"20/20 Vision"
Pastor John's Story
My wife Connie and I had the privilege of joining the group of 38 that went to Ensenada, Mexico.
Having had numerous years of missions experience both in Nicaragua and in Mexico we were excited to partner with the people from Oak Bluff and with Yugo. Yugo Ministries and campus runs a well-planned, well-oiled organization, the staff is experienced, engaging, they loved on us and made our experience as pleasant and meaningful as possible.
The Mission of Yugo is to “Mobilize God’s people to reach the forgotten.” Every year they pick a theme which communicates what God is doing in their hearts. This year they focused on the theme of having “2020 Vision”.
I want to briefly touch on and highlight some of the thoughts that grew out of the theme of having ‘20/20 vision’ for 2020.
With two chapel services per day, with animated Mexican speakers that challenged us to see and act as Jesus with compassion. We would be building houses, but the recipient families were the primary focus. That we would see them as Jesus sees them.
In Matthew 9 we read, “When Jesus saw the crowds He had compassion on them, because they were helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” When Jesus saw he had compassion and healed the sick, he forgave, he lifted them up, and he pointed them on their way.
The challenge is to truly see people the way Jesus sees with eyes of compassion and to follow through with appropriate action. To see below the surface, to see the heart, the dignity and value of people, this is a gift from God.
If we’re absorbed in our own feelings, problems, worries and desires, we will overlook the needs of those God puts in our path and ignore the opportunity to help them.
Jesus said in Matthew 6, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” Our vision, our perspective of God, our thinking about Jesus Christ affects our compassion index. Peter Marshall said, “Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for – because unless we stand for something, we fall for anything.”
The Bible tells us that where there is no vision, no perspective from God’s point of view, we perish. To see what He sees. Helen Keller said, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”
We here at Oak Bluff Bible Church want to cast a clear Vision, a 20/20 Vision that comes from God for 2020. That we will see as Jesus Sees, with eyes that see below the surface. We want to be a church that is in the community, and for the community.
We want to invite you to be part of the adventure of learning to see Jesus, and to see as Jesus sees. We are excited about our building that we have purchased, and the renovations that will be taking place.
If you do not have a home church, come and check us out. We plan on doing another Missions trip in two years time. Pray about whether you should be part of that Team in 2022!
Pastor John's Story
My wife Connie and I had the privilege of joining the group of 38 that went to Ensenada, Mexico.
Having had numerous years of missions experience both in Nicaragua and in Mexico we were excited to partner with the people from Oak Bluff and with Yugo. Yugo Ministries and campus runs a well-planned, well-oiled organization, the staff is experienced, engaging, they loved on us and made our experience as pleasant and meaningful as possible.
The Mission of Yugo is to “Mobilize God’s people to reach the forgotten.” Every year they pick a theme which communicates what God is doing in their hearts. This year they focused on the theme of having “2020 Vision”.
I want to briefly touch on and highlight some of the thoughts that grew out of the theme of having ‘20/20 vision’ for 2020.
With two chapel services per day, with animated Mexican speakers that challenged us to see and act as Jesus with compassion. We would be building houses, but the recipient families were the primary focus. That we would see them as Jesus sees them.
In Matthew 9 we read, “When Jesus saw the crowds He had compassion on them, because they were helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” When Jesus saw he had compassion and healed the sick, he forgave, he lifted them up, and he pointed them on their way.
The challenge is to truly see people the way Jesus sees with eyes of compassion and to follow through with appropriate action. To see below the surface, to see the heart, the dignity and value of people, this is a gift from God.
If we’re absorbed in our own feelings, problems, worries and desires, we will overlook the needs of those God puts in our path and ignore the opportunity to help them.
Jesus said in Matthew 6, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” Our vision, our perspective of God, our thinking about Jesus Christ affects our compassion index. Peter Marshall said, “Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for – because unless we stand for something, we fall for anything.”
The Bible tells us that where there is no vision, no perspective from God’s point of view, we perish. To see what He sees. Helen Keller said, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”
We here at Oak Bluff Bible Church want to cast a clear Vision, a 20/20 Vision that comes from God for 2020. That we will see as Jesus Sees, with eyes that see below the surface. We want to be a church that is in the community, and for the community.
We want to invite you to be part of the adventure of learning to see Jesus, and to see as Jesus sees. We are excited about our building that we have purchased, and the renovations that will be taking place.
If you do not have a home church, come and check us out. We plan on doing another Missions trip in two years time. Pray about whether you should be part of that Team in 2022!
"Building Relationships"
Sandra's Story
I was fortunate to have this opportunity to be a servant of the Lord. Although this was Oak Bluff Bible Church’s 3rd time going to Ensenada Mexico, it was my 1st time.
