Mexico Bible Methodist Missions

A thank you note from Teresa

Teresa and her sweet baby, Leonardo

So many of you have sent Back to School and Sunday School Supplies recently for our people here in Mexico. We have been so blessed by your generosity!

Here is a note of thanks from Teresa, our pastor's daughter in La Boca. She works every Sunday with the children's ministry in this village church.

"Muchas gracias a todos los hermanos y hermanas que comparten todo esto con nosotros. Que Dios pueda bendecirles rica mente." //
"Thank you so much to all the brothers and sisters who have shared all of this with us. May God bless you richly."

Scrapbook Supplies Needed in Mexico

U.S. Scrapbook Friends: Lord willing, we will be having 3 Scrapbook/S.S. Projects Sessions in our upcoming Fall Bible Methodist Institute Classes here in Mexico (Oct . 18-24)

We are currently running low on supplies. Do you have any extra paper/stickers/markers/adhesive/ribbon/clip brads, scissors to share with us?

You can send the supplies to our TX address: 2112 W. University Dr. PMB1122 Edinburg, TX 78539. If you ship them within the next couple weeks, we should be able to receive them in plenty of time.

Thanks for all you've done in the past to make this an awesome project for your Mexican sisters!

Saltillo Campmeeting 2010

Click here for pictures of Saltillo Campmeeting.

Saltillo VBS 2010

Click here for an update and lots of pictures of the VBS week here in Saltillo!

....in just 8 days

In 8 days, my sister and family will be leaving their home and heading for Mexico. They still lack about $400 of their support amount and are counting on this money to help meet their expenses. If you'd like to help them with this last $400 you can go online to their blog listed below and donate directly to them - they will receive your donation before they leave! Thanks so much!
http://www.ministeringinmexico.blogspot.com/

Marc and Logan's visit to 2 border churches

Marc and Logan visited 2 of our border churches this past weekend: La Florida and Santa Apolonia.They were able to give out lots of clothing, shoes, Bibles and other items sent from many of you in the States - thank you! You can see the smiles on their faces and that's its own reward. :-)

Our Pastor and family in La Florida; Pastor Bernardo, Arely and little Estrella

Pastor Jose Cruz and people in Santa Apolonia

First Night of Revival in Saltillo

Hno. Abel Rodriguez preaching the first message of our revival in Saltillo tonight...the Lord helped him do a wonderful job. It was so good to see him and his wife Misaela again.

~ Melodie

El Senor es Mi Pastor "Pocket" books

If you are looking for a church or missionary society project idea, consider purchasing and donating these wonderful little "pocket" books - El Senor es Mi Pastor/The Lord is My Shepherd - to use in our child evangelism efforts in Mexico. Psalm 23 is explained and illustrated in simple terms and the plan of salvation is clearly presented at the end of the booklet. Our pastors, SS teachers and childrens' workers will be so thrilled to be equipped with these evangelism tools.

I have just spoken to the author of this book, Helen Haidle. She is giving Bible Methodist Missions a big discount on this product. Instead of $3.99 each, she is making them available for $.50 each when you buy at least 50. Order at this phone number: 503-718-7911. Email me if you'd like more information!

Here is a link to the website if you'd like to read more about the product.
http://seedfaithbooks.com/shopexd.asp?id=127

Melodie Sankey

Fall 2009 Bible Institute Classes

Announcing the Fall 2009 Mexico Bible Methodist Institute Classes
in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico
October 19 - 23, 2009: Monday - Friday

Visiting Professors will be:

Heartland BM Conference President G. Clair Sams and his wife, Melba, teaching classes on Church Leadership and Sis. Sams will be speaking to the ladies.

Hope International Missions Director Sidney Grant will be teaching classes on Eschatology and Hermeneutics.

Bible Institute President Eliezer Balderas will be teaching classes on Christian Education and Homiletics. Field Director Marc Sankey will be conducting Pastoral Mentoring Sessions. HIM Pastor Abel (Salamanca) will be teaching clases on Christian Life. The Sankeys will be teaching English Classes.

This promises to be a very full week of Biblical training and mentoring. Please help us pray for safety for our professors and pastors/families who will be traveling to the classes and for God's Spirit to rest on us during this special week.

