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         Andy & Jessie Clark

             Missionaries in

​           Tecate, Baja California      

Tecate Mission International

10 hours and a day at the beach

1/27/2015

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          This past week, we received information about the day youth conference that happens every three months. It was Tuesday of last week. After figuring out where it was going to be located, it was going to difficult to accomplish attending the event as it was 4 hours away one way. So I decided to let the youth figure out how they would come up with the money for gas (not cheap for a long trip like this). They ended up getting it figured out. So on Saturday morning, I woke up at 5 AM. We ended up getting on the road at 6:30 AM only to arrive at 11 AM an hour after the event was scheduled to start. As many events in Mexico never truly start on time, when we got into where it was going to be they had just started with prayer. I need to stop first and say that we never travel very much in Mexico. Majority of our travels here is from here to Guadalajara which is about 2 and half hour drive from here. We will occasionally go to the beach which is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. That is the extent of our travel. This event was located farther south then the beach we normally go to by about 2 1/2 hours. It was interesting to see a different part of Mexico. It didn't look much different except for one of the cities we went past was Manzanillo which is a big port city, very industrial. 
       When we arrived to the event, it was held right on the beach. I mean, the chairs were under a shelter that was made from wood and palm branches with sand underneath us. It was very cool. The sermon was on dating. It is a huge topic to tackle. The main point of his messages was you date when you are ready to get married. It is important to continue to bring this topic up it happens many times of a young person who seems to be strong in the Lord, finds love in a non-believer (most times Catholic). Often it leads deciding to leave the church for "love". Over the years, I have seen it happen. You can't talk about it enough, because the pickens are slim when there are so feel Christian young people.  
     After the event was over we headed out at 5 PM. We didn't get home until 10:30 PM. You do the math. It was a long trip. I was so tired that after church the next day, I didn't even eat lunch I was so tired. I laid down and with in 2 minutes, I was asleep. I know this because Jessie came to ask me something before I took a nap just after I had laid down. 
       Going so far away for an event, I was asking myself was it really worth it? When me and two other young guys were swimming in the ocean, the waves were pretty big in this area, I asked one of them when was the last time he had come to the beach? He said when I went with another missionary family, 4 years ago. He is only 14 years old. I am blessed to be able to bless this young kid with something that he normally doesn't get. He never leaves Autlan. So a trip the coast for the day is way outside of the norm. His name is Jose. He is growing in the Lord. We are seeing him soak up the truth. If it was just for him, I would go to the beach again, to get time with him. Pray for this young kid. 

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Five years

1/20/2015

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As many of you know, La Roca church is one of our main ministries here. As of January 10, I completed 5 years of being a pastor. As I look back on my time here as a pastor, I remember so many who have moved on to other things. I say this not to say that they have fallen away from the faith or have rejected attending our church, but seeing the church as seasonal time for some. God uses the church to grow new believers until they believe God is calling them to go to other places. There is only one young lady, Rosa (who is 18 and trying to figure out what to do with her life) that had been there when I started. It has been a growing process. I remember in the beginning not being able to speak Spanish well at all that I had to read my messages. It was horrible to those who were listening I am sure. But God has been gracious. I can now write minimal notes to preach a sermon and be able to preach what I believe God is instructing me to share. I never would have imagined doing this on the mission field. If you asked me before we came to Mexico "what do you see yourself doing in 5 years?" I would have said something like, working to bring people to Christ in the context of teaching English and working in a coffee house. Not that these things aren't effective, but I am convinced that the church is where a great growth comes. Through our time together in the word and chewing on passages of scripture on our bible study nights, God has given us the privilege of growing milk drinkers in to meat eaters. We continue to see areas in where God has yet to invade with his truth. For example, we are studying the book of James, and verse 1:14 says: But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Our conversation started leading to fornication and being married. The question was asked if a couple is not married and have kids together, would you ask them to separate until they get married? We had to respond yes. There was a puzzled look on a few faces. We had to ask how do you define fornication and adultry? I don't want to go into all of what we said but it was clear to us, just how God allows us to see these moments as opportunities to speak from what scriptures say about the subject, having changed the way some view marriage.
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Making Disciples

1/15/2015

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In my morning devotions I have been reading Radical by David Platt. I read something that was simple but profound and really applies to what God has called us to "do" as missionaries in Mexico.

    "Making disciples is not an easy process. It is trying. It is messy. It is slow, tedious, even painful at times. It is all these things because it is relational. Jesus has not given us an effortless step-by-step formula for impacting nations for his glory. He has given us people, and he has said, "Live for them. Love them, serve them, and lead them. Lead them to follow me, and lead them to lead others to follow me. In the process you will multiply the gospel to the ends of the earth."" (pg93)

If I could describe to you what we do here in few words, this would be it. We don't see great mulitutes coming to Jesus. We see the slow and steady growth in the people we touch and minister to on a weekly basis. Sometimes with no real fruit at all. I am convinced that this is the price we pay as we work in one of the most hardest grounds Spiritually in Mexico. The truth is that the traditions of man (catholism) is so strong. We countinue to see glimse of fruit here and there, but for the most part is hard work. Working the ground to so the seed is ready to be planted.
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Hello again

1/14/2015

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For those who have checked our website for new blog posts, I apologize. I am writing this from a mini laptop that we use for church worship songs and the kids typing program. It is pretty slow, but will do for now. (Kids didn't do typing today.)

During Christmas, any type of routine one has, is completely thrown out due to the amount of events that are happening, what seems like everyday. I am pleased to say, I am getting back into somewhat of a schedule spending time in my office and focusing in on things like this blog, taxes and paper work.

I am now teaching on English class on Wednesdays from 4-7PM every week. I have a constant three students on a weekly basis. Because it is a bit of a longer class, we spend the first 15 minutes reading through passages of scriptures. We talk about what words in English mean, then we read it in Spanish. I am looking at it as a evangelistic opportunity. I have a young guy of 13 years old, a married lady of 45 and then a retired teacher of 70, so a wide variety of age. It gets interesting. to say the least.

This coming Friday, I am going to start helping with a Rehab facility for kids ages of 10-17. The first month they are not allowed to leave so they can come away from the addiction they have started. It is amazing there is a need here for it here. I am interested to see how it is going to turn out. Sometimes they have as many as 6 kids at a time in the facility.

La Roca as needed some attention. When you live in an area of the world that grows sugar cane, there are times of the year, that you have to sweep up ash. It floats down like big long flakes of black snow. The way they process the sugar cane fields is that burn all the sugar cane, before they cut it all down. It is easier to process at the plant. So some days the ground is completely covered with black ashes. If I could describe what it is like, it is like sweeping up feathers. If you have ever swept up feathers, they float around all over the place as you sweep. The same goes for ash. Light and fluffy. Not really fluffy but as the same feel to it. 



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