The Crews We Work With . . .

My wife and I have been working with a very special group of kids from the community of Zorrillo since the spring of 2012, and with those same kids as a bible study group since August of 2014 - some of these kids are in the photo with us, along with our Durango kids, who also make up another bible group in their own community. Today we went out looking in Zorrillo for a semi-permament 'home' for the bible study group - currently we meet in homes in the community. Please pray for us so that: we find a place large enough to expand the group; that it be relatively inexpensive; that in the very near future, if the Lord is willing, we would be able to expand and offer tutoring for the kids, something that we have done for all of the elementary, jr. high, and high school kids we have worked with in the past; that we be able to start bible lessons with the elementary kids asap; that God would provide every necessity required to serve these kids, and serve our Lord; we have God's protection and covering over us; that God be glorified in every step we take with Him. Also, please pray for our groups who currently meet on Wednesdays and Saturday nights at 6pm . . . God's will be done with these precious kids - disciples of Christ.
All of our love,
Walt & Maribel

Hope Endures . . . Thank You Hope Chapel!

Sunday morning . . .  my wife and I drove south for three hours from Santa Barbara and reached Huntington Beach, the home of this beautiful little church called Hope Chapel, with pastor Paul Harmon at the helm. We had been invited by our dear friend Wayne, who I first met down in Mexico way back in 2008. Everything leading up to our chance meeting, and then our invite to visit his church and fellowship with them was totally orchestrated by the Lord. We felt so welcomed there, and for my wife, the very first church she has stepped into on U.S. soil. The worship was filling and the message was timely. Our prayer is that we would continue to be welcomed at this church and our relationship flourish - my wife and I have been praying and longing to be supported by a church stateside, especially for prayer covering. As the Lord would have it, this small church has been praying for me and my wife for weeks, and we are so grateful because we know that God answers prayers. If it be the Lord's will, also please pray that God would touch the hearts of those on the mission board - that perhaps they can somehow support us with a bit of finances - that would be the icing on the proverbial cake. Either way, we are just grateful to know that there is a body of people praying for me and my wife - God's will be done with us and this beautiful church of believers. God is faithful . . .

Maribel Goes To Santa Barbara - Next Stop, Disneyland

That's my precious wife Maribel sitting in downtown Santa Barbara waiting for our pasta salad. If you had told me in 2007 that in eight years I would be sitting with my mexican wife in downtown S.B., I would have told you to your face that you were crazy!
God truly works in mysterious ways - during the entire weekend that my wife and I were visiting up north I had to pinch myself and make sure I wasn't dreaming. That saturday (10/10) was our 17 month anniversary - we are finally (long story) going to have the opportunity to have a honeymoon in early November, something the both of us had been dreaming about and praying for, and which was all made possible with the long awaited approval of my wife's visa. The 'permiso' to cross the border and travel anywhere in the U.S. was just a formality. Now I get to take my wife to a place we've been talking about for years, and perhaps a place that most of us take for granted. Friends of ours and my son have offered to bless us with this trip, and we are so grateful for this opportunity. When you're living on a missionary's budget, something as simple as a trip to Disneyland is a huge blessing! We are so thankful that God has placed people in our lives who have the heart, compassion, and the gift of blessing others - we are also grateful that God uses us to bless all of our kids in the communities we work in -- we serve a God who is in the business of blessing people - all glory to our Lord.

Honey Are We There Yet?

I had crossed the border twice in the last two months, the last time with my wife, her very first trip to San Diego after receiving her visa! Both times I asked the border agents, are you sure my wife can get her 'permiso' (permit to travel 25 miles north of the border) after crossing the border in a vehicle - both times they said yes. So last friday my wife and I were in a hurry to get to my hometown, only her second visit to the U.S., so we could visit and she could finally meet my family. Again our friendly border agent mentioned we could just park the car and walk over and request a 'permiso'. Unfortunately that was not the case. I was scolded by an officer in the processing area and was told my wife and I would have to walk back across (searing heat & humidity that day) to Mexico, then re-enter the U.S. to obtain the magic 'orange card' to be able to apply for her permiso. So we walked back in the heat, I waited 90 minutes in that Sentri line (no shade) while my wife sat in the shade. After all was said and done, 2-1/2 hours later after getting in line, my precious, patient wife finally had her permiso! She can now go anywhere in the U.S.! We were just happy to hop back into our air-conditioned car and be on our way to Santa Barbara to visit family. It was a very long drive with tons of traffic and more heat - in fact it never cooled down, even in Montecito where my son lives. As we tried to sleep that evening, I couldn't help thinking just how faithful God has been to me and my wife. We had battled for a visa for almost a year - it literally was a miracle how my wife finally got her visa - and finally, she now had her permiso in hand. Thank you Lord! I kept telling my wife on the way up the coast - I will NEVER have to drive alone again when crossing the border. God is faithful. It was so much fun having my wife with me during the whole trip. God is faithful.

