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.
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
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.
MEXICO TRIP 7
Sunday the sun was rising when I woke. The nights are cool here and the days are warm but the air is very clear and dry. Mountains surround the area. After a few minutes on the roof I took a very quick “missionary shower” and ironed Hope’s dress and Lois’s clothes. It took a while to find a place to plug in the iron. Everything takes extra steps and extra time here in Mexico, but we are very, very happy to be here.
The team visited an orphanage, singing songs, giving testimonies, Susanna Whitten did a beautiful chalk talk. The children were fascinated with it. At the end of the presentation she gave the gospel in such a clear way it brought tears to my eyes. Chuk, Dan, and Wes juggled tennis balls which the children loved. When they were done all the children wanted to learn themselves. One of the girls did a gospel trick with ropes. A number of the team gave testimonies of principles of God at work in their lives. The boys signed some of the tennis balls and left them with the children.
The orphans were so eager to love and make friends. I noticed that though they have very little, if you show interest in something they will often give it to you. I watched a little girl cheerfully, eagerly placing her necklace around the neck of one of the Great Expedition team members.
When our meeting was over the room came alive with a buzz of conversation. Children and team members spilled out into the courtyard. Some of the team members spent time braiding and arranging the girl’s hair. With a little prompting five or six boys from the orphanage
We had a tour of the building. It was very simple and very, very clean and organized. I was impressed and humbled by the devotion of the small staff and the use of the space. From the outside you would have thought the building was industrial, but inside it was full of light and love.
The whole orphanage was run by a man who was converted in prison. He lived in the building himself. The children were obviously very well cared-for. They were well groomed, happy, and attentive.
A couple Christian young people from here in Mexico were so fascinated by what we were doing they asked if they could come along with us for a few days. A van load of people followed us to be involved in the ministry. We rested for an hour and a half and had lunch at our Latin American office at Lake Chappala. Some of the team were able to make Mother’s Day calls home.
Sunday evening we went to the town square in Johotopec and mingled with the people. We did a program, chalk talk and testimonies there before perhaps a thousand people. When we were done our team helped them distribute ice cream to all the mothers.
In the evening the air turned cool and a steady breeze blew in the square. It was hard to leave the people as all the team mingled and witnessed and chatted with people. The people are very friendly and very willing to talk. Some key relationships were formed and our love and appreciation for the country and people of Mexico grew. Toward the close of the evening we were invited to two or three more festivals.
To day we will do a program and minister for four hours in an orphanage of thousands of boys. Thank you for praying for the strength and endurance of our team and wisdom for our leader, Mr. Gothard, who is with us on the tour.
Ken Pierpont
The Oasis Orphanage
Lake Chappala, Mexico
May 15, 2006
MEXICO TRIP 6
A I write this it is after eleven on a clear, cool night in Lake Chapella, Mexico, near Guadalajara. There is a full moon in the trees over the cluster of humble buildings that is the Oasis Orphanage.
Tuesday evening we left Big Sandy at about 8:30 and drove all night into Mexico. We were delayed at the border for hours. When we arrived in Monterrey we visited an orphanage and did a program of music, speaking, and testimonies. We ate there and then we had a meeting with a business leader in a restaurant high over the City of Monterrey. It was delightful fellowship, good food that reminded me of Fonda Mexican in Melbourne that I had once, an incredible view of the lights of the city and an important meeting. We joined the team and started toward Horsetail Falls.
Check back later for an up-date on this trip up to the hotel that night…
Thursday it was up early and back down the mountain for a ministry in the city of Garcia. We did a presentation and testimonies in front of a group of 600-700 students. We had lunch with them shouting over a blaring rock group. But the rock group was on competition for the group of fifty radiant, godly, well-groomed young people talking, eating and riding the mechanical bull. During luch we received permission to do a chalk talk demonstrating and over two thirds of the students returned for the voluntary session.
We spent the evening with Christian and government leaders and workers in one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. We were hosted on the lawn and in a huge patio with catered, authentic Mexican food. We arrived back late that night singing and memorizing scripture on the bus. We would be driving from Monterrey to Guadalajara on Friday. On the bus we sang, prayed, memorized scripture, studied Spanish. Mr. Gothard keeps up a running classroom of wisdom. It is delightful to be with him and to hear his way of seeing things. Even though we have had difficulties on the trip, he refuses to be overcome or discouraged.
We arrived in Chapella at about five this morning. We left Horsetail Falls in Monterrey at about 11:00 a.m. It was a beautiful day to travel and the drive from Monterrey wove for hours and hours through the mountains along a tollway, the main road from Monterrey to Guadalajara.
When we arrived Nelda, who runs the orphanage with her husband, showed us to our room, a modest but lovely upper room with a private bath over the chapel. The young people were distributed around the various buildings.
I slept from six to eight-thirty this morning and when I rose and walked out onto the roof next to our chamber team members were already milling around doing chores without being asked.
Today we served a steak fry to dedicate the new Hispanic Trainging Center/Office on Guadalajara. It was a beautiful opportunity to meet new people who are interested or have already been greatly helped by the work of IBLP.
We are at the end of an exhilarating and exhausting day. Lois and Hope are soundly sleeping and I am ready to join them in our upstairs chamber here at the orphanage in Chapella, Mexico. Chapella is a lake community a half hour south of Guadalajara, the third largest city in Mexico.
Tomorrow we will minister in two orphanages and serve ice cream on the streets for Mother’s Day. We will be up late. Here in Mexico they do not seem to subscribe to the “early to bed, early to rise” axiom.
Monday morning we will visit and huge orphanage with thousands of children. There are some significant work projects here at the orphanage including plumbing, painting, trenching, electrical, and artwork. You could probably have guessed that I will be on the trenching crew.
You would not believe how well these young people can sing. It is a fifty-voice choir, not just singing in harmony but in great oneness of spirit as those who are warring together against the powers of darkness for the gospel.
Recent Comments