www.crossthefrontier.com - Mexico Mission Coyuca Guerrero

Iglesia Bautista Genesis in Coyuca, Mexico

Judi from the Church at Arrowhead (Glendale, AZ) helps keep her new friend cool during Vacation Bible School.

Our Basic Schedule and Prayer Needs

7/15 Wed Acapulco
Oklahoma and Arizona groups arrive at Coyuca de Benitez

Pray for the local pastors and believers who have been preparing for a great ministry.

7/16 Thur Las Lomas

BB clinic for girls and boys. VBS for children, youth and adults

Pray for the VBS team to overcome whatever obstacles there might be for a good VBS

7/17 Fri Las Lomas

BB clinic for girls and boys. VBS for children, youth and adults

For the girls at the Basketball Clinic to see men and women who love them in Jesus’ name.

7/18 Sat Las Lomas Los Bajos

BB clinic for girls and boys. VBS for children, youth and adults

Pray for the Boys at the Basketball Clinic to see Jesus in the men training them.

7/19 Sun Los Bajos Coyuca
Each day, we will meet at the Hotel restaurant.

Pray that we have a meaningful testimony to the people who work hard and are often unseen.

VBS in the morning at Los Bajos and Worship with the Genesis Baptist Church

Pray for unity and a sense of common purpose among the Americans and Mexicans.

7/20 Mon Coyuca Los Bajos Basketball Tournament Begins.

Pray for endurance. Hot, humid, rainy weather in a country where you do not speak the language is not your own...it can wear you out. Pray for our team to find that Isaiah 40:31 moment.

VBS for children, youth and adults

Pray for the children to take what they have learned and let it begin to change their lives.

7/21 Tue Acapulco

Coyuca Basketball Game inside of a prison.

Pray for safety and a clear, strong witness.

Basketball Finals.

Pray for the people of Coyuca to embrace this sports event and for them to embrace Jesus and for us to lift him up!

VBS for children, youth and adults

Pray for Pastor Pedro as he and his church face the task of following up on people who have come to Christ.

7/22 Wed Beach Sun, Surf, Frisbees

7/23 Thur

Arizona and Oklahoma groups start their trips back to the USA.

Current Participants by Church:

FBC Mustang; Mustang, OK; Ryan Ingold; Helping with jerseys and shipping them to Henderson Hills BC.

FBC Winslow; Winslow, AZ; Manny Hernandez

Ricky Greer
Stephanie Bridegam
Krista Baker
Jennifer Smith

Henderson Hills Baptist Church; Henderson Hills, OK: Providing most of our Basketball Tournament / Basketball Clinic team.

Garrett Thomas, Oklahoma State University
Daniel Romano, St. Gregory University
Tyler Phillips, OK Central
Jonathan Merrill; Ok Central
Michael Blevins
Heath McKay: Oklahoma Baptist University
Rob Hunt, coach and staff member at Henderson Hills Baptist Church.

The Church At Arrowhead; Glendale, AZ;

Pastor Dennis Adams
Frank Lamca
Judi Weger
Cary Gilbert, Rec Leader for VBS

Iglesia Bautista Central; Phoenix, AZ; (Everyone from IB Central speaks both English and Spanish)

Kevin Malakowsky (BB)
Anahi (VBS)
Areceli (VBS)
Martha Guzman Palacios (VBS)

This Just In....Home at Last

It has been a good week and a tough week. The group left on Thursday noon and made it home after a brief delay. I followed the next day. I stayed in Acapulco and got some prices on hotels for future trips. I was surprised on Thursday afternoon, along with most of Acapulco when a high tide swept over the beach and flooded the street on the west side of town. Traffic was backed up and I got to enjoy a loooooong walk as everything just stopped.

Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support.

...Tue (PM) July 21

The Acapulco Prison sits on a hill high above the city. We parked and then passed by several stations of guards. Each member of the team presented their passports, signed their names at three different checkpoints and were frisked twice. Once inside, we were escorted to the Warden´s office where we were briefed on the prison, the 2147 inmates, including men, women and children under six years of age.

Once inside, it could have been any park in latin America. Trees covered some of the spaces. Men and women sold tortillas, sat on benches, smoked cigarettes and passed the time. Some men were weaving hammocks and there were people all around selling woven bracelets and carry bags. There were guards like at any park, though they kept a little closer eye on things than is common in the outside world. Our team played 4 quarters of 12 minutes each, in the noon heat. It seemed that our seven guys were not going to outlast the 1500 or so players available for the other side!

