Pastors Unite; "Let's Praise God Together"

This week Centro Cristiano's Lead Pastor, Gollo, and Youth Pastor, Luis, and I went to visit another Pastor, Israel, in a small town called, El Tigre (The Tiger).  Both Gollo and Luis have met him before.  It was my first time to visit this town and meet Pastor Israel.  We spent over three hours just talking about our ministries, personal lives, and God.  It was a really good time.

One of the things that we've been praying about here is the possibility of extending our ministry presence as a church and also as a mission base.  This meeting confirmed our prayers as doors were opened to help Pastor Israel and his congregation reach his town.  He has invited our youth to do an open-air evangelistic outreach in the center of the town and is eager for help in other aspects as well.  We are eager to help.  He is a Pastor that has a lot of work as he also preaches in two other towns where there are no churches.  Jesus said it perfectly, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."  In the future, we hope to be able to work together and see God's Kingdom advanced.

As we were stepping out the front door of Pastor Israel's house, another local Pastor rode by on his motorcycle as he was helping the government with a short seasonal job.  When we called to him and greeted him, he said to us that he was about to go visit us in Cofradía.  Pastor Samuel has been to Cofradía on two occasions to preach; one time during our huge Youth Event "EL RETO."  We, as well, have taken a Short-Term Mission team to do an open-air evangelism in the town he pastors, San Vicente.  When he came to speak at EL RETO, he was so impressed with the impact it has in youth's lives that he started one with a bit of a different twist in purpose with his youth.  He will be meeting with us here next week to talk about ideas and where to go now that he's started it.  Pastor Samuel is another who would like to work together and we are eager to help!

On our way home, we stopped by Pastor José's church in Rosamorada to talk about his invitation to speak in Cofradía on April 6, Good Friday.  As we talked with Pastor José, he mentioned that in his conversations with other pastors in the region, there is a mutual agreement to unite.  Pastors from different denominations are wanting to set aside their doctrinal differences and come together united to what we have in common, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and "Praise God Together."  This is something that really excites me as we've been praying for the same.  We want to extend the Kingdom of God, help the churches that need help, and Praise God Together!

Please join us in prayer for Cofradía and this region.  "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matthew 9:37-38)

Vision Juvenil in Tepic

Some of our students had the opportunity to be part of a Youth Conference put on by La Fuente Ministries in Tepic, Nayarit.  It was an incredible time with great teaching.  There were over 1,000 people there mostly from Nayarit, Jalisco, and Sinaloa, but there were another 1,000 watching on the internet.  Vision Juvenil is a ministry out of El Paso, Texas.  This event charged everyone from here that went.  Thank you La Fuente Ministries.

Here is a quick video update by Pastor Jesse Hanson in Tepic:

Vision Juvenil Tepic from Jesiah Hansen on Vimeo.

Xtreme Kids in Tepic, Nayarit

On March 3, Rebecka and Emma invited 10 of their friends to a concert in Tepic at La Fuente Ministries put on by Xtreme Kids from El Paso, Texas.  It was an excellent time and all the children that went had a huge blast.  One of Rebecka's friends who went is not a Christian.  Rebecka was really excited she went because she prays for her every night.

Here is a quick video update by La Fuente's Children's Ministries:

XTREME KIDS  EN TEPIC from La Fuente Niños on Vimeo.

March Newsletter

We continue to make a hardcopy newsletter for those who do not have neither internet nor emails.  Here is a link to the semi-quarterly newsletter.

MARCH UPDATE

Greetings, from Cofradía, Mexico!  We really appreciate your prayers and involvement in this ministry and in our family.

Last month, we asked for your prayers concerning:

• Administration.   Thank you for your prayers as I was able to accomplish a lot this month.
• Homeschool.  As I work with Emma in the mornings and Rebecka in the afternoons,  there are days in which it’s a struggle for all of us.  They are doing really well; please keep this in your prayers.  
• Marriage and Family Conference.  We had a great visit with Doug and Jan Taylor, former Cofradía Missionaries now in Mazatlán, as they shared on Leadership, Marriage, and Family.  It was a very refreshing time to have them back for the weekend and everyone here misses them.  I have written a report on our blog with pics here.
• Inauguration Anniversary.  WOW is the word that describes our celebration of one year in the new building.  We invited some Pastor friends, Noe and Martha, from Mazatlan and many lives were impacted.  I’ve written a report on our blog with pics here.
• New Baby.  Things are going well.  It was a rough beginning, but Geña is doing a lot better.  Thank you so much for your continued prayers as the baby is due in late August.
  

