Missions, Local & International

Hello All,

I was making the internet rounds the other day when I saw an interesting blog entry on Blythe Hill's site. The blog was about how the world eats and how much money they eat on. I recommend that you check it out here.

It stirred my heart to read and to see how opulent a life we live as Americans. Here in the richest nation on Earth, both materially and spiritually, we often take our responsibilities for granted. Of course I know that there is rampant wickedness, and we (the USA) are not the Saviors of the world. The only hope for the world is Jesus Christ. But the highest concentration of believers in Jesus Christ, who have the freedom and resource to touch the world, also live in the U.S.A. And yet, it seems that the church in the United States at large has grown increasingly disinterested in International missions.

The reasons I have been given over the last few months are varied. The number one reason is the shift of interest in local missions and that is not bad, but it is different. It seems that just a few years ago, there was rabid interest in getting to some exotic foreign shore. Now, if there is interest in missions, it's much more localized, specifically centered in the US and on more social concerns.

Perhaps it's just a temporary shift in thinking, or maybe it's more systemic and indicative of the church's failure to heed the call to bless the nations. Is it that we have become so self-centered or self-interested, that we are failing to heed the call to both local AND international missions? Remember, Jesus included Judea, the disciples backyard, in the same commission as the "uttermost parts of the Earth!"

I pray that there would be balance, but that interest in World Missions would again be revived. I feel this way, mostly because I have a lot of wonderful friends who are overseas, who are fighting the good fight, like soldiers on a distant, and often truly hostile shore. They fight often alone, minimally armed or supported, but they fight nonetheless for the cause of Christ, as if they had all manner of support. Often, they are misunderstood or maligned because of language, cultural sensitivity and time barriers, which hinder the communication process, making them seem as though they are maverick spirits or disinterested in communication. Our American mindset then looks through the lens of success to see whether the missionary is "accomplishing anything."

Really, supporting overseas missions takes something that very few want to take the time to do: Carefully pursue and investigate. Relationship over statistics. Statistics make it easy to judge a man or his work, but relationship often yields the fruit of great appreciation and inspiration.

Don't get me wrong: I am all for local missions and local missionaries like the young lady who recently talked with me about her work in the corporate world, where she views herself as a missionary to corporate America. Bravo! For all those like her, I applaud and thank you for taking the opportunity that you have and redeeming it for the great name of Jesus.

But can I say, how much more appreciation do I have for the one who has left family, career, comfort and ease, for the frontlines of the faith, some in the very line of the hottest fires. I pray that we will not forget them or relegate them to our mission boards and walls, where they safely remain out of our mental or material reach.

Support your missionaries. Find out who they are, find out what they need, find out what you have that can bless their lives and encourage them in the fight.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

An Update From Jerez De La Frontera

Hello All,

No, I am not in Jerez, but I did get the chance to talk with Carlos Casco today via telephone. The phone is such a cool invention! Anyway, Carlos filled me in on some of the news from Jerez and we talked for over an hour. It went by really fast as it always does. Carlos is just one of the funniest, most joyful men I have ever encountered. I would encourage you to read Carlos blog (You can access that on the right side of the front page.) and see what has been happening with Carlos' ministry ventures. There is a great slide show there regarding his recent trip to Bolivia, where there are 60 Bolivian Pastors enrolled in a Pastoral training course that Carlos is supervising. Next month, both Carlos and my Father-in-Law, Dan Finfrock, will travel down to Bolivia and run the Inductive Bible Study course that Dan has put together.

Things are also going good in North Africa. There are great reports coming from there. Due to circumstances that I am sure you understand, certain details cannot be shared over the internet. Suffice it say, things are going fantastic!

Meanwhile, in Spain, some troubling times have hit the church. I am again bound by the inability to share details, but we ask that you would pray for Carlos and Yolanda, as well as their daughter Yolee and her son Miqueas. Pray for their wisdom as they consider the future of the work there in Spain.

Otherwise, the church is continuing it's course. Pastor Carlos has begun to have Andre teach on Wednesday nights and Juan Carlos teach the Friday night devotions. Yolee and Andre are leading worship. Juan Carlos is a Bolivian who hooked Carlos up with the churches in Bolivia and has been a truly faithful man of the word since he started coming to the church.

In so many ways, God is using Carlos, even though the work in Spain contains little in the way of Spanish converts. I am constantly reminded and thoughtful regarding the state of the Spanish nation. Remember that this is the first generation that has had religious tolerance. This first generation then still has problems letting go of their traditions and knowing how to truly embrace Christ. The seeds are being planted now for the next generation to be able to hear the Word and embrace the truth of God.

In the meantime, God is sending over Latin American Christians, like Juan Carlos and Andre (of Brazilian Descent) who are absolutely on fire for Christ. What is happening is that the Christian churches there in Spain are being built by immigrants, whose impact in the nation is slowly being felt. We do pray that the Lord would use these faithful Christians mightily for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Of course, this is never to negate the faithfulness of men like Pastor Carlos, who are currently spreading the seed. We of course will also continue to pray for Ivan and Eunice, who are shortly going to return to their homeland for the same purpose. But that being said, there is a need for annointed preaching and proclaiming of the Word, and the annointed hearing as well! Until both work in concert, the fruit will come inconsistently.

Does that mean that we stop, or limit the work to only nationals or only missionaries? NO WAY! We keep sending, keep praying and keep equipping everyone who wants and has the means to go legally. Businessmen, musicians, artisans, anyone, who trade in hand, would willingly go and speak of Christ in the midst of their activities, would be welcome and exciting.

And it reminds me, a person who wishes to be there, has tried to be there, and cannot, that we cannot quit praying and partnering with these precious saints who take the gospel to nations and places that would not have a witness otherwise. In my mind, Carlos Casco is a modern day Paul the Apostle. How would we have partnered with Him as he wrote half of the New Testament? I pray that he might stir your heart to consider the answer to that question.