It All Started With a Hot Dog . . .

Saturday was another first for our bible groups -- our kids from Zorrillo and Durango got together for the first time for some great fellowship, courtesy of Wayne and Jason and friends, with some help from Genesis Diez. We were rollin' 20 deep when we walked into Costco and drew many stares. For some of our kids it was their first Costco hot dog, very different from tacos de carne asada or adobada you can buy in the street. From there we headed out to the beach and had some more great fellowship, swimming, ate some watermelon, and had a teaching on 1Thess5:11-"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." I reminded the kids that encouragement can come thru words, and sometimes, just by our actions. We were all encouraged that day by Wayne and Jason, who took time away from their home life in Cali, just to come down and spend time with us, and minister to us in food and fellowship. Sometimes, the best encouragement can come by just being there for these kids. Thanks again for all the "animo" you gave us over the weekend!
All of our love,
Me & Maribel and the crews from the Z and the D . . .

The Gift of Giving . . .

That's mama Sandoval, grandmother of one of our bible study kids from Zorrillo, with her great-nephew, being attended to by Jason over the weekend. Besides having open heart surgery just over a year ago, she has battled with an upper respiratory illness for quite some time. Please pray for complete healing, and that she follow doctor's orders.
Jason also had the blessing of visiting our other grandmother, Francisca, who's grandkids also attend our bible studies. Together these ladies of faith have blessed me and my wife tremendously over the last year with the gift of opening up their homes so that we could meet with our jr. high bible group in the community of Zorrillo. They both are adamant that they want their grandkids being raised in the things of the Lord, and what better way to know they are being taught the Word of God then to keep them at home? Please continue to pray for their health - they both have been so thoughtful of giving us the gift of hospitality - we want to remain steadfast and continue to raise their grandkids in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord and His Word -- they were both so grateful that Jason could make a house call and minister to their medical needs. Thank you Lord for hooking this up!

Hope Endures by Loving People . . .

That beautiful photo of one of our kids from Zorrillo, Mariana, was taken by Jason over the weekend. I can remember years ago being at another ministry as a director, and having no food, no finances, to feed over 50 people at the time. We had been praying for a miracle for quite some time, and late Sunday night someone who I had never met showed up at the facility in a van, opened his door and shouted, "Someone here has been praying for food!" He brought a van load of food for us.
Those are the kinds of things God has done over the course of serving here (8 years) in Mexico that I will never forget. God always provides for us in His timing so as to build up our faith and solely trust in Him.
I remember taking Mariana's older sister, Rosa, to the beach just a few weeks ago - it was her first time at the beach here in Ensenada! Saturday was the first time Mariana (12 years old) stepped onto a beach - it's a beautiful and wonderful thing when God uses you to bless someone in this manner. We often take for granted the finer things in life God has blessed us with, like going to the beach. God loves our kids from Zorrillo and Durango, and we love to be used by God to reach out and bless them. Much love to Wayne, Jason, and Genesis Diez for making this possible.
All glory to God - He wanted to bless Mariana on Saturday with her first day at the beach. Praise Him!

Wayne and Jason Make History!

Our very first group to visit us, I mean, literally visit us at our home, Wayne and Jason of Hope Chapel in Huntington Beach! They came, they ate (Maribel's mean posole), they ministered, and invited us back to visit their church this weekend! Please pray for us as our new relationship with Hope Chapel develops and that it become fruitful for both sides, in Jesus Name!
Truly, God used these guys in the most miraculous and loving way, as they provided literally so much hope for the sick, the down trodden, and especially lifting up our bible study kids and blessing them with a weekend outing. Their gift of encouragement comes thru the power of the Holy Spirit, and we were honored to have them in our home. It had been too long (over four years) since I had any type of fellowship like this . . . love my homies for coming down and 'lifting' up me and my wife in prayer, encouraging us to stay the course, and blessing our families and kids in the communites, along with the kids at Puerta Hermosa and Genesis Diez. God is faithful . . .

