[Newsletter] Mission Fiesta News, April 2008

Mon Mar 31 13:07:11 MST 2008

Mission Fiesta News
April 2008
Volume VII          Issue 2

Easter is Over...Now What???

Easter has come and gone...the good news of Christ’s resurrection has been
told...Jesus is alive...Easter is over...now what???  Are we going to be
satisfied just knowing the good news and put it back onto the back burner
for another year?  Is it enough just knowing about the power of the
resurrection or does that knowledge require more of us?

In the Biblical account in John, Chapter 20, Mary Magdalene approached the
tomb to find it empty and was upset because she thought someone had moved
the body of Jesus.  When Jesus first appeared to her, she didn’t recognize
him and mistook him for the gardener--she wasn’t expecting to meet Jesus
face to face that morning.  However, when he called her name, she realized
that Jesus indeed was risen and alive.  Mary Magdalene knew the good news to
be a fact!  Can you imagine being the one to discover that Christ’s body had
not been moved, but that he had risen from the dead?  I’m sure that Mary
Magdalene must have been overcome with many different emotions upon her
discovery--joy, amazement, awe, humility, astonishment, just to name a few.

After she collected her wits, Mary Magdalene addressed Jesus as “Rabboni” or
Master.  I would think that she might have had an urge to run to Jesus to
embrace Him, but Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch him because he had
not yet ascended into heaven to the Father.  However, Jesus did give her
instructions to go tell that she had seen and spoken with Him and to tell
the good news that He was not dead, but had arisen from his temporary grave.

Jesus required more from Mary Magdalene than just to know the truth and
power of the resurrection--she was told to go spread the news that Jesus is
alive and well.  Likewise, we have the same obligation to share the good
news with those who may not have heard--Jesus has risen from the dead and is
alive...yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

Easter is over...now what???  Go as witnesses who have seen the risen and
living Lord to spread the good news to everyone.  Because He willingly gave
His life for us, we have good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ to
share with everyone.

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”  John
20:31

Dan Ross, editor

Mission Fiesta, Inc.

2008 Volunteers

While there are several people in various stages of application at this
time, we have one applicant who has completely finalized both his
application and flight reservation.  Welcome aboard, John Monroe! We are
looking forward to adding others to the volunteer list very soon.

We are glad to have people who are willing to answer the call to travel to
another country to serve God.  Please keep John and the other applicants in
your prayers as plans are being finalized.

The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service.

--Rev. Billy Graham

Mission Statement

“We, as a group, are dedicated to helping organizations that provide
services to the poor and needy as well as to those who work with them.  In
keeping with our vision, “Celebrating Life,” we hope to help everyone
realize

 that they are special in God’s sight.”

Amazing Love

I enjoy reading about medieval times.  There was always a kingdom in need of
being saved from the evil villains.  These were times when the people were
ruled by kings.  People would support their king by fighting for him and
even at times pledge to die for their king.   Many did die for their king.

Today we do not live in such a time, but we as Christians do have a king.
His name is Jesus.  He is king of kings and the high king of heaven.  Just
as in the medieval times, we should fight for our King and, if necessary,
die for our King.  He deserves nothing less.

Easter, however, tells us a different story.   The following words are from
a song by the “Newsboys.”

‘Amazing love, how can it be

That you, my King has died for me?’

What an amazing King we have!

Gary Baker, director

Mission Fiesta, Inc.

Facts About Guatemala

Origin of the Name of Guatemala:

The name, Guatemala, means “land of the trees” in the Maya-Toltec language.

Guatemala is considered to be the “greenest” of the Central American
countries.  There is a lush abundance of trees and flowers and most of the
rural areas are dotted with gardens, from the lowlands to the terraced top
of steeply inclined hills.  The agricultural sector accounts for half of the
labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main agricultural products.

Christian Websites to Check-Out
www.mfiesta.org

www.guideposts.com

www.crosswalk.com

www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies

www.entourages.com/barbs/teens.html

www.kingdomquest.com/kids.html

www.coloring.ws/christian.htm

www.biblestudygames.com

www.christianmusic.com

www.christianbook.com

www.dayspring.com

www.beliefnet.com

Christian One-Liners

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.

Quit griping about your church--if it was perfect, you couldn’t belong!

The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come
close!

How to Reach Us

Gary Baker...............director at mfiesta.info

Dan Ross.......................news at mfiesta.info

Janet Hall..........intercessors at mfiesta.info

Hazel Watson............history at mfiesta.info

Mission Fiesta Website....www.mfiesta.org

Memories from 2002

Our Mission Fiesta team for 2002 included our base team of Gary Baker, Dan
Ross, Janet Hall, Karen Baker and Hazel Watson as well as a wonderful group
of volunteers. This year we had a FIRST!!! Our Guatemalan volunteer, Otto
Morales. Our other volunteers were Jeff Lybarger, a Youth Pastor from Ohio,
who also did clowning and a ministry to the deaf; Kevin Hall and his wife,
Kelly, and sons, Robbie Allman and Christian Hall, all from North Carolina.

Gary and Karen went to Guatemala on June 1 to begin preparations and to get
some Spanish lessons and tutoring from Otto. The rest of the team arrived on
June 5. After a day for new team members to get adjusted to a foreign
country and see some sights of the culture, we traveled to Chiquimula on
June 7 to the children’s home, Songs of Joy. The team visited for the day
and then left Hazel and Jeff to work with the children and staff at Songs
until Sunday, June 9. Jeff did a great job with clowning for the children at
the party although he was about to melt down since the temperature in
Chiquimula was close to 100 each day. The cake there had a clown theme in
honor of our clown. The team back in Antigua did the parties for Kids Alive
Girls and for the Sunday School--New Life and Peace.

