Pastoral Perspectives

Here are reports from our local Pastors in Cofradia.  In order to safely donate a tax-deductible gift to their families' well-being, click on their name.

Pastor Gregorio Hernández

Greetings!

I am pleased to share with you what is happening at Cofradía Christian Center. It has been satisfying to see the development of this ministry.

Because of the Bible school, several issues have been addressed. One of them was "vision." For our exam in that class, we had to present a vision statement, which was most interesting. The point is that every student wants to walk in that objective. Having vision generates a stimulus to the church providing a good motivation to press on.

This really gets my attention because in our culture, especially in these localities, having a vision isn’t really thought about. The difference today is that every student that is attending the Bible school now has a vision. That will be transmitted to the church, and it makes me see that we may be on the verge of entering a new phase.

For many years we were evangelizing a young man.  Several people from the church visited him regularly, with no apparent result. This lasted seven or eight years. We have been visiting him again for the last three months and to our surprise, it came to pass that on May 24 he was baptized and is joyous and eager to grow in the knowledge of God. He is now serving in the church, and we are meeting every Wednesday for discipleship. It is of great joy that this man has decided to walk in obedience to God.

In an earlier report, I had commented on Las Pilas and on the growth there. The gospel continues to take root, and more than twenty people are gathering together in that town.

Thank you for your spiritual and financial support. All that is happening is because of your prayers for this ministry.

Thank you very much for your prayers and support.

Sincerely,

Pastor Gregorio, Maty, and family

_______________________

Pastor Luis Vázquez

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I greet you through here, hoping that you are well and enjoying the fullness of the Holy Spirit. This is an opportunity for me and my family, my wife and children, to express our gratitude for how faithful you have been to God in your partnership with in which you continue even today. Thank you very much.

We are working hard at this time in the Bible school that gathers in our church on Tuesday afternoons. I'm facilitating the Hermeneutics class, which I enjoy. I am comfortable sharing because teaching is a strong call I have received from God, and I'm happy about that. Though I have been given the opportunity to facilitate a class, I am still a student in the school, and we are halfway through the requirements to graduate this program that will better prepare us to effectively serve Christ and others.

In another month we begin EL RETO. The event lasts for six weeks: it begins August 29 and ends on October 3. This time we hope to reach three hundred young people. I ask for your prayer support, which is essential. Over the course of EL RETO, we will talk about our identity in Christ. The six weeks of EL RETO will be a time of much work but also of great joy and blessing.

After EL RETO ends, I will be inviting three more young people to join our team of youth leaders, which is made up of young people who have completed high school and are now adults.

My vision for the youth group:

V    That they have VISION for their future.
I    That they be sure of their IDENTITY in Christ.
D    That they make DECISIONS that honor God.
A    That they serve in ACTION in their own group, their church, and their community.

(Translator’s note: “VIDA” is the Spanish word for “LIFE” and is also the name of the Youth Ministry at Cofradía Christian Center.)

My children are out of school for the summer, and all four will move up to new schools: one each to college, high school, middle school, and elementary school. My wife and I hope to be better able to help them in their studies and are committed together to achieving this.

I say goodbye to you, thanking you again for your generosity toward us. May God supply all that you may lack according to his glorious riches in Christ (Philippians 4: 19).

Sincerely,

Pastor Luis Vázquez

______________________

Pastor Horacio Garzon

Brothers and sisters,

As always, I am pleased to write these lines to greet you, hoping that you are blessed and prospering in Christ our Lord.

For our part, my family and I are well, thanks be to God. Maria, Martin, Alfredo, Ruben, and Kenya send their greetings. From me, receive my deepest gratitude for the blessings we have received from you, both through your prayers and your financial support. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for all the support you have poured out on us.

Brothers and sisters, thanks be to God that his work is alive and his marvelous plan of salvation continues to manifest itself in my life and in that of others.

We continue learning in a discipleship class every Tuesday at 5 p.m. We are almost to our goal; it’s so close! This class has been so beneficial, as it has equipped us in aspects that apply to very important areas of life.