And it's not just Carlos. I mention him because he is in the nation that I have adopted. Perhaps your heart is elsewhere, in another nation. How can you get involved? Maybe, it's not another nation. How about another city!? Ever thought of Kentucky? Check out our friends Josh and Charlene Marlette, who recently re-located their family to Elizabethtown, Kentucky (Yeah, I asked why too! :) Just Kidding Guys!) and are doing the work of the Lord there.

I just write all this to say: GET INVOLVED!!! Be part of God's program wherever it is happening in any way that you can. Does God need you? NO! But are you missing out on the benefits and blessings that come with working with Him and investing into His programs? I pray that you won't miss out.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Semana Santa Report

Hello All,

You might remember that I wanted to report on what Semana Santa was like when we were in Spain last year. Due to heavy rains, most of the fanfare was cancelled. Our friends, Brian and Andrea Jackson, who are in Madrid, send out a monthly newsletter, and included their experience of Semana Santa in the most recent edition.

"Semana Santa (the week preceding Easter) is a "big deal" here, with lots of traditions and ceremonies. We were able to witness some of the processionals, both on television and in our own street. On Good Friday, at 11:30 at night we started to hear drumbeats in the distance. It was especially creepy since we were in bed, reading an intense part of a mystery novel. We opened the door to our little balcony above the street and watched the people parade down. Many were wearing the traditional pointed hoods and robes of the Nazarenos which, to any American, instantly brings thoughts of the KKK (making it all the creepier). A small cross with the figure of Christ being crucified was carried first, followed by the hooded participants, and then came a very grand figure of the virgin Mary, adorned with gold and jewels, with rows of lit candles, under a canopy, and carried on the shoulders of those in the procession. All attention was on her and very few eyes, if any, were on the Christ. It was so strikingly out of proportion, and extremely sad, and left us feeling unsettled. (I'm sure the murder mystery didn't help.)

Easter morning we were able to worship the Lord while watching the sun rise over the ridge that borders Camarma, and were reminded that Christ is no longer on the cross, and is no longer dead, but is alive and well, and for that we have reason to rejoice.

Please continue to pray that we would learn more Spanish, would be a light in a dark place, that God would grant us the time and energy to work diligently, and that we would make new acquaintances with those around us."

Thanks Brian and Andrea. You do have our prayers! Check out their blogspot, now available on the right hand side.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

An Explanatory Note

Hello All,

Alright, I know what you're thinking: "Will he ever truly be done!?" The answer is yes, but I wanted to post the slideshow below for the benefit of those who were unable to attend our Spain Team or Spain Chain meetings respectively. It was done in the spirit of what I used to participate in during my years in Youth Group. When I was a teen, we often said goodbye to our friends who were moving out of the area. This happened quite frequently because, at that time, Calvary Chapel of Redlands was filled with military personnel from Norton Airforce base. In fact, I am told that our church had some significance to airplanes that were flying over. It was called the "Calvary Turn!" In fact, services used to feature very loud airplanes going overhead...Anyway, I digress...

So, we would often say goodbye with the same song: "Friends Are Friends Forever" by Michael W. Smith. The scene was almost universally the same with lots of kids locked in arms and tears flowing like crazy. Sometimes, the tears would flow on account of the ones who chose to sing with the accompaniement track! "Maybe singing is not your gift," I would muse internally! Gosh, I am random today. Ok, one last random thought: What often made matters worse was when the girl who got up to sing would break down in the middle of the tune. Then, another set of not-so-gifted singers got up and helped finish the tune! At the time it was touching; today, I can't stop laughing!

Now, it's in this spirit that I put a emotional song that went with this slide show. I really chose it though because the words were a perfect prayer that I felt reflected my heart towards my brothers and sisters in Spain. The words come from the song "Every Day A Celebration" by DeGarmo & Key, an 80's Christian Rock band. I seem to remember that DeGarmo had a cool mullet! Anyway, the words go like this:

Every Day A Celebration
May God Bless you and keep you, as we each go our own way. May the grace of God surround you till He comes And until that day is here, may your hearts be free from fear With every day a celebration of His love I pray the light that comes from Jesus never leaves your smiling face May it light the way for others till He comes And until we see that day, we shall give our lives away With every day a celebration of His love. And when we finally see Him, He'll take our tears away Together we will praise Him, together celebrate. As I sing this exhortation, write these words upon your heart: Every day is ours to serve Him till He comes And to this world's surprise, from the dust we'll someday rise With every day a celebration of His love.
Written by Eddie DeGarmo & Dana Key

See what I mean? Someone pass me the kleenex...

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Final Spain Slide Show

The End Of An Era

Hello All,

Last night was our final Spain Chain meeting. Before I write any more, I wanted to extend my thanks to those that were able to come and especially Scott and Jessica Washburn for hosting this final event. It was a blessing to be in their house tonight, especially to bid farewell to the Spain Chain personnel.

I am surprised every time that I retell our own story, just how fresh the feelings remain. There have been days now when being away from Spain has not affected me emotionally. Then I start telling the story and there are those same feelings again. It's one part loss, another part longing, and still a third part rejoicing. Mix that all together and you get what I feel in those moments of recall. Do I regret anything? Not one thing! I would rather have this feeling now with the memories, than to have never lived the missionary life at all. It was a true joy.

Add to this the relationships that we have enjoyed because of this venture of faith and it is undeniably worth every second. We sat there in the Washburn's living room, governed by a cuckoo clock, and gave a full report and answered every question. Afterward, we ended with the sumptuous dessert faire and laughed with each other to well past 10PM. Scott brought out his guitar and had it not been for Elizabeth telling us to "Stop Talking" (whose kid is that!?), we might well have been there much longer covering alternate chord voicings! We had a wonderful time.

While we will not have any more official meetings, we are always open to talking with anyone about any aspect of the mission that we undertook. Please feel free to contact us if you have that inclination.

