Back from Zac Newsletter /Summer Summary
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
The Elliott family and Johanna Magaña are safely back on the border. We were able to come back a few days before work/school starts and get some much needed rest. We thank all of you who were praying for us all summer as your prayers were needed and felt. We also thank each and every one of you who contributed financially towards our summer ministry costs. We wouldn’t have been able to do the Lord’s work in Zacatecas this summer without your participation. Our goal is to raise all the needed support to stay full-time at the end of next summer. We only have an approx. $600 of a minimum $3000/mth that we will need. We encourage folks that have seen/ known our faithfulness to our calling and ministry to support us with $50/mth and churches to come on board with $200/mth. Those who support us on a monthly basis and those who have made contributions towards our trips have sown in good soil. These past five years of spiritual and physical warfare have produced fruit in the hardest area of all Mexico and possibly even of Latin America. This summer we have battled with the usual: dangerous mountain road curves, washed out dirt roads, rain interrupting outside services, the issues of having to stay in someone else’s home, very few laborers for the harvest, wavering decisions to follow Christ, and the fatigue of so much travel and having to set up and tear down for every service. We only dealt with the catechist once this summer. This last week he came into Parral trying to provoke a religious debate with us. Again, he wishes to be worshipped as a living saint and has not stopped trying to drive us out even though his authority (a local priest) has prohibited him from publicizing his propaganda. However, Miguel (continue praying for him) is nothing compared to what we came up against this summer 2011. As most of you know already, my assistant and I both were attacked in deep southern Zacatecas by drug lords early in the summer and then our team from Woodward and Acuña was attacked in our immediate area. We again thank the Woodward team for their great passion to serve the Lord amidst these incredible circumstances. We thank and praise the Lord Jesus Christ for providing safety for every member of our Sembradores team. Please do not stop praying for our people in Guadalupe Victoria, Palmas Altas, Parral, Monte de los Garcia, and Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas. They are still there my friends. Pray for their safety-in their villages, and every time they have to travel.
Ministry areas
Those who were baptized in March and July have shown great spiritual growth. Their whole outlook has changed. They have chosen to follow Christ 100% no matter what the cost may be. Last summer when I attempted to leave a service order for the villages to follow there was not a positive response. This summer was totally different. In every weekly ministry site but Guadalupe Victoria there are people that are 100% dedicated to persevere in doctrine, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and in prayer on a weekly basis. Our final visits consisted of a final word of encouragement and the delegation of responsibilities for the service order: opening service, worship time, word time, closing prayer time. A great praise report is that in Monte Escobedo Erica Bonilla felt the calling of the Lord to work with children. During the week before service the children from the colonia had come to her asking her to give them a weekly Bible class besides the one we were already having. The Lord did it my brethren! Erica has, therefore, made the decision to be the children’s teacher of the church for now. Another great personal testimony/blessing for me was that the last two weeks a little girl I had led to Christ with the evangecube with the Spring Break trip in a far off colonia had started come. Those of you who have come personally to sow seed and those of you who have sown financially have sown in good soil! One of my summer goals was to see my daughter accompany me singing-there was my little 6 yr old Shalom helping me lead worship almost every service. Erica from Monte Escobedo and Luis and Beto from Monte de los Garcia both want to learn the guitar so that they can play for the Lord. Luis used to play accordion and saxophone for the world for years! Erica had already starting taking secular lessons before this summer but we had the opportunity to work with her a little bit this summer. We have a lot of work to do this next year and will need music teachers! Soon we will have our first homegrown musical groups for Monte Escobedo and Monte de los Garcia. Luis, his wife, and younger daughter have proclaimed that they will be ready for baptism this next year as well as Gabriel of Parral. At this time we still did not find any solid properties for sale to purchase and build churches, however, we will probably paint Luis’s store and convert it into a mini temporal church for Monte de los Garcia. Luis has been faithful in allowing us to use this store for services rent free all this time. Next summer we are going to try to find a building in Monte Escobedo for rent for the church. The church there is beginning to grow and the area we have been using will possibly be unavailable for use next year. During our last visits to Parral and Monte Escobedo it rained so hard we could barely even hear each other in the homes for the remainder of the service. Thanks to all of you who prayed so hard for the rain as it had been one of the driest years on record.
Teul, Zacatecas
Three years ago at the end of our summer work 2008 we made a trip to the beach as a family and on the way we drove through one of the most beautiful mountain towns I had ever seen in my life. God told me, "You’re going to come back here one day." Last year that happened when I went with our friends from Alabama and Kentucky. This summer I made three attempts to get back to Teul, Zacatecas in deep southern Zacatecas this summer before it finally happened. Satan did everything he could to stop me from going there. The first time my assistant and I were attacked by drug lords in a nearby city. Know and understand that that attack was made in a city that is now completely controlled by the drug lords. Also know that to get to “that city” (I can’t mention the name of) one must take a highway away from Teul. One does not go through “that city” to get to Teul. The only reason my assistant and I had even gone to “that city” was because it had a hotel and we were not sure if Teul had one or not. I want that to be clear because I believe the Lord has great plans for Teul! Amen! This beautiful city in the southern Zacatecas mountains is one of the birthplaces of tequila. Obviously there is a lot of work to do there my friends! There is no Christian church in that town of 6000 nor is there is one in at least 6 other of the city/counties. These people need to hear the hope of Christ my friends! Who will go? Who will go and share with them the hope and love of Christ? I will my friends, I will go. Does it make any sense at all? Probably not. A lot of things about the cost of the Christian walk don’t make sense! Teul is a 3 hour drive from Palmas Altas. No, I have no idea how we could go on a weekly basis to this far off place (time, gas money). Nothing is impossible for Christ! I had no idea how we were going to be able to continue going to Monte Escobedo but God worked it out-we didn’t miss one week this summer. God provided us with the strength to do the 1 hour ½ haul and the gas money. Bueno, the next attempt I was going to be silly and try to go back to Teul by myself and my blessed wife reminded me of the foolishness of that. Instead she encouraged me that we would prepare better as a team and all go next week. That next week we were scheduled to go with Brother Lynn and I got sick (really sick). Finally, this last Monday it happened. I went with my friend, Rick Reeder, from the Kentucky Baptist association and ran into folks we had led to Christ and even got to meet the mayor of the city who like the mayor of Monte Escobedo gave me authorization to use the municipal auditorium for a Christian event in the future. I found a special friend I had made in the market who we had led to Christ and given a Bible. She had been waiting for us this whole year! She had been waiting for someone to teach her the words of the Bible for a whole year! Can you believe that? She quickly invited some neighborhood kids and we had a little service right there. One of my highlights of the whole summer!
Please consider supporting us on a monthly basis so we can disciple our people. Our agenda is completely open to visit your church on a weekend. Please contact me to set up an appointment.
May God bless and keep you.
Tax exempt giving
%Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St.
Del Rio, TX 78840
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
(830) 719-9731
Sunday, September 18, 2011
New Covenant Woodward Summer 2011
Sembradores de Cristo New Covenant Woodward Summer trip 2011
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my souls trust in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.”
(Psalm 57:1-3)
Jesus said in Matthew 26:52 that those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Let me tell you that this happened this week to those who would do harm to the servants of God. The Elliott family and New Covenant Woodward team lived Psalms 57 this past week in Zacatecas. To begin, let me give praise to the Lord that all are safe. The Woodward team is back home rejoicing in their Savior who did great things this week. Many were saved and brought into His kingdom, four were baptized, and many lives were changed including the Zacatecans, the Oklahomans, our musicians from Acuna, and the Elliott family. Jesus requires those who follow Him to be willing to give their own lives for the gospel if necessary. Taking up their cross and following Him for the first disciples required everything-their families, their jobs (livelihood), and even their very lives. Until recently the state of Zacatecas and particularly our area in Zacatecas had been a “safe” place. As Christians we know that we are only “safe” if we abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Physical/Spiritual Warfare
I will not be mentioning the names of the locations where these events happened for security issues. However, it is important for you to know what happened. I and all the Woodward team thank those who pray for us on a constant basis from the bottom of our hearts. After you read this many of you will probably never want to come to Zacatecas and may not understand why the Lord allowed what happened to happen. Everything happens for a reason and let me tell you that if you ask any of the team members who experienced this last week they will tell you that they wouldn’t change the experience for anything. None of us will ever be the same after what happened.
