Fresnillo - Orphanage, Firefighter's For Christ from FFC Los Angeles Chapter
Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico - Slide Show 2011 from FFC Los Angeles Chapter
We changed up our routine a bit this morning, and instead of having one person lead devotions, we had everyone tell about a meaningful scripture in their life. With 20 guys, there were many great mini-messages that went along with the significant scriptures in their lives, but I'll highlight a couple.
Chris - Matthew 18:1-4 When the disciples were arguing who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus replied, "...unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." Chris applied this to himself, as a father coming home from work and having his kids running up to greet him. We need to have that same longing for our Heavenly Father and enthusiasm to greet him.
Rich - 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for the instruction in righteousness,..." Rich had been raised Jehovah Witness and grew up in a very moral and disciplined family environment. He had been taught right from wrong and had a "head" knowledge of God, but lacked a "heart" knowledge of his Savior. He spent many years apart from the church, but as an adult wanted to "connect" with God. It was Cheyane who introduced him to John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." For two days Rich prayed, studied other bible translations, and investigated on the Internet the meaning of this scripture, and came to the conclusion of the Deity of Christ. (I might also add 1 Timothy 3:16, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.") His prayer was answered by the examples of other men in this group, such a Jorge, who has worked side by side with Rich and not wavered in his faith.
Cheyane - 1 Peter 1:7 "...that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,..." How appropriate for someone who has been literally tried by fire.
Two more without comments:
Brian - Jeremiah 9:23,24 "Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord."
Pat - 2 Corinthians 12:9 "And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
We split up and went to a couple different churches today. One group of guys had ministered to the owners of the store down the street from the hotel earlier this week and were invited to attend their church today. The regular pastor was gone and the church member in charge gave up the podium early to ask if one of our guys would speak. Rich shared about FFC and our outreach here to firefighters and Cheyane followed up with his testimony. In the middle of his message, he told them the date that he had become born again and asked who else in the audience could identify with a date in their life where they experienced a spiritual birth. Most of the hands went up and when individuals were asked to recite their date, they did without hesitation. In other words, there was a definite time in their life when they made a decision for Christ. When he had finished his message and prayed, he asked if anyone had just now prayed to received Jesus. The patriarch of the store owners raised his hand. His wife's prayers were answered.
When they returned to the hotel, they were confronted by some federalis, who were told that a bunch of guys wearing black shirts (apparently black is the color worn by the drug cartel) were hanging out at this hotel. Rich was singled out and told to come outside by a couple masked officers. Not good. Fortunately, Roger was able to speak with them and de-escalate the incident.
The other group went to a different church where Barbara (Agustin and Jody's friend), Hassan (a pastor from Calvary Ensenada who came with us), and John spoke. You might say, "Three speakers, one service?" No problem, we have all day.
Barbara is a dear family friend of Agustin and Jody, who at the age of 19 came down with Lupus. For ten years she was deathly ill, bedridden and down to 80 pounds. Everything hurt; sitting, standing, walking, a wrinkled sheet under her body as she lay in bed, even a breeze against her face. They tried many drugs but there was no cure. Her dad, who she was very close to, worked for city government and was introduced to Agustin and Jody because of their ministry to the city. They, and a team of missionaries from Canada, prayed for Barbara and she noticed some instant results; nightmares stopped and sleep patterns resumed. Some medication was stopped altogether and the healing began. A short time later, she, her sisters, and mom, witnessed the violent abduction of her dad by the drug cartel. No doubt this would leave an emotional scar on anyone, especially someone so close to her father. Her physical healing accelerated following that dreadful night, and today you would never guess the had such a dreadful illness. God is continuing to heal her emotionally. Pray for Barbara.
Hassan is a pastor of a fairly large church in Ensenada. I also discovered that an LAFD classmate (and best man in my wedding) Fernando V., led him to the Lord. He is a very gifted teacher and spoke on growing in your relationship with Christ. He stated clearly there is no 5-step plan to accomplish this, but read and explained 10 relevant scriptures, provided stories of insight and humor, and seamlessly jumped from English to Spanish. He is a really neat brother who we hope to have on additional trips.
John ended the service with a gospel presentation, as he does so well. The church was out in the country and occupied a very small building, about the size of a one-car garage, but was packed and had people standing outside. At the conclusion of the service there were a couple people indicating a decision for Christ.
