What if we were not here?

Here is an excerpt from Jann and Gary Allen's most recent newsletter:

Last night a group from our Tuesday Bible study group went to visit a
member who has been absent lately due to two eye surgeries. She has
been so confined for these months as she must not do anything to jar
the surgical results. We were welcomed into their lovely home to
share a short devotional time and a meal. Two other women were
invited also, and the hostess told us that they have met for their
own fellowship time since they have not been able to drive to the
regular weekly meetings.

That evening made us reflect on the many people the Free Methodist
Church has touched here in Mexico. Just within our small circle of
acquaintances we can think of widows, children, broken marriages,
persons with addictive habits, lonely people, the injured (both
physically and emotionally) who have found a friendly, loving
atmosphere within our walls. Then we think of the talented youth who
have been given an opportunity to share their music, to teach, or go
to Bible School.

People have come into our church who just noticed our sign as they
walked by, came to one of our outreach or service programs, or were
invited by friends.

Some of you know that our church has just opened a new work in Leon,
in the state of Quanajuato. It is a city of about three million
people. The economy there is strongly dependent on the sale of
leather products (shoes, wallets, purses and belts) on an
international level. Our church there came into being due to an e-
mail that was sent over five years ago to our mission district
director as some people there were looking to affiliate with our
church. Several months ago, they made contact again, and now there
are Bible studies, Sunday church services, and some social outreach
ministries that are happening as a result of this new work.

Who would have welcomed or helped those people if the Free Methodist
Church were not present here?

Let Freedom Ring!

On Sunday, the Casa de Paz and Coapa churches had a combined service celebrating Mexico's Independence Day and focusing on the freedom that we can find in Jesus. A praise group from a nearby evangelical church led a lively time of worship before Pastor Juan shared about true freedom. The world offers a self-indulgent freedom and we suffer the consequences of that freedom and are enslaved. The good news is that Christ broke and continues to break the chains that bind us. Pastor Juan's testimony of freedom from addictions continues to minister to the local congregation and encourages us that no one is so sinful that Christ cannot rescue him.















Kevin and Leah Book-Satterlee (pictured below) enjoyed another party. We also had some mid-service excitement as one of the girls pictured on this post lit a sparkler in the front row of the sanctuary. (Can you guess which girl it was?)

Mexicans Reaching Mexicans

After two years of preparation a team of 17 from the Manantial de Vida church in Nogales, Mexico went to the opposite corner of their country, to a distinct culture to serve a church in the Mayan community of Ticul, Yucatán. They faced a steamy, jungle climate, new foods and even the typical illnesses mission teams get. The mission was accomplished! Bonds of friendship forged, bathrooms for the church built, and a strengthened relationship between the Ticul church and the city leaders.

Why is this significant? Because it was totally led and funded by the Mexican church. There have been other smaller outreaches, but this is the first project of this scale.

We praise God with our friends in Nogales that He allowed them to have this cross-cultural experience!

Thanks, Betsy Crawford, for sharing this news with us!

I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Something To Eat

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat..."


How often have we taken these words of Jesus as figurative and not literal? Despite the fact that very few of us have ever known hunger, there are people in our communities who are regularly hungry. We're not talking about a hunger for something better to eat or a wish that dinner could be at 5:00 instead of 6:00. No, there are people who go days without a bite to eat. They are hungry. Jesus says that He is that hungry person. When we feed them, we are feeding Him. When we intentionally ignore or fail to consider the hungry around us, we ignore Him.

The good news today is that by supporting the Mission District with your prayers and finances you can feed the hungry. Pastor Jorge and Teresa Guarello recently shared how the small church in Leon is involved in this outreach. There are several large government hospitals in Leon as it is one of the main cities for the entire region. When patients are hospitalized, families are forced to not only see to the needs of the patients but also to find food and lodging despite not being able to work due to the distance from their homes. Many of these family members simply go without food and sleep in the entrances to the hospitals for as many days as is necessary. Last week, the Guarellos and 2 other couples prepared small sack lunches (tortas, apples, and juice for the detail-oriented among you) and served around 150 of these people at the hospitals. We wish that you could have seen the surprised smiles on the faces of these people who were on the receiving end of a free lunch- that's grace at work, isn't it?

And the better news is that not only were these Christians able to feed the hungry but they were also able to pray with some of the families. Pastor Jorge reports that this is a wide open mission field and that the authorities, instead of questioning their motives, invited them to come into the hospital to share the food with those inside. We are praising God with our brothers and sisters in Leon for this open door. Won't you pray with us that the physical and spiritual hunger which is so obvious will be satisfied by these sack lunches and by the Holy Spirit? And won't you keep your eyes open as you move in your city for those who are hungry and for the One who says, "Do it for them and you're doing it for me!"

Update from the Allens

WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED that almost every time the doors of our
Mexico City churches open there are new people, or folks that have
not come for a while, walking in. The atmosphere is friendly,
especially at the occasional coffee times and pot luck dinners.
Pastor Juan and Eva have a wonderful way of sharing God's Word with
both adults and children. People are inviting friends, family, and
co-workers.

The Myers family has returned to the house we were holding for
them. They have agreed to let the Coapa church continue meeting in
their living room for the time being, but the group may soon outgrow
the facility!

WE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED that our new apartment is just right for
our needs. The move went smoothly, though not without a few
glitches, which is normal! When we moved in, the street in front of
the apartment building was a relatively quiet side street. When we
returned from vacation, we discovered that our street is now the
detour for the main road a block away that has been closed for
construction of an overhead express lane. We thank the Lord for
helping us find this first floor place with very nice landlords.

Prayer requests and praises:

Leadership classes have started in Mexico City. It is very
encouraging to see the number of church people who want to be
included in leadership training.

We hope to make a trip to the Yucatan in October to teach leadership
classes.

None of our church people were seriously affected by the hurricane
in July.

There will be a women's retreat near Mexico City in November.
Please pray for the planning phase that is in progress right now.

Your partners in missions,
Gary and Jann Allen

Return to Routine

School has been back in session for a couple of weeks now and we are seeing the city and our neighborhood returning to a routine. There is something comforting about this rhythm that seems to pervade much of the world. In the late summer, students return to school, people return from vacation, and the rains come in Mexico.

Attendance at the Casa de Paz church has been steady at about 50 people on Sundays for the last few weeks. We are all encouraged by the faithfulness of Pastor Juan and Eva in inviting new people and the ways that other members of the church are welcoming and embracing the new people.

The Coapa home church group has also seen encouraging signs as they recently had over 20 people in attendance. Their current challenge is to find a new place to worship as they have outgrown the living room where they are meeting.

The clinic at the Casa de Paz church has been slow this summer but we trust that things will pick up again as students share their colds and coughs and minor illnesses. Julianne Gilmore is getting to know the routine and will be helping out with registering patients on Wednesdays. Our assistant, Lilian, is starting nursing school today. This is a dream she has had for many years and thanks to the generous gifts of many of you, she can finally realize that dream. This morning in the clinic, she was tearful as she prayed and thanked God for this special day in her life. Would you be in prayer for Lilian as she enters school and for her family as the adjust to not having her as available as before?

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support of the growing work in the Mexico Mission District. Let us know if there are ways that we can be supporting you and your churches as together, we seek the fulfilment of the Great Commission.