Links to other news:

• Operation Christmas Child Operation Christmas Child sent boxes for our children for the first time in the new building and a team from the Cofradía church went up into the mountains to hand out over 100 boxes to a Cora Indian village called “Cofradía Uno”.
• Upper Room Project If you’ve been following our updates, you know we’ve been working on finishing our house.  With what have have saved and raised, we are over half way to reaching our goal.  Please continue to keep this in your prayers and if you can help, we’d appreciate it.  We’d like to have it ready for when the baby arrives in late August.  Please check out the link in order to see how you can help. 
  

This Month’s requests:

• Homeschool Please continue to make this a priority when you pray for us.
• Baby Thank you for your continued prayers for a healthy baby.  The due date is +/- Aug.29
• Pastor Gollo’s Son Please keep in your prayers Pastor Gollo’s son, Gollito, as he was in a motorcycle accident just over a week ago.  He is recovering well, however, there will be some dental issues to take care of as he knocked out a few teeth.
• Youth Ministry Awards Night One of the many ways that Short Term Missions has impacted this ministry is helping us start a tradition in the youth ministry of recognizing and honoring students who have stood out this past year in their growth of leadership and service.  Thank you for your prayers over this ministry led by Pastor Luis Vazquez (Mar. 10).
  

Thank you very much for partnering with us through your prayers and financial support.
Click here to donate to our personal support.

Blessings,
Steve, Geña, Rebecka and Emma Rose Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/srsilberman
SKYPE: “srsilberman”

WOW!!

WOW!!

This one word sums up our Church building's One Year Anniversary that we celebrated this past weekend.  There were many factors that showed us the Lords hand working in order for this day to turn out the way it did.

One year ago on February 27, we inaugurated the new church facilities, dedicating it to the Lord.  We wanted to celebrate this event and Honor God for his provision and protection over this ministry.  Our church is growing and taking ownership as each member participated in providing food, donations, and serving others.  It was a well-oiled machine.

We were excited to have Pastors Noé and Martha from Mazatlan with us to share the event.  While they were here, as we were taking them to tacos the first night for dinner, we ended up praying for the sick as we unexpectedly had come across them.  As we visited about how the Lord directed them to come, Martha told us that she had a dream they came to preach just before the invitation.  Also, from the moment of the invitation, the Lord had given Noe a message, but he struggled with it thinking that it was inappropriate.  As he continued to not understand why this message, he never had peace about anything else.  When I sent him the vision of the church, he said it was confirmation.  It fit right inside what he felt the Lord speaking to him.  His message was about God's Opportune Time; a message that challenged us to step up and step out in our spiritual growth as we take ownership of what has been established already. The message was sent to us in perfect timing!  The message and prayer time at the end went a little longer than usual, but no one really noticed; everything was perfect.  As I was playing my guitar during the ministry time, I couldn't help but think about God's goodness.  He is such a wonderful God and plans things in perfect timing.  We couldn't have planned a better Anniversary party for the church.  It was an incredible blessing from the Lord!

Pastor Noé preaching

Pastor Noé praying

After the service, a few church members shared testimonies and some songs.  Then, we all had lunch together.

Church members preparing to serve the "birria."  (The lady on the right is Geña's mother).

A little history about Noe and Martha...

Martha, Noé, Esteban, Geña

In 1988, I went on my first missions trip to Mexico with our youth group.  I was 16 years old and the only male on our small team not counting our Youth Pastor, Ron McClung.  It was an unforgettable, life-changing trip for me.  It was during that trip that I met Martha and some of her brothers and sisters as we worked along side her church.  Her and her youngest siblings were all about my age and we kept in contact for a long time.  I remember seeing the fervent power of God and dedication to the Lord in their lives and I wanted to do the same.  It was also during that trip that God called me to missions.  A few years later I met Noe and we have been good friends ever since.  

Operation Christmas Child

Once again Operation Christmas Child arrived in our region this year.  Thanks to Jay and Faith TenBrink for their work on organizing this opportunity, we were able to realize Operation Christmas Child for the first time in the new church on January 6 as well as in the mountains this past weekend with the Cora Indians in a village called "Cofradía Uno."

Listening to the Bible Story in Centro Cristiano

Opening presents in Centro Cristiano

Ready to open presents in the Cora Village

Opening presents in the Cora Village

 Check here to see the slide show of the Cora Indian Village, Cofradía Uno.

This is always an incredible event.  Most of these children never receive a Christmas gift.  The oversized smile that stretched across their faces and the sparkle in their eyes as they received these gifts were priceless!

Thank you for your prayers, as these gifts were doors in order to share with each child the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Support the "Cofradía Children's Ministry"

Support the "Cofradía Indigenous Ministry"