Bits from the Baja: E-mail Update 11/14/2011

Dear Friends,
Please forgive the delay in communication. We are working on our combined summer/fall newsletter which will be full of pictures and information on our new home and ministry. Lord willing, it will be in your inbox and on its way to the post office by the end of the week. Thank you so much for your patience and for your prayers during this time of transition.

As you may recall, we had a team come from Fresno, CA last month to help with building bunk beds for the dormitory at the ranch and to hold health workshops (see photos above and descriptions below). We are so grateful for all that the team was able to accomplish in the short time they were here. The workshops in the Marquéz de Leon (MDL) neighborhood where we are planning the new church plant went really well. We are praising God for the new contacts that were made and the relationships developed with the director of the DIF center. (DIF is the agency responsible for the development of the family in Mexico.) DIF is thrilled to have the support and assistance in helping this very needy community.

This past weekend, there was an evangelistic festival held in La Paz. The theme was Saving the Family. As you are aware, the family is under attack everywhere and especially in Mexico. There is a 70% divorce rate and a high abuse rate here. Only Christ can transform lives and families. The event was a combined effort by the evangelical churches in La Paz. It was beautiful to see so many brothers and sisters working together. We look forward to seeing how the Lord brings fruit from this special outreach.

Next weekend, we will be kicking off the Saturday horse ministry at the ranch for this fall/winter. Please pray for us as we help out our coworkers, Pete and Cher Gatto and for the Lord to use this in the lives of all the children, youth and families who participate. There are some pressing needs at the ranch including the need for more corrals to be built. Please pray with us for the Lord’s provision for this urgent need.

Phil has been developing a relationship with our neighbor “S”. He walks every morning and has invited Phil to join him whenever he is able. Phil has had the opportunity to get to know him better through their walks. Please pray that “S” will see his need for a personal relationship with Jesus and find freedom from the lie that he needs to do things to earn his salvation.

As Thanksgiving draws near, we cannot help but be reminded once again of all the blessings the Lord has poured out upon us. You are among His greatest blessings to our family as you pray, support and encourage us in His work here. We pray you have a very blessed time celebrating all He has done for you and your families.

By His Grace,

The Eager Family

Photo Descriptions:

First photo: during the workshop
Remaning photos: We were responsible for the children’s program. These are from that portion of our time with them-playing games and getting to know them.

Bits from the Baja: E-mail Update 10/14/2011

Saludos! (Greetings!)

We trust you are enjoying the change of seasons in the states. We are grateful to feel some change in the weather here. The tempuratures have lowered below the 100's. It is amazing what a 10 degree difference can do!
We are also grateful for a short term missions team from Fresno, CA that arrived yesterday. They will be helping to build some much needed bunk beds for the dormitory at the ranch. Please pray for safety and energy for those who are part of the construction team. If you are on Facebook, be sure to check out the ranch's page-Rancho El Camino in La Paz, BCS. It has a lot of great pictures from a recent baptism service, a group of at risk kids who visited the ranch with several members of the local police and much more. The team will also be holding some health related workshops in Marquez de Leon (MDL), the neighborhood we hope to start the new church plant. There will be a total of four workshops held tomorrow-two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Personal testimonies and the Gospel will be shared along with the workshops. Phil will helping head up the children's activities while adults and youth attend the workshops. Please pray for a great turnout and that the Lord will use this opportunity mightily in the lives of all who attend to build His Kingdom in MDL.

On a personal note, we have moved in all our furniture and unpacked many of our boxes. Eager Academy (our home school) just completed its 3rd week for this school year. It is nice to be getting into a routine again. We hope to finish unpacking and getting the last pieces settled soon. We continue to be in awe of how the Lord moved and provided this house for us. The Lord has already provided some neat connections with our neighbors. Please be in prayer as we reach out to them, especially for "M" a grandmotherly lady who always stops to greet us when she walks by and for "S" with whom Phil was invited to walk with in the mornings.

We hope to get a summer and fall prayer letter out to you soon. We appreciate your patience during this time of transition to a new city and ministry. As always, we are so thankful for your partnership with us.

By His Grace,
The Eager Family

What's in your cup?