We attended another church service in the evening and both Cheyane and John spoke. It was another small storefront church, but not without a large speaker system. Again, packed inside, some standing outside, and an evangelical message. Following this service, and about 5-6 responding, the church provided dinner for us.
It's been a busy week. I've only been able to capture in print a fraction of what's taken place on this trip, but God is definitely at work in Mexico.
Dan
Victor led devotions this morning and started in Acts 3:1-11. This is the story of the man who was crippled from birth, and begged daily at the temple gate. When he saw Peter and John approaching, he simply asked for money, but God had appointed him to so much more. Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." They helped him to his feet, and he stood and walked into the temple leaping and praising God.
Victor's message was that we expect so much less, but God has so much more. He related it the birth of his daughter, age 23, who was born with significant physical disabilities. At the time of her birth he imagined the worse, but can now look back and see what a blessing she has been to them.
Today was a day to unwind and Agustin and Jody, with the assistance of the Fresnillo city government, had set up a gondola ride and tour of a silver mine in Zacatecas (city), the state capital of Zacatecas. This city has a population of 150,000 and it's main industry is silver mines (owned by a Canadian company). It is either the largest, or the second largest producer of silver in the world. They have one fire station, 30 firefighters, 2 ambulances, and no fire engines. Their downtown is lined with two-story stone/masonry commercial buildings, many between 200-300 years old...no hydrant system. It's hard to imagine. On our "to do list" is to get this city, and several others that we have visited, some fire apparatus.
In the afternoon we stopped by a football game to support the team that John and Cheyane had ministered to a couple days ago. John, Cheyane, and Rich were able to extend a welcome and present some gifts to the opposing team as well. In the evening we attended a church where Jody, Cheyane, and John spoke.
Joe led devotions this morning and started in Mark 4:35 where Jesus told his disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." It seems like an unusual scripture to start off with, but it will have significance as the story continues in chapter 5:1-20, in the region of the Gerasenes. It was there that Jesus encountered the demon possessed man and cast out many demons. This man then wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus said, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things He has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." This man began to proclaim in Decapolis. In Mark 7:31, we read that Jesus came to the region of Decapolis and in Mark 8:1, it states that another large crowd of about 4,000 men had gathered to hear Jesus speak.
Joe's message was that when Jesus and His disciples crossed "over to the other side", they encountered but one soul who was saved (before they were asked to leave). That man obviously did what Jesus said to do (go home and tell your friends) because when Jesus came back through Decapolis, there was a multitude of 4,000 wanting to hear more. The story implies that through the obedient witness of one man, 4,000 came to follow Jesus.
We met at the convention site to close up the training with a time for questions and answers. It was followed by a nice audio-video slide show that Lizard had put together of the week. Cheyane gave a moving testimony of his near death experience, crediting God's providence for saving his life, and John presented the gospel. When Cheyane spoke, he mentioned his spiritual birthday (the day he asked Jesus into his life) and asked those with a similar experience to stand. All of us stood, but only about 4-5 of those in the audience did. When John closed with a prayer of salvation and asked those who had asked Jesus into their hearts to stand, nearly all did. About a dozen remained seated. A long line of about 175 walked forward to receive a New Testament, a DVD, and a handshake/embrace from all of our instructors. The shear numbers may seem unbelievable, but when you are embraced by either a teary-eyed firefighter or someone with a beaming smile as they receive a New Testament it's hard to doubt the legitimacy of their decision.
We went back to the same lunch place and were met by the mayors wife and a trio of mariachis. Chief Ruben arrived shortly after and presented us each with our own Fresnillo F.D. jacket, thanking us again. On our return trip to the training site, two Fresnillo firefighters rode with us on our bus, specifically asking us for prayer. We were met at the site by another mariachi band (about 9 or10 strong) playing full blast and teams of different fire departments all lined up standing at attention. The "graduation" scenario that we set up was a vehicle over the hillside requiring extrication of two patients and retrieval up the hillside via rope rescue using backboards. It was a good review of the lessons learned this week and all participants had a good time demonstrating their skills. The ceremonies ended with speeches from the fire chief, deputy mayor, council representatives, and a couple other government officials, with a request to come back again next year. We all headed for the fire station for a taco cart dinner shared by all. Shirts and other gifts were passed back and forth, stories shared, and of course many photos taken.
The stories alone, of lives changed, could have filled this blog but I will try to give the short version of a few.
