Over 100 children and about 70 adults showed up at True Path Ministry‘s Casa Cristiana El Alfarero (ministry house) on Saturday, July 2 for the Marcos 10:14  (Mark 10:14) kid’s club kickoff event. In addition to the many kids we had good support from local churches as four pastors and one evangelist came to help.

Plus there were many Christian teens and adults that showed up to man the carnival style games, pray with the children and enjoy the day. But, most importantly the Lord was blessed as many of the  kid’s professed faith in Jesus and all worshiped.

The day started early with many balloons to inflate for the entrance arch and dart throw game. A very good five member Christian band who had come from a tiny village near the mountain town of Iturbide set up their instruments. Martin and Juan started the charcoal grill and began cooking the hot dogs. The face painters put on Stephen’s clown make up. The benches and tables were set in place and the carnival type booths were setup – we were ready for the kids.

The True Path Ministry team (Stephen, Tonyia, Martin, Anna and Yessi) had planned for the Fiesta to start at 10 AM, but like most events in Mexico it was not on time. We actually began around 10:30 as the constant stream of arrivals slowed. Stephen, the clown, entertained the kid’s as they came in and waited for the games and Bible study to begin. The band started playing Christian songs and Yessi, who is our teacher for the kid’s club, started fun group games. They all had a Biblical message twist.

Pastor Jose  from Dieciocho de Marzo, a small community about ten miles northwest of Galeana, preached a sermon intended for young hearts. He is especially good as a preacher for children. Many of them professed faith in Jesus. Several who had a medical issue asked for special attention and Evangelist Romero was called in to help pray. He has a especially strong gift of healing from the Holy Spirit.

(Updated) Yessi asked the kids if they were getting love at home and many faces were suddenly downcast. She sensed the Holy Spirit telling her the children had a strong need to get a loving hug. She told them to form a line and hug these adults as if they were hugging Jesus. They needed to be reminded that not only did we love them but above all Jesus loves them.

Martin, Tonyia, Stephen (in normal clothes) and Pera (Pastor Jose’s sweet wife) had the wonderful experience of hugging each child. We could tell that some of them have an especially bad home life and just needed  someone to show them love. Several hung on with a tight squeeze and tears in their eyes. We could feel their hunger for a caring touch. It was a very moving experience showing them the love of Jesus with a simple hug. What an honor!

The kids formed a line to get a hot dog and kool-aid and the free carnival type games were opened. The games included face painting, a balloon pop with darts, bobbing for apples, ring toss at Coke bottles, ball toss in water cups, water color painting and ball throw at plastic bottles. All the booths had a line of kids waiting their turn. The very good face painters were especially busy as every child walked away with an image on their face.

It was an amazing day filled with the love of our Lord. This is a very poor area and most of these kids could never afford to go to an event like this if it were not free. Several were excited to hear we would have a weekly meeting with them and we got the names and contact information from each of the kids. Please pray the children will remember how God touched them on this day and that they will come back to learn more about Jesus! The club will begin weekly starting this Wednesday.

An eclectic group of Christians from Mexico and the USA came together to bless a remote village both physically and spiritually. It was an all volunteer, all Christian initiative. Everyone on the team had the same objective – to become the hands and feet of Jesus in this forgotten Mexico area. As it turned out the volunteers were as blessed as the folks in the village of Purisimo.

The weekend of June 25-26 started with a dentist, three medical doctors, some nurses and other helpers holding a two day medical clinic for residents of the tiny, very remote, mountain village. In addition two evangelist, two pastors, three missionaries and a group of students on a short-term mission trip came along to help improve the local’s spiritual health. While they were all Christians they were from different churches, different towns and even different countries.

Evangelist Robert Mesa from Yoakum, Texas initiated the event. A very good Christian band that often travels with him, when he preaches in Mexico, lives in Purisimo. The True Path Ministry team (Tonyia, Stephen, Martin, Anna and Genesis) had come to know Pastor Mesa from revivals he had preached around Galeana. He always delivers a powerful spirit-filled Biblical message. He has been asked to go elsewhere in the world, but he says the Lord tells him Mexico is where Jesus wants him.

Juaqin, a former pro-boxer and now evangelist, joined forces with Mesa for the event. Many of the young people from various churches, along the border, came on the short-term mission trip as a result of his efforts to spread the gospel. He has a powerful testimony about how God delivered him from the trappings of a self-centered Godless life that often plagues celebrities.

Our good friend Pastor Jose and family, from Dieciocho de Marzo, a small community about ten miles northwest of Galeana, also drove his aging car filled with people for the two hour drive.  Leobarreo, the local Christian pastor in Purisimo, welcomed us all. His home became the center of activity. His wife, relatives and church members pitched in to cook for everyone. Most of thefood for the meals came in from the out of town folks.

During the nightly meeting, Martin from the True Path Ministry team gave his testimony. The Lord has totally changed his life from one of alcohol abuse and other worldly vices to  one focused on Christ. Tonyia pitched in a bit at the medical clinic, but our main mission was to provide prayer support during the intense worship time on Saturday night. That service lasted over three hours and ended with many wanting special prayers.

It was a very enjoyable weekend, but most of all it was a God honoring time of new beginnings and spiritual renewal. PRAISE the Lord.