Men of Valor Conference

Irapuato, Mexico (Saturday, July 31)

Today was the much anticipated Men of Valor Conference, the very first time ever brought to Mexico and the very first in Spanish. About 114 men attended from 4 different states.

Dr. David Harms was the main speaker, with break-out sessions by Armando, Guillermo Tijerina, David Buckert, Robert Silva, and Felipe Vasquez. For those who don't know, Dr. Harms was a last-minute provision from God as the first planned speaker had to back out a couple of weeks prior. They all LOVED him and the message he gave!! What an amazing provision he turned out to be!! Thank you, God, for changing OUR plans and giving us yours!!

After the conference, Armando finished up an evangelism seminar that he started teaching at one of the churches there in Irapuato. This church does not believe in assurance of salvation and one of the things the seminar teaches is that you cannot lose your salvation. Well, they didn't kick him out, so that's a good thing! Everything is backed by scripture, so there's really nothing they can dispute. Armando started with 10 people (and he only had 10 booklets left), but ended up with about 40 people...so the leaders ended up having to make more and more copies! What a great problem to have...not to have enough booklets!! Pray that the people in the seminar would feel equipped to share Christ boldly and intentionally in their community...

The team returns tomorrow (Sunday) evening! Thank you to all who have been praying for them and for Natalia and I. We TRULY appreciate all your support!!!

"Welcome to the family!!"

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." John 5:24

Queretaro
Monday, they were in the city of Queretaro (can anyone pronounce that?) to do an evangelism seminar in one of the churches. People trickled in little by little and ended with over 30 people (they started with 8) in attendance. They didn't really know what to expect from the seminar, but once they heard it, they were glad they came. The church wants them back to do another seminar! Yes, that means another trip for Armando, but it also means another chance to equip more people to share Christ clearly and simply.

Celaya
Tuesday was in the city of Celaya for another evangelism seminar. This time it was in a Christian rehab center for young people (not sure of the age range)--tough guys with drug addictions and "colorful" past. Armando said it was the toughest crowd they have ever had...a few times, from the expressions and looks they had, Armando was sure they were going to beat him up. Nothing of the sort happened thankfully!

Here's the exciting part!! From that seminar, one young man trusted Christ!! Yahoo...glory to God!! And apparently, there was another young man, who the rehab staff said they have been trying to share the gospel to for SO long, but has never wanted to hear it. Well, after the seminar, the staff said this young man is now asking questions!! I don't know about you, but this gives me the "wow goose-bumps" (I just made that up, by the way! :-)!!

Anyway, please pray for our new brother and for the young man asking questions...that he would come to a full understanding of what it means to trust Jesus Christ. Just imagine the potential these young men could have for God's glory and the awesome testimonies they would share with others!! Again, wow!!

Up next:
Wednesday they travel to Irapuato and will be there till Sunday.
Wed - prayer workshop
Thurs/Fri - evangelism seminar
Thurs - the Men of Valor team arrive in Irapuato: Dr. David Harms, Dan Martin, David Buckert, Robert Silva, and Felipe Vasquez.
Fri - day of sight-seeing for most of the team; that evening, there will be an inauguration for the very first church library in the Irapuato church, thanks to Michelle Davis and her vision!!

A huge thank you to all who have been praying diligently for this trip!!!

Flat Tire, Rain, Redemption

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness."
(Psalm 115:1)

Acambaro, Mexico
On schedule for Saturday was the Leadership Summit 2009 (selected speakers). It was raining quite a bit, so only about 40 people showed up, but I believe they were the exact 40 that God wanted there that day. The team was late getting to the church because they had a flat tire on their way there. However, since it was raining, the people were also late, so it all worked out!

All the messages were well received and convicting to many of the leaders in attendance, especially the message from Wes Stafford (Compassion International president), who shared his testimony. Please pray that the leaders will take what they learn and actually implement them in their respective churches.

After the conference, Armando showed the movie "Fireproof" (in Spanish), with a follow-up message the next morning on love & respect and Ephesians. Many were moved to tears by the movie, but there was one particular couple there who had been married for 20 years, were separated for 8 years, and just a week ago, had gotten back together and here they were watching a movie about reconciling a broken marriage and hearing a message on love & respect! I believe God is at work in this couple's life and redeeming the marriage He meant for them to have!

