The Swine Flu

Some of you may be wondering how we are doing in Mexico with the outbreak of the swine flu. Thankfully there have been few cases here in Queretaro. Several public places, including schools, have been closed down. Many of our own activities have been put on hold, as well, set to resume tomorrow. We have still been going to our small group studies, including a couple we have today.

Queretaro is only about two and a half hours from Mexico City where the flu broke out. There are other near-by cities who have been harder hit. It looks like the worst of it, at least locally, is over. We ourselves have not been infected, and we are thankful for that and for prayers that many have no doubt said on our behalf. Please continue to pray for our city, and the country of Mexico on the whole as we continue to deal with this reality. Please pray for many opportunities to share Christ at this time.

The Strength of My Heart

Last August we took a camping trip with our young adults near a town called Tres Marias. I can remember as we left Mexico City on our way there, the mini-van climbing laboriously up the ridges. I looked back and could see Mexico City far below. Mexico City is high, but we were climbing much higher! We got to the camping ground and had a great weekend. We played hard, listened to some great sermons, and didn't sleep much. On the last day I started to feel a little weird. My eyes couldn't focus on anything and my head was twitching involuntarily. I squatted down a couple times because I could no longer stand. As my team took off to do another activity I tried to follow.

What happened next, I can now laugh at, but I think everyone else was quite alarmed. As I tried to follow my team, a strange noise, like machine-gun fire, came out of my mouth; tat-tat,tat,tat,tat,tat, and I fell backwards. From what I was told, I was out cold for a couple minutes. I opened my eyes to see several concerned faces around me, Lluvia's included. I was able to get up and was told that my heart was beating very fast due to the altitude. Several people had passed out on such trips.

We traveled back to Queretaro and decided to go for a check-up. This had not been a normal situation since I had convulsed as well. Every doctor we went to (you have to shop around for a good doctor in Mexico) said that my pressure was elevated. We went to visit our friend Elsa at the hospital on the tenth of August. Elsa had previously been in our small group and was a nurse. She checked my pressure and was very concerned. For those of you who might not know, blood pressure is made up of two numbers. If you are a male, the top number should roughly be 130 and the bottom should be around 80. If the bottom number is 110 you are at risk for a stroke or heart attack. Without remembering the exact number, my bottom number was around 120!

Elsa rushed me into the hospital for testing. I would love to say that I was trusting in God at this point, but "panic" would be the best word to describe what I felt. Sometimes the Lord lets you live through a situation to grow you in it. The doctors started trying to get a blood sample. I don't like to see blood, much less my own. They couldn't find my veins and when they did, my blood clotted right away. Soon, I was once again surrounded by a group of faces. But instead of looking concerned, they looked amused. "Wow, he's turning white! And he was already white to begin with!" Needless to say, I was not amused. I was sure I was going to pass out. Thankfully, I didn't. They eventually had to get the blood out of my hands and wrists which was somewhat painful. What hurt me more was my wounded pride. Why couldn't I just trust in God? The next day my hands and arms were bruised.

The diagnosis is that I have high blood pressure. It was detected in my Dad at the same age, meaning its hereditary. Thanks Dad! While I'm currently medicated for it, we have cut almost all cholesterol and fat out of my diet. I have lost a few pounds and my pressure averages at around 117/74. The doctor thinks I may some day be able to get off the medicine. I may go for another check-up this weekend to see what he thinks of my current numbers.

I feel that I can trust God a lot more in this area. I know that He can heal me should He decide to. But even if He doesn't, a verse comes to mind that speaks to my heart in this area. It is Psalm 73:25-26. It reads: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." My body may be imperfect and prone to infirmity, but it is God who keeps my heart beating. If I had to choose between health on this earth, and Jesus Christ, I would choose Jesus. Not because I am some great saint, but because He has loved me and proven over and over again how wonderful He is. And when my time here is over, He is what I shall inherit when I get to heaven. What better portion could I ask for than He Himself?

