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Mar
29
No, not halfway house….halfway home. We made the 12 hour drive from Vizcaino and are now in Rosarito, at La Posada, the missions base built by Calvary Chapel Montebello.
We are joining the local church for worship tomorrow, and I will be teaching, and then off to cross the border, and then to the airport. We should be back to Napa about 10 p.m.
Thanks for your prayers everyone. Blessings. Hopefully, I’ll get some photos posted early next week.
Mar
28
Hello once again from Vizcaino, South Baja, Mexico.
Part of the Mexico missions experience is the possibility of intestinal distress. You can do the math and connect the dots on what I am about to say.
About six of us experienced some mid-night/through the night multiple trips to the bano last night. It was not a pretty picture at the time, (sorry for the visual) but we seem to be O.K. today. Even Tacho, our local Mexican pastor was part of the fellowship. 
A small price to pay for the blessing of being here.
Yesterday we traveled into the local mountain range, which is called Las Sierras de San Franciso. We traveled about 20 minutes south out of town, and then headed east 20+ miles into the mountains. That 20 mile trip takes 2 hours, due to very rough dirt roads through the mountains and along canyon rims. It is a remote, beautiful, high desert mountain region where the main source of income is raising goats for the meat market, and selling goat cheese “downtown” in Vizcaino. They come down once a week to sell their cheese, and then it’s back up the hill.
They are very much a primitive group, though they do have modern technology. One house was made of adobe, and had a satellite dish outside. Now that was a photo opp.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of inter marriage among family members in this group. They are an isolated group, and they like it that way. The sad result has been the expected birth defects in some of the children. None the less, they accept us, and we visit them. They don’t have a lot of outsiders coming to see them. The first three ranchitos are accessible by car, and the remaining ranchitos are accessible only by mule. It is a very remote lifestyle.
We take clothes, food, and share the Gospel through music, drama, movies, preaching, and crafts with the kids. We have been going up there about 4-5 years, so we know some of them by name, and they know us.
Many of them have expressed a desire to receive Jesus, but there is no regular teaching of the Word, and there are no church services there. The result is that there is little Christian growth. I don’t know how literate they are, or if they can even read their Bibles very well. We go and do what we can to bring blessings and teachings to them.
Another source of income for them is to offer guided tours to the indian cave paintings. The now extinct Cochimi indians were fantastic artists, and the region has many painted caves that people travel from around the world to see. The caves are among some of the best in the world for examples of cave paintings. The caves are accessible only by mule trips, so the locals offer guided 2-3 day trips to see the different caves. The trips are very inexpensive, about $35 per day, but they are rough trips, requiring good phyical strength to ride the mules and camp under the stars.
Another experience we had with them yesterday was learning to milk goats. And then, of course, we drank the fresh goat milk, and I do mean fresh. Like right now fresh! I won’t be rushing to do it again, but it was a fun (is that the right word?) experience.
Lest you presume that the leche de chivas made us sick, even some non leche drinkers got sick too. So, don’t write off fresh goat milk if you get the offer. 
Today is a little easier also, although we are going to have an outreach at 4 p.m. today. Right now, some folks are visiting a 1700′s mission in San Ignacio, 45 minutes south of Vizcaino. Others are visiting migrant worker camps and taking lots of photos. The lifesyles of the migrant workers are tough. They are the lowest class here in Mexico, and they are usually indiginous indians. More on that later. Others of us are finishing up some physical work on our missions base project. A few of is, (including me), are staying at the hotel, and close to the throne room. Monteczuma is still lingering a bit 
O.K., that may have been too much information (TMI), but that is the mission field.
Today we have an outreach. Tomorrow, 12 hours of sriving back to Rosarito where we spend the night. Sunday we have church with the Body at La Posada in Rosarito, then fly home Sunday night.
This trip was designed as a “Vizcaino 101″ introductory trip, so there have been some additional fun things included. We have had a great group, including six guys from Calvary Chapel of the Foothills, in Shingle Springs, CA.
Thanks for your prayers and emails and posts. Pray about joining us some time, and be sure to check out our La Posada, Vizcaino web page. The link is on the blogroll to the right.
Bendiciones a todos……blessings to all…….
Mar
26
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your prayers. We are well. Sunburned, tired, and achy, but doing well.
Our first day (Monday) was a 12 hour travel day. We drove from Rosarito to Vizcaino, and it took the full day. It was a good trip, and the desert was green and even had some flowers blooming from Spring rains. Beautiful.
