SPLASH REPORT

SPLASH 2016!

It was definitely a Splash!  With at least six different churches, we made 8 teams and played kick-ball with a splash.  It was a lot of fun, the students were all mixed together randomly in order to break the invisible walls of comfort.  All the students were able to participate (if they wanted).  After kicking the ball out in the field, the students would proceed to slip-slide-slither in an unbalanced half-run along the soapy wet plastic baseline to finally tumble and plunge into the small pool at first base with a big SPLASH.  This was the scene as those who actually made it, continued along to 2nd and 3rd bases.  Making it to home was enticingly attractive after wriggling out of the way of being the target for an out--a sweet dive through a hoop, down a small wet slide into the final pool.

Tumbling into first.

Splashing into 2nd.

Escaping the out.

Sliding Home!

After a couple hours of the tournament-style event, Pastor Luis shared with all the students about the connection that our dreams have with our heart.  If our heart is right, our dreams are right.  What is the essence of our dreams?  Are they selfish or are they selfless?

The Winning Team

Thank you for supporting this Student Ministry in prayer and finances.
Click here to donate towards the students.

MARCH UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradía! eeHAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!!ee  Not to Geña and me, but to our local church.  Five years ago was the inauguration of the new church building and we’ll be celebrating the Lord’s faithfulness this Sunday!  The ministry started over 20 years ago with a medical team when the ministry was Youth With A Mission.  The focus was to assist the locals and the travelling indigenous workers who would come down from the mountains to work in the fields and serve them, in a sense, as a City of Refuge.  The ministry evolved into a church plant and the Lord continues to be faithful as people meet Him and grow in Him.  Click here for a quick two-minute video of our ministry.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
Last month, we asked you to pray for... 

1. Religious Association Status.  We have completed a big chunk of the paperwork and sent it in to Mexico City last week.  We need $2,000 to help with the cost. 
2. Bible School. Thank you to those who have responded to the need of the three students who have been unable to pay their tuition.   
3. Drug Rehab Center: The City Commissioners of Rosamorada have said there is no land available to donate towards this project.  The Municipal President is still anxious to see this project get under way and is willing to help build the facilities.  We’re just waiting for land.  A while back, Pastor Amado was offered an abandoned movie theatre for roughly $40,000 US dollars, but there are no finances for the purchase.  In the meantime, he and his wife have been treating and helping drug addicts from their home and attending funerals of young people.  Just last week a young girl slit her wrists due to her addiction!  These people are desperate for help.  
4. An Accountant: Keep praying for the Lord’s will to be done. 
5. Internet. Keep praying for the Lord’s will to be done. 
6. Date Night.  What an excellent time!  We enjoyed having Doug and Jan Taylor speaking for us.  Click here to see a quick report with pictures.
7. Church Anniversary Celebration.  This Sunday, March 6th. 
8. Leaders.  Continue to pray for leaders to be raised up in this area. 

Here are some links to more:

• Last Month’s Update
• Pastoral Perspectives: Click here to read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors
• EL RETO 2015
• What is EL RETO
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.  

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Religious Association Status.  Finances. We need $2,000 US Dollars in order for this to be accomplished.  Please consider how you can help; click here to safely send a tax-deductible contribution online.  Thank you. 
2. Bible School. Partner with us as we raise up leaders in rural Mexico.  Graduation will be here before we know it and some of the students still have been unable to pay their tuition.  Of the ten students currently eligible for graduation in June, three of them are coming up short: Hugo Diaz ($70), Mily Garzon ($240), and Angel Martinez “Niko” ($360). If you know one of these people and want to help, I can share with you instructions on where to pay.  Or, if you’d like to help any of them in general, simply send a gift with a special note of “Cofradia Tuition” here.
3. Drug Rehab Center: Pray for the Lord to open up doors for land or the opportunity for a building.  Also, pray for the pastors to have wisdom as they serve these young people so desperately in need. 
4. An Accountant: We are in need of an accountant in Mexico to help us with our Civil and Religious Association finances.  We have been working with one, but her availability is very limited.  All receipts are done electronically through the internet which makes things very difficult for us in a location where the phone company does not want to install internet.  Please pray that God would provide us with the right person or that our current accountant will be able to help us better understand what we need to do. 
5. Internet. Pray that a better system becomes available to us.  We currently are using dial-up at home; at the mission base, we have a satellite system from the states through Hughesnet which is slow, limited, and expensive. 
6. Splash 2016: We’ll be hosting a mulit-church youth event this weekend with games and a message to continue creating a sense of unity amongst the churches in the region and reach out to new youth.  Click here for more info.
7. Church Anniversary Celebration.  This Sunday, March 6, we will be celebrating 5 years since our inauguration of the building.  Pray for the evangelistic opportunity that this brings. 
8. Mesa Team.  A group of people from our local church plant, Centro Cristiano Cofradia, will be travelling up to La Mesa, Nayarit, to work with the Cora Indians for a week as they present the message of Jesus through a VBS-style camp for the children (March 13 – 18). 

