The Brickyard

Hello everybody! Thanks for visiting our blog.
I want to share with you a little bit about a place in Chihuahua called “the brickyard.” It is a home and workplace for many impoverished families who seek to support themselves by making bricks. They live in small shacks with dirt floors (you can see the shacks on the horizon in the photo below) and have next to nothing. My first trip to the brickyard last year was incredibly eye opening. I had never before seen such poverty. The children wore filthy clothes, most of which did not fit or were extremely tattered, drank unsanitary water, and lived with all their siblings and parents in one-room homes the size of an average American living room.
Although we could not communicate with words, it took only a short time to become their friends. They were easily entertained by our games of hide-and-seek, frisbee, and wheelbarrow racing. To the children, a camera was a foreign novelty! They often asked us to take their pictures and loved seeing themselves on our small digital screens!
In addition to relational ministry last year, we were able to make screen doors and windows for some of the families. This year, we hope to expand our ministry to even greater lengths by building outhouses and providing eyeglasses and basic medical supplies to those who are in need. We will also be helping with a literacy and Bible club for the kids.
Another thing we are excited about this year is the opportunity to attend the local church at the brickyard! Allison, a missionary with New Tribes, has been ministering to the families at the brickyard for some time. She has seen several Mexicans come to Christ, and there is a small congregation - mostly consisting of women and children - that meets on Sunday mornings on site at the brickyard. We are all thrilled and privileged to be invited to worship with them!
Would you please pray for us, specifically concerning our ministry at the brickyard? Please pray that God would give us opportunities to tangibly show the love of Christ and that we would be obedient to extend that same love that has been so lavishly bestowed upon us.
Only three more days!

Signed,
Jessie

Last Year's Trip - Video

Here is a look at last year's trip...

How You Can Pray For Us

Please pray...
--That our team would be devoted to prayer
--There would be team unity
--That everyone that still needs money for the trip, will get it on time
--That we would come back changed with a deeper love for God
--For all the little details, like there won't be car trouble, we will all get seats on the same plane, everyone will be safe while working with the tools and equipment, and no one would get real sick
--That we would have open hearts and eyes to see God do big things
--That God would prepare our hearts as the days left before the trip get shorter
--That we will be an encouragement to everyone we come in contact with
--That God would be glorified in all we say and do

*Praise*
Everyone has their passports!

-Megan Schwoch

Construction Work With NTM

One dimension of the work we do in Mexico is working for NTM. New Tribes Mission attempts to spread the gospel to people groups who have not heard the message in their own languages. One part of this work is in Rancho Siloe, a unique and exciting facility several miles outside of Chihuahua City, Mexico. "The Ranch" is a missionary training facility for Spanish-speaking people from Central and South America. Students who train there will help to carry the gospel to remote people groups in their own parts of the world.

During summer breaks, the missionary/teachers at El Rancho host groups who want to be part of the missionary endeavor. Our youth group is one such group. We will be working hard to do construction and manual labor needed at this facility each morning. This year we will be doing cement work, framing, and possibly roofing on the new multi-purpose building or staff housing.
We are so thankful for the opportunity to support the work of the Gospel that is going on in Mexico. We would appreciate your prayer support as we are there. We want to follow God in whatever ways we can.

-Matt Snyder

Benefit Concert Offering

We took up a special offering at our recent benefit concert and were able to raise over $100 to go toward medical supplies for the brickyard.

We will buy supplies to take with us and put in the hands of New Tribes missionary, Allison and the local church. Then they can give out medication as the families of the brick yard may need it.

We are excited about being able to minister to the physical needs of these people we met last year.

-Josh

Why Are We Blogging?

In 2007 we set out for Chihuahua, Mexico with the goal to spread the love of Christ. During our two weeks there, God began to reveal his heart for the nations to us. It is that heart for the nations that we long to know more intimately. We want to see the renown of His name spread across the earth. We want to see people freed from bondage and brought into His marvelous light.

On June 1st, we will again embark on a journey to Mexico. This year, we have a fresh passion to approach the systemic issues that have been overlooked. How can we address the physical situation with compassion? What can we do to bring healing to the physical as well as the spiritual diseases? We want to love in a way that brings change; we want to give medical and educational support for the impoverished families.
We are reminded of the ministry approach of Jesus. He met people where they were at. None were the same after an encounter with Christ. He left each person changed in some way.

We will be working with local missionaries and churches to maximize our effectiveness. Combined with their experience and connections, we will have a much more poignant and deeper impact.

We set up this blog so that you can pray, partner, and journey with us!

(Keep checking back as we post stories, pictures, and videos.)

We hope you, too, begin to catch a glimpse God's heartbeat for the nations.

-Josh Harris
Student Pastor