and Eliseo/Lillian's son, Abrancito, played the other key board. Pastor Juan played the elec. guitar, and Eliseo played the bass.

Pastor Juan preached on I Peter 2:9 about us being a chosen priesthood, and did a fine job.

There were 36 people there, and some have only been coming a few months, and one young lady came for the first time tonight! Lillian asked for volunteers to take care of the birthday dinners, and the church cleaning schedule, and 2 young ladies volunteered, Dulce Yaneth and Yasmin.

The only BAD part of the day was that they had a potluck after each service and it was yummy! (Both times!)

You will be interested to know that Pastor Juan has chipped most of the hunk of rock out the back of the sanctuary. He said it took him about 3 hours, so I would think what little he has left will probably take an hour. It was raining hard while we had the potluck at TIZOC, and no rain was coming in on the west end.

Encouraged in Mexico City,

Gary & Jann Allen for the team

Celebrating Commitments

2007-06-13T18:29:00.000-04:00

Unity in the Body of Christ. Believers, new and old alike, taking new steps of commitment and faith. Tears of joy shed for the growing and coming Kingdom of God on earth.

On Sunday, three of the Mission District churches met in Tepotzlan, a small mountainous village south of Mexico City. Friends from the Casa de Paz, Coapa, and Cuernavaca churches came together to celebrate what God is doing among us. A member of a cell group in Mexico City allowed us to use her house and pool for this special day. Around eighty people came by van and bus to worship together.

Eight people were baptized in the swimming pool and their post-pool testimonies were inspiring. We'll be remembering this "mountain-top" experience for years to come. Among those who received baptism were Eliseo and Lilian, a couple who have grown so much in the Lord in the last year and are now taking leadership responsibilities in the Casa de Paz church. Angelica has been attending for several months and said that she wanted to be the first one in her family to be baptized and we pray with her that the others will soon follow. Abraham and Miguel Angel, two young adult men, were baptized as their proud fathers looked on. A young man from the Cuernavaca congregation said that he had turned away from the Lord and was now returning and wanted to demonstrate to all present that God is faithful and able to bring good from any bad that we have in our lives. Another Miguel Angel said that he wanted to take the next step with God and with God's help would continue to learn and grow.

After the baptisms, we had a cookout and enjoyed the swimming pool. You can see a few more pictures on the Millers' blog site at www.joelandjanette.typepad.com in the photo album called "New Life".

Thank you for praying for those who were recently baptized. Pray that they will be plugged into discipleship and that we will be able to encourage and embrace them as the Body of Christ in Mexico City.

submitted by Joel for the team

The Times They Are a-Changin'

2007-05-28T09:41:00.001-04:00

This Bob Dylan song title about transition sure seems to capture the feeling around the Mission District this week. With changes in the comfort zones to which we've all grown accustomed, we are all feeling a bit unsure about what the future will hold. Is that too honest for a missionary website?

But the good news is that we know who holds the future! Yes, it is a trite saying but one to which we cling during times of uncertainty. We trust our Heavenly Father to faithfully work His will in and through us and bring his plans to fruition. In this update, we'd like to take a moment to let you know about some of the changes taking place in the next few days and weeks. Hopefully, this will also help you know how to pray for those affected by the changes.

Foote Family taking Flight

After having faithfully served in Mexico City for 2 years, Larry and Carol are returning to their home near Seattle. We've appreciated their flexibility and willingness to pitch in wherever needed- even if it wasn't in their original job description. We pray God's richest blessings on them as they re-engage with their family and friends in Washington and seek God's plan for this next chapter in their lives. (Yesterday, during a "goodbye" service, the church presented the Footes with the pictured plaque thanking them for their service.) The Footes fly out on Tuesday morning.

Eunice Off To Cuernavaca

Pastor Eunice Alvarez has been working with the local Tizoc church for the last 8 months. She had been working in the Mexican state of Sonora prior to her time with us. Eunice has shown a real willingness to learn and has connected to many of the families in the local church. (In the picture above, she presented a Bible to Martin, one of the faithful young people in the Sunday Kids' Church that Eunice has led.)

We are going to miss Eunice's ready smile and thoughtful preaching but we praise God that she is going to be working just down the road in the next year. A small group of mostly new believers are forming a Free Methodist church in the large city of Cuernavaca and Eunice is going to be leading them as pastor. Would you pray with us for this transition for Eunice and for the resources to support her as the church grows?