Now, I am asking for some prayer for this upcoming week. I am about to begin teaching the Men's "Morning Fill" Bible study on Tuesday mornings. I am looking forward to teaching what will be a fully new study for me. I am teaching through the life of Joseph and have titled the study: "Providence & The Practical Redemption Of Man." The study will be available on my Bible page, which can be accessed on the right hand side of our main page, every Tuesday night. I am hoping that it will be a very interactive study and a blessing to the men of Calvary Laguna. Please pray that that will be the case.

Also, Happy Birthday wishes are in order today, as Lela has turned the corner on another year. I won't be the one to tell you how old she is, but I will say that I am just a little bit older! Happy Birthday honey!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Spain Chain Meeting Tonight!

Hello All,

Just wanted to send out a quick "e-minder" of our final Spain Chain meeting that is coming up this Friday night in Redlands. It will be hosted by Scott and Jessica Washburn and will begin at 6:30 PM. If you have a desire to attend, please give us a call on our cell phone, 909.904.5891. We intend this meeting to be a time of thanksgiving and an opportunity to answer questions and give a full report of our final 3 months on the mission field. After this meeting, we will no longer have any Spain Chain or Spain Team meetings, so there is an added novelty! Anyway, we hope that whoever has a desire to attend will be able to do so. We always enjoy the fellowship and the blessing of sharing God's faithfulness with those who have taken ownership of this ministry.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

One Fine Weekend!

Hello All,

I am a person who loves irony and the things of God's providence. This weekend has been that for me. For example, we had our Spain Team meeting this last weekend. This is not to be confused with the Spain CHAIN meeting that will happen this next Friday night with our general public. Our Spain Team is the group of people who were with us from the very inception of our dream to go to Spain. They are our family and most close confidants. I found it ironic that we met Friday night, which will be our last official meeting and was also the day that I received my first paycheck from Laguna. It is ironic because I could tell them and declare here, that from the first day of our mission to our last day, God used a variety of people and church organizations, to minister to our every financial need exclusively. Over that entire period, we watched as God met deadlines, paid bills and even more, through the generous hearts of our Team and our Chain. To my knowledge, we have nothing left over. God met every need perfectly, giving us just enough. Then as that season closed, God put us under the care of Calvary Laguna!

Before I move on, our Spain Team meeting was awesome. I love our team for so many reasons. First, they are truly our family in the very real sense of the word. Our Dads and Moms, Aunts and Uncles, brothers and sisters have been involved. But more than that, we have friends that have been family to us for years, who have generously given of their prayers and wisdom. When we met on Friday, it was a fitting end to this wonderful chapter in our lives.

I mentioned providence earlier. Providence is the understanding that God is the master architect of every human life. It is an awe inspiring concept to consider how ironic God's providence is. Friday we had our meeting with our Spain Team and today at church, Pastor Chris brought us before the congregation to introduce us as part of the staff of the church. He mentioned to the church that he had begun praying for the right staff to come and had thought about us 6 months ago. This was not a new thought, but for some reason, it hit me really strongly. 6 months ago, I was praying for visas to stay in Spain. At that same time, he was praying that God would bring a staff that would bless this church. I guess he won and I lost!? I suppose time will tell, but I was awed again by the majesty of God's providence, on the one side answering prayer positively and on the other answering negatively. All the while intending to fit us jointly together for the work that now lays before us!

Anyone else awed by this in their lives!? Looking back, how DID God get this to happen in my life? It's His good hand over us, that causes us to look at the confusion of the past in the filter of the very ordered present and declare what we only believed then: That He is good and His mercy endures forever!

By the way, I got to play drums for the first time at our new church today. Pretty cool! It's always a blessing to be part of that experience. "Let's see...Chris Reinhardt was out a drummer today and I just happen..." There I go again!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

A Letter From Spain

Hello All,

Thought I would take this opportunity to share this email I received from my friend, J.D. Bennett who is serving in Northern Spain. For those who might be interested in more information, please let me know.

Hello Friends,

It´s been some time...

WE are told from Romans 10 "that in hardships we are More than Conquerors in him who loves us." I´m teaching from Romans these days, and the message has certainly spoken to me before I can communicate it to the others. This month has had some of the biggest peaks and valley´s of my time in Spain. We are seeing new believers coming to church and great fruit from the labor, while at the same time crises with other people. I´ve seen great things happening as I continue to witness to Chang & Jaider, and as I disciple, as well as I can, Abel & Elio- who are new Believers from peru. Also I have a good group of older youth/young adults coming on Fridays to Friday Night Live. This ministry has transformed from a "prayer & praise night." Two people in our Tafalla congregation suffer from severe depression and bring complicated situations from their past. We also have people visiting who used to go to different churches in other parts of Navarra, but are coming to our church because it is closer or more in line with their theology. Please pray that we can avoid any wrong feelings with other protestant churches in Navarra & demonstrate that we are never "sheepstealing." Also, our two church plants are open more than ever, with more activities than a few months ago, but the funding of the Artajona Project has been far less than the expenses of running the ministry. Please keep me & my family in your prayers as you know I am still trying to raise about $800 a month for the Artajona Project, which is this ministry I am describing. Feel free to call me friends! (editor's note: info available upon request.)

I miss you guys, later- JD

Speaking of friends in Spain, Pastor Carlos has updated his site here. And for those that came to our last Spain Chain meeting back in the Summer of 06', you will remember the wonderful couple that came to share with us, Ivan & Eunice. Their webpage is here. We are hoping to meet with them again soon. And finally, another set of friends of ours, the Jacksons are back in Spain as well, Madrid to be specific. Their webpage is here.

I was thinking that you probably believe I have given up on learning Spanish. Well, I have not! I really recommend the Rosetta Stone and a great free podcast called "Coffee Break Spanish." I am linking this on the right for those of you who want to learn at a really easy pace. I bring it up now because unit 3 begins on March 31st and someone who wanted to catch up with the other lessons might be able to do so in this intermediate time. I would especially recommend this for those traveling to Mexico or hoping to do so in the near future on a short term mission trip. There is some great conversational information available and it's completely free. Check it out here.

