Don´t Ignore Or Lose Your Freedoms

I would speculate that there isn´t another country in the entire world that has the abundant freedoms that we do in the United States of America.

What is pictured here is a protest handbill, I found it yesterday on a wall in Ensenada, BCN, Mexico. It depicts the fact that freedom of speech or expression, as it indicates on the flyer, is often limited, or at least restricted and at times, even illegal in Mexico.

Let me talk about an area I am well aware of, that is radio programming in Mexico. We can talk analytically about Protestants, Lutherans, Baptists and nearly every other denomination, religion, church or religious leader in a broadcast and not face any reprisal at all. But if we, in country, talk or express a questioning opinion, or publish or promote anything about this certain other belief, we can be fined, have our program canceled and even lose our license to be on the air.

The fact is that back in July of 1993, freedom of speech and of religion finally came to Mexico, its obvious that it is still in it´s infant stages. The truth is that in many regions of Mexico, ones that are steeped in this certain religion´s teachings, people of any other faith are often persecuted, ridiculed and even ostracized in public and in private. Matthew 5:11, ¨Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.¨

I thank God that in the north part of the Baja Peninsula, where Rancho Santa Fe Mexico Mission is located, in the ´free zone,´ we have much more freedom than do other areas of the country. At the mission base and at the church as in our services to outlying areas, we do sing, preach and teach the Gospel of Christ, not mixed with any human trappings, colors or confusion. As we train in the truth here, the hearers are taking what they learned here and going back to their homelands in other parts of Mexico carrying with them the clear and valid truth of God. John 8:36, ¨If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.¨

 Thank you for being an important part of this ministry, where the truth of God reigns supreme and is the focal point of all that is said and done by Rancho Santa Fe Mexico Mission and the base´s church, El Camino Agape De San Vicente, A. R. This is not a one-person ministry, it takes team work, consistency and continuance to make strong, permanent and life-changing inroads in to what might other wise be closed and unreachable avenues to the human heart and soul. Before being given even limited levels of freedom of speech, the people here were encouraged to believe in formalism, tradition and to follow the commandments of men and to obey the history of unsaid church and to trust in these things as being more important that the Scriptures, the actual and very Word of God. Matthew 15:9, ¨ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

God Bless You All.

Looking For Hidden Areas To Share The Good News

Even though I go to a lot of different places and see a large variety of distinctive peoples and share the Gospel under some very tough circumstances, I am limited as to what I can photograph and share with my friends in the north. As a missionary, according to the national government, I am restricted as to what I can utilize to show you what it is that I do and where it is I go and how the places are when I find them. Even though I don´t see myself as doing any heroic acts or find myself as having adventurous acts of daring-do, I get out to areas that other pastors, missionaries and Christian groups just don´t go. Nevertheless, I have to be careful about ill-use or misuse of the people I find in these hidden or forgotten areas. I can not exploit the inhabitants, neither the adults nor the children that I come across in these outlying areas. So, I try hard not to do anything that would come over as questionable or against the government´s wishes. Hebrews 13:17, ¨Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.¨

I have been asked, ´how do you find these villages, work camps or these hidden villages?´ Part of the answer is easy, I look for dirt roads that show a lot of tire tracks, that have electricity poles going down them and often I just hear from other camp workers that tell me I need to go out to here or there to speak with the persons that I´ll find working there. It seems to me that there are more areas like these than one would ever think. Luke 14:23, "And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Some times it takes a day or two to get from San Vicente to a camp. Other times it can all be done in a day. But, I do believe that all people should be reached and I try to make sure that I do as much as one person can. I understand that God is not willing that any should perish. 2 Peter 3:9, ¨The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.¨

I mostly travel alone and part of that reason is financial. If I take a group of national pastors or Bible students or local friends, I am the one that has to pay for the trip. So I find that it´s just cheaper for one to go than for many to go. Plus, I sleep in my truck and I don´t have room for anybody but me to sleep in the bed of my vehicle. Plus, when I am ready to go, there is only room for one. My guitar, Bibles, television and VHS/DVD player, bedroll, water and food and small gas stove pretty much leaves me little room to sleep in. Some times, when I know it´s not going to be a lengthy trip, I bring one of my dogs along. I enjoy sharing the Gospel and am willing to be spent for the furtherance of the Good News. So, I ask that people pray for my physical health. And, that I should always Spanish-language Bibles to share and Christian movies to show in the camps. Also, that I have an angel or two to follow me on my travels. Philippians 4:19, ¨But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.¨

God Bless All of You! Together, we are making a difference in the hearts, minds and souls of many people that would otherwise, not have access to the truth about God´s Love in Christ! Romans 5:5, ¨And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.¨ (On this day, the sand was so hot and intense that it melted the glue on my shoe and I actually walked the sole off of my shoe. I changed shoes and sat down on a rock and took a photo of myself while I rested and waited for the sun to go down a bit.)

