Wednesday, September 2, 2009


Philipians 1:6
Thank God we are almost there! God in His mercy has allowed us to arrive to this moment. We are almost in the eighth month of the pregnancy and even though the pregnancy has been difficult we are very thankful for living this experience. For the last few weeks, Nathan, our baby, has received Steroid injections to accelerate maturation of his lungs. As many of you know there are high probabilities he will be born prematurely. We trust God, He will do His will with our baby. God has given us a lot of patience, joy and strength during this pregnancy, we give Him thanks because He fulfills His perfect will in our lives.
*Nathan at 4 months *Nathan's face at 7 months


Good News Club in Summer

Regarding the work among churches, we still have plenty. We had our annual summer club, a kind of VBS (Vacation Bible School). The outreach of the event goes beyond the church walls. Our Lord Jesus said that we are the salt of the land and that if the salt looses its flavor, then it does not serve for anything but to be thrown and trampled. (Mathew 5:13) So God has taught us to leave the comfort we are in and follow his example by seeking the lost. This year the municipal government of our city allowed us to use one of his premises making it possible to concentrate an average of 100 children each day for the summer club’s activities. Another blessing was obtained by the joint effort of the church (adult, young and children). We thank God for the response of the children and pray the Lord will help us to yield good fruit.




CHE in Mexico


Jacob in its role as CHE national coordinator follows promoting this ministerial tool, now with Global Che Enterprises. God in has opened doors in different parts of our country to share Community Health Evangelism as a source of reach, development and transformation. This tool has helped our church to see beyond ourselves and has mobilized us toward an effective service. Thus, during July and August we could give training in CHE in Leon Guanajuato, Texcoco DF, Tlanchinol Hidalgo, Chihuahua Chihuahua and Oaxaca Oaxaca. We thanks God that He considered us faithful, appointing us to his service.


From Zihuatanejo to Oklahoma


The last but not least important thing is a the home for abandoned at-risk seniors. Last Saturday, the 29th of August, Alisa Duncan left Zihuatanejo on her 2000 mile journey by bicycle to Oklahoma City. The purpose of her journey of love is to raise awareness across the country of the plight of these vulnerable ones and the plans to provide a Christian home here for a number of them. You can follow her, if you are interested, on her blog http://www.ztookc.blogspot.com/
We Give thanks to God for all the brothers and sisters that form part of “Hablando menos y amando más” ("Speaking less and loving more"), that is the Civil Association for this home for seniors. We thank God for the brothers and sisters of the executive committee and for all the volunteers that are serving to carry out the necessary works to build the first place of retreat for seniors in Zihuatanejo.


THANK YOU!!
As you can see our God in his mercy blesses us faithfully. Well, we don't want to finish this advance on the blog without giving a shout of praise to our God by the great blessing that means for us the family of the faith. Thank God for our brothers and sisters from Zihuatanejo and the other places at Mexico. Thank God for our brothers and sisters that are beyond our borders, from the north to the south of our continent, passing from Mexico to Central America, we know that you all have not stopped praying for us. Thanks to each and every one of you for having us in your thoughts and prayers.


In His great love

Jacob, Rachel and Nathan.




Wednesday, July 8, 2009

AN UPDATE

Well the second half of this year has already started; the time has gone quickly! We haven’t updated our blog since January, but here we are, ready to keep you abreast of what has happened during this time.
This first half of the year not only has brought us new ministerial responsibilities, but also brought us an unexpected pleasant and happy responsibility. God surprised us with the news of our first pregnancy! When we were married 18 years ago, the two of us were pretty young; we prayed for two years with no children. We never used any method of birth control and the two years passed quickly. Later, we realized that something was not right because we could not conceive. Over the years we have had several treatments, but with no success.
Suddenly, after 16 years, when we no longer expected it, God surprised us with this gift when we thought that His plan for us was that we wouldn’t have children. What a blessed surprise!! From the bottom of our hearts we can only exclaim: SOLI DEO GLORIA (Only to God the Glory).

At fourth month of pregnancy

We want to share, however, that these times have been difficult times. From the beginning we were informed that it would be a high-risk pregnancy. We didn’t fully understand what that meant; but little by little, we have been learning what that means. We are now in the sixth month of pregnancy. Thanks God, we have already passed the first trimester and almost finished the second. For more than a month, Raque has been in bed by doctor's orders because she was having early contractions since the second half of the fourth month. We thank God because although the visits to the doctor have been ongoing and the purchase of medicine and several clinical studies have represented a major economic challenge, God has been filling everything that we need in all respects. He is always faithful!

