Below you’ll find news of God’s move among us here. We invite you to be a part!
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A TRADE SCHOOL REPORT
We are now in the third year of the Roca Blanca Trade School. The Lord has given us vision and the grace to implement and instruct the following six workshops this school year to the more than 90 students: Carpentry, Welding, Handyman, Cooking, Sewing and Music. We can give each Bible School student 6 hours of training. This is a great beginning!
For the coming school year, we will be taking a different approach to our first-year program. Each student in first year Bible School will be required to choose 4 workshops. Each student will then receive 10 weeks of training in each of those workshops. This will let them taste 4 different areas of training and then in their second year they will be required to select one trade program in which they will be focused until they graduate, receiving 240 hours of training each year. In the third year they will also receive training in business ethics and administration.
We are about 50% finished with the construction of the 9,000 square foot training facility! The projected cost of this new building is approximately $250,000 US dollars. This new space will allow us to offer students more trades, such as Nursing / Lab Technician, Auto Mechanics, Aluminum Window Door Manufacturing, Multimedia / Communications, Beauty (Hair / Nails), Horticulture, Business (Restaurant / Gift shop), Driver Education, and English as a Second Language. We have seen small setbacks in this project as the Mexican workforce has left this area of Oaxaca in search of a better financial future in the US. Also, the introduction of the US dollar into this coastal region has made building materials more expensive, which caused our initial projections to be inaccurate. We are continuing to trust the Lord to complete the work that He has called us to do.
We have been given a long-term vision to begin a two-year, full-time vocational program with a secondary focus in discipleship. We can clearly see that not every body member is called to be a Pastor or Worship leader. Most of the Christian body is just solid Christians that support the work of advancing the name of Christ to the ends of the earth. Our pool of students will come from the Churches. In order for this to come to fruition, we will need more housing facilities here at the Mission Base, not only for students, but also our instructors.
You Can Give Your 5 Loaves and 2 Fishes!
If you have skills that you could teach in the Trade School to benefit the rising generation of ministers, contact Ben & Hannah Clark (Short Term Missions Directors) at rocaguests@gmail.com or Steve Roberts (Trade School Director) at fish4men2019@gmail.com
Your tax deductable gift can help train a Bible School student in a stustainable trade.
Listen to La Banda de Roca
A DISCIPLE TESTIMONY – VBI
I am Lisbeth, originally from an indigenous town, in the Chatino ethnic group of the state of Oaxaca. My time at the Bible School has been and continues to be a great blessing. From the first weeks I arrived, God spoke to my heart He was going to untie knots in my life, and so it was. Something that was deeply rooted in me was orphanhood. My father went to the United States when I was 10 years old, so I did not live with him, and from that age until now (I am 25 years old), I had to be a support for my mother. Because I forgot to be a daughter; I focused on drying tears and hiding everything I felt. I had to cry in secret so that no one would see my vulnerability.
I met Christ 3 years ago. More than 1 year ago, two months before getting married, I received the call to serve in the children’s ministry in my church, but I was being limited by that spirit of orphanhood. I received a lot of rejection from my leaders. Even so I continued forward until I reached the point that I said, “I can’t do it alone”, if my fire doesn’t have covering it will go out.
I arrived at the Mission Base because I wanted more of Father God. After several weeks of receiving the impartation of the word I was freed from every spirit of orphanhood, rejection, and anger. I was restored to my identity as a daughter of God! I was blessed with complete inner healing. Everything I am receiving at Bible School has helped me personally, in my marriage, in ministry to children, and more.
I took the first step of faith in coming to study, and now my husband has also joined the school. Being a young couple, with only a year of marriage, the marriage courses that we are receiving here have helped us to carry out our marriage according to God’s vision. Every weekend we are traveling to our church to serve in the children’s ministry. Now, with my husband, together with the help of the Holy Spirit we are building a ministry with power. Children are being ministered to, receiving their inner healing, children sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit, receiving revelation of their personal purposes in God, children preaching with anointing. The fresh movement of the Holy Spirit is causing a multiplication of children, who are increasingly being added to this ministry. Glory to God!
We have received prophecy that God will also lead us to work with young people, to serve our generation. We have also received prophecy of a pastoral call. We believe that God will continue to prepare us for when that time comes.
