Hi everyone,

First of all a big thanks again to those of you who contributed to the flood relief last month.  Things have dried up now,  most the broken sewer pipes are fixed, and praise God the mosquitos are finally starting to dwindle.  Those in the small towns who lost everything will still need prayer, ask God to help them seek the Lord for their needs and find Him to be all sufficient.

      As for me,  I'm glad to find there are enough people already here in the camps to fill up 4 nights a week.  Even though I've been doing this for a year now, I'm still so pleasantly surprised at the grand reception they give us.  One of the common responses when i ask someone if they are a christian and if they want a bible is this.  "well i'm not a christian but i really would like to read the Word of God."  Oh MY GOSH OF COURSE HERES A BIBLE!  

           This past monday i started up bible study again in camp san Nico with a number of these not-christian-yet types.  Esther translated as i shared how receiving Jesus into your heart begins a life long relationship similar to the first time you receive a guest into your home.  You're not really friends if thats the only conversation you've ever had.  We need to keep the friendship going.  I'm making great effort this year to teach people how to seek God directly in prayer and in the word right from day 1 of salvation.  Its common around here for people to only worship, pray and hear the word at church time while forgetting him the rest of the time.  We talked a lot on monday how babies need to learn to be self feeding as do babes in Christ.  Please pray I'm able to communicate this effectively

Esther, Booboo, me and the kids of San Nico.

    I also want to thank you all once again for the truck, we're packing it with more and more people each week, as we go to church in Villa Juarez.

------- hold on a minute.... here comes the ice cream man.... gotta go share Jesus.... brb------

       So, after a full sunday morning at Amigos and Hermanos, i rest up for an hour or so before leaving for Pastor Cesar's church in Villa Juarez.  On the way i'll stop by two or three different camps, to pick-up whoever wants to join us.  this always reminds me of the verse that says go to the highways and byways and compel them to come in.  Its a lot of fun and there are more people each week.  The church is still small enough to fit in Cesar's front patio, but not for long.  I'm looking forward to preaching there one of these sundays when pastor Cesar has to go visit another church plant.  please pray God gives me something very encouraging to edify the church.

Add 8 more people to this picture to get an idea of how many we're packing in now

    Lastly, i wanted to share about Abel.   I told many of you about him in service last summer when i spoke.  He and his family are still doing really well.  In fact, they now join us in reaching out to the other camps.  This is so wonderful to see.  I pray all the others coming to small group bible studies will pursue the Lord the way he and his family have.

this is abel, and Cesars gang at Almas birthday party.  they were so proud to serve us dinner ;o)

so prayer requests in summery are as follows:

more workers sent out to visit more camps

continued open doors into the camps

young believers truly grow in Christ

God anoints my messages

God adds students to my school and thus more gas in my tank

The Lord enlarges our understanding and vision of His will for this season of ministry

Gerardo and Ruben, on mission to Oaxaca this month with my boss Mike Hendricks, get some good missionary training

Gerardo and Ruben with guitars donated from FBC members

Thanks all for your prayers and faithful monetary support.  I really appreciate it and God is clearly using you all in many lives.

If any one of you writes me back and shares prayer requests, I'd love to pray more specifically for you.

Biggest blessings ever!

sal

PS  dont forget you can join me, natalie, gerardo, ruben and several others on a short mission trip to Caborca this january.  Its only about 500 bucks and 10 days out of your life to bring bibles and the gospel message to people who have never heard it before.  pretty awesome.  com'on pastor Tom,  you know you wanna!

This coming January 3 - 10, I will be taking a mission trip to Caborca, Mexico.  Mexicans and Americans will work together to bring the gospel to people who have little opportunity to hear it.  We will present the Jesus Film in work camps around the Caborca area to migrant farm workers.

  Most of these men come from the state of Chiapas where it is very difficult to be a Christian or share ones faith. Last year, there was a tremendous reception for the gospel, and never enough bibles to meet the demand.  They listened eagerly as we preached the gospel and shared the Jesus Film.  They were so excited to receive the Bible in written or audio form it was amazing.  I can hardly wait to get up there again this year and see what God will do this time.

    We have an open door with a Pastor in El Diamente, to use the bible school building there.

    If you would like to join us from the states the cost will be $300 per person.  This will include your food, housing, gas to and from the camps, and pay for Bibles and CDs that we'll distribute.  The only things not covered by this cost will be your gas or flight down to Caborca and any souvenirs or snacks you want to purchase while you are there.

      Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have about the trip or what it will be like.  My email is sallyagapeprojects@gmail.com

See you in Caborca! 

pictures of drive down from Tijuana to Culiacan, Sept 2013

Gerardo, ministry partner, driver and booboo babysitter

This is where you are supposed to have made sure you have enough gas and water

Sunset after the hurricane in obregon

kind souls like Gerardos Aunt took us in along the journey

a reminder that God keeps His promises

We made it home, a day late, but very happy to be here!

