San Vicente missions this week

BLOG 15 MAR 2012

<>Driving down the Baja ‘Mex 1’ highway toward San Vicente, it’s unbelievable how GREEN everything is! The rainy season has been kind, even the previous fire zone’s black-charred scar is now covered in green growth.
<>The Mex gov’t has ‘done themselves proud’ in the road construction through the mountains. There’s only a few stretches of unpaved detour… Soon, very soon…
<>Economics in San Vicente have gotten a bit harsher. For some of our friends, both parents have had to move into picking vegetables in the fields.
<>Wednesday church, sat in as the bass player. Where do they get all these different songs I’ve never heard before. Oh well, just ‘chart-play’ my way thru the tunes…
<>After church, quite an intense conversation with a guy I’ve known for awhile. I asked him if he’s single. No, he says, separated, with a 3-yr old son in Chihuahua. We talk about what God has been saying to him about all that. He (reluctantly) says he’s supposed to attempt a reconciliation, and be closer to son… but he’s enjoying the peaceful village and warm-fellowship in the church. I pose to him that maybe it’s time to move to Chihuahua and start the process. Yeah, I’m feeling that too, he says… we pray together…
<>Lori spending time with one of her ‘cottage industry kids’ who are trying some new ways to improve their family… we enjoy some ‘free range chicken eggs’ (scrambled) for breakfast, cooked on the little hot-plate in our ‘field house’…
<>I’ll be following two new patients long-term. One is diabetic, being ‘upped’ to insulin injections. The other, a ‘chronic anemia’ patient now getting B12 shots. Both are less than enthused with their health problems.
<>Have to cut the trip short by a few days, huge storm coming south, arrives Friday night. We try to avoid trips thru the mountains in the rain, very dangerous.

Yep, that’s the week of ministry... your bro, Chris

Wanna Be a Health-Care Missionary?

8 March Here in Chula Vista, getting ready for our next trip to San Vicente... somebody asked I post this bit that's been presented in a number of conferences... enjoy..


“I want to be a health-care missionary…”
Time-tested advice to those that want to serve abroad
From Chris Bajkiewicz MSN RN CNS-BC, Healthcare missionary

Steps:
–If nursing student, complete studies, pass Boards (NCLEX, ANCC, NLN, etc.) secure credentials (RN, CNS, NP, CNM, etc)
–Work for 1 full year to [a] perfect new skill-set, [b] pay off all loans/debt
–Pay off ALL debt (credit card, mortgage, auto loan, school/educational loans)
–Begin working in local ministry to poor/marginalized/homeless IN economically challenged area
–Dig out the Scriptures on God’s heart and thoughts regarding the poor, the hurting, the broken…
–Begin ‘de-accumulating’ and living very simple life-style
–Find a pastoral leader (gender-same) to begin praying with you and ‘seeking the Lord’s future’ for you + become keystone to ‘sending leadership’ at home port
--Begin to discern people-group calling, and begin to press into contextual language/culture acquisition locally
–Attend mission conferences and begin to understand the long-term vocation aspect
–Go on ‘short-term health outreach’ trips, but prefer groups who also do long-term projects, investigate long-term opportunity, return to same location 3-4 times to gain ‘long-term’ perspective
--Investigate established mission groups working with the people group and locale you are called to internationally. Large, experienced groups have much to offer.
--Investigate health laws in desired region, consider legal and legitimate licensure as a nurse in that country.


Matthew Ch 10 (The Message) [note: the entire chapter is on-topic]

– 5-8Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: "Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously. “

Pushing thru mud again...

Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth
Hearts of Gold, Feet of Clay
Wings in the Sky, Boots in the Mud
Hopes like Sequoias, Lives like Airports
Forward, Forward, pushing Forward
(grunt, groan, sweat, work)
Real life
Getting the old car out of the mud again.

It’s been a tough couple of months.
Many things, many challenges for us.
Like navigating the complex medical-care maze.
Like winter rainstorms that inhibit travel.
Like spending a few moments with our grandkids.
Like necessary car maintenance.
Like all the responsibilities involved in doing missions.
Like a hundred million things.

Chop it all up, put it in the big pot, turn up the heat, and…
… what we’ve been swimming through these past few months.

So, here’s to pushing it out of the mud again this week.
Pray for us.

