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October 2006 Newsletter
Georgia Trip 2006
On August 14, we set off for a three week trip to Georgia for our annual staff conference which was held this year in Clayton, GA, a small town at
the north east tip of Georgia. This year we drove with the entire family. Katie and Hannah started homeschooling for the year on this road trip.
They both stayed with some friends in Georgia, David and Carla Stephens, in Blue Ridge while we attended that staff conference. It was great to
see many of the AIM staff that we do not see during the year. So many new things are happening at AIM. The new "World Race" has been a great
success as 25 people have done ministry in about 8 countries for far this year. AIM is also starting a discipleship seminary that will be located
in Colorado. In Mexico we have a new staff member. His name is Tomas Finley. Tomas has been a missionary in Mexico for about 30 years. Tomas,
his wife Dora and kids live in Harlingen, Texas. We have another couple starting to work in Mexico November 1. His name is Jonathan and his
wife is Shannon. They have two kids. We are so excited that they are coming. God did amazing things to raise their support and they are
coming soon.
the aim staff fall 2006
Staff Conference 2006
This has been the largest staff conference to date in terms of numbers. We had about 150 this year. Our staff has grown so much this year that
Seth, AIM's founder, has told us that we will no longer meet every year, but every two years.
One of the highlights of the staff conference was being able to meet many of the new staff. We had great worship times and lots of fun playing
Speed Scrabble and other games. Jennifer was asked to start writing a children's Bible that can be given away to kids in Mexico. There is more
about this in Jennifer's Corner of this newsletter.
5 churches
In the last few years we have met some people from various churches in Georgia. The Lord worked things out this year in such a way that we
were able to visit some of them during our time in Georgia.
Gonzalez Girls and Beaver kids
Crossover Community
We were able to visit the youth group of Crossover Community Church in Blue Ridge. There we viewed a power point presentation that the youth
pastor had put together of their Mexico trip this summer.
We also visited with several of the adults that we have met in the last two years. While in Blue Ridge, we stated with the Stephens' family
and then in a cabin that belongs to the Beaver family. It was just perfect for us.
First United Methodist Blairesville
We also had dinner with some of the members of a church in Blairsville, Georgia called First United Methodist. Their pastor, Richard, let us
show them a video that Johnson Ferry Baptist Church had put together and also the one we had made. They were really blessed. While in Mexico
one of their "God stories" was witnessing to a man who sold drugs. The man received Jesus and came to the church the next day to help them
pour the cement for the roof of the pastor's house. God is amazing!
Johnson Ferry Baptist Church
On one of the Sundays we had the opportunity to visit JFBC, a very large church in Marietta, GA. There we visited two church services and
spoke to the High School group (400 students) We shared with them a video we made about the people who were blessed with houses during their
trip. In this video the Mexicans were able to say hello and thank you. The Americans from Georgia loved seeing the houses and how they are
now being used. They also enjoyed seeing their old friends again.
United Methodist Church Tuckson
Cesar visited the church United Methodist Church in Tuckston on a Wednesday night with Katie. (Hannah was sick and so she and Jennifer
stayed "home") He spoke to the youth group and thanked them for their help in Mexico. It was a great time of fellowship and remembrance.
Martha Bowman Memorial United Methodist Church
Then, we went to Macon to visit a church that has been to Mexico the last two summers. There I, Cesar, spoke at 3 services and two youth
groups. It was so much fun to see them as they have been to Mexico a few times and have a great mission program. We were impressed at how
much they prepare their students for mission projects.
Gonzalez Family at Macon Church
FUN, FUN, FUN!!!
Well all work and no play makes for a very boring road trip. So we went to Six Flags with Cesar's brother Carlos and to the Coca Cola
Company. Here are a few pictures.