I'm pleased to see Martin, my son, teaching a homiletics class. We have also learned about counseling through books by writers God has used greatly, such as those by Dr. Neil T. Anderson. With these powerful tools we can better guide people in the remote mountain villages where we minister to a clearer understanding of the great truth of Christ.

Thank you, brothers and sisters, for helping me to be effective in the work of Christ. Receive from me greetings and thanks!

Thank you and may God bless you.

Horacio Garzón Orozco

AUGUST UPDATE

Greetings Everyone! We’re on our way back to Cofradia after having been gone for two months already.  Time has flown by and we always seem to not be able to see everyone we’d like to.  It has been a great time visiting friends, speaking at churches, and spending time with the family including a couple of camping trips.

We are gearing up to start our annual Student Outreach called, EL RETO (The Challenge) on August 29, and we need your help.  This event costs us $2,000 dollars and it is set up in order to not have to charge ANY of the students who participate...WE WANT THEM TO COME!  This is where you come in.  If you can help us with a special donation to EL RETO, we can continue to make this event exciting for the students.  We have $1,238.25 already raised in offerings from churches we have been to.  That means we only need $761.75 to reach our goal.  Please consider how you can help reach out to the students in Cofradia and the surrounding areas.  Last year we had over 240 students from 10 different churches in the region.  We expect more this year!

Here are a couple of videos to give you an idea of what we do:

ONE MINUTE PROMO VIDEO
WEEK #1 OF EL RETO 2014

Here is the link to safely donate online to EL RETO

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!!

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
Office: 011-52-319-232-5046

--- PLEASE JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---
ONLINE. Click here to donate to our personal support 

BY POSTAGE MAIL/CHECKS. Send a check made out to Alternative Missions to Alternative Missions / PO Box 3107 / Ferndale, WA 98248.  On a separate note (not on the check), indicate that it is for The Silbermans.

JULY UPDATE

Greetings Everyone! We are in Washington State staying at my parents.  It has been great to be able to see some of you already and we look forward to seeing others.  Contact me for setting up a lunch, dinner, or a quick visit.  We look forward to seeing you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry as we walk through challenges and victories.  We really appreciate your participation.

In our last update, we asked you to pray for...  

1. Bible School.  The Summer quarter has started with Pastor Goyo and Pastor Luis teaming up to teach Hermeneutics and Pastor Martin is teaching Homiletics.  The reports that I’ve been getting all good. 
2. Mexican Civil Association.  We will be continuing with this when we return to Cofradia at the end of August.  Pastors Goyo and Luis are working on getting a Religious Association started in our absence. 
3. Trip to the States.  We’ve been visiting family, friends, and churches since we arrived.  It has been really good and thank you for your prayers of safe travels as we continue to do much of the same. 
4. Upcoming Activities.  A short-term mission team arrives in Cofradía on Monday, July 20.  Please continue to pray for wisdom and direction for all the leaders and staff involved as it will be the first time the locals will be leading the outreach.

Here are some links to more:

• Last month’s update 
• Baptisms of Centro Cristiano Cofradia 
• Geña’s “rare find” Mother scorpion (Alacrán) with babies.
• New “Dwellings” tab in our blog. Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• Pastor’s Perspectives Updates from three of our pastors.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Bible School.  The Summer Quarter will begin on June 30 with Pastor Goyo and Pastor Luis teaming up to teach Hermeneutics and Pastor Martin will be teaching Homiletics. 
2. Mexican Religious Association.  Wisdom and direction for Pastors Goyo and Luis as they work on preparing to apply. 
3. Stateside Activities.  Please pray for safe travels and God-encounters throughout our time here.  We’ll start our way back to Cofradía as we leave Washington on Monday, August 10 and cross the border into Mexico on Thursday, August 27.  Here is a quick look at our itinerary through August.
4. EL RETO.  This is a huge open door for us to share the gospel and plant seeds with A LOT of young people who don’t know Jesus.  This is our 11th year and we have taken this event to other parts of the state as well as other states; we have also been invited to take it overseas.  You can make a one time donation or sign up to make monthly donations as this event continues to grow each year.  Right now, we need $2,000 for this year’s event on August 29 – October 3.  Click here to make a donation.  Also, Click here for more information and a ONE MINUTE VIDEO

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!! 