Summer Work and Ministry Team

Excitement is high! Our 11-member Work and Ministry Team is arriving on Tuesday!

Our family and Brennan are busily preparing guest quarters, meal plans, accomodations, work projects, medical ministry details (SO excited about this), and more!

Those coming are: Ed Durham, Craig McLaughlin, Mark and Kristin Foster, Bradley and Jackie Bishop, Chris Lambeth, Paul and Alicia McIntyre, Arlette Makcen, and Marc's cousin Matt Linko. We are so excited to have them here with us!

Please pray that God will give the team traveling protection; that He would give us His success in ministry and work projects, and that souls would be won to Jesus through our efforts.

Stay tuned for pictures of the Team's arrival and activities while they're here!

Day 2 of the Bible Institute Classes

Check our family blog for pictures of Day 2!

Spring Bible Institute Classes - Day 1

Well, the Spring Bible Institute Classes are "up and running" here in Saltillo. Despite some minor mishaps and late arrivals, we are off to a great start. Here are a few pictures to share with you.

Prof. Dale Redman speaking to the Institute students who were present for Day 1.

Prof. Shane Craycraft teaching his class - Bro. Redman translating into Spanish.

Tamra and I helping out in the kitchen. Here we are making flour tortillas. Of course, we had to sample a few while we were working. Yummm....there's nothing like a fresh homemade flour tortilla, hot off the comal, spread with butter, rolled up and enjoyed. :)

Jillian enjoyed rolling out her tortilla. :)

She also fully immersed herself into what was happening around her. She joined in giving her baby doll a bath right along with the little Mexican girls - it was just too cute.

And now today is a full schedule of classes and workshops from 9 this morning until 7 in the evening, with study time and meals worked in. Thank the Lord for His help and for a great start to our Spring Bible Institute Classes here in Mexico!

More later - keep checking back. :)

Summer Work and Ministry Team Opportunities

Dear Family and Friends,

We realize that over the past few days you have received much information from Mexico Bible Methodist Missions. However, we want to inform you of a signifigant change in facts from our monthly newsletter that we recently sent out. The TLC team will not be able to come to Mexico this summer.

Therefore, there are open dates and projects available for work/ministry teams. So many of you spoke with us during our Share Support Tour and before, telling us of your interest in coming to Mexico and participating in projects here.

The open dates are June 1 - July 10, 2009. We would be able to provide your housing (a large team may need to help with rental of a facility).

Possible projects would range between light construction, painting, cleaning, roofing, remodeling several churches and parsonages.....Ministry opportunities would include VBS and tract and Bible distribution.

Maybe you are not able to come to Mexico and work but would be interested in helping with the needed funds or items (tracts or Bibles) for these projects.

If you have interest in coming to Mexico or in contributing to these projects, please email us at marcsankey@yahoo.com or melodiesankey@yahoo.com and we will be happy to give you more information.

Blessings,
Marc & Melodie Sankey

Sisters in Ministry - Care Package Project

Thank you ladies (you know who you are..smiles..) who have taken our Mexico Bible Methodist Pastors' Wives as Sisters in Ministry! Your willingness to participate in this project has been personally encouraging to me and I know will be such a special blessing to our pastors' wives. To know they have a Sister in the US who loves them and is praying for them will be wonderful for them.

Some of you have asked what is involved in having a Sister in Ministry. I would recommend a monthly contact if you are able. This could be in one of several forms:

You could email me at melodiesankey@yahoo.com with a special message for your Sister. I could translate your message and get it to your Sister as soon as possible.

You could send a snail mail card. This would take a little longer for me to receive, translate and pass on, but I know would be something the ladies would enjoy. In this you could include pictures of your family, yourself, your church, etc...

If you're interested in birthday, anniversary information, I could work on getting that together and passing along a small gift you might want to send her way for those special days.

Any additional Thinking of You care package you send would be passed on to her as I'm able.

Sharing prayer requests you may have and asking her for any prayer requests she may have is a good way to connect. Share about your family, your children, your ministry...ask about hers.

These are just a few suggestions. Thanks again for participating!

Just a quick reminder to those of you who are sending Care Package items: We need those items as soon as possible to put the packages together and have them ready by mid-April. Please send them to our Texas address included in the sidebar of our blog - we will pick them up there.

