Teenagers and Seniors...the two largest age groups in the U.S. They will continue to grow in the next few years.

We have worked with the seniors for over 5 years now and John has been a youth pastor for almost 13 years. This year the R & R has taken a more active role in the lives of young people by giving 2 scholarships to teenagers going to Christian colleges. We have also been underwriting the expense of having young Christian musicians come into our area (very rural) and play for the teenagers that John works with. The results have been fantastic as they nurture not only the teens in our area, but provide the musicians that come with opportunities they might not have had. It has also been interesting seeing friendships develop between the two groups which are maintained through the miracle of the internet.

This coming summer a youth group from Atlanta will be coming out to join John's teens in a week-long camp adventure they are calling "Cafe Cochise 2005." They will be spending one day at an orphanage in Mexico in addition to praise & worship, special speakers, service projects in the local community and helping with Vacation Bible school in the evenings. Please keep it in prayer.

The R & R will continue to contribute to the lives of seniors and teenagers...it is our passion and our calling. Thanks for your part in all of this.
In Christ,
The Team @ R & R Ranch

Merry Christmas to you all!
Things have been quite hectic lately, but rewarding.
We just had the funeral of a dear friend and neighbor, Stella Sanchez. She shall be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

Thanksgiving week we (Reflection) sang at the Willcox Community Thanksgiving service, Wynne Chapel's Thanksgiving Eve service and 3 days at the 4th annual Old Pearce Holiday Festival.

We are continuing to support missions.
1. We helped the Faith, Hope and Love Kids Ranch in the Philippines buy bakery equipment to generate income for the ministry.
2. I shall be meeting with Pastor Isaias in Agua Prieta, Sonora this coming week (He ministers in the Navojoa are, about 12 hours south of the border).
3. We have contributed to the World Gospel Missions in memory of Stella Sanchez who was the church missions president and involved passionately in missions for the last 40+ years.

We are bringing in two bands, one from Payson and one from our area to do a Christmas Outreach to teenagers in conjunction with Wynne Chapel on December 19.

Keep us in your prayers and have a blessed Christmas and New Year.
In Christ,
John

We finally finished our second album and we think you'll like it. It is simply called "Heaven." Order now to give as Christmas presents for your unsaved (or saved!) friends. CDs are $15 each.
We've listed the songs below. If you would like to order one for yourself or someone else you may go to our website or send an order by email
1. “I’ve Got More to Go to Heaven For” 2:28
By Jack Campbell, © 1974 Dayspring Music
2. “I’ve Never Been This Homesick Before” 2:42
By Dottie Rambo, © 1977 John T. Benson Publishing (Brentwood/Benson)
3. (Where We’ll) “Never Grow Old” 3:10
By James C. Moore, © 1944 R. E. Winsett Music Company
4. “No Tears in Heaven” 2:30
By Robert S. Arnold, © 1925 by Stamps-Baxter Music Co.
5. “Heaven For Me” 2:38
By Lanny Wolfe, © 1974 Lanny Wolfe Music/ASCAP
6. “Tears Will Never Stain the Streets of That City” 3:48
By Dottie Rambo, © 1974 John T. Benson Publishing (Brentwood/Benson)
7. “I Can Only Imagine” 3:26
By Bart Millard, © 2001, 2002 Simpleville Music
8. “This World Is Not My Home” 3:43
By Albert E. Brumley, © 1936, renewed 1946 Albert E. Brumley & Sons, arr. John Chapman
9. “That Sounds Like Home to Me” 3:26
By Aaron Wilburn and Eddie Crook, © 1976 Word Music & Dayspring Music
10. “Suppertime” 3:23
By Ira Stanphill, © 1950 Singspiration Music
11. “Movin’ Up To Gloryland” 2:41
By Lee Roy Abernathy, © 1983 Abernathy Publishing Co
12. “I’ll Meet You in the Morning” 3:44
By Albert E. Brumley, © 1936 Hartford Music Co.,
renewed 1964 Albert E. Brumley & Sons
13. “If You Could See Me Now” 4:47
By Kim Noble, © 1986 Integrity’s Praise! Music/BMI and Hold Onto Music

Sorry it's been so long since the last entry. It's been one hectic summer.