It was still daytime and 7 of our team members had went to drop off Franscisca and Delia at their home after the baptisms. On their way back a certain suspicious vehicle tried to pull them over. The team driver put the pedal to the medal as to escape. The certain vehicle chased after them and bullets were fired. The chase lasted for approx 4 km all the way to the corner of our base village. They bandits were then able to cut off our team and yanked our driver out. They hurled insults in Spanish at our team proclaiming that they owned the territory and that anyone had to stop if they demanded it. They also proclaimed that they had the power to kill them if they wanted to. They took three cameras from our team and a little money. God is amazing because I had remembered to tell the team before the baptism day to neither take their money nor their passports to the baptisms as there was no reason for it. After more insults they let the team go. We spend most of the night comforting those involved and seeking the Lord. Upon inspection, we saw clearly that the bullet scratches were signs of intent by the bandits to hit the gas tank. Let me tell you that this is not the end of the story. Understand that at this point all are safe. Saved and unsaved alike in our base village surrounded us with love and gave thanks to God for our safety. Among these bandits was a woman. As we prayed with tears those involved showed no hate for these individuals but rather interceded for them knowing they are not the true enemy. They prayed for this woman who must have went through so much to have arrived at this point.
Our team evangelist made a statement last night during our final share time that is so true. He mentioned that he’s always amazed at how quickly God responds to our prayers during short term mission trips. The next day we headed to our base 2. Two of our team members were feeling ill and two were too exhausted to accompany us to the service. About an hour after service started helicopters started flying back and forth over the town and area. War was in the air. Even the firing of grenade launchers was heard. Our beloved sister in Christ from base 2 called us to tell us that the road back to base 2 was blocked-that they couldn’t come to us nor could we go to them. Terrified folks in the air came to service seeking God and protection. We were able to contact our four individuals and let them know we were okay and vice versa. The Lord provided a place to stay within an hour and again we sought the Lord. We were not able to get reunited with our team members until 1 pm the next day. Let me tell you that the Lord responded to what had happened to us the previous day! We had specifically prayed that the Lord would send His angels to the battlefield. Now did He do that! He sent them and also sent the Mexican Marines to totally wipe out these folks stronghold! The Marines didn’t stop until they had cornered these guys in their safe house-every single one of them was taken out! God said to them, “You don’t mess with my children!” Vengeance is the Lord’s my friends, not ours. Through all of this God was our refuge. He sent from heaven and saved us my friends! You must understand that because this happened our people are much safer now. We also, the Elliott family, are safer now because these events took place. God gave these bandits an opportunity to repent and they didn’t so He swallowed them up.
Outreach Monte Escobedo
The first day of our event started a little late because of all the aforementioned events. Our team was not sad nor were they without energy. We were fired up to preach the gospel! The turn out the first night was low as folks were just beginning to come out of their homes after what happened and the word spread of the event. To God’s glory, the local authorities allowed us to use their massive gymnasium for the event totally free! A few folks were saved the first night and then the second day we went out and evangelized before the event. Many of us met resistance at first but didn’t give up. We kept pressing forward. For the first time ever the whole Elliott family was able to go out-Shalom, Nehemias, and even Hadassah. God gave all teams divine appointments even with people who weren’t from Monte Escobedo. At least 50 people came to Christ that day through the evangelism and outreach. Many great contacts were made with folks interested in a Bible study and even attending our weekly church services. God continues to work through relationships with the people we already know. The people couldn’t believe we had been there the two days before when the physical/spiritual war had transpired. Neither could they believe that nor could they believe that we were willing to go out into the streets and preach the gospel. The second day the attendance at the event doubled as expected. Our team musicians from Acuna were absolutely awesome! They sang songs adequate for folks who have never sang one praise and worship song. They are used to doing revivals in Acuna where hundreds of churches and thousands will gather to praise the Lord. They had never been to Zacatecas the black heart of Mexico. They did great and our team joined in learning the songs with the people. Great joy was in the air! Then the Lord responded before the message with the rain the people had so asked us to pray for! God sent this rain so that the people would believe in the message we preached! God saved Monte Escobedo and our base 2 town from the war because of our one sister, Guadalupe Villarreal, who lives in that whole town. He did not save them because of their repentive hearts. He saved them because of that one righteous daughter of his who had been praying. The Holy Spirit really moved through our brother’s message the second night and folks came forward. Meanwhile our other evangelist led four of the policemen to Christ outside the auditorium. Cristo vive! The next day, the last day of the outreach, he led four more to Christ! Hallelujah! Our third day was our planned carnival. The second day the Lord had miraculously provided chairs-rent free-through a man who we had invited. He turned out to be a man with much political power and even received Christ! The carnival was a great success! The Woodward team had poured their hearts into preparing for this event. We were able even to provide a meal at the end and bags of beans for the attendees. Brother Jose Bonilla, his family, and some other servants of God from Monte Escobedo also helped us with the event. Brother Jose’s family heart is with us 100% my friends. You must know that they love us dearly and have been a crucial part of our ministry. Again the numbers doubled! There was the duck pond, point pong toss, ring toss, tug of war, bean bag toss, ball throw, sack races, face painting, and balloon animals. Everyone pulled their weight, even our local helpers making the event possible. I personally had the blessing of going around and encouraging everyone team and kids alike. I had a special moment when a special needs girl came in telling me she had no friends to go to the carnival stations with. I exclaimed to her, “You have friends now!” She had a blast and even got up front during the songs and helped do the hand signals with sister Johanna. I had to make a cut off time since we were having to travel back to Base 1 and needed to beat the dark but kept putting it back since new people would arrive. I finally stopped the carnival and gave them a word related to the carnival and everything their town had went through-I preached on David and Goliath. It’s not by might, it’s not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord! Folks were also saved the last night, amen.
Water baptisms
The day the team arrived I prepared them for how many folks were to be baptized. Luis Ramirez had already declared to me that he wouldn’t be nor would his spouse or 14 yr old daughter. He chose to care more about what the rest of the village thought about him then obeying the Lord. He wouldn’t let his 14 yr old daughter be baptized because of her upcoming quinceañera. His oldest daughter and son’s hearts were set upon it. We had a great service inside Luis’s store. Many folks that never come came because of the team, to see if we would give them something. We did, we gave them the Word of God! In all we had four baptisms. Fransisca, from Parral, was 100% determined this time to make the decision. The only one wavering was Martin, Luis’s son-in-law. The Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of him because right after Fransisca was baptized he was the first one to raise his hand! It was a special moment as we then allowed him to assist in the baptism of his wife. May the Lord continue to work in Fransisca, Martin, Mayra, and Beto’s lives! Our team evangelist assisted me with the baptisms and he and his wife said that the moment we had started preaching that a beautiful dove came down and landed near the pool. These two were the only two who witnessed this. May God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be glorified! The location we did this at was at a famous hot springs pool and so the other visitors witnessed the baptisms and heard the Word of the Lord! Unfortunately we were so busy this week and so exhausted that I was unable to get the pictures from our team photographer so you will have to wait till August when I return for the summer.
What else can I say? “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Please help us get to our sheep that we so love and are willing to give our lives for by supporting us monthly.
Thanks again for all your prayers and support, Sembradores de Cristo family
Tax exempt giving
% Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St. Del Rio , TX 78840
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my souls trust in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up.”
(Psalm 57:1-3)
Jesus said in Matthew 26:52 that those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Let me tell you that this happened this week to those who would do harm to the servants of God. The Elliott family and New Covenant Woodward team lived Psalms 57 this past week in Zacatecas. To begin, let me give praise to the Lord that all are safe. The Woodward team is back home rejoicing in their Savior who did great things this week. Many were saved and brought into His kingdom, four were baptized, and many lives were changed including the Zacatecans, the Oklahomans, our musicians from Acuna, and the Elliott family. Jesus requires those who follow Him to be willing to give their own lives for the gospel if necessary. Taking up their cross and following Him for the first disciples required everything-their families, their jobs (livelihood), and even their very lives. Until recently the state of Zacatecas and particularly our area in Zacatecas had been a “safe” place. As Christians we know that we are only “safe” if we abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Physical/Spiritual Warfare
I will not be mentioning the names of the locations where these events happened for security issues. However, it is important for you to know what happened. I and all the Woodward team thank those who pray for us on a constant basis from the bottom of our hearts. After you read this many of you will probably never want to come to Zacatecas and may not understand why the Lord allowed what happened to happen. Everything happens for a reason and let me tell you that if you ask any of the team members who experienced this last week they will tell you that they wouldn’t change the experience for anything. None of us will ever be the same after what happened.
It was still daytime and 7 of our team members had went to drop off Franscisca and Delia at their home after the baptisms. On their way back a certain suspicious vehicle tried to pull them over. The team driver put the pedal to the medal as to escape. The certain vehicle chased after them and bullets were fired. The chase lasted for approx 4 km all the way to the corner of our base village. They bandits were then able to cut off our team and yanked our driver out. They hurled insults in Spanish at our team proclaiming that they owned the territory and that anyone had to stop if they demanded it. They also proclaimed that they had the power to kill them if they wanted to. They took three cameras from our team and a little money. God is amazing because I had remembered to tell the team before the baptism day to neither take their money nor their passports to the baptisms as there was no reason for it. After more insults they let the team go. We spend most of the night comforting those involved and seeking the Lord. Upon inspection, we saw clearly that the bullet scratches were signs of intent by the bandits to hit the gas tank. Let me tell you that this is not the end of the story. Understand that at this point all are safe. Saved and unsaved alike in our base village surrounded us with love and gave thanks to God for our safety. Among these bandits was a woman. As we prayed with tears those involved showed no hate for these individuals but rather interceded for them knowing they are not the true enemy. They prayed for this woman who must have went through so much to have arrived at this point.
