Getsemani Church Concrete Work Continues

The workers labored long hours to get the stage foundation completed at the new Getsemani church building site. BUT it is complete! Woohoo! One more step forward! It is a major milestone as this completes the floor and work on the walls can begin.

It is amazing to see the difference in how buildings are constructed in the United States vs Mexico. We were thankful that the workers had a cement mixer, making things much easier. Most times the men put the cement on the ground with the sand and mix it by hand.

We ask for your prayers as we continue to need financing (and patience) to complete this church building. We are all very anxious to have this new facility completed, we know it will be done in God’s time.  God is good ALL THE TIME! We stand in FAITH!

If you would like to make a financial contribution to the Getsemani church building project please see our “support” page.

See related articles:

More Than a Building

Every Work of God Begins with Nothing

Having the cement mixer was a true blessing. Most cement projects are mixed completely by hand (click on a photo to see it larger).

Workers included members who volunteered from the church.

The raised area will become the stage once the building is completed.

Updates: Club, New Church, and Palmito, Mexico

Ministry continues in Mexico. We have had some difficult weeks trying to have club due to the rain. Not complaining, it is always nice to get rain. It’s just that kids club is outside. We have occasionally held club inside the ministry house but it is not quite large enough to hold 30-40 kids plus adults. Please be in prayer as we may look at purchasing a large event tent.

We did have the opportunity of celebrating day of the child. We served hot dogs, had 2 pinatas and gave the kids each a gift bag. It is so fun to celebrate this special day with the kids!

Marcos 10:14 kid’s club continues to teach the kids about Jesus and what it means to be a Christian like giving to others, tithing and the Bible. One of the art projects was a book with the Bible books listed in the front. The pages inside the book were empty so the kids could take notes, draw pictures or write prayers.

Many from Iglesia Getsemani continue to go to Palmito to have a church service. It is our desire to one day have a church service there weekly.

The new church foundation is almost complete. It is a long hard laborious process. As you see in the pictures the foundation is all done by hand. A benefit that they had was the concrete machine. Normally the men mix the concrete on the ground.

It is so exciting to see the church coming together.  We still have a ways to go but God is in control and will make a way with the finances and people to keep HIS church moving forward.

Thank you all for your continued prayers! GLORIA A DIOS!!

Fun at kids club included two pinatas (click on a photo to see it larger)

The hard work of getting concrete mixed and poured is almost complete at the new church building for Iglesia Getsemani.

Several church members were on hand for the task.

About every two week we hold services in the mountains at the Palmito church.

 

Learning to Praise and Give

The Christ-centered and Bible-based curriculum we use at the Marcos 10:14 Kid’s Club is linked so that each week builds on the previous lesson. “Jesus is pleased when children freely worship Him” was the theme from April 19th; and “We worship God through our offering” was the theme on April 26th.

The kids learn a Bible verse each week and do an art project, all related to the weekly topic. For the April 19th lesson the children made tambourines out of paper plates and several wrote the week’s Bible verse on them. “When they saw Him they worshiped Him,” Matthew 28:17.

For the lesson on April 26th we gave M&M candies to each child and asked them to freely give whatever portion they wanted back to the Lord. “God loves a cheerful giver,” 2 Corinthians 9:7.

It is rewarding to see the kids grow in their faith and take to heart the lessons. God is moving here!

Teacher Patty often gives prizes to the kids who know their Bible verses.

There is always a time of games and musical chairs is a favorite.

We had special guitar music during the praise lesson.

A coloring page was the art project for the lesson on giving.

Each week the ministry suburban is used to transport many of the kids and adult volinteers.

We are so grateful for the team of adult volunteers who work behind the scenes at kid’s club each week.

 

 

 

More Than a Building

In Galeana, NL, Mexico a new structure is being built for Iglesia Getsemani. At the same time the faith of the fellowship of believers there is being strengthened. The new structure will set on a hill, visible for all in the area to see. When completed the faith community will own a rent-free and debt-free place dedicated to God’s work.

The ladies of the church have been making and selling tamales to help fund the new building (click on a photo to see it larger).

Constructing this new Christian meeting place in this economically limited Mexican town is a daunting task. The local church people are doing all they can to raise funds. They are making and selling tamales and other foods. Plus, Pastor Reynaldo has asked individuals to directly own a piece of the building by buying a specific number of bricks. True Path Ministry is also helping with the church construction as much as it can.