Hasta La Semana Que Viene! (I learned that on Coffee Break Spanish!)

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

The Final Spain Chain Email

Hello All,

If you are on the Spain Chain, this just came out today and thought I would share it here for the benefit of those not on the Chain. Thanks for checking in.

Dear Friends,
This is a bittersweet moment for me. I write knowing that it is our last Spain Chain email. I have sincerely enjoyed writing these, and I am thankful that they have been received by such supportive and loving people with a love for the work of the Lord in Spain and our family. Much has happened this month that I want to make you aware of as we finish this chapter in our lives.

Family First!
First, on the family front. I did not remember how long it took to set up one’s house! When Lela and I did that 10 years ago this June, it did not seem to take as long as it does now! And then there are the millions of choices for various services. Add to these difficulties our recent problems with a water leak in our kitchen and you have a semi-chaotic month. At present, we are home and have finally begun to feel a sense of settlement.

In the midst of that, Renae has truly enjoyed her time at the Packinghouse Academy. It helps that she is speaking her native language exclusively, has a wonderful, nurturing teacher in Miss Dana Shedd and that Grandma Sanchez is ever present with the Kindergarten class! The Packinghouse Academy has provided a great haven of stability for our oldest daughter and we are thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to send Renae there for this season of time.

This last month has been a slow re-adjustment to American life. The pace of life, though familiar, is always difficult to re-emerge in. Thankfully, we feel that much more adjusted and are ready to face the mission before us.

Choosing To Accept It!
During the struggles of the last month, the concurrent question has involved where we would minister next. Two weeks after we returned home, Pastor Chris Norman called me unexpectedly. Chris is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Laguna, located in Irvine and a long time family friend. He explained that Pastor Ed Rea had recommended me for some staff vacancies that had recently come up, so he called to inquire about our interest in joining the ministry team of Calvary Laguna.

At first, Lela and I were skeptical and were pretty sure that we would not want to move immediately, especially with Renae so content in her new school. After meeting with Chris and his wife Tatum, they assured us that they would be willing to work with us on a commute basis until June, when we could make a move into the Irvine area. At that time, they would re-adjust our salary needs, including the cost of moving into an Orange County dwelling place.

After this meeting with Pastor Chris, we met with the Board of Director for Calvary Laguna and they approved us. February 27th I began to move into my new office and meet the staff. They are delightful people! March 6th officially marks the beginning of my tenure at Calvary Laguna as the Assistant Pastor to Senior Pastor Chris Norman. It is an exciting opportunity and I am ready to get going on what I believe will be a wonderful partnership in ministry.

We ask for your prayers to continue to be with us as we join this church. They have had a difficult past and a lot of instability in the past several months with staff turnover. Pray that Lela and I and our family would be a blessing to Pastor Chris and his family, the staff and the body of Calvary Laguna.

Closing A Chapter
Wow, my last Spain Chain section! Thank you all for your profound support over the course of this ministry to Jerez. It has been the experience of a lifetime and would not have been possible without you. In this last email, it has been impossible to tell you of all the things that the Lord has done and is doing without making this into a small booklet! In that spirit, we want to invite you to a final Spain Chain meeting. It will take place Friday, March 23rd at 6:30pm. Scott and Jessica Washburn, faithful Packinghouse members, have graciously offered to let us use their home for that evening to share with you our adventures over the last three months. Here is how you get to their Redlands home.

(Directions have been deleted from this net release but are included in the Spain Chain Email. For information, directions or questions about this event, email us at lelafrank@aol.com or call us at 909 904 5891.)

Even as this is the end of our physical ministry to Spain and our ICM account is now closed, please know that we remain as dedicated as ever to the cause of Christ reaching the heart of Spaniards. We have been keeping in touch with the Casco family through email and phone calls, checking in on their website (www.carloscasco.blogspot.com) and remembering them in our finances. We intend to continue to do what we can to further the work of God in Spain. I pray that you might consider doing the same.

I want to close this email now with one final thought. I have mentioned over and over again that this mission was a dream come true. It has not ended as I thought or hoped that it would in one regard. I had imagined many years, many churches and many more Spanish words in my vocabulary. Instead I lived a lesson with my family that I taught before I left to a few churches in a message called “The Search For Significance.” It was based out of Genesis chapter 12, where God tells Abraham to go to a land that He would show him. I mentioned that the place was not significant; rather, it is the person who calls us on the journey to walk with Him and discover what makes Him worth speaking about to the Nations. In this time, I have discovered that the Lord is the dream, the vision and significance that I long for. Following Him IS the journey and where I end up with my family in tow is inconsequential, because in all situations, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has called me to walk with and introduce to others, is the dream that everyone desires. It is not the place, it is the Person who beckons us to come.

I leave the mission field fulfilled and satisfied knowing that we followed Jesus for the time that He called us. I leave with a clear testimony of His providing hand and His gentle comfort. I leave with a knowledge that His love for His church is so great, that He would move a family overseas to bring healing and care to just a few, the lone sheep if you will. The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised!

I hope that you will be able to meet us on the 23rd. It will be a fun time of sharing and it will be wonderful to see you all.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24,25

Blessings,
Frank Sanchez, Author
Lela Sanchez, Editor-In-Chief
Renae, Caleb & Elizabeth Sanchez, Orange County Bound Babies!

Spiritual And Not So Spiritual Warfare!

Hello All,

Before I write this, I want to reiterate that this series of blog entries relates only to what I have learned about missions over the last few years through stories and conference attendance. These do not reflect our personal experience, as I feel that we can say that ours was a charmed experience in some regards. Rather, I want to convey some of the lessons and struggles that I have personally witnessed or had occasion to listen to. I feel that our mission, our churches, the Spain Chain, and our Spain Team were, and are, model support systems that protected us from some of the horror stories that we could have experienced. That all being said, that is not the case for a great many missionaries. I write on their behalf.

