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Safety in Tijuana
A letter from Eddie Passmore (director of Mexico Caravan Ministries)
As posted on their webpage: http://www.mexicocaravanministries.com/safety-in-tijuana
Dear Pastors, Youth Pastors, Elders, Parents and Mexico Caravan participants,
Greetings from Tijuana!
As I sit in my house here in Tijuana I have many thoughts that are racing through my head. One is that I’m truly blessed to be involved in a ministry that is committed to seeing God’s heartbeat for the lost pushed and prodded and preached. I think of the close to 16,000 people that have been involved since Maggi and I started leading in 2003, and the ones that have gone to the mission field, or are on the way there, or the ones that have a new-found commitment to support missions as a sender.
But as I sit here, I’m also troubled. And the reason is that many people are thinking about not coming and bringing people with them. We are probably at 50% of where we were last year at this time as far as people coming down to Tijuana with MCM.
That is what I would like to address. I know that the world economy has something to do with it, but I would say that 9 out of 10 groups that are wrestling with not coming are struggling because of what they’re hearing about Tijuana or Mexico as a whole. There is violence in Tijuana just as there is all over the world. Just think of what happened this week in Alabama and Germany (very sad). But back to Tijuana. I have been leading MCM for almost seven years, working and part-time living (now full-time living) and the situation of drugs and violence has never directly impacted the groups that have come. In fact, we who work and minister and live here in Tijuana (a large city of well over 2 million people) had to be told by people in the States when this all began, and we have had to purposefully go out of our way to keep abreast of the situation. During October, November and December, the drug-related violence was at its highest. The crimes involved drug cartel leaders, gang members and police. While there have been several innocent by-standers (all nationals), the lives claimed have been those of law enforcement officers and those fighting for control of the drug trafficking in the city.
Even though things were happening during those three months, we continued to have groups (some quite large) with nothing happening that would suggest any apparent danger for our groups. We taught from the word, built structures, interacted with the nationals, and ate many tacos – in peace. I know of at least five other ministries here in Tijuana that experienced the same thing (nothing).
But now as we are in March and getting ready for summer we have had cancellations, concerns and questions because of what the media (i.e. 60 Minutes, CNN) is saying is happening here. We find it a little odd that now, when the situation in Tijuana has radically decreased (with no drug-related deaths in February), the media would lead people to believe that to be entering Mexico is to be entering a “war zone”. We don’t have any firsthand experience about living in Juarez or any other town in Mexico, but we do know what Tijuana is like, and we are disheartened that the media is lumping our city with other troubled cities. My national friends feel that things are getting back to the way they were, and they are very calm and at rest here in Tijuana.
I’m not sure what motives fuel the media frenzy right now in the U.S., but I think there is quite a bit of sensationalism to much of what is being said and written. Even the State department said if you travel here, just “use common sense”; go to areas with which you are familiar and be aware of your surroundings. There was a statement about college students not going to Rosarito (a beach town about 30 minutes from Tijuana) for spring break, and I might tend to agree with this, because so many of them are just coming down to party and might very well find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another concern was the U.S. Military not being allowed to come down, but again, many of them would be coming to party in areas that would not be safe. Groups that come down to minister with MCM will not be frequenting the kinds of places nor keeping the kinds of hours that are addressed here.
Well I say all this to say, first of all, our trust must be totally on the Lord and allow His Sovereign hand to watch over us. Also I believe we should not be negligent and that we should use wisdom in our decisions. And with that in mind I believe we, here in Tijuana, are at total freedom to have groups come down. As a former youth pastor, senior pastor and parent I would still send my own kids and my youth department to Tijuana with total peace and rest upon our Lord. I have made the commitment that if I ever felt that I would knowingly be putting a group in danger by allowing them to come down, I will call at once and tell them not to come.
I am always more than willing to talk to anyone about these matters. Please don’t hesitate to call me on my cell phone (619.654.1777) or my office phone (858.309.4741) if you would like to visit with me. Please feel free to forward a copy of this letter to any interested parties.
In His love,
Eddie Passmore, Director
for all of us here at Mexico Caravan Ministries
Thank you to those who are praying and following us on this journey that we are preparing for this summer trip. Many of you have received a PCS networking letter from the students via email or facebook. This is one way that we want to reach out to you, and also be an encouragement to you as we pray and care about what is going on in our friends and families lives.
Topher for the SERVE Team
Pray for our team as they work through STORY. Many of them have been energetic and faithful to begin their missionship prep but will need support for the long haul. Our next meeting as a team is April 18th at 4pm and there are many deadlines to meet before that for the students. Thanks for your partnership!
