Theresa at the helm of the snow blower. Happy New Year and welcome to Manitoba – “Dorothy, we ain’t in Kansas anymore”
Happy New Year. Happy 2017!
I am sitting at my laptop in our home in southern Manitoba realizing that it has been many, many months since I have last posted a blog, and that much water has passed under the bridge since my last entry at the beginning of September. At that point I was still in Texas and was just getting over the crisis of my bike accident.
Despite the fact that Theresa and I appear to have dropped off the radar since then, we are indeed still very much alive. Things are moving forward well in Mexico and exciting things are taking place there. God is still good, even if sometimes his plans and purposes are difficult to understand. There is much to tell you about concerning the intervening months – new treasures as well as old from the storehouse.
So let me begin…
My recovery from the sciatic nerve and shoulder damage that happened because of my accident in August did continue slowly. My huge concern at the time was whether I would be able to take care of the packing and physical work that would be necessary for my move back to Canada. God was gracious, and I was able to slowly and carefully take care of all of this in time for my move. Further, miraculously, just at the final end of my time in Texas I was able to sell our trailer despite a very bad market due to the drop in petroleum prices causing a glut of used travel trailers everywhere. We were not able to get the price that we had hoped for, but we were able to sell it – a huge blessing and burden off my shoulders. I was able to get our things moved up to Manitoba without any problem, even being able to enjoy several days with my daughter Laura on a final road trip back to Dallas to pick up one of the vehicles left there. As per my usual MO, that particular trip was short and sweet and we slept in the vehicle, taking turns alternately driving and sleeping. Nonetheless, it was wonderful to have the time together with her again, something that we had not been able to do for many years.
The building of the barn begins
My last shift in Allen, Texas with the security company was on the last day of September. The move from Texas to Manitoba took me through to the middle of October before it was all completed since it required two trips from Texas to Canada. Once back in Canada my days were filled with working at settling in and renovating your house which had been rented out for seven years and now needed a face lift. Thankfully we have a small loft apartment above our garage where we had been staying over the years when we returned to Canada on short visits from Mexico. Theresa had moved into it when she returned in July. It is adequate but small, and has also been used as our storage area over the years, each added item making our living space smaller as the years went on.
We are very thankful that Theresa had been able to find employment here in Steinbach when she arrived earlier in the summer because it is her paycheck that keeps us going financially. For my part, along with looking for employment I have been occupied on a daily basis over the past months with renovating our house and giving it a complete freshening up inside. Some weeks back I thought that I had a job that I was really hoping I would get, but in the end it was given to someone else. I am still looking for employment, placing applications, and waiting.
Armando running the water line into the barn
Cold weather finally drove us out of the little upstairs apartment in the second week or so of December and we moved into our house. I am still not quite done with the renovations, but the house is certainly livable and I can finish the trim and other uncompleted items over the next several months. It is just easier to do everything before moving back in, and my problem is that if I don’t do things initially often the “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome takes place and ultimately things never end up getting finished. It is simply easier to step over something rather than complete it.
But then came another unexpected crisis!
During the beginning of December my sight slowly began getting worse in my right eye. It sort of crept up on me over a period of time because it has been weaker than my left for many years, and I just thought that the changes indicated worsening vision due to age and that I needed new glasses or something. Anyway, I was too busy to worry much about it. But when I began to completely loose inside peripheral vision in my right eye and a dark “fog” began moving over my line of sight I realized that I had better begin to take it more seriously and went to see a ‘walk-in clinic’ doctor. He immediately sent me to see an optometrist who diagnosed me with detachment of the retina in my right eye and made immediate arrangements for me to be seen by a specialist. So, miracle of all miracles within a Canadian medical system where it usually takes months to be seen for anything, I went from my first visit to a doctor to eye surgery in four days. On December 14th I had laser repair work done on my left eye and the next day, the 15th, I had surgery on my right eye to reattach the retina and an overnight stay in a Winnipeg hospital.