I am intrigued by how the body of Christ can be so divisive against itself. It has always been that way from the very beginning of the Church. Social issues ate up the early church when it came serving food to widows. Then the twin doctrinal issues of circumcision and levitical compliance plagued at least the Galatian church of the first century, but was likely much more wide spread. Infighting, bickering, slander, gossip and the promulgation of half truth continue to take out the legs of people in the church today.

Magnify that on the mission field, where time zones and various activities keep people apart, making communication very difficult, leading to rumors, imaginations and suggestions that the missionary in question might be a rogue, Lone Ranger type character. Many times, not all times, this could not be further from the truth.

Missionaries have often told stories of the deep woundings that they have received from various organizations or churches, fellow brothers and sisters in the faith, and even family members. Often they are questioned about their ethics or their practices. This is the "not-so-Spiritual" warfare part, in that the attacks come from people who are well meaning perhaps, but terribly misguided.

On the other side of the coin, there is a tangible sense of spiritual reality that comes on the frontline of service. There were times when we felt a tangible sense of dread and fear, as though something was breathing down the back of our necks. Powers and principalities fought against us at various times, though we were never beaten back. Intense spiritual attack is par for the course when you are on the mission field. Many missionaries suffer from intense loneliness. Others keenly feel that they are not succeeding at any part of their mission, so a deep sense of discouragement and failure sweeps in. This is the enemy's playground.

Why do I share these things? I share these things in order to provoke sensitive relation and communication with our missionaries. Patience, understanding, and charitable (loving) hearts are necessary now more than ever. Encourage, don't disparage. Question how you can help, not why something has not happened as had been the plan.

Can some missionaries be a little sensitive? Perhaps. Can some supporters be a bit insensitive to their missionaries? Perhaps that is true as well. Maybe we can strive to meet in the middle so that our communication would always be a pleasure and a blessing to our missionaries. At least then, the real enemy can be fought with all strength and power in the name of Jesus.

In our experience, it was always a joy to see phrases like, "How can we be praying" or "Do you need anything?" Other times, there were people who called to simply ask how we were doing. If we were struggling, the best calls were the listeners with empathetic ears who offered a prayer at the end.

So many missionaries feel like they are not succeeding in their quest to serve the Lord. They face constant discouragement from various agencies. There are some who feel forgotten or abandoned. We can pray now that the Lord would strengthen, encourage and lift them up. And when we have occasion to speak or write, let us pray that our words would be seasoned with salt, filled with grace and encouragement, so that we might be conduits of God's ministry to them.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Missions

Hello All,

Part of our preparation to go out onto the mission field, was to attend the Perspectives course which is held at William Carey University in Pasadena. You can check their website out here. Before I took this particular course, I had a very one dimensional view about what missions was. I had one model in mind, namely a church planting transplant of one culture to another. The "if only they could be more like us" attitude was what I subscribed to. This is not to say that this is what church planters believe or think. It is simply the way I thought.

Getting to participate in the Perspectives course really opened my eyes to what people were doing on the mission field. Each day, a new instructor came in and spoke about their stories. Such incredible diversity I had never imagined possible when speaking about missions. Missions, the term, became a catch all phrase for all sorts of activities. There were stories about setting up teas for Bedouins on the back of trucks near watering holes and teaching English in communist countries, at the request of the government! There were still other stories about providing shovels for the digging of new water sources in the desert, in the name of Jesus!

The stories all served a purpose. Each person used their giftings and talents as a natural seque into someone else's culture. When relationships had been established, then true evangelism and discipleship could take place. I heard this again just this morning, right here in our own backyard. There are people whose ministry begins at 3 AM every morning. These particular people minister to the pimps and prostitutes of Hollywood, by reaching out with the love of Jesus to a group of people who will not likely join a church anytime soon.

The concept of mission has become so broad today that you will have to work NOT to be involved, rather than the opposite being true. Mission is happening all around us. Let me explain how.

In the Bible, there are 4 modes of mission. First, there are people who have been sent and go willingly. Prophets in the Old Testament for example, were sent to deliver a message to a given group of people. Some went willingly. We went willingly to Spain! However, some are sent and go unwillingly! One might consider Jonah in this category biblically or a soldier in Iraq presently! Then, there are the ones that come from a far away land. There are willing migrants, much like the mixed multitude of the Exodus or our friends from south of the border today. There are also people who come unwillingly, conquered people in the Old Testament and refugees from other war torn nations today.

The point is that everywhere we look, a mission field is right there. We live in a diverse land, with representatives of nations right next door to us! Have you ever thought of your neighbors in this way? I have Filipino neighbors. I believe them to be representative of their nation. As we look at people on the mission field in foreign lands, we recognize that they are planted among people who are not their own. And while their objective is to reach that nation with the message of the gospel, their method may be unique.

Part of supporting these wonderful people, is to trust them and pray for their vision to be from the Lord. So many missionaries (none that I know personally) have been questioned about their methods and have been pressured to produce evangelistic results. While I would never be one to push for absolute autonomy of a missionary, (I believe that accountability is needed everywhere!) I would never be one to try and control or manipulate a man or woman of God who has given themselves over to a foreign mission assignment. Many are careful and discerning on purpose and since the danger or risk is theirs, I say lend support!

And I also say that our fields are just as ripe for harvest. The mission bell is being heard everywhere. The return of Christ draws ever more close. Let us be faithful to His call, wherever He may have us planted.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Missionaries

Hello All,

I wanted to begin to share with each of you my final thoughts about what it is that we learned while on the mission field. I ask that you might consider it as our final re-entry debrief and a natural seque into what will eventually be the subject matter of this site. Of the various lessons that I want to share about, the first of which involves the actual missionaries that we have met. Every story is different as to how the Lord worked in the hearts of the missionary to motivate them to go and every background is just as diverse. Each personality is completely unique, as is the actual work that that missionary or group of missionaries is engaged in.

