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Zihuatanejo Christian Fellowship Newsletter
February 2014
“Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind and with all your strength and Love your neighbor as yourself”
Mark 12:30 NIV
Pastor John's Newsletter
Christmas day we had a party at the Children's Home midday and then we were
invited to a Sports Bar in Ixtapa for the kids to come and sing for their evening
Christmas party. The kids were something else, especially when Brian the traveling
guitar player accompanied them. Then we were asked to pass the hat and we raised
12,000 pesos which is about 1000 dollars US. My idea now is to hit every bar in
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. Just kidding, but the kids are something special...
The last Sunday night in January we had a fund raiser in the town center for one of
the senior centers we work with here in Zihuatanejo. We took 4 seniors from Manos
de Dios (Hands of God) nursing home and the children came again and sang. They
were the hit of the evening. There were a lot of people, mostly Mexicans and we
raised 4000 pesos for this center. It was good with people getting to know more
about what our ministry is doing here in Zihuatanejo. We still can raise more in
Gringo bars, and if we do they also will hear about Jesus.
Getting everyone to the town center, setting up music and the sound system the city
provides, Cristian and I sharing a messages of hope, then getting everyone home
was a lot of work. After our morning church service and then this in the evening we
had a long day. Even I got tired. Thank you Brian and Steve for providing music
for this event.
In between these two events, there was a lot of things happening. I will try to be
brief.
† Church services in Zihuatanejo
Christian Fellowship doubled in size and
that caught us a little off guard. We
needed more chairs and the tarps had to
be rearranged over our outdoor seating
area in back of Ita's restaurant.
We were asked to provide movies in two area. One in a new colonial and many kids
came. We are not able to follow up at this time. Still kids got to hear about Jesus in
a new way and we hope and pray to be able to open a new children's program in
that area. There is one Mexican man who is a man of God but very poor who wants
to do this. He needs our help with teaching tools and some support. We are praying
in what to do.
The second movie night was several weeks later
at the garbage dump in Ixtapa. There are 40
families living there in conditions worse than I
can describe. There is little water, no electricity
and their survival is sorting through the garbage
daily collecting bottles and cans for a little money
in recycling.
One bright spot in the dump is a little school a
Christian lady has started on her own. Few kids
come and we have been encouraging the families
to get their children educated. We share, "If you want to get out of the dump you
need Jesus and an education." A few more kids are coming, not enough to please us
as we want them all.
We needed a generator to show a movie
and with the generator we lit up the area as
our portable screen and projector brought
light, and with a Christian movie it also
brought the light of Jesus.
A Canadian team we have worked with in
the past who are working at the Senior
center in Las Posas, "Bet Shalom" and the
children's home, "Talita Cumi" brought
food, some clothing, and entertainment
with a magic show for these people living
in the dump. We brought 40 some chairs
and twice that in numbers came. We hope to do things like this more often when we
get people to help.
But here is the sad part. We shut the generator down and the lights went out. We
tuned on our car lights to finish taking down our equipment and loading them in our
vehicles. Then we left and darkness took over the garbage dump as the families
went back to there make shift shelters. I wanted to cry. How do we not take the pain
home with us? That is a missionary problem.
The Canadian team and a team from Michigan came to do work on the Children's
Home, Talita Cumi. That name Beti chose from Mark 5:41 where Jesus said to a
dead girl, "Little one, get up." And she did and God willing these kids who come
through Talita Cumi will get up and be responsible people for mankind and our
Lord Jesus.
It is amazing the construction work done on this children's home. These men and
woman came to work and many were professional construction people.
In the midst of this other couples and singles came wanting to help, to get involved
in ministry and we did our best to provide. And you know what, they all had talents
I don't have and wanted to share with us their gifts. Now that is a working family of
God. Our ministry has been a wonderful avenue to share Jesus.
We had people come to the senior centers and share, give massages, sing and just
visit with these abandoned people.
Many visited the Children's home, took the kids places, and provided meals for the
children and the many workers who have been working there. This all gave the
house parents some rest as they work the home 24/7.
Our wheel chair ministry is still alive. One Sunday
a couple brought this wheelchair and as I was
talking with them another couple came and
grabbed my attention and said they wanted to buy this for a man with multiple
sclerosis. "No," I said, "These wheelchairs are for sent by Jesus to help people."
After church we took it to a man, prayed over him and I never got to thank the
couple that brought it. Please, if you get this newsletter contact me so I can
personally thank you.