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
Temporary US Cell Number: 951-751-5960

--- PLEASE JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---
ONLINE Click here to donate to our personal support.

BY POSTAGE MAIL/CHECKS Send a check made out to Alternative Missions to Alternative Missions / PO Box 3107 / Ferndale, WA 98248.  On a separate note, indicate that it is for The Silbermans.

Silberman Itinerary for July and August

July
19-24: Camping with the family
25: Family event in Granite Falls, WA
26: Speaking at Living Waters in Bremerton, WA

August
2: Speaking at Hosana Asamblea in Bellevue, WA
8: Wedding in Bellevue, WA
9: Speaking at El Camino, Gateway Español in Poulsbo, WA
10: Leaving Washington
16 AM: Speaking at Templo La Hermosa in Taft, CA
16 PM: Speaking at Templo Calvario in Bakersfield, CA
23: Speaking at Community Presbyterian Church Spanish service in Ventura, CA
27: Crossing the border into Mexico
29: EL RETO starts!

ANNOUNCING...EL RETO!!

EL RETO 2015 is just around the corner!  Don't miss out on being a part of this 11th annual event!  Not one student will be charged in order to participate in this 6 week event that will take place every Saturday from August 29 to October 3.  This is possible because of your faithful giving each year.  Again, we'll need $2,000 dollars to cover all costs such as: transportation, materials, promotion, and prizes.  Last year we had over 240 students from over 10 different churches.  This year we expect MORE.

So, consider how you can help reach new students all over the municipalities of Rosamorada, Tuxpan, Ruiz, and Santiago, Nayarit.  Help us contact those students who have had seeds planted.  Follow us on Facebook to see what they are experiencing and how God's love is impacting their lives.  We learn a number of things each year such as hope for a future, who we are, why do we exist, and life-long skills such as leadership and teamwork.

Help us make an impact as we teach these students to live DYNAMICALLY!

DONATE HERE

WHAT IS EL RETO?

JUNE UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradia, Mexico! We have a lot of news to share with you this month!  One of the more exciting answers to prayer is that we will be receiving new staff members by the end of the summer!  We have seen the need since becoming the Directors of the mission four years ago and have been praying regularly about this for the past couple of years.  You can meet Lain and Kelly Grant here

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

In the “links to more” section below, you’ll see that we also had some baptisms.  Plus, see what kind of “rare find” Geña came across in our back yard!

Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry as we walk through challenges and victories.  We really appreciate your participation.

In our last update, we asked you to pray for...  

1. Bible School.  We are finishing up the Spring Quarter which has definitely served as one of the most productive so far, studying Biblical Theology and Vision. There were a number of excellent visions for ministry that came out of the Vision class.  Once we get the Civil Association squared away, we have the potential of this organization, “Cofradia United”, exploding!
2. Mexican Civil Association.  We’ve sent in our objectives for review and are waiting for a response.
3. Upcoming Activities.  Thank you for praying for these as the planning continues to be fine tuned.

Here are some links to more:

