Happy Fall!!!
The weather is certainly turning chilly here in Virginia, and the leaves are beginning to change color.
Jumping into July…
Shortly after I returned to 
Nayarit, for a 1-day camp planned and executed entirely by our four student leaders: Jesus, José Luis, Martin, and Sandy. This activity was intended to welcome o
leaders, build a sense of community, encourage teamwork, and welcome them into the youth group. We headed to a public park where they played several team-building games and then spent some time debriefing in small groups. While the kids were playing, Steve, Geña, and I prepared lunch. After lunch Martin shared a devotion that He had prepared, and then all four leaders gave short testimonies about what it was like for them when they first began attending the youth group. They 
encouraged the kids that things were going to be different but that the Lord was going to teach them a lot and that they were going to have a lot of fun in the process. It was truly a great day. After the organized activities were over, we headed to the mini-zoo that is next to the park and then spent some time playing soccer
before heading home. The kids seemed to have a really great time, and we’re excited to see how completely they have jumped into youth group activities since their “induction” as the New Generation! We are excited to see how the Lord will begin raising up yet another generation for Him among the youth of Cofradía and the surrounding towns. We were also thrilled to see how the four student leaders took ownership of their first task as leaders, which was this camp. There have been other tasks that have followed, and with each one their dedication and passion for how the Lord is using them grows.
A couple of weeks after Camp New Generation, we hosted another speed soccer tournament. It was
a really exciting time, and the young men who participated as team captains and as team members played hard and glorified the Lord with their attitudes and leadership. One of the goals for these sports tournaments is to draw in more youth that are not part of the church yet and to encourage the current youth group members to reach out to their friends and to be leaders among their peers. Just as in our Christmas tournament, the youth went above and beyond as they lived out this vision. If you want to read more, please check out Steve’s blog at http://thesilbermans.blogspot.com/2007/07/summer-youth-soccer-tournament-report.html. At the end of the tournament we had an awards ceremony (winning team to the right) and a LIFE NIGHT event. The church in Arrayanes was packed with all the youth that attended, and it was the first official event for our New Generation. In addition our four student leaders were introduced to the youth for the first time as “Pastors”. It was a very exciting night!
In addition to these youth group activities, at the beginning of July we delivered 2 of our youth, Mili and Julio to a 5-week intensive mini- DTS (Discipleship Training School) hosted by the YWAM bas in 
Culiacan. During this program they spent 3 weeks in lectures on subjects such as intercessory prayer, doctrine, and missions, and they spent 2 weeks doing outreach missions and evangelism in surrounding areas. These two young people graduated from that school as completely different people than who they were when they began. They have a new confidence in their identity in Christ and a new fervor and passion that drives them forward in leadership among their peers and in the larger church body. We are excited to see how the Lord will continue to grow and use them to impact
August Whirlwind…
From July 31 through August 4, twelve of our youth (plus Mili and Julio who were already there with the mini-DTS) attended a yearly youth camp in La Cruz, Sinaloa about 4 hours north of Cofradia. We camped in tents and enjoyed relay games/competitions, solid preaching from several dynamic guest
speakers, passionate youth-led worship, and fellowship with youth from all over Mexico and even from Texas! God moved in powerful ways among the youth present that week, and not one of our youth returned unchanged. It was exciting to see the differences in them as we returned back to life at home. They were bolder and filled with a joy that radiated from their hearts. Their testimonies of the Lord's work in them are powerful. God is certainly preparing for something in our area, and I'm beginning to think that it is starting with our youth! So much happened during that week that there really is not room enough to share it all here. Please go to http://amberinmexico.blogspot.com/2007/08/harvesting-destinies-with-firm-step.html to read more and see pictures.
Two weeks after we returned home from camp, our youth went out to three different surrounding towns to do open-air evangelistic programs for the youth of those towns. This has been a dream of 
our four student leaders for some time, as well as of many of the other youth. I took over the organizing of this event while Steve and Gena got some much needed family R&R in 
was spent in Pilas. In each town the youth went door to door to personally invite everyone to come, and then they played sports or other games with those who arrived to watch the program. Their testimonies were powerful, and their enthusiasm was evident as they acted out silent dramas about how Christ wants our true hearts and not our masked selves and how sin traps us and only Christ can free us from that trap. 
When the programs were over they spread out to pray with the folks who wanted prayer, and we saw people come to know Christ through this event and the prayers of our youth. This has truly energized them, and they continue to plan similar events in other areas surrounding Cofradia. They are excited to see how God is fulfilling their dreams for Him and not just the dreams of their leaders, and they are catching the fire of God's heart for the lost around them! There is so much to share about this event, so please go to http://amberinmexico.blogspot.com to read more and see pictures!
Jiggidy Jig…
Well, my trip back to Virginia wasn't so quick as "jiggidy jig", but it was definitely blessed. I left the same week as the same week as the youth evangelism outreaches, so that week was quite hectic as
I was putting finishing touches on the items required for the dramas and choreography, accompanying the youth to the towns to execute the programs, and packing. In addition, my good friend Erika from Guadalajara was visiting that week. But after very little sleep and three days of traveling, including an all-night flight from LA to DC, I finally made it home. To top it all off, in the process of trying to get home, the Lord provided an opportunity for me to volunteer for a later flight and receive a travel voucher from American Airlines that has paid for most of my plane ticket back to Mexico in October. PRAISE THE LORD!!! His perfect timeing and provision never cease to amaze and overwhelm me!
My first month home has been quite restful and enjoyable. I was able to visit family 
in
Dave, Kathy, and Jonathan Elias are currently in
Jay, Faith, Isaiah,
Doug and Jan Taylor are currently in
Steve and Geña Silberman and their daughters are still in Cofradía, while the rest of the staff is not. This means that they, along with the pastor and his wife (Goyo & Mati), are the only ones there to keep the ministries running. They are also in the midst of a very involved, month-long youth activity called THE CHALLENGE that requires a lot of volunteer staff, organization, and planning. They are looking forward to a break state-side in November. In the meantime, please keep them in your prayers for rest during this time, wisdom in the decisions that must be made daily, patience, endurance, and energy!
Thank you for your patience with me and for your continued support. The Lord has done much over the last year, and I’m looking forward to the “even more” He has in store for the upcoming year!
Blessings to each of you!!!
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