The Kids of Durango . . .

We have prayerfully and purposely been meeting with the jr. high and elementary kids of Durango for over the last three weeks and it has been nothing short of spectacular . . . we love that all of the kids engage in worship songs, activities, and especially when it comes to the study of the Word they truly know that Jesus is Lord as the majority of our kids attend church in one location or another in this very tight knit community. The last two saturday evenings with the older group has been full of worship and prayer, bible study, and an amazing sense of family as we get together to encourage each other and pray for one another. Please continue to pray for all of our kids in Durango - living in poverty is not easy for anyone, but the smiles of these kids as they show up to the El Faro community center for our bible studies is something everyone should experience - truly the Lord has His hand on these kids, and my wife and I feel so honored that the Lord has placed us there for such a time as this . . . God is able.

It Was Blazing Hot Out There . . .

About over a week ago in Zorrillo . . . my wife and I had to hustle up 100 kids for a special gift -- the good people of Costco thru the Genesis Diez ministry wanted to bless the kids of the community with backpacks for school. We thank God for the pastors at the nearby church who were so gracious to allow us to use their facility for such an event. It was blazing hot and humid that day, and the kids showed up almost an hour early to get in line for that much needed item for school. In fact, over 125 kids showed up! Thru the grueling heat we had to maintain some type of order as to not disturb our neighbors, and much love goes out to Los Eligidos (jr. high) bible group who provided much of that crowd control and keeping the elementary kids in line. Also much love to our neighbor across the street who's large tree provided shade for most of the kids during the wait. In all over 125 kids received brand new backpacks, and the almost two hours they waited in line while we provided ice cold punch for them, was definitely worth it. God is good all the time!

The Ministry of H.E.L.P. Is Now A Reality

If you take a gander at one of my older blog entries (The Ministry of H.E.L.P. 7/22/12) just a little over three years ago, I remember when the Lord laid that desire on my heart for a ministry of our very own. At the time my wife and I were newly engaged and we were both praying for God's wisdom and direction, and the timing wasn't quite right to begin a ministry. Three years later though, and with the assistance of our dear friends at Genesis Diez who have blessed us so much this last year, it is now time to step out of the proverbial boat and allow the Lord to lead us into the ministry which He has designed specifically for us. My wife and I from the very beginning (before dating) have served alongside each other in other ministries, and we are excited about this new opportunity that God has laid before us!
We will continue to work with our kids from the community of Zorrillo (jr. high bible study group) as well as the kids from Durango, and very soon we will begin an outreach for the elementary kids also in the Zorrillo area.
The acronym (H.E.L.P.) that the Lord gave me over three years ago was refined by a friend just the other day when he shared with me a testimony of God's faithfulness - truly indeed, Hope Endures by Loving People!
When the opportunity to begin our own ministry presented itself just days ago, here is what the Lord laid on my heart - the hope that we share with other people is empowered by the Holy Spirit, and only today the Lord gave me the scriptures (Jhn15:12:13) to follow, and a quote from R.C. Sproul . . .
"When God calls us to serve, He calls us to come alongside others and become a part of their lives. He uses us to hold each other up and to help others grow in their walk with Christ. Look at those who surround you, and discern who you need to serve. Deliberately plan to become a part of their lives so that you can fulfill His call."
My wife and I have deliberately been sent by the Lord to minister to the kids of these communities - please join us in this endeavor. In the coming days we will share more on how the Lord is leading us to bless the people we serve, and how you our faithful friends and family can come alongside us and serve, whether it be thru prayer, encouragement, financial assistance, or actually coming down and visiting all the kids we minister to - God is good, all the time!
All of our love,
Walt & Maribel
p.s. the above logo is under construction - any ideas are more than welcomed!

Our First Night In Durango . . .

Luke 18:16 - But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

That's my beautiful wife Maribel sitting with two of our newest friends at the El Faro (Lighthouse) center in the small tight-knit community of Durango. 

What was suppose to be a bible study for Jr. high students only, turned into something we were not expecting, but very blessed by - an hour long discussion getting to know two of the elementary kids we will also be working with in the weeks to come, the brothers Jesus and Joaquin, our next door neighbors at the center. It was awesome speaking to them, sharing the love of Christ with them, and getting to know them on a more personal basis. As we sat there talking, the Lord gently reminded me of a similar situation that had occurred years before back in my gospel hip-hop days on the radio and promoting concerts.