The surgery actually was a walk in the park compared to the aftercare. The surgery itself involved the filling of my eye with a gas bubble in order to hold the retina in place so that it could heal properly. This meant that for a full week post-op I needed to keep my head facing down, nose pointed at the floor both night and day, 24/7. This might not sound like a great burden until you actually try it. The back of your neck and shoulders soon begin to scream in agony, not to mention that there is absolutely no way to get comfortable to be able to sleep. Any “doughnut” cushions or pillow contraptions don’t account for the fact that you still actually do need to be able to breath. Also, I never could sleep for any length of time on my stomach without my back hurting. But, I did get through it, and thank God, my sight, although still blurred and “wonky” in my right eye appears to be coming back with full peripheral vision – something that the specialist wasn’t sure would happen since the retina had apparently been detached for some time – certainly longer than the maximum four days that is optimal. My Mother was a real blessing during the first recovery week as she fed me and administered my eye drops every few hours while Theresa was at work. Mom also prepared delicious evening meals for Theresa and me. Now continues my regimen of eye drops at home and a final follow up visit with the specialist on the 10th of January; hopefully at that time to get the “all clear”. But, the real kicker is that I have been given very strict instructions that I cannot, absolutely dare not, lift anything heavier than ten pounds for six weeks. This means that until the end of January I have to become an invalid and need to let others do the work around the place while I sit back and watch. This has been a difficult and unnatural situation for me, and it feels strange to have Theresa out shoveling snow and doing the heavy work around the place. It has also certainly put the kibosh on job hunting.
By faith, this is only the beginning of larger things still to come
Interestingly enough, God’s timing is always spot-on, and I realize now that if I had gotten a job before this last medical crisis it would have made things rather difficult as well. It is not every employer who would smile cheerfully as a recently hired employee explained that they needed to take several weeks off immediately for medical leave. So, as much as I would have liked to have a job already, God’s timing can still be trusted. However, I would appreciate your prayers for the right job for both Theresa and me now in the very near future.
So, that is where Theresa and I are right now as we enter into the new year. Theresa is working at a job which, although it is keeping the wolf from the door, we both know that it is not going to be long-term work for her and we are praying that God will provide another, better fitting job for her soon. I am still unemployed, and now banned from lifting anything over ten pounds through to the end of January. However, I do have my eyesight in both eyes. We are now living in our house again, although the renovations are still not 100% completed. We are able to be closer to family and children and grandchildren because all of them, other than James and Jessica and their boys, all live in and around Winnipeg – about an hour drive away from us. And, we are blessed in so many ways. This does not mean that the transitional issues that I spoke of and eluded to over the past year of blogging have not become a reality for me. Theresa has basically sailed over any hiccups in this area, while I have been hit hard between the eyes. Still, God is good, and he is faithful and will be my path through these tempestuous waters as well.
Shifting now to the ongoing work in Mexico – many very exciting things are taking place there and God is moving in a big way through the ministry. I think that perhaps it will be easiest to simply attach ministry summary and projection reports that Javier sent for 2016 and 2017.
The livestock presently. There will be many more to come
Javier writes:
May the peace and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. We do not wait for men to do something for us, but rather we wait in God who is the Father of mercies, our provider, who always fills us with blessings. To Him be the glory forever.
It is a privilege to arrive at the end of the year and find our purposes fulfilled. 2016 has been a year filled with much work but also with the beginning of new horizons in ministry. The new year brings with it the beginning of a new dawn, new expectations, and a time to tell of the great deeds that God has done in our lives.
MINISTRY PROJECTION PLAN for the Centro de Entrenamiento, Casa Del Obrero:
1. Build the walls necessary for installing the electrical pole and wiring for the connection of the existing Casa del Obrero house to the power grid. Install the power transformer at the Training Center farm (completed 2016).
2. Complete concrete septic tank for Training Center (completed 2016).
3. Burn and harvest sugarcane crop. Continue with sugarcane production because, although sugarcane does not provide enough income for the farm to be self supporting it does provide a financial base to help to launch other projects (ongoing).
4. Pile and burn all sugarcane tops and remaining garbage after harvest to clear rows.
5. Cultivate sugarcane to accommodate good growth.
6. Replant three hectares of sugarcane (2017 season).
7. Fertilize second-growth sugarcane in remaining two hectares.
8. Clean the weeds affecting sugarcane growth between the rows.
9. Cut a diversion ditch at the top end of field before the rainy season begins (2017 season).
10. Continue general maintenance of the property and the specific development of the following:
a) formation of watering areas with gravity flow to develop drip irrigation.
b) seek income sources in order to develop shaded growing areas for ornamental plants as well as for vegetables.
c) search for funds to the set up barns and cover start-up costs to begin raising hens.
d) establish pens in order to raise sheep. Begin raising sheep.