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

--- JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---

You can make a one-time, tax-deductible gift or set up to make monthly donations online at the link below.
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.

Alternative Missions Cofradia

A quick look at the ministry here in Cofradia, Mexico, with the Director Steve Silberman.



Come along side us and be part of what God is doing here by Praying, Coming, and Giving.

• Pray for wisdom with the governmental requirements of our new Religious and Civil Associations.
• Pray for finances.
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out in this area!

• Come down on a Short-Term Mission team (click here for the Short-Term Missions Manual).  
• Vacation Bible Schools with the children 
• Partner with the church evangelizing other towns
• Building relationships with the locals
• Construction Projects
• Building houses
• Come down as an intern.
• Come down as a full-time Missionary.

• Give towards the ministry's operational fund.
• Give towards the support of local Pastors and Missionaries who are going out from Cofradia to other places.
• Give towards specific projects and/or ministries.

*ALL GIFTS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE AND CAN BE MADE AS A ONE-TIME CONTRIBUTION OR SET UP AS AN AUTOMATIC MONTHLY DONATION.

*CONTACT STEVE FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING ANY QUESTIONS OR SPECIFICS ABOUT PRAYING, COMING, OR GIVING.

SPLASH 2016! coming soon...

Next Saturday, March 5, we are inviting all the youth groups in this region to join us for an evening of "refreshing".  Splash 2016 will be a kickball game using pools as the bases and soapy, wet tarps as baselines.  It will be a Splash!  We'll have a refreshing message from the Word to follow.

Many of the events for the student ministry incur extra expenses and your donations help make this possible for us to do.  Please partner with us by sending a one time or monthly donation to the Cofradia Student Ministry here.  Thank you in advance!

DATE NIGHT 2016

Thirty-nine couples came out to our annual “Date Night” for Valentine’s Day.  It was a nice, relaxing time that couples were able to enjoy over a very good meal, some participated in games, and an excellent message from Doug and Jan Taylor. 

Through their message we were encouraged to live the Gospel in our marriage, life, and family, build relational bridges in the community, and serve those around us.  Couples came from Cofradia, San Marcos, Las Pilas, Santa Fe, Arrayanes, Rosamorada, Tuxpan, Mojocuautla, Ruiz, and Mazatlan.  In the end, three and a half couples raised their hands to say that they wanted Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of their life.  Thank you for those of you who prayed.

FEBRUARY MINISTRY UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradía! The dogs are barking; deep “woofs” of the larger ones and sharp yelps from the little ones.  The distant howling of coyotes and the constant crowing of roosters make the sounds appear to be a planned, ongoing song with an occasional donkey braying as if it were trying to sing.  It’s 4:30am in Cofradía.  Soon the sounds will fade into the squeaky suspensions, the humming of vehicle motors, and the popping of tractor engines over men’s voices as they head out into the fields.  It’s a new day and God’s creation is in action.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
Last month, we asked you to pray for... 