Firefighter Luis had been witnessed to at work by one of his co-workers and was given a DVD of the movie Fireproof. He set it on a shelf at home, but several months later decided to watch it. He cried for two hours afterward. He watched it again with his wife and they incorporated a couple principles into their marriage, such as forgiveness and communication. When they heard about this conference coming to town, his wife said, "Go be with these guys." He described this week's training and exposure to our instructors as if layers of hardness had been removed. During the gospel presentation he described a feeling of heat and sweat. He came forward to receive Christ and after receiving a New Testament he said the feeling of heat and sweat had turned to a cooling sensation. Tearfully, he was humbled yet unashamed as he went through our line shaking our hands.
There was another firefighter who grew up in Orange County all his life, but has lived in Mexico this past year for reasons beyond his control. He's married and has three kids, so this has obviously caused some difficulties and has been a strain on his family life. He was already a Christian, but was struggling and our presence was a major lift for him. Because communication was not an issue, we spoke freely and he indicated time and time again how much he has been encouraged because of this outreach. Encouraging firefighters to live for Jesus Christ is the primary mission of Firefighters For Christ, so encouraging him was a huge blessing for us. He now has several new believers in his department, so they should be able to encourage each other.
Another firefighter had asked for prayer for his knee. Agustin, Jody, and a few of our team went to his office for prayer. He had recently become a Christian and Agustin was sharing a few things about marriage with him when his wife stopped by. She was asked pretty much point blank if she was ready to ask Jesus into her life, and she immediately responded, "Yes." She prayed to receive Christ and they continued more discussion about marriage. They ended by praying directly for a healing for the firefighters knees, and left his office with him pain free.
The Spirit of God is definitely moving in Mexico. It's a blessing to have a small part in the work He is doing in changing lives and furthering His kingdom.
Dan
Before devotions this morning John gave some insight to an 11 year old girl last night at the orphanage that was visibly upset and crying profusely. She had apparently been dropped off by her 35 year old mom because the little girl was getting in the way of her mom's new relationship, a 21 year old boyfriend. How sad. Agustin and Jody are looking into options of taking her under their care. Pray for this little girl.
Today was another full day starting early with devotions led by Bob. As I reviewed my notes of his message (and throughout the day), I just now realize how prophetic his message was. I'll quote the scripture he used, paraphrase his message, give some examples of today, and let you decide.
1 Peter 3:15, "...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you..."
Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..."
Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding..."
Psalms 56:4, "In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?"
Ephesians 6:19, (while exhorting believers to pray) "and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,..."
Colossians 4:3, "meanwhile praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,..."
Bob gave a quick story about asking the guys at the fire station what kind of message he had given them by his life. "Have fun," was their reply. Not too flattering and not the message he wanted to leave behind when he died. His message this morning was to be ready to share your faith, not be ashamed, trust in the Lord, and pray for boldness and open doors of opportunity.
Rich shared that it was because of two men in this group that he is here with us today. Cheyane who planted seeds and Jorge who encouraged his spiritual growth. "Don't hesitate to share what's on your heart, I'm here because someone took the time to share with me. Simple words. Don't hold back your tongue when God compels you to speak."
At breakfast there was a lady whose son had a seizure and was no longer able to talk. A few of us prayed for her. John and Jody were asked (and went) to pray for Chief Ruben's son, who has been sick. Spiritual tie-ins were integrated at the training stations. John presented the gospel to a couple lead officers from Fresnillo, who prayed to receive Christ. Jorge gave an interview for Channel 7 news. A boy scout leader walked in on the Auto Extrication class, was invited to come back tomorrow, and is planning on bringing her scouts to tomorrow's closing ceremony. John, Cheyane, and Hissan were invited to a Junior College level football practice to share the gospel and 20 out of 26 players (along with two coaches) prayed to receive Christ. Jody was asked to come talk with a group of 35-40 firefighters' wives. The majority, if not all, stood to receive Christ. While returning to the hotel from an ice-cream shop, Victor and Orlando met a man on the streets who was fearful of the violence in his town and was stressed out about a family medical hardship. They shared the gospel with him and he prayed to receive Christ.
So it's been a wild day of ministry. Don't quite know what's in store for tomorrow.
Answered prayer: The weather has been fabulous, the Auto Extrication group had enough cars to cut, Wildland guys were able to burn (and got a bit of a sunburn), Rope Training went well, and no injuries (one close call). Brian's best friend's son (fighting cancer) received good news regarding his bone marrow count...He also made a decision for Christ!