Our team evangelist made a statement last night during our final share time that is so true. He mentioned that he’s always amazed at how quickly God responds to our prayers during short term mission trips. The next day we headed to our base 2. Two of our team members were feeling ill and two were too exhausted to accompany us to the service. About an hour after service started helicopters started flying back and forth over the town and area. War was in the air. Even the firing of grenade launchers was heard. Our beloved sister in Christ from base 2 called us to tell us that the road back to base 2 was blocked-that they couldn’t come to us nor could we go to them. Terrified folks in the air came to service seeking God and protection. We were able to contact our four individuals and let them know we were okay and vice versa. The Lord provided a place to stay within an hour and again we sought the Lord. We were not able to get reunited with our team members until 1 pm the next day. Let me tell you that the Lord responded to what had happened to us the previous day! We had specifically prayed that the Lord would send His angels to the battlefield. Now did He do that! He sent them and also sent the Mexican Marines to totally wipe out these folks stronghold! The Marines didn’t stop until they had cornered these guys in their safe house-every single one of them was taken out! God said to them, “You don’t mess with my children!” Vengeance is the Lord’s my friends, not ours. Through all of this God was our refuge. He sent from heaven and saved us my friends! You must understand that because this happened our people are much safer now. We also, the Elliott family, are safer now because these events took place. God gave these bandits an opportunity to repent and they didn’t so He swallowed them up.
Outreach Monte Escobedo
The first day of our event started a little late because of all the aforementioned events. Our team was not sad nor were they without energy. We were fired up to preach the gospel! The turn out the first night was low as folks were just beginning to come out of their homes after what happened and the word spread of the event. To God’s glory, the local authorities allowed us to use their massive gymnasium for the event totally free! A few folks were saved the first night and then the second day we went out and evangelized before the event. Many of us met resistance at first but didn’t give up. We kept pressing forward. For the first time ever the whole Elliott family was able to go out-Shalom, Nehemias, and even Hadassah. God gave all teams divine appointments even with people who weren’t from Monte Escobedo. At least 50 people came to Christ that day through the evangelism and outreach. Many great contacts were made with folks interested in a Bible study and even attending our weekly church services. God continues to work through relationships with the people we already know. The people couldn’t believe we had been there the two days before when the physical/spiritual war had transpired. Neither could they believe that nor could they believe that we were willing to go out into the streets and preach the gospel. The second day the attendance at the event doubled as expected. Our team musicians from Acuna were absolutely awesome! They sang songs adequate for folks who have never sang one praise and worship song. They are used to doing revivals in Acuna where hundreds of churches and thousands will gather to praise the Lord. They had never been to Zacatecas the black heart of Mexico. They did great and our team joined in learning the songs with the people. Great joy was in the air! Then the Lord responded before the message with the rain the people had so asked us to pray for! God sent this rain so that the people would believe in the message we preached! God saved Monte Escobedo and our base 2 town from the war because of our one sister, Guadalupe Villarreal, who lives in that whole town. He did not save them because of their repentive hearts. He saved them because of that one righteous daughter of his who had been praying. The Holy Spirit really moved through our brother’s message the second night and folks came forward. Meanwhile our other evangelist led four of the policemen to Christ outside the auditorium. Cristo vive! The next day, the last day of the outreach, he led four more to Christ! Hallelujah! Our third day was our planned carnival. The second day the Lord had miraculously provided chairs-rent free-through a man who we had invited. He turned out to be a man with much political power and even received Christ! The carnival was a great success! The Woodward team had poured their hearts into preparing for this event. We were able even to provide a meal at the end and bags of beans for the attendees. Brother Jose Bonilla, his family, and some other servants of God from Monte Escobedo also helped us with the event. Brother Jose’s family heart is with us 100% my friends. You must know that they love us dearly and have been a crucial part of our ministry. Again the numbers doubled! There was the duck pond, point pong toss, ring toss, tug of war, bean bag toss, ball throw, sack races, face painting, and balloon animals. Everyone pulled their weight, even our local helpers making the event possible. I personally had the blessing of going around and encouraging everyone team and kids alike. I had a special moment when a special needs girl came in telling me she had no friends to go to the carnival stations with. I exclaimed to her, “You have friends now!” She had a blast and even got up front during the songs and helped do the hand signals with sister Johanna. I had to make a cut off time since we were having to travel back to Base 1 and needed to beat the dark but kept putting it back since new people would arrive. I finally stopped the carnival and gave them a word related to the carnival and everything their town had went through-I preached on David and Goliath. It’s not by might, it’s not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord! Folks were also saved the last night, amen.
Water baptisms
The day the team arrived I prepared them for how many folks were to be baptized. Luis Ramirez had already declared to me that he wouldn’t be nor would his spouse or 14 yr old daughter. He chose to care more about what the rest of the village thought about him then obeying the Lord. He wouldn’t let his 14 yr old daughter be baptized because of her upcoming quinceañera. His oldest daughter and son’s hearts were set upon it. We had a great service inside Luis’s store. Many folks that never come came because of the team, to see if we would give them something. We did, we gave them the Word of God! In all we had four baptisms. Fransisca, from Parral, was 100% determined this time to make the decision. The only one wavering was Martin, Luis’s son-in-law. The Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of him because right after Fransisca was baptized he was the first one to raise his hand! It was a special moment as we then allowed him to assist in the baptism of his wife. May the Lord continue to work in Fransisca, Martin, Mayra, and Beto’s lives! Our team evangelist assisted me with the baptisms and he and his wife said that the moment we had started preaching that a beautiful dove came down and landed near the pool. These two were the only two who witnessed this. May God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be glorified! The location we did this at was at a famous hot springs pool and so the other visitors witnessed the baptisms and heard the Word of the Lord! Unfortunately we were so busy this week and so exhausted that I was unable to get the pictures from our team photographer so you will have to wait till August when I return for the summer.
What else can I say? “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Please help us get to our sheep that we so love and are willing to give our lives for by supporting us monthly.
Thanks again for all your prayers and support, Sembradores de Cristo family
Tax exempt giving
% Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St. Del Rio , TX 78840
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Re: Spring Break 2011
Sembradores de Cristo Newsletter Spring Break 2011
¡Gloria a Dios! The Elliott family and Sembradores de Cristo Spring Break team 2011 are all safely back in the good old USA. We experienced great joy this past week as we served the Lord passionately as one unified body/team in Christ. We witnessed great victories, great movements by the Holy Spirit, great divine appointments, and definitely great trials and tribulations. James 1:2, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” 2 Timothy 2:3, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” God brought us some true “soldiers of Christ” this week. Before we even left last Saturday the enemy had tried to do everything he could to keep Sister Sarah Broecker from coming on this trip. Her connecting flight from NY to Houston kept getting delayed and was ultimately cancelled. She didn’t give up. She got on a standby list to Austin behind three other candidates. Praise God! They listened to her plight and gave her the priority. Once she got to Austin she realized she didn’t have her license meaning she couldn’t rent a car. I gave up sleep that Friday night before our departure and went to San Antonio to pick her up at 1:00 A.M. The last time Sarah had come to Zacatecas she had also missed a flight and they ended up losing her baggage-baggage she never recovered. Sarah is the sister who constructed our website and painted the famous “La Paloma” and “La Ballena” letters on the ministry vehicles. She is a dear friend of ours and faithful supporter of our ministry. God brought her and two other professional photographers together this past week so get ready for the pictures I will be sending soon. Before I give a detailed summary of this past week’s ministry in the black heart of Mexico let me share with you-that there were four baptism participants on two separate dates, Wednesday and Friday!
Sunday-I sent most of the team to do shopping and deliver the gospel materials to the Benedict missionary family while Brother/Professor Lynn Brandenberger and I did some agricultural work. Our host had recently planted some new peach trees in a different area so we took soil samples, and also took time to go to a nearby river to discuss the possibility of future irrigation in this area of dry-land farming. My father and Lynn spent time discussing the possibility of experimenting with wells and drop irrigation in the future. Please pray about this great possibility of helping the men/area out in the future. We had our first service that evening in Parral. Attendance was good and the Holy Spirit poured out His Spirit on the people. Many of the elderly came forward for prayer for healing. Unfortunately, prior to the service, I found our one faithful man Gabriel in the bar drinking. He did, however, come to the service. He has obviously returned to his old habits. We must pray for him that he will repent and truly give his whole life to Christ. After the service, Francisca and Delia (the two Parral baptismal candidates) desperately wanted to speak to me. They let us know that the local men had really been giving them a hard time for being Christians. They asked us if we could change the baptism location so that those men wouldn’t show up and make fun. We explained to them that they had to be willing to take any criticism the enemy would send them for making the decision to follow Christ no matter the cost. Some of the most religious folk of the area had even spread false rumors-that the Christians try to drown baptism candidates. We knew that satan was going to do everything he could to stop the baptisms from occurring. After the preaching and prayer I gave the invitation for those who wanted to be baptized and no one was interested. I could also see Francisca and Delia quivering as I mentioned their decision. One lady that had been faithful to almost every service the last two summers and had shown fruits of repentance said, “I’m not doing that, I have God in my heart.” I told her, “If you have God in your heart, then you will obey Him.” She didn’t like that and took off.
