Costa Maya Newsletter October 2016

October 2016 TAKE THE WORD TO THE PEOPLE  What do you do when your church body is not well known in the area you're doing ministry? Many people I run into in Mahahual are not familiar with the Lutheran church, and maybe have not even heard of it before. Often those who are most familiar with Lutherans are European and American tourists who stop by on a cruise ship visit!   Of course, we don't have to wait for people to visit our building. We can, and do, take the Word to the people where they are. From families on the beach who do not have transportation to families in town who are not comfortable walking into our church building yet, to individuals who would like to talk about the Biblical faith in a private setting, we want to get them in contact with the Word! Participation varies, but at times we might have 20-30 people throughout the week in 10-15 separate classes, all studying the basics of Bible teaching. Our prayer is that these studies would lead to the planting and growth of faith and greater commitment over time to the mission of the church. We are confident that the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of those who believe (Romans 1:16).  ~ Pastor Valleskey ************************************************ A Burning Desire   I've been alone this week. My husband Hugh has been away in the States, so I've had a lot of time to think about many things. This morning a memory came rushing back—the first time I thought of a church in Mahahual.  Hugh again was in the States, I was alone, and the Holy Spirit came into my heart and filled me with a burning desire unlike any other I've experienced in my life. Until that time, I was not a Christian. I recall a friend visited later that day, and she said, "You look different – what is wrong with you?" I told her nothing was wrong – We were going to build a church, and I was going to preach! At that moment I felt like I could stand on a mountain and shout to the world that Jesus is Lord!    Of course, I didn't start a church and I didn't preach, but a few weeks later a friend taught me how to do Bible studies, and so it began. That was March 2008, and look where we are today!  I am in total awe to see what the Lord can do! So many have been involved in bringing this ministry to where it is today.  Many people in the States have worked tirelessly to support God's work in Costa Maya. I am so thankful to all of those people, but mostly, I am thankful that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of it all. I have witnessed first-hand the birthing and growing of a church. What an awesome God we serve! Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our ministry!   ~ Deb Blackburn **************************************** Subscriber comment: "It's obvious Pastor Valleskey enjoys his work by his comments and the comments of others. I can tell the people are very blessed by his work." GW *********************************************** Below is our lighthouse. It shines a beacon to travelers in our area. It shines in the same way Cruz de Cristo shines to life's travelers here. If you visit us, you can see both.  Online donations can be made at www.Costamayaministries.org or by check payable to Costa Maya Ministries and mailed c/o Fred Starck, 1765 Natures Way, Lindenhurst, IL 60046. Copyright © *2016 Costa Maya Ministries*, All rights reserved. ** Our mailing address is: 8404 Saltsberry Eagle River, WI 54521 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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Costa Maya Newsletter September 2016