The beauty of this process is, in the end no one person, group or individual will be able to claim they built the new meeting place. The additional depth of faith and the building for the Getsemani Church will be the result of God’s favor, for His glory alone.

This process reminds me that a church is a community of Christian believers whose ultimate leader is Christ Himself. All faith fellowships which have Jesus as its leader are connected in spirit.

We expect the new 30’X90’ cinderblock building to cost around $30,000 USD to complete. We are about one third into having that amount covered. Iglesia Getsemani is moving forward in construction with what it has. This church is being built on faith.

Reynaldo and wife Lulu are both Pastors at Iglesia Getsemani. Their current rented church building has limited space and is often full.

The Getsemani Church is already a shining light to this community and with this new building it will minister to even more people in Jesus’ name. True Path Ministry and the church work together for kid’s club, feeding the elderly and visiting remote villages. It is a Christ-centered fellowship we are proud to be supporting.

If you would like to have a hand in building this church go to our “support” page or write a check and send it to: True Path Ministry, 229 Silver Spur Waxahachie, Texas 75165 (write in the memo it is for the new church building).

Also be sure to include us in your prayers.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. Ephesians 2:19-21 (ESV)

The land has been purchased, a road built, the foundation wall and fill dirt are in place (click on a photo to see it larger).

Patricio (in blue shirt) is the contractor for the building. He is a Christian with years of construction experience.

Help comes in all ages such as these two boys.

The ladies of the church help by raising money through food sales.

The building site has come a long ways.

A road to the site was one of the first projects.

Several from the church came together to pray and dedicate the site to the Lord.

Many of the footings for the foundation are in solid rock.

Arlen Williams from Texas helped with digging the footings.

Blocks, metal and cement is stacked at Pastor Reynaldo’s house for safe keeping.

Pastor Rey injured his arm working at the site.

The blocks for the foundation walls were filled with cement.

A lot of fill dirt had to be added.

Rey’s 73 year-old father has been helping too.

When complete the building will be about 2,700 square feet. It will be one of the largest church buildings in Galeana.

 

 

 

 

Divine Appointment

Steve and I were returning Arlen, Steve’s brother, to the border where he had left his pickup with friends of ours.

Patricia and Harry Williamson, who are also missionaries in Galeana, knew we were going to the border and they asked if we could pick up their mail at a special missionary retreat.  We had heard about the place but we never had the chance to check it out – this was our opportunity.

After dropping Arlen off with his truck, we grabbed a Whataburger – yep our favorite then headed to Donna, Texas to retrieve the Williamson’s mail.

Once we arrived we went to the main office and met the founder, Melvin and Anna High, who are both in their 80’s. They started Flame of Truth many years ago and now have the assistance of their daughter and son in law, Richard and Linda Hough.  Their ministry is to promote the gospel of Jesus, assist missionaries on and off the field, and provide opportunities for those desiring short term mission work.

Missionaries can stay in an RV on the property for a small fee. In addition, they have a church building and a food pantry on site. They distribute the food to the poor in their area. The ministry also works directly with several missionaries that serve Mexico.

We visited for a while, retrieved the Williamson’s mail and as we were leaving, they invited us to their once a month missionary fellowship and service that night.

We did return to the fellowship that night and we learned about the many people who have been to Mexico and that many are still going into Mexico. We needed this connection and encouragement – it was a divine appointment!

Glenn Wied played the guitar during the Saturday night service. He rents a house next to our ministry house in Galeana, NL, Mexico.

We had a wonderful time of worship with singing, prayer, testimonies and a word from the Bible. We were surprised and happy to see Glenn Weid leading worship. He rents the house next to our ministry house in Galeana. He had to move back to Texas to take care of his parents, but he visits Mexico occasionally.

After the service, Steve and I had the opportunity to pray for many that were there. It was a great movement of the Holy Spirit!

When everyone was leaving, we talked to Rebecca Pearl, from Michigan. She comes to Mexico often. She has a friend that leads a medical mission in an area close to Zaragoza, a few hours south of Galena. How cool is that!! We look forward to working with these ladies soon!!

Jesus is Moving in Mexico!

1 Thessalonians 2:13 says: For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Linda, Melvin and Anna’s daughter, and her husband Richard Hough also help manage the ministry.