An evening of Worship in Mexico

with Pastor David Power

Operation Christmas Child

We were so blessed to worship at the recently built Community Center building by, and also for use by the Church at San Luis, which is a church plant from Church Mexico. We first visited this very impoverished district of San Luis, Mexico in February, 2013; just a piece of sand with a tarp used for worship. In 2015 the church, assisted by volunteers from a church in Colorado helped construct a restroom/shower facility that can be used by this entire community; many who do not have showers or indoor restrooms.  This past year the community center building was completed for the community use, as well an enclosed building for the church to worship in, and also be used for things like Operation Christmas Child, which we were privileged to witness during the Sunday evening that we visited in mid January. Please keep David, Iracela and their family as they minister to this awesome community of believers.

Yuma Free Clinic

Sally, Jose, & Rene - San Luis, Mexico

Had a wonderful time of fellowship with Rene Bustamante, our dear friend from Yuma who organizes several dental, medical, eye, and veterinary clinics throughout Mexico each year. This past year they were able to equip a trailer with exam chairs, counter and sink that is stored in Mexico. This speeds up their time spent at the border, not needing to bring this trailer and much equipment back and forth over the border. Rene, the doctors and volunteers that help at each clinic are able to serve real needs for impoverished areas of Mexico, and share the awesome gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as well. Please keep Rene and his wife Gloria in your prayers as they serve our Lord. The pictures below are from our January visit. Rene, and his friend Jose helped us cross the border, Praise God for Rene, an amazing servant of God.

Grace Center Bible Church - Sierra Leone

GRACE CENTER STARTED THIS YEAR IN THEIR OWN BUILDING!

In December, 2015 the Grace Center Bible Church site was still filled with boulders and a lot of dirt. 

Church site last year...a lot of rock to move!

Lots of dirt & boulders to move!!

January 1st they held their 1st worship service in their new building; no longer needing to rent a community center building, move their chairs and equipment to and from the building every Sunday morning, evening, and Wednesday evening. The ground floor is complete, and will eventually be used as a dormitory for training pastors around Sierra Leone, and neighboring countries. The second floor will be used with classrooms for training and for Aletheia Ministry offices, and the top floor will be the church and large group gathering area. But for now, just to have a secure place they can call their own, seeing how far they've come from last year.  Praise almighty God :). 

Ground floor is complete!

Dedication service on January 1, 2017

Children of Faith Ministries

Following is a brief history of the founding of Children of Faith from their website (http://childrenoffaithmissions.org):

As the story goes, Anand and Rosie Thandu were members of the Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church in 2002 when they received a calling to establish an orphanage in India.
A year later, the Children of Faith Orphanage opened its doors to 30 children in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.  In a matter of weeks, a much larger, local orphanage closed its doors, and soon Children of Faith was home to 100 children.
Today, the orphanage provides shelter, nourishment, healthcare, education, and clothing to more than 100 boys and girls.  The campus currently includes a three-story building providing housing for the children and staff and a separate building which houses the dining hall and kitchen.  A new school building and boy’s dormitory are soon to be complete.
To support the Indian orphanage, as well as other worthy ministries serving at-risk children around the globe, Children of Faith Missions was established as a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2009.

When we visited they had 120 children, 70 boys and 50 girls. Anand and Rosie shared more of their personal story, the story behind the "call", and it was so touching.  The kids of Children of Faith absolutely stole our hearts (and I know I can speak for everyone of the EMI team of designers in saying this). These are the downtrodden in a society with a cultural caste system, where it is overwhelmingly believed that these kids are poor and abandoned because of past life actions, and that this is just their lot in this life.  In fact it is largely due to this that Rosie and Anand seek to build a school (Faith Academy) where they will be treated as equals, a school that will be paid for by 650 tuition paying students; students who will be exposed to the reality that these orphans are not unlike them, and will be exposed to the hope that only comes from our Lord.

Such joy and love expressed from what otherwise would be the outcast. The difference between this and other orphanages is clear; it is the Lord's presence in and throughout all that is done there. Following are some photos of the amazing kids of Children of Faith.

 

EMI, India, Faith Academy

I had the privilage of volunteering with a team of architects and engineers organized by Engineering Ministries International's (http://emiworld.org) India office.  The project manager, Andy, pulled together a combination of EMI staff, past EMI volunteers, and an old architect missionary from Washington state :). The design challenge was to develop site master plan, and building floor plan concepts for an 850 student K-10 English based school (Faith Academy) within one week; the school will be located near Children of Faith Ministries Orphanage, outside of Visakhatpatnam, India (Visag for short). I have writeen a separate post with photos on Children of Faith, and the incredible founders/hosts, Anand and Rosie Thandu. The design team consisted of two licensed architects; yours truly, and Tanisha, an architect from Bangalor who recently joined the EMI India office staff (like the day before our site visit to Visag); an EMI architect intern, Nou, from the USA; a second architect intern who is contemplating becoming an EMI intern, Julian Raxam, from Assam, India who connected with me through this blog last January; an EMI engineer intern, Shelby, from the USA; a civil engineer volunteer and former EMI intern Ryan Woodson from the USA; a civil engineer PE volunteer, water specialist and form EMI intern Alex Schmidt, also from the USA; and finally, Andy, civil engineer/structural emphasis, EMI India office director and project manager for this design. Following are some photos of the team in action (or just having fun).

 

Ray Williams - a life well lived

In February, 2013, Sally and I had the privilage to stay with a Ray and Carol Williams in Yuma, Arizona while heading south of the boarder to work on design drawings for the Community Center in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. Ray and Carol were such amazing, God loving hosts. I remember that I was struggling to understand if I truly was being "called" into this missionary architecture thing; Ray's words of wisdom (a man with over 50 years of missionary service) have helped guide me since that day. I will never forget his wisdom and counsel which helped me rest and just trust in the Lord's leading, moving where He pointed, and trusting that He would provide if financial provisions were needed.  Although our time with Ray and Carol was brief, their impact on both of our lives has been life changing. The Lord called Ray home about a week ago.  Following is a brief summary of this amazning man of God, and well worth the read.

THE EXPANDING NJAGAMBA FAMILY

Our dear friend, evangelist Musa Njagamba and his family from Singida, Tanzania have expanded their family over the past year. This past December the Njagamba's added a son to their family of two daughters and a niece.  In the spring, they found a baby abandoned in a toilet, left to die. They have taken this little one in as well, and have since found the young, struggling mother and are looking after her as well.

new son Daniel and abandoned boy Isaka

Isaka with his mom

Musa is an evangelist teacher and musician, and is frequently traveling throughout the country being asked teach at crusades and at music conferences. He has no real income, and the store that his wife once ran had to be closed down because the rent was too high. Folks from South Hills who were touched by Musa, and particularly Neil Martin, have shared considerable funds to help the Njagamba's build a home.  The home is "nearly" complete, Please keep the Njagambas in your prayers, that their home would be completed, that God would miraculously continue to provide to meet their needs, and that Musa continue to be a powerful voice for our Lord within the country of Tanzania and wherever the Lord may lead him.