Day 6 - Church at Casa Ebenezer and the beach

 

 

1 John 3:16–18

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

 

The apostle John lays the foundation for understanding love, by looking to Jesus Christ. Jesus demonstrated God’s love for us, that even while we were still sinning against Him, living in our rebellion, He died for us (Romans 5:8). That is grace. He provided away for us to be forgiven and reconciled to the Father, to live at peace with God as His ambassadors in this life with the hope (confidence) of spending eternity with Him in heaven.

 

With this foundation, how can we hold fast to earthly materials when we see someone in physical needs. All the more, when we have the opportunity to use the earthly possession God has given to us to minister to other as an example of the Gospel for God’s glory? John drives this home with the challenge of not just talking but doing. James, the half-brother of Jesus, agrees “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

 

This was a great reflection this morning as we prepared for church at Casa Ebenezer. Being on a mission trip, we are actively doing ministry, but we are also being ministered to. We are surrounded by testimonies of God’s people giving of themselves for the sake of the Gospel. And the church service at Ebenezer today was dedicated to giving testimony to God’s faithfulness in celebrating the 1-year anniversary of the program officially starting. Ebenezer is a ministry of sacrifice that began with a gentleman from California who was living as a missionary in Puerto Escondido who invited Gaby into his home over 30 years ago. As Gaby gave his life to Christ, living in the freedom only the Gospel can provide, he had the vision to share this with other men. (The link to Gaby’s testimony is in yesterday’s post) That’s the beginning of Ebenezer.

 

There have been several men invited to Ebenezer who started the program but chose to return to their addictions. This is the heartbreaking part of rehabilitation ministries is when people give up before they find their fulfillment in Christ. Pray for these men and others who are struggling. Pray for Gaby and everyone at Ebenezer who poured into their lives.

 

But today was a day to glorify God by hearing of the ones who stuck with the program! Sammy was a young man about 19 years old who shared his testimony of finding freedom in Christ! He just finished the 8 month program. Next was a single dad who had his daughter with him. He is currently in the program and professed his desire to finish the program and be a good father for his daughter. He mentioned Danny and Oscar as motivation for continuing on. 

 

Danny shared his testimony, I wrote a little about Danny and Oscar last year which you can read HERE. It was wonderful to see that Danny has remained faithful to the program, especially since he had only recently entered it when we visited last year. I had the privilege of praying with him during that trip.

 

Today, his face radiated the joy of the Lord. He has hope. At Ebenezer, he is loved, respected, and part of a family. He was scheduled to share for ten minutes, but in his excitement he spoke much longer, often forgetting to pause so Jocsan could translate! In short, Gaby's persistent invitations eventually wore him down, and he finally came to Ebenezer. There, he surrendered his addictions and placed his faith in Christ. The friendship and encouragement of both Gaby and Oscar helped him continue. He passionately shared about the freedom found in forsaking sin and clinging to Christ. It was such a joy to hear him speak and to see his face light up as he shared.

 

After Danny, Oscar came forward to share. Last year, I was deeply moved by his passion for Christ and the joy that radiated from him. He had come to faith only a week or two before our team arrived. Today marked one full year of sobriety and faithfully following Jesus. And if anything, he is even more passionate now than he was a year ago! You can read more about his story in the link mentioned above.

 

Anna and Will led us in worship, singing three songs—two in Spanish and one in English. During the first song, Oscar's nieces joined in with tambourines and dancing. I was impressed by how well Anna and Will stayed focused despite all the joyful distractions! Isabella, a young woman from the church, also blessed us by singing two songs in Spanish and one in English.

 

After the service, we enjoyed a celebration and potluck lunch together. The food was fantastic, and the fellowship was even better. Later in the afternoon, we headed to the beach to conclude the day.

 

My favorite moment at at the beach was when I was taking pictures and videos and Zeke came up and held my hand! I love having time with my little buddy!

 

On our way home, we needed to swing by Casa Abba to put the sheep in the pen. This gave us an opportunity to see the light poles we installed at night! Praise God they work! 

 

It was a wonderful and much-needed day of rest.

  

 

Day 5 - Back to Casa Abba for a workday

 

Group picture form the village yesterday

Saturday began with morning devotions in Philippians—another wonderful passage reminding us that we can bring our fears and anxieties to God, and He will guard our hearts and minds with His peace in Christ Jesus. What a reason to rejoice! God's presence brings calm to the storm and courage to the fearful.

Speaking of reasons to rejoice, Gabby (Jocsan's dad) shared his testimony with us during devotions (you can read his testimony HERE) . Brother Gabby is always such an encouragement, and we are so thankful for him. He is the founder of Casa Ebenezer, a ministry that serves men struggling with addiction. Tomorrow marks the official one-year anniversary of Casa Ebenezer, and we look forward to celebrating that milestone together at church.