NOTE: in 2016 we built and outfitted enclosures in a 5 meter x 8 meter barn for pig, sheep, and chicken production. We currently have four sheep, three ewes and a ram for breeding purposes, as well as a breeding pair of pigs for further production. We also have begun with several laying hens.
11. Plant shade trees onto the property (ongoing).
12. If it is possible to do so we would like to begin a greenhouse production.
13. Begin working on the foundation of a dormitory building for students at the farm as resources begin to become available to do so.
14. Continue planting grass cover in the developed area as well as continued care of the fruit trees which have already been planted on the farm (ongoing).
15. Create jobs
16. expand our range of vision so that we will be lead to broaden our expectations for further productive projects always with the vision of glorifying God.
17. Always continue looking out for the needs of others thereby following the command of the great commission where Jesus told us to give them food to eat.
Laying hens. Eggs are a very sought after commodity, and have become quite expensive in Mexico
ADMINISTRATIVELY:
Continue to wait for the arrival of the title documents for the land from the Government Land Titles Office in order to begin working on new projects. Specifically pursue accessing available government resources for the following:
a) develop greenhouse projects and vegetable growing opportunities.
b) large-scale farming.
MINISTIRIALLY:
1. Continue morning Prayer Times from 5:30 to 7.00 a.m.
2. Continue evangelizing in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes; and if God permits, we will be preaching and bringing the gospel to the prison as well.
3. Continue to serve in the village mission churches already established and plant further mission outreaches.
4. Establish a mission in the ejido La Lima, and engage in house to house evangelism in the community of El Cabrol.
5. Continue to work towards the completion of the church building in the community of Solidaridad; finish plastering interior of building, complete electrical wiring, paint name onto front of building, and finish plastering the outside.
6. The Prayer Team will continue visitation of those that they are evangelizing.
7. As God permits, continue to assist in the planting and the development of the church in Rio Verde (House of Prayer), as well as the Christian radio station, Radio Rio, FM.105.3.
8. Find land or space for the House of Prayer church plant in San Antonio Huichimal so that the church there will have a place to meet.
9. God has placed it on my heart to start another mission in Cd. Valles proper this year.
ACCADEMICALLY:
1. Continue discipling Armando and Alicia and forming their character for ministry by dedicating three days per week for Bible School training (Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays).
On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays they will continue with their work on the farm, interspersing this with continued missionary work in San Antonio Huichimal where they are already preaching and responsible for the church. They are also dedicated to opening another mission outreach in the same area.
2. Continue to push forward in promoting the Missionary Training Center, Casa del Obrero, as well as the Nondenominational Bible Institute, Luz de las Naciones (Light of the Nations), and Project LAMBS. Focus on seeing the strengthening of their academic level with increased care given to this area.
The little Ford tractor continues to be a work horse for the farm
NOTE: Concerning the Bible Institute “Luz de las Naciones” – in 2016 our brother Mario and sister Jany got the green light from the Berea Bible Institute concerning legal covering through them, and the paperwork that they needed to give them official identity through Berea as a Bible Institute. We now have a bilateral working relationship with the Berea Bible Institute of Monterrey.
3. Assist in these training programs by teaching the subjects of the curriculum corresponding to the months of January through June which I have been given to teach.
4. We hope to accept two residential students at the Missionary Training Center farm this coming year who will be a part of the discipleship training program and the ongoing work of the Center.
5. The Lord willing, in July of this year I will be teaching classes on the topics entrusted to me to the students of the Assemblies of God Bible Institute, Reverend Juan Ramirez.
May the almighty God help us and give us life so that we can achieve what he desires.
Blessings,
Javier Santos Hernández
Although lengthy, I include the above because it will give you a better understanding of the ilk and character of the leadership at the helm of the ongoing work of Voice in the Wilderness in Mexico. Javier, Armando, Alejandra, Alicia, Mario, Cristina, and the others are men and women of vision, integrity, and faithfulness. I thank you for your continued faithfulness in prayer and financial generosity for the work. It grieves me personally when I hear whisper that the work has ended because Theresa and I are no longer physically there. Far to the contrary, if anything, the vision has grown and continues to do so since we are gone. God is faithful, and the vision that he has begun he will bring to completion as the Apostle Paul confidently stated in Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this, that He who began the good work will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”.
May you have a blessed and wonderful new year as you continue faithful in the journey.
Your friends and fellow laborers,
Steven and Theresa