That afternoon was the prayer workshop (hindrances to prayer), which challenged many about their prayer life.

After that, many requested to see "Fireproof" again so they showed the movie once more and again, more tears were shed. Please pray that those tears will turn to action...where they will seek to change their marriages to one that honors God.

Up next:
Monday - You Can Tell It (evangelism seminar) in Queretaro.
Tuesday - You Can Tell It (evangelism seminar) in Celaya.

Hopefully, I will be able to talk to Armando again for updates in the next day or so (calls don't always go through). Plus, they are not sure yet where they will be staying after the evangelism seminar. Please pray for rest and health for them...Armando was not feeling well (probably from lack of sleep) and he'll need stamina as the evangelism seminar takes 4.5 hours to cover.

Arrival

They arrived safely in Mexico City last night. Today, they ride a bus to Acambaro (4-hr bus ride) to prepare for the Leadership Summit tomorrow (Saturday). They, for those who don't know, are Armando, our friend Guillermo, and 15 or 16 yr old Marcel Baptiste (who will be doing some worship leading).

As you know, they go there mostly to share Christ with ANYONE who makes eye contact with them! SO, I do have to add that Guillermo has already done that...on the plane, in fact! Guillermo traded seats with Marcel and one conversation led to another and Guillermo shares the gospel to the lady beside him!

Please continue to pray:
-for safe travels today
-Leadership Summit, prayer workshop, and marriage seminar Saturday

Stay tuned for more stories as I receive them.

This is a tentative itinerary so you can helps us pray accordingly

Th 22- Travel to Mexico City
Fri 23- Bus to Acambaro
Sat 24- Presenting Leadership conference in DVD to local churches, about 5 churches represented
Sun 25- Prayer workshop in the morning, Marriage workshop evening
Mon 26 Evangelism Seminar
Tue 27 Evangelism Seminar
Wed 28 Prayer workshop
Th 29 Evangelism Seminar
Fr 30 Evangelism Seminar
Sat 31 Men of Valor Conference morning; Evangelism Seminar evening
Sun 1 Return to Dallas

A New Believer!

The Christian Expo ended on Sunday night. Apparently, it was a huge event, with over 40,000 people between Thursday-Sunday night!!

The evangelism seminar (called "You Can Tell It") that Armando conducted on Saturday went very well. Thanks for your prayers...his throat held up!

Tonight, he is in Acambaro, doing two seminars on relationships (The 7 Principles by Josh McDowell). He is very tired and his throat is still sore, so hopefully he can rest well tonight.

Now, for the exciting part! Armando has some relatives in Mexico City and he stayed at one cousin's house after the expo on Sunday night. Long story short, they stay up talking till the wee hours of the morning and his cousin ends up trusting Christ!! Praise God...one more saved!

I was thinking after hearing the exciting news, "What if the whole point of this entire 9-day trip was simply to gain one more soul?" Out of 40,000 people, one became a believer. Depending on whether you see the glass half empty or half full determines whether you will see this as something really great or really daunting. I choose to see this as something really great! You see, this particular cousin had a similar (horrific) childhood background as Armando. With enough follow up and development of her relationship with Jesus Christ, she can truly become a passionate Christ follower. SO, even IF there was only one believer out of 40,000 people, I believe that one passionate Christ follower can exert more positive influence and effect more change than numerous believers without passion.

Again, thanks to all who have been praying for Armando and for me. He will be back Thursday morning so I'm counting down! We would appreciate your continued prayers for continued safety and rest for him...

Mexico City Christian Expo

The first part of this trip was to attend a Christian Expo in Mexico City from Thurs, Oct 22 through Sunday, Oct 25 as an exhibitor with EvanTell. This is the first time we have even heard of it so Armando and crew did not know what to expect. It's been an interesting few days! There are MANY rules they have to follow as exhibitors and they have to be there at their booth from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, which was a bit shocking to hear, but I guess many people come even that late!

Many ministries are represented, including some pretty weird ones--one particular one was giving out evangelism tracts as well with some pretty scary pictures on them.

Their booth is fairly hidden; however, God has brought many people their way. In fact, by Friday night, they were down to the bare minimum as far as evangelism tracts and other material. Many are very interested in bringing the evangelism seminar to their churches! One church leader that Armando talked to wants him to come in January. Armando told him that if he can get about 40 people together, he can fly there on a weekend...the guy said, "How about 200 people?"