Enjoy your Wednesday! Melodie

Thank you!

I am so excited at the great response to our Pastors' Wives Care Package Project and the First Aid Project for the Bible Institute Classes coming up in April!

Thank you to so many who have volunteered to send items for the Pastors' wives, those who have donated money, those who have taken one of our Pastors' wives as your "Sister in Ministry" and to my wonderful friend, Tamra Craycraft (traveling with her husband and children to Saltillo for the Inst. classes) who has agreed to help me in the packaging and card-making for the Care Packages!

There's still "room" in the packages if you would like to donate something small/compact that would benefit our Pastors' wives in their ministry. Those items would need to be sent quickly to our TX address since the Institute classes are less than 6 weeks away.

Thank you to the Covington, GA Bible Methodist Church for providing the 20 First Aid Kits to be used with the First Aid Classes in the Institute! What a quick and gratifying response - thank you, Jeri and the Covington Church!

Your help and willing cooperation means so much - thank you! for the Bible Institute Classes coming up in April!

Melodie Sankey

Need for 20 First Aid Kits

Here is a rather last-minute opportunity for you as an individual or church to be part of the Spring Bible Institute Classes here in Saltillo, Mexico.

We are in need of 20 First Aid Kits to be used as part of the First Aid Classes that Prof. Shane Craycraft will be giving in the Institute - April 13 - 17. They could be shipped to our Texas address and we will pick them up there the week prior to the classes.

If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact us at melodiesankey@yahoo.com for more details and shipping info.

Thank you!

Marc & Melodie

Thank you to the Covington, GA Bible Methodist Church for providing these First Aid Kits!

Spring Bible Institute Classes in Saltillo

Announcing the Spring Bible Methodist Institute Classes

in Saltillo, Coah., Mexico

April 13 - 17, 2009: Monday - Friday

Visiting Professors will be Dale Redman (Katy, TX), teaching classes on Leadership and Church Planting; and Shane Craycraft (Middletown, OH), teaching classes on Christian Stewardship and First Aid.

Marc Sankey, Steve Stetler and Eli Balderas will also be teaching classes on Expositional, Topical and Textual Preaching

Professor Craycraft's family will be traveling with him to Mexico. Pray for their safety as they travel.

Please pray for Institute President Eli Balderas and the teaching staff.

Pray for our Bible Methodist pastors as they attend the classes and for the people they will be bringing with them from their churches.

Please pray that God's presence would be with us as we take the Bible Institute training to the people.

Pastors' Wives Ministry Care Project

Would you like to be part of a special project to encourage and equip our pastors' wives as a ministry arm of our Mexico Bible Institute? We are endeavoring to put together a special Ministry Care Package for each of our pastors' wives to either present to her if she's able to attend the Institute classes April 13 - 18 or send home with her pastor husband.

If you'd like to participate in this project, please visit our blog at www.sankeyfamily.blogspot.com for pictures of each of these ladies and information on how you can be involved, to choose a "Sister in Ministry" and more!

Thanks!

Melodie Sankey

Progress on the Saltillo Parsonage Project

Here's the most recent photo of the progress on the Saltillo Parsonage Project. They're getting very close to being ready to completely move into the upstairs. The painting is done in several of the bedrooms and the upstairs bathroom is finished. The tile floor in the upstairs hallway is being laid and many of the windows are in. Once the family is moved into the upstairs, they will start on the kitchen being installed on the ground floor. Logan has spent lots of time working at the parsonage and playing with Jazhiel, the pastor's son. He loves to work and he loves to play with Jazi.
Thank you again to all who have contributed to this project. Pastor Dolores and his family along with the church people are grateful for your help and are working hard to see this project completed.

Visit to the Bible Methodist Missions in Zacatecas

Because of the time it takes to upload pictures to each blog, I would invite you to our family blog to read the report and see the photos of the recent trip to visit the Bible Methodist Missions in the Mexican state of Zacatecas: www.sankeyfamily.blogspot.com

Thanks,
Melodie Sankey

A Wonderful Congreso de Jovenes/Youth Convention

We have just completed a wonderful Youth Convention here in Saltillo, Mexico. For more details and pictures, please visit our blog at www.sankeyfamily.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers for this special event!