Two of my best friends had come up from Los Angeles to the Santa Barbara area to minister, share the gospel, and perform some of their hip-hop music which I played frequently out at KCSB-FM back in the day.

We had promoted their concert for three weeks, along with a fellow hiphop deejay at a christian radio station, only to be horribly disappointed when only three - that's right, just THREE people showed up! We were expecting hundreds in this small venue. I can recall the look on the faces of my friends when they saw the three, a mom with her two kids, sitting there patiently for the concert to begin. 

Their look was one of joy! Instead of performing on stage, they walked down and sat next to the three and began talking about the Lord, the love of Christ, and the amazing things God had done, was doing in their lives . . . they even got the chance to do some of their music, up close and personal, right there in the booth where the three were sitting. That night those two kids felt very special indeed.

I can also recall the look on my fellow deejay who had organized the event - he had spent a bundle putting the concert together. His was one of disappointment, until . . .

Then my hip-hop friends shared something with him that made a lasting impression on me - whether God calls us to minister to a multitude, or to just a few, there is no greater joy than sharing the gospel and the love of Jesus with the youth that God brings us. To Him be the glory!

Tonight, as those two kids walked thru that door, their was a huge smile on my wife's face as well as mine. We were overjoyed to have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with two amazing kids. They are special indeed.

Thank you Lord, You never cease to amaze me . . . to God be the glory.
C.L. & Maribel

The Kids At Zorrillo . . .

 . . . Wed nite was our second night meeting with the youth of Zorrillo in a family home, the grandmother of one of our students, who was so happy to see her grandchildren being led to follow Jesus! We are so grateful to Genesis Diez for aiding and allowing us to continue in this beautiful ministry which falls in line with their mission statement, "We are a ministry that loves, cares for, and guides children to follow Jesus." The twelve that met with us this evening had been part of the bible study group since its inception back in August, and like any proud mom and dad, my wife and I feel so blessed to be a part of their lives as we all continue to grow in the love of  Christ together. Tonight's teaching was based on Matt16:24 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." After a lengthy discussion on the depth and meaning of the verse, these amazing kids had a better understanding of the seriousness in choosing to follow Jesus. As we ended the study just before prayer, everyone's hand went up as they all agreed, we want to follow Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for all of our kids in this group, God's protection and favor in their precious lives. To God be the glory!
All of our love.
C.L. & Maribel

"He Who Finds A Wife Finds A Good Thing . . .

. . . and obtains favor from the Lord!" On May 10th, 2014, the Good Lord finally provided the 'favor' to get married in the government offices in Ensenada to my precious wife, Maribel Sosa Chavez. It was a very small ceremony, with only my parents and her family there. At the time we were exhausted, emotionally drained, but both very thankful that God had intervened on our behalf. We actually began the marriage process (paperwork needed to wed in Mexico) over a year ago, only to be told there was one more document needed, or another that had to be corrected. Our wedding date had to be changed several times because of this, and finally on December 2nd, one hour before our wedding on a Monday morning, after driving my parents and her family several hundred miles to Ensenada and spending hours on the highway along with a multitude of expenses, we were told some very devastating news. We could not get married because of one more document issue. Yet another oversight on behalf of the marriage office. Needless to say we were deeply saddened, along with all of our family members who had traveled so far. We had no one to look to except the Lord, and by the grace of God and many nights spent in prayer, five months of waiting for one more document to clear, God blessed us with the most amazing gift any couple could ask for, the gift of Holy matrimony. To say we are happily married would be the biggest understatement of the century! Please continue to pray for me and my precious Maribel, that God would continue to bless our marriage, and watch over and protect us - we were pretty excited about celebrating our two-month anniversary just a few days ago. Truly, God is good, all the time . . . Shalom
Me & Maribel
P.S. the name Maribel literally means, "abundance of love." I am a blessed man!

Then She Made Me Cry . . .

John11:35 - "Then Jesus wept." It is so hard not to become emotionally involved in any ministry, but I think as a missionary, it's just that much harder. Jesus Christ should and always be our example. On the same day I was asking the older kids about their college plans, as soon as lunch time rolled around I had already decided I was going to wash my hands and head over to the 'Snack Shack' (some english I taught all the kids!) to get some grub. As I reached down to wash my hands, some tiny girl, I'm not even sure who it was, just reached up and grabbed me and gave me a huge hug. I really didn't think much of it until the volunteer moms in the kitchen said out loud, "Ay que lindo!", or in english, "Oh how lovely!". At that moment the Lord tweaked my heart - here was this tiny girl giving me a hug as if to say, "Thank you for all you do for us." How could I not respond to this kid's beautiful gesture of thanks? I think I said something like, "Gracias mija", which is my slang for, "Thank you sweetheart." Then I walked over to the snack shack with tears in my eyes thinking, "Lord, you always do this to me. You always make me weep for the helpless, for the fatherless, for the defenseless." God always has a way of reaching us with His love and His passion for those in need, and sometimes He does it in the most simple and beautiful way. To God be the glory. His will be done in Zorrillo.
C.L.

