Dear Team Ensenada Readers,

6 December
It is all true, the rumors. On Wednesday we had set out for adventure to see what the Lord had in store. A majority of the “Men” in our group of travelers ventured to “U-turn for Christ”, a drug rehab facility in Zorillo. It is a really interesting ministry consisting of 20 or more men who have had very unfavorable pasts, but the transformation of their lives through the power of Christ was visible. They spent the day just hanging out, hearing the men’s stories, and spending time in deep prayer with them. It was a blessed time that God truly anointed.

Meanwhile Phase 2 of “Building a Foundation” at Horizonte/Calvary Chapel Ranch, 5 men took the challenge to sweat and finish this foundation for a tool storage workmanship shed.

The ladies went to Casa de Paz (House of Peace), where they got to continue on with “weed pulling/therapy sessions” (within an orchard full of delicious oranges) and children’s ministry (Vacation Bible School). The children’s ministry consisted of arts and crafts, worship and dance, Bible messages, and play time. Also, half of the ladies had the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with special needs children (i.e. taking a stroll around the grounds, frolicking in the playground, etc.). Things are wrapping up here in Ensenada, but Lord willing, we’re going to finish strong.

7 December
Thursday started by cleaning the common areas of Horizonte Church. The church was getting ready for their dinner for the missionaries who serve throughout Baja. In the afternoon, the team split up into groups and did “prayer walks” to cover Ensenada and its people in prayer. The evening was devoted to a time of prayer, worship, and testimonies.

Our catering team was able to manage their budget so well that we had a surplus of money, which enabled us to bless the women and their children at Casa de Esperanza with $300 worth of beans, rice, diapers, and wipes.

8 December
On Friday, we went back to Casa de Paz, but this time including the men. This was our last ministry outreach in Ensenada where we had the opportunity to bless the children and staff by spending the day there playing, teaching, and eating. Through our stewardship, we were able to feed the 75 children with some finger licking good BBQ!

All of your prayers have been appreciated, and God has definitely moved through them. So please keep on praying!

• Safety on the road back to San Diego (Saturday, 12/9)


• Direction for plans after graduation


• For the class to not become complacent in our return to San Diego, but for us to apply what we’ve learned at Ensenada and to strive forward in our relationship with God

Gracias a Dios,
Team Ensenada

P.S. The Communication Team would like to extend our thanks for your continued support in prayer. See you all soon!...We missed you Abraham, Avis, & Kerri!!!

Sara's Testimony

"It was such a blessing to put our hands to work the first 2 days (11/27-28) of the trip at the Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope). It was cool to see the men be men and get all tough with the back breaking work of using a jack hammer, digging trenches, moving fences, and basically bonding (i.e. by seeing who could sweat the most, move the biggest shovel full of dirt, etc.). Then there were the ladies – asked to do the simple, yet expansive, task of clearing the land from weeds and grass. We sat down in different patches and proceeded to pull weeds, while life stories and testimonies poured out among other conversations. It was such a great time of deepening relationships and building new ones. There were great encouraging words given and frustrations and issues vented out. Let me just say how good it felt at times to whack at those weeds and ‘get it all out’."

Peter's Testimony

"The renewing of the Lord. This is what my last days have been. I’ve seen people who have been lost for years. In a prayer He (Jesus) has renewed them. The love of God has just poured into them and they have been made new. They have a new life as if the door has been opened. I myself have been renewed.
In my position as a spiritual leader, it has been my joyful pleasure to help my family along in this. Daily, I would look for people hurting and then I would seek to encourage them. Our ‘day off’ from service I thought would be a time for study.
Praise to the Lord for His ways are not our ways. Instead of studying, I fellowshipped with 3 family members. Three wonderful people who love God; I see Him in them. It as a great pleasure to sit and listen to their hearts as they spoke about what the Lord is doing in them. We shared worries and past experiences. We shared the freedom that Jesus Christ has for people with a homeless gentleman.

Throughout the day I looked for ways to serve them. What I didn’t realize is they were serving me. By the end of the day I was reminded of God’s promises, the freedoms of those promises, and that He chose me not the other way around.
What greater joy is there than to know that ‘The Creator’ chose me to know Him?"