We made it!

Well guys, I'm back in Culiacan! 

The Lord definitely carried booboo and I all the way down here.  I met up with my driver and ministry partner Gerardo in Tijuana.  we tanked up and headed off west thru Tecate and on near Mexicali.  After dealing with the car paperwork and a few other details we began the long trek across the barren desert over to Sonoyta.  Imagine no water, no food, no gas, no hotel,  nothin'!   and thats where we were when we discovered our tank was empty!  We were 70 kilometers out and i told Gerardo it would be a miracle if we made it. well we did, I love miracles!

    The next fun thing that happened was a flash hurricane style storm over Obregon.  we hid under the roof of a gas station as it was impossible to drive.  Gerardo braved the elements to grab the guitars and several boxes of bibles from the back.  He crammed them on top of booboo and I and there we sat for almost an hour.  finally we left, me still with a guitar practically up my nose and booboo hiding her head 'til it was over.  At last we passed thru the worst of it, a few hours off schedule but glad to be alive albeit wet, stinky, dirty and hungry.

    When we finally arrived in Culiacan a day late, and emptied out the car, i discovered nearly ALL my clothes were wet. Nothing was damaged but its taken me two days now to get everything hung out on the line or draped over whatever I could find.  

       So I've still got loads of mess and disorder to sort out but the phones work again, the AC is on high,  the plumber and gardner come saturday to fix things, and I'm so thankful to be here.

         Students have been dropping by already asking when we can start classes.  I just got this sense this summer that God was going to really bless my little English school here and it sure looks like thats happening.  

         You know, in addition to your prayers, i think a lot of this blessing can be attributed to the almost constant worship that went on during the 4 day drive down here. we had the praise music cranked as we sang song after song.  Its as if our praise became a weapon to slash thru whatever troubles the enemy had planned for us and our shouting the victory in hope became the victory in real time.  

    Lets hope to remember that next time things look dicey!

Well, I'll get some cool pictures on facebook and the website as soon as I can get the rest of my stuff organized and find the camera,  I'm sure its under something.

Thanks again for the wonderful prayer send off at FBC, and many other gestures of kindness and care.  i miss you all already.  Even so, I'm very glad to be here.   I can feel that God is going to do some great things this season and I'm so grateful your prayers and contributions are enabling me to be a part of it.

Biggest blessings possible for all of you!

sal

enjoying the garden in SanLuisObispo

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement over the summer while I was here in SLO recovering from a nasty shoulder injury.  Thanks to God and your prayers I'm nearly all healed up and definitely ready to roll on down to mexico.  Booboo has a fancy new collar so this won't happen again, yeah! (Her tugging on the leash was the main cause of the semi-dislocated shoulder and tendonitis.) 

       I will leave sunday morning after a hearty prayer send off at FBC and stay with my friend Jenny Sanchez for the night in San Diego.  monday i'll meet up with one of my mexican ministry partners, Gerardo, and start the long two day journey down to Culiacan.  Gerardo loves to drive, isn't that awesome.

         One of the things God worked out this summer was for me to at last find the time to record my memory verse songs.  you can find those on Sound Cloud here:

https://soundcloud.com/sally-sayre-weltner/sets

There are still more songs in the hopper, so check back every once in a while for "new releases".  I'd love to get the time to record all these and a few more in spanish to hand out on a CD in the camps around Culiacan.  It would be a good ministry tool helping the new believers to remember important truths in Gods word.

So, I'm looking forward to another great year of adventures in Mexican Ministry.  Please keep the following points in your prayers:

• Pray God raises up more Bible Study leaders so we can disciple more new believers in yet un-reached camps
• Pray for Gods protection and provision as always
• Pray God allows me to establish residency, make my english school official and finally buy the house I'm now renting in Culiacan
• Pray the people in the camps will continue to respond to the message of Gods love and salvation with open hearts

Thanks again to all of you who have been praying and sharing your gifts to make this possible.  I'll do my best to keep you all informed of the ways God is multiplying your contributions. 

             Remember, we're planing to take a short term trip up to Caborca next January when its not so hot.  There was such an outcry for Bibles last time I just couldn't resist going back with as many as my little truck will carry.  If you want to join or need more info, just let me know.

I promise to write a short note when I've arrived safely in Culiacan,

Many blessings to you all,

sally

Caborca and Beyond!

Thanks for your prayers everyone.  I've made it safely back to California for the summer.  I stopped near Caborca, Sonora, Mexico on the way for a 10 day mission trip.  This video shows a bit of what I did last year in Culiacan and the mission trip to Caborca.  There was such a hunger for the word of God we are working on getting back down there next january with more bibles.  let me know if you'd like to join or contribute for that.  Many blessings!   Sal

progress and prayer report

Hi guys!