Tuesday was a full day of construction. Presently, we are working on a large meeting hall (40 feet X 60 feet), which will be a multi purpose room to begin with. Block work continued on the walls. We also had guys wood framing a roof for our bathrooms, which will be full service bathrooms with showers, toilets, sinks, washing machines, etc. We also installed 300 feet of water pipe and electrical conduit underground to service the buildings, and then backfilled the trenches. That means we shoveled dirt back into a 12 inch by three feet deep by 300 foot long trench. Slave labor at its best!
Today (Wednesday), was a recovery day for most of us. We drove 45 minutes to Guerrero Negro, and went out into 20 foot wooden boats to see the migrating gray whales. We saw plenty, and some even came up to the boat, and we got to touch them! Awesome. I will post pictures sometime.
We had church tonight with Calvary Chapel of Vizcaino, and I got to teach. It went well.
Thanks for your prayers. Tomorrow we go 2 hours up into a remote area to minister to the people of Las Sierras de San Francisco, a rather remote group of people who raise goats. We will probably be able to see some cave paintings also.
Thats it for now. Thanks for your prayers everyone.
Bill
Mar
22
Since tomorrow is Easter Sunday, and the early church gathered together on the first day of the week, that being Sunday, I now consider that Easter Week has come to an end.
A new week begins tomorrow, and the resurrection of Jesus certainly speaks of the newness of life.
This has been quite a week for me. I have learned a lot, and I have experienced a lot. I think I have grown spiritually.
For a few weeks prior to this week, God had burdened my heart about the Lost and the Prodigals. When I say “burdened”, I do mean it that way. I have had a heavy heart for those who live without Jesus, and who may die without Jesus.
I also had a heavy heart for those who have known the way of truth, but who have walked away, or who have seemed to walk away. I do believe that Christians can be backslidden. I believe that because of Biblical reasons, and because of personal experience.
My heart ached this week for those two groups of people. I actually felt it in my body. I can only imagine how our Lord feels over those folks for whom He died, knowing that they presently refuse His grace. My sorrow pales compared to His.
I was moved to pray, and to ask our church to pray, and to ask those of you who visit this site to pray. I was stirred to remember that there is a spiritual battle for the souls of men and women.
God reminded me of this verse:
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
We hear less and less preaching about Hell these days. Jesus said that people should fear Hell, and fear the God who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.
So much of Christian preaching and teaching seems to avoid talking of sin and Hell. We need to be moved by the reality that people are on their way to Hell. Jesus loved the world, and came to die for our sins, to save us from Hell, and grant to us access to Himself and Heaven. We need to be people of prayer.
Satan hates humanity. He hates God, and he hates Christians. I am sure that Satan especially hates this week, and particularly Easter Sunday.
Our church gathered Monday-Wednesday to pray, and we prayed for a lot of people. I had had a sense that the week would include a lot of spiritual warfare, but it went way beyond what I ever imagined it would be. I don’t want to share in detail the battle of this last week, but between Satan, my emotions, my physical struggles, and more, this was a week of battling. I am sure some of it was the weakness of my constitution (as Spurgeon would say it). I am sure that some of it originated in Hell. I regret that some of my co-laborers had to suffer with my suffering. Such is Body life. They are great people.
I came to the conclusion that if you are going to seriously pray for the souls of men and women, it is going to cost you. If you are going to ache over what Jesus aches over, it will cost you. It was a costly week for me, but God is faithful, and the worst part of the battle seems to have passed.
I look forward to a tremendous time with our church tomorrow. Jesus is risen from the dead. He heard our prayers this week. He is risen indeed. I am confident that our prayers have made a difference, and that we will hear praise reports of some people’s lives being deeply touched by God.
Praying is like farming. The work is done in faith, and in hope, and the harvest so often comes at a much later date. But it is always worth the effort.
Shifting gears…
This week we travel to Vizcaino, South Baja, Mexico. We will be there for a week, reaching out to the local community, and spending time with Pastor Tacho & Lourdes & their kids, and the local Calvary Chapel there.
We will also take one day to see the gray whales calving in the bay at Guerrero Negro. Over 2,000 gray whales travel from Alaska to Guerrero Negro each spring. It is a great experience to see them up so close. We go out into the bay in 25′ wooden boats, and then they turn the motor off, and we drift with whales all around us. Sometimes they come right up to the boat. Wow!