Monday-Monday and Wednesday were my two personal favorites. God had spoken to me to take the team out to the peach orchards and cry out for rain. We spent a good hour crying out to the Lord for rain even laying our hands on the trees and speaking a great harvest over them. After we had separated out to pray on an individual basis to pray we came back together and the Lord told me to have the group “SHOUT” like the Israelites did at the fall of Jericho. The group did that and interceded wholeheartedly for a physical and spiritual rain. There have now been two straights years of great drought and terrible harvest. Our first summer to visit the area, in May 2006, a believer had asked us to go out and pray for rain and lay hands on his peach trees. That summer was one of their rainiest ever. I remember how hard it was to go from village to village through the drenched/flooded dirt roads. I believe the Lord responded to us and gave us a sign that he is going to send the rain. Later that afternoon as we ministered in another village storm clouds were forming-I’ve never seen any storm clouds in March. March is always the driest month of the year in Zacatecas. We gathered the folks together in Villa Hermosa and had a great time ministering to the children and adults. We were able to distribute some hand-made blankets from a sister in Oklahoma and some backpacks to some of the kids and youth that weren’t present in December. From there we continued on to Monte de los Garcia where we also had a great service. Here we also distributed backpacks and blankets and made the invitation to Friday’s baptisms. It was great to see Luis Ramirez’s family all together at the service once again. They didn’t make the decision to be baptized but did want to accompany us on Friday even asking for a ride. I’m so blessed to see Luis’s whole family coming to the services together. Luis’s wife only recently gave her life to Christ as you might recall. I’m seeing over and over in this missionary journey that God works through relationships folks. We now have a great/established relationship with Luis after these three years. Now his whole family, even wife and son-in-law have given their lives to Christ. Martin, his son-in-law, was the one who had formerly tried to disturb our services at the volleyball court-now never misses a service with his wife. He honored me by asking me to write a letter of recommendation for him for some paperwork he’s working on.
Tuesday-Before we left the house we had our first flat of the trip. The Lord moved on our behalf, however, and we were able to get the tire changed very quickly in Jerez before our trip to Monte Escobedo area. Our Sembradores team trip finances were very low yet our team stepped it up and helped us purchase a tire (hallelujah). We now have a “Base 2” in Laguna Grande, Zacatecas-a 10 minute drive from the town of Monte Escobedo where brother Joe Bonilla lives. Sister Guadalupe Villarreal is the only believer in the town of Laguna Grande and has a brother who has an available house for us to use. Praise God! Now we don’t have to make the 2 hr trek back and forth from Palmas Altas when we are working in that area. We spent time with her husband taking soil samples from the area and even jumping from hay bales-ha! Her husband, like Angel Garcia in Palmas Altas, is a great family man that is not saved. The service that night in Monte Escobedo was fantastic. Brother Joe’s daughter Erika shared an incredible testimony. The night that her Dad Joe had had the epileptic attack (I shared about before the trip) she had been right there and had cried out to God that He would heal her Dad and not take him from her. She said he had had a pulse but would not react to anything. After Joe had come out of his convulsions he said he saw a great light-wow! She said that she had told the Lord she would do anything for Him if He would heal her Dad. The Holy Spirit really moved that night touching Sister Guadalupe who like Francisca and Delia had suffered much persecution in Laguna Grande. We placed our hands on Brother Joe and declared freedom over him from any epileptic seizures. My wife even had a word from the Lord for him, that just as the Syrian general Naaman had been healed of his leprosy after washing himself seven times in the Jordan River that Joe would be completely freed from any future epileptic attacks upon his baptism. We were trying to locate an Internet café in Laguna Grande and stopped to ask some guys outside of a bar if they could help us find one. One of them said, “At that window homey!” My first thought was to keep moving as the guy looked to weigh over 350 lbs and pretty dangerous from my former law enforcement experience. Interesting enough, as we were inside the Internet café the Holy Spirit send him to us. He spoke perfect English and shared some of his life troubles with us. He started talking about how he was scared to travel in Mexico due to the drug war. The Holy Spirit told me, “He’s afraid because he has reason to be afraid-due to the mess he’s gotten himself into.” We shared the gospel with him and gave him an opportunity to receive Christ. He told us he would look for us if he wanted to. I asked him if he were die tonight if he knew where he would go. I remember few people who have answered so honestly-immediately pointing his finger downward. The Holy Spirit told me to tell him that his heart was beating really fast because satan was telling him that he would never be able to stop doing drugs & alcohol-that he was beyond being freed from his past. He recognized that that was true and that he truly wanted to be free. Please pray for Frankie of Laguna Grande, Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas that he will get saved before it’s too late. We came out of the Internet café amazed at what had happened-that the same man that had scared us was sent to us by God, we didn’t even have to go to him-what a divine appointment!
Wednesday-Erika and her mother Aurora had originally battled with their decision to be baptized but by the end of the service on Tuesday were without a doubt committed to a decision. We decided instead of having them come all the way out to Parral for the baptisms on Friday like the original plan to do it right there in Monte Escobedo on Wednesday. Brother Joe is supposed to be on bed rest right now after his epileptic attacks and not be traveling. Part of the morning we spent evangelizing in a colonia of Monte Escobedo. Before that we went up to a beautiful outlook over the city to pray over the city. As we left the city to go up the Lord had told me to stop at that same colonia on the way back in. As we drove in and parked there were some loud drunks making a ruckus. The Lord told me, “He’s mine” as we got out. We had barely finished separating into groups and praying when he came over. He happened to be from Laguna Grande-Hallelujah! What joy it gave Guadalupe to hear that he prayed to received Christ! My team stayed in that area. I got the people from the bar together and shared the gospel with them. One was very drunk and wouldn’t let me talk while a police truck kept watching him and us. After telling him nicely to wait to talk to me till after the service, the bar owner ( a women) made him leave. I found out afterwards that she was angry with him for not paying his bill. The drunken guy told me, “You can’t prove that what you’re saying really happened.” I said that’s exactly the point-it’s faith to believe that it did. After he took off three or four of them prayed to receive Christ-another one happened to be from Laguna Grande-another great testimony for Sister Guadalupe. The bar owner really nicely explained to me that she understood everything we were saying but would never leave “the virgin.” She then, however, then said that she would go to the service anyway-hallelujah! The baptisms went great. The Bonilla family took us to a beautiful little lake outside Monte Escobedo. All three-Joe, Aurora, and Erika were baptized wholeheartedly-praise the Lord! I was a little nervous myself as it was my first time to baptize anyone. My father-in-law helped walk me through it, however. This was my most joyful moment of all the 5 years of ministry in Zacatecas. Since the baptism and our following fellowship time took a little longer than we had planned most folks had already gone by the time we got back to Joe’s house for the service. Sister Joan shared her testimony of having been freed from the demons behind the saint “idols” in Taiwan which opened up the floor for many to declare the freedom/peace they had experienced since having ridden themselves of all the idols in their households. We prayed with the Bonilla family and encouraged them to continue in the study and application of God’s Word in their lives.
Thursday-This was our Zacatecas shopping day. We went by and picked up Fransisca and Delia and they shared something terrible that had happened since our last visit. The main man that gives them trouble had killed one of their favorite puppy dogs just to make them feel bad. They were having second thoughts about their baptism since they felt so much hatred for him and his cohorts. They also shared with us that this man had called on Miguel the catechist to come and rile up the people against us in Parral. It was crazy because we were coming from such a spiritual high in Monte Escobedo to hear this. Remember that Miguel hadn’t bothered us the whole last summer. Miguel came that Monday and told the people at the “huizachito tree” that he and his cohorts would go and mess with the baptisms and the later service at the tree on Friday. We took his threats seriously and decided to move the baptisms to another location for security reasons without telling the rest of the village. We spent the whole day with Fransisca and Delia encouraging them in the Lord and praying for them.