It's been a full day (and now 1:30)
Goodnight,
Dan R.
This morning started at 0630 again, with Brian leading devotions. He read Psalms 139 in it's entirety, which declares God's omniscience, omnipresence, and detailed knowledge of our innermost beings. The Psalm ends with David asking, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
This was to open up to what was really on his heart. His best friend growing up, from grade school through high school, had recently contacted him and let him know that his 16 year old son is fighting a serious battle with cancer. He is a very gifted athlete, and at this stage in life he had anticipated multiple scholarship offers. Instead of having to select which school to attend, he is having to consider which hospital offers the best treatment options. This situation has brought Brian to tears over the physical, emotional, and spiritual struggles that his friend, and his friend's son is going through. Brian's message included a reminder that we should have a similar concern over the spiritual state and eternal destiny of our fellow firefighters.
After breakfast we all met at the training building for a brief message and we passed out the Psalm 91 bandanas. John, Cheyane, and Orlando went to a local prison, a visit that Agustin had arranged. They had the opportunity to share with about 50 men and many responded to the Gospel. The rest of the team met with their respective classes and started hands-on training. It was cool and overcast outside with only a brief mist, so it was a very good day to be outside. A few people in our class had to leave after being called home by their department due to local flooding. Training in the afternoon was equally problem free and is going very well.
We quit a little early so we could visit an orphanage not far from here. It was run by 10 Nuns and housed 36 kids. They ranged in age from just out of diapers to about 16. In spite of their family circumstances, the kids looked very well taken care of and loved. The kids were instantly affectionate to us, giving hugs, holding hands, and getting shoulder rides. The Nuns were also very friendly and seem to be doing a great job, but these little boys and girls need a man (dad) in their lives. We all met in their chapel and John gave his children's version of the Gospel. They loved the pictures John showed and stories he told; and many raised their hands and prayed to receive Jesus in their hearts. It was a special time, a great little side trip, and a hard place to leave. We all wanted to take a couple of them home with us.
We had a late dinner due to our visit, but it was very much worth it. Pretty much same schedule expected tomorrow. There are minor adjustment throughout the day, but things are going well.
Dan R.
Jerry led devotions this morning and based it upon Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." his message was that of endurance starting fast and finishing strong, and was certainly applicable for today, as this day seemed as if it were three days packed into one.
Missing from devotions this morning was Gary, as he became deathly I'll last night, likely a case of food poisoning. Immediately following devotions several of our team went to his room and prayed over him, anointing him with oil. He was also tended to by our team medic, Roger, who was able to rehydrate him with a couple of I.V., under the care of a doctor...that just so happened to be Chief Ruben's brother. He was definitely down for the count all day, but following dinner tonight met up with the group and looked like a new man.
It rained all night and was still raining as we drove to the training site following breakfast. Rain today is good because the area really needs it and we will be indoors all day, but we are praying for a dryer next couple of days. We started out our training with the DVD that Lizard put together from previous trips, which gave a good overall view of what the ministry of Firefighters For Christ is all about. We introduced all our staff, and I must say that I'm proud to be part of this team. John kicked off the training with his presentation and demonstration of the Rescue Strap. He could teach on this all day, but we limited him to just the morning. As usual, it was well received by the approximately 150 students in attendance.
Roger showed up late, as he had been tending the medical needs of Gary. He was given a personal introduction by Chief Ruben, as they had discovered just last night that they had something in common. They both grew up in Mexico City, which isn't saying a whole lot since it's the second largest city in the world, but they grew up just three blocks from each other, had many common friends, and spent last night reminiscing on many childhood memories. Today was also Roger's birthday so the class sang the Mexican version of "Happy Birthday" to him. His bonding with our students is instantaneous and his life story is nothing short of amazing. It is very apparent, for more reasons than one, why Roger is part of this team.
We broke for lunch and went back to the same community center kitchen where we have been having all our meals. Today there was a group of about 18-20 ladies sharing the dining area with us who making beaded rosaries, bracelets, and other jewelry. While we were sitting down for lunch, Agustin had somehow engaged in conversation with this group and motioned for Jody to come over. Before we knew it, she had their full attention as she shared the Gospel with them and openly prayed with them in public...not an everyday site we would encounter at home. At the end of her prayer, many of the ladies came up to her with tears and gave her a hug of appreciation.