We will spend some of the time doing construction on the missions base we are building. Our church owns 3 1/2 acres, and we are building a missions base for American groups to use for missions trips.
The base will also serve as a church, and a place for medical outreach, and even possibly as school. We have a lot of work to do, but the Lord is providing the finances and the workers, so we carry on.
If any of you or your churches ever want to join us, contact me. You can read about the work in Vizcaino at this link:
http://www.laposadaii.com/
Finally…
The Bible says that Jesus, though He was rich, became poor for our sakes, that we, through His poverty, might become rich. Jesus laid so much aside, so that you and I could be forgiven, and be able to know God, and be with Him forever.
If you have never asked Him to forgive you, do it now. Surrender your life to Jesus, and be born again. God’s Spirit will come into your heart, and you be will become a child of God.
Blessings all, and thanks to those of you who prayed. If you have any praise reports that come back as a result of prayer efforts, please share them with us, that we might be encouraged, and that God may be glorified.
This week I’ll check the blog as time permits. You all behave and love each other.
Mar
16
The Lord has really burdened my heart with the need for us to be praying.
This is the season of the greatest event in human history, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is a season of spiritual warfare, to be sure. Satan does not want people in church this week, thinking or hearing about Jesus. Or he wants them in a church where people will talk about anything and everything else.
I promise to try to pray for every name that you all submit this week.
Can we list first names of prodigals and the lost who need to hear the gospel message, and/or be back in fellowship?
Will you join me in prayer? Will you pray for the names that get listed here?
List first names only, and you can be anonymous if you want. Perhaps just list initials, i.e. Joe Smith= J. or J.S.
You can email me, and I will post things for you.
No details please, just list if they are unsaved or prodigal. Put a question mark if you’re not sure.
Pray for broken hearts, willing to surrender to Jesus. Pray for spiritual blindness to be lifted off of people’s lives. Pray for the holding back of Satan and his throng.
Feel free to write out a prayer, if you want, but keep it short. Save your long prayers for your prayer closet.
Let’s not discuss prayer either. Let’s just pray.
Jesus wept (wailed) as He viewed Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday, because judgment was coming upon them.
May we be filled with that same compassion. Let’s pray.
Mar
13
Pray for this Easter season, for those who will join us in our churches, and for those who need to be with us.
“It cannot be stated too frequently that the life of a Christian is a warfare, an intense conflict, a lifelong contest. It is a battle, moreover, waged against invisible foes, who are ever alert, and ever seeking to entrap, deceive, and ruin the souls of men.
The life to which Holy Scripture calls men is no picnic, or holiday junketing. It is no pastime, no pleasure jaunt. It entails effort, wrestling, struggling; it demands the putting forth of the full energy of the spirit in order to frustrate the foe and to come off, at the last, more than conqueror. It is no primrose path, no rose-scented dalliance.
From start to finish, it is war. From the hour in which he first draws sword, to that in which he doffs his harness, the Christian warrior is compelled to “endure hardness like a good soldier.”
E.M. Bounds- The Necessity Of Prayer
Mar
12
Blessings all…
Just a reminder to be praying for this Easter season. It is a time when people still feel the urge, need, or obligation to go to church.
It is a great opportunity for folks to be amongst God’s people, to be in a place where God is being worshiped, and to be hearing the Word of God taught and proclaimed.
Pray for the Prodigal children of God, those ones who have left the church family, and are involved with the world, and not walking with Jesus. They are His children, and He loves them, and like the father of the Prodigal son, God runs to meet them and longs to have relationship with them again.
Pray for The Lost. There are so many who do not know Jesus, and may end up in our churches for any number of reasons. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is in the world convincing Unbelievers of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Please be praying for that work to be happening in people’s hearts, and then that they would be amongst God’s people on Easter morning.
May we who know Jesus be truly believing that God can change hearts and reach lives, and that our prayers can make a difference.
Our church will be praying Monday-Wednesday nights of Easter week, pointedly and especially for Prodigals and Unbelievers. Make some time to pray for people by name.
Mar
8
Editor’s Note- This article was originally a comment offered on the thread entitled:
“A Simple, But Profound Blessing”. (March 6, 2008)
It is written by Chris, a.k.a. “adronus”. http://adronus.wordpress.com/
I think it deserves to stand on it’s own, as it contains some good thoughts re. our writing, blogging, emailing, letter writing, etc. It presented here, unedited.