Friday-This was the great awaited day for Fransisca and Delia’s baptisms in Parral. We had encouraged them all Thursday that neither Miguel nor his cohorts in Parral would do what they had said they would in disturbing our peaceful gathering. On the way to pick up the Ramirez family in Monte we had a flat #2-one random rock on the road penetrated an almost brand new $250 tire on “La Ballena”. After changing that we then headed to the baptism area. Then something occurred that you’re going to have a hard time believing. I gave a spiritual word on baptism, we sang, and made the invitation for Fransisca to come on down. The whole time I preached I saw her and Delia constantly fidgeting and watching the road to see if someone was coming. I called on Fransisca to come to the water. “I’m going to repent on my decision brother.” I couldn’t believe my ears-here we were all gathered together to rejoice with their decision to be baptized and she had waited till then to go back on her decision. We tried to encourage her to no avail. We then invited Delia and she said the same thing. They both declared that they had too much hate in their heart for the man who had killed their puppy and caused them so much harm that they couldn’t be baptized. All of this after having spent a whole day with them in Zacatecas encouraging them in the Lord-a decision they had made a long time ago that we had been discussing for quite some time. My heart sank to an all-time low and I literally did not know what to do. Here we were all gathered for this special moment and the candidates had rejected their opportunity/decision. Some four of us shared testimonies where we had had to forgive people who had been very evil to us-that it hadn’t been easy-that the Lord would help them do it. We urged them that being baptized didn’t mean you had to be perfect, just willing. They couldn’t get that in their heads. As I went up to change clothes my father-in-law preached to those present and my wife counseled Delia and Sister Angelina counseled Fransisca. We encouraged them that the enemy was not those men, that the enemy was satan. We told Delia that she would never be free from her bitterness until she gave it to God and “left it in the bottom of the sea.” I felt really discouraged but picked myself up while my father-in-law preached. I begin to praise God-that His will would be done. I even called upon the Lord asking him why this was happening-why I and others had spent time in prayer and fasting for this very event-and then for them to reject Him. Right after I had called everybody together to pray for the food my wife called me, “Benjamin, Benjamin! Delia is going to do it, she’s going to do it right now. It’ s hard for her to forgive them but she doesn’t want them to have the victory in her life.” We called everybody together quick-I didn’t even go change back into my clothes and dunk-al agua! After the baptisms Delia was smiling like we had never seen her smile. Fransisca still declined her opportunity as did the Ramirez family. All of them “hope” to be ready by the summer. They were explained thoroughly-that they will never be “ready” just need to be willing. Praise the Lord! I determined in my heart to praise God no matter what the outcome was. I don’t know any pastor or missionary who has went through something similar to what I went through that day. Miguel the catechist never showed up as I figured. Two young ladies from the village were there for a little while-according to Fransisca and Delia to stir up trouble-but took off way before the initial baptism attempt. We finished up in Fiesta! We ate, some swam, and some even went on a hike with Luis Ramirez. He took us to some 150 yr old unexcavated ruins of an old hot springs swimming pool. Zacatecas is full of unexpected surprises!
Please make the commitment to supporting our ministry with $50/mth so we can get to these people that need us so greatly on a full-time basis. Please e-mail me with your decision.
Special thanks-the Lord Jesus Christ, our monthly supporters, those who prayed for us this past week, all trip participants and their families/church families, & Sister Gene Shay of Stillwater, OK for the blankets
Much love in Christ, Brother Benjamin Elliott & the Sembradores de Cristo family
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Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St.
Del Rio, TX 78840
Contact # (830) 719-9731
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
¡Gloria a Dios! The Elliott family and Sembradores de Cristo Spring Break team 2011 are all safely back in the good old USA. We experienced great joy this past week as we served the Lord passionately as one unified body/team in Christ. We witnessed great victories, great movements by the Holy Spirit, great divine appointments, and definitely great trials and tribulations. James 1:2, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” 2 Timothy 2:3, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” God brought us some true “soldiers of Christ” this week. Before we even left last Saturday the enemy had tried to do everything he could to keep Sister Sarah Broecker from coming on this trip. Her connecting flight from NY to Houston kept getting delayed and was ultimately cancelled. She didn’t give up. She got on a standby list to Austin behind three other candidates. Praise God! They listened to her plight and gave her the priority. Once she got to Austin she realized she didn’t have her license meaning she couldn’t rent a car. I gave up sleep that Friday night before our departure and went to San Antonio to pick her up at 1:00 A.M. The last time Sarah had come to Zacatecas she had also missed a flight and they ended up losing her baggage-baggage she never recovered. Sarah is the sister who constructed our website and painted the famous “La Paloma” and “La Ballena” letters on the ministry vehicles. She is a dear friend of ours and faithful supporter of our ministry. God brought her and two other professional photographers together this past week so get ready for the pictures I will be sending soon. Before I give a detailed summary of this past week’s ministry in the black heart of Mexico let me share with you-that there were four baptism participants on two separate dates, Wednesday and Friday!
Sunday-I sent most of the team to do shopping and deliver the gospel materials to the Benedict missionary family while Brother/Professor Lynn Brandenberger and I did some agricultural work. Our host had recently planted some new peach trees in a different area so we took soil samples, and also took time to go to a nearby river to discuss the possibility of future irrigation in this area of dry-land farming. My father and Lynn spent time discussing the possibility of experimenting with wells and drop irrigation in the future. Please pray about this great possibility of helping the men/area out in the future. We had our first service that evening in Parral. Attendance was good and the Holy Spirit poured out His Spirit on the people. Many of the elderly came forward for prayer for healing. Unfortunately, prior to the service, I found our one faithful man Gabriel in the bar drinking. He did, however, come to the service. He has obviously returned to his old habits. We must pray for him that he will repent and truly give his whole life to Christ. After the service, Francisca and Delia (the two Parral baptismal candidates) desperately wanted to speak to me. They let us know that the local men had really been giving them a hard time for being Christians. They asked us if we could change the baptism location so that those men wouldn’t show up and make fun. We explained to them that they had to be willing to take any criticism the enemy would send them for making the decision to follow Christ no matter the cost. Some of the most religious folk of the area had even spread false rumors-that the Christians try to drown baptism candidates. We knew that satan was going to do everything he could to stop the baptisms from occurring. After the preaching and prayer I gave the invitation for those who wanted to be baptized and no one was interested. I could also see Francisca and Delia quivering as I mentioned their decision. One lady that had been faithful to almost every service the last two summers and had shown fruits of repentance said, “I’m not doing that, I have God in my heart.” I told her, “If you have God in your heart, then you will obey Him.” She didn’t like that and took off.
Monday-Monday and Wednesday were my two personal favorites. God had spoken to me to take the team out to the peach orchards and cry out for rain. We spent a good hour crying out to the Lord for rain even laying our hands on the trees and speaking a great harvest over them. After we had separated out to pray on an individual basis to pray we came back together and the Lord told me to have the group “SHOUT” like the Israelites did at the fall of Jericho. The group did that and interceded wholeheartedly for a physical and spiritual rain. There have now been two straights years of great drought and terrible harvest. Our first summer to visit the area, in May 2006, a believer had asked us to go out and pray for rain and lay hands on his peach trees. That summer was one of their rainiest ever. I remember how hard it was to go from village to village through the drenched/flooded dirt roads. I believe the Lord responded to us and gave us a sign that he is going to send the rain. Later that afternoon as we ministered in another village storm clouds were forming-I’ve never seen any storm clouds in March. March is always the driest month of the year in Zacatecas. We gathered the folks together in Villa Hermosa and had a great time ministering to the children and adults. We were able to distribute some hand-made blankets from a sister in Oklahoma and some backpacks to some of the kids and youth that weren’t present in December. From there we continued on to Monte de los Garcia where we also had a great service. Here we also distributed backpacks and blankets and made the invitation to Friday’s baptisms. It was great to see Luis Ramirez’s family all together at the service once again. They didn’t make the decision to be baptized but did want to accompany us on Friday even asking for a ride. I’m so blessed to see Luis’s whole family coming to the services together. Luis’s wife only recently gave her life to Christ as you might recall. I’m seeing over and over in this missionary journey that God works through relationships folks. We now have a great/established relationship with Luis after these three years. Now his whole family, even wife and son-in-law have given their lives to Christ. Martin, his son-in-law, was the one who had formerly tried to disturb our services at the volleyball court-now never misses a service with his wife. He honored me by asking me to write a letter of recommendation for him for some paperwork he’s working on.