We have two Spanish speaking church plants while the number one center of our
ministry here in Zihuatenejo is our English speaking church, Zihuatanejo Christian
Fellowship. That is where our support comes from for special projects, our living
expenses and now we have Cristian and his family to support. We take nothing
from the church's offerings. That money is used for the ministries we have in and
around Zihuatanejo. It is through the people who hear about our ministry and/or get
our ministry handouts who support us through our U.S. non-profit, John L. Sullivan
Ministries. And we hope soon we will have our Canadian and Mexican non-profit
set up through 4Sq Missions International.
Still, without a doubt, ZCF is a church that preaches salvation in Jesus alone and
that all of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior are to be
missionaries. To be a missionary you don't need to go to Africa or Mexico, you can
go across the street in your home town. And that is what I am trying to preach to
those who come to our Spirit filled gathering. In everything we Christians do and
everywhere we Christians go we need to share Jesus Christ, our hope for life.
God bless, Pastor John
Pastor Beti’s Lettter
We are approaching the end of January, the first month of 2014 and this is
the time to tell about the news of the work the Lord Jesus is doing in this
beautiful tourist area. God bless you all, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Bible says in 1Corintians 12:12 “Our own body has many parts.
When all these parts are put together, they are only one body. The body of
Christ is like this.” 13:27 “You are all part of the body of Christ. God has
chosen different ones in the church to do His work.”
Yes, we are all working together using the different talents, gifts the Lord
gave each one of us…I want to mention some of the members of the body
of Christ who has to come to bless us in many ways…
Don and Ana Lovel: This couple have come to help with only one
purpose: do good on behalf of the kids at Talita Cumi and for the glory of
our Awsome God. Don is not only the Architect who made the project for
the new room in the Children’s home, he has been working hard as well as
his sweet wife Anna. I know they are doing things according with the
Word in Colossians 3:23 “Whatever work you do, do it with all your heart.
Do it for the Lord and not for men.” God bless them and their work.
Steve DiBernardi: This brother is in love with the Children’s home and he
has been working hard since the project started and not only in that. He
keeps everybody posted with the news through the internet. Important
work brother… May the Lord bless you abundantly Steve!
Larry is a Christian man who has been a
blessing for the Children’s home here and
the one in Morelia in different ways. He has
a heart for the kids and the Lord is using him
in an awesome way to provide for their
needs! May the Lord keep blessing you to be
a blessing to others brother Larry!
I want to make clear this: it is impossible to mention all the brothers and
sisters who have been taking part in this mission. I will only mention some
of them for now, but the most important fact is that THE LORD KNOWS!
Marlys Benck: Our dear Marlys keeps working, doing different creative
things to help people and for the glory of God! We love you Marlys!
Theresse Long: She is a wonderful girl who has decided to come to serve
in the orphanage with her two kids! She also brought a group of skilled
man who worked hard in the construction of the new room. Thank God for
their hearts! “Whatever you say or do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Give thanks to God the Father through the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17
Betty & Don: The Lord used them to provide
a washing machine for the nursing home we
work with. One of the old man was washing
all the clothes by hand…We were praying
for this and the Word says in 1John 5:14, 15
“We are sure that if we ask anything that He
wants us to have, He will hear us. If we are
sure He hears us when we ask, we can be
sure He will give us what we ask for.” Praise the Lord!
Tracy Worner: This lady called me one day
and she said she wanted to give something
for the mission we have up on the hills with
kids. She bought a bunch of coloring books
and crayons…The kids were so happy! God
bless you Tracy!
Some brothers who likes fishing give us
the fish for poor families and they are such
a blessing!
Cindy Johnson: She lives in Zihuatanejo and she has become a precious
help in our mission with the kids. Thank you Cindy!
Doctor Jody Collinge: Whenever she is here, she loves to help with kids
and she does week after week…God bless you Jody!
Pastor Lalo, Eunice and Barzi: They are doing
an awesome work in the Children’s home. The
Lord put our lives together to fulfill His purpose
in this mission. We love you pastor Lalo,
Eunice and Barzi!
Wayne and Wanda Schneiter , Roger and Karen
Cornell, Alisha Williams and family, Greg
Carras, Dr. Conahan, etc., etc.
We are all little drops of water in the ocean of mercy of our God and
Savior JESUS, who is called CHRIST. Matthew 1:16
In His love,
Beti Sullivan
Please contact the
Treasurer with financial
questions or a change of
address at
[email protected]
Our donations have suffered as a result of the economy but
if you are able to support this ministry financially (now tax
receiptable) please send donations to:
John L. Sullivan Ministries
2103 Harrison Ave. NW #113
Olympia, WA
98502
Or
Donate securely on-line “one-time only or monthly”
donations at www.ZihuaChristian.org
E-mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/johnandbeti.sullivan