"If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted." Amy Carmichael

I read the above quote several years ago and it had a pretty convicting impact on me at the time. We were undergoing the usual stresses involved with being in a different culture and balancing all the demands of family and ministry. The Lord has continued to bring this quote to mind on numerous occasions and I have often paused to think, "What is spilling out of my cup right now....is it bitter or sweet water?"

The path to becoming more like Christ is a journey....day by day, laying aside our selfishness and pride, allowing sweet water to flow from us even when we are suddenly jolted rather than bitter water, even when we can justify lashing out from a human stanpoint. Here's to the journey....may we all overflow with sweet water no matter what jolts we experience in this earthly life-kids misbehaving, being misunderstood, sickness or death of loved ones...whatever it might be.

Grateful for His grace,
Pattie

Bits from the Baja E-mail Update: September 15, 2011

Greetings from La Paz!

We wanted to thank you all for praying for us as we searched for a house. If you keep up with us on Facebook or our blog then you already know that great news of God's provision of a rental house literally within the first few days of our arrival. If you want the full story with all the details, check out the post below titled "Why Am I Surprised?" Please, continue to pray for us as we unpack and get more settled in. We are anxious to be done with unpacking and begin to focus more on ministry.

We have already met several times as a team with our new co-workers, Pete and Cher Gatto as well as others who are involved with the ministry here. It has been a blessing to be filled in all that God is already doing through the ranch ministry and making connections in the Marquez de Leon (MDL) neighborhood. Please pray with us that relationships already begun with individuals and families in MDL through the ranch's horse ministry and special outreaches will bear much fruit for the Kingdom. A team from California will be coming next month. They will be working with the health center/clinic in MDL and also hope to share some health related workshops in the school. They also plan to construct 16 much needed bunk beds for the ranch's dormitory. It is a blessing to have teams come to serve the Lord and the community. Please pray for safety and more connections to be made for sharing the Gospel and making disciples. An urgent need at the ranch is the completion of a roof for the bunk house. Please pray with us for the Lord's provision for this special need. If you want to get a better picture of what the Lord is doing through the ranch ministry, check out the website (link below) and read the blog postings by the summer interns. It will excite you what the Lord is doing!

Until we are ready to begin a more formal work in MDL, we will be attending TEAM's church plant here called La Paz de Cristo. They are holding an annual outreach tonight for Mexico's Independence Day. Please pray that the Lord will use this event to bring people closer to him. Please also pray for wisdom as there are many opportunities for ministering but we want to be sensitive to exactly what the Lord has for us and want to keep ourselves free to minister with the ranch and church planting in MDL.

Thank you once again for faithfully praying for us. We felt your prayers as we travelled back down the Baja and as we searched for the house the Lord had for us here. We are blessed to have you as our team.

By His grace,
The Eager family

Why am I Surprised?

I had promised on Facebook more details on our house hunt and the house the Lord has provided. I decided I should also share the story here as well for those who are not on Facebook. I think I will just copy from my journal entry last night below to make it easier for me.

Disclaimer: It is fairly long so if you don't have the time to read all the details, the "Reader's Digest" version is that the Lord led us to just the right people at the right timing to a house that is VERY close to the neighborhood we plan to be working in and the ranch where our coworkers live. The owner also attends TEAM's church plan here in La Paz as well which we did not know until she got out of her car to show the house to us. :)

Now for the LONG version with all the details....

Matthew 7: 9-11 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

As I reflect over the last few days since our arrival in La Paz, I can't help but be overwhelmed. Overwhelmed in the best possible way at the goodness of God and the way He has ordered each step! So much so that I would love to blast some worship music right now. Seeing as it is almost 11pm though, I better not!

Earlier this evening, the Lord brought the verses to mind from Matthew 7. The Lord has been teaching me so much about prayer this past year and once again, I see I have so much to learn. It should not have surprised me how quickly He moved on our behalf for a house when so many scattered around the world were praying for that very thing!

On Tuesday, when we started our hunt, it was frustrating for so many reasons. Even though we've been here many times for meetings and conferences, we still don't really "know" the city-its streets, its neighborhoods, etc. Just when Phil and I were feeling discouraged about driving around seeming aimlessly, our good friend Alejandra called my cel and asked what we were doing. (She is from La Paz and has been a good friend since we were in language school. She was attending the seminary part of the school while we were there. Our family loves her and she has been a tremendous blessing to us.) She offered to help us. She helped with looking in the paper with us, making calls on our behalf regarding potential houses, narrowing down what parts of the city would be most ideally located for our ministry, etc.