Back at the training site, we broke into our different topics of instruction; Auto Extrication, Wild-land, and Low Angle Ropes. It was all indoor training this afternoon and things went well. My group (ropes) are picking up knots quickly and we'll move on to lowering and raising systems tomorrow. The other two groups will be outdoors the next two days and praying for better weather.
Back at the community center for dinner we were presented with a few surprises. There were several copies of "El Sol de Fresnillo", a rather large newspaper (48 pages) with an article and photo of Firefighters For Christ on the front page. We also had a little surprise birthday party for Roger. Chief Ruben came by to help celebrate, and after assisting Roger with an unplanned quick taste of the cake (tapping his head forward for a closer look), ended up playing the guitar and singing a song. He passed the guitar off to another firefighter and the next song played was a beautiful Mexican worship song, not a melody I recognized, but powerfully sang by those who did. The scripture that came to mind was, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel." The Holy Spirit was definitely in our midst through worship, a mighty prayer by Orlando, and a word from scripture by Victor, a Fresnillo firefighter. It all happened so seamlessly and without script, obviously orchestrated by the Lord.
As the rest of us headed back to the hotel, John, Jody, and Greg were taken to a television station for an interview. Firefighters For Christ is well received in Fresnillo and God is doing a mighty work in Mexico.
Dan
Our team arrived yesterday in Zacatecas and were met at the airport by Agustin and Jody, as well "el jefe Ruben", the Fire Chief of Fresnillo. Some of our flights left very early, and others arrived very late, so we are all trying to catch up on our sleep.
This morning we met for the first time as an entire group for devotions. John led and spoke from Ephesians 1:3-5, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will..." John emphasized the fact that it is God who called us...before the foundation of the world. We have been chosen for this day, for this trip, and in doing so, we must walk holy and blameless as a witness to those we are ministering to.
John's underlying message was that of unity. Orlando summed up his message as he closed in prayer with the words Jesus prayed for us found in John 17:11, "...Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name - the name You gave Me - so that they may be one as We are one."
We had a brief team meeting and left for breakfast. Following breakfast, we were taken to an old fashioned theater in the downtown square for an official welcoming ceremony with the mayor and many other city officials. It was quite impressive. We were sitting on the stage in front of about 250-300. An orchestra on one of the upper balconies played as they marched their flag down the aisle, complete with honor guard. That was somewhat expected, but then the band fired up again as they paraded the United States Flag down the other aisle. Both national anthems were sung after which the band switched to jazz and played a very lively rendition of "When the saints come marching home". All in attendance were clapping in unison as they finished playing. We were then entertained by a group of about 30 kids ranging in age from 10-15. They were dressed in traditional Mexican attire and performed a couple dance routines for us. They finished their act by pulling some of us out of our seats and had us dance with them. It was quite a warm reception. Various official welcoming speeches followed, which underlined the fact that our presence was known throughout the city, and we were considered special guests to them.
We then went to the fire station... the only station serving a population of 240,000, and were followed by local radio reporters wanting to know the details of the equipment we had brought and the training we were about to conduct. John spoke to reporters here, and was later taken to a radio station for an interview. Firefighters For Christ and our mission in Zacatecas has gotten a lot of radio time today.
In the afternoon we went to the training sites to finalize last minute logistical needs. Both the classroom facility and off-site hands-on locations should fit our needs nicely. The auto extrication group are in need of some more cars though. Last year they had 18 cars to cut up for training, and currently there are only five at this location.
After a brief stop back at our hotel, we were driven about an hour away to a smaller town called Sain Alto. The fire department had invited us there for dinner. We had an interesting soup called Sopa loca, which resembled a very meaty menudo. They have a population of about 50,000 and their only apparatus is an ambulance...with little to no medical supplies. The fire chief there expressed his needs, and they are many. They would appreciate anything we could assist them with now or in the future.
That concluded our day. We would appreciate your prayers. Pray specifically for addition cars for the auto extrication class.
Dan
John White had the privilege of praying over each team member as they began their day. Jesus said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Please pray that these men and many others will personally know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12
There were several media interviews, where FFC's training mission was shared.
Mexican firefighters, cooks and others joined Firefighters For Christ's team for a group picture. The location was in front of a fountain in a courtyard, right outside where the team was blessed to eat their breakfast and lunch.
ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS ARE NEEDED FOR THIS MISSION. THANK YOU!