Progress on the Saltillo Parsonage Project

Here's an updated photo of the progess on the parsonage project in Saltillo. The Hernandez Family is so excited and happy to be moving into the new section of their house as soon as it's finished! Thank you to all who gave to this project - we will keep you updated - keep checking back!

A Prayer Request and a Praise

Sis. Esther Luna, the wife of our Legal Representative and our pastor's wife at Soledad, just underwent gall bladder surgery this past Saturday. We are happy to report that she is doing well and has been released from the hospital. Please pray for Sis. Esther as she continues to recuperate at the home of her daughter and son in law, Isela and Eli Balderas.

If you would like to send Sis. Esther a get well card, you may do that at:

Sis. Esther Luna
c/o Marc Sankey
2112 W. University Dr. PMB 1122
Edinburg, TX 78539

I know she would love to hear from you!

Saltillo Parsonage Project Funds have been raised!

We are so excited tonight...The funds for the Saltillo Parsonage Project have now been raised!

Thank you to these recent donors:

Selma Bible Methodist Church

Shreveport, LA Pilgrim Nazarene Church

West Blocton Bible Methodist Church

Cameron Sankey

Findlay Bible Methodist Church

The needed funds have now been raised and we hope to finish the Parsonage Project by Christmas. This will be such a blessing to Pastor Dolores Hernandez and his family.

Keep checking back for photos of the project as it continues!

For a complete listing of donors, scroll down to the original post below.

Thank you to each and every person who has contributed to this impottant project - God bless you!!

Institute Updates

Please check the Sankeys' blog for Institute Updates and pictures -

Friday's Update
Saturday's Update

Also updates and pictures can be found on the Stetlers' blog!

Thank God for His special help during our Reopening Week of the Bible Methodist Institute and thank you for your prayers!

1st Day Report of the Bible Institute

I talked to Marc late last night and he was giving me a report of the first day of the Bible Institute. The Lord had really helped him in his session with the pastors, from 4:30 - 7 pm. He addressed several important topics with them, gained their up to date contact information, event information about their churches to put together a Conference calendar, and more. He said that it was a very successful time together and that the Lord had helped him communicate in Spanish.Here is one of the pictures he quickly sent to me last night so I could get an idea of the setup. When I saw these pictures I almost cried - I miss our dear people there so badly and wish I could be there for this important event.

Thank you for praying for the reopening of the Bible Institute. Your prayer support is so valuable as we take this first big step in taking the Bible training to the people!

For more photos, see Stetlers' blog at http://www.stetlers.blogspot.com/

Saltillo Parsonage Project

The Dolores Hernandez family - pictured above - are pastoring the Saltillo Bible Methodist Church and he is the conference president. Dolores and Sylvia have 6 children ranging in age from 5-14 years. At this time all 6 children sleep in one small bedroom. The only other room the family has is a living room/bedroom where Dolores and Sylvia sleep and a detached kitchen at the back of the church property.

The Saltillo church has raised some money for this project, but they need quite a bit more to finish the job. Pastor Dolores, Missionary Stetler and a few of the church men are doing all of the construction. They are not paying anyone for labor.

Any financial help would be deeply appreciated and all the money will go directly for construction material.

Steve and Beth Stetler

News Update - Thanks for Giving! Because of your gifts, this project is progressing!

to the Covington GA Bible Methodist Church for their generous gift of $1500 toward this project!
to an individual in the Easley SC Bible Methodist Church for contributing to this project!
to a precious couple in the Cooperstown, PA Evangelistic Tabernacle for their contribution!
to a church in Shreveport, LA for their contribution of $600!
to a donor in the Danville OH Bible Methodist Church

About $1280 is needed to complete this project. Please help us pray that God would supply this need.

- The Sankeys

Bible Institute Reopening in Mexico!

We are so excited and pleased to announce the upcoming Re-Opening of our Bible Methodist Institute in Mexico. The Lord has opened some wonderful doors of ministry opportunity to us and we thank Him for His divine wisdom and leadership in these developments. Please notice the prayer request info below along with some details about the Institute.

