BIBLE SCHOOL RECOGNITION

The Doers of the Word Bible School recently held a recognition service in the Word of Jesus Church in San Luis. The current first and second term students received certificates of completion, and 3 students received their final diplomas after completing a year of service in ministry. Here are some pictures from the event.

PLASTIC SURGERY CLINICS

Mariana Before
Mariana After
Ezekiel Before
Ezekiel After

We are preparing for our 5th trip to the Rotary Plastic Surgery Clinics in Tecate Mexico next Friday the 13th of March. We have 7 patients from San Luis who our Vice President Blake Richert will be taking to get free surgeries. You can see the good that has been done with these before and after pictures of Mariana and Ezekiel. Pray that all goes well for this trip.

AMAZING TESTIMONY FROM OASIS

Last Thursday night, my Mexican Pastor from Guadalajara, Gerardo Vazquez, preached in the Caring Hearts church. After the service, on the way home to Oasis, Luis Adolfo, who is 12 years old, commented to Brother Pedro that when he hears good preaching like that, he feels inspired to preach, like a fire inside of him that wants to come out. The following Monday, the day Oasis does its Bible Study for the Neighborhood, Luis asked Pedro if he could share. He got up before the group of adults and explained Proverbs 19:18 "Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death." The people were visibly inspired and challenged. We praise God for how He is moving in the lives of these young men.

POLL RESULTS AND NEW POLL

Our age poll has closed, and here are the final results. 60 folks voted, 4 of them (6%) were under the age of 18. A larger group, 20 (33%) were between the ages of 18 and 35. A drop occured between 36-45 with 10 People (16%), and then went up for the 46-60 at 18 (30%). We had 8 (13%) people over 60 filled in the poll. Thank you for letting us know more about you!

Our next poll deals with the ecomonic crisis the world is going through. I give three basic answers to the question How Do You Feel About the Economic Crisis. Please choose the one that is closest to your attitude. Here in San Luis, it seems many are oblivious to what is going on, but there are signs of hardship. The peso is at 15 to the dollar, and when we do programs in the streets, there are a lot more men showing up for rice and beans. How is it affecting you? Let us know by quickly answering our poll. Thanks!

My pastor in Atlanta told me about a site which will keep tabs of how many times the blog is visite. Last month it was visited by 495 different people. Praise the Lord! We hope you are blessed by the blog.

A SPECIAL GUEST

This past weekend we were blessed with the visit of my Mexican pastor and friend, Gerardo Vazquez. He is the Latin American Director for Gracewalk Ministries (www.gracewalk.org). He preached Thursday night in the Caring Hearts Church, then spent time with a group in Mexicali, returning Sunday to preach again at the Caring Hearts church. A number of visitors came to hear him speak on Passing Through the Storm. It was a spiritually refreshing time for all involved. Here are some pictures:

IS IT SAFE? AM I CALLED?

I have been receiving inquiries from everyone who is planning to come down on the safety of Mexico at this time. There have been a number of frightening reports on the news about the increased violence with the drug traffickers. I have read a few, and believe you me, they scare me too, and I live here! At the same time, I can say this: The drug war you have been reading about has not affected San Luis at this time. If you didn't read the news, you would never know anything is going on at all. Is it safe in San Luis? I think it is just as safe as any other city in the world. If you want to find trouble, and you go to the wrong places at the wrong times, you will find it. I think there is more danger here from people running stop signs than criminal activitys. I read the police blotter on occasion, and it looks like a small town one, with only accidents and minor events reported. Sometimes there have been crimes of passion or gang related violence, but if one stays off the streets at night, you never get a sense things like that happen. Every time I visit Pittsburgh, and watch the local news, there are reports of people getting shot. You hear that in cities like Detroit, Los Angeles, Washington DC that there are murders everyday. Does that mean I shouldn't go to the United States? No, we just have to be aware of the specific places and times where trouble can be found and avoid those places at those times. We at Caring Hearts have years of experience with no inicidents with criminals nor violence. We do our utmost to provide a safe enviroment and experience for our groups. In my four years, I have taken two folks to the hospital, one because he dropped their trailer on his foot, and the other because he fell of the children's swings (since then we have prohibited any one from using them.) Granted, noone can guarantee safety. Things can change and incidents could happen, but this is true in the home where you are reading this right now. One friend of mine has a theory that makes some sense. Reports like this are going out to scare people so they will vacation in the States instead of Mexico, which is a lot cheaper. I read they are warning AZ spring breakers to not go to Mexico, and it is working, many are making plans to go to Las Vegas instead. What is being reported are isolated incidents in a handful of cities within a specifiic group of people. 99.9 percent of Mexicans are going through life as normal, doing what they can to survive and provide for their families as honestly as possible. That is all I see here in San Luis, partly because I know when it is safe to be out and when it is safer to be home. We supply our groups with that same knowledge, and if they obey us, history has proved they will be as safe as anywhere.