1. Religious Association Status.  Things are moving along quite well.  We’re not sure how long this will take, but we’re making very good progress. The Religious Association will be called “Centro Cristiano la Cofradia United”. 
2. Bible School. Many of the people who have taken classes for the past couple of years attribute the material we’ve been studying as having made a direct impact in their spiritual growth and maturity.  It has been a huge blessing!  We asked you to pray for those who still need help with their tuition; some have been able to pay while others still need help. 
3. Drug Rehab Center: We are still waiting, but a location has been chosen.  Thank you for your continued prayers for this as we look forward to seeing this Center become a reality. 
4. Border Run.  Thank you for your prayers.  We had a wonderful time while we were in the states as we spent a week with my parents and another week with Geña’s sister along with a couple of visits at the Harrison’s and the opportunity to see some friends and Pastors in Bakersfield.   
5. Short-Term Mission Team: We had another great time as the team was able to connect and impact lives of the locals as we focused on “Healthy Families”.  Our newest missionary members to Cofradía, Lain and Kelly Grant, came here on this same team last year; they have written a few words about this year’s experience and you can read them here.

Here are some links to more:

• UPDATED Pastoral Perspectives: Click here to read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors.
• Last Month’s Update 
• EL RETO 2015 
• What is EL RETO 
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• 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. Religious Association Status.  The financial end of this issue is still in need; the minimal cost is $2,000 US Dollars in order for this to be accomplished.  Please consider how you can help; click here to safely send a tax-deductible contribution online.  Thank you. 
2. Bible School. Graduation will be here before we know it and some of the students still have been unable to pay their tuition.  Of the ten students currently eligible for graduation in June, three of them are coming up short: Hugo Diaz ($70), Mily Garzon ($240), and Angel Martinez “Niko” ($390). If you know one of these people and want to help, I can share with you instructions on where to pay.  Or if you’d like to help any of them, simply send a general donation to Cofradia with a special note of “Cofradia Tuition”.
3. Drug Rehab Center: Continue to lift up Pastor Amado in prayer as he works with the local government to get this project running. 
4. An Accountant: We are in need of an accountant in Mexico to help us with our Civil and Religious Association finances.  We have been working with one, but her availability is very limited.  All receipts are done electronically through the internet which makes things very difficult for us in a location where the phone company does not want to install internet.  Please pray that God would provide us with the right person or that our current accountant will be able to help us better understand what we need to do. 
5. Internet. Pray that a better system becomes available to us.  We currently are using dial-up at home; at the mission base, we have a satellite system from the states through Hughesnet which is slow, limited, and expensive. 
6. Date Night.  Our annual Valentine’s Date Night is tomorrow!  We will have the privilege of having Doug and Jan Taylor once again as our guest speakers. 
7. Church Anniversary Celebration.  On Sunday, March 6, we will be celebrating 5 years since our inauguration of the building.  Pray for the evangelistic opportunity that this brings. 
8. Leaders.  Continue to pray for leaders to be raised up in this area. 

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
La Cofradia United International
Alternative Missions
Cofradia Area Director


--- JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---

You can make a one-time, tax-deductible gift or set up for monthly giving safely online at the link below.
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.

Pastors' Perspectives

Here are the reports from the local pastors in Cofradia.  They receive very little for what they do and any donation you can make to them is appreciated.  You can click on their name to safely donate online.

Pastor, Gregorio Hernández

Lead Pastor

As 2015 came to a close, we were able to reflect on all of the things that were accomplished during the year, and with satisfaction we saw that it was a year of great blessing for the church. For example:

• The bible college that is providing us with brothers and sisters who are equipped to do the tasks that GOD entrusts to each one.
• The Freedom in Christ conference we hosted in December that was good preparation for those who attended that will help others learn to live free in Christ.

And we know that all this isn’t just a blessing for the church but also for the town in general—that is, for those who will enter the church in the future.

In the area of worship, Hugo’s efforts as Worship Minister really stand out; we are extremely grateful to God for the work He is doing through him. During 2015 he was in charge of leading us in worshiping God on many Sundays, and I am certain that he will continue growing in this area. 

Each one of the Cofradía Christian Center leaders has incomparable potential. For all of this and more we are grateful to all of you for your support in prayer and intercession as well as in finances. I tell you that what you are doing out of love for GOD is not in vain. It is translating into lives transformed for the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are all a part of that!!

