Ms. Elli teaching The Grand Adventure discipleship class, Santa Maria Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico
We started a church under a tree….
I remember how those words captured my attention – and my heart when we first met this team of church planters our second week in Mexico.
I remember the impact of the amazing stories of salvation and missionary commitment that I heard many times in my childhood… and miss hearing today. The joy in the faces of these Mexican missionaries who shared God’s process of reaching out to their people brought back these sentiments of admiration for our Savior.
First, they sought to support families with practical needs, giving gifts to their children.
God used a devastating earthquake to awaken parents to their need for a Savior. The earthquake also inspired people across the ocean with a need they could meet to further the gospel. You can read that story here… https://retireon2k.com/we-started-a-church-under-a-tree/
Pastor Magali started the first “Church under a tree” in her childhood home town of Santa Maria Huamelula; a small village that had not been reached with the gospel.
In 2021 Huamelula was completely locked down due to high COVID numbers. Magali started a new church in the alley behind her home in Huatulco! COVID does not have any power over the inspiration of the Holy Spirit!
Now Phil and I can say…WE started a church under a tree!
What a blessing it has been to see this 13-week process unfold and to play a very small part in the harvest.
First, Christmas Child Shoeboxes from Samaritans Purse drew 40 children and about 20 moms and grandmothers.
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The Christmas Child Shoebox Event Team
The man on the far right is the owner of the property. He opened his property and a bathroom and storeroom to us for 13 weeks!
He hated to see us go…he reported everything and everyone on the property had prospered since we were meeting there. Even more chicken, bananas, mangos, renters than they had in any previous year!
Second, the 12 weeks of discipleship training from Samaritans Purse called “The Great Adventure” provided a workbook with weekly lessons, homework and scripture memory, songs and games to teach the truths of God’s love for them and provide an opportunity accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
Phil was delighted with the role of photographer and videographer. I met weekly with mothers and grandmothers who walked in the dust and dirt and sat in the heat so their children would have Bible education. Phil and I taught the mothers (of course with Pastor Willy as interpreter) together once. Phil spoke to the mothers and grandmothers once and I rotated with two other ladies the other 10 weeks. Amazement fills my spirit and heart as I consider God’s plan for us in this Mexican adventure, we had no idea!
The team prayed, asking God what should happen next. The third week of the classes, a “casa” with a beautiful “patio-courtyard” suddenly appeared for rent. $150 US per month! Wow! A group of expatriates from Canada who had assisted with the food bank headed by Pastor Willy, gave the necessary funds to secure the building for a year.
The Casa de Esperanza before…dirty and neglected.
Each week after the discipleship class our team walked up the dusty hill, past and sometimes through the primitive homes filled with people, chickens, goats and laundry hanging in every available spot, to “Casa Esperanza” (House of Hope). The house was perfect in size and location. It was a beautiful home at one point, but it was in poor condition needing cleaning, paint and yard work.
The team worked for 6-8 hours each Saturday in 100 degrees F heat and high humidity. The heat was exhausting to us and even the Mexicans felt it was unseasonably hot.
The work was mostly manual, no power tools here!
The men tearing up an old chain link fence and constructing a new wooden fence.
The men took turns with an axe to remove huge tree roots and rebuild the path.
The women cleaned and scrubbed inside and out to allow concrete walls to be painted.
The women used steel wool to the iron protection gates so they could be repainted.
Wiring the area “Mexican style” (no OSHA here, lol) so there could be a speaker system,
lights and eventually fans to make meeting outside bearable.
Hard physical labor in very hot and humid weather.
There was so much to be done, even Pastor Willy was not hopeful it would be ready for the graduation on Easter Sunday, but these young people worked hard, and we helped a little and the dream came to reality!
Phil worked every bit as hard as these men in their 40s!
On January 13, 2021 we started a church under a tree and the presence of God was there and on April 4, 2021, Easter Sunday at 6 pm Casa de Esperanza was launched, hosting The Grand Adventure Discipleship graduation. Kids, moms and a few fathers came dressed in their best. The team were prepared to serve. The building was ready, there was lots of food. Olivia, one of the team members, cooked up a specialty of the state, Oaxaca, Mole Sliders (pronounced molay). The mothers brought tamales, cups of fruit and veggies, cups of rice, Orchata (a rice milk drink) and Jaimica (Hibiscus flower drink).
