Lives Changed: High School Dormitory

Tuesday, March 13, we went with some brothers to the high school dormitory. Mexico is very large, and many kids cannot afford the bus fare to come back and forth from their homes to school. Instead, some schools provide government-funded dorms where the students stay for the week, and sometimes for the semester.

The Wilke family has been visiting the high school dormitory on a monthly basis, as they are invited, but this was our first trip. The Mexican goverment prohibits Bibles or preaching or teaching the Bible on government or school property. However, the director of the dormitory has permitted missionaries to come once a month, sometimes less, to share the message of life in Christ because he likes the morale that the message brings to the children who listen.

Lacy and a teenager from the high school shared worship music, and Josh played the drums while Greg Wilke played his harmonica. The Spirit really moved in our worship and praises, and the entire set of music seemed to flow so wonderfully. Lacy was really uplifted in her spirit. The kids really enjoyed the fast songs, and they respected the worship songs. Two sisters, Carmen and Cecila, shared their testimonies of how God changed their lives. You can read their testimonies in previous posts.

Our main speaker, brother Alfonzo, was very afraid to speak or to use his Bible. He had heard of people being arrested for preaching to students on campus, and he was leary of using Christ's name in a message. He went with the intention of speaking on a very non-religious topic, although he did not have peace about it. We spoke with him about not having a spirit of fear, and about how the early Christians were also arrested for proclaiming Christ's truth. As Peter said in Acts: "Whether we should obey you or God, you decide: for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard!"

After much prayer through the music and testimonies, Alfonzo delivered a powerful yet simple teaching. He told the children that he understood they were searching for answers as young people: searching for jobs, searching for what to do after school, searching for future spouses. He encouraged the teenagers to seek the things of God, because the things of this earth are temporal and are short-lived, but the things of God are eternal and will last forever.

After the sermon, we saw that out of 20 listeners, only 6 teenagers were left in the group. Greg talked with them, and they asked to talk more with Alfonzo about accepting the Lord. Alfonzo explained the Christian walk and the way of the Cross, the hardships and the joys, and afterwards, when they were still interested, he shared scriptures in Romans and led them through a sinner's prayers.

Wednesday, we returned again to share more music with the kids. There were nine total, including 5 of the 6 who had given their lives to Christ on Tuesday. Hector, the teenager who sang with Lacy, and his cousin shared "ranchero"-style music with a Christian message, and Lacy sang some worship songs. Afterwards, we gathered in a circle for prayer.

Please be praying for an opportunity that we will have in two weeks to visit the actual high school. We will be singing and sharing tesimonies four times in one day. It is a very great step, and we look forward to it, and seek God to minister and lead in the correct direction.

Also, please pray for the unity of believers here. Everyone is relatively new believers, from 6 months-2 years old. Before Christ, they were Catholics or Jehovahs Witnesses or Atheists. Now in Christ, some see themselves enslaved to Christ, while others are learning their freedom in Christ. This has caused arguments, and we are trying to minister and teach as clearly as possible. Please pray that the God of Peace would surpass our understanding of this situation and give us heavenly wisdom.

Blessings,

Lacynda Webb