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FINAL MEXICO POST May 29, 2006

We have returned from a month in Mexico. You might also enjoy seeing pictures of the trip when Lois has the opportunity to post them on her site. This week we are at our regional training conference in Nashville.

This is a very significant day for our oldest son, Kyle and his wife Elizabeth. Today is their first day of full-time ministry at Camp Barakel, where they first met.

We will be here until Friday. I have been asked to speak at two sessions, host one, and participate with the Great Expeditions Team in the opening-night ceremonies. Saturday we will officiate at the Peter Gulbransen, Jessica Davoli wedding. Sunday I will preach at Grace Christian Fellowship in Bay City. We will preach there for the next four Sundays.

It’s Memorial Day in the United States. I have always seen it as the official beginning of summer. I hope you have a relaxing day gathered with your family. Sometime today take a little time to think of the great sacrifices that have been made to secure the free country that we enjoy and the rest of the world envies. On Memorial Day I have memories.

Memorial Day 2006

It’s Memorial Day and today I would like to have the ability to go back in time just once. Since my grandfather served in WWII, he was a patriot and he and grandmother always commemorated “Decoration Day.” Grandpa had been injured in the line of duty he had seen others die. Everyone had sacrificed for the war effort and rejoiced at its end.

On Memorial Day the morning was always devoted to remembrance. We attended parades and listened to speeches. We bought poppies from veterans and visited family. We listened with interest to old war stories, even if we had heard them so often we could tell them ourselves.

In afternoon we gathered on the farm for a huge picnic. Memorial Day was the official beginning of summer, school was days from dismissing for the summer, and the first cutting of hay was often ready to bail. So we burned off our picnic calories putting up hay all afternoon. In the evening it was fishing, chasing fireflies, corn-on-the-cob, and watermelon. I would like re-live just one of those days with my children, but life doesn’t work like that.

We just returned from a month in Mexico. It was a good experience. We all observed so many things. The people were beautiful. The climate was enviable. The hospitality was sweet. I’m glad we went. But when we crossed back into the United States of America and saw Old Glory snapping in the breeze over the welcome center just north of the Rio Grande, I heart was stirred with love and gratitude that I was born in the U. S. A.

Now more than ever it is clear to me that God has blessed America. And I pray, now more than ever, that God will withhold the judgment we deserved and instead send a latter rain of revival and reformation to our land before it is too late.

Ken Pierpont
Nashville, Tennessee
Memorial Day
May 29, 2006

MEXICO TRIP 13 May 22, 2006

On the Lord’s Day we drove to Guadalajara and participated in a service there at Jorge’s church. His father is the pastor. It was a beautiful service. We sang and Mr. Gothard preached on meditation. After the service we went to the Soreno’s beautiful home for an afternoon of feasting and Christian fellowship. At the close of the afternoon we all gathered to sing Amazing Grace in Spanish and in English and our hosts told us why they wanted to treat us to such a feast.

Their hearts were filled with gratitude because it was American missionaries that first brought the gospel to their people.

We are leaving Chapala today and going back to Monterrey. The trip can be done in ten hours. It took us eighteen last time. We hope to trim it to twelve hours this time by shortening our stops. It is a beautiful drive. The Sierra Madre’s are in sight for the entire trip. There will be lessons on the way. I will be teaching the importance of Christian biography, how the mine the spiritual riches from biography and giving them an example from the life of Wilfred Grenfell.

MEXICO TRIP 12 May 21, 2006

Saturday we worked at the Oasis Orphanage all morning, spent the afternoon in training at the Latin American Training Center, and did an open-air meeting in the evening.

Almost every day since we have been in the area here Mr. Gothard has led someone to profession of faith in Christ. Yesterday it was a couple on the plaza. The day before a government official and a lady who came to the Center for prayer. The day before that it was a different government official.

Sunday morning we will go to Guadalajara to minister in Jorge’s father’s church. We are all looking forward to that because we have come to love and respect him and his family so much. This evening we will meet at the Center for dinner and in the morning we will begin the long drive back to Monterrey. Pray for us that we will have swift, safe travel along the Sierra Madres.

