Transformation in Culiacan

Eduardo, Stan Burks and a Transformed Man
 

A Moment with Elizabeth Chan…

 

What impacted me the most in Culiacan this year, was witnessing the

transformation of an older indigenous man, Gavino Hernandez, who

I would described as stubborn, guarded and ashamed.

 

So, there I was with the Green Team (about 14 people) in Campo Chaparral

and we are split into threes. While Eduardo, Stan and myself were going

from door to door, an older indigenous man approached us asking what we

were all about. I started telling him that we were Christians, followers of Jesus, and we were there to bring the good news to him in his own native language. I thought he would have just walked away, but he started saying he was a Catholic, but that he knew better now. He considered himself a Christian, but said, "I thought that following Christianity would make me stop sinning and it's embarrassing because I still feel tempted and sin." At this moment Eduardo(one of my teammates) jumps in to explain to him that it is only through confessing his sins and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior that would start a process of transformation.

 

He continued to share that we all would continue to be tempted because of our sin nature which will only go away with the return of Christ. Then Eduardo said,

"Would you like to make this decision now; we can help you?" Gavino

seemed embarrassment and even unsure, and was not letting us move on. So Eduardo asked again if he wanted to make the decision to accept Christ and he finally said, “Yes!”

 

We all bowed our heads as he confessed the lordship of Jesus Christ. And

as he prayed I no longer saw a guarded and stubborn man; he was broken

and crying as you can see in the picture. Only our Savior Jesus Christ can

take away blindness and transform lives, God is amazing!

 

Elizabeth Chan is one of our newest staff members at GRN.  To learn more about her and how you can serve with, support or pray for her please visit her at www.elizabethchan-grn.blogspot.com.

Culiacan & the Bible Box



Stacy, Elizabeth, Erica, Martha, Jonathan & Stan - 2016 USA Culiacan Team

Praise the Lord for the blessings of our week participating in Buenas Nuevas' (GRN Mexico) 2016 Culiacan Project!  Our team served alongside a team of 70 people in the work camps which house field workers who harvest many of the vegetables you eat every day. Every night we went door to door in the camps giving out CDs of the gospel message in the heart language of each person.  This year we introduced one of the newest ways to share the gospel... The Bible Box!  This is a modem that people can connect to with a cell phone (which many of them have) and download GRN recordings, the Jesus Film and Christian music in their language.  It was a huge hit.  It is amazing how technology is being used to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for the prayers and financial support.  Continue to pray for Erica as she is spending a total of 5 weeks serving in the project (and has two more still to go).
 



What is My Excuse? What is Yours?



Chuy, Yovana, Yovanita (12) and Jair (5)


Many have asked how my time at the Culiacan Project was and to share about the amazing things  the Lord did in the work camps.  The Lord was at work for sure in the lives of many, but he spoke to me most through the Tejada family above.  They don't live in the work camps of Culiacan.  Chuy is actually a recordist with GRN Mexico.  Chuy and Yovana have two children, a healthy 12 year old daughter and a 5 year old son with Cerebral Palsy and a multitude of other physical difficulties.  

Little Jair is five, yet the size of a one year old.  He cannot walk, he cannot communicate when he is in pain, he has a difficult time swallowing food or medicine and often aspirates it into his lungs.  He has difficulty breathing and has a multitude of seizures.  As a mom, I watched Yovana caring for Jair around the clock. I sat asking the Lord, "Why, Lord?  Here is a family who desperately wants to serve you and has been given an extra burden to bear.  Why?" 

 As the week went on, and I watched this family live out life and their ministry, I was amazed at the amount of joy they had.  The affection that Yovana showed towards Jair exuded such a love and joy.  You knew, without hearing the words, that yes, this life was a lot of work, but Jair was a blessing and a gift.  Then, when teams prepared to go out into the camps at night, Chuy and his family was right there serving alongside.  Yovana could have easily said she wasn't able to serve; she had so much on her plate as it was, but she didn't.  She was excited to go and always had Jair at her side. 

 It was then that the Lord answered my, "Why?"  He showed me that this family had, what we would say were, legitimate excuses for not serving... but they didn't use them.  They served the Lord and they did it with JOY!  The Lord was using them, and so many others in similar circumstances, to be a testimony to others.  When you witness a family, such as this, serving in spite of their trials, what excuse for not serving are you left with?
I left Culiacan asking myself, "What is my excuse?" 
And with respect I ask you the same, "What is Your excuse?"  May the Lord reveal the excuses we both need to give up and show us where to serve Him!

Planting a Seed for the Lord to Harvest



Part of the team of 20 who joined GRN in giving out the Good News on CD!

Asian Pacific Lunar Festival - Riverside, California

Our 4th year in Riverside, California, at the Asian Pacific Lunar Festival was a blessing as a team of 20 gave out 760 CDs in 65 languages!  That is nearly double what we have given out in years past.  Participating in these ethnic festivals allow us to not only share the gospel with others in their native language, but it gives us the opportunity to show the importance of the work at Global Recordings Network and what it looks like in action.  Distribution of GRN recordings looks different at every event and in every country, but the end goal is always the same... planting a seed that others may water and the Lord may choose to harvest.  It is also a great opportunity for individuals to get out of their comfort zone by giving out CDs or even sharing about the Lord face to face.  Join us at the Avocado Festival in Fallbrook, California on April 17.  You can find more information on the "local outreach opportunity" page.

Look at all the people who need to hear about Jesus Christ!