Both Breanna and I were not available the last 2 times they went due to other commitments. I have always had the desire to take part in a mission and what better way to have accomplished that, but with my daughter and our Oak Bluff church friends.
It wasn’t until I went to help build this house, that I realized I wasn’t just building a home, but I was also building relationships with my teammates and the community, who all had the same desire, to serve the Lord.
You can’t help but come back from a trip like this, and not see that everyone around you is so compassionate and truly loves God, especially when you are sharing one room with 16 girls, 2 showers, 3 sinks and 2 bathrooms! It is called respecting and honouring each other.
There may have been two groups, the green team and blue team, but together we were united in one, sharing our time, our faith, our hearts and our desire to give to those that have less than us.
It was a combination of being asked and me volunteering to be the ‘official photographer’ for the mission trip. As a photographer, sometimes you miss out on what’s happening around you, because your focal point is just through that lens. However, my vision through that lens for the week was 20/20. Not only did I capture moments of the green team but I also had the opportunity to attend to the other site where the blue team was building.
I loved seeing the expressions on everyone’s faces while they engaged with the families, with each other, with the local children, and the memories I captured through my lens convinced me I will be back.
Not only did I grow closer to God, but my relationship with our teammates grew as well during worship time, coffee time, our meals, the house building, our walks and talks, it was truly a blessing to get to know each other.
In closing, I would like to say something about everyone on our team, but obviously that is not possible! However, I was in awe of our younger worshipers that were there, they all did such an amazing job.
So it doesn’t matter on your age, you can build relationships with anyone, especially our amazing group from Oak Bluff Bible Church.
Sandra's Story
I was fortunate to have this opportunity to be a servant of the Lord. Although this was Oak Bluff Bible Church’s 3rd time going to Ensenada Mexico, it was my 1st time.
Both Breanna and I were not available the last 2 times they went due to other commitments. I have always had the desire to take part in a mission and what better way to have accomplished that, but with my daughter and our Oak Bluff church friends.
It wasn’t until I went to help build this house, that I realized I wasn’t just building a home, but I was also building relationships with my teammates and the community, who all had the same desire, to serve the Lord.
You can’t help but come back from a trip like this, and not see that everyone around you is so compassionate and truly loves God, especially when you are sharing one room with 16 girls, 2 showers, 3 sinks and 2 bathrooms! It is called respecting and honouring each other.
There may have been two groups, the green team and blue team, but together we were united in one, sharing our time, our faith, our hearts and our desire to give to those that have less than us.
It was a combination of being asked and me volunteering to be the ‘official photographer’ for the mission trip. As a photographer, sometimes you miss out on what’s happening around you, because your focal point is just through that lens. However, my vision through that lens for the week was 20/20. Not only did I capture moments of the green team but I also had the opportunity to attend to the other site where the blue team was building.
I loved seeing the expressions on everyone’s faces while they engaged with the families, with each other, with the local children, and the memories I captured through my lens convinced me I will be back.
Not only did I grow closer to God, but my relationship with our teammates grew as well during worship time, coffee time, our meals, the house building, our walks and talks, it was truly a blessing to get to know each other.
In closing, I would like to say something about everyone on our team, but obviously that is not possible! However, I was in awe of our younger worshipers that were there, they all did such an amazing job.
So it doesn’t matter on your age, you can build relationships with anyone, especially our amazing group from Oak Bluff Bible Church.
Nathan's Story
It was such a blessing to be involved with the children’s outreach program along with the house build. God gives us a promise, if we remain in Jesus through our acts of love and compassion, we will grow fruit for the kingdom of God (John 15: 5). In the moment of writing this I was reflecting on the interactions with the youth and letting my mind wonder how far God’s love will go to transform Ensenada, to transform Mexico through these youth. Loving on these children with a pure heart has all the power to transform the lives of youth longing to find their place in this world. You have all been a part of that through your prayers and support. God’s love is so powerful.
I also had the opportunity to share a brief testimony of my personal journey with Jesus and this took place Wednesday evening, at a local midweek church service. It seemed like quite the adventure to get there. Leading up to this moment of sharing my testimony I had been struggling with some personal battles at the beginning of the week in Mexico, I know it was only by God’s grace he allowed me to share that evening. And to share so truthfully the powerful impact of His amazing love which has transformed my own life. God longs to work through each one of us and use our spiritual gifts for His glory and it still surprises me when God is willing to work through me even when I am feeling so weak. After sharing my testimony, I was filled with much peace and joy, and that was much thanks to my church family who was there with me. Just feeling fully embraced and being offered words of encouragement is a good place. This was definitely a God moment where God came through for me and it gave me some motivation to finish the trip off strong. Thank you all for your prayers and support, you have all truly been involved with sharing God’s love in Mexico.