Please pray for Armando's health. He has had a sore throat, but it may also be a combination of having to talk so much. This morning (Saturday), he was supposed to be at a church in Mexico to give the You Can Tell It evangelism seminar, so hopefully, his voice held up. I'll find out the next time he calls me.

Till next time, thanks for all your prayers for Armando and the whole EvanTell team!!

A Certain Man's Reality

Tuesday night, they traveled 2 hours to a church Salamanca, where other surrounding churches were invited. Armando gave a message on the 7 Principles of Relationships, by Josh McDowell. Besides reaching people with the love of Jesus Christ, this message comes second as something he is very passionate about because too often, especially in the small towns, kids become adults having NEVER heard their parents say a simple, "I love you" or "I'm proud of you." Then the cycle starts over because it's what they know.

Well, let me share with you a certain man's reality. Before Armando speaks, he normally talks or at least shakes people's hands. A man comes up to him and with sarcasm says, "I KNOW who you are! We'll see what you have to say!" almost challenging him. Well, apparently he got something out of the message because he came up to Armando again at the end and shared his heart...

This man's father used to beat him up, sometimes until he was bleeding! Even more tragic was the fact that his father was a minister! I believe he still is and was actually there as well for the message. How sad that a child would grow up in this contradiction!

Now an adult, this man is still very much emotionally scarred. He was very emotional as he shared with Armando. He has been looking for a job, but has been unsuccessful. He is very discouraged (to say the least) and said he is tired of waiting for God to provide.

This man's reality is not unique to him, but join us in praying for him...that he would have peace of mind, for doors to open for him as far as employment, and most importantly, that he would truly know the greatest love from his heavenly father!

Again, thank you to all who have been praying for this trip. It is truly a blessing and such an encouragement to us! They arrive Friday morning. Till next time, praise God for what He is doing in Mexico and for what He will continue to do!!

An Exciting Testimony!

This story was too exciting and required its own special post, although, I apologize as I did not get specific names...

During the EvanTell certification class, there was a guy who ended up having to leave before the class was over because his wife's grandma was very ill and was in the hospital. But, before he left, they prayed over him, specifically for things that pertained to boldness in sharing the gospel as the grandma was a non-believer.

Now, before the guy got to the hospital, the grandma had been in such pain and anguish (probably making sounds of misery). However, as soon as he got there, the grandma stopped and said to him, "I've been waiting for you." He was extremely nervous about sharing the gospel with her, but gathered up courage and did it--other relatives were present in the room. With the method he had just learned, he was supposed to ask if she had any objections to trusting Christ at that moment, but before he could even finish, the grandma declared her trust in Jesus Christ!!! She then said, "Tonight, I'm finally going to be able to sleep in peace."

That's not the end of the story...As he was leaving, one of the grandma's sons came up to him wanting to talk and one thing led to another and the gospel was also presented to him. He didn't vocally declare his trust in Christ, but did confess he was an alcoholic and said he was tired of living the way he had been living.

The guy then returns to the certification class and shares what had just happened and enthusiastically affirms that the method (what they had just learned) really works!!

Just imagine, with this guy's new-found passion, even if he is the only one who ends up giving evangelism seminars in his area, that is ONE MORE laborer fully passionate for God's work and it is ONE MORE person in the process of "producing" more Armando's and Guillermo's, for the work is GREAT in Mexico and the laborers are few...Let's pray for MORE, even if it is one person at a time!

Leadership Conference & EvanTell Certification

Saturday was the much awaited leadership conference (the 2nd year in Mexico), where 3 messages from last year's Leadership Summit was shown. Over 50 people attended the conference, with 4 surrounding states/5 cities represented.

A presentation by the CCBT (Center for Church Based Training) Rep was also made, which was a big hit! The other message that was a hit was the Summit message by Craig Groeschel entitled "It." Overall, the conference was a success and hopefully, each church leader who attended got something that God wanted them to hear and act on in their local church!