Matt's Testimony

"On Sunday (12/3), we went to a local park near Horizonte Church for an outreach. I was playing catch with the children when a man in his twenties raised his hand and wanted to play. I soon went over to introduce myself to him. His name is Roberto and he happened to speak some English. There were 3 of his friends drinking liquor and smoking cigarettes. He didn’t seem like he belonged with this type of people. I could see his life and that I related to him a lot from my past. I began witnessing to him about all the awesome things God has done in my life. I encouraged him to live a better life through Jesus Christ and to help his friends with their struggles. I then began to explain how he could change his life, and when he has his own family, he could then raise his children in a loving environment. Tears began falling down his cheeks and he admitted he needed to make a change. I then prayed for him that God would help him make better decisions to allow him to grow in a deeper relationship with God. I invited him to attend the Wednesday night service at Horizonte and to have tacos with me afterwards. He gladly accepted and said he would be there.

On Wednesday (12/6), after doing a service project for a new Bible school at the Horizonte/Calvary Chapel Ranch, I began praying on the drive home that Roberto would make it to the Wednesday night service. I was upstairs when Robert S. came up and told me that Roberto was waiting down below. I greeted him downstairs and treated him to tacos at the nearby taco stand. We came back and began throwing the football. Twenty minutes before service, Roberto said he had to leave to meet a friend and he would be back for service. I insisted that he should stay, but he was very persistent. He left and I waited at the gate for 35 minutes praying that He would make it back for service. God spoke to me and reminded me that He is in control and I was trying to rob Him of His glory. I went to service and sat in the front row. Juan Domingo had us break up in groups and pray. I prayed that God would protect Roberto, bring him back to church someday, and come to the Lord. Ten minutes later, I looked back and there was Roberto clapping and singing!"

Kevin's Testimony

"Through all my years of playing soccer and training at the many different levels by the grace of God, I have never had so much fun playing soccer than with the Mexican kids on this trip."

Jane, Jen, Elise, Eleanor, Tres, & Matt H. Testimonial

"Last Friday (12/1), we got the chance to go to San Felipe (3 ½ hours away from Ensenada) for an outreach. When we arrived we split into groups of 5-6 and started praying, walking, and passing out flyers (regarding Saturday’s park outreach) to the families in the area. As our group (Jane, Jen, Elise, Eleanor, Tres, and Matt H.) was walking, we stumbled upon a few kids playing and working outside of their house (i.e. smashing cans for recycling). We ended up meeting their uncle (Francisco) and a family friend (Miguel). At that time, we began talking to them about Jesus and what was going on specifically in Francisco’s life. Francisco then began telling us about his nephew, Diego, who was blind, mentally disabled, and hard of hearing. Diego could comprehend very little and needed a lot of care because of prior defaults in medicine doctors gave to him when he was young.

Not surprisingly, a car pulled up with a woman a boy in the back seat. The boy was Diego and as his mother helped him out of the car, we decided to ask the family if we could pray for him. Diego was afraid, but once we calmly started speaking, praying, and holding his hands, he began smiling and swaying back and forth. Small bursts of joy came out of Diego as we continued to pray and eventually sing songs about Jesus to him. We asked God to heal him for His glory, but God had other plans. He did place peace in our souls, assuring us that Diego knew what we were saying when we spoke out his name, ‘Jesus te ama (Jesus loves you), Diego’. We believe that he and his family understood the love of the Lord. As we got up to return back to the church, we witnessed the beauty of God’s love emanating throughout the teary-eyed family."

Debbie's Testimony

"During worship Wednesday morning (12/6), God brought me to that sweet place of brokeness and surrender. As I was weeping, I just wanted to stay at the foot of His throne. I prayed for God to romance me and show Himself to me. I wasn’t going to get through on Tuesday without His divine strength. I told Him I needed a real hug full of love.
On our service project that day at an orphanage, Casa de Paz, a young boy about 8 years old held out his arms so wide for me to lift him off a bench seat he was on. As I lifted him up I held him and squeezed him tight and he was hugging me back. It brought such inner joy to my soul.

I later spent time with a mentally challenged girl named Lucina. She is a gentle, sweet, sweet girl. She smiles so big and genuine every time someone would talk to her. She touched m heart in a special way. My mother passed away 5 years ago, and she had Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease. She couldn’t speak, but she would smile so big and so sweet. She was a gentle soul. It dawned on me that Lucina reminded me of my mother. I felt as though I was spending time with my mother.

As I was introducing her to my friends, the Holy Spirit created such a warm wave of love inside of me from my belly all the way up. It created full-blown tears. I knew God’s hand was in this. God had remained faithful and shown me His face, and He reminded me of the great rewards He is to those who diligently seek Him."