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Have a great day. 

From one of our past newsletters, we announced that a dear friend, another pastor in town named Luis Oscar Madrigal, has an inoperable cancer in one of his lungs. He is slowly dying. He is losing weight and looks much thinner. I have made a point of visiting him at least once a week. Just sitting with him and talking about different things. Yesterday when I visited, he shared about his oldest son Luis. I have heard bits and pieces over the years. In a nut shell, when his son got to the age he could rebel, he became rebellious in every way. In many different ways but one for example, when Luis (the son) starting looking for a girlfriend, he started dating a Jehovah Witness, then a drug addict and so on, you get the idea. Luis (the father) still has hope that his son will submit his life Jesus. He knows the truth yet to leave behind the sin that so easily entangles us is a hard but worth while battle. I am encouraged by our time together. He told me the same after I prayed for him and his family. I continue to pray for his healing and for strength for his wife Soyla and daughter Lucia. 

Just a taste of what life is like: I had a neighbor yesterday ask me if we were able to sleep over the weekend with an event that had a live band playing so the whole neighborhood could listen to their music.  It was actually comical because I do remember hearing the music but it nothing like what we used to endure being right behind the main bull ring in town. I didn't think anything unusual about hearing the music. I did mentioned it to Jessie that there was a concert going on and it was not the traditional banda music that is played in these parts. (Banda is Mexico's version of country music often sounding like polka music). When we sleep at night we sleep with the fan in the wind trying to blow cooler air into our bedroom. When the temperature drops 5 to 10 degrees cooler at night, it makes all the difference. So my neighbor laughed at me as I asked "What event? We slept fine." 

Some other neighbors of ours have between 30-50 roosters. They raise them for cock fighting. They still allow it here in Mexico. They raise them until carnival comes in the spring in March or April. While I write this now there are 20 different roosters crowing. After a while you get used to these noises. When we first moved here last year at this time, they were so loud. Now they are just part of the normal noise.

There are also times of the day when the guys who own the roosters come in and make sure they have food and water. They usually have their car playing loud banda music, so there are times of the day. This does bother me but I put headphone on to keep me focused on preparing for a bible study or sermon. It is weird how things become so normal you don't notice them any more. I guess it is why people who live by train tracks can live so close to them is that your brain gets used to the sounds. 

Today, as I start my day in my office, I found someone from where I graduated from Bethany Global University (used to be called Bethany College of Missions) shared a video on facebook. I understand that some of you may not be on facebook. But after listening to the message that Francis Chan shared, I am encouraged. One of his main points that we need to be lovers of Jesus and lovers of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I have found this to speak right into a difficult situation we are facing right now with someone saying they are leaving the church. We are scheduled to meet towards the end of this week. Basically when it comes down to the root of it, how do you love your fellow brother and sister in Christ when they have offended you? This is the question. How do you go about getting past a difficulty you have with being around that person who has offended you? If you are not able to find reconciliation then what do you do? Do you just leave? Do you follow what Jesus said in

Matthew 18: 15-17. 
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 

So the question remains, do you break fellowship with the body of believers before you follow the steps of these few scriptures? I would contend that you need to follow what Jesus said and see what happens. What do you feel like doing?  No, it's easier to leave and not deal with brother's sin and in fact deal with your sin. Pray for us as we continue to walk through this situation this week. 
Here is the link for the video below. 

www.facebook.com/BeGlobalU/videos/311124439699588/