Our passion is to continue reproducing what God has done in Cofradía, in communities both near and far, and to continue living out the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18‐20. We thank you in advance for your continued and future support. Please be praying for this year’s theme: “Free to Live, Worship, Preach, and Pray.” And as always, we are so grateful for your passion and dedication to God.

Blessings to you all.

Yours Sincerely,

Pastor Gregorio Hernández, Mati, and Family

___________________________________________

Pastor Luis Vázquez

Youth Ministries and Maintenance

Greetings, and may God bless your lives through Jesus Christ, His beloved Son!

In recently days we have been enjoying God’s blessing in new ways as we have continued to know Him better each day, both in His personality as much as in His fullness. He is manifesting Himself in our lives, our ministry, and our church.

THE CHALLENGE (EL RETO), the event for which we asked for your prayers earlier this year, was excellent and provided many opportunities throughout all the activities to talk about all the aspects related to Identity. Over the course of the event, we taught the youth about who Christ is and about His forgiveness. That great truth was planted in their hearts, and God will make His Word prosper in them. We also enjoyed the participation of other church youth groups, one of which continues to bring their youth to our weekly meetings to work together as partners in ministry, which is part of our vision for the youth.

The youth leaders and I are still passionate about pursuing the youth and gathering them together each Saturday and grow deeper roots together in the love of God.

As a family we are still adjusting to the absence of our daughter, who moved to Tepic for college. We believe it is God’s will for her and we receive that; the rest of us keep pressing on and we enjoy having her home when she returns each weekend. We ask for your prayers for:

• Carolina and her studies and for our adjustment to her absence.
• Unity for us as a family.
• The new members and attenders to our youth group.
• Growth in the youth who are already established in the group.

May God richly bless your lives and those of your families. Thank you for your generosity to us.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Luis

_________________________________________

Pastor Horacio Garzon

Indigenous Ministries and Arrayanes

Hello, brothers and sisters. As always, it is a pleasure to greet you once again. I hope that you are all well. I assure you we are all well, though I tell you that because my wife, María, was ill for a month with a digestive ailment, which was complicated by her diabetes and therefore necessitated two or three rounds of treatment.Though she lost quite a bit of weight in the process, she is finally recovering well.

In ministry we are still confident in and grateful to God for all things. We continue ministering in the Cora community of Mojocuautla. We are organizing the distribution of the Operation Christmas Child boxes, praying that many children will receive the love of Christ through that event.

Your support is a precious blessing that allows us to resolve several needs that have beset us. In addition, through it God has allowed us to go to a distant mountain community of Cora called “El Cangrejo.”

Thank you!

JANUARY 2016 UPDATE

Greetings from the Silbermans! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!  We are currently visiting my parents in Washington for a few days and will be in Southern California for another week before we drive back to Cofradía.  We are enjoying this small window of time with family after a very busy November and December.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
In our last update, we asked you to pray for... 

1. Religious Association Status.  We have sent in the first round of paperwork and are waiting for a response from Mexico City.  Thank you for your continued prayers. 
2. Bible School. Continue to pray for the Masters students as they finish up their Thesis.  Contact me if you feel led to help them or have a question about their financial need.
3. Freedom in Christ conference in Cofradia: We had a great time with the leaders of Freedom in Christ Ministries here in Mexico.  They guided us through a 13 week discipleship curriculum in four days.  It was intense, but the outcome was very helpful.  Some of the testimonies where that people were able to sleep at night with a peaceful mind.  Thank you for your prayers. 
4. Drug Rehab Center: Still waiting for the Rosamorada Town Hall meeting in order to get the land for the Center.  Thank you for praying. 
5. Border Run.  So far, everything has been going well.  We are enjoying ourselves with my parents and look forward to spending next week with Geña’s family in California.  Thank you for your continued prayers for safe travels and divine encounters.

