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Missionary: Paul & Dawn Fisher
Mission Board: MTW
Location: Mexico
May 27,2005
Fisher: Hello from Guadalajara. Here's a brief update from the field.
God
is good and his grace abounds. He has blessed our family and our ministry here in many ways that we never expected. The opportunities to serve the Lord here are many and multiplying. Our missionary team here is
growing, the churches are thriving, but there are still so many in need of Christ, many who have never heard the Gospel. We are thankful to be here and be able to dedicate every day to the work of the Kingdom.
Certainly, there are challenges, but God's grace has always been more than sufficient. Here's some news:
FOREST FIRES
We are enjoying the hottest and driest month of the year
right now, which would be fine were it not for all the forest fires breaking out all around the city every now and then. Last week thousands of acres of the Primavera forest burned for days choking the city with
smoke and coating everything with ashes. All schools in the city were closed for three days and people were advised to stay indoors to avoid inhaling the smoke. Many who did go out wore surgical masks , others were
treated for irritation caused by smoke. Years of reforestation of the Primavera were destroyed. One of the fire fighting helicopters dispatched to battle the blaze crashed and burned, killing the pilot. Yesterday
another outbreak consumed a vast hillside here in Bugambilias causing many local residents to evacuate their homes. The smoke has cleared now, and things are back to normal, but we have another month of drought
before the summer rains come, so please pray that any more fires and damage they may cause would be minimal. The drought also means water rationing (no water) which is always an interesting challenge for a family of
eleven.
SACRED STORY CONCERT
Last month we presented a very special program at our church called "La Historia Sagrada" which consisted of a dramatic narration of
selected portions of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation accompanied by classical piano performance and interpretative dance and lighting effects. Our pianist, Betty and I had been practicing the music and reading
for weeks, while my daughter Amanda worked out the choreography with her sisters, Natasha and Wendy. None of us had ever done anything quite like this before and didn't really know how it would be received, but many
of those in attendance shared how moved they were by it and how it was a unique and effective presentation of the Gospel message. Many visitors heard God's Word clearly and powerfully proclaimed for the first time.
We are thinking about how we might take this program to other churches or venues in Guadalajara. Please pray that doors would open for this ministry.
ELDERS
Our church,
Iglesia Cristo Redentor, has around 120 members and almost 200 in attendance on Sundays. After studying together the requirements for ruling elders, the congregation has nominated four candidates for this important
position of church leadership and service. This month, we will be electing those men whom God has chosen to form the first session of the church. We praise the Lord for these godly men and ask for your prayers that
those who are elected would oversee the affairs of the local body with wisdom and responsibility and love. This is big step of faith for our congregation and for our pastor, Larry as he relinquishes sole authority
as church-planter to work within the biblical church government structure of a session as teaching elder among ruling elders. Pray that God would preserve the unity and harmony of the body as this transition is made
later this month.
ADVANCING THE KINGDOM: NEW CHURCH PLANT
Since our church is healthy and strong and growing steadily, we have been lead to look beyond our own community and
look at other communities in need of an evangelistic witness and presence. It is not our intention to become a "mega-church, but rather a church-planting church. The Lord has led us to the community of
Residencial Moctezuma, about ten miles from Bugambilias. A small mission was started here years ago, then abandoned, leaving a small lot of land and partially finished structure to deteriorate. In response to the
need and opportunity and call to reach this community with the Gospel, around forty people, representing seventeen families from our Bugambilias congregation have volunteered to form a core group and plant a new
church at this location in Moctezuma. One missionary family and one national church-planter will lead the charge to preach the Gospel and make disciples in this growing middle class community. As of May 1, the core
group has been meeting together on Sundays apart from the rest of the congregation to plan and pray for this endeavor and to identify and draw upon their gifts as they contemplate the task before them. Mostly young
families with small children who live near the community, have risen to the challenge and committed themselves to be missionaries to their own people, making friends, sharing Christ and planting a new church. Please
pray for these families who are preparing for this work, that God would use them to further His Kingdom. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the families in Moctezuma that they would receive the Good News with
joy and come to Christ by faith. Pray also for the summer teams from the US that will be working on the property and building to make it usable for worship this summer. Pray for the mother church, Cristo Redentor
that will soon have forty empty chairs to fill again, that we would not only support and assist and encourage our daughter churches, but also continue to make disciples from our own community to continue to grow and
be able to plant more churches and even send out missionaries to other parts of the world in need of the Savior.
SOLI DEO GLORIA MUSIC ACADEMY
We praise God as our first year
of classes at the Music Academy comes to a close for summer vacation. When we opened the church-based school last September we did not really know what to expect. One of the primary aims of the school was to help
Christian parents educate their children in the area of Music, but even Christian parents have fallen into the secular trap of relegating Music to the list of "extra-curricular" activities or hobbies,
simply one of many options for their kids. But the Bible clearly teaches that Music education is not an "option" for believers, but rather an obligation, as we are instructed over 200 times to make music
unto the Lord. Although many of the students are from the church, many more have come from the local community. God has used Soli Deo Gloria to open doors into the lives of these people and their families. I am
especially thankful for the children and young people that I am able to minister to one a daily basis. Pray for these contacts as we have opportunity to share Christ with them. We will have our year-end recital in
June when the students will perform a variety of sacred music "Soli Deo Gloria" for their parents and invited guests.
RECORDING STUDIO ("SOLI DEO GLORIA RECORDS")
We are very excited to report the recent purchase of digital recording studio equipment made possible by a generous donation from a supporting church. We are still practicing and learning how to use the
equipment, but hope to be recording and producing quality CDs of Christian music by later this year. Worship music, inspirational music, and children's music are among some of the things we plan to record, produce
and make available as ministry tools to our churches. Please pray for this ministry.
FAMILY
Thank you for your prayers for our family. We have all adjusted well to life in
Guadalajara and know that God has put us here for a reason. Our ministry in the church and in community has been fruitful. As always the family has been a vital and integral part of our ministry.
Our littlest
daughter Loreyna Raquel was hospitalized for a few days last month with a viral infection and dehydration, but is fine now. My oldest daughter, Amanda and I continue to sing and play at a local restaurant in town to
where we have gotten to know many people and hope to initiate a Bible study with some of them soon. Please pray for our kids as they finish up another year of homeschooling and for Dawn who has been doing a
remarkable job educating them every day. Please also pray for our family as we will be doing some traveling this summer, that the Lord would protect us. Please pray also for my sister Carol who requires another
kidney transplant, since the first one failed. Pray that God would provide a compatible donor.
Tomorrow we are leaving on a little family vacation on the Pacific coast for a few days.
Pray that God will use this time to strengthen our family and refresh us for the upcoming summer activities.
Thank you for taking the time to read all this. It means a lot to us and we
appreciate your faithful prayers and support of this ministry here in Guadalajara. God bless you.
Grace and greetings to all.
Paul
Mission to the World
Guadalajara, Mexico
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