VBS in Refugio

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Guest written by Stephen and Tonyia’s niece, Jeanette (07/20/2022)

Our day started early with the team from Iglesia Getsemani and the members of True Path Ministry driving over 2 hours deep into the mountains.  Our destination was the tiny village of Refugio. 

The drive to Refugio is always jaw-droppingly beautiful.  The pictures that we take of the views and the drop offs don’t do it justice.  There is simply no way to show the depth and width of the mountains in pictures and getting to the village is part of the adventure.  We arrived around 11am at the home of Pastor Seldonia and his wife Elsa.  Elsa had prepared a wonderful lunch for us of picadillo, rice, and beans.  After eating, we proceeded 20 minutes deeper into the mountains to the next grouping of houses.  As Pastor Seldonia explained, this was where we were going to do our program for the kids.  It was much closer than Pastor Seldonia’s house for all the families that walk over the mountains to attend.

We discovered that the local government had recently built a new pavilion there that would provide shade for our program.  We immediately set up and begin to sing and dance with the kids. They loved the songs, the craft, the program about having Jesus in your heart, and learning the scripture Matthew 6:33.  We had one young girl who accepted Christ today!

We also played a team game of “passing” a cup full of water (with holes in the bottom of the cup) down a line and back.  The team who has the most water in the bucket at the end of the line wins.  The kids also hunted eggs that contained the words in Matthew 6:33 and had to put them into the correct order. The team that did this the fastest won.

After all this was over, we fed the kids and adults a sandwich, chips, drink, and of course handed out a toy and candy.  Everyone had a wonderful time!  This was a day full of God’s blessings and beauty.  I cannot suggest enough that everyone should try to come down here and experience this gift.  The children are so full of wonder and love and the adults are both welcoming and loving.  I cannot count the number of times I have been here, and this never gets old and never ceases to fill my soul with joy.  I urge you to come and experience it too.  Until next time, Dios te bendiga/God bless you.

Note: Click on a photo to see it larger.

VBS in the Mountains at Purisma, Mexico

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Guest written by John Sursa who is on a short-term mission trip from Ennis, Texas. Several other Christian Texans were also along on this adventure.

It was my pleasure to be with True Path Ministry as we traveled from Galeana, Mexico to the village of Purisma, Mexico. It is a two-hour drive, the last hour of which is on a gravel road that goes up, down, and around mountains offering spectacular views of mountains, valleys, and streams. The mountain sides are covered with Pinion pine trees, cedar trees, various thorny bushes, and all kinds of cactus. This road finally led us to a village of small houses amidst native pecan trees surrounded by steep mountains.

True Path Ministry was accompanied by Pastor Ray and several members of Iglesia Getsemani, Galeana, NL, Mexico. We journeyed to the Purisma village to lead the children in a two-hour Vacation Bible School. The VBS was led by Ana who serves as children’s leader and teacher. True Path Ministry has been working with the church at Purisma for several years but has been ministering more often to the church in the last six months since their pastor has gone to be with the Lord. Pastor Ray of Getsemani is currently holding services there once a month since the loss of their Pastor.

The VBS began with Ana leading 35 plus children in several Christian songs. The children stood, sang, and made motions as they were led. Next, came a time of fun with water relay races. The children had a good time and the parents and others laughed as the children struggled not to spill the water. After the game the children were entertained and enlightened as Ana narrated a Biblically based story aided by two Getsemani youth dressed as animal characters in mascot-like costumes. B was the parrot, and Lluvia was the duck. The children were amused, entertained, and inspired.

After the narration, Ana led the children in memorizing the Bible verse: Mt. 6:33 which says, “But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” After this Ana shared the Gospel message with the children and led them in a prayer for salvation. Today the Angels in heaven rejoiced as five children accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

The VBS concluded with an egg hunt. The children hunted for plastic eggs containing parts of the Bible memory verse. As the children found the parts of the Bible verse, they placed them in order on a bulletin board. Finally, the children were treated to a lunch of a sandwich, chips, a drink, candy, and a toy. We were treated to a lunch prepared by the Pastor’s widow in her kitchen. The lunch consisted of black beans, carne guisada, a pasta dish, and homemade corn tortillas with homemade salsa. We enjoyed this lunch on the patio of this dear woman which is adjacent to the site of the future new church.

