December 2006

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Change, one of the few constants

December 29, 2006 in SiteChanges by Dave | 1 comment

The new disciplemexico.orgIt seems like the one thing that we can count on in life is that there will be change. We change from one year to the next, from one pant size to the next, and sometimes even from one car to the next. Our tastes change, our hobbies change and we find that those around us change as they too go through this same process. Well, things are no different for this missionary.

It seems like just as I was getting used to keeping all of my thoughts together on my Blogger powered website, Blogger.com decided it was time for a change. They rolled out their new version, which was about to render much of my previous work useless. So, instead of following along blindly, I decided to launch an upgrade of my own. We’ve moved disciplemexico.org from Blogger to a self-installed version of WordPress.

Now, many of you will simply notice the updated look (comments please) but behind the scenes this means that disciplemexico.org is now fully self-contained. I won’t have to wait for Blogger to recover from the latest server failure or hack in order to serve up the latest news, and you won’t have to wait for the various third party plug-ins that had to load in order to bring you what was disciplemexico.org. I’m hoping that this is a win-win situation for all of us.

In the conversion, there have been some things that have yet to be cleaned up–the occasional picture in need of resizing or apostrophe needing to be replaced. Please let me know when you encounter this. As far as functionality, everything should be up and running, but if your encounter problems, please let me know right away. We want to continue to bring you the latest from our family and ministry here in Mexico in the most convenient way possible. Thanks for joining with us in the journey!

Winter Newsletter is Posted!

December 14, 2006 in Media by Dave | Permalink


Our latest print newsletter is now in the mail, but you can get the electronic copy here at disciplemexico.org before the rest. Just click here or on the photo to get up to date.Remember, in order to read the newsletter, you’ll need Adobe Acrobat reader, which is available for free here.


Confusing?

December 11, 2006 in Culture, Mexico by Dave | 3 comments

Monday left you feeling a little bewildered? With the Christmas rush, I’m sure that all of us have asked ourselves if we are coming or going, but how about if you ran into a sign like this one?

We have had a pretty good time with navigation through Mérida. The city is laid out like a grid even streets running north-south and odd east-west, but once you reach the street called Circuito Colonias, which is basically a circle route around the older central neighborhoods, throw logic out the window. We’ve now tried to navigate the eastern portion of this road three times, and each time we’ve ended up in a different location. Of course it’s no surprise with signs like this one leading the way. I guess things like this show us we still have a bit more to learn about this city.


Part of the Family

December 4, 2006 in Ministry, Progress by Dave | 1 comment

This Sunday evening, I had a chance to preach at Golgotha Assembly of God here in Merida. The church is only about 5 minutes away from our home, and is one of the few evangelical churches that is located near the growing northern section of the city. We have attended services at the church on other occasions, but this evening was special. This was the evening that the church welcomed us as one of their own.

In our work as missionaries, relationships are the key to effectiveness. Without an open door, we have no work. So we have been praying for pastors with whom we could share our vision, pastors with whom we could partner and assist in discipling their people and equipping them to reach out to the lost all around them. Also, we have been praying for a church that we could call home. As foreigners, it is difficult to “fit in” in all circumstances. We have the fairest skin, speak the poorest Spanish, and probably drive the nicest car (thanks STL). We need people who can accept these realities, and yet be open to accept us into their circle of intimacy, take an interest in our well being, and that of our kids. This Sunday we decided that Golgota was that place.

Not only was the church conveniently located to us and strategically located to reach out into an unreached area, but we found at Golgota an attitude that drew us in. The pastor, Orlando Vazquez (pictured at the pulpit) a minister for over 50 years, has shown an openness to new ideas and a vision for reaching the world that I have seen in few congregations. In the 4 services that I had attended prior to last night, Mexican world missionaries were preaching in 2 of them, sharing their work and giving opportunity for the people to join with them in prayer and giving. For a church of about 60 members in Mexico, that was an amazing sight.

So we have a new church home away from home. Now that is not to say that we have been assigned to work with only one church, but in working and relating with the members of Golgotha Assembly, we now have another open door both to minister and to be ministered to here in Mérida.