That afternoon, we decided to drop Phil and the kids off back where we were staying so that Alejandra and I could drive around some and go to an appointment to see a house later. While driving around a neighborhood she felt would be a good one for our family, we saw a couple of larger houses that appeared to be empty but with no for rent signs posted. She suggested we stop and ask some of the neighbors. We met a mother and her son who is in his late 20's. They were both very helpful and the son asked us many questions about what we needed, what part of the city, etc. He then told us he had a friend whose family had moved to other parts and had two houses and perhaps we might be able to rent one. He offered to call her for us and arranged for us to meet up the next day to meet his friend and see her house.

Fast forward to the next day...Alejandra and I had seen some pretty dismal houses and my expectations were decreasing rapidly. I had resigned myself to the fact that probably any house we rent will need a lot of work. So, when followed the young man to his friend's house, I was instantly struck by how nice and well-kept it was from the outside. I even loved the color of it-a nice shade of green! When the owner arrived and got out of her car, Alejandra says to me in surprise, "I know her! She attends my church, La Paz de Cristo." At that moment, my spirit felt in awe because it seemed way too much of a "coincidence". It sure seemed as if the Lord was confirming that this was the place. It is a beautiful house-not perfect-but really well cared for and with three large bedrooms and patios outside. Plenty of room for the kids to play and to have people over.

Of course, the more analytical side of me started to take over later and I started to doubt. Maybe this is too quick. Maybe we should look more. Are we rushing God?, etc. So, that night, we had a really good talk with the kids and a time of prayer about the houses we had seen. There were two others that were ok but one of them would need some work before we could move in and the other was farther away from the part of the city we wanted to be in. We all felt that the green house was the best option in spite of the fact that it had only 1 bathroom. :) Phil suggested that we pray very specifically about it and for the Lord's confirmation. We decided to do a Gideon type of thing. We prayed that if this was the right house, that when we got the day's paper again that there would be no new ads that would fit our needs and that a lady who was also trying to find a house for us would not have found any options. Yesterday morning, there were no new ads and the lady did not have any housing options for us. It felt like total confirmation-just like when Gideon put the fleece out.

We went and saw the house one more time last night and ask the owner some of the questions we had thought of since our initial meeting with her. At the end, we had decided to offer the young man who had helped arrange it all some money for his expenses for gas and his cel phone but her refused it. Alejandra pointed out that it was perhaps another confirmation from the Lord because he was sincerely just trying to help out without expectation of monetary reward-truly a gift sent to us from the Lord...just like the house!

One of the best parts for me is that our kids got to be such an integral part in the whole process. I pray this has been a tremendous faith building lesson in each of their lives as well.

Bits from the Baja: E-mail Update 8/23/11

Greetings from a very hot La Paz! We were told that it started to really heat up here last week. What a thoughtful welcome!

"Lord, put your angels around our tires. Surround our van right now. Be with Phil as he drives," was a repeated prayer during our second day of driving. We hit a couple of nasty stretches of construction where the road was completely torn up and blowing out our tires a very real concern. Thank you so much for praying us down. We sensed your prayers throughout the drive and we have no doubts that they contributed greatly to our safe arrival here in La Paz yesterday evening.

We would greatly appreciate your continued prayers as we search for just the right house for our family. We were able to check out several houses today and already have several appointments lined up for tomorrow. We are trusting that the Lord has just the right one out there for our family and we want to be sensitive to His leading.

By His Grace,
The Eager Family

Home Assignment Happenings (E-mail update): FINAL Edition for this Home assignment 8/18/11

Greetings from near the border!

We are excited to let you know that we are on our way back to Mexico! We plan to cross the border early tomorrow (Friday) morning. Our home assignment has been full of so many blessings. It has been wonderful visiting with many of you over the course of the year and share firsthand what the Lord has been doing in Mexico. We are so grateful for the wonderful support team God has provided for us. Your prayers and encouragement keep us going! God is faithful and has provided all we were lacking for our return to ministry in the Baja. We praise Him especially for our newest partners, Leona Valley Community Church. They provided a home church for us during the second half of our home assignment and have been His hands and feet to our family.