On Sunday, the team was in Irapuato (NW of Acambaro) for the certification class by EvanTell's director of international ministries, David Souther, with Armando/Guillermo translating for him. 19 people came to the class(including 6 women, 4 of them as last-minute registrants). Basically, to be certified meant they would become trainers (as Armando and Guillermo are) giving evangelism seminars using EvanTell's resources and method of teaching/sharing the gospel clearly and simply. If you have never heard of them, check out their website (evantell.org). Something from their website summarizes what they are all about, "For 35 years EvanTell has existed for one purpose...to declare the Gospel clearly and simply around the world." It's very exciting because this is the first time EvanTell will have certified anyone in Mexico!!

Monday, they are back in Acambaro for a little rest. Armando will be spending a little time with his maternal grandmother, who has Stage 3 cancer, as well as his mother, who has been taking care of the grandmother. Both need our prayers: for peaceful and pain-free last days for the grandmother, and for renewed strength, peace, health for Armando's mom (she also has some painful health issues that she is suffering from).

Tuesday night, Armando will be in Salamanca to present a Josh McDowell seminar, called 7 Principles of Relationships. More on that on the next post. Till next time, thank you for your continued prayers and being a part of this adventure/God's work in Mexico!!!

Morelia Experience

"For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise..."(1 Chronicles 16:25 NIV)

Praise God for what He is doing in Morelia, another very strategic place for the gospel to start spreading! They were actually taken to the place where the grenade incident happened last year.

For lack of time, a short version of the evangelism seminar was held in one of the churches there. 31 people attended, many of them very passionate about learning. Out of those 31, two women want to get certified by EvanTell to be able to teach those same seminars Armando gives. This is a BIG deal and an answer to prayer! (To put it mildly, many churches in Mexico do not allow women to have leadership positions.) SO, not only are they WOMEN, one of them is a doctor and it is very unusual to find highly educated, well-off people in Christian churches in Mexico to begin with! Imagine the impact this doctor can have in her sphere of influence!! They are both very eager to start sharing the gospel, then start teaching others how to share it as well!

Please pray for Saturday's event to be a success and for everything to go smoothly. Leadership Conference Day, a short version of the Leadership Summit 2008. It was very successful last year and the attendees wanted to have it again this year. Pray for open hearts and a willingness to be teachable (for those who may be new this year).

On a different note, three other people from the U.S. flew out this morning (Friday) to join Armando and Guillermo--David Souther from EvanTell, who will be conducting the certification classes to raise more Armandos's to be able to teach the evangelism seminars themselves; Julio Garza, the pastor who planted the Acambaro church; and Michelle Davis, from Chase Oaks Church, who read about what Armando is doing in Mexico and decided she was going to go...heard God's call and was willing to leave her family and comforts of home to be a servant for God!

Your continued prayers are much appreciated. More to come this weekend!

2nd Annual Trip to Central Mexico (2009)

What's a trip without some excitement??!! I'll tell you about that in a moment. First, the boring details. Armando, Guillermo, and Armando's brother, Hugo left Tuesday night around 11:30 PM, drove all night to be able to cross the border in Laredo, then get to Acambaro before nightfall.

The Cherokee was LOADED to the brim with mostly care box items for kids and some clothing donations. We had such a great response for care boxes for kids that they ended up having to leave most of the shoe boxes here and just take the items in them to be "re-package" in Acambaro. Still, some will be going as luggage with the other 3 individuals flying out to join them this coming Friday.

SO, they get to Laredo in the morning. They get a green light, so they cross. However, there was a group of men (not in any kind of uniform) who wanted them to stop. Knowing they were not officers, but seemed to be just street guys, Hugo told Armando NOT to stop. Of course, the men got a little angry and tried to run after them, but Armando was able to drive off. Not sure what they wanted exactly, but Armando said some police officers saw the whole thing and did nothing...Makes you want to say, hmmmm??!!

With that behind them, they had to cross a second immigration post about 40 minutes into Mexico. The officer stopped them saying they had to go back to the border to get a permit. Mind you, they have all the proper documentation to begin with! He had them drive aside then proceeded to "ask" for money (i.e., a bribe). Not wanting trouble and definitely not wanting to drive back unnecessarily, Armando gave him some money to allow them passage. Somehow, the officer ends up telling them that he has a son who is sick, but when Armando offered to pray for the son, he declined and simply asked, "Are you a Christian?" When Armando replies, "Yes!" the officer basically says, "I believe in that stuff..." (not exactly his words as I'm not sure how he said it in Spanish). Then, he asked Armando if he wanted his money back! Armando told him to keep it and they went on their way.

