Services {Spring 2013}

The services we attended with the local people were another incredible part of the trip. On Good Friday evening, we had a mini-service at the mission in Guacayvo with all of our crew and the local people. It was so incredible how when we started singing, all the local people all came and joined us. And then, as we were reading the Good Friday story from the Bible, I couldn't help but notice how one of the men from the mission was pouring over every word, absolutely hungry for the word of God. It was so touching.

On Saturday, we drove to the "saw-mill" village for a service in the evening. On Sunday, we participated in an early afternoon at the village we had previously hiked to on Thursday. Later that evening, we had one last service in Guacayvo.



Here we are all loaded up on the back of the old truck,
ready for the drive up the steep, winding road.

Saturday around noon, a crew of us loaded up in the back of the pick-up truck for the drive from the mission to the sawmill village. Let me tell you, that was about the most exciting ride I've ever been on! I just loved riding in the back of that truck, laughing and screaming all the way up the hill. The road was so steep at times and without a tailgate, sometimes it felt like we all would slide out. On top of that, the truck was so old and creaky, we never knew whether or not the breaks would give out. So honestly, it was dangerous, but once again, it was an incredible experience having to trust completely in God.

The little church

When we got to the saw-mill village, we found the people gathered in this little church. It was great to find the church overflowing with people! Not much more a few months ago, this church would have been almost empty. But God is working mightily in the canyon and in the hearts of these people. Many have come to Christ over the past few months. It is wonderful! I find it so amazing how the message of Christ is so powerful and unconditional that even in the remotest regions of this world, such as here, people are hearing the truth and believing in Jesus as their Lord and Savior! And God uses ordinary people to accomplish this!

While the adults stayed for the rest of the services, we left with most of the kids to do some Sunday school activities with them.


Heather telling the Easter story in Spanish

Beautiful faces

Singing with the kids

Here Cy is helping the kids paint drawings that illustrated the
Easter story with a cross and Jesus risen from the grave

After the service was over, we handed out the care/supply bags that we had brought for the women. (Once again, thanks to everyone who donated and the ladies who helped pack the bags!)

Some of the Tarahumaran women with their care bags

Some of the children with their bags of treasures



Jonny handing out candy to some eager children :)

What a precious baby!

Loaded up in the truck and ready to leave

Then on Sunday morning, we headed off to different local village for another service. For this service, we rode in the back of the trucks again, a little past where we parked the van, and then hiked the rest of the way. 

Trekking across the mountain; note the guitar on my dad's back--
we hauled it in for the service music

Almost there-- the little house in the pictures is where we met

Greeting the Tarahumara people gathered there

Gathering for the service

Leading some Spanish songs

I loved helping with the music for the worship services. It was so wonderful to worship with the Mexican people. They radiate so much joy and just sing their hearts out. It doesn't matter how off pitch or off beat they are or whether or not they sing the lyrics right. It was impossible (at least I felt) to sing with those new Tarahumaran believers and not feel an overwhelming sense of joy. We sang a well-known Spanish favorite "Yo Tengo un Amigo Que Me Ama" (I Have a Friend that Loves Me) over and over again. It was so up beat and the people just sang, clapped, waved their streamers, and smiled. Oh, such joy!


Sandra sharing a message at the Sunday service (Notice the guys in the
back with guitars- they also lead sang some songs for the service)

After the first part of the service, a number of us left with the kids to do a some activities with them. We started with singing some well-known Sunday school songs with them in Spanish. Although they were shy at first, the slowly caught on to the words and hand signs.



Heather reading the Easter Story to the children in Spanish

Making salvation bracelets with the children

 

Playing some fun running games with the kids

With those games, we pretty much wrapped up our time with the children. After that, we joined the others again and handed out more bags to the women and gave goodies to everyone.

Later that evening, we held one last service at Guacayvo, mainly with the people who lived right around the village. Once again, it was special to gather with the people and worship. By the last service, most people knew a number of our songs quite well, so we made a very joyful noise unto the Lord. (I know I keep repeating this, but as you know I love music, and sharing the beautiful gift of music with the Tarahumaran people to worship God was an unforgettable experience for me.) I loved worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Mexico. These times were definitely a highlight of my trip!

If you take one thing away from this post about our services in Mexico, let me say this-- I cannot convey how indescribable it is to travel miles and miles into the heart of a remote canyon and there find brothers and sisters in Christ!

"You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also

members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to

become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a

dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit." - Ephesians 2:19-22

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

- Ephesians 4:4-6

We are all one body in Christ.

The great love of our God is indeed unconditional, unrestricted, and unending! It reaches to outermost corners of this earth and touches the hearts and lives of all of God’s children.

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

- Ephesians 3:17b-19