As we return to Baja, here are some specific prayer requests:

· Smooth and safe travel down the peninsula to La Paz. Lord willing, we should arrive there on Sunday or Monday.

· Dealing with the transition well. We all made some wonderful friends during home assignment and miss them yet are excited to be returning to our adopted home in Mexico. Living in close proximity to so much family the past several months has also been a HUGE blessing that we are now missing as well. Emotions for everyone are going up and down quite a bit. Just tonight, while getting the kids into bed, Luke (3 yrs.) kept saying over and over, “Me want go home, me want go home.” Even in his little heart and mind, he senses the changes coming and wants the security of the home he knows at the camp. Pray that we will have wisdom and sensitivity to help each of our children through the transition well.

· Housing. We will be in a temporary housing arrangement and hope to find a house for rent as quickly as possible. Please pray with us that we find a great fit for our family and ministry needs. Ideally, we would love to find something and get moved in before the first of September so we can avoid the monthly rental fee on the storage unit where our furniture has been while on home assignment.

· Open doors for ministry. God continues to confirm to us that La Paz is the place He has for us right now. We are excited for the many opportunities He will provide for ministry.

Thank you again for your partnership with our family.

By His Grace,

The Eager Family

May Baptism Pics-See details in post below

Home Assignment Happenings E-mail Update: 5/12/2011

Warm Greetings from California!

We are excited to share the news that 9 teens and adults from Iglesia Emanuel were baptized on May 1^st.
(Pictures posted above-courtsey of the Reyes')

Our co-workers from San Jose report -

Each person has a unique story of how he or she came to know Jesus:

Samuel from Russia was led to Christ by his Mexican stepfather. Ricardo, a former drug addict, learned about Christ from Amarildo who was baptized last year. (Ricardo is second-from-the-left in the third photo. Two of the men are from his cell group and two are former alcoholics who have faithfully encouraged him.)

Daniel and Sinthia's mother told me to tell Art that they were interested in becoming Christians-could I ask Art to talk with them? (That is a VERY Latin way to communicate!) Their older sister was baptized with them. She had received Christ in her cell group last year.

It never gets tiring to see people following Christ and making this public commitment! We are especially excited that many youth took the next step in obedience. It is also thrilling to witness more fruit from Amarildo’s life and testimony. The three siblings mentioned are from a family whose initial contact was made through an outreach using EvangeCubes, a special tool for sharing the Gospel.

Iglesia Emanuel continues to grow in number and spiritually. The congregation voted to approve hiring a young Mexican pastor to come and co-pastor alongside our co-worker, Art Reyes. They are awaiting his response. Please pray as the church continues to move towards a completely nationally led congregation. It is wonderful to see them growing in so many ways.

Next week (May 16-20) is our field’s annual conference for the missionaries. Since we are based in Southern California for the remainder of our home assignment, we have decided to attend the conference as well as make a short visit to San Jose afterwards. In light of the growth of Iglesia Emanuel and the reality that it is transitioning to national leadership, this places us in a position of asking the Lord, “What’s next?” We have been praying and have been dialoguing with those at TEAM’s headquarters but we look forward to the opportunity to discuss all of the potential opportunities with our fellow teammates at the conference. It will also be a great pleasure to hear reports from all of the various ministries TEAM has in Mexico of what God is doing. Please pray for all of us who will be participating in the conference and that we would receive clear direction for our future ministry. We would also greatly appreciate your prayers for safety and an uneventful drive down and back.

Our goal remains to finish up our home assignment and return to the field in late July or early August. We praise the Lord for increase in our support level and trusting Him for the remainder as we continue to visit with several more churches in Southern California.

Thank you for your prayers and partnering with us!

The Eager Family

Where Do You Live?

For most people, this question doesn’t generate any anxiety, concern, confusion or related emotions. However, for our family right now, it is an especially hard question. With all the transitions we have faced and continue to face on the mission field, here on home assignment right now and as we plan and prepare for our return to Mexico, it becomes increasingly more difficult. Our seven year old, Micah, summed it up really well a few weeks ago when he cheerfully and matter of factly said, “We don’t live anywhere, we live everywhere!”