• Baptisms of Centro Cristiano Cofradia 
• Geña’s “rare find” 
• New “Dwellings” tab in our blog. Meet three families that are in need of a home. 
• Last month’s update 
• Emma’s 9th Birthday video (3 minutes) 
• Pastor’s Perspectives: Click here to read reports from three of our Pastors 
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Bible School.  The Summer Quarter will begin on June 30 with Pastor Goyo and Pastor Luis teaming up to teach Hermeneutics and Pastor Martin will be teaching Homiletics. 
2. Mexican Civil Association.  Please continue to pray for a smooth start-up to the official organization.
3. Trip to the States.  Please pray for safe travel, smooth border crossing, and wisdom as we look forward to the God-encounters on the way.  We’ll be speaking in churches and visiting friends throughout California, Oregon, and Washington.  We would love the opportunity to share at your Church, Sunday School class, Youth Group, Home Group, etc.  Please contact us about setting up a date!  We leave Cofradía on Saturday, June 13 and should be arriving in Bremerton, Washington on Friday, June 26.  Then, tentatively, we’ll start our way back to Cofradía leaving Washington on Monday, August 10 and crossing the border into Mexico on Thursday, August 27.  Can’t wait to see you! 
4. Upcoming Activities.  Please pray for wisdom and direction for all the leaders and staff involved in our upcoming events; pray for those who will be ministered to to have open hearts and lives to be changed; pray that our ultimate goal of glorifying God will be fulfilled.  Three major activities coming up are a Short-term Missions Team in July,  EL RETO youth outreach that begins August 29, and we’ll be hosting a Freedom in Christ conference (through Neil Anderson’s ministry) in December.

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!!

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director

--- PLEASE JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---

ONLINE. Click here to donate to our personal support 

BY POSTAGE MAIL/CHECKS. Send a check made out to Alternative Missions to Alternative Missions / PO Box 3107 / Ferndale, WA 98248.  On a separate note, indicate that it is for The Silbermans.

New Alternative Missions Cofradia Staff Members

I would like to introduce to you Lain and Kelly Grant from Cy-Fair Christian Church in Houston, Texas who will be joining our Missionary Staff at the end of the summer for a two year commitment.  During their recent visit to Cofradia in January of 2015, the Lord began to stir in their hearts a desire to return full-time after learning that we were in need of staff.  We are all excited for this new adventure for the Grants and look forward to seeing how the Lord works in them and through them as they serve here.  They will be living on the Mission base, helping with maintenance and cleaning, assisting with short-term mission teams, creating windows for people to see what’s happening inside this ministry through reports, and serving in any other specific area and ministry they can.  They are an answer to prayer and we are delighted to receive them.

Please pray for them as they wrap things up in Texas and prepare for this transition in their lives.  You can help them get started here.

Centro Cristiano Cofradia Baptisms

Four people were baptized on Sunday out in the San Pedro River south of Cofradia.  After the long, dusty, dirt/gravel road drive, we all met under neath the bridge of the freeway that connects Mazatlan and Tepic.

Here's what happened...

Three vehicles at the bridge already waiting for us, 3 more ahead of these two, and one more behind us.  10 vehicles to transport those of the church who went.

Arriving...

A few songs for worship...

After a brief message and explanation, prayer.

Hermana Alicia, gave her life to the Lord just recently and has been attending church for about two years.

Hermana Valeria prayed to ask Christ into her life in an EL RETO event in 2012.

Hermana Lupita is from Arrayanes and accepted Christ has her Lord a couple years ago as well.

Hermano Marco Polo is from Cofradia and Pastor Goyo's nephew.  I, as well as others, did personal studies with Marco Polo 18 years ago.  I believed back then and still do that he has great potential in leadership.  Great guy!  Because of negative, family pressure, he only recently accepted Christ as his Savior.  He's been attending church for just a few months.

L to R: Pastor Luis, Pastor Goyo, Marco Polo, Pastor Horacio, Lupita, Valeria, Alicia.

Hanging out afterwards with tamales and horchata (rice water).

Rut, Isaac, and Pedro

The only pet invited...

It was a great morning and afternoon!

Rare Find

Some places have bears,

Some places have anacondas,

Some places have poisonous snakes,
Some places have other dangerous animals and/or insects,

and some places have...

As Geña was cleaning and moving around some blocks and bricks where I roast coffee, she came across a "rare find."

It is not unusual to find scorpions in the yard, but what makes this find a rare one is that if you look closely, you'll see baby scorpions attached to the back of it.  They say that after a female scorpion gives birth, the babies eat her.

Before and after trapping this scorpion, Geña killed 7 others in the area.  The next day in a different area where there were some bricks laying around, she killed 3 more.  A week before this, she was stung by one on the tip of her finger, but didn't affect her.