On June 11 we traveled to Santa Apolonia to celebrate with the students and
staff at the Compassion School--El Buen Pastor. This is a community high in
the mountains and the school sits up on the side of the hill. At the top of
the steps the school always has a balloon trellis with a welcome sign for
us. They also honor us with the special Guatemalan tradition of spreading
green pine needles across the area. The students perform skits for us. After
the treats, it is a delight to jump rope, play basketball, chase balloons,
take pictures and talk with the children. Several of our team members
sponsored children there and visited their children during this time.

Casa Aleluya is the first children’s home with which we worked in Guatemala.
We have continued to celebrate with them since 1996 and they have grown. We
had our celebration with them on June 13 with the whole team. Jeff Lybarger,
our clown--Dedos, presented a skit at Casa Aleluya about a visit from God.
It reminded us and the children to see God in all of the needy people who
come our way. The children loved this.

On June 15 we arrived at the castle to party with Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos
(Our Little Brothers). The girls were actually housed in an old castle and
we held the celebration in the courtyard. There was a DJ with music for the
background. There was activity everywhere with balloons, bop balls, jump
ropes, basketballs, and soccer balls. Pizza was a huge hit. All of the
children felt especially blessed to receive the birthday cards and the money
gift.

June 16 we were sorry to say goodbye to Jeff, Kevin, Kelly, Christian and
Robbie. They had done a great job and now they had to go home. The rest of
us attended church and rested for the rest of the work to come. We had
celebrations with the school for handicapped children at Santa Maria de
Jesus on June 17 and at Kids Alive Boys on June 21. We also visited two new
homes, Castillo and Agua Viva, to consider having celebrations with them
next year.

June 23 Dan, Karen and Janet departed for the states. Gary and Hazel stayed
to take a trip to Tikal and a visit to the Mayan ruins. The ruins are
amazing. Many of the Mayan temples remain covered by the growth of the
jungle but 12 of the temples and the main living structures have been
excavated. At the time these structures were built the Mayans built several
layers of foundation that could shift independently so that the structures
could withstand earthquakes without falling. What knowledge for an ancient
people!

The 2002 trip ended on June 27 when Gary and Hazel traveled back to the USA.
Planning began immediately for 2003.

Hazel Watson, Mission Fiesta Historian

June is Just Around the Corner

Mission Fiesta’s Spring Conference was March 5-7 in Mullens, WV and much
planning for the June 2008 trip was done.  The fiestas have been scheduled,
the party planners are busy figuring up orders, our airline tickets and
hotel reservations have been completed--June is just around the corner!

There is still time if you have planned to give toward the fiestas, but
haven’t managed to get that done as of yet.  We are trying to get the
financial arrangements completed earlier than usual so things will not be as
hectic as the departure date becomes near.  We would like to have all
donations collected and deposited during the first week of May if at all
possible.  Team members and volunteers provide their own expense money, so

all the money that is given to Mission Fiesta will be used to provide a
special day for the children, missionaries, and other workers at the
children’s homes and schools that we will visit.

Prayer Reminder

Please mark your calendars now to keep our Mission Fiesta team and
volunteers in your prayers from June 5-25, 2008.

This is the time period when members of our  Mission Fiesta team and
volunteers will be in Guatemala.

Memorial Contributions

In Memory of Berl & Norma Haney

Mission Fiesta was blessed with a memorial contribution in memory of

Berl and Norma Haney.  Both Mr. & Mrs. Haney were long-time educators and
the family felt it was fitting that their memorial contribution should be to
support a cause benefiting children.  Thank you, Haney Family!

In Memory of Mae Turner

A memorial contribution was given to Mission Fiesta by Elwood Turner in
memory of his wife, Mae Turner.  Mae was a long-time Christian and was a
witness to her family and friends, even though she was ill for a long period
of time and was not able to be out and about. Thanks, Mr. Turner!

Special Thanks

Harrison Freewill Baptist Church

The ladies’ auxillary organized a fiesta that was held during their Sunday
School hour one Sunday and all of the proceeds went to Mission Fiesta.
There was lots of good food, fun, and fellowship.  Gary gave a presentation
on Mission Fiesta on behalf of our group.

Thanks, Harrison F.W.B.

The Andrew McCann Family

Mission Fiesta was notified that Andrew McCann, of Woodstock, GA, had
nominated our group to be the recipient of a one-time grant from the McCann
Family Fund.  We were later notified that the grant had been approved and we
are appreciative for the money we received from this foundation.  It was a
very nice and unexpected surprise.

Thank you, McCann Family, for recommending Mission Fiesta for this grant!

In the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve but how."  -- David O.
McKay

"World missions was on God's mind from the beginning." -- Dave Davidson

Comments or Suggestions

If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to send them to
our editor, either by email: news at mfiesta.info or by U.S. Postal Service:

Dan Ross

1109 24th Street

Portsmouth, OH  45662

“God's part is to put forth power; our part is to put forth
aith.”  --Andrew A. Bonar

“Proclaim the Word more and argue about it less.”  --William Cameron
Townsend

Mission Fiesta
P.O. Box 435

Lucasville, OH  45648

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