During the afternoon sermon, a young woman listened to the message from Luke 18...

"Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

The circumstance from which she listened was tangled. She was living with a man who was the father of her children but not her husband. As the Spirit spoke through the Word with conviction, she too counted the cost of following Christ. The conviction was clear, "At great cost, give up what you prize. Come, follow me."

For such a time as this, the Lord had established the presence of Christ and His Word through a local body of believers in Magdalena, MX. Over many months this local body of Christ had taught her, through words and actions, the truth and depth of the Saviour's love.

The Extension of the Larger Church

From the beginning, the church and ministry at Magdalena was an extension of the larger body of Apostolic Christian believers. It began as an outreach by various AC Brethren to a small orphanage in Imuris, not far from Magdalena. This work led to the development of the Casa Vida

Esperanza (CVE) children's home in Magdalena. After land and buildings were purchased, sincere brothers were interviewed, sent and supported by the Apostolic Christian Servant Fund to begin this work.

The close proximity to Arizona allowed for convenient access by US brethren. Even before children were placed in the home, numerous work teams participated in the remodeling of existing buildings and the construction of new facilities.

This flow of new faces and fresh energy provided fellowship and encouragement for the staff and house parents caring for the children. In turn, the Lord touched the hearts of these visitors, who enjoyed the respite from daily work, to pause and consider the work of the harvest in both Mexico, and back in their home communities. It was a time for meaningful sharing from one part of Christ's body to another.

The Formation of the Local Church

In 2004, the church at Magdalena started with humble beginnings. A small group of staff met in an on-campus house each week while US brothers traveled into Mexico twice each month to share the Word.

This small band of American believers began to serve the needs of forgotten Mexican children. Each child arrived with its own set of acquaintances. Some of these family and friends accepted the invitation to the weekly worship and the attendance soon grew to over one hundred each week.

CVE

During the week the Gospel was lived. During the weekends the Gospel was preached. At first, visiting brothers preached in English while the messages were translated into Spanish.

Then in 2007, two brothers were called to preach and teach God's Word. From that point forward, all messages were delivered in Spanish. Not long thereafter a church building was erected.

The Changing Role of the Church

The perspective of the local community slowly changed. In the early days these American foreigners were viewed skeptically, but over time the attitude has shifted toward respect and trust. Over the years, brothers have started businesses in Magdalena that have hired local citizens. As the campus expanded and a farming operation was started, brothers solicited advice from local ranchers.

Casa Vida y Esperanza

These ranchers were later asked to help judge livestock at a newly formed 4-H fair, which they called Expo Esperanza. These changes and other outreach efforts have expanded the role of the local church from a campus-centric ministry for children to a broader outreach into the Magdalena community. Now there are adults hearing the message of Jesus, "Come, follow me."

How You Can Participate

Work Teams
As the campus has grown, the number of work teams has diminished. It has been an encouragement and blessing that several teams come annually and become familiar with the staff and the children. When large groups are comprised mostly of young people unskilled in construction, it is helpful if experienced leaders are a part of the work team to take responsibility for supervision.

CVE Work Teams

Smaller groups of more experienced and self-directed volunteers are always appreciated. The CVE board is also preparing opportunities for committed couples to visit regularly for weeks at a time. Work team requests and information should be directed to Bro. Mark Gerber at mbgerber@adamswells.com.

CVE

Work team volunteers are picked up in Tucson and returned back to Tucson as needed. All meals and lodging would be provided while at CVE.

Location:

Casa Vida y Esperanza, A. C.

Carretera Internacional km 178+500
Col. La Misi�n
Magdalena de Kino, Sonora, M�xico
C. P. 84160

Spiritual
Behind the scenes the spiritual battles with sin and evil are ever-present. Please pray for staff, church leadership and for the Mexican believers. It is the heart of this ministry to love by example, establish with truth, and equip new believers to serve others within their own community. To receive emails that outline prayer needs, contact info@cveMX.org.

Staff
Ministering to adults is different than children.Adults embrace trust slower than children. As the brothers and sisters invest more time with the adults there will be additional opportunities for mature brothers and sisters to serve with the children. If you are interested, contact Bro. Kirk Plattner at kirk@acmission.org.

Ways to Support Financially

The Magdalena mission is dependent on financial support from the Apostolic Christian Church Brotherhood. A church-wide collection has been approved this last year and will provide an opportunity for each one to contribute to this work. Also, contributions can be made any time through one of the following:

Four ways to contribute to the work at Magdalena:

1. Your Local Church

Through your local World Relief representative.

2. Mail - Send your donation to:

AC World Relief

CVE Children's Home

16448 S US Hwy 231

Remington, IN 47977

Checks should be made payable to:
AC World Relief - CVE Mexico

3. Make a secure credit card donation.