I want to take this opportunity to speak about another question, related to the one of "Is it Safe?" That question is "Am I Called?" I believe as we are planning to take a trip to Mexico, that is the first and formost question we must be concerned about. If scary reports put fear into you that make you have second thoughts, take it to God and ask that question - Am I Called? I am reminded of a story in the book of Acts 21:10-14:

And as we were staying there for some days, a certain prophet name Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him int the hands of the Gentiles.'" And when we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking "The will of the Lord be done!"

Paul had a call, a mission, a purpose and destiny to fulfill. He knew from God what that call was, and what it would entail. He did not let a scary report divert him from what God wanted for him. Do you have the same attitude for your trip to Mexico?

I remember when I was called to go to Mexico City 19 years ago. When I spoke to the missionary I wanted to work with, he did all he could to scare me, telling me the dangers of living in Mexico's inner city. I did not let that change my mind, because I knew I was called. I went to Mexico, and you know what? It was dangerous. I was in 5 different auto accidents and was mugged 3 times in my 14 years there. My wife had rocks and eggs thrown at her and was kidnapped and threatened with death for preaching the gospel. But I am convinced it was all part of God's plan for me. At the same time I was blessed with a beautiful wife and daughter, saw God work through me in many ways, met and fellowshiped with wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes I look back, and thank God that I am not there anymore, but at the same time I thank Him that He let me go through those things, because I learned to not trust in myself, "but in God who raises the dead" (2 Cornthians 1:9-10) Through it all, I came out of all the experiences, good and bad, healthy, whole and closer to my God. I am convinced though, if I had not come out whole, if even I had lost my life, that it would still have been a part of God's plan for me, which is the BEST for me, because THAT is where He called me to be. Can you say the same about your upcoming trip to Mexico?

The purpose of this article is to convince you that as someone who lives here, I can assure you that San Luis is a safe place to visit at this time. But if I could not assure that, would that change what God has called you to do? You know what, even if it was dangerous, our kids would still be here, in need of your love and affection. Even if it was dangerous, the needy would still need to hear the gospel and receive rice and beans. Even if it was dangerous, the men and women in the rehab and jail would need your edifying words. Even if it was dangerous, God would continue to move through His people to reach the needs. The question you must ask rather than "Is it Safe?" is "Am I Called?", because if the answer is yes, it should not matter how safe it is. You would be in God's hands, and His will, which is His best for you, would be done.

PS I know some of you are concerned not for yourselves but for your sons and daughters who are planning to come down. Only they can know for sure if they are called or not. That is between them and God. But being minors you are responsible for them. To you, I want to say again, that here at Caring Hearts, we do our utmost to keep our groups safe, and we have not had a crime related incident in the four years I have been here. If your child is called, be assured that God will use us to keep them as safe as possible while they are in San Luis. The drug wars are not being fought here, and we do not wander around the streets at night, which is where there would be danger in ANY city around the world.

BLESSING FOR THE INDIAN VILLAGE

Sunday, Sherry Whitworth and Hands Extended from Yuma AZ blessed the people of the Indian Village with chicken, cereal, blankets and other gifts. Ken and Juana held a gospel program and 150 families were blessed by this event. Here are some pictures.

NEW SMILE FOR BAUDILIO

Today our dentist Rosa gave Baudilio from the boys home a new smile. Since he was 13 years old (he is now 17) his two front teeth were chipped. Now he has them fixed...watch out girls! We thank Rosa for the time she gives to help our children. Once the boys are done with their dental work, we will start seeing people from the church.

ENGLISH CLASSES CONTINUE

Every week Adalberto gives English classes to two different groups of children at Bethel. They are learing slowly but surely. I have had reports from groups who are impressed at the amount of English some can communicate. Those who took the classes with Adalberto and have been adopted had an easier time picking up their new language. Enjoy the pictures from this Saturday's class.

ROSITA'S NEW COMPUTER

Here is a picture of Rosita and her brother Luis working at her new computer. Thanks to our friends Bill and Sharon from Smithfield, PA, Rosita now has a nice laptop with which she can do her homework. As she finished 9th grade and goes to high school, she will be using it a lot! Pray as she continues to get used to her new school and the increased homework she has. Thanks Bill and Sharon!