As you can imagine, this first half of the year has been challenging, not only for the things mentioned above, but also by Jacob's new rol as national coordinator of CHE, without mentioning the pastoral work that we continue developing in Zihuatanejo. The economic conditions of our country and around the world have affected in a major way not only the ministries, but the fellowships with whom we work and serve. Not mention the health alerts of the AH1N1 virus, which was another devastating blow to the economy of our Mexican families, especially here in Zihuatanejo, where the economy depends on tourism. Nonetheless, we thank God for this time, because challenges like these are an opportunity to share the love and faithfulness of God. God opens doors for us to share His message in all circumstances. The situation of our Mexican families is indeed difficult, but our hearts trust in the fact that our God is sovereign and He is in control and that He has supplied all our needs according to his riches in glory.

Jacob visiting different CHE projects at Cihuhua.


A soja project in one comunnity in Zihuatanejo. The project was design to develop a healthier a cheaper way for feeding families durings these tough times.

We thank God for this time because his love and mercy has been steadfast. He has shown his care in different ways and in a very special way through the church.


Koinonia's Curch, they have been a great support and blessing to us during these times.


We are also thankful for having you as part of our friends and prayers supporters. Thanks again for taking the time to read our blog and for remembering us in your prayers.

In His love,
Jacob, Raquel and the baby Sotelo.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

From la Sierra Tarahumara



We greet you again in the love of our Lord Jesus. In the past month of January, we visited a place which is known as the Tarahumara. We are thankful for the opportunity God gave us to be in that place. The mountain range, Tarahumara, is so extensive and vast as is the need of the native Rarámuris that inhabit it. This was our fifth visit to the Hospital Mission Tarahumara, where God has allowed us to share the vision of Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministry. Mike and Maci Berkeley, founders of this hospital, share the same vision of CHE.

This is the first team that receiveid training in CHE at the hospital



Jacob is teaching how to make a "Lorena Stove".
We have been very blessed by the opportunity to teach this ministerial tool to the staff of the hospital and to the missionaries in the field. There is enthusiasm about the long-term and sustainable changes that can be achieved through CHE. God, in His mercy, has allowed us to see beautiful fruit and we believe that we do not deserve this. In the beginning of the year, God has also entrusted us the national coordination of CHE. Jacob is now the official CHE area-coordinator of Mexico. Our responsibilities have multiplied and we know that only by the power of God and His wisdom will be able to be faithful on what He has given us.
We still continue to serve in Zihuatanejo, Gro. Our church has been has growing and is showing signs of maturity. We believe God is telling us our time to leave Zihuatanejo is arriving quickly. For now we are praying for the will of God in our lives, applying what the Scripture says: “We don’t want to conform to the pattern of this world, but we want to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, in order to know God’s will is –His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Roman 12:2. We are very appreciative as well as humbled because God has considered us faithful, putting us in His ministry when we feel we have not deserved it. We are also thankful for having you as part of our friends. Thanks again for taking the time to read our blog and for remembering us in your prayers.

In His love,
Jacob and Raquel Sotelo.





















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Monday, January 5, 2009

From the warm waters of the Mexican Pacific, thank you very much and Happy New Year!!



2008 has already finished. God, like always, gave us many great blessings. One of them is to have your friendship and your prayers. Through this blog we wish to thank you for the time you take to remember us and to pray for us. Thank you so much.


Also we want to share with you God’s kindness toward us. God, in his grace, has allowed us to raise churches in this part of the Mexican Pacific. This year, the three groups that were formed originally as three different churches were united in a single one, "Church of Christ in Koinonia". It has been a blessing to see the strength in unity represented through this union.





The church is growing and the commitment of its members is growing too, this has given us the opportunity to be able to dedicate more than our time serving in the organization “Life Wind”, which promotes a ministry of integral development. In October we went to Nicaragua to a Course given by CHE (Community Health Evangelism) During 4 weeks we were with other brothers and sisters from Latin America learning more about this ministry.





The past December, our commitment was to exalt the name of Christ and the truth of the love of the incarnated God toward us. There are so many things around this season that is almost impossible to see that the only reason for this celebration is Jesus who came to save us from our sins. Our prayer to God is that we be able to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world just as He said we must to be. On the church’s behalf we pray that we can do and make the difference among all the Christmas marketing and the false Christmas spirit that is so normal in this season. The end of year was not different; the media want to sell us ideas and rituals to finish the 2008. Sadly, God and his faithfulness to us remain in a second term. Through these lines we want to invite you to pay attention to the things that really matter. Now, at the beginning of this year instead of considering your own resolutions, think of what is God’s purpose for you.


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!