The Mission Diaries

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we are part of something greater than ourselves. Well, maybe I haven’t said it that way, but it is implicit in the whole concept of partnership. So today we’re highlighting some efforts by the Florida Missions Council, an organization that pools the resources and contributions of several Churches of Christ in Florida to support mission work in South America.

This summer the FMC and the Gainesville Christian Church will be sending a mission team to the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. Although a church was planted there in 1999, for several reasons it hasn’t grown beyond a handful of faithful disciples. Hearing their cry for help, the Gainesville Church will send a mission team to help the small Montevideo Church “become a light to the whole nation of Uruguay.”

The team will be led by John and Kay Hoyt, who have been the youth ministers in Gainesville for the last few years. They recently spent a few weeks in South America, and have just posted a report on their scouting trip. Below is a picture of John and Kay (right) with some of the Uruguayan Christians.

For more details and updates, please go to the Save Uruguay web page. We are excited to be partners with the Florida churches in taking the gospel to Latin America!

Jaime De Anda

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As you can see on the left-side frame, we have several partners who also write about the mission field, reporting news and also sharing about their own experiences. Taraneh Nava is a sister from Orange County, CA, who is on a journey through South America, and she has been blogging about her experiences since last year. She is currently in Brazil where she will be helping with some benevolence programs. Check out her most recent posts from Rio de Janeiro at Journey Across The Borders.

Also Bill Ellis, who has been a missionary in Central America since 1994, keeps us informed about the churches in Guatemala in his blog, Central America 4 Him. Please pray for the Ellis family and support them financially if you can. They came back from their holiday vacation to find their house flooded with backed-up sewage. It’s the second time this happens, and they have lost many of their possessions, including Bill’s book inventory, due to these accidents. Nevertheless, Bill doesn’t let these things get in the way of his sharing about some exciting things happening in Guatemala City and Puerto Barrios.

We also want to ask for prayers on behalf of the Garcia family in Mexico City. Doña Altagracia de Garcia, mother of Mexico City evangelist Carlos Garcia, passed away this past Monday after a long battle with cancer. She was a faithful disciple of Jesus whose life and testimony impacted many people. We are comforted by the faith that she is now beyond pain and suffering, resting in our Father’s house. And to Carlos and the rest of their family, many of whom are also faithful disciples, we convey our thoughts and wishes that they may find comfort in knowing that Doña Altagracia “fought the good fight…finished the race…kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7, NIV)

Jaime De Anda

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Today I received some great news from Alberto Machuca, the lead minister of the church in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Here is what he has to say, along with some pictures of recent baptisms!

The Spirit of God continues bringing souls to his church. This past Sunday the 21st, Cristina was baptized. She was invited to church by Ricardo, who was the first disciple baptized [here in Aguascalientes]. She came to our anniversary service and, in spite of many personal challenges and having to work until 9 PM every night, she studied the Bible and persevered.
 
Armando Ruiz was baptized also. He is the son of Jose and Marielena, a couple that had been baptized at our inaugural service! Armando had studied the Bible before, but he didn’t move forward. Now we are full of joy, seeing how God continued to work in Armando’s heart. I’m convinced that his parents’ prayers were also intrumental in his conversion.
 
Every Bible Talk group in the church has been fruitful recently. Thus we have decided to call our small groups “Missions”, because we don’t want the church to lose the missionary zeal. Rather we want to multiply it in each member. We have four Missions: East, North Central, Student, and Marrieds. And on top of that, the church will be sending one of our members on the future mission team to the state of Zacatecas!

      

I am inspired by the missionary vision of this still young congregation, especially in light of our previous post about missions. Thanks for reading!

Jaime De Anda

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Recently one of my sons pointed me to a very insightful article in Christianity Today: Upside Down World, by Christopher J.H. Wright (Christianity Today, Vol 51., No.1, January 2007, pp.42-46) Among other things, the author talks about our need to understand that God has always been on a mission, “the redemption of his whole Creation from the wreckage of human and satanic evil.” Therefore everything we do has to be placed under the perspective of God’s missional activity. Here are some quotes from the article…

We wrestle to “make the Gospel relevant to the world.” But God is about the mission of transforming the world to fit the shape of the Gospel.

We argue about what can be legitimately be included in the mission God expects from the church, when we should ask what kind of church God expects for his mission in all its comprehensive fullness.

I may wonder what kind of mission God has for me, when I should ask what kind of me God wants for his mission.

We are a part of something much greater than ourselves and our immediate circumstances. God is on a mission, and we are called to “fit” into it. Are we ready?

Jaime De Anda

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Before our mission team arrived in Mexico City in 1987, part of our “training” consisted of studying the lives of great leaders throughout history. One of my favorite books was “Let The Trumpet Sound” by Stephen B. Oates, a biography of Martin Luther King. Dr. King was a hero to our mission team members. We were inspired by his idealism, his determination and, of course, his speeches. Undoubtedly, few people have had as much influence as Dr. King in shaping the America we live in today.

Today the L.A. Church honored Martin Luther King Day in a very special way… by serving the community. I was part of a group of dozens of church members who went to a school in Santa Ana, California, to serve as volunteers for the “Day on HOPE” organized by HOPE worldwide Los Angeles. Children (and parents) in the community were treated to a kids’ carnival, soccer and basketball clinics, free health information, martial arts demos and other activities. Volunteers also raised funds, donated blood, painted murals, and built planters at the school site.

I have to confess that it wasn’t easy to go. The weather was unusually cold for Southern California, and my human nature said: “The kids are off school. Sleep in. Don’t risk catching a cold. Other people will be there.” But I needed to be there. My kids needed to be there. I do not believe that the Christian life is complete without performing works of service. Service pulls your focus off yourself. Service makes you aware of the needs of others. Service reminds you of how blessed you are. Service allows you to imitate Christ.

There’s people on the street
Ain’t got enough to eat
You just shake your head
The measure of a man
Is one who lends a hand
That’s what my father said
No matter what you make
All that you can take
Is what you give away

The song lyrics by Vince Gill reflect the heart that Dr. King wanted America to have. I think they also reflect the heart that Jesus would want his church to have.

Jaime De Anda

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