Hannah, Jennifer and Katie at Coca Cola Museum
Louisiana
On our way home we stayed at an AIM base that helps Katrina victims. Our good friend Elizabeth spent time with us showing us around and
helping us to get a better idea of the vision there. It is still devastating, but there are many areas doing fine. The picture below was
taken of a house where the AIM participants were working. They are removing all the ruined household items as well as the drywall. They take
the house down to its studs. The families are thankful for help.
Katie in front of a Katrina devastated house
Fall Men's Trip - October 2006
October 18 we will have 57 men from JFBC and 23 men from Austin Texas in Matamoros. They will be building 6 small houses for some poor
families. The name of the Mexican pastor that will host this trip is Sabino Hernandez.
Here are some pictures of the families that will be receiving houses and lots of love!!!
Cinthia will get a new house in October
Monica will get a new house in October
Martha will get a new house in October
Alicia will get a new house in October
Gabriela will get a new house in October
Sonia will get a new house in October
Cesar
I have been training one of our newest staff members, Tomas Finley. There are a lot of details that need to be done before a group comes here for
a short term mission trip. Here are some details of what we've been doing.
I have been showing him what we do to get ready for this project that we will have October 18th with 80 men. The pastor in Mexico that will be
connected with this project is Pastor Sabino Hernandez. We have found 6 families that will get a new house and have visited the various ministry
sites where we will do some ministry. We will be helping at the Youth Detention Center, the feeding ministry, and the Rehabilitation Center. We
ordered the wood for the 6 houses.
For each short-term project that we set up in Mexico we put together what we call a Field Report. We do it on an Excel file and then post this
Excel file on a Virtual office that we have online. In this way, anyone on staff can view the information about this project. The Project
Leader also gets this Excel file weeks or months before the actual project, giving them the information they need to run the project.
The Field Report has information about the Mexican pastor, the ministry sites and the place where the USA participants will sleep. In the Field
Report we also include pictures.
Here is part of a Field Report.
Field Report for the upcoming men's project
Jennifer
Well, life is a bit more eventful now, but better. Homeschooling has been a big blessing in many ways. I love teaching! One of my new big
things is working on creating a Children's Bible that can be given away. In Mexico I always bring a Spanish Children's Bible so that I can read
it to the kids and they can read it to me. I kid you not, even those 14 year old boys will sit for a long time reading it. The sad thing is
that since it's a $15 Bible I can't just give them to the kids. So, when AIM asked me to put together a children's Bible I was ecstatic! We have
a publishing company, Praxis Press, that works with us to produce materials. Our first Bible will only be about 80 pages, so it will have only
select stories. I am so excited at the thought of being able to hand these to the kids. Please pray for wisdom and time allowance to put this
together.
Katie
Katie really liked going to Georgia. She loved the beautiful hills and getting to see her Uncle Carlos. He is so much fun. She also
enjoyed learning about Louisiana and all of the history there. After she came back, she did a Power Point presentation at the homeschooling
group about the Katrina Relief Projects and she did an amazing job. She has also enjoyed spending time with our latest batch of kittens and
spending time with her new homeschool friend Michelle. A few days ago she began singing in a community drama that will soon be performing
Aladdin. She's a busy girl.
Hannah and Katie at the Coca Coka museum
Hannah
Hannah has just started taking Jazz. Because she is homeschooling, we thought it would be important to have the girls involved in a class with
other kids. It has been great. It's fun to see them come home with new dance moves to practice. She has also met a new homeschooling friend
named Erin. They have studied together, been on fieldtrips, and done other homeschooling school events together. She also likes visiting
horses nearby at our friend Leigh's house. Horses and Hannah are quite a combination. Right now Hannah is practicing the piano in the other
room. I finally decided to dust off what little I know about piano and try to give the girls lessons. I think this one has a music bug!
Thank You for All Your Prayers and Support!!!
Cesar, Jennifer, Katie and Hannah
1049 E. Matz Ave.
Harlingen, TX 78550
(956) 357-3430 work cell
(956) 425-6440 home
cesargonzalez@adventures.org
jennifergonzalez@adventures.org
www.adventures.org
www.aimcesar.com
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