Mission Trips

Mission Trip to Oaxaca - March 2001!

This trip to Oaxaca was really awesome! We left Monday night, 6^th of March, by bus. Only Chacho and I were able to go. For some reason the LORD shut the doors for the others that were planning on going. Tuesday morning we arrived in Acapulco and spent the day there, getting ready spiritually and getting some plans together. I went down on the beach until I got burned REAL bad, which proved to be a growing experience the next few days! (Imagine carrying a 40 or 50 Ib. backpack on sunburned shoulders...) On the beach I had about 4 guys trying to sell me all kinds of garbage. (marijuana, "grass" - cocaine, girls, you name it) How pitiful! I�ve got a whole lot more to live for than that trash! Finally, another guys asked me if I had any "grass". By this point I thought, "you poor people, you need Jesus, not your drugs". So I witnessed to Him! I told him how God has a plan for his life, etc. I don�t got drugs, man, but I got JESUS!

Wednesday morning we headed to Oaxaca from Acapulco. We arrived just in time for the service Wed. night in Tacubaya. The church in Tacubaya is the main church in Oaxaca and that is like our base when we go there. It was such a blessing to see the brothers there again!

Thursday morning I taught music classes while Chacho instructed the church leaders in some things. I taught basic keyboard and guitar to about 9 people between both classes. It was really exciting. I want to help them learn how to play keyboard and guitar to worship the LORD. They were so thrilled to learn. Then after the class was over, no one wanted to to home! So we continued practicing and finally drew it to a close after about 4 hours of practice and teaching!!! Wow!

Thursday afternoon Chacho and I and about 6 brothers from there left Tacubaya to preach and encourage the churches that Chacho is covering. For this little trip, I brought a clean shirt and my toothbrush, Bible, camara, and diary. Nothing more. We didn�t get back to Tacubaya �til Sunday afternoon! You figure what happened inbetween as far as personal care, etc.! We took baths in the rivers and were constantly going from church to church. There are about 8 or 10 small churches down there now that we encourage and provide apostolic leadership to. The are continually growing. (The little church in Naranjo that only has a roof is planning on expanding their "building" because all the people cannot fit under the roof! PTL!) Every day we were on the move. Encouraging and instructing brethren and I think we had at least 2 services every day.

Thursday night I took a straw mat on the concrete floor for a bed after a beautiful service in Oajitapec. Then at 6:30 Friday morning off we went to have a leadership meeting with another pastor and encourage him. From there at about 1:00 P.M. we hiked 10 or 15 km over a mountain to visit a small church in La Concha. (the story about this is in my journal. It was quite the hike, without water, in the heat of the day.) La Concha is a little village that is really unbelievable to see. Unfortuately I ran out of film and so don�t have any pictures from there. They live very primitively, living in mud and stick houses and they eat about everything I think! I saw a little girl carrying a dead armadillo and iguana home to eat! Anyone hungry? The next trip I�d love to bring a video camara! Friday night Chacho preached there in La Concha and the LORD led us in a healing service. Chacho himself was instantly healed from diarhea and stomach problems as he ministered! Many received healing that night. We got to "bed" about 12:00. Then up at 4:30 to catch the only ride out at 5:00 A.M.! A pickup goes out once a day a different way than we hiked in.

I was feeling pretty "green" in my stomach Saturday morning. But by later on, I was fine. PTL! We had to cross a river by canoe and finally arrived in the next town. After chatting with the brothers there, we hiked to another village and encouraged the brothers there to come to a big gathering we were going to have that night. (Saturday) We must have hiked about another 10 km that day! We even had to cross a river about 100 yds across, but it wasn�t any deeper than waist deep. (don�t forget I�m wearing all the clothes I brought, except for a shirt!) They told me there are alligators in that river as I was entering, but I didn�t get a chance to see any! (Thank the LORD!)

Saturday night we had a beautiful service with all the brethren in that area together. The Holy Spirit moved mightily and many were touched in awesome ways. Some were filled with the Spirit. Others healed, others healed internally of emotional problems, etc. It was so beautiful and unexpected how the Holy Spirit just took over like that!

Then Sunday, we had another service in the morning. And finally got back to Tacubaya that afternoon. I was totally exhausted and dehydrated from lack of water. I sacked out in a hammock to try to regain strength before the evening meeting. David woke me up, Josh you�re going to play keyboard for the praise and worship, okay? Sure, sure thing, just give me a minute! After a quick shower I was "ready"! But actually, God covered me and gave me energy and everything I needed that night. It was something!

Monday morning I taught another music class. And then we headed back in the afternoon to Acapulco. The plan was to leave Tuesday evening by bus and arrive in Zacapu Wednesday, March 14th. I got left in Acapulco, though! Chacho and I did different things in the afternoon and couldn�t find eachother in time to catch the bus. So he ended up leaving for Acapulco and left me a note! He felt really terrible about leaving me, but had already bought the tickets. Read my journal to find out what happened!

So praise the LORD, it was a great trip! (yah, I made it back to Zacapu, too!) Thank you for your prayers. The LORD covered us and protected us. We give Him the glory for all the work He did on this trip!

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