Looking Out Thru Metal Bars…

In 26 years of Mexico ministry, we have been majorly robbed 10 times. That does not count the small stuff disappearing, that means 10 times where we’ve been cleaned out. If you want to live or work in Mexico, be prepared to be robbed. You CAN spend the money and turn your buildings into lock-boxes and make it HARDER to break in… not impossible, but decreased break-ins. Clean-up of a break-in takes a long time, and the loss of things you need to live day-to-day can be difficult (as we can tell you…).
After two major 2016 San Vicente break-ins, we opted to have our local metal-working friend Julio build and install metal window-bars and security doors in our rented Ministry Center. Installation involved drilling into the concrete walls and lot’s of welding, which took days to clean up. However, we now have a ‘increased security’ building, which also increases the safety factor for long-term stays. Besides, looking out a window thru metal bars can help one identify with the Apostle Paul, a ‘prisoner of Christ’…!
We’re grateful to our American friends the Neely’s and their Eastlake Church home-group for pulling together a ‘robbery recovery’ care package, replacing so many day-to-day items… ¡Gracias!

Our friends tell us that if we’ve been regularly robbed, “well, that REALLY makes you a Mexican!”… the cost of cultural initiation is high…

crisbaj

Adore The Lord Blog... It's Alive!!

Adore The Lord Blog... It's Alive!!

(yes, you can find it AT    AdoreTheLord.blog   !!!)


Chris here. For me, the launch of the blog ADORE THE LORD is a dream come true.
Back in 2014, I heard the Lord speak as Lori and I were taking a dawn-patrol flight across the country. Everyone was sleeping on the plane except me. Lori was trying to grab a nap.
The Lord said to get paper and write down all the areas regarding Worship that had been percolating in my thoughts of late.
I had just spent the last few years training worship leaders in Mexico, worked with some major ‘worship-leader’ people on some projects (recordings, gatherings, plans), was playing in occasional bands and events, and had been majorly rooting around the Scriptures asking the question, “what is worship, REALLY?”
Between many of us involved in ‘modern worship’, there’s now an intense conversation about the “what’s next?” Please (say we), not just some cool new tune.
There’s some real apprehension among us worship-types: surely, something way different is coming… right?
The flight was bumpy, and I didn’t want to disturb my sleeping neighbors, so I looked in my backpack at my feet… ahhh! Didn’t pack any notebook on this trip. Wait! Here’s a few scraps of paper with some space…
By the time we landed, an entire entity had been born, scribbled around the edges and spaces, filling up every scrap. What is it? The spine of a book? A course curriculum? A devotional? Art project? Topic guide for a school of worship? A website?
I asked the Lord what to do with this ragamuffin parchment of ideas and incendiary thoughts…? He said organize, study, expand, pray, wait, angst, read broadly, study church history, pray, study root words, wait on Him, scour the Scriptures, refine… with all the fruits of the Spirit, Grace and Mercy.
Oh, yeah. I was to gouge out everything I thought I knew about worship and press into Him deep, then deeper, and then some.. new wine for old wine-skins!
Since 2014, this content has grown large.
Finally, Adore The Lord is a blog-web site, free of charge. Yep, we’re giving it away… on our dime. All you have to do is visit AdoreTheLord.blog, read away, comment and generate thoughtful discussion!
This Blog will wrestle with questions... What is worship and adoration of God? What do the Scriptures teach us, through teaching and example, about worship and adoration? What does that means individually and corporately?
Oh, yes... and the 'What’s Next?' questions, and about getting from 'where we are now' to the What's Next..
I suspect that What’s Next is going to be… well, ‘from Glory to Glory’… Glorious... radically different... 

Come join the conversation. Comment. Disagree. Agree. Discourse. Let’s sort all this together!
crisbaj

Bajmission Newsletter 12 2016

(sing) *Praise to God whose love was shown *Who sent his Son to earth *Jesus left his rightful throne*

*Became a man by birth *The virgin's baby son *All creation praised Him *God incarnate come *Come to Bethlehem*

Blessed Christmas, ministry partners and friends!

We hope that this season of celebration and relationship finds you elbow-deep in the joy of family, friends and church…time to re-connect, time to remember, time to love, time to dream!

These last few months have been a great challenge for us.

Yes, there have been great ‘move forward’ moments, like the new ‘Estrellas’ sewing ministry member. There have been amazing discipleship moments with pastors and future missionaries. There were ‘faithful partners’ who celebrated our quarter-century anniversary with us in Michigan.

(sing) *Still a higher call had He  *Deliverance from our sins *Come to set all people free *From Satan's hold within*
*For by the sin of man we fell  *By the Son of God *He crushed the power of Hell *Death we fear no more*

Then there have been tough hurdles. Our San Vicente ministry center (well, a rented house in the village) was broken into, and majorly cleaned out. We’ve seen a significant decline of missionary funding in 2016 that hinders expanding ministry. We’re also ministering to a number of people in very harsh circumstances, which weighs heavy on us.

(sing) *Now we stand with strength, with power *The sons of God on earth *Faithful to the final hour*

*Christ's righteousness our worth *And now all praise is given * For the babe, the Son *The Savior King is risen*

We realize these challenges need to be worked through. We continue to connect, we’ve improved the security of our facility, we pray and intercede for God’s favor and strength to move forward. Our Savior chose to come into our reality in such a mind-blowing way; truly, our Immanuel, “God with Us”… beyond our tough days, we continue to follow this Lord into a broken and bleeding world.

