July 05 trip report from Jim Nichols

What another wonderful week in Chiapas! We had a group of 15 people, from Crestview, FL, from Family Life in Lafayette, LA, and from Lafayette Vineyard in Lafayette, LA for the week of July 16-23. We actually overlapped with the youth group from Church of the Son in Orlando, FL, and got to visit with them, and fall in love with them, too. While the Orlando group was in Israelita, we were building a church in Chicumtantic, painting a church in Chemtic (that many of the same people had helped build last October), and painting some of the bleachers in the ampitheater in Chenalho. While the construction team was working, the medical team (along with Dr. Lulu Araujo) was seeing medical and dental patients all day—a tremendous need, especially in Checumtantic. But I can assure you that there are about 300 fewer teeth in Chiapas this week than there were last week!!

Pastor Blaine Perrodin preached the dedication message at Chicumtantic. I’m particularly excited about reaching out to this village, because it’s a Chamula village. Most of the ministry’s efforts have been with the Tzotzil Indians of Chiapas. There is a neighboring area, inhabited by Chamula Indians, who have been much more resistant and closed to the gospel. But many of the nearby Tzotzil Indian congregations are beginning to reach out to, and evangelize, these Chamula Indians. God’s kingdom-building heart is reaching up and down the mountains of Chiapas!

The Lord has really blessed these people in Checumtantic with a tremendous view! Their village sits on top of a mountain, over 7000 feet in altitude, looking over the valley where we drove up from Chenalho. Beautiful view, but a little more challenging for the construction workers, who mixed concrete on the ground with shovels in very thin air!

Some of our group attended the first night’s service of the youth convention in Tuxtla-Gutiererez, along with the group from Church of the Son. Pastor Ryan preached in English, interpreted by Pablo, so all present received the full impact of his message on the primary importance of the cross. The altar was filled with young people at the end of his message! Although both are important to the kingdom, I know that God is more blessed by seeing young people fall on their knees than by seeing buildings rise up. Buildings will some day be dust, but the souls of these young people (from both sides of the border) are eternal!

- Jim Nichols