Guarellos Going To Leon

Yes, Pastor Jorge and Teresa (pictured to the far left in this group honored for May birthdays and anniversaries) are moving out of the city to Leon, about 6 hours from our part of Mexico City. As you can imagine, this transition has been met with a mixture of sadness and joy. We are all sad to lose the easy access to the Guarellos and their weekly presence in the worship of the Tizoc and Coapa congregations. However, we are glad that the Guarellos can be released to exercise their true giftings in church planting and oversight in a new location. We also trust that the leaders which God has raised up for the Mexico City work will take on new responsibilities and grow in the Lord. Jorge will continue to serve as Superintendent of the Mission District. We'll introduce you to Juan and Eva Murua, the new pastors at the Tizoc church, in a future post so stay tuned.

There are going to be new challenges during this transition time and we value your prayers and support more than ever. Thank you for being our friends and partners in this adventure.

--submitted by Joel for the team

2007-05-15T15:49:00.000-04:00

Friends, here is a report of the Allens recent trip to Leon with lots of details for those of you who want to get a real feel for the trip there.

I just wanted to give you and up-date on our weekend trip to Leon, where we are starting with a very small group of people that are interested in associating themselves with our church. It is a little over 500 miles there and back, but a "quick trip" there for us is about 6.5 hours. The roads are almost all toll roads and are in very good to excellent condition. There are "free options", but they would be slower and generally not in near as good condition, although more scenic as they tend to pass through the little "bergs". You are probably wondering why it would take 6.5 hours to go 250 miles. Well, it takes us, on a very good day, about a hour and half, just to get accross town, here in MC! The highways do have speed limits, and there are mountains, curves and traffic to contend with!

Sara Guarello, our district superintendent's daughter, traveled with us. She is a delightful young lady, and we always enjoy traveling with her. She has shown us the way to Leon a couple times and we are now convinced that the next time we can do it on our own, if need be.

On the way up there we stopped at a place for "lunch", and all of us ordered beef and bean burritos. The place is very much in the process of being remodeled and expanded, so at first glance, I was not sure if we had made a wise choice. Just before our orders came, Sara told us she though we were in the area of large flour tortillas, and sure enough when our food came, the tortilla shells were over a foot across. The beef was a little tough, but very tasty, and the spicy sauce was on the side, so we were all content. That way everyone can add however much "spice" as they want, to their own taste!

Once we arrived in Leon, we went to the place where we stay, and visited with our hosts for a while, and then rested for a couple hours. We went over to their place, which is just accross the parking lot from where we all stayed, and had a light supper at our hosts' place, and were able to visit some more.

Gary preached for the Sunday a.m. service, which was a small, but enthusiastic group. He had preached the same sermon the week before in our house church so it did not involve another several hours of preparing a different sermon to be preached in Spanish. After the service, people sat around and talked for at least an hour.

On the way home, we stopped for lunch at a new restaurant called "The Pause". Sara ordered "huaraches", which are named after a sandal, because they have that shape, but they are made out of flour, covered with bean paste, beef slices, onions and lettuce. Jann ordered enchiladas, in a green sauce, which would have been TOO spicy for Gary. Gary ordered something called "chicken violentin". It was a thin hair pasta dish, with a very light, white, cheese sauce. The chicken was breast, rolled and in the middle were small shrimp,vegetables (green pepper, carrots, zuchinni squash, and tomatoes, and all were just at the right point of being cooked, so they were neither mushy nor crunchy.) The chicken roll was cut in half-inch slices and arranged in a ring around the plate. By that time Gary was getting a little tired, but not yet sleepy, so he ordered a cup of their "express" coffee. It was the "real stuff", and excellent, even though it came in a demi-tasse! So good, in fact, that he had to have another cup for the road just before we left the restuarant! No MORE tiredness for the rest of the trip!

The trip the rest of the way home was uneventful, and we made it into the city before it got really really dark.

Gary and Jann Allen

2007-04-27T12:22:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Here is a brief note we received from Kevin and Nicole Housel, a young couple from New York who recently took a whirlwind tour of the Mission District with Pastor Jorge. If you've ridden much with Pastor Jorge, you know what we mean by "whirlwind." We are encouraged that Kevin and Nicole are sold out for Jesus and available for career missions when God opens the doors. Here's what they said...

