Reaching out to More in Mexico

Isn't she a cutie? I'd love to meet her. But honestly, I'm not sure if I ever will.

Jaqueline lives with her mom, baby sister Andrea, and other relatives in the town of Ascension in the state of Chihuahua, just a couple hours west of Ciudad Juarez. There isn't a Lutheran church in her area. She has relatives that belong to the Santo Tomas congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, served by Pastor Tim Otto.

The family members in Arizona asked Pastor Otto if a Lutheran pastor could come and baptize Andrea. Pastor Otto, in turn, got in touch with Mike, who asked Pastor Carlos Rosales to make the trip over to Ascension. Pastor Carlos Rosales and his family live in the state of Sonora, about eight hours from Ascension.

Earlier this month, Carlos headed over and carried out the service. Here he is baptizing Jaqueline's little sister, Andrea -

The family was grateful to Carlos for making the trip.

Traveling to Ascension to help a family is just one of the many ways pastors here in Mexico are working to reach out to others. Mexico is a big country, and while we have congregations in a number of the major cities, there are many areas where we do not yet have a Lutheran church. Traveling to places like Ascension (and Queretaro, as I mentioned last week) enable us to help people living far from a Lutheran church.

Another way is through the Internet. Members of the Mexican Lutheran church and volunteers in the U.S. are working on a website - http://www.luteranosmexicanos.net/. The site is still under construction, but it scheduled to be finished in late July. In addition to providing information about the Lutheran church in Mexico, the site will list ways to contact pastors, download Bible studies and devotions, view pictures of the congregations, and listen to a weekly sermon.

Technology and the ease of transportation are two tools God has granted us here in Mexico. We're thankful for these blessings, and look forward to serving more people in the future, no matter where in Mexico they live.

And who knows? Maybe someday I'll get a chance to go to Ascension and meet Jaqueline and her family in person.