Last week while having a youth night (pizza!) for the orphanage kids after church, one of the 18 years old commented the phase above to us in expressing his appreciation for all the work we’ve done with them… It feels like we’re just getting started!

We wanted to get back to all of you on the recent post with all our plans and progress after purchasing the land for our orphanage-youth program. It’s very exciting to be a part of what the Lord has brought to pass. Check out a few new pictures of the 5,000m2 land:

5,000m2 - first level

5,000m2 - second level

We are hard at work with our architect here in developing the construction plan of attack and designs for the project. The plan is to break ground this: August 1^st in launch our phase one construction. Please do take a chance to pray about getting involved in this vital project for our ministry:

www.EnfoqueCiudad.org/Give

supervising the work of the house of the Lord…

So what role will Justin and I have in phase one construction? We sure do plan to dig our hands in the construction and learn a bunch!! But more importantly we will be helping to oversee + supervise the construction project along with our extremely talented Christian architect/general contractor who has over 30 years of experience building.

We’d liken it the scene found in the book of Ezra as the Israelites are rebuilding the Temple:

⁸  …Theyappointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the Lord (Ezra 3:8).

We are excited to be dudes in our twenties and supervise the work of the Lord! A really cool friend of ours, who’s on our support team, commented the following as he sees his part in our work in Mexico:

⁴ And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:4).

I thought that was so well put because it talks about a support team and having a partnership. Thanks so much for your all of your generous support toward our ministry work here in Mexico and our construction project!! We couldn’t be here without you!

orphanage kids in victory…

We are still hard at work at orphanage kids in victory. Check out some of the activities we did this past month:

at the christian concert - Jesus Adrian Romero - with two of the orphanage youth (from left: Christian, Darren, Tania, Erika, Nestor).

it was a full house to say the least!

monthly bbq + birthday party celebrating those who completed b-days in april!

pizza after church (God without religion) Saturday night with the orphanage youth!

our full-time staff (from left: Justin, Lorena, Tania, Erika, Darren)!!

please pray for our continued safety in Mexico…

As you all know, Mexico can be a pretty dangerous place to be these days. Please pray for our continued safety and the Lord will give us wisdom in our work + protection here. We know we are in the center of God’s will and that is the safest place for us to be.

See attacked article from Fox News: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/04/18/mexico-loses-over-56000-soldiers-to-desertion-in-six-years/

encouraging words from all of you…

• "Thank you for sending information on the orphanage.  Your work and dedication to the project are most impressive.  As you seem to embody many of the excellent qualities of your dad (ability to work hard, commitment to completing what you've begun, intelligence, problem solving skills, etc.), I have no doubt that you will succeed.  We wish you continued success in your work."

• Hi guys, we so enjoy getting your blogs/updates!  We are so excited to see that you have purchased land and are going to be starting on the first phase of construction for the orphanage…..what a journey He has lead you through…..and because of your faithful updates, we really feel like we have walked beside you through it all.  We serve such an amazing God, and to be able to see how He has His hand upon you and is blessing your work is such a privilege for us.  We just had our Mission’s Sunday at church and heard about William Carey, who, as he spoke of India as a gold mine (in terms of a place needing the Gospel preached), said that “he was willing to descend if the men at home would hold the ropes”.  Thank you for descending to Mexico as we hold the ropes back here. May our heavenly Father continue to pour his grace and mercy and blessings upon you, your staff and your ministry. With joy in “holding the ropes”.

• You would not know this, but my life verse that I selected in back in college and wear on my wedding ring to remind me daily is: James 1:27 – “Pure and true religion before  God, is taking care of orphans and widows in their troubles, and keeping myself unstained from this world.” PS. Excellent communication piece. My compliments to the architect of the communication. Top Shelf.

• This is AMAZING! I browsed through the pics and the land is absolutely incredible… So stoked and encouraged by what God has done through you both in the last 3.5 years. Can't believe it's been that long already!

• Awwwwwwwwwwesome!!!! I knew it - I saw it coming - I knew the Lord was going to use you guys in an mighty way!!!  Praise the Lord it's coming to pass! We will continue to lift you guys up in prayer - keep pressing on - keep moving forward - the Lord has great things in store! Love you guys - in Jesus name! 

• Congratulations!  What an incredible blessing!  God is so faithful to those who are faithful to Him.  Keep up the God work! 

• Gentlemen, that is quite marvelous!  Hallelujah!

• Guys I am so impressed of what God is doing with you and through you! Congrats! I am so happy you finally get that land! Bendiciones Amigos'

• Wow!  A powerful step of faith! It sounds like you all did a great job of thinking through all the needs and options.  Well done!

• Hope all is well in your spirit and you are prospering in the Lord in His fullness in grace which is abundant for every circumstance. Hold fast guys, I know it can be tough at times.

Thanks for all you do!!

Bringing the "good news" to Mexico,

-the Hurst brothers

“Buy land – I hear they’re not making it anymore” – Mark Twain.

google earth image - 5,000m2 on the outskirts of guadalajara, jalisco, mexico.

up-close view of the 5,000m2.

the view, overlooking the cliff of Oblatos-Huentitan.

Over the past years of serving Jesus in Mexico, to this day my bro and I have never woken up and thought… “We wish we would have done something else with our lives”. We are stoked as we step through this door the Lord has opened for us as we begin to construct our orphanage-youth program. We are excited about the impact this program will have for Jesus here in Mexico.