"We came down to Mexico to explore our interest in missions. We are
very grateful to all of the missionaries who made this trip possible
for us and were so hospitable to us. The part of our visit that had
the most impact on us was our visit to Leon. In Leon we attended a
Bible study and a prayer meeting for a church plant. It was not the
city of Leon that impacted us but the people that we met. The desire
of the people to reach out into the community and touch the lives of
the youth and the disenfranchized was so evident. It was great to see
people preparing for a new church and already having a vision of the
outreach that they will do. The people of the church plant in Leon
have the desire to bring Christ to people not accepted by society."

--Kevin & Nicole Housel

New Growth, New Churches, New Opportunites

2007-04-21T16:38:00.000-04:00

NEW! That is the word we think of when spring arrives. With the Easter season just past, we are reminded of the newness of nature, and the renewal of our spiritual lives as we consider Jesus’ death and resurrection.

“New” is also a word we can apply to the work in the Mexico Mission District. Several years ago, the Free Methodist church opened a meeting place in a borrowed building. As the congregation expanded, so did their vision to reach more people in Mexico City. A piece of property was found in a disadvantaged part of the city, and a new work began there. With the help of many volunteer teams (VISA), the existing buildings have been improved, and a new church has risen on the site. The lower level is already in use for church services, and the upper level sanctuary is nearing completion.

The vision continued to grow, and in February of this year, another church plant was started in a different part of the city. What would happen to the established church when some of the key leaders moved to the church plant to help it get off to a good start? It has been wonderful to see new people show up at each of the churches, thus affirming the decision to expand into other areas of the city.

Groups of Christians in the cities of Cuernavaca, and also Leon, have requested that a Free Methodist church be started in their areas. Presently, Pastor Jorge and Teresa, Gary and Jann Allen, or a lay leader from the Mexico City church is visiting those areas to hold Bible studies, or Sunday worship services, until we know if it is possible to open a new church in each of those cities.

----Jann Allen

Each of these projects involves a lot of time, work and prayer. We would be pleased to know that many people are joining us in prayer to see these efforts accomplished. If you are praying for this work or would like to know about other opportunities for involvement, please contact us at mexicocitymission@gmail.com or by sending an email to one of the missionaries listed in the sidebar of this blog.

2007-04-08T21:21:00.000-04:00

Jesus is risen! He is risen, indeed! These words are on our hearts and minds today as we remember the rest of the story after Good Friday. We pray that your Easter celebrations were equally meaningful and that you have a fresh appreciation for what Jesus did for us in his resurrection.

The Tizoc and Coapa churches had a common service this morning at 8 a.m. Some of the older hymns were dusted off and used for this special occasion. What a wonderful experience to sing "How Great Thou Art" and "There is Power in the Blood" with our Mexican brothers and sisters in Christ! More than mere words, each person present could testify to God's power at work- a family unified, an addiction overcome, a need met.

And like all good Free Methodist celebrations, we had a big pitch-in breakfast after the service. We've included some pictures of the party.

We'd love to hear what your church or family did for Easter. Leave us a comment or drop us an email at mexicocitymission@gmail.com.

May our Lord bless and keep you as we serve Him together...

2007-04-02T18:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Mexico City! We are so glad that you are joining us on this journey of growth and discovery. Our God is doing some exciting and BIG things through our small church. In the weeks ahead, we'll be sharing pictures, praises, and prayer requests.

In this inaugural post, let's start with a few pictures of the new house church in the Coapa neighborhood. Missionaries Gary and Jann Allen are hosting this church and Pastor Jorge is leading. After two months of services, there are 3 new people attending! Would you pray with us that these new friends (Pablo & Sayda and Patty) see Jesus among us and desire to have more of Him?

Although the 15 or so people currently attending this Sunday morning service fit nicely into the house, we are planning to move to a more visible location soon. Our goal is to move in the first half of the month of May. This move will provide higher visibility for the church and room to grow. In order to see this move happen, the Canadian Free Methodist church has generously donated over $5000 toward the rent. This is a great start to a year's rent but with monthly rents approaching $1200, you can see that we are going to quickly go through the initial $5000.

Would you or your church like to get in on the ground floor of this opportunity? Maybe you and 11 of your friends would like to sponsor a month of church with a onetime gift of $100. Or perhaps your Sunday School class would like to give a monthly gift to see this happen. You can email us at mexicocitymission@gmail.com for more information.

We'll be back with an update on the Tuesday night Bible study in a couple of days. Stay tuned!