We still have disciples like Lisbeth who don’t have sponsors. It costs Roca Blanca $250 dollars a month to train each disciple. Because of the poverty in southern Mexico, we only charge $150 dollars and look for generous people like yourself to make up the difference. Would you prayerfully consider becoming a Discipleship Partner at $50 or $100 dollars a month?
Click on DONATE – We count it a privilege when you co-labor with us in making disciples.
Listen to La Banda de Roca
TENT MAKING SKILLS – A Short Term Missions Report by David Shuford.
In Acts 18:1-4, the Scripture tells us how Paul went from Athens to Corinth and worked there as a tentmaker to support himself as he preached the Gospel in the synagogues. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:16-18 that he preached voluntarily, “discharging the trust committed to me.” He did this because he had skills and worked.
This same philosophy is preparing Bible School students at Roca Blanca for their ministry by teaching them skills such as woodworking, metal working, handyman skills, sewing, cooking, and more to come. In September, I had the great joy and privilege of teaching nearly 30 students in the Roca Blanca Trade School how to make technical drawings to support their work in carpentry, welding, and in household repair skills. I am a retired engineer, and drawing has always been part of my skill set. To be able to share it with these students was a great joy. Over a period of 4 weeks, they learned how to use drawing instruments to make three-view orthographic drawings, pictorial drawings, architectural drawings, and how to use those drawing skills without instruments to make sketches. These skills will be of great benefit to them as they take their handiwork skills into remote villages in the future.
In 1 Corinthians 9:18, Paul said “What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge …”. Being able to support themselves with skills that are needed in the villages will open doors to sharing the Gospel and building God’s church in those places. I’m thankful for my good friend Steve Roberts and his encouragement and support (and language skills) as we taught. Every one of the students I taught were a great blessing to me, as well, and I praise God for the opportunity to work with them to help prepare them for their future working for the Lord.
You Can Do The Same!
If you have skills that you could teach in the Trade School to benefit the rising generation of ministers, contact Ben & Hannah Clark (Short Term Missions Directors) at rocaguests@gmail.com or Steve Roberts (Trade School Director) at fish4men2019@gmail.com
Your tax deductable gift can help train a Bible School student in a stustainable trade. GIVE TODAY.
Listen to La Banda de Roca
HEALING BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT – Corban Medical Ministry
On November 9th and 10th, the Clinic accompanied the Godtown team from St. Paul, Minnesota, on a two-day medical and children’s outreach in the very rural mountainous Mixtec region of Ixtayutla, working in the town of El Mosco. It is a region with great medical needs, and we saw approximately 150 patients in the two days we were there. The 18 members of the Godtown team prayed over each patient and ministered to the children. The also had put together bags of food to give out to some of the local families.
One highlight of the trip on the second day was when a small group of the team members led by Ben Clark, hiked up the mountain to deliver a food bag to one of the local families. It was quite a hike, way up the mountain from the church. The house belongs to a couple named Santiago and Sofia. Sofia is a little Mixtec woman about 4 feet tall. The team delivered the food to her and found out that she had a sick friend in her house who had come from several hours away. They were invited in and found a lady lying on a straw mat on the floor who could hardly move because of pain. The team talked with the lady and were able to lead her to faith in Christ and prayed with her to receive Christ as her Savior! When they prayed for her, her pain left her body, and she was able to stand up. Praise God! Just being obedient to reach out to some local families to help meet their needs resulted in reaching a lady from a village several hours away and seeing her receive salvation and healing. Praise God for His faithfulness!
This Could Be You!
The Godtown team’s experience could be your experience as well. Contact Ben & Hannah Clark to set up your team’s Short Term Mission ministry at rocaguests@gmail.com
The Corban Medical Ministry shares the Gospel and the love of Christ to marginalized people. Your donations help us go farther.
Listen to La Banda de Roca
“I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH” Matt. 16:18 – Local Churches
Greetings from our beautiful state of Oaxaca. My name is Abel Riaño and I am one of nine Zone Pastors with the Misión Victoria Association of Churches (Roca Blanca Missions Base). I want to testify to what God is doing in our local churches.
We feel that God is leading us to work in 3 areas: evangelism, discipleship, and shepherding. We are reaching children, adolescents, youth, married couples and raising up musicians in every local church. This has been a great challenge! We soon realized that we needed to raise up zone leadership and local leadership teams in each church.