 After devotions, we headed back to Casa Abba to continue the work we had started. On the way, we stopped to pick up the 5 metal poles for the streetlights. I believe the goal for the day was to get two of them installed. We also brought another can of paint, and once we arrived, we split into the same teams and got to work.

 

The girls did an amazing job! Anna was a superstar as she took on painting the ceilings and never once complained. She said that when she first started, she wasn't sure she could do it. But after a few minutes, she realized how much she had already accomplished and just kept going until she had worked her way all around the building. Ellie tackled the alcove over the cistern, which had several difficult-to-reach areas. Hannah helped finish the walls and then carefully cut in around the windows. They all worked incredibly hard and completed the entire job. When I walked around to inspect their work, there wasn't a single area that needed touching up—they covered it all! (I didn't get any after pictures, but I'll be sure to share before-and-after photos in Tuesday's post when we return.)

The boys had several projects to tackle as well. Timothy and Collin got to work priming and painting the light poles, while Josiah and Will prepared the concrete—without a mixer! They shoveled sand, cement, rocks, and water by hand. After the paint dried, they began installing the poles. Jocsan figured out a way to secure them, and the team worked together to pour the concrete. One by one, they labored in the hot sun while battling the bugs. The original goal was to install two poles, but they finished four! That leaves only one remaining for Tuesday.

I am so proud of the way this team has come together. God has blessed us with a spirit of cooperation, friendship, and servant-heartedness. I continue to be impressed by each team member and the way they are sacrificially giving of themselves throughout this trip.

 

Tomorrow will be a well-earned day of rest. We will begin by worshiping at Casa Ebenezer and celebrating their first anniversary by hearing testimonies of God's faithfulness. Then, in the afternoon, we'll head to the beach.

Thanks for reading, and God bless!

Day 4 - Kids Events in Mountain Villages

 

This morning came with a very early departure as we headed to a school in a mountain village. I set my alarm to keep up with my normal routine, but I only had time to get ready and complete my Bible-in-a-year reading plan. I had hoped to work through our mission trip journal as well, but I didn't read it until just before our evening debrief. The passage for today was Psalm 121, and I wish I had read it before we began our journey into the mountains. More on that in a moment.

Since we left before breakfast, we stopped at a local coffee and pastry shop for a quick cup of coffee and a snack to hold us over. Then we left Puerto Escondido and began making our way into the mountains.

As we drove, I found myself thinking back to a family vacation through the mountains of West Virginia. My mom would react to every sharp turn and steep drop-off. Whenever she saw the heights, she would let out a little scream and pull the map over her face. One time she pulled it up so quickly that she actually ripped the map with her nose. I thought it was hilarious back then (sorry, Mom!). But as I get older, I'm beginning to understand both my mom's feelings and Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 12:5: "They are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way..."

I didn't say anything to the team, and I tried not to grip the handle too tightly as we climbed, but I was definitely a little anxious. Psalm 121 would have been a great comfort in that moment. Thankfully, I did hold on to Isaiah 26:3: "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." That verse was a tremendous help.

I was relieved when we arrived safely at our first destination, Centro Educativo Victoria, a Christian school run by a fellow Ohioan. Nearly 80 children participated, and, by God's grace, our plans came together well.

 Jocsan served as our interpreter, and we began by introducing our team to the entire school. Josiah volunteered to share his testimony and did a fantastic job. The students especially enjoyed hearing that he had lived in China and Thailand. He shared how he had once focused on doing good in order to be accepted, but eventually reached a point where he no longer cared and wanted to live life his own way. Yet God did not leave him in his rebellion. Instead, God convicted him of his sin and called him to repentance. Now Josiah knows that salvation is not about doing good things, but about being in a right relationship with Jesus. Today, he continues to learn about God's love and serves Him because he loves Him. Great job, Josiah!

After the testimony, we played a large group game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, which the kids thoroughly enjoyed. We then divided the children into three age groups. Originally, we had planned for 30-minute stations, but because we arrived later than expected, we adjusted to 15-minute rotations. This worked fine for the games and music, but it made the craft—creating Gospel Bead bracelets—a bit more challenging.

Even so, it was so much fun to be part of this event and watch the children interact with our team. Collin, Ellie, and Timothy led several energetic games. The older groups especially loved the pool noodle cup game I learned from Craig Fullerton. Anna and Hannah taught the children "Jesus Loves Me" in English while Anna accompanied them on her ukulele. They even taught motions and dance moves! Will and Josiah led the bracelet craft, explaining the Gospel through the colors of the beads. They did an excellent job, and every child completed a bracelet. I also distributed Gospel tracts from Child Evangelism Fellowship that explained the meaning behind each color.

The event was both fun and exhausting! The school graciously provided tortas (sandwiches) for lunch, which we ate on the go as we packed up and traveled farther into the mountains for our second event.

Unlike the school, we had no idea how many children to expect. After another 25-minute drive on dirt roads—yes, still winding through mountain curves—we arrived early. A local church generously allowed us to use their building for the event.