In July, Reflection attended the Purpose Driven Worship conference in Lake Forest, California. It was held at Saddleback Church. It was fantastic. We got to sing in the choir that backed up Paul Baloche (Open the Eyes of My Heart, etc.), attended many different classesl; vocal, new music, youth ministry, and others.

In August, John led music for the 59th annual Cowboy Camp Meeting in the Chiricahuas. Reflection sang specials for most of the services. (4 services a day).

We also managed to complete our second recording called, "Heaven." We found a ministry that duplicates and prints the CD inserts cheaper than we can produce them ourselves so we are sending it out to them. We should have copies of the CD available in mid-October.

I know I've been terrible about keeping this up but here goes the "fill in the gap" session:
We (Reflection) went to the Purpose Driven Worship Conference at Saddleback church in Lake Forest, CA in July. The first week of August we led music at the 59th annual Cowboy Camp in the Chiricahuas.

In between all that we managed to finally finish our second recording called "Heaven." We have located a church in Corryton, TN that will do the printing and duplication for us cheaper than we could ourselves. The CDs should be in by the middle of October.

John led music for a youth revival at First Baptist Church in Bisbee last night. Lane Franks was the evangelist. 8 teenagers made first time decisions to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The Youth Group at Wynne Chapel that John leads graduated 13 seniors this year. But the attendance has already replaced them. They are running 32+ every Sunday night! (That's what they were running before they graduated the 13 seniors!!!)

Bill Keller of Liveprayer.com says the church needs to wake up. In his devotional this morning he spoke of the church arguing over whether tongues should be used while the world around us legalizes same-sex marriages.

When I polled the congregation at our church recently about their knowledge of the Federal Marriage Amendment only about 10% raised their hands signifying they had even heard of it.

I hope the reason for our lack of knowledge and action in these areas is because we are too busy fulfilling the "Great Commission," spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, baptizing new believers and discipling them.

If not, what will our excuse be when we stand before the Master?

The family is under incredible attack in our country. God's plan for a union between one man and one women is being bashed on several fronts. I received notice last week that it is now ILLEGAL for a preacher in Canada to preach about God's view on homosexuality...that it is a sin...Preaching this is punishable by imprisonment. It's hard to believe.

Pray for the state of the family. Pray Christians would be bold enough to stand up for God's position regardless of consequences. Pray for the children who are being raised with a distorted view of what true life in Christ is all about. Pray. Pray. Pray.

We were blessed to have Lorraine Lamar and her children, D.J., Micah, and Catherine in the evening service this past Sunday. They are currently living in the Philippines as full time missionaries. They run an orphanage called "FHL (Faith, Hope, Love) KIDS RANCH in Lucena. What a blessing to her their testimony!

On top of that, we had a record 50 teenagers turn out at the Youth Center to hear their presentation at 5:00 p.m.! They then packed up their things and came over to the main church to give their presentation at 6:00 p.m. Between the 2 services, 95 people were blessed to hear them. PRAISE GOD! Pray for their ministry. We will be sending them a financial gift to help with the new buildings they are constructing for the orphanage.

We're excited about becoming involved with a couple of new works in Mexico. I'll try to fill you in as things develop. I have quite a few people that want to go on a Mission Trip to Mexico in June.

We were able to help out a young couple with some medical expenses for their baby last week.

Pray God's will be done in all things. Don't forget the National Day of Prayer, Thursday, May 6.

The trip we took to Navojoa Sonora Mexico was fantastic. The 6 high school seniors that went painted a block wall fence for our host, Pastor Lan in the mornings and in the evenings, ministered to over 200 children in 3 villages.

The city of Navojoa had the fewest kids with around a dozen. The village of Burabampo had in the neighborhood of 80 children turn out for the event and Jitonhueca (Hee-tone-way-kuh) had around 100!