The one thing that really unifies these people is a sense of purpose and destiny. An unusual focus that is born out of a significant work in their hearts that drives them to do what it is they do. You can see it in their eyes when they talk about their people, their land, their homes. It's a love and soon you can see, a dream that they are living, to serve the King of Kings, to represent Him to whatever nation they have come to embrace.

These people are there in various lands, most of them sustained by the offerings of a church or members of a church. Many people assume that missionaries are full time employees of a church somewhere. This is rarely the case. Most have raised their support over years, or live on what support comes in month by month. There are very few missionaries that I have run into that have a retirement plan or even a healthy savings account should anything happen to them.

But they serve with vigor and without consciousness of what might happen. Many serve in dangerous places, where the gospel is forbidden. Some serve where the gospel is tolerated, but not favored. Some, as we did, serve through translation and a local church plant. Some are all alone.

I share all of these things, not to emotionally produce sympathy. This would not be what the missionaries I know would want. I do however wish to raise the awareness of what a missionary does and how essential it is for us who cannot join them physically, to join them in our hearts and in every way that can bring joy and comfort to them.

Many of you who have checked in here have demonstrated a great love to us, your missionaries. As we transition from being full time missionaries to full time workers back here in the states, it will only be natural that a void will have been created. You have participated with missionaries. I urge you to continue. Our missionaries in Spain, and indeed wherever you have personal contact, continue to need our love and support. These people have laid down their ambitions, their agendas and have given themselves over to the Lord, to be spent by Him!

For our part, we continue to think about our friends in Jerez De La Frontera, Carlos, Yolanda, Yolee and Miqueas Casco. Their website is here. We also have friends who are in Australia, Jason and Kris Bauerenfiend. Their website is here. There are many others that we are in contact with, who have asked not to be included on the internet for various reasons, but whose work has not gone unappreciated.

These people carry the gospel to foreign lands. I pray, that we as their family in Christ, would continue to hold them up in prayer, support them with what we can give joyfully, and keep in touch with them. In this way, we can join and help them continue the work that the Lord has given them to do.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

The Last Entry From Spain

Hello All,

What a surreal dream we are living right now. It's really an amazing thing to experience. Today, Carlos and I finalized all that was left to handle regarding our business here in Spain. As we did so, we said goodbye to the banker, the bar owners, and the various friends who have made up the cast of this little drama over the last year. It finally hit me at the bank how sad this is. Before me was the printout of the beginning of our account, the day it began. I remember it was a hot day and I sat in that bank with Carlos, Johnny Love and my Father-in-Law Dan Finfrock. We opened an account with Carlos' neighbor, who spoke so fast it shocked me! Today, it was a cool, almost cold morning and it was just me and Carlos. After a year of being here, I understand how to listen and I understood most of what he said. I stood to say goodbye and it was a difficult moment.

Today, it will only get more difficult as the Avila family will be dropping by, as well as Maria and her son Juan. Of course, we will spend a little more time with the Casco family. I fully intend to be strong, but I am afraid that my intentions may not be sufficient. We are sad to leave such wonderful people...

And yet, there is hope. Always there is hope in Christ. Whatever, wherever, with whomever we partner next, we feel a sense of optimism and excitement about these next few years. We know that while we cannot be here in Spain physically, we will be here in spirit and we intend to continue to contribute in any way that we can. There are already plans in the making for a few technical support phone calls when I return. I will do all I can to help this ministry here in Spain, that much is sure. From whatever place the Lord intends us to be, we desire to be fruitful in His hands and useful in His kingdom, but always with an eye toward this country of Spain.

With that in mind, we ask for your prayers. Prayers for direction, provision and vision would be appreciated over the next several weeks and months. It's odd because we left knowing where and what we would do when we left California. We never thought about having to return so soon, so prayers are most appropriate right now.

Of a more immediate concern is our travel plans over the next 72 hours. We leave Jerez around 10PM California time, Tuesday evening. We arrive there, Lord willing, around 7PM California time, Wednesday evening! In between time, there are layovers in Madrid and Chicago and likely very poor Airline food over the Atlantic! Oh, did I mention we are bringing the kids with us!? Yeah, pray for that as well!!

When I get back to California, I will put up a "We Made It" entry, but I will try to begin to process my final thoughts about this chapter in our lives next week. After that, we will see what progresses with regard to the future of this website. And then after that, I will do my best to get a Spain Chain email out. If you are not part of the Chain and you wish to be, please email me at lelafrank@aol.com and I will get you added before the next edition.

Finally, thank you all for your prayers, your support and your love which has been palatably felt by us here in this land. We can never repay you, nor express our thanks enough for the emails, the cards, and even the comments on the blog. You have made this experience a joy for each of us. Thank you.

See you soon!!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

Our Last Sunday

Hello All,

It's always strange when you are on the cusp of leaving "forever." We left the Packinghouse "forever" just over a year ago! When it happened at the Packinghouse, there was a resignation beyond hope of change; Yesterday, there was a similar feeling. Our family was sent out around the 26 of September 2005; Yesterday, we were sent back! Oh the irony of it all!

The service was "business as usual," just the way I like it. We began with worship and sang the normal songs. We did do one of our "greatest hits" as it were, but beside that, we did the tunes that are the most accessible to the church in Jerez today. We ended with what has become my favorite song, not because it is a beautiful song alone, but because of what it expresses. Let's see if you can catch the spirit of the song without translation.

Quiero subir al monte Santo de Sion, y entonar un nuevo cantico a mi Dios.
Mas de palabras, mi vida quiero entregar.
Purifica mi corazon para entrar, en Tu presencia, contemplar Tu grandeza.
Te adoro Senor en espiritu y en verdad.
Me postro a Tus pies en la belleza de Tu Santidad.
Te doy mi loor que sea una suave fragancia.
Y un sonido agradable a Ti pues digno Eres.