MEXICO TRIP 11 May 19, 2006

Today (Friday) we worked at the Oasis Orphanage in the morning painting a building, building a wall, sewing curtains, and digging, digging, digging. For lunch we had pizza. We spent the afternoon at the training center where we had a prayer meeting, hymn-sing, and training session. On the bus-ride from the Orhpanage to the Training Center we memorized our verse for the day.

In the evening the team ministered on the street in a very humble little village packed with children. We did stories, songs, skits, tricks, and a saxaphone demonstration. The children received us openly. As the team walked out of the village I stayed behind to be sure everyone had a proper escort.

Two of our young ladies, Susanna Whitten and Katherine Nolan were circled by a group of girls about 12-14 years old. They gave them the gospel and after about twenty minutes of explaination led the whole group of girls in prayer to receive Christ. They gathered names and addressed to keep in touch.

As I write this I can still see the girls gatherd in a tight circle their dark brown eyes never looking way, their soft voices murmuring in prayer together. On the way back to the bus the young Katherine and Susanna were so happy that they praised God alound.

Tomorrow we will work, spend the afternoon in the Training Center and do another open-air gathering. Sunday we will minister in a church. Monday morning early we will be on the road back to Monterrey.

Right now our plans are to be in Nashville for opening night of the Conference a week from Tuesday.

MEXICO TRIP 10 May 18, 2006

Wednesday was a work day here at the Oasis. We dug a trench for electric and water and painted a building. It was good to be out in the sun and help the people here with some projects.

Brawl May 17, 2006

When my oldest son was about four I began to teach him to play baseball out in front of the house with a small wooden bat and a tennis ball. When I drove in from my day at the church he would often be waiting for me with his little bat and tennis ball. We would play and I would pretend I was a professional play-by-play announcer.

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MEXICO TRIP 9

This morning about thirty minutes after I got up there was a knock at the door and Josh Fite was standing at the door with a hot cup of coffee for me.

Tuesday we had a training session and worked on a beautiful Spanish song at the Latin American Center. In the evening we did an open-air meeting on the town Plaza from six to nine. It was like all the evenings here, beautiful. The sun sank behind the mountain and the people came to the plaza. Team members made balloons, juggled, played the piano and saxophone and milled around making conversation with people and then we had a program with singing, testimonies, preaching, and chalk art. We stayed until ten at night. In smaller towns here the plaza is filled with people every night even on weeknights.

One of the young men talked me into eating a beef tongue taco, a local favorite. If you want the recipe, let me know. If enough of you are interested maybe we could get beef tongue tacos on the menu at the Inn.

I was able to befriend dozens of people and invite them to stay for the “program.” During the evening I was able to give the gospel clearly to a number of people.

Today is a training day at the Center. Right now the team is excitedly eating breakfast under a spacious outdoor canopy. It is nice to be able to spend so much time outdoors. Four of the young ladies moved to the Center last night from here at the Oasis for a special treat.

Broken Ministers May 16, 2006

My oldest son, Kyle and his wife Elizabeth are in love with Jesus and committed to the ministry of the gospel. This summer they are headed to Camp Barakel to serve. Last night I received an emergency phone call that they were in the hospital. God has chosen to take their pre-born baby to himself. As far as we know Elizabeth is physically well.

A. W. Tozer once said;

“I doubt if God has ever used a man greatly until his has first broken him deeply.”

I believe that our kind, loving, Heavenly Father is forming Kyle and Elizabeth into useful, effective ministers of God’s comfort. Pray that as they respond to the grace of God, the power of God will be upon their lives.

This temporary loss deepens our awareness of what a priceless blessing children are. It makes Heaven and eternal things sweeter to us. Thanks for praying for Elizabeth and Kyle, especially that the beauty of Jesus would be upon them and the power of God would be upon them.

MEXICO TRIP 8

For more great pictures visit Lois’ site.

Monday morning the team did a four-hour assembly and meeting at a boy’s school. I have never seen anything like it. There were 2000 boys assembled there all in strait rows. Each boy was on a large team and the teams could be identified by the color of their shirt. They listened attentively. When the assembly is over the students mob the team members and eagerly listen to every word you say. I have never been able to share the gospel with so many so simply. I just grab and interpreter and go to town. I have gathered many names of young people and children who are eager to correspond.

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