It was such a blessing to be involved with the children’s outreach program along with the house build. God gives us a promise, if we remain in Jesus through our acts of love and compassion, we will grow fruit for the kingdom of God (John 15: 5). In the moment of writing this I was reflecting on the interactions with the youth and letting my mind wonder how far God’s love will go to transform Ensenada, to transform Mexico through these youth. Loving on these children with a pure heart has all the power to transform the lives of youth longing to find their place in this world. You have all been a part of that through your prayers and support. God’s love is so powerful.
I also had the opportunity to share a brief testimony of my personal journey with Jesus and this took place Wednesday evening, at a local midweek church service. It seemed like quite the adventure to get there. Leading up to this moment of sharing my testimony I had been struggling with some personal battles at the beginning of the week in Mexico, I know it was only by God’s grace he allowed me to share that evening. And to share so truthfully the powerful impact of His amazing love which has transformed my own life. God longs to work through each one of us and use our spiritual gifts for His glory and it still surprises me when God is willing to work through me even when I am feeling so weak. After sharing my testimony, I was filled with much peace and joy, and that was much thanks to my church family who was there with me. Just feeling fully embraced and being offered words of encouragement is a good place. This was definitely a God moment where God came through for me and it gave me some motivation to finish the trip off strong. Thank you all for your prayers and support, you have all truly been involved with sharing God’s love in Mexico.
Lauren's Story
I had the privilege of going on the Mexico Missions trip for a third time to Ensenada Mexico. This time was more a life changing experience for me on the third trip. I made such a wonderful connection with the family. The connection that I made that I will never forget was with the Gloria. She was the mom/grandma of the family the house that were building for. Gloria touched my heart in such a way. I have been going through a dark time this past year and I was getting in a better place but was not quite there yet. I could see the light but I was still in dark tunnel. God knew I needed someone to show me light with such love. That is what Gloria did for me. Her love towards me was powerful and it finally brought me out of the dark tunnel and I finally found my light that I have been searching for. There was a song we sang in on the chapel times it’s called Your Love Awakens me and the first two lines in the song are there were walls between us and by the cross you came and broke them down. That is exactly what happened, there was a wall that needed to be broken down and with Love that I received from Gloria the wall was broken down and the light shone bright. A verse that goes with this is from 2nd Samuel 22:29 You Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. With all the love and hugs from Gloria that was God speaking through her and telling me that I am loved no matter what I am going through and that I just need to keep seeking God’s light and love in my life and not the darkness. Sometimes our visions can become blurred and it can blind us, but if we keep looking to God we have a clear 20/20 vision and we will see the light at the end of our tunnels.
I had the privilege of going on the Mexico Missions trip for a third time to Ensenada Mexico. This time was more a life changing experience for me on the third trip. I made such a wonderful connection with the family. The connection that I made that I will never forget was with the Gloria. She was the mom/grandma of the family the house that were building for. Gloria touched my heart in such a way. I have been going through a dark time this past year and I was getting in a better place but was not quite there yet. I could see the light but I was still in dark tunnel. God knew I needed someone to show me light with such love. That is what Gloria did for me. Her love towards me was powerful and it finally brought me out of the dark tunnel and I finally found my light that I have been searching for. There was a song we sang in on the chapel times it’s called Your Love Awakens me and the first two lines in the song are there were walls between us and by the cross you came and broke them down. That is exactly what happened, there was a wall that needed to be broken down and with Love that I received from Gloria the wall was broken down and the light shone bright. A verse that goes with this is from 2nd Samuel 22:29 You Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. With all the love and hugs from Gloria that was God speaking through her and telling me that I am loved no matter what I am going through and that I just need to keep seeking God’s light and love in my life and not the darkness. Sometimes our visions can become blurred and it can blind us, but if we keep looking to God we have a clear 20/20 vision and we will see the light at the end of our tunnels.
Ricardo (Rickie)
Reg's Story
I’m glad I have the opportunity to tell you about a very special man who works for YUGO – his name is Ricardo, or Rickie. He is one of the men who work on the construction side of things, and was a foreman at my house build site. There are several of these foremen, and they usually have an assistant. Their job is to order the supplies and have things ready on site, and to provide direction on the next steps, and how to do them if so required. It is quite amazing how he keeps the project on track with people coming and asking questions every 30 secs! This is now the 3rd house build I’ve done with our church and YUGO, and I have seen Rickie there all 3 times.....with him being my foreman twice.