After the game, Manny Hernandez from Winslow, Arizona spoke to the crowd and shared Christ.

It was an odd experience. I spent a good while talking with Harley who spent time in a Federal Penitentiary in the US before being transferred to Acapulco to serve out the rest of his time for distributing meth. He spoke of Chaplain Jackson in Nebraska, a ¨muy big black man¨ who taught him about following Jesus Christ. Harley hopes to get out in a year and a half and put his Macaroni Grill and Chilis cooking experience to work in Acapulco with his own restaurant.

The prison system is just wide open and screaming for help. They value the message of Christ and see it as a way that the lives of men and women can be changed for good.

Chip Lamca

PS We did a head count and everybody we took in to prison got back out again!

...Tue (AM) July 21

Last night, the biggest thing in sports on the Mexican Pacific Coast was not the game between Mexico and Costa Rica, but the 4 team tournament involving 3 local teams and our team from the US. The US fan base has grown with last weeks basketball clinic and a good part of the crowd was cheering Oh Klah HOM Ah for our team of players mostly from Oklahoma with a couple of Arizonans.

Between one of the games, I spoke about the recent soccer game between USA and Panama, where after the game, a Panamanian player went after the refs. In Soccer or Basketball, the ref´s call is final. In life, ultimante referee is God and his calls are final and perfect. Basically, going against God gets you more than a red card and thrown out of the game!

There were some 500 people at the games and we expect at least the same tonight for the finals.

Mon July 20

Sunday was a lighter day for us. A nice mid week break. One team went to a local beach, another went to a hard pounding beach near Acapulco and another group went to a beach that was situated next to a beautiful, tropical Starbucks and had coffee in airconditioning. From 7 to 10 PM, we were at the Genesis Church in Coyuca and it was standing room only.

This afternoon at 7 PM, the basketball tournament will start. We are looking forward to seeing many peole turn out.

Tomorrow Afternoon, we will be going to prison. Getting in to a Mexican prison has never really been a goal of mine, but here we are and we will make the best of it! Our team will play a game against the prisoners and get to share the Gospel with them.

Sat July 18

Greetings from Mexico. God has been doing some great things. Our VBS team reports 4 children have made decisions to follow Christ. The VBS team(s) actually did two sessions this morning: one in Las Lomas (Genesis Church) and one in Los Bajos (Maranatha Church). For those who worked in the Austrailian themed VBS this year, we are singing the same songs but with a Mexican accent!

The Basketball Clinic has been absolutely amazing. I am not the best one with numbers, but each morning there have been a great number of girls in our two clinics (9 to noon) and the boys crowd in to two locations, also, in the afternoon. Today, we close that portion of the ministry with the boys in Los Bajos. According to the mayor, there were 145 who showed up for the afternoon.

One of the things that has come out of this clinic is the connection being built with town leaders. We had lunch with the mayor and vice mayor this afternoon. They both commented on how they have had tournaments or leagues in the past, but it is always about competition and who can beat the other team. The mayor sees his community coming together: parents from different teams and players are sitting and talking and that is very positive. This part of Mexico depends heavily on tourism. The trials and tribulations that are hitting Mexico have taken a toll. We are happy to be part of the solution.

The heat has been rough. The past two days it has been 97 or 98, but it is a wet heat. I will take Phoenix at 110, any day…preferably in AC. I think that all of our team members are sleeping in AC to one extent or another. Team health is generally very good. The food has been enjoyed by everyone.

That is all for now. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Thu July 16

Our team made it to Acapuloco and then on to Coyuca without any problems. With over a half ton of luggage plus carryons, every piece made it on to our planes and we did not even have to wait. CC to the people who work in the office of the Church at Arrowhead: We were getting some questions from the customs folks and the letter stating that these were giveaways made the difference..well that and some heavy doses of prayer!

Baskeball clinics have begun in Los Bajos with the girls camp leading off. The boys will start tonight. I am told that VBS in Las Lomas was great but do not have any other report, yet

...Tue July 14

Our final team member got her passport this afternoon! Our next post should be from Mexico.

...Sun July 12
Now why would our pastor be off to Mexico before everyone else? God has His reasons! Dennis reports that after a 2 hour worship service in Mexico this morning, he had lunch with a couple he met earlier...3 years ago, in fact. Telsy is from Venezuela and 3 years ago, she decided to follow Jesus. Pastor asked her where she was in her journey with Christ.

She and her husband have just called Pastor and she will be baptized tonight! Pray for Telsy and her husband, Edson Hernadez as they take this step.