I was so proud of our students last Sunday Night at Lake Meridian. These last few weeks we've been asking God to prepare our hearts to reach out to people and invite their stories. On Sunday they were very intentional and I got to watch many great conversations. Keep praying for open hearts and open doors for the gospel. Our student ministry is changing and this fall will be much more focussed on prayer and reaching out.
Pray for
Cliff
Blake
Reno
Nathan
Sabrina
Conner
Skyler
Brandon
JJ and many others.
Aaron for FSM
After spending months prepping for the NorCal trip, we found ourselves praying for people to come to the park. We prayed so much that when people didn't come to the park in droves we didn't know what to do. Our sights were elevated to ministry all around us. We began to see people at souls not but bodies and God did amazing things with that.
Last Sunday night we went back to Lake Meridian park where we do Youth Group during the summer. This time the feeling was different. So many of us felt the tug to reach out but felt the tug of safety as well. After so much prayer to bring people to the park, the group was somewhat paralyzed by the hundred teens plus everybody else at the park. After a few reminders to a few students, that they had right here what they had been praying for in NorCal, it was clear we were going to need to regroup. We came face to face with our timidity and developed a plan for next Sunday Night. I am more conviced than ever that we struggle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers. The only thing that can hold back our group is fear induced by the enemy of our souls.
Will you please pray for the spiritual veil to be lifted?
Will you petition our gracious Father to command the angel armies to do battle over Kent?
Pray that our students would see what is at stake.
Pray that they would dig in and stand their ground and believe that our God is greater than their fears.
A new day is dawning and spiritual power is up for grabs and I greatly desire for our group to take hold of it to destroy evil and grow glory.
Pastor Aaron for the Faith Student Ministry
We are home safely from the Mission Venture and ready for some joyfilled rest.
Just a few notes before I conk out:
Ask good questions of your children and friends who just returned home.
1. What was one thing you saw God do this week?
2. What changes did you see in yourself?
3. Tell me about one person you met that you hope you never forget.
4. Who was the biggest encouragement to you on this trip?
5. What do you hope changes about your life in this next year?
. . . . . .
Just please don't leave them with the hopefully avoidable question:
Well, How was it?
That is a difficult conversation starter for an exhausted teen.
I love you all and was privileged to serve with some amazing students. Pray for them even more now that they MERGE with the real world. I am so thankful for the 6 faithful,dedicated, warrior-hearted volunteers. I am so proud of Jenny, Topher, Chris D, Tracey, Josh and Katy. Please thank them kindly.
Aaron for the Faith Teams
We're just packing up to leave a great time at the Denney's house in Manzanita. We got to spend 3 hours getting stories out of each other and doing some chilly body surfing/sand fighting etc.
Pray for a safe, productive,team building trip home to Kent.
Aaron for the Faith Teams
What a beautiful night of encouragement from God through the teams that reunited for the Youthmark Landing. There were so many stories of God's power overwhelming and utilizing students that we had to stop them at 11:30 to send them to bed. God has done amazing things in the towns we visited and in the hearts of the adults and students who believed God enough to get down there. Once we spent time in our towns we realized that God had been working so powerfully while we were preparing to come. Tomorrow we need to bring the power of three teams into one group that is only a portion of the greater group at Faith. Lots of prayer needed still as we dream, play and prepare for what God has for FSM in the exciting school year to come. I'm bringing home a lot of students who just might drag their parents along to reach out to their neighbors. I pray that your hearts have been prepared at home as well.
We love you and we'll see you at 9pm at Faith on Sunday Night.
Pastor Aaron for the 3 Faith Teams
PS. Last Night in Scott Valley, God let us be on hand while JD/Jake trusted in Christ. We commissioned Boston to reach the valley for Jesus and prayed prayers of faith over Shelby and Bev. 
Friday
To day has been an amazing day for my team. God has been working in their hearts so much it is amazing. God helped many of them realize that some time we may not understand Gods plans but in the end God will be glorified. This town has been such an amazing place at first i felt like an alien to this town but now i feel so welcomed and a part of this place. I than God for this opportunity he gave me to come out here with nine youth and work in a town were what we expected was maybe a little different that what God had in store for us.
Thank God for the amazing people of this town who we have come to care about so much.
Thank God for the effect that he has had on the hearts of the youth here and our own youth.
Thank God for PT or pastor Ted who has been an amazing person to get to know.
Please pray for the youth of this town that God would use the seeds we planted to change their hearts.
Please pray that the strong holds that are rooted here will be dismantled.
Please pray for our youth as they come home and that the changes that have happened to them will not be forgotten. Please pray for our safe travel.
Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us and we all cant wait to see you.
g2g (Glory to God)!
Josh and Trent