Recently I have been looking at the fruit that has grown as a result of a few seeds planted in years past. Following are a few reflections:
The EOC (Ensenada Outreach Center) exists because one couple responded to a call. They planted a seed with the beginning of the EOC, more than a decade ago, and as a result, thousands of lives have been forever transformed.
Although Spring officially started only a few days ago, we are in the midst of our 5th week of Spring Teams, with another 3 to go (the next two weeks being the biggest). By the end of April we will have welcomed 500+ Team members, provided 27 families with a Home of Hope, partnered with numerous local communities & pastors, fed hundreds of hungry children & families, and represented (as Ambassadors) our Lord & Saviour Jesus the Christ before hundreds if not thousands of people.
Last week at the request of a local Vision Clinic, we hosted a small group of adults from two churches in the Mexican state of Sonora, who had traveled the 500+ miles to receive no-cost eye surgery. We were able to host a couple of low-income families who would not be able to cover the costs of hotel & food expenses for the week stay. This is the first of likely additional such groups traveling to Ensenada to receive free optical surgery (coming through Mexican churches). This contact with the local Vision Clinic is the result of a seed that Emily (Tracy) Castro planted 8+ years ago when while working as a YUGO Missionary in Ensenada, she volunteered a few hours per week (she is trained as a nurse). Through this initial contact, a relationship has grown and numerous children & adults have had their sight restored.
This is similar to the example of ONE boy, who was willing to share his five loaves of bread & two “small” fish, when a crowd of 5000+ people were hungry. We know that through this ONE boy’s offering, Jesus took the loaves & fish, gave thanks, and distributed to the people “as much as they wanted.” We know that all had plenty to eat.
All this is possible because a couple of people were WILLING to respond to a call many years ago.
Ana & I continue to be grateful for the seeds that others have been planted in our lives, and we commit ourselves to continuing to plant seeds in the lives of others.
May your Spring be filled with many opportunities to plant seeds in the lives of others, and may we continue to be willing as One Body, to work in the fields that God has called us to.
As always, we are most grateful for your love, friendship, prayers & support.
Scott (for Ana & Naomi) Wester