Chris wrote…
Your thoughts on writing letters, blogs, instant gratification, etc. made me think of Paul when he was imprisoned.
We, in our “instant world”, can write something within a few minutes, post it, and get responses within an hour’s time. If we feel that what we wrote or quoted was particularly good that hour may pass slowly while we wait for someone to look at and comment on it and possibly find some way to bless us back with their insight into our thoughts.
If we get something wrong or misspeak we can simply hit the edit button and edit what we’ve said.
And that makes me think of Paul. When he was writing his letters to the Churches he helped to get started, he didn’t have this option. He had to surrender himself completely to Christ and let the Spirit lead him as He felt appropriate. The words Paul wrote to the Churches throughout the world had to be precise, measured, and 100% Spirit-led.
I wonder how many of the folks that are blogging today could stand up to a surrender such as that – to know that what you are writing cannot be revoked, changed, or edited; to know, with certainty, that everything that you have said is completely Scriptural and Spirit-led; to know that God looks upon your words and smiles because they are His.
Pretty tall order, I’d say; and one that more of us should strive for these days.
If our words we surrendered to God as Paul’s were, we wouldn’t have to worry about what we did or didn’t say to those incarcerated; we wouldn’t have to worry about what we were blogging to the world; and we wouldn’t have to worry about the emails and letter we sent out, as we would know, without a doubt, that it came from God and God alone.
Peace,
Chris
Mar
7
“I don’t have a life like other people”.
Don McClure
(Regarding the Apostle Paul and his suffering:)
“Humility comes from being in God’s presence”.
Daniel Fusco
3-27-2007
“Believing was more important than living”.
Don McClure
(Re. the apostles and the dangers in their lives)
“It takes a crucified man to preach a crucified Christ”.
Don McClure
“What you are is ultimately what you will preach”.
Don McClure
1-26-1999
(Editor’s note)- For more Blessed One Liners, check the archives for December 10 & 11, 2007.
Don McClure’s teachings can be purchased through his we site: http://www.calvaryway.com/index.html
Daniel Fusco’s teachings can be heard at http://www.reasontorejoice.org/
Mar
6
I have come to greatly enjoy writing, and receiving feedback on my thoughts. I never would have guessed this even a year ago, but it has been a great discovery.
Some of the unique blessings of writing online is the immediate exposure of your ideas to an audience that wants to hear from you. I can also receive feedback very quickly. The process is amazing.
And honestly, I like the idea that my thoughts mean something to someone. We are all like that.
I am a pastor, and by nature, a communicator about Jesus. My blog stats tell me that some people find my thoughts interesting. I like to share, I like to be heard, and I like feedback.
Delays in communication can inhibit my interest in writing and communicating with people. I have some ideas for a book, but there isn’t any immediate feedback during the book writing process, so I blog instead. Immediate gratification is what it’s all about, right?
I’d much rather talk than write. I’d much rather write online than send a letter. I have gotten quite spoiled at being able to interact with people very quickly. That’s how I want it. I can’t imagine living in a time when there was only communication by letters carried by men on horses.
That brings me to the point of this article.
One in every hundred Americans is currently in prison. Some of them are in their cells 23 hours a day. I am talking about a 5′ x 10′ cell, designed for one man, but holding two.
I am not writing to talk about poor prison conditions, or how we should treat prisoners, or get tougher or softer on prisoners. None of that is my point.
My point is this: I take for granted my ability to communicate freely with other Christians all over the world. Life in prison can be quite limiting for those desiring edifying Christian interaction. If a man or woman wants to have true Christian fellowship in prison, there aren’t a lot of options. Some of these folks are denied access to chapel services for good or bad reasons. Sadly, most prisoners aren’t seeking deeper and more meaningful spiritual interaction, from what I have heard.
One option is to write to inmates, or at least send them articles, Christian literature, etc. Caution is always needed about revealing personal information, etc. You don’t have to be a writer to communicate ideas with prisoners. You can cut articles out of magazines, or print blog articles of your favorite online writers. Find articles that speak to your heart, and let someone else’s writing do the talking for you.
Or you may be blessed to be able to write and express yourself. That’s great too.
Long story short: Pray about being able to encourage a prisoner in the Christian faith, or about sharing Jesus with an unbeliever who is incarcerated.