Thanks for praying, God's building His church and i thank Him every day for the privilege to be a part of it.  here's the latest progress/prayer report.

monday- camp emilio

Geraldo, a 17 year old going on 30, now preaches in this camp every week.  i sit in the back room and read bible stories to the children.  This week God led him to have a concerted time of prayer.  moments later one of the men was so convicted of sin, he confessed to beating his wife just the night before.  So glad to see the Spirit of God is speaking to people, teaching, convicting, and growing and strengthening their faith.  This group begs me to take them to church but i just cant drive the distance to get them all and bring them all back.  pray God raises up a church close enough for them to get to.  they just want to worship God so much!

tuesday- camp chula vista

Claudia translates for me while i lead the small bible study at Rosario's house.  One family from this camp turned up at Amigos and Hermanos this sunday.  what a joy!  i pray they will keep coming and bring the other young believers along with them.  they are nahuats originally from Guerrero, southern mexico.

wednesday- church service at Amigos and Hermanos

I'm finding more and more people are stepping up to go out to camps with me.  praise God for their desire to spread the word.  this past wednesday we had an umpalumpa band playing during the worship time.  there was a big big man playing a trombone, a singer with a cowboy hat, and a guy on the accordian.  what a hoot!

I thank God for this church, they've seriously adopted me as one of their own. so sweet.

thursday-camp vaqueta

Marissa preaches with power to a group of men and women each week.  I've been teaching the children the bible and handing out Jesus film DVDs.  Tonight the Lord really helped me to build relationships with a couple of families.  One girl of about 12 whose name is Diana, enjoyed learning that she is a princess to the Lord.  Lets pray her dad will allow the family to come to church this sunday.  A nice catholic guy named Edgar, chased us down as we were leaving tonight.  Hey miss, remember me, i espeek a iingliish!  he said.  i gave him a new testament in hopes that he will draw nearer to the Lord.

friday-evangelism with the Neelies

Since Jovita and the church in Villamoro took over at camp cuota, i've been tagging along with the neelies on fridays looking for a place to start another small group.  pray God guides our steps to those men of peace who will receive the word of God with gladness.  And lets thank God for Jovita and pastor Amado who have continued discipleship after i've moved on.  praise God

This sunday pastor amado and the little church in villamora have invited me to preach again.  Esther will translate while i bring a word from 1 corinthians about living godly lives in preparation for the Lords return.  Pray God helps a bunch and things dont get lost in translation.

Lastly, i just wanted to formally invite every last one of you to join us on our caborca trip this year.  We'll endure record high temperatures and all sorts of missionary adventures to bring the word of God to the grape harvest workers of northern mexico.  the difficulties of the area seem like nothing when compared to the joy of seeing these people receive Christ for the first time.  This will be a joint trip involving both FBC and Shoreline.  Talk to Natalie Arnett for more details.

thanks so much for your blessings of support, prayer and encouragement.

you guys are awesome

sally

ps,  i've nearly got half the money ($950) saved up for the pick- up truck.  Thanks for the contributions!

latest and greatest

hi everyone,

      How is everything in California?  Winter is definitely over down here.  we'll  be turning off the hot water soon, and putting away sweaters and boots, seeing as its in the 90's already.  the ministry is heating up too.  its so awesome to see people continue to show up week after week to learn about the Lord.  its taken me quite a while now to actually appreciate how little they know about the bible.  One night when Marissa was leading the bible study, i sat down with the kids and started reading to them from the childrens bible.  i would read a well known story like the prodigal son or the good samaritan.  i'd get about half way thru and ask them, "so then what do you think happened?"  all i got was eager blank stares.  wow.  Moses and the children of Israel came to the red sea with the Egyptians close behind, oh no,  then what happened??  AND THEY DONT EVEN KNOW! amazing.

         We've been handing out new testaments and tracks and thats been great but most of them really need someone to sit down and explain face to face.  They are fascinated with the bible and the things that Jesus said and did, but having someone come out there and tell them in person makes a huge difference.  I'm so glad they all seem to posses the patience of Job as i stumble and bumble with my spanish to explain.

As many of you probably saw on facebook, i got another offer to teach at a local christian school, praise God! while aiming to explain my rules, i played aritha franklins Respect and definitely got the kids attention with that.  what a hoot dancing around the school yard singing into pens for mic's!

       thanks for your prayers for my little business here.  it is growing week by week.  my goal right now is to be able to earn enough to pay my own rent, food, gas and bills so i can use the support money thats coming in to get a truck.  i've been using the van for this season and i'm so glad i had it to bring down my furniture.  i'll use it when the team comes down this april (spaces still available, act fast!) and then i think its time to sell.  Mike is suggesting i get something a bit newer with much better gas mileage.  a truck should suit my needs perfectly.