Growing Cold

It has been getting cold here at night. I remember what it is like to be in Illinois in the winter. It can be hard to escape. Fingers and toes, hurting and numb. Cheeks a bit frost-bit. The coldest days are the days the sun shines. And the distinct sound of the snow crunching under the feet. Those cold days are truly something I don’t miss.

Just as those days would be mortal for us were we not to be properly clothed, coldness of heart can be just as mortal, spiritually. We begin to lose our compass and forget what is really important in life. We lose sight of God and become very inward focused. It no longer is important to us the lost condition of the world and we become callous to all that goes on around us.

And it really is hard, because there is so much bad going on all the time. There is so much hurt, even in our own lives. There is war, hunger, disease, and everyone doing what is right in their own eyes. Matthew 24:12 (NIV) says: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”

Dear friends, please don’t forget how much God loves us. And please don’t forget how much people in our churches need love. How much people outside our churches need love. We are God’s instruments in this world. If people don’t see God’s love in us, where will they see it?

May God bless you today as you seek to love someone who needs to understand the love of God and of His Son, Jesus.

The Wedding

Perhaps the most fulfilling thing about being a missionary is being able to take part in people's lives. A few weeks ago we were able to be a part of Jessica and Jean Paul's wedding.

Jessica has been a team member here for about three years. She has been a big blessing to the team and a few young ladies who have needed a godly mentor in their lives. It has been wonderful seeing her grow through her time here.

I've known Jean Paul now for six years. He was one of the first people I met in Queretaro. I have been blessed to see God grow him over the years, to see his heart for ministry, and to call him my friend.

May God bless these two in their new life together as they seek to serve Him.

¿Por Que?

Many of you have heard that we are doing a major restructuring of the ministry. As part of that reconstruction we have planned a major event for July 5th called "¿Por Que?" (Why?). A group of youth leaders from another Horizonte church in Mexico have a really neat program with a concert to follow. The program will deal with relevant topics like: Does God hear us, What do I do with sadness, Dad left us, etc. There will also be activities before the program. We will have rock climbing, coffehouse, videogames, volleyball, ping-pong, live music, and a grafitti contest. Lluvia and I will be in charge of the coffeehouse.

¿Por Que? is an event for middleschool, highschool, and college students. Please pray for this event. Pray that God uses it to touch the hearts of the students here in Queretaro. Pray that these students see Jesus in us.

The Next Step

Maricela had a very bad experience with the church. She was invited to come by a friend who then pressured her to accept Christ during the service. That was some time ago.

Still feeling her hunger for God she started a Bible study with Lluvia. As Maricela felt more comfortable with her, she asked many penetrating questions. After many prayers and a year of study, Maricela decided to accept Jesus by her own initiative.

She continues to be very excited about growing in her relationship with God. Lluvia is currently in the process of encouraging her to take the next step and come to church. Please pray for wisdom for Lluvia and an obedient heart for Maricela.

All Things Beautiful

Sadly, it takes some of us awhile to realize who we are in Christ. Arturo is one such case. We could see the internal struggle taking place within him—his desire to grow pitted against the temptations he faced. He was often down on himself and always seemed to be escaping from something. Many times that something was a less than ideal homelife. That life was the reason he had fallen into the cracks of Mexico City in the first place. It was what pushed him into those dark places again a few weeks ago. I had shared verses with Arturo, like 2 Corinthians 5:17 which states: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (ESV)" He always seemed to feel better after hearing those verses. I trust that those verses will come to him again now in the walls of his cell…if we pray.

We are still hopeful for him because we know that "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ"(Philippians 1:6 ESV). God is by no means done with Arturo. It is no accident that he has been in Christian rehabilitation clinics and for years has listened to Christian music. We know God's faithfulness and wait for His answers in His timing. "For everything there is a season,and a time for every matter under heaven…" (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and "He has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Please pray for our friend, Arturo. Please pray that God speaks to him where he is, that God heals his heart from years of brokenness, and that he undoes all of the damage that this young man lives with daily.