The church has just begun foundation work. The men of the church have dug these cement column foundation holes by hand. The holes are one meter square and one meter deep and have been dug through mostly caleche and rock. When the church building is completed, it will be a large structure for a village of this size. The measurements for the future church are approximately twenty feet by fifty feet or a thousand square feet. If the success of the VBS today is any indication, it won’t take long for the church at Purisma to fill the new building once it is complete.

I would like to personally thank the church at Purisma for its hospitality, Getsemani church for its Missionary heart, and True Path Ministries for allowing me to have a small part in today. I also want to encourage each of you to pray for the church at Purisma, Iglesia Getsemani Church, and True Path Ministry as they seek to do the work of God in this small part of Mexico. 

                                                                                         In Jesus name, John Sursa

(Note: Click on a photo to see it larger.)

God Provides

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Guest written by Stephen and Tonyia’s niece, Jeanette

Today we, the team from True Path Ministry and Iglesia Getsemani, descended into the desert area on the opposite side of the mountains from Galeana.  The village we visited is called Hediondilla.  Our purpose on this trip was new and unique for both us and the village…to have a Vacation Bible School experience for the kids in the church.  The theme of the day was Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Moms, Dads, and Grandparents all brought their kids and grandkids to celebrate with us and learn the scripture.  We sang songs as we arrived, and kids continued to pour in.  Next the teacher, Ana, had special helpers dressed as a duck and a parrot to tell a story about how important it is to have Christ in your heart.  Next came the games.  There was a “water bucket race” where the kids began with a half full bucket of water on one end of the line, and they had to use teamwork to get a cup with holes to the end of the line and pour the remaining water in another bucket.  The team with the most water in the bucket at the end of the line won. 

After that, the kids hunted eggs that had today’s bible verse inside.  They then had to take the scripture and place it on a bulletin board.  The first team to complete the bible verse won.  We also had a toilet paper race where the roll was wrapped over and under each child in a line.  The first group to get all the way to the end of the line won.  Finally, the small children had a sack race.

As you can see, the games were all about teamwork!  The kids had a blast with them.  The children also had a craft that was reinforcing the scripture to seek God and He will provide all you need…TV, sports, friends, money, all of that is secondary to seeking God. 

After we had thoroughly worn the kids out, we provided them with a lunch of sandwiches and chips.  As they ate, we passed out a toy and a bag of candy to each child.  The women of the church cooked for all of the adults and served us a lunch of fresh tamales and hot sauce.

I cannot express how wonderful it was to see (in person) the progress on the church building in Hediondilla and to visit with the adults and children of the congregation.  Oh and, the weather was a perfect 79 degrees with a breeze.  God truly blessed us with a beautiful day of fun and fellowship for the kids!  May the Lord bless our efforts and help these seeds take root and continue to grow in the lives of these precious children!

Note: Click on a photo to see it larger.

Marcos 10:14 Kids Club Welcomed New Visitors

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True Path Ministry and the Iglesia Getsemani church team welcomed 40 children to the Marcos 10:14 Kids Club meeting on Thursday, July 14th. Seven Christian visitors from Texas were also part of the mix. It was a blessing to witness several kids recite Bible verses from memory and sing fun Christ-centered songs. A prize was given to the one who brought the most new kids, and those new children were recognized and welcomed.

During the project time each child made a miniature scroll with the key Bible verse for the week. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!,” said Jesus (John 5:39 NLT).

Note: Click on a photo to see it larger.

Honoring Fathers at Kids Club

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True Path Ministry and the Iglesia Getsemani church team honored fathers at the Marcos 10:14 Kids Club meeting on June 16th. As always, activities at the meeting centered around a Bible verse. This week the verse was from Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” During craft time the many children who came made a special page to give their fathers. The fun included Bible study, prayer, singing, games and a light snack.

Every Thursday all children in the Galeana, NL, area are welcomed to the meeting which is held in a colorfully painted covering beside the Iglesia Getsemani church building. A mixture of youth and adult volunteers help give the kids a memorable experience while sharing with them the love of Jesus Christ.

Note: Click on a photo to see it larger.