Tuesday-Before we left the house we had our first flat of the trip. The Lord moved on our behalf, however, and we were able to get the tire changed very quickly in Jerez before our trip to Monte Escobedo area. Our Sembradores team trip finances were very low yet our team stepped it up and helped us purchase a tire (hallelujah). We now have a “Base 2” in Laguna Grande, Zacatecas-a 10 minute drive from the town of Monte Escobedo where brother Joe Bonilla lives. Sister Guadalupe Villarreal is the only believer in the town of Laguna Grande and has a brother who has an available house for us to use. Praise God! Now we don’t have to make the 2 hr trek back and forth from Palmas Altas when we are working in that area. We spent time with her husband taking soil samples from the area and even jumping from hay bales-ha! Her husband, like Angel Garcia in Palmas Altas, is a great family man that is not saved. The service that night in Monte Escobedo was fantastic. Brother Joe’s daughter Erika shared an incredible testimony. The night that her Dad Joe had had the epileptic attack (I shared about before the trip) she had been right there and had cried out to God that He would heal her Dad and not take him from her. She said he had had a pulse but would not react to anything. After Joe had come out of his convulsions he said he saw a great light-wow! She said that she had told the Lord she would do anything for Him if He would heal her Dad. The Holy Spirit really moved that night touching Sister Guadalupe who like Francisca and Delia had suffered much persecution in Laguna Grande. We placed our hands on Brother Joe and declared freedom over him from any epileptic seizures. My wife even had a word from the Lord for him, that just as the Syrian general Naaman had been healed of his leprosy after washing himself seven times in the Jordan River that Joe would be completely freed from any future epileptic attacks upon his baptism. We were trying to locate an Internet café in Laguna Grande and stopped to ask some guys outside of a bar if they could help us find one. One of them said, “At that window homey!” My first thought was to keep moving as the guy looked to weigh over 350 lbs and pretty dangerous from my former law enforcement experience. Interesting enough, as we were inside the Internet café the Holy Spirit send him to us. He spoke perfect English and shared some of his life troubles with us. He started talking about how he was scared to travel in Mexico due to the drug war. The Holy Spirit told me, “He’s afraid because he has reason to be afraid-due to the mess he’s gotten himself into.” We shared the gospel with him and gave him an opportunity to receive Christ. He told us he would look for us if he wanted to. I asked him if he were die tonight if he knew where he would go. I remember few people who have answered so honestly-immediately pointing his finger downward. The Holy Spirit told me to tell him that his heart was beating really fast because satan was telling him that he would never be able to stop doing drugs & alcohol-that he was beyond being freed from his past. He recognized that that was true and that he truly wanted to be free. Please pray for Frankie of Laguna Grande, Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas that he will get saved before it’s too late. We came out of the Internet café amazed at what had happened-that the same man that had scared us was sent to us by God, we didn’t even have to go to him-what a divine appointment!
Wednesday-Erika and her mother Aurora had originally battled with their decision to be baptized but by the end of the service on Tuesday were without a doubt committed to a decision. We decided instead of having them come all the way out to Parral for the baptisms on Friday like the original plan to do it right there in Monte Escobedo on Wednesday. Brother Joe is supposed to be on bed rest right now after his epileptic attacks and not be traveling. Part of the morning we spent evangelizing in a colonia of Monte Escobedo. Before that we went up to a beautiful outlook over the city to pray over the city. As we left the city to go up the Lord had told me to stop at that same colonia on the way back in. As we drove in and parked there were some loud drunks making a ruckus. The Lord told me, “He’s mine” as we got out. We had barely finished separating into groups and praying when he came over. He happened to be from Laguna Grande-Hallelujah! What joy it gave Guadalupe to hear that he prayed to received Christ! My team stayed in that area. I got the people from the bar together and shared the gospel with them. One was very drunk and wouldn’t let me talk while a police truck kept watching him and us. After telling him nicely to wait to talk to me till after the service, the bar owner ( a women) made him leave. I found out afterwards that she was angry with him for not paying his bill. The drunken guy told me, “You can’t prove that what you’re saying really happened.” I said that’s exactly the point-it’s faith to believe that it did. After he took off three or four of them prayed to receive Christ-another one happened to be from Laguna Grande-another great testimony for Sister Guadalupe. The bar owner really nicely explained to me that she understood everything we were saying but would never leave “the virgin.” She then, however, then said that she would go to the service anyway-hallelujah! The baptisms went great. The Bonilla family took us to a beautiful little lake outside Monte Escobedo. All three-Joe, Aurora, and Erika were baptized wholeheartedly-praise the Lord! I was a little nervous myself as it was my first time to baptize anyone. My father-in-law helped walk me through it, however. This was my most joyful moment of all the 5 years of ministry in Zacatecas. Since the baptism and our following fellowship time took a little longer than we had planned most folks had already gone by the time we got back to Joe’s house for the service. Sister Joan shared her testimony of having been freed from the demons behind the saint “idols” in Taiwan which opened up the floor for many to declare the freedom/peace they had experienced since having ridden themselves of all the idols in their households. We prayed with the Bonilla family and encouraged them to continue in the study and application of God’s Word in their lives.
Thursday-This was our Zacatecas shopping day. We went by and picked up Fransisca and Delia and they shared something terrible that had happened since our last visit. The main man that gives them trouble had killed one of their favorite puppy dogs just to make them feel bad. They were having second thoughts about their baptism since they felt so much hatred for him and his cohorts. They also shared with us that this man had called on Miguel the catechist to come and rile up the people against us in Parral. It was crazy because we were coming from such a spiritual high in Monte Escobedo to hear this. Remember that Miguel hadn’t bothered us the whole last summer. Miguel came that Monday and told the people at the “huizachito tree” that he and his cohorts would go and mess with the baptisms and the later service at the tree on Friday. We took his threats seriously and decided to move the baptisms to another location for security reasons without telling the rest of the village. We spent the whole day with Fransisca and Delia encouraging them in the Lord and praying for them.
Friday-This was the great awaited day for Fransisca and Delia’s baptisms in Parral. We had encouraged them all Thursday that neither Miguel nor his cohorts in Parral would do what they had said they would in disturbing our peaceful gathering. On the way to pick up the Ramirez family in Monte we had a flat #2-one random rock on the road penetrated an almost brand new $250 tire on “La Ballena”. After changing that we then headed to the baptism area. Then something occurred that you’re going to have a hard time believing. I gave a spiritual word on baptism, we sang, and made the invitation for Fransisca to come on down. The whole time I preached I saw her and Delia constantly fidgeting and watching the road to see if someone was coming. I called on Fransisca to come to the water. “I’m going to repent on my decision brother.” I couldn’t believe my ears-here we were all gathered together to rejoice with their decision to be baptized and she had waited till then to go back on her decision. We tried to encourage her to no avail. We then invited Delia and she said the same thing. They both declared that they had too much hate in their heart for the man who had killed their puppy and caused them so much harm that they couldn’t be baptized. All of this after having spent a whole day with them in Zacatecas encouraging them in the Lord-a decision they had made a long time ago that we had been discussing for quite some time. My heart sank to an all-time low and I literally did not know what to do. Here we were all gathered for this special moment and the candidates had rejected their opportunity/decision. Some four of us shared testimonies where we had had to forgive people who had been very evil to us-that it hadn’t been easy-that the Lord would help them do it. We urged them that being baptized didn’t mean you had to be perfect, just willing. They couldn’t get that in their heads. As I went up to change clothes my father-in-law preached to those present and my wife counseled Delia and Sister Angelina counseled Fransisca. We encouraged them that the enemy was not those men, that the enemy was satan. We told Delia that she would never be free from her bitterness until she gave it to God and “left it in the bottom of the sea.” I felt really discouraged but picked myself up while my father-in-law preached. I begin to praise God-that His will would be done. I even called upon the Lord asking him why this was happening-why I and others had spent time in prayer and fasting for this very event-and then for them to reject Him. Right after I had called everybody together to pray for the food my wife called me, “Benjamin, Benjamin! Delia is going to do it, she’s going to do it right now. It’ s hard for her to forgive them but she doesn’t want them to have the victory in her life.” We called everybody together quick-I didn’t even go change back into my clothes and dunk-al agua! After the baptisms Delia was smiling like we had never seen her smile. Fransisca still declined her opportunity as did the Ramirez family. All of them “hope” to be ready by the summer. They were explained thoroughly-that they will never be “ready” just need to be willing. Praise the Lord! I determined in my heart to praise God no matter what the outcome was. I don’t know any pastor or missionary who has went through something similar to what I went through that day. Miguel the catechist never showed up as I figured. Two young ladies from the village were there for a little while-according to Fransisca and Delia to stir up trouble-but took off way before the initial baptism attempt. We finished up in Fiesta! We ate, some swam, and some even went on a hike with Luis Ramirez. He took us to some 150 yr old unexcavated ruins of an old hot springs swimming pool. Zacatecas is full of unexpected surprises!
Please make the commitment to supporting our ministry with $50/mth so we can get to these people that need us so greatly on a full-time basis. Please e-mail me with your decision.
Special thanks-the Lord Jesus Christ, our monthly supporters, those who prayed for us this past week, all trip participants and their families/church families, & Sister Gene Shay of Stillwater, OK for the blankets
Much love in Christ, Brother Benjamin Elliott & the Sembradores de Cristo family
Tax-exempt giving
% Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St.