The Ministry of H.E.L.P. . . .

A few weeks back while driving through Ensenada, the Lord gave me an acronym (H.E.L.P.) and it's meaning, "Hope Endures through Loving People." I can recall all of the encouragement that came thru the hands of the Lord as He used ordinary people like us to do extraordinary things for Him. I often (over the last 5 years) found myself involved in helping other ministries through out Ensenada with food, clothing, and whatever else God wanted me to do, with everything being donated graciously by my Reality family and friends. That afternoon the Lord reminded me of every ministry He had blessed - every family and child He had blessed - I was just the messenger. I love blessing people. Please continue to support me in prayer as well as financially, that God would continue to give me these divine appointments. The amazing young lady in this photo, my fiancee Maribel (helping a friend with her newborn), has the same heart too. Please continue to pray for both of us - that God's will be done in this new endeavor the Lord has laid on our hearts. To God be the glory.
Shalom
C.L.
P.S. Today I also had the blessing of being at my first service at Reality Santa Barbara, and my good friend Berta blessed me with a ton of clothes for the kids of Zorrillo. God is faithful. Please pray that everything I bring down makes it across the border.

Sweet Memories . . .

The other day while driving in town I saw this sign going up for yet another pharmacy in Ensenada (there's a pharmacy on every corner, literally) and my immediate thought was, "Cool! A pharmacy named after my uncle, or as I use to call him, "Mi tio Roma." It's been a couple of years since he passed away, but driving downtown, especially when I pass by the Hotel Bahia or the Casa del Sol, brings back all the memories I had as a kid visiting cousins here with my parents and my uncle and his family. Then just today, while sitting in a restaurant with a friend, looking out the window to see the Bahia Hotel, it occurred to me that God had been preparing my heart since I was a kid to fall in love with this town. I really do love Ensenada, and the people who live here. I go into culture shock whenever I return to California to run errands. To all my friends and family and Reality family too, please come visit me! I would love to be your tour guide, and in terms of how safe it is to stay here - I feel safer here than I do in Santa Barbara, I just can't vouch for Tijuana.
Shalom!
C.L.

Why I Live Here . . . Ensenada . . .

I can remember coming down to Ensenada as a kid and staying in hotels which are located on calle Primera, back in the day when the beach was just a block away. Almost 28 years later after my last visit, I ventured down to Ensenada with a group of kids from an orphanage from Tijuana in the year 2000, my very first missions adventure which impacted my life greatly. The following years I kept coming back to visit other orphanages through other ministries and churches, until the Lord finally directed me to move down here as a missionary from Reality in 2007.
God continues to give me direction, and I am here for good reason, and also a season. Please continue to pray for me as the Lord directs my steps - Ensenada is my home now. This coming from a missionary who had NO desire to come to Mexico, but when God changes your heart, He "causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." To God be the glory.
Shalom
C.L.

The Kidz At Zorrillo . . .

This morning while contemplating whether I should get out of bed (after a night of no sleep) and head out to the new ministry planted in Zorillo by Lantern Hill ministries, the Lord in His infinite wisdom gave me the same scripture He has given me now on three different occasions before heading out there - Luke 8:16,17 "No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all." Then just a few minutes ago, another friend asked me, what is this place? My immediate reply - that place is known as the LightHouse. God is doing something absolutely amazing on this small piece of property that He has so graciously given us to minister to the 'lost' kids of Zorillo. Please pray for healing and salvation to come to every single kid that steps on this property, and all glory be to the Most High King. Praise Him . . .

The Ministry of Love . . .

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails . . . and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
During my transition between ministries, all the Lord has called me to do is love Maribel with the love He has poured into me thru His Holy Spirit. Please pray for me and Maribel, the most amazing woman of God I have ever met, and all those years of waiting on the Lord for that special lady, now only seem like a few days . . . to God be the glory.