It's sincerely one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, but it's the words that strike a tone in my heart. The thought of being in the presence of God's Holy presence, physically before His feet, offering up a sweet fragrance and a song of thanksgiving to Him physically, is overwhelming but that which our hearts desire the most.

I looked out during one of the choruses to see everyone pouring out their hearts before the Lord. When we had first come, there were 2 steady families amongst us. We have added 3 families to that number in the time that we have been here and there we all stood in a holy moment before the Lord.

After worship, Carlos had our family up before the congregation and he and Yolee laid hands on us, sending us out from the congregation, back to "a fruitful life of service in the states." It was surreal and powerful.

I suppose that this is the way it is always to be. From one season to another, we enter into each other's lives, to pour out what God has poured into us. When He deems it time to conclude the task, it is always obvious. Joy can be had in understanding this truth.

And yet, there will always be on this earth the yearning for a fellowship that will never end. It would seem that God has designed it this way, to make us hunger for a time when the warmth of fellowship will not end. It's not even that we should desire the fellowship of friends or people, but the Spirit which testifies with our Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, manifested and enjoyed on the Earth through wonderful friends and family of like mind, converted by Christ's Spirit.

It is ultimately Christ's life that we all share and enjoy so much. It is ultimately Christ who we love and long for. The fellowship which we share is only a taste, just a shadow of His goodness and wonder that we are to share in for eternity.

Toward that end, Calvario De Jerez, thank you for your love and acceptance of us. You have treated us like family, cared for us and been the surrogate Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas and Grandpas. Thank you for your patience with us, putting up with our ridiculous spanish skills and yet doing all you could to understand us. Your impact on our life can never be measured. Thank you will all of our hearts. I pray that through technology and through the learning process that we will be able to remain in each other's lives until that day when we climb into the beauty of God's Holiness together and offer Him our praises before His feet. Dios Te Bendiga!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

The Master Of Understatement!

Hello All,

The words, "just a little dust" reverberate through my skull to this moment. Carlos is preparing to move into my house. Today we went all over the city, updating accounts, taking our names of off this and that. It was arduous, but always a pleasure to hang with Carlos. He is the man when it comes to awesome ministry experiences. It blows my mind what he has gone through in the 20 years plus years that he has been on the mission field. And while one never looks forward to standing in bank lines, with Carlos, it's never boring!

But it was Tuesday night that was exciting in our house. Up on the third floor, Carlos replicated a storage area in the wall that he has in his present house. He started cutting away and at first did not seem like dust was going to be a problem. I got closer to the saw and all of a sudden a huge cloud of orange dust enveloped my face. At that point, we did not have masks on, and we were soon out on the terrace of the third floor, gasping for air! It's a that point that Carlos said, "I might have underestimated how messy this is going to be!" Yeah, I hear you there brother!

Of course, the kids were so excited about the whole process. To keep them off the third floor, we told them that a bear was likely behind the wall and that we would have to "shoe it" away. (I know, what great Pastors we are!) At one point, Renae, ever the curious one came up when all the noise and dust was at it's most dense. I'm sure that in her very active imagination, the noise of the saw and the dust were all indicative of bear activity. So she came sneaking up. About this same time, overwhelmed with dust, I half lunged over the top of the separator between the floor and the stairwell, coughing and convulsing. Renae saw me, probably thought I was the deposed bear, and screamed to high heaven! It was classic! If I wasn't inhaling a ton of dust at the time, I would have been laughing my head off!

The other memorable thing for the kids was the masks. They were immediately impressed with our masks, Renae the vocal leader of the "Can we wear the masks?" coalition! Of course, ours were absolutely disgusting, so that was out of the question. But I did promise to get some for them today. After our business was completed this morning, we went over to Valenzuela's to buy some masks. "And for only a euro, you too can please your children!"




Of course, I couldn't let this opportunity pass without getting matching "Mommy/Daddy" models! I think I might use this for our next family portrait!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

No Room? Make Room!

Hello All,

Imagine that you are living in a town where the car to parking space ratio is 5 to 1. Imagine a society built upon, as the norm, parallel parking! Now, imagine having the resilience necessary to find a parking spot, no matter what and you have a great picture of the "Survival Of The Fittest" mentality of the parking wars. Note the car above for example. He just parked on the sidewalk, brazenly daring anyone to do something about it. It's likely that he was parked there for at least an hour and a half.

Now, here is how it starts: All the avaliable spots are taken near the "Bar Moy." Legitimate parallel parkers have innocently parked correctly and left their car to enjoy the world famous "Serranito." Well, the lack of space will not dissuade Spaniard #2, for what we would see as technically "illegal," he would see as an opportunity to be sure that his hazard lights are working. Put on the hazards, and go sit for an hour. However, he will not be the only one.

Soon several other Spaniards, drawn by the power of the one serranito to rule them all, succumb to the need to park near the center of power. Before you know it, this is what the street looks like, cars double parked, sometimes TRIPLE parked on the street! So what does one do in the event that you are the one legitimately parked? You stand by your car and you honk. Eventually, someone will hear and come out to investigate to see if they are the double parked culprit. It has happened a few times where I have seen several faces emerge from several little shops to see if someone has honked because of their car! It's actually amusing when we are not pressed for time.

One morning recently, the entire street was shut down for about 5 minutes in both directions because of the Double Park Shuffle! It was pretty funny and pretty typical in this town. But to the credit of most Spaniards, they handle it with humor and recognize that it's not worth getting excited about. For the most part, their road rage consists of honking their horns quite a bit and leaving it at that.

As we leave Jerez, I might miss the parking wars a bit...then again, a good parking space might be a welcome sight!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

El Dia De Los Reyes

Hello All,

All of you in America, who love the Christmas season, are sad at it's passing. I for one am always glad and most thankful for January! To my Grinch's chagrin, Christmas, or "Navidades," continues on into the first week of January with the celebrating of the Day Of The Kings. It is the commemoration of when the Magi came bearing gifts to the home of the infant Jesus. The holiday actually occurs tomorrow, January 6th and most Spaniard children will be awakening early for one more set of gifts to open. Actually, as a parent, it would be kind of a good thing if you really blew it at Christmas with the gift of socks!