Here are some links to more:

• Last Month’s Update
• EL RETO 2015
• What is EL RETO?
• Pastoral Perspectives: Click here to read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors.
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• 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. Religious Association Status.  We want to make sure that the church we have planted in Cofradia is legal.  This is the underlying reason why we need a Religious Association.  We are looking at a minimal cost of $2,000 US Dollars in order for this to be accomplished and need help with the cost.  Click here to safely send a tax-deductible contribution.  Thank you. 
2. Bible School. Continue to pray for the Masters students finishing up their Thesis.  Contact me if you feel led to help them or have a question about their need.
3. Drug Rehab Center: Thank you for your continued prayers for this as we look forward to seeing this Center become a reality. 
4. Border Run.  Thank you for continuing to pray for our safety and good health while we’re in the states.  We’ll be returning to Cofradia on the 11th of January.
5. Short-Term Mission Team We are hosting a team from Houston, Texas from January 23 – 30 with a focus on Marriage and Family Relationships.  Pray for another successful time with nurtured international relationships and strong families and marriages.

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
La Cofradia United International
Alternative Missions
Cofradia Area Director

--- JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---

You can make a one-time, tax-deductible gift or set up for monthly giving safely online at the link below.
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.

DECEMBER UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradía, Mexico! This is our last update before Christmas and the New Year.  So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  We continue to be marveled by the grace of God and His immense love towards us.  It is special and great to be called His children.  

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
In our last update, we asked you to pray for... 

1. Religious Association Status.  While Pastor Goyo and I were in Mexico City, we had the opportunity to meet the person who is helping us with the paperwork.  She has been a blessing to us and we continue to gather all the documentation we need in order to pass on to her. 
2. Bible School. Please continue to pray for the five Masters students who are working on their graduation exam (Pastor Goyo, Martin, Angel, Pastor Amado and his wife, Lourdes—from Rosamorada) and that they will be able to pay for their tuition.  Contact me if you feel led to help them or have a question about their need.
3. Freedom in Christ conference in Mexico City: WOW!  What an incredible time!  Everyone so was so loving and accepting as they made us feel right at home and blessed.  It was an unforgettable and freeing time for both Pastor Goyo and me; I even had a chance to sit down and chat personally with Neil Anderson.  You can read about our time in Mexico City here.
4. Freedom in Christ conference in Cofradia: Please continue to pray for this upcoming conference with William Gallardo, his wife and two others who will be coming to Cofradia to lead a four-day conference with the Pastors and Leaders from Cofradia and some from the surrounding areas.  Pray for safety in their travels, open hearts in those attending, and for this aspect of ministry to continue in this area; we want to see people free in Christ! (December 17 – 20) 
5. Drug Rehab Center: Pastor Amado is still waiting for Town Hall to present to him available locations for the Center.  Once they have the land, the Municipal President has offered to help with the construction of the facilities because of the overwhelming need in Rosamorada (our county seat) for a Rehab Center.  Thank you for your continued prayers. 
6. Anniversary! Thank you for your continued prayers over our family.  Even though the actual day was super busy, we have been able to find moments to give thanks for the past 15 years.

Here are some links to more:

• EL RETO 2015
• What is EL RETO
• Pastoral Perspectives: Click here to read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors.
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• 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. Religious Association Status.  Continue to pray for guidance, wisdom, patience, and finances, as we put all the documentation together.  We are looking at a minimal cost of $2,000 US Dollars in order for this to be accomplished.  Thank you. 
2. Bible School. Continue to pray for the Masters students I mentioned above and their individual needs.
3. Freedom in Christ conference in Cofradia: As I mentioned above, please pray for safety over the speakers as they travel, open hearts in those attending, and for this aspect of ministry to continue in this area; we want to see people free in Christ! (December 17 – 20) 
4. Drug Rehab Center: Thank you for your continued prayers for this as we look forward to seeing this Center become a reality. 
5. Border Run.  No, we’re not going to Taco Bell!  But, yes, we are making a quick trip to the states in order to update our vehicle permit.  After driving to the Los Angeles area, we will fly to Washington for a few days to spend Christmas with my parents, then return to the Los Angeles area to spend some time with some of Geña’s family.  Pray for safety in travel, divine encounters, and the Lord’s provision.

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
La Cofradia United International
Alternative Missions
Cofradia Area Director

--- JOIN OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TEAM ---

You can make a one-time, tax-deductible gift or set up for monthly giving safely online at the link below.

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.