The program, advertised to start at 6 pm, began at 6:30 pm, typically on “Mexican time.” Music filled the air and at 7 pm the Catholic outdoor chapel across the street rang the bell for evening mass. The worship team sang fun worship songs for children and heart felt praises to The Lord. Though the words were in Spanish we could easily recognize; Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God…That is Who You Are! Fathers who do not know Jesus (yet) were captured by the enthusiastic worship and the presence of God.
It has been said that if a Mexican man follows Christ, his entire family will follow!
This is Maricella, she has 3 children, Cristal, Estrella and Brandon. Last summer the husband and father of this family was murdered by a gun. They have struggled. Cristal and Brandon, ages 12 and 9, go around to neighbors homes and clean their patios on a daily basis for a few pesos to help with food for the family. They do not complain, they are proud to help their mother and she is proud of them.
This family has experienced terrible loss and Cristal was struggling with debilitating fear but Jesus set her free! No more nightmares, no more staying awake all night, whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
Gloria and her husband, a beautiful young family seeking Jesus Christ!
Another touching moment was when a young dad came in quite late to the event. He sat in the back next to me; I did not know who he belonged to. Suddenly I saw a boy about 5 or 6 carrying a little children’s chair through the crowd to the back row, he came to sit by his daddy. How beautiful! That young man also stayed.
Juan and his mother Maria. Juan reluctantly came to watch his friends graduate but was happy he stayed!
Moms, dads and grandparents beamed as the children quoted scriptures they learned in The Grand Adventure, some bold and proud, others, timid but excited to share what they learned. The teachers passed out diplomas, awards and graduation hats of many colors. Everyone was acknowledged, from 2 years old to 14 years old. Families were given certificates of accomplishment for bringing their children faithfully each week and there were fun prizes…water bottles, pretty purses, and water guns!
Pastor Willy gave a short message and as he spoke the distant sound of singing from the catholic mass sounded like a planned backdrop for his message. Pastor Willy encouraged the children to continue to follow Jesus in the Great Adventure.
He then gave a charge to the parents; this was the opportunity to join with God and break the generational curses of violence, addiction and sorrow in their children. He gave the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and many prayed along with him in that prayer. Each child and adult were invited to return to Casa de Esperanza Sundays at 6pm. Casa de Esperanza will be a place for groups to gather for coffee, prayer, support and Bible study. A place for children to continue to learn more about God and experience His love. A place for family, the family of God.
The program ended with food, children chasing through the courtyard, laughter and fellowship. It was indeed a glorious evening.
We planted a church under a tree.
Now it must be tended, nurtured, protected, watered and exposed to the Son. In this hot climate the almond tree provides shade from the sun; a place of refreshing and renewal. So will Casa de Esperanza provide a place of refreshing and renewal for the souls of children, adults, and families.
While we were planting a church under a tree there were 4 other Grand Adventure Discipleship groups in 4 other Mexican villages. Some under a tree, some in a rented facility and one church has risen from the alleyway. I don’t know if every Christmas Child event is this effective, but I can proudly say it has been effective here on the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and anyone who supplied the Christmas Child shoeboxes and gave to Samaritans Purse for the teaching materials have beautiful treasure in heaven.
This beautiful casa courtyard had 64 kids, parents and grandmas plus about 20 team members! A perfect place to start a church…and it too is under a tree, an almond tree!
The loud-speaker from some of your donations was a real blessing. Phil and I were amazed at the great sound quality. Everything about this property is perfect! God must have been the architect :0)
Projects on the building: 10 fans, 2 are paid for so far. We will need to put up a roof over the courtyard in the next few weeks as the rainy season arrives.
Bibles for adults (and reading glasses!) and Bibles and materials for the children. They took an offering at the service and I watched as these people who live in shacks dropped pesos into the offering box. They brought lots of food that they purchased and prepared. They are givers, not takers. It’s quite humbling.
Thanks for your interest in the Grand Adventure God has ordained for these precious people and for us!
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