Any guesses as to how many babies were attached to the mother???

53!!  That means, that in those two days, Geña killed 64 scorpions (alacranes)!

New Tab "Dwellings"

Click on this link or the tab above to see the new page...

ON YOUR MARK...

Click on this link to read a brief summary of yesterday's message at Centro Cristiano Cofradia...

MAY MINISTRY UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradia, Mexico! There has been a few exciting things happen this month. The first was Emma’s Birthday.  She wanted a Mini-RETO and we spent over four hours playing games, having fun, and enjoying her and her friends.  You can see a video of it here.

Another exciting thing is vision.  Talk about vision has been at the forefront of many conversations lately.  “The Power of Vision” class has come at a perfect time as we are perfecting the vision for our Mexican Organization as well as helping the students determine more clearly what the Lord wants to do through them once they have finished the required amount of classes in order to graduate.  It’s been really exciting to hear how God has been speaking to people.  This has become something very essential as we “Raise up Leaders in Rural Mexico.”  My passion is to help people reach towards their leadership potential.  Many of us are afraid to take risks and I’m so excited to see how everyone is growing!  A couple of weeks ago as I was reading in Proverbs 13, a verse stood out to me that alludes to this.  You can read my thoughts here.

On the contrary to these exciting things, a beloved friend, mother, and grandmother went to be with the Lord this month.  Paula Vega was 55 and slipped away as they began to operate on her.  Many of you donated towards’ the family’s financial need and they received almost exactly what they needed.  The Franco-Vega family thanks you and are very grateful to all of you who prayed for them and helped them.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry as we walk through challenges and victories.  We really appreciate your participation.

In our last update, asked you to pray for...  

1. Bible School.  This quarter has been very productive and exciting.  The students are really enjoying the Theology class as well as being challenged in the Vision class. 
2. Music Ministry (Worship).  Praise the Lord!  Through the vision class, a couple of people have mentioned that this is something they’d like to get involved in and see developed more.  I’m all for them doing this!!! 
3. The Mission in Cofradía.  Thank you for your prayers.  It turns out that the change that was to take place has been reconsidered and we are no longer in need of the change. 
4. Mexican Civil Association.  No new news here; we’re still where we were at a month ago.  Thanks for your continued prayers.

Here are some links to more:

• Emma’s 9th Birthday video (28 minutes)
• Emma’s 9th Birthday video (3 minutes) 
• Rebecka and Emma’s first music together. 
• Do Something; Expect Something. 
• Last month’s update. 
• Pastor’s Perspectives: Click here to read reports from three of our Pastors. 
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.  Click on this link to check it out.

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Bible School.  Thank you for your continued prayers for the students as they spend time with the Lord to hear His voice and see His vision for each of them. 
2. Mexican Civil Association.  Pray for a smooth start-up to the official organization. 
3. Upcoming Activities.  Please pray for wisdom and direction for all the leaders and staff involved in our upcoming events; pray for those who will be ministered to to have open hearts and lives to be changed; pray that our ultimate goal of glorifying God will be fulfilled.  Summer Bible classes tought by Pastor Goyo, Pastor Luis, and Pastor Martin, EL RETO youth outreach, Short-term Mission Teams, Freedom in Christ conference (through Neil Anderson’s ministry), additional missionary staff, and our family as we’ll be in the states for two months during the summer.

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!! 

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
Office: 011-52-319-232-5046
SKYPE: “srsilberman”

--- PLEASE JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---
ONLINE. Click here to donate to our personal support.

BY POSTAGE MAIL/CHECKS. Send a check made out to Alternative Missions to Alternative Missions / PO Box 3107 / Ferndale, WA 98248.  On a separate note, indicate that it is for The Silbermans.

First music by Rebecka and Emma

On Wednesday evening, I taught Emma a couple of chords on the guitar; two chords that Rebecka already knew on the piano.  The next evening, they were playing the song I taught them by themselves...