Freedom in Christ with Neil Anderson

Pastor Goyo and I had the privilege of being invited to a Freedom in Christ Seminar in Mexico City by William Gallardo, FIC representative here in Mexico, with Dr. Neil Anderson as the special speaker.  In December, we'll have William and his wife, Lourdes, here to present a four-day conference with our pastors and leaders as well as other pastors from around this area.  We are really excited about having them come, especially after having met them in person.

After a five-hour delay, our flight finally took off and we arrived in Mexico City at 12:30am on Saturday.  That morning we were one of the handpicked Pastors invited to a breakfast where Neil shared a devotional about his new book that will be coming out next year.  The focus is on the Presence of God, something He has been speaking to him about lately through time with his wife.

At the conference, there were around 250 pastors and leaders mostly from Mexico City.  We were extremely honored to have been invited to sit right up front.  Neil shared in the first three sessions a lot of material and principals that we have read in his books lately.  William and Lourdes spoke in the final session giving us a glimpse of what we will be looking at when they are here.  That evening over half of the people walked through the "Steps to Freedom in Christ" booklet guided by Lourdes and a man named Carlos (who will be here also). 

They all have a special way of sharing the truth in love and full of grace.  This was one of the most freeing experiences I have ever been a part of.  It is important to know who God is, who we are (our identity), and that in Christ, we have authority of Satan.  God has called us to be free.  Our salvation depends on Christ; our freedom depends on us believing the truth.  "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

The next day we were invited to the church service where Neil was to preach.  As we were waiting for our ride, I had the privilege of sitting down and chatting with Neil in the lobby of our hotel for about 20 minutes.  I was amazed at how down to earth he is and how easy he is to talk with. 

At church, they again sat us up front and we were able to worship with 400 plus people at Vida Nueva that meets in the hotel Camino Real Santa Fe just outside of Mexico City.  Neil shared an evangelistic message that presented God as loving and accepting and exposed our tendency to want to do what we are told not to giving the example of Adam and Eve in the garden...as well as a more modern illustration with our children.

In the end, we were blessed and look forward to sharing our experience with others.  We will be hosting a four-day conference of a 13-week discipleship course December 17 - 20 and would appreciate your prayers. 

This is free to all Pastors and Leaders in our church and in the area, but will incur some expenses that we will need help with.  If you can, will you join us in sharing freedom with others by sending a special offering to help us and bless William and Lourdes as they take time out of their schedule to come here?

Make donations online here with a note that says, "Freedom".

You can send checks made out to "Alternative Missions" by mail to:

ALTERNATIVE MISSIONS

PO BOX 3107

FERNDALE, WA 98248

*Indicate that it is for Cofradia Freedom.

Neil sharing at breakfast.

Pastor Goyo and Neil.

William and Lourdes

Neil speaking at the conference with his interpreter.

Neil speaking at Vida Nueva with his interpreter.

Awesome worship time at Vida Nueva.

NOVEMBER UPDATE

Greetings from Cofradía, Mexico! Thanks to all of you who prayed for us as we prepared for Hurricane Patricia this month.  It made landfall quite a ways south, but crossed only about 100 miles of us between Tepic and Guadalajara.  After making sure that there was nothing loose on the properties and the vehicles were under cover, we anticipated at least some rain and random gusts of wind.  The result was a little bit of drizzling before it came ashore and we woke up to clear skies in the morning.  Because of the mountains between us and where it hit, it dissipated quickly.  However, it still did some damage in it’s direct path as you probably saw on the news.  There were so many reports of people praying over this storm and many attribute it’s unusually quick dissipation to people’s prayers and God’s hand at work.  For those of you interested, I posted a little blurb with a couple of maps to show you where the storm was in relation to us here.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!
In our last update, we asked you to pray for... 