We decided to follow the same basic program, but once I realized we had a smaller group, I suggested we keep everyone together rather than divide into stations. We also decided to team-teach the Gospel Beads presentation, with each team member explaining a different color while I handed out materials.

 When we began, we had 18 children. As the event continued, more children kept arriving a few at a time. We introduced ourselves, heard Josiah's testimony again, and had Anna lead the music. We then moved into games before making the bracelets.

By this point, more than 30 children had arrived, so we split them into age groups for the games. Collin, Ellie, Anna, and Timothy took the older children outside to play soccer. The rest of us tried to come up with an activity for the younger kids when Jocsan remembered that we had brought bubbles. He suggested blowing bubbles while the children tried to pop them with pool noodles. It turned out to be a huge success! Even some of the older children came back inside to join the fun.

 

The team did a wonderful job sharing the Gospel while making the bracelets. The children were adorable and eagerly awaited each bead. They listened attentively and were excited when we tied the finished bracelets onto their wrists. Many of them immediately began reading the Gospel tracts they received.

 

It was such a joy to spend time with these children. Later, Jocsan explained that many of them do not attend church, making it especially meaningful to know that Gospel seeds were planted in that community. Please pray that these children will trust in Jesus and carry the Good News home to their families.

We then began the journey back down the mountain. Praise the Lord, the drive down was far less nerve-wracking than the drive up! Everything went smoothly, and we arrived back in Puerto around dinner time. We stopped at a local restaurant for some delicious Mexican food, spent some time reflecting on the day, and now everyone is either relaxing in the pool or getting ready for bed.

Tomorrow, we are back at Casa Abba for another day of work!

Day 3 - Work Day at Casa Abba

This morning began with a beautiful sunrise and the sound of the ocean in the near distance. Sitting outside, reflecting on 1 Peter 4 while a gentle breeze flowed by, provided the perfect setting to reflect on God's goodness and write my first blog post. Peter's encouragement to love one another earnestly is so important for Christians in the Church, but it is also vital on mission teams. We are called to love one another in a way that covers "a multitude of sins." Or, as Paul writes, "Love bears all things" (1 Cor. 13:7). It's important to learn to let little things slide and not hold on to offenses that can create strife. Nobody is perfect, so learn to love imperfect people. Serve one another and use your gifts to bless others for God's glory.

Anna shared during our evening debrief how meaningful it has been to use her gifts on this trip. She almost didn't bring her ukulele, but at the last minute she thought, "Why not?" Tomorrow, she will use her ukulele and voice to teach children a song about Jesus, and on Sunday she will help lead worship at church. How cool it is to see God using her gifts to bless others during this trip!

This morning, we gathered as a team for devotions. Kayla and Jocsan shared the story of how God called them to begin Casa Abba Children's Home and ministry. They told us about stepping out in faith, trusting God to provide, how they acquired the property, and how construction began. After seeing the property last night, it was so good for the team to hear the story behind it all. It is an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness and their perseverance. Please continue to pray for them as their vision and ministry continue to grow.

When we arrived at the property, we split into two groups. The boys went with Jocsan to earn their PhDs—that is, to become Post Hole Diggers! They dug four holes for poles that will eventually hold solar-powered lights and bring illumination to the property. The boys worked hard in the hot sun! After lunch, they headed into town to pick up posts, concrete, and more paint. It's easy to take stores like Home Depot, Lowe's, and Menards for granted because things don't work quite the same here. The boys had to visit four different stores to gather supplies, and even then, they weren't able to bring everything back today. The posts had to be ordered and will be ready for our next visit.

 

The girls and I stayed behind with Kayla to paint the new office building. I spent much of the day on a ladder taping windows and doors while the girls got busy painting. They did an excellent job and never complained. Unfortunately, we ran out of paint, or they likely would have finished the entire building today. No worries—we'll finish it on our next trip.

 

After cleaning up the property and securing the tools, we headed back to Casa Jubilee for a delicious home-cooked meal featuring Vero's chicken fajitas. Amazing! Vero, Jocsan's mom, is preparing breakfasts and several dinners for us this week, and she takes such great care of us. Thank you, Vero!

This evening was a quieter one as we talked through our plans for tomorrow. We practiced making Gospel Bead bracelets and reviewed our roles for the kids event. It was encouraging to hear during our debrief how much the team was impacted by hearing Kayla and Jocsan's testimony before serving at the property today. It is such a blessing to be part of this ministry and to help create a future home for little boys and girls.

We also had the opportunity to watch the USA's World Cup match before heading to bed. Tomorrow comes early—we need to leave by 6:00 a.m. to make the hour-and-a-half drive to the village. Please pray for safe travels, strength and energy, and boldness as we proclaim the Good News of Jesus through games, songs, and crafts. We are excited to see what God will do!

Thanks for reading, and God bless.