James and I were blessed by 15 other team members who pedaled as hard as they could throughout the entire mission trip—even through torrential downpours, sickness, and injury. One of the participants noted that we had an easy team to lead our first time out. And for that I say: “Praise God!”
I had the opportunity to lead the group in twice daily devotionals that focused on our relationship with God and our relationship with the people God places in our life. After the last devotional in Plan de Ayala, I asked the group to define our mission trip with one word. That word was ‘unity’. Unity--It not only defines the interactions among the team members, but also our relationship with God and our fellow believers in Mexico.
A.W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God said: “Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”
The Northern Lights worked well both as a mission team and with our new friends in Mexico because we have a common goal: to be ambassadors for Christ. Each one of us has a growing relationship with Christ Jesus and a desire to do His will that, just like the tuning of the pianos to a single tuning fork, brought us together in unity.
Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV version) talks about imitating the humility of Christ. It says: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
We can find that purpose defined in: John 17:20-23 where Jesus prays for all believers: "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
God was at work changing hearts long before Pastor Kack asked James and me to lead a team on a mission trip. The Lord was working to change our character to be ready for mission work and to instill in us a love of missions. God worked through us as we shared this new passion with you.
Isaiah 65:24 states that “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking will I hear.”. The people of Peñitas had been praying for a long time that they could reach souls for Christ and build a new church to house them in. They did their part by praying, reaching out to their neighbors, collecting money for construction supplies, and by submitting a request to Maranatha to help them build a church. Simultaneously God was working in the hearts of the people in Peñitas (to receive the Good News) and in the hearts of people like you and me--from the United States, Australia, Canada, and Peru (to be Christ’s ambassadors).
While the team was in Mexico we learned about a couple named Juan and Brenda. Their story shows how God works in the hearts of the believer and unbeliever alike. Juan and Brenda were living together and had an 8 month old son named Juan, Jr. Juan is not an Adventist, but his mother is--and as a mother myself I can guarantee she is praying for Juan! Brenda was an Adventist that has been disfellowshipped for her lifestyle choices.
Juan is a wealthy man by that area’s standards and owns a lot of land. He felt led to donate the land that the Peñitas church was built on. Here are some other things Juan felt “led” to do: he stopped by to watch construction, came by with Brenda and Juan Jr to share dinner with the team one night, and came to church services. He made two interesting remarks: first that it would be a nice church to get married in and secondly that he plans on building a house on the piece of land next door so it would be easy to walk to church. Is there any doubt that the Holy Spirit is at work in Peñitas?
O’Malley—you showed your Christian unity by supporting the Mexico mission trip. Out of your love for Christ you gave towards His work in Mexico and here is a list of some of the things you gave: your time, prayers, financial support, words of encouragement to the leaders and other team members, donations of delicious foods for both our Mexican dinner and bake sale, bed sheets, children’s felts and felt board for Sabbath school, and Bibles, hymnals and Children’s devotionals through a generous donation by the Pathfinders organization. Team Northern Lights and the people of Plan de Ayala and Peñitas offer you a sincere thank you for the love of Christ you showed us through your actions.
I’d like to share another example of God at work before our need. I asked for a donation of bed sheets to use as privacy curtains on the windows of the school where we were to stay in Mexico. We were housed, at the last minute, at the church instead. All windows in the Sabbath school rooms except two had curtains on them already. The weather turned colder and rainy so we were very cold especially at night. We were grateful to have the extra bed sheets to keep us warm at night. When we left Mexico, we gave money to a local woman to launder the sheets before donating them to their local Dorcas association.
O’Malley also sponsored a Bible Worker by the name of Israel Torres Ramirez. On the last Sabbath we worshipped with the Penitas church, Israel awarded Bibles to 9 children and 1 adult who had completed their Bible studies with him.
Israel also wrote a letter that he would like me to share with you (see letter below).
After initially reading Israel’s letter, my husband spoke to Pastor Chuc about it. The pastor felt that Israel’s talents would be best used at this time by employing him to help with the reaping series coming up February 27 – March 6. So we gave Pastor Chuc the remaining funds from our Bible Worker fund to keep Israel working for the Lord for another 1-1/2 to 2 months.
James and I are so blessed to have been given this awesome opportunity to serve the Lord. Our faith has been deepened by seeing how intricately the Lord brought everything together. And He’s not done yet…the Lord’s work continues and He will call each one of us again to His service. It might be a call to serve on foreign soil or it could be a call to serve Him right here in Anchorage, AK.
I have made a commitment to make 2010 the year of obedience to God’s call--wherever that may lead me. Where you are, right now, if you feel the Lord calling you please bow your head and whisper a prayer of commitment to be obedient to His call--wherever He may ask you to serve.
Privledged to serve,
Lynda
Israel's Letter to the Northern Lights and Church Family:
Greetings from the Torres family in Chiapas, Mexico to my Alaska friends and your church family!
I am writing to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve God by giving Bible studies in northern Chiapas, the district of Plan de Ayala.
Thank you for fulfilling my dream—working for God full-time. Thank you for the 3 months of salary. I am blessed to still have 25 days to harvest souls for God.
There are now 20 people who are studying about the faith of Jesus. In addition, there are 6 more who are married but will need to change their marital status before they proceed any further.
I have a wife and 5 children to support. We spent a happy year working for God. We hope God gives us the opportunity again someday to serve others.
I would like to continue this great work—if my services have been useful. I am willing to devote more time to this ministry. I am a wage laborer and have a low income. I would need continued support if I was to continue this missionary work. Also there are items I would like to request that I could use in my missionary work: a laptop computer and a projector. This will help me give Bible studies and sermons. If you help me, God will magnify it that much more.
I thank God that in 2006 God used me to bring 89 souls to the foot of the cross and they were baptized. I have also helped start 11 church companies and baptized another 282 souls for Christ. My family has a string band and I play the accordion during services.
I am your brother in Christ,
Israel Torres Ramirez
(I would like to add that we were informed by the mission office that he is the best Bible worker in the area- Lynda).
Evidence of God's continued work in Penitas:
2 of Israel's Bible students, Juan Antonio and Miguelina, were recently baptized! Here are their photos:
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