 

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

Your missionaries,                  Chris and Lori

Camelia's journey

Four years ago Camelia joined the "Star Seamstresses" making these zippered bags her first "for sale" item. Her participation in the micro-enterprise group has made a huge difference in the family economics. The financial goals she made at the beginning of her business journey included helping with the children's school expenses, making payments on property, and building a home. During the last four years not only did she use her profits for the above, but also to avert financial disaster when her husband was hospitalized for a whole month and then unable to work for three months because of his illness and surgery. Camelia's resilience proved strong as she went around the community selling her sewn aprons and bags in order to buy food and medicine during the crisis. Camelia continues to be a dedicated worker even though balancing her sewing time with the needs of her husband and five children can be challenging.

Encouraging To-Be Missionaries in Mexico

Long-term Missionaries...
With the surge of 'short-term' mission trips, long-term missionaries are a diminishing breed in Christian circles in the United States. In the churches of Baja Mexico, however, Christians tend to view missions as something that means a very, very long-term commitment.

In the small village of San Vicente, with barely 4500 people in the region, we've encountered a number of Mexican nationals who are passionate and energized towards long-term ministry and missions. As the Lord has brought us together, we've given special attention to these folks with encouragement, counsel and prayer towards long-term Christian service.
Lately, two particular couples have really 'pressed hard on the gas pedal', and are revving up for their next steps in Missions. We've been spending time talking and praying with them to clarify what the Lord is saying to them, what their role in missions might be, and helping to frame 'next-step' plans and actions.

Jorge and Hilda, friends thru the Nazarene church in San Vicente are beginning to see some clarity in their call to re-build the people of a small Pentecostal church in Oaxaca, and outreach to the surrounding villages. We are currently connecting with pastors and leaders to help Jorge find a Bible school/seminary that he can fulfill the needed education to step into that role.

Dario and Anaid are an energetic couple associated with the San Vicente Assemblies of God. Dario is sifting through a call from the Lord to launch and maintain a much-needed 'half-way' house ministry to drug addicts and alcoholics in the region. Anaid has been a part of Lori's sewing-cottage-industry ministry, and this couple is beginning to identify the needed steps to build such a ministry in a sustainable fashion.

As we 'walk together' with these two couples, it really is exciting to listen to the 'God-stories' they have, and where the Lord is leading and directing. Their determination to serve the Lord, no matter what the difficulty, is inspiring.

Pray for us as we continue to walk with these couples, and others who are talking to us about the Call of the Lord in their lives!

Chris

25 Years of Service: God's Grace, Generous Partners

June 2016
Lori and I have completed 25 years of Missionary service.
Twenty-five years ago this week, in 1991, we drove away from our comfy Monroe, MI community of friends and family and struck out into the unknown.
We were officially commissioned for service among the Hispanic-Latino peoples, particularly Mexicans.
Our initial 'approval' was for 2-year term, lengthened to 5, now basically life-long ministry.
Twenty-five years ago, we had our two daughters with us, ages 5 and 10.
First, Ontario, Canada for 4 months of YWAM training.
Then 8 months in Juarez. Mexico.
Then to Tijuana, Mexico, where we lived over 8 years in country
We re-located in south San Diego in late 1999, continuing our work, mainly in Baja Norte with the under-served and struggling Mexicans living in low-resource communities.
We assisted a number of ministries in their works, mainly in Baja Mexico, but we also traveled throughout Mexico, and to seven other countries to outreach, mostly in health care and medical outreach. We've been to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Eastern Europe, China and southern Africa.
Lori founded her work in San Vicente (Baja Norte, Mexico) in 2006, and has built that development project up over 10 years, including living part-time in the village.

Twenty-five years. Daughters are now married and living elsewhere (Oakland CA and San Antonio TX) with our sons-in-law and 4 grandchildren.
Twenty-five years. It has never been easy, but God has been faithful.
Twenty-five years. God's unexpected GRACE has always surprised us.
Twenty-five years. We have had SO MANY generous Partners who have given to the Lord over the years towards the ministry... some who started out with us 25 years ago!
Twenty-five years. Waiting to see what God is going to do next...!

Thanks to all of you who gave and partnered in this ministry work. Here's to the future!
Chris

Twenty-four and 11/12 years No words... no... words...

Twenty-four and 11/12 years of mission service...

Twenty-five completed years, first week of June 2016.
Yeah, we are beginning that 'anniversary look-back' thing around here. We are asking the questions like... "what was the biggest and most important set of lessons learned?"... "what was the most amazing thing God did?"... "if we knew then what we know now, what would we have done?"
Many blogs, Facebook posts and newsletters to come with bits and pieces of all that.

In the big, climactic bit of the movie Contact (1997), there is a scene where the Elle Arroway character has been sent thru a 'wormhole' to a view-point of a majestic, swirling galaxy... she is totally, emotionally over-whelmed by the massive beauty in front of her, the awesome and fearful creation being displayed... "no words... no... words... (sob)... poet... they should have sent a poet" is all she can squeak out between tears and sobs.
When I look at the Lord in His majesty, when he lets me look back at all the 'what happened' thru His perspective (especially the last 24 and 11/12 years), when I am in His Presence, when I hear shards of the Song of Heaven, when I sense being in the company all the saints and hosts of heaven... I am undone... I am like Elle, "no words... no... words... (sob)"...

Next quarter-century, bring it on...
Crisbaj