Just a couple of things to keep them on their toes!!! They arrived safely in Acambaro around 6:00 PM Wednesday.

Thursday, someone will be picking them up in Acambaro to take them to Morelia, in the state of Michoacan, where they will be giving an evangelism seminar. The gospel is definitely needed in this area!! This is a place where a grenade attack occurred last year carried out by members of a drug cartel during the Mexican Independence Day--killed civilians and wounded over 100. One rapidly growing cartel based in this area, called La Familia, is now using religion as a way to recruit and create discipline within its members. Needless to say, spreading the gospel in this area is vital!

They will stay in Morelia overnight and will be driven back to Acambaro Friday morning. My next communication with Armando will be Friday night, so I will update you after that. We truly appreciate all your prayers!! Please continue to pray...

"to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen." (Romans 16:27 NIV)

June 3-7 Puebla, Mexico Trip

Armando's Summary of his most recent Mexico trip: Puebla and Mexico City.

Wednesday
I arrived in Mexico City in the afternoon and was scheduled to present the You Can Tell It seminar from EvanTell, to teach people how to present the gospel in a clear and simple way. Over 40 people from 3 different churches were in attendance. We had a great 3-hr session and during one of the breaks, one of the leaders came up to me and said that there were 2 non-believers in the crowd. It is my understanding that at the end of the session, one of them put their trust in Christ or at least understood what salvation was. I was supposed to only teach 3 sessions out the 8, but the people were so eager to learn that I made a decision to come back to MX City after my trip to Puebla to complete the seminar.

Thursday/Friday
I traveled to Puebla, Mexico, home of the Puebla Bible Seminary, to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Seminary, where I manned a table to represent the EvanTell organization. I taught 5 workshops, one of them unscheduled. People were really open to learning what it means to trust Christ. Out of this conference, I was invited to give 3 seminars in other parts of Mexico; one of them has a confirmed date and time in the state of Michoacan, where drug dealers have a big presence. It will be in July, which will coincide perfectly since I will already be in Mexico (close to Michoacan) during that time.

Saturday
I was scheduled to be in Mexico City by 7:00 PM to complete the seminar started on Wednesday night. Around 1:00 PM, I received a call from the person who was supposed to drive me to Mexico City to tell me that his car had broken down. By now it was too late to even take the bus and make it to the conference on time, so the director of the seminary and other people tried to find someone to give me a ride, but were unsuccessful. As I was next to my EvanTell stand, I had one packet of evangelism tracts on my table left. One lady came up to the table and picked them up to look at and so I said, “If you want them, they’re yours.” It turns out her husband has been to Dallas to take the EvanTell training and uses those tracts, so she was very thankful to have more. It also turns out they live in Mexico City and had one space left in their minivan. We encountered a lot of construction traffic and an accident, but I made it a few minutes past 7:00.

To my surprise, we had more people on Saturday than we did on Wednesday, even though the Mexican Nat’l soccer team was playing a very important game and usually people would rather stay home to watch. This group in particular was very attentive (over 50 people from 3 different churches). One of the churches in attendance meets at a house in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Mexico City, named Tepito, in which one of the leader’s sons was killed (shot over 20 times). The pastor that invited me to present this seminar told me that these small churches are very evangelism-oriented, so they were very eager to learn. No one even flinched when they found out Mexico lost the game.

Sunday
On Sunday morning I had a pleasant surprise. Just before services, they had 2 groups in Sunday school and one of them had 3 non-believers and that morning they used what we taught them the night before to present the gospel to them and ALL three of them trusted Christ and they stayed for services and worshiped with us. As I was passing by where the other Sunday school group met, I very clearly heard how they wanted to start to pray for Laborers, Opportunities, Boldness, Success, Safety, and Salvation (LOBSSS, an acronym, which was part of the seminar) for their community. These 2 things completely made my day and my trip so worth while! The pastor wants me back in Mexico City to teach the seminar to five other churches he knows.

When I arrived at the Mexico City airport, I had an opportunity to present the gospel to one more person before I left. He didn’t clearly put his trust in Christ, but he does want to be at my next seminar in Mexico City and he wants to bring his wife. I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to at least plant a seed. I know He will do the rest! Thank you all for your prayers…it always makes a big difference!

