Pastoral Perspectives

Here are reports from our local Pastors in Cofradia.  In order to safely donate a tax-deductible gift to their families' well-being, click on their name.

Pastor Gregorio Hernández

Greetings!

I am pleased to share with you what is happening at Cofradía Christian Center. It has been satisfying to see the development of this ministry.

Because of the Bible school, several issues have been addressed. One of them was "vision." For our exam in that class, we had to present a vision statement, which was most interesting. The point is that every student wants to walk in that objective. Having vision generates a stimulus to the church providing a good motivation to press on.

This really gets my attention because in our culture, especially in these localities, having a vision isn’t really thought about. The difference today is that every student that is attending the Bible school now has a vision. That will be transmitted to the church, and it makes me see that we may be on the verge of entering a new phase.

For many years we were evangelizing a young man.  Several people from the church visited him regularly, with no apparent result. This lasted seven or eight years. We have been visiting him again for the last three months and to our surprise, it came to pass that on May 24 he was baptized and is joyous and eager to grow in the knowledge of God. He is now serving in the church, and we are meeting every Wednesday for discipleship. It is of great joy that this man has decided to walk in obedience to God.

In an earlier report, I had commented on Las Pilas and on the growth there. The gospel continues to take root, and more than twenty people are gathering together in that town.

Thank you for your spiritual and financial support. All that is happening is because of your prayers for this ministry.

Thank you very much for your prayers and support.

Sincerely,

Pastor Gregorio, Maty, and family

_______________________

Pastor Luis Vázquez

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I greet you through here, hoping that you are well and enjoying the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This is an opportunity for me and my family, my wife and children, to express our gratitude for how faithful you have been to God in your partnership with in which you continue even today. Thank you very much.

We are working hard at this time in the Bible school that gathers in our church on Tuesday afternoons. I'm facilitating the Hermeneutics class, which I enjoy. I am comfortable sharing because teaching is a strong call I have received from God, and I'm happy about that. Though I have been given the opportunity to facilitate a class, I am still a student in the school, and we are halfway through the requirements to graduate this program that will better prepare us to effectively serve Christ and others.

In another month we begin EL RETO. The event lasts for six weeks: it begins August 29 and ends on October 3. This time we hope to reach three hundred young people. I ask for your prayer support, which is essential. Over the course of EL RETO, we will talk about our identity in Christ. The six weeks of EL RETO will be a time of much work but also of great joy and blessing.

After EL RETO ends, I will be inviting three more young people to join our team of youth leaders, which is made up of young people who have completed high school and are now adults.

My vision for the youth group:

V    That they have VISION for their future.
I    That they be sure of their IDENTITY in Christ.
D    That they make DECISIONS that honor God.
A    That they serve in ACTION in their own group, their church, and their community.

(Translator’s note: “VIDA” is the Spanish word for “LIFE” and is also the name of the Youth Ministry at Cofradía Christian Center.)

My children are out of school for the summer, and all four will move up to new schools: one each to college, high school, middle school, and elementary school. My wife and I hope to be better able to help them in their studies and are committed together to achieving this.

I say goodbye to you, thanking you again for your generosity toward us. May God supply all that you may lack according to his glorious riches in Christ (Philippians 4: 19).

Sincerely,

Pastor Luis Vázquez

______________________

Pastor Horacio Garzon

Brothers and sisters,

As always, I am pleased to write these lines to greet you, hoping that you are blessed and prospering in Christ our Lord.

For our part, my family and I are well, thanks be to God. Maria, Martin, Alfredo, Ruben, and Kenya send their greetings. From me, receive my deepest gratitude for the blessings we have received from you, both through your prayers and your financial support. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for all the support you have poured out on us.

Brothers and sisters, thanks be to God that his work is alive and his marvelous plan of salvation continues to manifest itself in my life and in that of others.

We continue learning in a discipleship class every Tuesday at 5 p.m. We are almost to our goal; it’s so close! This class has been so beneficial, as it has equipped us in aspects that apply to very important areas of life.

I'm pleased to see Martin, my son, teaching a homiletics class. We have also learned about counseling through books by writers God has used greatly, such as those by Dr. Neil T. Anderson. With these powerful tools we can better guide people in the remote mountain villages where we minister to a clearer understanding of the great truth of Christ.

Thank you, brothers and sisters, for helping me to be effective in the work of Christ. Receive from me greetings and thanks!

Thank you and may God bless you.

Horacio Garzón Orozco