That is just a little about what he does, but I want to look a little closer at who he is.....and don’t worry, I’m not sharing any secrets here as he is very vocal about his testimony and the life (and eternity) God has saved him from. He will readily tell you that he comes from a past of addictions, subsequent relational issues, brushes with the law and all that entails. He doesn’t focus on that however, and with a big smile on his face he’ll tell you that he found Jesus 18yrs ago and his life has TOTALLY changed. He started with YUGO not long after finding Christ and has built MANY a home with them. Not only has he given his life to helping the needy get home, he also volunteers 3 days/evenings a week at an addiction center.
Matt 7:24 states: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”. When you see the work Rickie does with YUGO and the addiction center, and when you work with him on the construction site he’s always smiling, is very patient and explains things, and is always encouraging with his “you can do it!”.....it is evident that Rickie is putting God’s Word into practice, and is building his life on the Rock!
When our team was done our house a day early (YUGO wanted it done so we could hand over the keys before Josephina went back to the hospital for another surgery) we were all quite excited that we could give back to Rickie and help him with a project at his place on our last day. His house is built on a steep slope (as most are in the hills) so every time it rained his neighbours retaining wall and his yard would wash away further. He had most of the slope removed already and now needed help in removing rock and sand, and jack hammering holes for foundations for a retaining wall.
Reg's Story
I’m glad I have the opportunity to tell you about a very special man who works for YUGO – his name is Ricardo, or Rickie. He is one of the men who work on the construction side of things, and was a foreman at my house build site. There are several of these foremen, and they usually have an assistant. Their job is to order the supplies and have things ready on site, and to provide direction on the next steps, and how to do them if so required. It is quite amazing how he keeps the project on track with people coming and asking questions every 30 secs! This is now the 3rd house build I’ve done with our church and YUGO, and I have seen Rickie there all 3 times.....with him being my foreman twice.
That is just a little about what he does, but I want to look a little closer at who he is.....and don’t worry, I’m not sharing any secrets here as he is very vocal about his testimony and the life (and eternity) God has saved him from. He will readily tell you that he comes from a past of addictions, subsequent relational issues, brushes with the law and all that entails. He doesn’t focus on that however, and with a big smile on his face he’ll tell you that he found Jesus 18yrs ago and his life has TOTALLY changed. He started with YUGO not long after finding Christ and has built MANY a home with them. Not only has he given his life to helping the needy get home, he also volunteers 3 days/evenings a week at an addiction center.
Matt 7:24 states: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”. When you see the work Rickie does with YUGO and the addiction center, and when you work with him on the construction site he’s always smiling, is very patient and explains things, and is always encouraging with his “you can do it!”.....it is evident that Rickie is putting God’s Word into practice, and is building his life on the Rock!
When our team was done our house a day early (YUGO wanted it done so we could hand over the keys before Josephina went back to the hospital for another surgery) we were all quite excited that we could give back to Rickie and help him with a project at his place on our last day. His house is built on a steep slope (as most are in the hills) so every time it rained his neighbours retaining wall and his yard would wash away further. He had most of the slope removed already and now needed help in removing rock and sand, and jack hammering holes for foundations for a retaining wall.
As you can see in the picture, most of the material had been removed by heavy equipment.....I don’t know about you but to me that house looks quite precarious – but hey, apparently they do things differently in Mexico! It was a sandstone rock it was on, but it would crumble if you rubbed on it....the house you see was his current wife’s home when they got married 3 yrs ago.....approx 1yr later YUGO sent a team and built them one of their larger homes right behind the one you see.
We spent the morning and into mid-afternoon removing a lot of sand/rock....hauling it by wheel barrows part way down the hill in front of his place and then dumping it down a slope at the back of a neighbours lot to help build it up. We had 2 jack hammers going which accomplished the job of pounding out some holes into the rock for the foundation.
Although it was hard and somewhat dirty work, we were blessed to spend the day with Rickie and his family! They made us a fantastic lunch of fish tacos, and it was great to be able to visit and get to know them a little better. I would encourage all of you to pray for Rickie and his family as they follow Christ’s example for their lives, and my prayer is that all of us would follow that example as well!!
We spent the morning and into mid-afternoon removing a lot of sand/rock....hauling it by wheel barrows part way down the hill in front of his place and then dumping it down a slope at the back of a neighbours lot to help build it up. We had 2 jack hammers going which accomplished the job of pounding out some holes into the rock for the foundation.