Recently we began to support a local church in Loma Bonita, Río Grande, Oaxaca. Unfortunately, it was abandoned by its pastor, leaving very few members in the church. We came in with Fountain of Grace healing ministry, Corban Clinic, and Bible School Students. God began to restore that local church and now we have a local team that is being trained. The church has more than 50 children, 16 adolescents, 7 youth and 80 adult members! The land was recovered, and the church building was remodeled. This is just one example of many churches that are being restored and are experiencing growth. Praise God!
Two months ago, we were in the Lower Chatino area helping to form and train the zone leadership team. Last week we were doing the same work in the Lower Mixteco zone. We are very grateful to God for His faithfulness! We invite you to come and see for yourself the amazing work that God is doing in our local churches.
We still lack Sponsors for Disciples. Click on SPONSOR A DISCIPLE and join with us in making disciples of all nations.
Watch a Video of the Builders at the Base.
“LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME” Matt. 19:14 – Children’s Home
At the beginning of the month of September, all our children began their classes in the Multigrade School, each one at their respective level. We thank God for the people who supported us to buy school supplies, as we were able to purchase all their school supplies and materials!
Dulce, who is eight years old, despite the condition in which she arrived here, finished her kindergarten, and went on to first grade! Belinda is 14 years old, and Deira is 13 years old; they entered our bilingual high school. Marcos, who turned 15, despite the difficulties he has had in learning, was able to go into the Spanish High School program. We thank God that our children are moving forward with their studies and managing to get ahead despite the conditions in which they arrived here at the home.
In the same way we are also super proud of Diana who is 19 years old and Luis, who is 17 years old, who made the decision to study the Bible School here at the Roca Blanca Mission Base. Following is Diana’s testimony:
At the beginning of the school year, the hand of the Lord was manifested so visibly in me when I understood the power of the blood of Jesus, and I was baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. The most surprising thing was when I received the Holy Spirit; It was a wonderful experience! I began to pray asking that He come into my life, but I did not feel anything. I saw how He manifested himself in some of my fellow students, but I felt nothing. At that moment the pastor said: It’s not possible to receive the Holy Spirit if the house (heart) is dirty, because his holiness does not dwell in dirt”. I began to cry out to God praying for deliverance, to take out the garbage that is in me. At that moment I heard a voice that said “God has nothing for you, that’s why you get nothing”. It was the voice of the enemy, and I began to rebuke him and continued crying out.
Then I heard in my heart 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people humble themselves…” I decided to humble myself and I got down on my knees and crying out once more, the Holy Spirit descended on me. He took everything out and literally I vomited a very dark color due to all the bitterness that was inside of me. I was released and forgave everything, I asked for forgiveness and now I am free. I started speaking in spiritual tongues and the Holy Spirit was manifested. It was such a supernatural experience and I hope it’s not the last one. I am very happy and grateful to Daddy for all the miracles that He is doing and will continue to do in my life. My focus is on Jesus, knowing him and having an intimate relationship with Him.
This is the reason we continue to work with all our children, because we see what Jesus does in their lives and that He has a purpose for them. We appreciate the support you have given us to continue caring for each child that He brings to the Casa Hogar Nuevo Día.
Directors
Rene Vasquez Morales
Virginia Carmona Rural
It costs us $280 dollars a month for each child. Your help is appreciated!
Watch a Video of the Builders at the Base.
ONE OF THE LARGEST CLASSES! – Victory Training Center
This year Manuel Salvador Peña and Araceli Merino Hernandez are the directors of the three-year Bible Institute (VBI) with 93 disciples. Sergio Cruz Cruz is the director of the three-year House of Worship & Prophetic Music (CAMP) with 41 disciples, the largest group ever! 134 Total disciples in the Victory Training Center! There are students from all over Mexico as well as the USA, Moldova, and China!
Our hope this year is to cultivate a family atmosphere of faith in our community that will allow us to be transparent in our relationships with one another while each one of us is reaching maturity in Christ and seeing the fulfillment of His purpose in our lives.
As a Training Center, we are called to be part of the formation and training of each life that God has entrusted us with this year. With much faith and pleasure, we do it once again.
