Agape Mission Coastal Ministry: December 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

Merry CHRISTmas

This fall Sheri traveled to several states to meet up with many friends, family and churches along the way. The years have passed so quickly. So many joys but also failures and illnesses. On this trip many prayed over her for complete healing. She is seeing healing starting in both her body and mind.

Our mission in Oaxaca is reporting great victories. Sheri will make a trip down to Oaxaca the end of January. Our board feels it is time to appoint Pastor Damian as Director and missionary to the unreached remote villages on the coast of Oaxaca. Pastor Damian, asked us to thank you who are supporting the ministry God called him too. This ministry that God has given him is located in one of the unreached areas of Mexico. At least 15 of the missions under his direction had no other Christian church in their villages.
For instance just a few weeks ago, Raúl García from one of these villages asked Christ into his heart. This man led a very ugly life of violence and robbery. Raul’s change of life is a miracle that started when God gave him a new heart.

Another miracle is a mother of three children. She is 31 years old and has suffered many rapes, beatings and ill-treatment, but now her heart belongs to our beloved father. This is just a few of the miracles in the last couple of weeks. So our missionary Damian Cruz asked me to share with you, that without your prayers and financial support he and his team could not make the weekly trips, many hours deep into these areas going in four directions each day. They desire to continue to reach out with a lot of love for the lost, to extend the kingdom of God to these souls.

We at Agape Missions wish you a Merry Christmas and thank you very much for everything you have done for Mexico.

I, Sheri, have been thinking of how we can do something special for Damian and his family for this Christmas. If any of you feel led, let’s surprise Damian and Rosa with an extra token of our love so they can buy a few gifts for their family, especially the two youngest children for Christmas. It isn’t too late to make a contribution either through Paypal on our donate page or sending a check to the Colorado address on our donate page. If you prefer to mail a check let us know by email at agapecoastalproject@gmail.com how much to expect so we can send it down immediately. This isn’t exactly a need but a love offering to the family.

Have a wonderful celebration this Christmas of what God is doing in your life this season.

Beginnigs of our Beach Ministry

In 2002 I moved our mission headquarters from Oaxaca City to Huatulco. It was closer to Lachiguiri.

That year we planned a youth rally on the beach, for the teens living in Lachiguiri. Mike Hendricks brought a group of indigenous natives from Canada to minister.

We camped on the beach using the large patio palapa of the "Tres Hermanos" restaurant owned by Hilda and Temo for this event. We set up tents to sleep in under their palapa. They graciously allowed us to do our own cooking. There wasn't an active church at this time in this beach community. Most of the 300 families here earn their living by fishing and catering to tourist.

Hilda and her family watched and listened each day to the teachings for the youth. Hilda and I spent a lot of time talking and before the camp was over she accepted Jesus as her Savior.

Later, she kept asking me if we could start a church there in San Agustin. I met with her occasionally and gave her and others Bibles. They so desired a place of worship so started listening to a false teacher who started coming to the beach. I knew I had to do something right away.

I talked with Armando Gutierrez, a minister friend and after conferring with his pastor, we commissioned him as the pastor for this new mission. He and I would go out every Wednesday night as that was the only free time the people could leave their tourist trade to attend.
Over the next couple years the mission began to grow. Then when he and his wife decided to move back to Mexico City we interviewed a couple of prospective pastors and God chose Damian Cruz as pastor of the mission.

Our coastal ministry now includes three mission churches and the Pochutla Prison ministry.