Progress in San Vicente... 31 Jan

Chris here.
Our 'little' Village of San Vicente is seeing rapid growth... well, it DOES sit on the Mex 1 'trnas-penninsular' highway, which is the ONLY route from Tijuana border all the way to the tip of Baja (in Los Cabos)...
10 yrs ago, a Pemex gas station went in. That has been a huge blessing to travelers (like us), AND supported a great deal of growth.
Last month, a 'Casa de Cambio' opened up, a place to exchange money. Local progress.
NOW, we have, right across from the Pemex, an OXXO. In Mexico, OXXO is like the corner 7-11... a 24/7 convenience store, and a great place to stop on a trip the a clean bathroom and a soda.
Welcome, OXXO, to San Vicente... progress, I guess...

Taffy Pull... pray!

Chris here... we're in the US, Lori is working thru a trail of doctors and diagnostic tests, getting ready for an up-coming surgery... we are also getting our annual financial reports out from 2011 (painful)... ahh, the taffy pull of 'life', 'business' and ministry... twists and turns and TIME...

(ps, pray for Lori...)

We Three Kings... San Vicente 6 Jan

Here’s a story about ministry in Mexico, and how God can surprise you and make things happen to bring forth His wonderful Love.

We came to San Vicente this trip wanting to give out knitted hats in the work camp named Garcia. Both Lori and I have been to that camp in years past, and we know the people there are isolated (it’s over 10 miles out from the Village), there are a lot of kids, there’s significant spiritual-warfare there (chronic alcoholism and spousal abuse)… and it’s been really, really cold here this year.

Two other bits of background. First, Lori spends the entire year gathering hats from dozens of faithful women who knit and crochet these bits of love for the poor. We really, really want these ‘out and distributed’ during the cold season.

Second, people are not allowed to just walk into these work-camps, unless they want to chance taking a bullet. You have to go in with an invitation, or with somebody well known by the people of the camp.

So, when we arrived on Tuesday, we tried to connect with the ‘person of peace’ at the church for Camp Garcia. Her name is Azusena, and she is regularly involved in a feeding program and child evangelism afternoon at Garcia.

Well, we found out that Azusena was in Ensenada at the bedside of her sick mother.

Hmmm, we thought we were supposed to go to Garcia this trip. The roads out to Garcia are finally passable (the previous rains basically meant 4-wheeling only, way out of our capability). Hats are all packed and ready. Hmmm. What are You up to, Lord?

Thursday night, there was a knock on our door in our little rented shack. It’s Azusena, who just got back to San Vicente, and was told by her husband that ‘Lorena y Cris’ wanted to go to Garcia. Let’s go tomorrow! We had tea and biscuits, made plans and prayed.

Friday noon, we pack up the vehicle and head out.

We got to Garcia, and had a great time. Azusena led the kids in worship and a couple of Bible memory verses they have been working on. As all the parents watched and listened, she did a great little bit on the Three Kings and their gifts to Jesus.

Oh, yes. Today is the Feast of the Three Kings (Dia de los Tres Magos). In Mexican culture, gifts are not given at Christmas, they are given on Three Kings day. Today is a special day.
Just as we’re finishing the impromptu worship time, a little girl tells Azusena that she knew we were coming because she prayed the night before to Jesus, asking that somebody would come out to the Camp for Dia de los Tres Magos. She said the Lord told her that He was going to send somebody with gifts to celebrate. Azusena was quite excited that we were the answer to this little girl’s prayer.

Wow.

So, Lori kicks into high gear and we give away beautiful hand-made hats, and gloves scarves to everyone. The babies also get warm booties. After the usual chaos of the hat distribution to all (children and adults, 55 in all), gratitude is expressed, we hug and kiss (yes, we kiss in Mexico… on the cheek…) and head back as the sun is beginning to set. A great time, definitely what we hoped for.

We returned to the Village. I know I’m still in awe that we could be part of the answer to a little girl’s prayer. I know that little girl’s faith was greatly encouraged today. “We three kings…”

Thanks to all the people who pray and support us as missionaries to be here. Thanks to all those who make and send hats to be distributed.

You are all a part of the answer to that little girl’s prayer.

Your bro, Chris

Albina's Windows

How exciting to see one of Albina's financial goals become a reality! For months the focus of her home-based sewing business has been to purchase some windows for their cement block home. For several visits she has had me put aside her earning. There isn't a bank in town, so she has had me keep aside her "extra" until she had enough to purchase 4 windows. Boy, does the extra light that they allow in made a difference. Albina has already sewed curtains for the new windows and is hoping to soon have enough funds to secure more windows.