In all honesty, at the time, I did not know whether to laugh or cry. Laugh because it is comical in a sense all of the places we’ve been. Cry because I know he is lacking something I had growing up-the sense of security and permanence that living in one house for most of your growing up years can provide. It also reminded me of the Bible’s teaching about the reality that this world is NOT our home. But, oh, at times, it is still hard to not long for that sense of security and permanence that a fixed address seems to provide.

Recent events in our lives have had me pondering these issues once again…where do you live? At this point in our lives and ministry, there seem to be more questions than answers regarding our future. I confess that I am what I like to call a “recovering control freak” as step by shaky step, I am learning to yield control over to the Lord-it was really always His anyways, right?! So, you can imagine that unknowns tend to stress me out. Well, I have just been through several experiences that have filled me with such peace that I KNOW could ONLY come from Him. This recovering control freak could never have mustered this sense of deep, abiding peace on her own-that is for sure!

You see, as our world, some of our dreams were shaken the other day and we felt blind sided-He showed up in such a powerful and undeniable way for me. This experience with my Savior has been such a growing, testing one and at times painful but oh so worth it for the glimpses of Him and His enfolding embrace I felt and continue to feel.

As I sat contemplating where we will live, He brought me to a quote that I felt He placed for me to find at just the right moment to bear fruit in my life. For you see, the idea was not all that new or profound but it was for me at that moment. The quote is, “Make God your permanent residence. Everything else is just temporary.” I don’t even know who said it first but oh the profound truth for me in that moment. That longing for security and permanence-fulfilled when I chose to make Him my PERMANENT residence. My tears over what felt like a lost dream turned to peace and joy knowing that the dream lost wasn’t lost at all-for HE is my one hope and my dream-everything else truly is temporary.

Then we went to church in the morning and every song was like a resounding confirmation to TRUST completely in Him and to LIVE in Him. God knew I needed that extra reminder of what He’d shown me the night before. Those songs had been planned days, perhaps weeks, before but He knew exactly what I needed that morning.

Blessed Be Your Name reminded me that even though He gives and takes away, I still need to choose to praise Him and it reminded me of what a pastor once spoke about that song-how if we cling too tightly to something, then our hands cannot be open to receive what God wants to give us in its place. So, while that dream had looked so good, I am now expectant and excited for the new one He will give.

Another song spoke of how sweet it is to trust in Jesus and I think, in that moment, I finally understood completely what those lyrics meant even though I’d been singing that hymn practically since I learned to speak.

Finally, another old hymn held such power and meaning as never before-I Surrender All. O Father, I do surrender it all-our future, my control freak ways… EVERYTHING! Towards the end of the song, it actually says, “In His presence daily live.” I can’t say that the line ever held such meaning to me before.

So, back to the original question, where do you live?

Home Assignment Happenings (E-mail update): March 2, 2011

Warm greetings from the Phoenix area!

We left California this past weekend just before the camp we are staying at was to be hit by a snow storm. The kids were a bit disappointed but we were grateful to have escaped. We realized after the first two snows there that we are no longer used to the cold and especially snow! However, we are thankful that our kids' prayers for snow to play in have been answered! (I will attach a picture of them.)

We are currently participating in a missions conference in Sun City, Arizona. It has been a wonderful time of teaching and encouragement. We love sharing what God is doing in Mexico and we absolutely love hearing what He is doing all over the world as well. We greatly appreciate your continued prayers for safety when we need to travel in order to visit churches and individuals.

We have not had a lot to report the past several months. Much of our time has been spent settling in to the trailer we are living in at the camp and connecting with people and churches. We are grateful for the continued opportunities the Lord has provided for us to share what the He is doing in Mexico. We feel especially blessed by the Lord's guidance to a nearby church for us to attend while living there. It reminds us a lot of our church in Mexico because of how warm and welcoming everyone is.

Before closing out, we want to share a bit from a report we received from our co-workers in San Jose del Cabo. We are praising the Lord that several newer youth have accepted Christ. Please pray with us that they will continue to grow spiritually and become leaders within the youth group and the church. They have also asked prayer for several who are struggling spiritually. Please pray particularly for one young lady who is choosing to marry later this month against the wishes of her family and for another young man who has decided he wants nothing more to do with his faith. We know that the prayers of God's people are powerful and effective. Thank you for rejoicing with us for those who have come to know Him and for standing with us in prayer for those in need.

By His Grace,
Phil and Pattie