Del Rio, TX 78840
Contact # (830) 719-9731
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
Friday, January 7, 2011
Sembradores de Cristo Fiesta Zacatecas 2010
Sembradores de Cristo Fiesta Zacatecas 2010
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
“The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 41:17)
The two weeks of dire hard work at the border getting the Christmas backpacks crossed for the very needy kids of Zacatecas were soon forgotten when we saw some 200 precious children come together for a true “fiesta” in Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas. Satan didn’t stop fighting us at the border. Our “Paloma” Safari’s battery went out, the “Ballena” van’s brake pads went out, the church trailer’s lights shorted out, our singer who had to bus down from Acuna’s bus got delayed and almost didn’t make it, and if it couldn’t be worse the sisters that had committed to making the 1000 tamales had to back out at the last minute on us. Our team of 13 never gave up but fought the fight till the very end seeking His face at every turn. God had heard the cries of His people in Monte Escobedo, Parral, and even Zacatecas, Zacatecas. God heard your cries as well my friends, your constant prayers for our team and for the very needy people of Zacatecas.
Ranchitos historicos de Sembradores
I definitely didn’t think we would have time in our program to get to our historic high mountain villages near our base in Palmas. First we went to Villa Hermosa on Tuesday and then to Monte de los Garcia. Our team clown, “Payaso Rollin” was a hit with the children and adults alike. We were going to get the people together outside a certain friend’s house instead of the volleyball court due to the past opposition by the catechist and his cohorts. Our friend said, “Oh don’t worry about them, none of them are even here right now.” Sure enough, praise the Lord, we saw a group of about 20 children and some 15 adults come to our mini-service. It’s exciting to see that the seeds we’ve sown in people’s lives over the areas are beginning to give fruit in these areas. The Lord is awakening a hunger for God in our area like I’ve never seen before-hallelujah! In Monte it was exciting to see Brother Luis and his entire family at the volleyball court. You may recall that his daughter and son-in-law had given their lives to Christ this past summer. Luis’s wife was there for the first time ever! Her whole countenance appeared to have changed. Luis’s whole family is coming to Christ just as did Cornelius’s whole household in Acts 10.
Christmas backpack distribution
Of the 388 counted backpacks we were able to get 300 to fit into the Ballena and trailer with all of our stuff. The remaining 88 will be distributed at various mission churches in Cd. Acuna. You may recall that the folks who had helped us get the backpacks imported at Mexican customs had stolen our manifest copy. Diana called on one of her friends in Mexican immigration who helped us pressure these folks in giving it back so we wouldn’t have trouble in the interior. We didn’t get it back till Christmas Day at around 5:00, just a few hours before our departure. In the interior checkpoint we got a green light but one of the officers stopped us anyway. He simply asked what we had with us and waved us through without even asking for the manifest just like we thought he would-ha! Satan even tried to hinder the actual backpack distribution. Just as the last folks were going through the line for food the lights went out in the auditorium. You can imagine, 200 children screaming inside a dark auditorium! My wife calmly took charge and we filed them outside to a lighted area. We know now that the Lord had allowed it to happen because as we led them towards this exit we ran into the local police officers. The Lord told me to offer a backpack to their children. We didn’t only get to offer them a backpack for each of their children and a hot meal but were able to pray over them. They allowed us to join with them in a circle and pray over them in front of all the on-looking local citizens in the main plaza! God did some amazing miracle with these backpacks my friends! Let me tell you, we had put them in big trash bags-some 25 bags. We only used some 7 bags for all the children, youth, and police officers. I don’t understand how that happened because supposedly we only had 300 total and here we ended up with the majority of the backpacks still in our possession! Just as the last “ninos” came through the line the lights came back on! That was really good because we still had to clean the whole gymnasium and gather together our stuff-hallelujah! When we got back to Palmas we divided forces and sent half of the team back to our historic villages to bless them with a backpack while we headed to Parral for our New Year’s Eve service and party on Friday. We still had a lot of backpacks left as we still do so yesterday, Saturday, the Lord told me to call up a friend in the capital city of Zacatecas, Zacatecas and to take him backpacks, Bibles, and some treats for his church since we were going to be going there for our “tourist day” anyways. That was of the Lord as his pastor had been praying for Bibles. This brother opened up his restaurant after hours yesterday just to prepare us a special meal before our long trip back to the border.
Fiesta Monte Escobedo Ministry
Our dear friend and brother in Christ, Jose Bonilla, from Monte Escobedo helped us the whole way to get this fiesta set up. He even tried to get Thursday’s great event announced on a loudspeaker. Jose, his wife, and oldest daughter are three of our baptismal candidates for this March. My wife and I were able to spend some special time with their family to teach baptismal doctrine. They are more than ready to make that decision. Three of our folks in Parral are also candidates for this March’s baptisms. The “auditorium” for the fiesta was more of a huge indoor gymnasium, perfect for kid’s ministry! We found the placed pretty trashed out so when we left it, we left it spotless so as to guard our testimony for future events-oh yeah! As far as the food goes we found a woman in the area to make “posole” instead of “tamales” which was a blessing for our team as it freed up all of our team for ministry. “Posole” is a stew with chicken, chile, and hominy and topped with chopped up onion, chile, and lime-definitely a Mexican favorite! We made huge centers-kind of like a mini-American small town carnival-face painting, balloons, painting, soccer, and basketball. All the planned ministry went well: clown ministry, music, folkloric dancing, and preaching. Our dear sister in Christ, Ana Urteaga, of Del Rio included my wife and daughter Shalom in the folkloric dancing which was a great blessing for me. Diana and I even did a drama together that we hadn’t done in a long time. The children really responded to the songs and message. Some 20 appeared to have made a decision. This shouldn’t surprise you that of the 200 only 20 received Christ. Remember these kids live in the most idolatrous part of Mexico and maybe even of the world and are very indoctrinated in the local false religious traditions. The fact that they were there shows that they are hungry for something more than what they have now. Even the adults responded. We asked a random girl what was her favorite part of the party-she didn’t say the backpacks, nor the games, nor the food but “the word of God.” Everybody, the children and adults alike said “Gracias” for the hot meal as they passed through the line. You would be amazed if you were to accompany me someday to Monte Escobedo. It’s not a joke that almost every other person is white and has blue eyes. I have traveled over much of Mexico and Zacatecas state itself and never seen that before. Some of the people just supposed I was a local-ha! This is due to one of the wars with the French in the area in the 1860’s-random fact for you. One of the most exciting things for me was to recognize local faces of folks we had shared the gospel with through evangelism and preaching this past summer. The folks of Monte Escobedo are beginning to see that we are there for the long haul, not just to preach but to disciple and church plant.
New Year’s Eve Party Parral de las Huertas
Our team’s second favorite day was this Friday. We had planned a New Year’s Eve service and “convivio” (fellowship) to receive the New Year with our local disciples in Parral de las Huertas. A few of us started a service in the bitter cold while the rest were distributing backpacks in the other villages. As always, we had a great worship service as the people there always worship the Lord in spirit and truth. After the service we had a great time around the fire singing songs and breaking bread with the brethren. Diana and I had prepared a special present for the believers there and in the other villages and Monte Escobedo-some Christian cds. This was exactly what they had asked me for before I left in August-Christian music to listen to in their “casas.” One of the sisters wanted to started dancing for joy when I gave her her present because it was “Exactly what she had asked God for.” Christian bookstores in our area are few and far between. My small team had also stopped in Guadalupe Victoria village on the way and invited two sisters from there to our service and party and they came as well. All these folks are beginning to see that we as Christians are all members of ONE body-not just of the Christian church in Parral, Guadalupe, Villa, or Monte but of ONE body in Christ. They were many drunken parties all around us going on at the same time but none were as full of cheer as ours was-ha! And as I told those present-those folks will be in pain tomorrow, suffering the consequences of their New Years Eve party’s decision but we would be rejoicing tomorrow with new strength to serve the Lord in 2011!
Great ministry need
We barely made it back to the border today as the brakes appear to have almost went completely out on “La Ballena” as we went over an unannounced big “tope” (bump). We have that great need which I don’t know how much will be yet and the funds to nationalize “La Ballena” and “La Paloma” so as to no longer have to hassle with the interior permits, insurances, etc. To nationalize both of them we will need approx. $3,000-a good sum of money but money WELL invested in our ministry.
Happy New Year 2011 brethren!
Special thanks!
