Mexico Update: Empalme, Sonora

This is my first time to the State of Sonora, Mexico, so I really did not know what to expect. We left Phoenix at 3 AM, had an easy border crossing and arrived in the coastal town of Empalme (em PALM eh), right at noon. As we aproached the area, Jon Gross and Ted Reisig from Fountain Hills Church, both were shocked at how green everything looked. The desert was blooming. As we got close, we could see where roads and bridges had washed away.

The church building in Empalme is being repaired, with tile going in where carpet used to be. "We cannot stop the rain or the sea, but we can be sure that we do not suffer like this, again" says Pastor Alfredo. Jon is our electrician and helped to install the electrical system, originally. He was able to take out the guts of the old system and did not have to deal with any new hardware. He was able to check, repair and recheck the system in just a few hours!

There is much to do, but the pastor is glad for what has happened as a result of the hurricane and flood. I will share that video, tomorrow, if I can.

Frank

Top Picture: Pastor Alfredo shows the high water mark of the flood. His church lost a computer and sound equipment, pews, books, Bible Study materials and the list goes on. Donations have replaced the computer, already.

Center Picture: Alfredo Jr. has just seen the sofa bed and I am pretty sure he has claimed it as his own. The pastor's house is connected to the church building and suffered the same damages. Alfredo and his brothers have slept together for 3 weeks.

Bottom Picture: Alfredo Marín, Frank Lamca, Jon Gross and Ted Reisig.

Hurricane Damage in Mexico

 

Just a few weeks ago, the pastor of this church in

Empalme, Sonora, Mexico was at the Church at

Arrowhead in Glendale, Arizona to take part in a

banquet for Operation Mexico Missions. His

church and town have been hit by the storm surge

of a hurricane that roared across the Sea of Cortez.

                                                                                                              

I am headed to Mexico with some men from

Fountain Hills Baptist Church to take some

supplies down as the Mexican congregation

continues to dig out and clean up. We will leave in

the early hours of Saturday and return by Sunday

night. You can pray for our safety, of course, but

pray also that we will have a chance to really get

across to the members of the church that we are members of an even greater brotherhood.

I am so thankful for how my new job is allowing me to be flexible and be part of things like this. We

hope to see our ministry in Latin American begin to be on the upswing, once again.

I hope to be able to report back on Saturday night from Mexico.    Frank