Dear Friends, I always give thanks to God for all of you and for all that you do, for me and for all the thousands that are reached, touched and strengthened through this ministry each and every year. Your help is vital, appreciated and so very much needed. Hearts, lives and eternal destinies are changed, forever by what we all do here, together, at Rancho Santa Fe Mexico Mission. Romans 1:8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.” Building projects take lots of extra money. Regular operating resources, special funds and designated donations are never used for unspecified construction projects. Therefore, without having the extra, non-appropriated finances, no work projects are undertaken. Work projects or building projects must generate their own special funds before being undertaken. Yet, at tmes, it is still important to build new buildings at the mission base in San Vicente. Therefore, it is improtant to get the word out concerning structural needs and to ask our friends and supporters to pray wabout the needs that are currently being prayed for at the base in Mexico. So, I will let you know about some projects that are currently on the building project prayer list. If you, your Bible Study or Church group would like to undertake some, any or all of one or more of these projects, just let me know. Of course, you are invited to come down and help in the actual building, too. As the Lord leads. Thank you all, and always, for all that you have done and are doing to reach out to the lost and hurting people here in Mexico. Also, thank you for making the base in San Vicente as comfortable as it is. It is what it is, because of your response to the direction of the Holy Spirit. God Bless You All!

A new, bigger and deeper septic tank is needed at the base. Five toilets,sinks and showers are now using one that was built for a single bathroom. It's costly to keep having to get it drained a half dozen times a year. Once this new tank is operational, it will probably not have to be drained for years on end.

There is a big need for more dorms at the base. At present, the base can hold about 30 people but when groups number in the 40s or more, which happens several times a year, it becomes obvious that a few more sleeping rooms would help make everyone more comfortable. It wouldn't take much to finish some spaces like the one shown here.

The base's kitchen is in need of expansion. Some of the ground work has been laid and many supplies are already at the base. More are needed, of course, but once done, this one project will make the base much more useable as this is one area where visitor congestion always takes place.

Technical Difficulties

Thank you all for your patience, I've just been facing a ton of trials with the computers of this world. They are not going to win. Mine is old and has several problems each month. Not huge things but I have to keep taking it back to Ensenada and waiting for them to get it fixed. Then I get it back here and boom, it dies. A tad bit frustrating but that's just the way it is. So, I work with it. Right now I am without a home computer and will be that way for a long while yet. Please, pray with me for a new computer. God knows that they are a part of all ministry operations in this day and age. It's a good tool, but just like all tools, they wear out and must be replaced. Keep looking,more news and videos are on the way...soon. Plus, the mail service here continues to be next to impossible to work with. Not fast, at all! I just sent a CD to a friend. It must have taken several months for it to finally get over the border to find its final destination.

Short Needs List

As I look around my area of Mexico, which is basically the northern part of the Baja Peninsula, I often shake my head and just think, ‘the needs are so big, what can I do?’ The answer to my question is, not very much. That is, without your help. I do pray every day for the needs I see and I believe and know that the Lord hears me and that He is extremely concerned with these people’s hardships. “For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always,” Matthew 26:11. I understand as I read the Bible and learn the heart of the Lord, that He is not happy that there are poor people. One can see from the Scriptures that in the Old Testament the Lord had a working and effective ‘welfare’ program for the poor. The Holy Scriptures teach us to think about the poor and how to meet their needs from what the Lord gives to us. "Now when you reap the harvest of your land you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit from your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God,” Leviticus 19:9-10. As well, in the New Testament, we see how the church was feeding the poor, primarily meeting the requirements of the poor and nurturing the saints, and they remembered the destitute and needy, Acts 6; Gal. 2:10. When someone asks me, ‘Why are there still poor people?’ My answer is, I am not sure. I think about the ultra rich multi-billionaires who could easily send everyone in the world, let’s say, just Fifty Thousand Dollars, to help stop extreme poverty, and knowing that they don’t, well, it just makes my heart shudder, Matthew 19:23. At times I get asked for a ‘needs’ list that people could read and work at filling to help meet the necessities of the poor and hurting and the supplies at Rancho Santa Fe Mexico Mission. And, to tell you the truth, not much ever happens after that. I am not sure why. But, generally, that’s as far as their concern ever goes. Of course, some people do answer the call and then send down or bring with them needed items and for that, I always rejoice and thank God for their valuable and kindhearted aid. It’s a wonderful thing to have someone come along side you to help you make your mission work more of a blessing than it would be without their help. So, here on my blog, I am going to place a small but detailed list of some of the needs we face daily. And, as the Lord leads, I hope and pray that there might be some people touched and guided to help meet these needs. Spanish language Bibles & Spanish language Christian movies, VHS or DVD Men and women’s clothing, especially children’s clothes, including shoes Bedding of all types and sizes, including pillows School supplies Candy & Piñatas, Christmas presents for boys & girls aged 0 -16 Cake mixes & frosting, boxes of pudding and Jell-o Pots & pans, plates & flatware and other kitchen supplies To keep this list short, I will leave off writing at this time and put this in the hands of the Lord. If anyone is interested in sending anything to the mission base, it must first be sent to California, and then it will be brought down into the country as quickly as is possible. Sending directly to San Vicente, at this point in time is not safe, nor possible. We don’t have mail service, and packages often come opened and have missing items. Contact me at: ranchosantafemax@aol.com “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching,” Hebrews 10:24&25

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