May 2009 Weekend Trip, 5/21-5/25

This is what Armando sent out, so I just copied and pasted it here...

Presenting the Gospel at 30,000 feet
Guillermo and I were supposed to leave at around 9:40 AM, but American Airlines had canceled the flight and we ended up on another flight and sat separately. Next to me was this gentleman in his 50s, ponytail, boots and hat, he said he was  going to Mexico for his Mother’s funeral. As we continued to chat he mentions how sad and depressed he had been after he heard of his mother’s death. You could tell his heart was heavy, but I told him he looked very composed. He said he was getting ready because he knew that he had to confront one of his brothers, whom he doesn’t have a good relationship with, and he mentioned he was getting ready in case the confrontation got physical. During our talk he actually mentioned something about God and even mentioned something he had read in the Bible. I had been praying as we were talking to have an opportunity to present to this man the gospel and the moment the conversation turned to spiritual things I presented the gospel and at the end I asked him if he had any objections about trusting Christ as Savior and Lord and right then and there at around 30,000 feet he said “I don’t have any objections” and he trusted Christ as his Savior; I then prayed for his situation, his family and his safety.
 
Arrival and my grandmother
We arrived Thursday night in Guanajuato and I went to see my grandmother. I had a chance to once again pray with her and talk to her about God and salvation. Thanks to God and all of you who prayed, she is doing much better, she began to eat again and gained some strength. I spoke with her again this morning after we arrived in Dallas and her spirits are high. She told me how much she loves me, which felt really good because she seldom mentioned that before and for those of you who don’t know, she raised me as a little boy and I do actually call her mother.
 
Friday Conference in Acambaro Church
On Friday, Guillermo and I presented 7 principles (from Josh McDowell’s Belief Matters) on how to build a healthy relationship with our kids, over 30 people in attendance. We talked about unconditional acceptance, appreciation, affection, availability, accountability, etc., and gave part of our testimonies. We had no idea that people would react so positively to the presentation. A lot of people shed tears, I guess God touched a few hearts there. This area of Mexico is known for a lot of broken families, single mothers, lack of affection; we can see families love each other, but affection and I love you's are not a norm. One lady in particular was crying so much that the Pastor and his wife had to console her; later on she came to us and said, "thank you for showing me this, I have never ever told any of my kids that I love them, I need to go home to call each of the!!" The lady was over 50 years old.
 
Saturday Evantell Seminar
On Saturday, we presented a seminar to a congregation, two pastors and several church leaders on personal evangelism, how to present the Gospel clear and simple from the Evantell Organization. One of the pastors was actually shocked to hear what we had to say about the gospel and the way to present it from the Bible. He was particularly upset when we explained that in order to be saved we have to Trust, believe in, have faith in Christ alone for salvation, he was upset because that is not the way he presents the gospel, or … teaches it. He happens to teach the class on evangelism at a Bible Institute.  Guillermo and I explained the meaning of the word “believe” using a digital Strongs Dictionary on our laptop, which we left with him as a donation. After the class he came to us and said, "I need to teach this course in my Bible Institute!" We will be training him in July so he can actually teach this class himself.
 
Sunday presentations on 3 hours of sleep.
On Sunday we had 3 more presentations in the City of Irapuato about 2 hours away from the first city we went to. We again presented the 7 Principles in the morning to about 60 people. In the afternoon we did a presentation about the Center for Church Based Training founded by Dr. Gene Getz which helps local churches bring people to maturity and leadership. Later on, we taught a seminar on personal evangelism on how to present the gospel to children from the Evantell organization.

There are a lot more details about this trip. These are just some highlights. There is movement in those small churches...God is being glorified and as such, Satan is working hard to cause disunity in each of the churches, so please continue to pray. Thank you!!

Evangelism Seminar

Today was THE big day of the trip, the day of the evangelism seminar. Just to give you a little background, through the recommendation of one of his mentors, Armando got certified with EvanTell, an organization founded by Dr. Larry Moyer, who has been teaching and training people a clear and simple and biblical way (a method) of sharing the gospel for 35 years. Giving an evangelism seminar was not Armando's original plan, but I believe it was God's all along. Through help from friends and lots of last-minute scrambling around, they were able to get the Spanish version ready in time for the trip.