1. The Ripples of EL RETO.  Thank you for your continued prayers over the students who participated in EL RETO 2015. 
2. Civil Association Status.  LA COFRADIA UNITED INTERNATIONAL, ASSOCIACION CIVIL is official.  We are working with an accountant to find out what would be best for us regarding a bank account.  It appears that this will incur unanticipated bank costs and more administrative work than expected.  However, we are excited about one specific projects that we are looking forward to beginning soon, a Drug Rehab Center in the county seat, Rosamorada, led by Pastor Amado Verdin of Rosamorada.  This project is at the beginning stage and Pastor Amado has been in contact with the local government officials to get it started.  In the future, we will let you know how you can participate in this ministry.  The Cofradia Dwellings home builds will also be included as a project led by the Association and even some aspects of EL RETO. 
3. Religious Association Status.  We’re seeing some progress.  We expect this to take longer than the Civil Association. 
4. Bible School. In the last update, I mentioned there were three Masters students preparing to graduate.  It turns out the there are five eligible for graduating with a Masters next June.  They are working on completing their Thesis as well as finishing up the class requirements and tuition payments. 
5. Lain and Kelly Grant are doing well at language school and being taken good care of as they are the only two current students.  We visited them this past weekend and are excited about their progress.  It will be nice to have them back here soon! 

Here are some links to more:

• Hurricane Patricia
• EL RETO 2015 A final report on how things ended in EL RETO this year (including the pending video).  At the bottom of the report are links to what happened each week. 
• What is EL RETO
• Pastoral Perspectives: Read bi-annual reports from three of our Pastors.
• “Dwellings” candidates in Cofradia: Meet three families that are in need of a home.
• Cofradia’s Short-Term Missions Manual explains more of our mission in detail.

This month, will you please pray for...

1. Religious Association Status.  Continue to pray for guidance, wisdom, and patience as we put all the documentation together. 
2. Bible School. Continue to pray for the now five Masters students who are working on their graduation exam (Pastor Goyo, Martin, Angel, Pastor Amado and his wife, Lourdes—from Rosamorada). Three of them need quite a bit of help with their tuition.  Contact me if you feel led to help them or have a question about their need.
3. Freedom in Christ conference in Mexico City: Pastor Goyo and I have the privilege of being invited to a conference in Mexico City with author, Dr. Neil Anderson, Founder and President of Freedom in Christ Ministries along with the President of the same ministry in Mexico, William Gallardo.  Being in Mexico City will also allow Goyo and I to meet the lady who is helping us put together our documentation for the Religious Association.  Pray for safe travels, divine appointments, and a nice refreshing in our spirits. (November 21,22) 
4. Freedom in Christ conference in Cofradia: William Gallardo, his wife and two others will be coming to Cofradia to lead a four-day conference with our Pastors and Leaders from Cofradia and some from the surrounding areas.  Pray for safety in their travels, open hearts in those attending, and for this aspect of ministry to continue in this area; we want to see people free in Christ! (December 17 – 20) 
5. Drug Rehab Center: The government in Rosamorada has seen the testimony of Pastor Amado and how his life has dramatically changed and they are extremely excited to help with getting the Drug Rehab Center running.  Please pray for God to continue to speak to the town leaders’ hearts and that they would give their life to Him.  Pray for the land that is needed to build the center, pray for the construction of the facilities, and especially pray for Pastor Amado as he moves forward in the vision that the Lord has given him. 
6. Anniversary! Geña and I will have been married for 15 years on November 18.  Thank you so much for your continued prayers for our family and ministry!

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
La Cofradia United International
Alternative Missions
Cofradia Area Director

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Hurricane Patricia

I just wanted to express our thanks to all of you who prayed for us and the people of Mexico.  Our hearts go out to those who suffered damage and loss during the hurricane.  Fortunately for us, we were far enough away that it didn't affect our area.  It appears that because of the high mountains near the coast, the hurricane had dissipated quickly and pretty much only affected it's direct line.

I have copied a couple of photos.  One is the google map showing Cofradia's location.  The other is a photo I found in an article from the Weather Channel showing the Hurricane's path.  For those of you who are interested, you will see where the hurricane travelled and how close/far away it was from us.

Notice below that Cofradia (the red dot) is north of the city of "Tepic"in the state of Nayarit...

Below you will see the path of the storm.  Notice that it was south of Tepic, but north of Guadalajara as it traveled the state line of Nayarit and Jalisco...

As you can see, it made landfall quite a ways south of us, but travelled closer.  It passed by about 1 ½ to 2 hours (driving) away.