September 2016 The Dog Days of Summer!   Summer is upon us here in Costa Maya with temperatures and humidity overwhelming at times.  It was 92 degrees in my casita last evening at 9 p.m.  When the heat is that intense during the afternoon hours with the masonry walls baking, it's literally like an oven when night falls.  Yet we see our blessings, knowing that even though we have no air conditioning, we have fans, and we have screens on our windows.  Many of the locals who live close by don't have either and have no refuge from the heat and bugs!  So when we begin to complain about our living conditions, we remind ourselves to be thankful for what we have.   We dodged Hurricane Earl even though we made preparations for the arrival of the storm, not knowing until the last few hours which direction it would take.  We helped people move from their humble homes on the beach into the church, fully equipped with mattresses and linens, fans, and many comforts of home that they don't usually have.  One of our families, Yallo and Lupita with the 9-month old twins, spent the night in the church until the storm had passed.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us a way to help them.    ~ Deb Blackburn *************************************** A Summer Experience Unlike Any Other This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to live in Mexico, teach two months of English classes, and experience a new world of ministry. Every day contained surprises and challenges. I will remember many of these experiences fondly. Others I will remember not so fondly, namely, the mosquitoes. What I will remember most, however, is the way I saw God working through people. Many people around Mahahual live unstable lives and often need money, food, and family support. More importantly, they all need the comfort and eternal stability of Jesus' promises as much as anyone else does. I have seen the way God works through the pastors and lay people of Cruz de Cristo. Their dedication is inspiring. By providing earthly support to those in need, opportunities arise to share the Gospel.  In addition, the English classes I taught provided a service to the community. English is helpful to many who work in the tourism industry, and through this service, opportunities arose to share the Gospel. My most joyful moment of the summer was when students showed up for the closing church service (even though they were 45 minutes late). As in all ministry, obstacles and challenges abounded. Even though not all the students finished the class, future teachers will learn from the difficulties I faced with scheduling and communication. Another challenge involved a man who heard me play viola on the beach. We connected over the music of Bach. I shared my faith in Jesus with him, and three weeks in a row he told me he would come to church. He did not come, but by faith I know a seed is planted, and God makes seeds grow. Many people in various life situations and scattered communities throughout Costa Maya need to be reached. Join me in praying that God sends able volunteers who will dedicate time to planting seeds and building relationships here. God will work through the relationships and grow the seeds of faith.  ~ Austin Wagenknecht *********************** Comment from a Subscriber: "It's exciting to see all the things that are happening in the Costa Maya ministries! You can see the hand of the Lord at work.  God's Blessings,"  Glenn B ***************************************** Online donations can be made at www.Costamayaministries.org or by check payable to Costa Maya Ministries and mailed c/o Fred Starck, 1765 Natures Way, Lindenhurst, IL 60046. Copyright © 2016 , All rights reserved. Costa Maya Ministries Our mailing address is: 8404 Saltsberry Eagle River, WI 54521 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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Costa Maya Newsletter August 2016

August 2016 The Hatza-Ha Festival   This past Friday, July 29, I saw for the first time the opening day of the annual Hatza-Ha Festival in Mahahual. It's something unique to our town, as far as I can tell. "Hatza-Ha" literally translated from Mayan means something like "a gust of wind and rain that gets into your house," according to the master of ceremonies. The event began after Hurricane Dean destroyed much of Mahahual in 2007. It's a celebration of nature and Mayan culture, a time for prayers and ceremonies intended to keep hurricane winds away from our coast.    As with many things in our region, the religious picture is mixed. You can see in the photo of the cross and altar a combination of Christian and Mayan symbols and practices. Unfortunately, this mixing of faiths does nothing to bring people eternal peace. There's a great need to preach Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6), our only Savior through faith in him!     ~  Pastor Valleskey ********************************************** A Familiar Face With Pastor Martin on vacation at the end of June, we were excited to see Pastor Eduardo Vasquez return to shepherd our flock.  He had been with us for six months prior to Pastor Martin's arrival.  It was a joyful time, a happy reunion with many that he had worked with earlier.  He also gave comfort to the family of Pedro Pablo, the beloved member we lost last month, as he knew his family very well.  Also having married Yallo and Lupita in our church last year, he was pleased to get his first glimpse of the twins.  Remember the pictures of the tiny twins in a prior issue?  Well, Marina and Lidia are now 8 months old – proving time does fly.  We are thankful for time spent with Pastor Eduardo – a humble and gentle man.  ~ Deb Blackburn *********************************************** God at Work in Every Mission Field   In June I was blessed to fly from our mission to attend the LWMS Convention in Chicago. I have wanted to go for several years, but this was the first time it was possible.  Being surrounded by over 1,000 godly women (and men) was simply amazing!  I was able to visit with many missionaries working in various countries – Thailand, Russia, China. What a wonderful awakening to realize how much gospel work is being done all over the world. I remember talking to the missionary from Russia who said they were working on a campaign to reach 200,000 people! My first thought was to be humbled by our smaller mission here. Then I remembered that the Lord has put us in Costa Maya for a reason, and we thank Him for the opportunity to serve in His Kingdom where…every soul counts!        ~ Deb Blackburn ********************************************** Online donations can be made at www.Costamayaministries.org or by check payable to Costa Maya Ministries and mailed c/o Fred Starck, 1765 Natures Way, Lindenhurst, IL 60046.   Copyright ©2016  Costa Maya Ministries, All rights reserved. * Our mailing address is: 8404 Saltsberry Eagle River, WI 54521 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list