The Reopening of our Bible Institute in Mexico:

October 14-19, 2008 in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Please pray for Institute President Eli Balderas and the staff

Pray for visiting professors: Rusty Rundell from Union Bible College, teaching Doctrine of Holiness Class; and William Snider from Hobe Sound Bible College, teaching Church History Class

President Balderas, Pastor Homero Luna, Field Director Marc Sankey and Missionary Steve Stetler will also be teaching classes.

Please pray for our Bible Methodist pastors as they attend and the young people they will be bringing with them from their churches.

Pray that God’s presence would be with us as we take the Bible Institute training to the people.

President Eli Balderas

Keep checking back for more details and photos of this exciting event!

Sankeys Traveling in Share Support Tour

Field Director Marc Sankey and family are taking their Share Support Tour this summer and fall. Please check their blog - http://www.sankeyfamily.blogspot.com/ for more information, photos and schedules. They would appreciate your prayers as they are raising support to go back to the mission field in early December. If you would like to schedule the Sankeys for a Share Support service, please contact them at marcsankey@yahoo.com or by phone at 956.566.3929.

Steve Stetler Finishes Spanish Language School

Steve took his last final exam this morning and has now completed his Spanish Language studies at the Rio Grande Bible Institute & Missionary Language School in Edinburg, TX. The graduation ceremony will be held here on campus tomorrow night at 7 pm. Steve has been chosen to read the Scripture in Spanish for the ceremony.

Congratulations, Steve, on a job well done!

The Border Churches

We have 4 Bible Methodist Churches and several missions located relatively close to the US/Mexico border.

Let's begin with our church in the village of Soledad, pastored by long-time pastor and our Mexican Legal Representative, Homero Luna and his precious wife, Esther.

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Here is Pastor Bernardo Rivera and the church he pastors in the village of La Florida.

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Our church in Rio Bravo is pastored by Santiago Hernandez and his wife, Edith, and their beautiful family. Bro. Santiago was amazingly healed from Guillain-Barre Syndrome about a year ago. God miraculously touched his body and spared his life, although he will always struggle with the effects of the syndrome. Pastor Santiago also pastors 2 missions in the city of Rio Bravo.

The remodeled chapel in Rio Bravo where Bro. Santiago also pastors.

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The church in Santa Apolonia, located about an hour and a half from the border, has just welcomed its new pastor - Bro. Jose Cruz, his wife Graciela and children Ruth and Isai.

Saltillo

The beautiful city of Saltillo is in the state of Coahuila, about 4 hours from the US/Mexico border. The Bible Methodist Church in Saltillo is pastored by Pastor Dolores Hernandez, his wife Sylvia and their precious family. Pastor Dolores is also serving as the National President of the Mexican Bible Methodist Church.

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There are 2 Bible Methodist missions in the state of Zacatecas, just to the west of the city of Saltillo. They are in the villages of Sabana Grande and San Antonio. These are also pastored by Pastor Dolores. Pics of these locations coming soon!

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Up in the mountains east of Saltillo sits the Bible Methodist Church in the village of Galeana. This church is pastored by Pastor Alejandro de la Rosa, one of our longest-serving pastors. This church's remote location and distance from our other churches makes it a lonely outpost at times, but both pastor and people are laboring faithfully to serve God in the mountains of Mexico.

San Rafael

In the small town of San Rafael on the edge of Hwy 57 in north central Mexico sits the Clara Avery Memorial Chapel. This Bible Methodist Church is pastored by Pastor Alejandro Cedillo and his wife and family.

Guanajuato

Guanajuato is a state in central Mexico where 2 Bible Methodist Churches are located.

First, let me acquaint you with the pastor and church in the village of Pedregales de Barroso. Pastor Manuel Navarro and his wife Macedonia have been faithfully laboring in this location for 16 years and are preparing now for the Church Anniversary Celebration and Annual Revival in just a few weeks.

Logan with the village children

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Our other Bible Methodist church is in the village of Cuchicuato. This church is pastored by Pastor Refugio Sanchez and his wife Rosa and their 3 precious daughters.

Pastor Bennie Durr (Heartland) pictured with Pastor "Cuco" (nickname) and his wife.

Pastor Cuco received a beautiful Thompson Chain Reference Spanish Bible with his name engraved on the front from Pastor Bennie Durr and President Clair Sams (Heartland).