The seminar was a success! Over 60 people from surrounding cities/churches came. Armando had some reservations at first because there were parts of the seminar that were different/contrary to what they have always known, but the material presented is thoroughly backed up by scripture. Well, everyone was very receptive and were thankful for having their eyes opened. Many of them even want to get certified themselves!

Armando wishes to thank you for your prayers! He is encouraged and very humbled by the experience of being used by God. Just imagine the possibilities, if those 60 people each presented the gospel to one person, then those people presented it to others...and from these little towns to surrounding towns and cities in a country that desperately needs hope. Please continue to pray that the people who attended will continue to share what they learned so the gospel will continue to spread in Mexico.

Armando is now in Acambaro and the pastor there has asked him to give the first 2 sessions of the seminar to the congregation. He will then be back in Mexico City Monday to continue the business portion of the trip. Again, please continue to pray...I may have more to report soon...

Irapuato Church

Armando went to Mexico City on a business trip and was able to extend the trip to go back and visit the church in Acambaro as well as Irapuato. He flew to Mexico City, bringing with him some computer equipment for a business associate. Normally, they would have paid much attention to that, scrutinizing everything to see if they can collect taxes on something. However, what they made a big deal and thoroughly questioned him about were the evangelism booklets, pamphlets, and especially the Bible...apparently, the X-ray machine could not recognize the Bible, but then again we all know it's not just any ordinary book! They also leafed through the gospel booklets (which were in Spanish) and Armando offered to give them one, but they declined. Well, maybe next time...

He arrived by bus in Irapuato Friday and on Saturday he will be giving an evangelism seminar there from an organization based in Dallas called EvanTell. He was informed a few days ago that there will be over 50 people there, WAY more people than Armando expected. Please pray for open and receptive hearts and minds. Check back to see how the conference went...

Just The Beginning

Armando and Guillermo got home Sunday afternoon around 1:00 PM. The trip back was incredibly smooth and they even got unusually friendly immigration officers! He has SO many stories that I hope all of you will get a chance to hear sometime.

Armando just had a conversation with his cousin who attends the church and it was a very eye-opening...the kind of moment when you see in retrospect God's plan, and it wasn't necessarily what you had in mind. This trip for Armando was exploratory in nature in terms of how can we partner with them and how can we help in tangible ways. He brought leadership development messages for those in leadership already, which was received with much gratitude and excitement. What Armando didn't anticipate was perhaps THE biggest, most basic need the Acambaro church needed to learn and be shown was LOVE and COMPASSION. The reason Armando and Guillermo were received so graciously was because they actually showed love--they gave people hugs, they listened, prayed with individuals. Yes, other great things happened from the trip, but perhaps God sent them to Acambaro to show the church, "THIS is what you need for unity to happen, for you to flourish as a church! If the members are not even showing love and compassion for each other, why would anyone else want to step inside the church?"

They were all loving people individually, but left and right, Armando and Guillermo kept noticing the lack of love with each other. Armando even had to have a heart-to-heart talk with the pastor to confront him about the lack of the action of love in his congregation. From tonight's conversation, Armando was very encouraged to learn that certain people had their arm around their spouse, people were giving hugs to each other, playing/having fun with the gloves and baseballs Armando brought them (courtesy of a Sports training facility here in McKinney). He even learned that certain people who had stopped coming to church that he personally talked to, listened to, prayed with, were there at church on Sunday, happy and glad to be there! Imagine that!??! Something as simple as a hug, a listening ear, a prayer can change the course of someone's life!!

As the title says, this is only the beginning! Yes, the trip was very successful and lots of great things happened, BUT, there are also an abundance of needs. This is meant to be a long-term mission. There is much follow-up to be done. Continued prayers are needed. So friends, while this may be the end of these reports for this trip, this will not be the last about the Acambaro mission. God is not done working in that area. Spreading the gospel has become even more critical now that they have witnessed first-hand the need for it. Till next time, a heartfelt thanks for all your prayers for the trip. Let's praise God for the outcome! This is only the beginning...

Thursday, Nov. 27

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:14-15)

Thursday was a low-key kind of day. Armando spent part of the day with his grandmother, his mom (also visiting) and other relatives and they had a Mexican food Thanksgiving. The Acambaro church has services on Thursdays and Sundays so they attended church in the evening.