Emma's Birthday - short video

Click here to read about Emma's birthday and see a longer, 28 minute video of it.

Here's the short, 3 minute version (Thanks, Max):
Emma birthday 9th 3.min from macx on Vimeo.

Emma Rose's 9th Birthday!

For the past few years, we've held a "mini-RETO" for Rebecka's birthday parties.  They have been such a hit and it's something that the girls look forward to each year.  This year, when we asked Emma what she wanted for her birthday, she said, "RETO!".  Ok, so here is a 28 minute video of Emma's 9th birthday put together by our friend Max.  We divided the children into two teams and played games together; they got wet, had some interesting things to eat, hit the piñata, and finished the evening off with cake.

Emma has been helping on the Worship band as her and her little cousin, Zundury, have been singing with me.  I had my guitar laying around one day and she picked it up and started playing with it.  She has shown an interest in learning how to play, so one of her gifts was a mid-sized classical guitar.  She loves it!  Can't play it yet, but she loves it!

Here's the video...
Emma Rose 9th from macx on Vimeo.

April Ministry Update

Greetings from Cofradia, Mexico! Happy Resurrection Day, everyone!  I love thinking about how important the resurrection is to Christians.  This is the foundation of what we believe.  Christ died for us, but he didn’t stay dead, he rose again—in order for us to be reconciled to God the Father!  If there were no resurrection, our faith would be pointless.  Without our faith, we would be hopeless.  It’s nice to have hope.  Our hope is based on faith, our faith is based on His love.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry as we walk through challenges and victories.  We really appreciate your participation.

In our last update, asked you to pray for...  

1. Church Anniversary.  Thank you for your prayers throughout the years for this church and the continued growth in Dischipleship and Leadership.  Close to 200 people came out to celebrate with us...(read more here).   
2. Bible School Students.  The Winter Quarter is over, the exams are graded, and we’ve had some great conversation about the classes...especially the counseling class! 
3. EL RETO Mission: Las Varas.  Pastor Luis and I along with four students (including our daughter Rebecka) went to a church in Las Varas, Nayarit and shared with them how to work with youth.  We did a mini-RETO on the Saturday and I shared about leadership from Nehemiah at church on Sunday morning.  We enjoyed ourselves and so did they.  There were 22 students who came not knowing what to expect.  They all had lots of fun and we were able to share the gospel with them; most of them do not go to church.  Click here for a short report and quick video. 
4. Music Ministry (Worship). Please pray for the continued growth in the locals as we develop this ministry. 
5. Bookkeeping.  I’m almost finished with getting everything caught up; I made good progress this month.  Thank you for your prayers! 
6. The Mission in Cofradia.  We appreciate your continued prayers for the change that will occur this year. 
7. Mexican Civil Association.  We have an official name for the Civil Association!  “La Cofradia United International” will be our official name as we continue to carry out the Lord’s work in this town of Cofradia and the surrounding areas.  “Cofradia” is literally translated as “Confraternity”.  A Confraternity (brotherhood/sisterhood) is a group of people who set out for a purpose, usually religious or charitable.  It fits really nicely with what we do here.  We are still working on legal paperwork for the Association to be birthed.

Here are some links to more:

• Student Ministry Awards Night: Four students received awards for their enthusiasm, service, leadership, and dedication.  Click here to read the report and see photos (see what family member is amongst the winners!). 
• Last month’s update
• Pastor’s Perspectives: Read reports from three of our Pastors.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Bible School.  Prayer for the students as they continue to move forward in their relationship with God.  Prayer for me as I lead and facilitate the classes.  The two classes that we have this Spring Quarter are: Systematic Theology II and The Power of Vision. 
2. Music Ministry (Worship).  Please continue pray for the ongoing growth in the locals as we develop this ministry. 
3. The Mission in Cofradia.  Thank you for your continued prayer for wisdom, discernment, and patience.  Pray that the Lord would guide us to the right people to talk with concerning these changes. 
4. Mexican Civil Association.  Pray for a smooth start-up to the official organization.  As I mentioned, we still have some paperwork to do, but we’re excited about getting the name authorized.