We still lack Sponsors for Disciples. Click on SPONSOR A DISCIPLE and join with us in making disciples of all nations.
Listen to Sergio Cruz
EQUIPPING THIS GENERATION – Multigrade School
On August 31st we started the 2022-2023 school year. Thanks to generous donations from people like yourself, we have new facilities which enable us to receive more students and better serve our students! This year we were able to open our doors to students from the community so that they too could receive the benefit of the school. In years past we could only have 55 students max and this year we have 62 students!
We teach the Accelerated Christian Education materials at all levels, which allows us to adapt the content for each student according to their needs. We also have Physical Education, Music, Art and Drawing, History and Geography of Mexico. It is our goal that when students graduate, they will be completely bilingual Spanish and English!
This year we have help from missionary volunteers Peter Wilson, as a Sports workshop teacher, and Jacklyn Weber as an English teacher. We are so grateful to the Lord for pouring out so much blessing to this ministry and for the way in which He has placed generous offerings in the hearts of many towards the much-needed building project.
We continue spreading the Kingdom of God through teaching and equipping this generation with the necessary tools to live lives that glorify Jesus! Thank you!
We still lack Sponsors for Disciples. Click on SPONSOR A DISCIPLE and join with us in making disciples of all nations.
Listen to Sergio Cruz
WE’RE OPEN AGAIN! – Victory High School
We welcome Esperanza Martinez as the wife of David Simon and we are very excited to have the Youth Discipleship Program functioning once again! After nearly three years of operating online, the Victory High School reopened its doors to in-person classes with new directors and staff! We currently have 21 students from various ethnic backgrounds. This year we are offering our students the opportunity to earn their degree in at least 18 months by completing 22 competency-based modules. This program is completely in Spanish and is accepted at all higher learning institutions. Graduates will be given a college preparatory course to improve their chances of being accepted into college.
The weekly schedule includes 22 hours of academic learning enhanced with 4 hours of vocational training through our Trade School, 6 – 10 hours of biblical training and discipleship, times for prayer and worship as well as daily chores. As part of the Youth Discipleship program, students take the Christian Fundamentals class with Pastor Duane Kershner, a class designed to equip students with a solid biblical foundation in their faith.
We have a team made up of youth pastors and leaders who have graduated from Victory Bible Institute in Roca Blanca. We currently have two weekday pastors, two weekend pastors, two chaplains, a youth discipleship program coordinator and the school’s director. We are expectant as to what the Lord will do in the lives of these 21 students!
We still lack Sponsors for Disciples. Click on SPONSOR A DISCIPLE and join with us in making disciples of all nations.
Listen to Sergio Cruz
Hurricane Agatha Destruction – Corban Medical Ministry
On Monday, May 30th, the Oaxacan Coast was hit by Hurricane Agatha, one of the strongest on record. On Friday, June 3rd, a team from the Church in Cacalote and the Corban Clinic went to Puerto Angel, which was directly hit by the hurricane, to take drinking water, groceries, and medicine to the people.
We arrived in the morning at Pastor Oscar Pacheco’s house, and we went to the neighborhoods on the outskirts where, due to the geography of the area, access is difficult. The whole area looks like a war zone, with many houses destroyed, downed trees making roads difficult to travel, no electricity, no drinking water, and no telephone. Many people were looking for water to drink. We began our work in these neighborhoods to distribute food and water, in addition to giving medical consultations from the back of our van.
When we finished, we went down to the center of town to help the people near the beach remove the mud. We observed a man who was struggling to remove the mud from in front of his business, which was very damaged. We joined him in his work, which was a difficult job, but after almost five hours we were able to finish. The gratitude of this family was great, but the need is even greater in this entire area. Later we went to share what food we had left with the pastor and his family. Then we had to return, but not before praying with them and blessing them. We are still gathering more resources to return and bless the victims of this area.
Give to Hurricane Victims
Help Hurricane Agatha Victims by giving to Roca Blanca Missions through the Humanitarian Aid Fund. RBM and Corban Clinic are committed to giving 100% of these funds to meet hurricane victim’s needs and sharing the love of Christ.
Help Hurricane Agatha Victims by giving to Roca Blanca Missions through the Humanitarian Aid Fund. RBM and Corban Clinic are committed to giving 100% of these funds to meet hurricane victim’s needs and sharing the love of Christ.