They handed out care boxes to the kids and many were almost afraid to take them, but once they opened up the boxes, they all had big smiles on their faces! Kids here (as well as a big part of Mexico) are not used to getting gifts, so I'm sure it was quite exciting for them. Thank you to those who made all the care boxes...they were received with great delight! There are actually many kids in this church who attend without their parents...a couple of the members would sometimes go around town and ask parents they know if they can take their kids to church.

They had great church attendance today and had some non-believers as well, including Armando's mom and to his surprise, she was actually singing along during worship! The message happened to be on salvation...how fitting!! Armando was able to talk to a few people: one guy has never gone to church before and he plans to keep going; another person left church before, but has now come back...so, hopefully the message made a lasting impact!

Friday will be their last day in Acambaro and they plan to leave early Saturday morning and get to the border at night to sleep before heading back to McKinney. There are some important conversations he feels he needs to have with a couple of people before they leave, so if you have a moment, please be in prayer for that...that the holy spirit would guide those conversations. I may or may not have an update tomorrow, but for sure, I will update you on their travel and safe return...

Wednesday, Nov. 26

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
(I Cor. 13: 4-7)

(Today, they traveled to 2 different cities: Michoacan and a small town near Mexico City. They basically visited with the pastors/ministers of those churches.)

Today I bring you stories of God's servants who demonstrate just what the passage above means. It also confirms the need to support those who are in the trenches, advancing the gospel despite difficult circumstances in areas that desperately need Jesus. They are selfless, humble, passionate, and courageous to say the least.

One minister Armando met was once captured by bandits, made to kneel on the ground, and held at gunpoint along with women and children traveling with him, but because of his adoptive mother's boldness in sharing the gospel with the bandits (while at gunpoint), they were set free. Talk about a WOW kind of story!!

Another pastor, Jaime Alcantara, pastors a church in Michoacan, a very dangerous place teeming with military due to the thousands of drug-related killings this year alone. Jaime went through some agonizing times when his congregation left because he would not compromise on what he was called to do. God has since blessed him and continues to do so because of his faithfulness.

Jaime was once beaten up by another man simply because he was a Christian. One day, Jaime ran into his attacker in a store...apparently, he was trying to buy a tool to be able to do a job in order to feed his family, BUT he didn't have enough money and the store keeper would not relent to his pleadings. Jaime saw this happening, knowing that he was the same guy who beat him up previously, and told the store keeper that he would pay the remaining amount. The guy recognized Jaime and they have since become good friends! Talk about loving your enemy!!

Jaime is constantly sharing the gospel all over town and in remote outskirts of the town. He is so selfless that he refuses to buy new shoes--his shoes are full of holes. Armando has made sure that Jaime has new shoes...

Well, Armando is on a high emotionally, but he is physically tired and has not had a good night's sleep since he left McKinney. Thursday is a more laid back day so hopefully, he will get some rest. He'll spend some time with his grandmother during the day and in the afternoon/evening, they will be handing out the care boxes to the children.

I hope you will take time to really thank the Lord today because we are blessed beyond belief!! Till next time, Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Tuesday, Nov 26

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col. 3:17)

Tuesday has been a day of ups and downs, but the not-so-positive moments are simply glitches that should never overshadow the positive moments. From what I gather, there was such a high expectation from Armando that his every step, every move, every word is being scrutinized and basically they expected perfection...so he received some criticism and pessimism, but I am proud of how he handled himself. I guess all those times he's been yelled at by angry clients has been good practice! :-) Nonetheless, there is still much to be thankful for.

This day was dedicated to the men of the Acambaro church. Armando conducted a small group type men's meeting (without the pastor so the men would be more open to sharing) where he shared his testimony, talked about addictions, salvation, convictions, and fruits of the spirit. From that meeting, he helped them establish a men's group. However, the pastor seemed a little pessimistic about it since they have established things like that before and it always died off. SO, something else to pray about...that it would be different this time, that God would make it flourish, and in turn reach others in the community.

Please remember to pray for the Wednesday travel as they visit a couple of churches in more dangerous parts of Mexico. Of course, you'll hear about the outcome of Wednesday's events on tomorrow's update. Till then, thank you to all of our prayer warriors out there who are continually praying for this mission! God hears and he ALWAYS answers!