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!!

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
SKYPE: “srsilberman”

--- PLEASE JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---
ONLINE. Click here to donate to our personal support.

BY POSTAGE MAIL/CHECKS. Send a check made out to Alternative Missions to Alternative Missions / PO Box 3107 / Ferndale, WA 98248.  On a separate note, indicate that it is for The Silbermans.

Awards Night - Student Ministry

This is the tenth year we've held an Awards Night for the Student Ministry.  What initially started as the Oscar Awards event brought to us by Cy-Fair Student Ministry has continued on as we recognize students who have stood out amongst the rest in their service, enthusiasm, leadership ability, and dedication to the Lord's work.

This year, four students received awards:

Enthusiasm Award.  This award goes to the person who shows a lot of spirit in the activities, isn't afraid to participate, and encourages others to join in.  This person is a spark in the youth group.  This year, this award went to...

Kenia Garzón
from Arrayanes

New Generation Award.  This award focusses on the new students who have joined the youth group this year just coming out of Elementary School.  The winner of this award has displayed leadership ability since joining the group and in the future could be part of the Student Leadership Team.  This year, this award went to...

Rebecka Silberman
from Cofradia

Servant Award.  This award goes to the person in the youth group who is always willing to help and shows great leadership within the group.  This person helps others with a selfless, servant attitude.  This year, this award went to...

Keren Vázquez
from Santa Fe

Brave Heart Award.  This award goes to the person who has shown a lot of growth in their walk with the Lord.  They have set examples for others and are willing to serve no matter what the cost.  This year, this award went to...

Martin Garzón
from Arrayanes

Thank you for your prayers and support of the Student Ministry of Centro Cristiano Cofradia.  Home of EL RETO!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THIS STUDENT MINISTRY

EL RETO: LAS VARAS

Over a year ago, we were invited to give a class on how to reach students by a pastor in Las Varas, Nayarit.  This past weekend, six of us went to "show" them what has had huge success with us here in Cofradia where hundreds of youth have been exposed to the gospel and have participated in our Student Ministry's EL RETO.

Pastor Luis, his daughter Carolina, his son Luis, Alfredo and myself along with my daughter, Rebecka put together a small mini-RETO for the students at Redeem Church in Las Varas.  It was very impactful for all of us as we saw students excited about EL RETO and open to learn.  

EL RETO is mainly designed for reaching young people.  However, during the event, all of us can learn something if we allow ourselves to "listen".  Luis and Alfredo helped as coaches to the local captains from Las Varas.  Both of them shared in church the next morning about how they learned to work together as a team.  One shared from the point of view of being on the losing team, and the other shared from the point of view of being on the winning team.  They were great testimonies of how God teaches us through EL RETO.  I'm proud of Alfredo and Luis for helping and seeing something that God was speaking to them about.

What caught my attention most was the dynamic of one team who started really strong, but lost most of the activities...it seemed like everything went wrong for them.  One game after the next, they lost.  In the end, they ended up with minus points!  This is something that can happen, and probably has happened, to all of us.  When we feel like the world is against us.  Things don't always go the way we've planned them.  And, "When it rains, it pours" is a common phrase that many of us claim when so many things aren't going "right."  But, this is something that we can look at and say, "What are you teaching me, Lord?"  I can remember some instances of things happening last year that surprised me.  It seemed like every time something got "fixed", something else would happen and we would end up focused on "fixing" that problem.  I think ultimately, God wants us to trust in Him in all things.  He is faithful and will continue to be faithful.  His love endures forever.  So, when things aren't going the way we've planned, we can trust in Him that He knows His plan.  When we submit to His Will, we only come out winners--even if we loose in a simple, yet complex, EL RETO game.

Are you facing a hard time right now?  Are things not going "your" way?  The most simple answer is to put your trust in Jesus and know that He loves you and cares for you.  He will make a way where there seems to be nothing.  If you haven't, you can ask Him for forgiveness of your sins and invite Him to be Lord of your life.  He has already won the victory over evil.  We can only win with Him!