        

So, at the moment i'm making plans to leave culiacan the last day of may and head for caborca.  anyone who wants to join me for a 12 day mission trip into un-charted un-reached territory is more than welcome.  I'll be passing by Hermosillo if anyone wants to fly in there and get picked up.  after caborca i'll make my way home and bring anyone back with me.  sound like fun?  the camps there have been mapped out by our faithful brother dave mcmullen but very few have been visited with the gospel CDs or the Jesus film.  its a great opportunity to reach the unreached.  all you guys who soaked up that perspectives class, now's your chance to put it into action.

ok, its almost time to run to church and jump up and down praising Jesus!    Thanks again for your financial support and prayers, now if you write back, i can pray much more specifically for you too!  I miss all you guys and look forward to seeing you this summer.  Until then i'll be preaching the gospel to every creature!

blessings!

sal

Mama Cande hosted a Saturday night fish fry.  i skipped the fish but had a blast singing along with the guitar crowd, her grand kids, aka the plebes.

new developments

hi everybody!

Booboo always helps me make friends quickly

Thanks for your prayers, i've sure needed every last one.  The ministry here is in full swing.  The folks from Projecto Culiacan are all here this month too.  Thanks to your support I've got this van down here, affectionately dubbed the blue beast, and have been using it to get out to the work camps 4 nights a week.  in just the last month, we've seen 4 cell groups spring up with 5, 10, sometimes 20 people in attendance.  We share the fundamentals of what it means to be a Christian, how to repent and walk with God, the power of prayer, and the nearness and great love of God by the Holy Spirit.  workers are getting involved from 3 different churches so far, so thats indeed answered prayer.  i imagine there are as many camps outside the city as there are churches in the city,  so we only have another 100 or so to go!

prayer time after the message

actually, i feel like i'm kinda doing what i did back in slo.  i'm mobilizing believers to step into evangelism and discipleship and respond to the needs of the nations around them.  at first it looked like i'd have to bring a message 4 times a week but God has been so faithful to provide others to shoulder the burden.  i've been training and encouraging them to lead the different discipleship meetings we started.  soon i'll be able to move on to different camps and God willing continue this trend of inviting local believers from the churches to come join us and eventually take responsibility for a camp.  

the indigenous people have been so overwhelmingly welcoming I still cant get over it.  every where we go there is someone who wants to be discipled and wants a bible.  i'm amazed at how few of them have actually had access to the word of God enough to even know how to find a scripture.  they listen intently whether its through Esther's faithful translation, or my bumbling spanish, and come back week after week for more.  someone is always giving us stuff too, a bag of tomatoes, hot tortillas and beans, or ten hard earned pesos to put in my gas tank.  its humbling to be so richly rewarded for simply doing what i love to do.

Health wise we could use prayer.  Booboo got really sick with a stomach virus a few weeks back and had to spend the night in the booboo hospital hooked up to an IV.  she's well now but still acts like she's uncomfortable at times.  i got some kind of cold-flu-allergy extravaganza a month ago which is mostly gone but still threatens my speaking ability.  not so good when your job is to teach english, your ministry to preach the gospel and your greatest joy to sing in church.  just pray and i'll be fine.

So here's a new development.  my landlady just popped by to let me know she'll be needing me to either vacate the premises by april or may, or else buy the house.  Hmmm,  which one.....  She's asking about $12,000 and i've got nearly half of that in my savings.  perhaps we will be able to work something out.  I'm dreading a long drawn out process of complicated paperwork and visa red-tape ahead.  i'm working on finding a lawyer who might be able to help me actually make the purchase legally, and maybe even begin establishing residency.  so lots to pray about on that end.

so here are the prayer requests in summary:

God raise up more local believers to lead small groups in the camps

God increase my business to provide for gas and other costs

God make us all healthy and strong to do His work

God give super clear direction and provision in regards to purchasing the house

God provide a team to come down with natalie in may/june

If you'd like to pray for my ministry co-workers by name they are as follows:

mama cande: spiritual mom of 70+ years, joins us three times a week.

esther: roommate and friend, translates for me mondays at san emilio

geraldo: 17 year old going on 30, preaches to the men in the camps

Geraldo in Campo 21

marissa: mother of four starting a new cell group with me next thursday, campo vaquero

jovita: powerful woman of God will take over giving messages on fridays, campo cuota

Pastor Amado: as beloved as his name implies, has adopted campo 21

Fredy: 18 year old missionary, works in the fields by day, evangelizes in the camps by night

Amigos n Hermanos youth: will begin joining us three nights a week, God willing

 there's more pictures on facebook.  Thanks so much for your keeping up the prayer and the faithful financial help.  Together we are spreading the gospel to hundreds of people just dying to hear it.  i just wish you could see how grateful they are for what you are providing for them.  

much love in Christ,

sally