FEBRUARY MINISTRY UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradía! The dogs are barking; deep “woofs” of the larger ones and sharp yelps from the little ones.  The distant howling of coyotes and the constant crowing of roosters make the sounds appear to be a planned, ongoing song with an occasional donkey braying as if it were trying to sing.  It’s 4:30am in Cofradía.  Soon the sounds will fade into the squeaky suspensions, the humming of vehicle motors, and the popping of tractor engines over men’s voices as they head out into the fields.  It’s a new day and God’s creation is in action.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
Last month, we asked you to pray for... 

1. Religious Association Status.  Things are moving along quite well.  We’re not sure how long this will take, but we’re making very good progress. The Religious Association will be called “Centro Cristiano la Cofradia United”. 
2. Bible School. Many of the people who have taken classes for the past couple of years attribute the material we’ve been studying as having made a direct impact in their spiritual growth and maturity.  It has been a huge blessing!  We asked you to pray for those who still need help with their tuition; some have been able to pay while others still need help. 
3. Drug Rehab Center: We are still waiting, but a location has been chosen.  Thank you for your continued prayers for this as we look forward to seeing this Center become a reality. 
4. Border Run.  Thank you for your prayers.  We had a wonderful time while we were in the states as we spent a week with my parents and another week with Geña’s sister along with a couple of visits at the Harrison’s and the opportunity to see some friends and Pastors in Bakersfield.   
5. Short-Term Mission Team: We had another great time as the team was able to connect and impact lives of the locals as we focused on “Healthy Families”.  Our newest missionary members to Cofradía, Lain and Kelly Grant, came here on this same team last year; they have written a few words about this year’s experience and you can read them here.

Here are some links to more:

• UPDATED Pastoral Perspectives: Click here to read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors.
• Last Month’s Update 
• EL RETO 2015 
• What is EL RETO 
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.  Click on this link to check it out.
  

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Religious Association Status.  The financial end of this issue is still in need; the minimal cost is $2,000 US Dollars in order for this to be accomplished.  Please consider how you can help; click here to safely send a tax-deductible contribution online.  Thank you. 
2. Bible School. Graduation will be here before we know it and some of the students still have been unable to pay their tuition.  Of the ten students currently eligible for graduation in June, three of them are coming up short: Hugo Diaz ($70), Mily Garzon ($240), and Angel Martinez “Niko” ($390). If you know one of these people and want to help, I can share with you instructions on where to pay.  Or if you’d like to help any of them, simply send a general donation to Cofradia with a special note of “Cofradia Tuition”.
3. Drug Rehab Center: Continue to lift up Pastor Amado in prayer as he works with the local government to get this project running. 
4. An Accountant: We are in need of an accountant in Mexico to help us with our Civil and Religious Association finances.  We have been working with one, but her availability is very limited.  All receipts are done electronically through the internet which makes things very difficult for us in a location where the phone company does not want to install internet.  Please pray that God would provide us with the right person or that our current accountant will be able to help us better understand what we need to do. 
5. Internet. Pray that a better system becomes available to us.  We currently are using dial-up at home; at the mission base, we have a satellite system from the states through Hughesnet which is slow, limited, and expensive. 
6. Date Night.  Our annual Valentine’s Date Night is tomorrow!  We will have the privilege of having Doug and Jan Taylor once again as our guest speakers. 
7. Church Anniversary Celebration.  On Sunday, March 6, we will be celebrating 5 years since our inauguration of the building.  Pray for the evangelistic opportunity that this brings. 
8. Leaders.  Continue to pray for leaders to be raised up in this area. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!!

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
La Cofradia United International
Alternative Missions
Cofradia Area Director


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