Backpacks-New Covenant Church Woodward, OK, Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church Woodward, OK, Hillcrest Baptist Church Stillwater, OK, Esperanza Del Rio Community Church, & Many Hands of Christ Ministries
Monetary offering for trip’s needs-Monthly supporters, & many special individuals
Trip participants-We couldn’t have done it with you!-Daniel Stephens, Jesse Chaffen, Urteaga family, Eric and Itzel Garcia, Joanna Magana, and Rodrigo Segovia
Thanks again for all your prayers and support, Sembradores de Cristo family
Tax exempt giving
% Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St. Del Rio , TX 78840
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
Phone: (830) 719-9731
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
“The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.” (Isaiah 41:17)
The two weeks of dire hard work at the border getting the Christmas backpacks crossed for the very needy kids of Zacatecas were soon forgotten when we saw some 200 precious children come together for a true “fiesta” in Monte Escobedo, Zacatecas. Satan didn’t stop fighting us at the border. Our “Paloma” Safari’s battery went out, the “Ballena” van’s brake pads went out, the church trailer’s lights shorted out, our singer who had to bus down from Acuna’s bus got delayed and almost didn’t make it, and if it couldn’t be worse the sisters that had committed to making the 1000 tamales had to back out at the last minute on us. Our team of 13 never gave up but fought the fight till the very end seeking His face at every turn. God had heard the cries of His people in Monte Escobedo, Parral, and even Zacatecas, Zacatecas. God heard your cries as well my friends, your constant prayers for our team and for the very needy people of Zacatecas.
Ranchitos historicos de Sembradores
I definitely didn’t think we would have time in our program to get to our historic high mountain villages near our base in Palmas. First we went to Villa Hermosa on Tuesday and then to Monte de los Garcia. Our team clown, “Payaso Rollin” was a hit with the children and adults alike. We were going to get the people together outside a certain friend’s house instead of the volleyball court due to the past opposition by the catechist and his cohorts. Our friend said, “Oh don’t worry about them, none of them are even here right now.” Sure enough, praise the Lord, we saw a group of about 20 children and some 15 adults come to our mini-service. It’s exciting to see that the seeds we’ve sown in people’s lives over the areas are beginning to give fruit in these areas. The Lord is awakening a hunger for God in our area like I’ve never seen before-hallelujah! In Monte it was exciting to see Brother Luis and his entire family at the volleyball court. You may recall that his daughter and son-in-law had given their lives to Christ this past summer. Luis’s wife was there for the first time ever! Her whole countenance appeared to have changed. Luis’s whole family is coming to Christ just as did Cornelius’s whole household in Acts 10.
Christmas backpack distribution
Of the 388 counted backpacks we were able to get 300 to fit into the Ballena and trailer with all of our stuff. The remaining 88 will be distributed at various mission churches in Cd. Acuna. You may recall that the folks who had helped us get the backpacks imported at Mexican customs had stolen our manifest copy. Diana called on one of her friends in Mexican immigration who helped us pressure these folks in giving it back so we wouldn’t have trouble in the interior. We didn’t get it back till Christmas Day at around 5:00, just a few hours before our departure. In the interior checkpoint we got a green light but one of the officers stopped us anyway. He simply asked what we had with us and waved us through without even asking for the manifest just like we thought he would-ha! Satan even tried to hinder the actual backpack distribution. Just as the last folks were going through the line for food the lights went out in the auditorium. You can imagine, 200 children screaming inside a dark auditorium! My wife calmly took charge and we filed them outside to a lighted area. We know now that the Lord had allowed it to happen because as we led them towards this exit we ran into the local police officers. The Lord told me to offer a backpack to their children. We didn’t only get to offer them a backpack for each of their children and a hot meal but were able to pray over them. They allowed us to join with them in a circle and pray over them in front of all the on-looking local citizens in the main plaza! God did some amazing miracle with these backpacks my friends! Let me tell you, we had put them in big trash bags-some 25 bags. We only used some 7 bags for all the children, youth, and police officers. I don’t understand how that happened because supposedly we only had 300 total and here we ended up with the majority of the backpacks still in our possession! Just as the last “ninos” came through the line the lights came back on! That was really good because we still had to clean the whole gymnasium and gather together our stuff-hallelujah! When we got back to Palmas we divided forces and sent half of the team back to our historic villages to bless them with a backpack while we headed to Parral for our New Year’s Eve service and party on Friday. We still had a lot of backpacks left as we still do so yesterday, Saturday, the Lord told me to call up a friend in the capital city of Zacatecas, Zacatecas and to take him backpacks, Bibles, and some treats for his church since we were going to be going there for our “tourist day” anyways. That was of the Lord as his pastor had been praying for Bibles. This brother opened up his restaurant after hours yesterday just to prepare us a special meal before our long trip back to the border.
Fiesta Monte Escobedo Ministry
Our dear friend and brother in Christ, Jose Bonilla, from Monte Escobedo helped us the whole way to get this fiesta set up. He even tried to get Thursday’s great event announced on a loudspeaker. Jose, his wife, and oldest daughter are three of our baptismal candidates for this March. My wife and I were able to spend some special time with their family to teach baptismal doctrine. They are more than ready to make that decision. Three of our folks in Parral are also candidates for this March’s baptisms. The “auditorium” for the fiesta was more of a huge indoor gymnasium, perfect for kid’s ministry! We found the placed pretty trashed out so when we left it, we left it spotless so as to guard our testimony for future events-oh yeah! As far as the food goes we found a woman in the area to make “posole” instead of “tamales” which was a blessing for our team as it freed up all of our team for ministry. “Posole” is a stew with chicken, chile, and hominy and topped with chopped up onion, chile, and lime-definitely a Mexican favorite! We made huge centers-kind of like a mini-American small town carnival-face painting, balloons, painting, soccer, and basketball. All the planned ministry went well: clown ministry, music, folkloric dancing, and preaching. Our dear sister in Christ, Ana Urteaga, of Del Rio included my wife and daughter Shalom in the folkloric dancing which was a great blessing for me. Diana and I even did a drama together that we hadn’t done in a long time. The children really responded to the songs and message. Some 20 appeared to have made a decision. This shouldn’t surprise you that of the 200 only 20 received Christ. Remember these kids live in the most idolatrous part of Mexico and maybe even of the world and are very indoctrinated in the local false religious traditions. The fact that they were there shows that they are hungry for something more than what they have now. Even the adults responded. We asked a random girl what was her favorite part of the party-she didn’t say the backpacks, nor the games, nor the food but “the word of God.” Everybody, the children and adults alike said “Gracias” for the hot meal as they passed through the line. You would be amazed if you were to accompany me someday to Monte Escobedo. It’s not a joke that almost every other person is white and has blue eyes. I have traveled over much of Mexico and Zacatecas state itself and never seen that before. Some of the people just supposed I was a local-ha! This is due to one of the wars with the French in the area in the 1860’s-random fact for you. One of the most exciting things for me was to recognize local faces of folks we had shared the gospel with through evangelism and preaching this past summer. The folks of Monte Escobedo are beginning to see that we are there for the long haul, not just to preach but to disciple and church plant.
New Year’s Eve Party Parral de las Huertas
Our team’s second favorite day was this Friday. We had planned a New Year’s Eve service and “convivio” (fellowship) to receive the New Year with our local disciples in Parral de las Huertas. A few of us started a service in the bitter cold while the rest were distributing backpacks in the other villages. As always, we had a great worship service as the people there always worship the Lord in spirit and truth. After the service we had a great time around the fire singing songs and breaking bread with the brethren. Diana and I had prepared a special present for the believers there and in the other villages and Monte Escobedo-some Christian cds. This was exactly what they had asked me for before I left in August-Christian music to listen to in their “casas.” One of the sisters wanted to started dancing for joy when I gave her her present because it was “Exactly what she had asked God for.” Christian bookstores in our area are few and far between. My small team had also stopped in Guadalupe Victoria village on the way and invited two sisters from there to our service and party and they came as well. All these folks are beginning to see that we as Christians are all members of ONE body-not just of the Christian church in Parral, Guadalupe, Villa, or Monte but of ONE body in Christ. They were many drunken parties all around us going on at the same time but none were as full of cheer as ours was-ha! And as I told those present-those folks will be in pain tomorrow, suffering the consequences of their New Years Eve party’s decision but we would be rejoicing tomorrow with new strength to serve the Lord in 2011!
Great ministry need
We barely made it back to the border today as the brakes appear to have almost went completely out on “La Ballena” as we went over an unannounced big “tope” (bump). We have that great need which I don’t know how much will be yet and the funds to nationalize “La Ballena” and “La Paloma” so as to no longer have to hassle with the interior permits, insurances, etc. To nationalize both of them we will need approx. $3,000-a good sum of money but money WELL invested in our ministry.
Happy New Year 2011 brethren!
Special thanks!
Backpacks-New Covenant Church Woodward, OK, Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church Woodward, OK, Hillcrest Baptist Church Stillwater, OK, Esperanza Del Rio Community Church, & Many Hands of Christ Ministries
Monetary offering for trip’s needs-Monthly supporters, & many special individuals
Trip participants-We couldn’t have done it with you!-Daniel Stephens, Jesse Chaffen, Urteaga family, Eric and Itzel Garcia, Joanna Magana, and Rodrigo Segovia
Thanks again for all your prayers and support, Sembradores de Cristo family
Tax exempt giving
% Sembradores de Cristo
Esperanza Del Rio Community Church
603 E. 17th St. Del Rio , TX 78840
www.sembradoresdecristo.com
Phone: (830) 719-9731
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