In any event, January 5th is the day of the celebration of the arrival of the Kings, called "La Cabalgata De Los Reyes Magos." Yolee invited us to join her, Angel and Miriam Avila for a walk out to where this procession was to take place. All I had heard was that there was going to be a float with candy thrown to the gathered crowd. Turns out there were many floats, a ton of candy and a multitude of Spaniards! It was sort of "The Tournament Of Roses Parade" meets "Disneyland" meets "Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory!"

Here is the first float of the evening. I could see in the distance people on the float throwing candy out to the throng of people and I immediately thought, "Maybe this is not the best idea!" Talk about being a little late! As the float approached, the crowd readied themselves for the incoming sugar projectiles. Most people brought their own bags for the collection of the sweet treats. As the float passed by, the candies came at all kinds of speeds toward us. When the candy came out of the air, all the people scambled to the ground to pick up the hard candies that were the norm for the evening. A quick note of interjection: I have been suffering from a bad back all week, so bending over and getting candies was not a consideration tonight. As a result, I had to grab candies out of the air. Fortunately, I was an outfielder for my high school baseball team. Unfortunately, I was never very good at catching fly balls!

All in all, it was a fun night with everyone walking away, or in my case limping away, with at least a "caramelo" to chew on. Most walked away with enough candy to last a week! The kids had a great time checking out the lively floats and the various animals, not knowing that they were participating in another country's celebration. Too bad they will not be celebrating tomorrow with more gifts. What they don't know won't hurt them but at least those socks will keep their feet warm!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

You Just Never Know!

Hello All,

As you have seen here over the last few days, it has been announced that we are leaving Jerez. As such, I did not want to cover new ground in Genesis for our Wednesday Night study, but instead have chosen to pick out two messages from the past. Doing this will free me from doing a fresh new study, essentially freeing up time to further assist Carlos in the computer room and praparing things for our next move. Unfortunately a low back strain has slowed me up these last few days as well, so concentrating on a new topic would have been a "stretch" anyway! (Sorry, pun intended!) But it is always an ackward thing. How does one make such a choice effectively? I could never be a full time guest speaker. There are so many variables to consider.

As the struggle continued in my mind, I felt a strong and clear leading toward I John 1:8 & 9. I reviewed my 3 year old notes from the PackingHouse College Group days, made some revisions, put in new illustrations, and copied off the translator copy for Carlos.

Now, in all that time, I am doubting continually that I have chosen the right text. And then to make matters worse, every sermon I read, from Spurgeon's to J.C. Ryle's, is a million times better on the subject. Still, I felt compelled and assured that this is the message I was supposed to give.

And then the night started and it was the same people who come every week, who are godly and all walking with the Lord. I am thinking that this is going to be a remedial course for them, but someone must need it. Then as we are in the middle of "We Fall Down," "Postrados" in Spanish, three girls walk in who are visiting a family from our congregation. They are from Latin America and are here for a time.

It was then that I sensed that this message must be for them! To be honest, I don't know the end of this story. I may be totally wrong, as the message could just as well been for me! But I know that I had to give it and that it had to be tonight, for this audience. I wish I could tell you that those girls got saved and they led 40 other significant women to the Lord, who bore the next "insert favorite anecdotal spiritual hero here!" But it is likely that I will never know the impact of this decision, that I believe is filled with destiny.

I hope that each of you have the same sense of destiny. I hope that the words and exhortations and the songs and the poetry that the Lord entrusts to you to share, will be shared by you when He calls on you to do so. I admit that I hope to see the fruit of why I shared what I shared tonight. That is always encouraging. But if I don't, I assure you that I sleep better tonight for having shared it!

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez

Godspeed Andre!

Hello All,
Aside from being New Years Eve yesterday, it was also the last day for Andre to be with our congregation for a while. Yesterday afternoon, he left for Brazil, his native country, to finish his third semester of Bible College. Andre did his first two semesters in Germany under the teaching ministry of David Guzik. He is now among his family and in a new situation. We ask for your prayers for this special young man.

Pastor Carlos relayed a few stories about Andre that really make him stand out in my book. When he first got saved, he found our church through the Calvary Chapel website. He called out of the blue and asked if he could come out from where he was living to attend services. He was able to make Wednesday night his service, as he was working at a Pizza place during that time.

Turns out that Andre made a train trip once a week for quite a long time, which eventually led to him coming to live with Pastor Carlos and receive discipleship from him. Carlos helped him through the completion of his High School credits and has been instrumental in his spiritual success.

I remember meeting Andre for the first time back in 2003 when our church came to Spain for the first time. Immediately, I was taken aback by the fire that was in Andre's heart then. He spoke of wanting to serve the Lord with his life, even then wanting to go to Bible College. I was amazed at the joy that Andre possessed and the love for Jesus was that was so evident in his life.

Nothing has changed at all. Andre remains commited and focused. He has a natural gift and enthusiasm for evangelism and he is a fine worship leader. In fact, during these last 3 months, it has been a pleasure to sit back and enjoy worship together as a family, as Andre and Yolee have done a fantastic job of leading the congregation in praise. In a way, I credit Andre with being my daughter's first real worship leader, as she has taken to raising her hands during worship often. I am thinking that she will always think of Calvario De Jerez as a template for her future worship experiences, and Andre has been an integral part in that.

Pray for Andre over these next few months, especially that God will use him among his family, many of whom are unsaved. Pray that in the comforts of home, that he would not lose his fire or passion. Finally, pray that the Lord would allow this next semester of Bible College to be an incredible time of growth for Andre, not so much in what he will know, but in his love for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

Thanks for everything Andre. We love you brother and will look forward to seeing you again soon.

Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez