Some times in life, you have to purposely stop for a moment. In the midst of so many different things happening all the time it is hard to stop. Four months since I last was on here?? How is that possible? I can only look at the things that have happen in that time. We decided not to go home this year during the summer. Instead we used it as an opportunity to go and visit somewhere, where we would not normally go. We went to Salem, OR. It was our first trip to the west coast. We have been to California once or twice but that is it. We have a supporting church in West Salem that has invited us to come for a number of years. With us not going home this was a great opportunity to do so. We went for 2 weeks. It was a truly blessed time. We were able to visit with a number of people who had come to Autlan at one time or another. This church has brought teams down for many years. We were amazed at how many people had come down. We shared our ministry and gave testimonies of what God is doing here in our town. One of the highlights of our trip, we were able to do just that with two different Sunday school classes. We were invited to various homes to share in meals together. It reminds me of the early days of the church where they went home-to-home and ate together. We were blessed to be in so many homes.
During our time we also met with Rick and Jo'ell Bruggeman. They lived in Autlan for 8 years and were apart of our social life. Due to Jo'ell having cancer, they are have now transitioned from Mexico back to Salem. We were truly blessed to spend time with them seeing some of the sites of Oregon, as well as have a time of prayer for difficult days ahead in their home. They continue to be on our hearts.
Also with our time there, we had a chance to meet up with another couple named Sigi and Jennifer Montes. They had lived in town near Autlan for almost 3 years. They were a huge blessing to Jessie and I, when I first became the pastor at La Roca church. Sigi begin bi-lingual often encouraged me in my Spanish and helped me find the words to say in my limited vocabulary in the early days of preaching. I will never forget them, for one reason is that Sigi was the first person I baptized. Growing up, I never imagined I would ever get to be a part of baptisms. That day is still fresh in my mind, even all these years later. Sigi and Jenn have since moved back to California and are raising their 4 kids in the ways of the Lord. Getting a chance to catch up with them and hear about how they are fighting the good fight of faith in their family was an encouragement to our faith.
With meeting new people there in Salem, we left feeling loved and blessed by the hospitality of so many at West Salem Community Church. We look forward to when their team comes down at the beginning of August. It feels deeper now, knowing the church that is behind them sending them down to work with us and encourage the ministry that goes on down here.
I will leave it at that until tomorrow.
During our time we also met with Rick and Jo'ell Bruggeman. They lived in Autlan for 8 years and were apart of our social life. Due to Jo'ell having cancer, they are have now transitioned from Mexico back to Salem. We were truly blessed to spend time with them seeing some of the sites of Oregon, as well as have a time of prayer for difficult days ahead in their home. They continue to be on our hearts.
Also with our time there, we had a chance to meet up with another couple named Sigi and Jennifer Montes. They had lived in town near Autlan for almost 3 years. They were a huge blessing to Jessie and I, when I first became the pastor at La Roca church. Sigi begin bi-lingual often encouraged me in my Spanish and helped me find the words to say in my limited vocabulary in the early days of preaching. I will never forget them, for one reason is that Sigi was the first person I baptized. Growing up, I never imagined I would ever get to be a part of baptisms. That day is still fresh in my mind, even all these years later. Sigi and Jenn have since moved back to California and are raising their 4 kids in the ways of the Lord. Getting a chance to catch up with them and hear about how they are fighting the good fight of faith in their family was an encouragement to our faith.
With meeting new people there in Salem, we left feeling loved and blessed by the hospitality of so many at West Salem Community Church. We look forward to when their team comes down at the beginning of August. It feels deeper now, knowing the church that is behind them sending them down to work with us and encourage the ministry that goes on down here.
I will leave it at that until tomorrow.