Although it was hard and somewhat dirty work, we were blessed to spend the day with Rickie and his family! They made us a fantastic lunch of fish tacos, and it was great to be able to visit and get to know them a little better. I would encourage all of you to pray for Rickie and his family as they follow Christ’s example for their lives, and my prayer is that all of us would follow that example as well!!
Kathy's Story
I have only been attending Oak Bluff Bible Church for a few months and only found God last February. This was my first time going to Mexico to build houses.
I was nervous about going to Mexico because I live by myself and the thought of being with people 24/7 was a bit overwhelming ... especially people I did not know very well and were strong in their faith. I thought of a hundred reasons why I should not go but decided to face my fears and go anyway. I received a phone call at about 5:30 pm the night before we were leaving for Mexico from my father’s long term care home. My dad’s oxygen levels had dropped so much that they could not get a reading and his finger tips and lips were blue.
When we arrived at the home, they were not sure how long he would last. He has kidney disease with about 8% functionality. The big decision ... to go to Mexico or not to go? This would be a really good reason to give into my fears and not go .... for the last 6 months or so self-doubt has been my best friend. After lots of discussion with the nurses, my son, and his wife, and with the blessings of my Dad, I decided at 9 pm to go.
Of course, when I got home and was alone ... I began to have doubts. Was I doing the right thing? Was I honoring my dad? Was putting this on my son fair? Then at 11 pm, my very good Ugandan friend, Franklin, text me and asked me if I was okay. I asked him why he felt the need to ask me that. He said he got a bad feeling that something was wrong so I explained to him what was going on ... for those of you who don’t know ... he is a doctor and a Christian ... and the person who led me to God. He told me that my dad was being well taken care of and the future although serious is unknown. He reminded me that God has a bigger plan and feels that I belong in Mexico. He reminded me that I have honored my dad everyday by bringing him from Alberta 2 years ago and rebuilding a solid relationship with him. He told me to leave it in God’s hands. He and his wife Ruth prayed with me for my dad’s health, my trip, and to give me peace with my decision.
For me ... that was God speaking to me through Franklin. It allowed me to go to Mexico where God gave me another opportunity to step out of my comfort zone at the Community Service and pray with a Mexican boy who did not speak English ... I don’t like praying out loud so the fact that he did not understand me made it a lot easier.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported the trip. The experience has encouraged me to be more committed to daily prayer, which is sometimes several times a day, and with daily devotions which in turn is helping me to learn to let go of the need to control my life and be more open God’s bigger plan. Mexico made me realize that while I live alone .... I am not alone.
I have only been attending Oak Bluff Bible Church for a few months and only found God last February. This was my first time going to Mexico to build houses.
I was nervous about going to Mexico because I live by myself and the thought of being with people 24/7 was a bit overwhelming ... especially people I did not know very well and were strong in their faith. I thought of a hundred reasons why I should not go but decided to face my fears and go anyway. I received a phone call at about 5:30 pm the night before we were leaving for Mexico from my father’s long term care home. My dad’s oxygen levels had dropped so much that they could not get a reading and his finger tips and lips were blue.
When we arrived at the home, they were not sure how long he would last. He has kidney disease with about 8% functionality. The big decision ... to go to Mexico or not to go? This would be a really good reason to give into my fears and not go .... for the last 6 months or so self-doubt has been my best friend. After lots of discussion with the nurses, my son, and his wife, and with the blessings of my Dad, I decided at 9 pm to go.
Of course, when I got home and was alone ... I began to have doubts. Was I doing the right thing? Was I honoring my dad? Was putting this on my son fair? Then at 11 pm, my very good Ugandan friend, Franklin, text me and asked me if I was okay. I asked him why he felt the need to ask me that. He said he got a bad feeling that something was wrong so I explained to him what was going on ... for those of you who don’t know ... he is a doctor and a Christian ... and the person who led me to God. He told me that my dad was being well taken care of and the future although serious is unknown. He reminded me that God has a bigger plan and feels that I belong in Mexico. He reminded me that I have honored my dad everyday by bringing him from Alberta 2 years ago and rebuilding a solid relationship with him. He told me to leave it in God’s hands. He and his wife Ruth prayed with me for my dad’s health, my trip, and to give me peace with my decision.
For me ... that was God speaking to me through Franklin. It allowed me to go to Mexico where God gave me another opportunity to step out of my comfort zone at the Community Service and pray with a Mexican boy who did not speak English ... I don’t like praying out loud so the fact that he did not understand me made it a lot easier.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and supported the trip. The experience has encouraged me to be more committed to daily prayer, which is sometimes several times a day, and with daily devotions which in turn is helping me to learn to let go of the need to control my life and be more open God’s bigger plan. Mexico made me realize that while I live alone .... I am not alone.