Cofradia Church Anniversary

Close to 200 people came out to celebrate four years of being in the new church building.  We worshipped together, Pastor Goyo shared a very appropriate message called “Jesus, the Name Above All Names.”  Three people came forward to make Jesus Christ Lord of their life and many others followed.

Each year we have a free time that allows members to share a song, drama, or a testimony.  We had a number of participants this year and we had a great time followed by a great meal together!

Why do we celebrate? Four years ago we inaugurated the new building for Centro Cristiano Cofradia after meeting for over a decade and a half at the Mission Base Compound.  What a testimony to God’s Faithfulness!  On this day, we recognize the hundreds of people who have come down to minister through short-term missions as they helped lay a foundation for this ministry.  Many people have been saved, refreshed, encouraged, and blessed by relationships that have been developed.  We think of all the teams and individuals who have come to work on all kinds of construction projects, even those who had the opportunity to help build the church.  Finally, we are very grateful for all who have given sacrificially to the work here.  When we all work together, we can do great things in God’s Kingdom. 

So, a big THANK YOU to you all who have prayed and given so much of your time and finances.  Through Christ, you have helped make Centro Cristiano Cofradia a reality.  We love you all!

MARCH UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradia, Mexico! Just a couple of weeks ago I shared with you our last update in which I mentioned our annual Valentine’s Day Date Night for married couples and links to a couple of small reports on Short-term mission teams from Texas and Washington.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

In our last update, we also asked you to pray for...  

1. Church Anniversary.  We will be celebrating our 4th year in the new building this Sunday.  It’s always a great time to look back and consider the faithfulness of our Lord.
2. Bible School.  Tonight we finish our Winter Quarter with 17 students.  It has been very informative and the discussions we have at the end are very thought-provoking as they challenge us to grow.  The students will be spending this next week working on their final exams.  Thank you for your prayers for them and me as I grade them.
3. Music Ministry (Worship).  God is continuing to work, please keep this in prayer. 

Here are some links to more:

• Last month’s update
• Pastor’s Perspectives: Click here to read reports from three of our Pastors.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.
  

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Church Anniversary.  Thank you for your prayers throughout the years for this church and the continued growth in Dischipleship and Leadership (Anniversary Date: February 27; To be celebrated on March 8).   
2. Bible School Students.  Again, thank you for your prayers for them and me as I grade their exams.
3. EL RETO Mission: Las Varas.  Pastor Luis and I along with four students (including our daughter Rebecka) will be training a church in Las Varas, Nayarit on how to work with youth on March 14.  We’ll be executing a mini-RETO as well as coaching their leaders about their needs.  I will be sharing from Nehemiah with the congregation the next morning about Leadership.  We are really looking forward to this as the Lord continues to open doors for us to minister to people and churches in this region and state.
4. Music Ministry (Worship).  The main Worship Leader who has been helping me will be leaving after the 15th of March to the United States to work as a Contracted Laborer; He will be gone until next December.  Please pray for the continued growth in the locals as we develop this ministry.
5. Bookkeeping.  I am way behind with the mission’s bookkeeping.  Pray that the Lord would help me see windows of time in order to update everything.  I love to do bookkeeping, but haven’t been able to get caught up.
6. The Mission in Cofradia.  We will be experiencing some changes this year and would really appreciate your prayers for wisdom, discernment, and patience.  Pray that the Lord would guide us to the right people to talk with concerning these changes.
7. Mexican Civil Association.  We are still working on making this happen.  Pray for guidance as we move forward to establish the mission in Mexico.

Thank you so much for being part of our team as we work together to RAISE UP LEADERS IN RURAL MEXICO!!!!

Blessings,

Steve, Geña, Rebecka, Emma, and Mackenzie Silberman
Missionaries to Mexico
Alternative Missions Cofradia
Area Director
Office: 011-52-319-232-5046
Facebook
SKYPE: “srsilberman”

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