“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage.” (2 Timothy 4:2)
1. Pioneer work at UAG (Guadalajara Autonomous University – Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara.)
In March 16, we moved from the Guadalajara chapter, where we had worked for nine years, in order to clear UAG. We were based on the word of Joshua 17:18: “but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours”, and we took off with an ardent heart to clear UAG. It can be said that UAG is the university that represents the University of Guadalajara in Zapopan. It is, however, a private university and it forbids religious practices because of its Catholic influence. Besides, entrance to the university is limited by private security. I don’t know if this was the guidance of the Holy Spirit or my own human passion, but I conceived the idea to register my children to the arts program held by the university so that I could get inside as my children’s guardian. We thought this was God´s wisdom and we started the pioneering work with great vision. My children would attend their violin, piano, and tennis lessons while I invited the students to study the Bible. But I encountered a great obstacle that I hadn’t thought of before: art school started at 4 in the afternoon, but when I arrived, I found the university completely empty. There were a few classes at that time, but there were too few students. I couldn’t find any students anywhere on the afternoon. I found out later that class schedules are programmed one class after another with no breaks. I prayed alone in that empty campus and I felt great disappointment because I had started the pioneering work with so much vision, but the situation was very different from others. With an impatient and frustrated heart, I visited other universities and invited some students but I couldn’t visit them persistently. I pray that God may send me to another university where I can serve his work freely.
2. Self-financing work
When I started the clearing work, I made the decision to serve God´s work while my wife took care of the store. God blessed our decision. Missionary Elizabeth managed the store and treated the customers better than myself and sales began to increase. I believe this is truly God´s mercy that without having a lot of resources and without knowing a lot of people we have been able to serve God´s work and support our family through this store. I believe God blessed our heart to serve the gospel preaching work in campus even though we´re weak and flawed. The market becomes more and more competitive, and the financial situation of the market becomes worse every time. I think the only way to survive is to seek the kingdom of God and his justice and trust that God will help us. I believe that if I serve God´s work with all my heart, God will protect me from all hardships and that he will bless my business so that I may serve the pioneering work faithfully.
3. Struggles in the life of prayer and serving the word.
I think that preparing the message is the most stressful and difficult work for the servants of God, amateurs or veterans alike. However, this is also the most required work by all of God’s servants. It feels like bungee jumping. Speaking frankly, I couldn’t prepare the message with all my heart, but I learned that I have to focus to work in a limited amount of time getting rid of all useless and distracting ideas. I learned that a good message is not written by having a lot of time, but by receiving a word given by God through prayer and a lot of concentration.
I started praying because there was nothing else I could do and I started to feel the great joy of having a relationship with God through prayer. It’s a pity I couldn’t get up early to have a personal time with God. I wish to have more prayer time next year. I learned that a fervent desire is the key to open the door of prayer. I pray that I may depend on God each day with my heart more and more fervently in every situation I might have to face during the next year, and to lead a life of faith in this manner.
4. The growth of the disciples.
My children are growing up as coworkers in the work of God. I hadn’t given them enough time and care. Because of my faith without a foundation, I thought that if I served God’s work, God would take care of my children, so I neglected them. This year I was able to spend more time with my children, understand them, know their good and bad qualities, and I was able to pray for them. I pray that they may grow in God´s word and that they may find Jesus as their personal Saviour during this new year. I invited brother Fortino, whom I was helping while I was at the Guadalajara chapter, again. Humanly speaking, he is a good person, but his way of thinking is complicated, so God’s word doesn’t work in him. I pray that his thoughts are orderly and simple through testimony writing training so that he may be established as a disciple of Jesus.
I wasn’t able to find sheep because of my anguish and disappointment. During the new year I want to find more sheep and preach the gospel. Because of this direction, I chose 2 Timothy 4:2a: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage” as my key verse for 2010 to put more effort in preaching the word of God.
5. Prayer topics for 2010
* That God may provide us a campus where we can serve God’s work with more freedom.
* That the ministry may be doubled: 8 one to one studies and 10 Sunday worship service attendants.
* To establish 3 disciples.
* That missionary Gedeon may preach the message by receiving at least one word from God.
* That missionary Elizabeth may prepare the environment of the history in good health.
* That my children may find Jesus as their personal Saviour through Bible study.
* That Fortino may be established as a disciple through sogam writing training.
* That I may open a second store to help the pioneering history financially.