The evenings began by handing out crayons and pages with Bible picture/stories on them to be colored. Their completed pages were then hung on the wall. After this there was a time of music and then we showed the "Jesus Film" for children in Spanish.

When the film was complete the pastor led those interested, and their were many, in the sinner's prayer. We then handed out some candy, a couple of pencils and a couple of balloons to each child. It was great.

We left Navojoa on Friday morning and came back up to San Carlos. Here we spent the afternoon at the beach and the night at the Community Church there pastored by Rev. Lilly. We took Rev. Lilly and his wife Gloria out to dinner at "Charlies Rock" and came back to Arizona the next morning.

For more pictures and some musical sound bytes from our return service click here.

We got back from our Mission Mexico Trip late Saturday evening. It was fantastic! We took 6 high school seniors and there was one other adult sponsor beside myself. We ministered to almost 200 children in 3 different villages, where we showed the Jesus Film for children, colored Bible stories with the kids, handed out pencils, candy and sang and sang and sang!

I'll try to have some pictures posted in the next couple of days. Thanks for all your prayers.

If "The Passion of The Christ" can raise $212 million dollars in 12 days, why can't we feed all the poor people or take care of all the orphans?

Yesterday I met with the students and their parents who are going on the mission trip to Mexico a week from today. The parents are excited about the opportunity their children have in going on this trip and the kids are awaiting the day in eager anticipation. I asked them all to bathe the trip in prayer and I'm asking you to do the same thing. Pray for God's protection as we travel and minister to the people of Navojoa and the surrounding villages. Pray for the health of all of us that are going. Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the children and adults that will hear and see the gospel presented through the Jesus Film for Children and worship services. Pray that lives will be changed and hearts become even more surrendered to God's will. Pray that we will have abundant supplies and finances to meet the needs we encounter. Pray God's will be done.

We closed the 30 hour Famine this past Saturday with a discussion on the Passion of Christ. As we were talking the Lord brought to my mind something that I shared with the group and want to share with you now.

If someone were going to crucify me; nail me to a cross, they would have to drag me kicking and screaming or at least struggling as much as I was able.

In the movie, Jesus, with his last ounce of strength, pulled himself up and placed his own body on the wooden cross on which he was to be nailed.

"He (Jesus) was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven." Hebrews 12:2b

As many of you know I am the youth pastor at Wynne Chapel in Cochise, Arizona. Last night we began the "30 Hour Famine" for World Vision. It is a national event that raises money to help children all over the world. World Vision is presently involved in helping children in Iraq.

We had 32 kids show up (last year 23) to go without food for 30 hours, sing praises to God, engage in Bible studies, etc. They have raised $555 so far! There is hope for the future of this country!

Today they will go into 2 different widows homes to help them with whatever they need done. This is true religion at work.

Pray for them today.

The Passion of the Christ...I saw this movie last night. Being from the "TV" generation, I am very visually oriented. This movie brought Isaiah's words from 700 years Earlier to life:

...But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him - our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole...And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word....
Isaiah 53:5-7 (Eugene Peterson's "The Message")

It was also made very real to me, through the graphic depiction of Christ's torture, that we are to strip ourselves of living according to the flesh. Christ's flesh was ripped off by the scourging He received. But in the end, HE WON, HE ROSE to live eternally. We too, can "strip off the flesh" as laid out in Galatians 5:19-21,

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, (NLT)

If we strip ourselves of this "flesh" we will enjoy the rewards of living a spirit-filled life.

It's been a good week!

* We visited my mother-in-law in Yuma, AZ.
* While we were there one of our supporters, Cathy, took us out to dinner.
* An article about one of the nursing homes we minister at, Casa de Esperanza, appeared in our paper last week and thanked us for our years of service.
* In the same paper another article appeared thanking us for our involvement over the last 3 years with the Old Pearce Holiday Festival.
* Last night after our Youth service the leader of the band, Marcos, handed me a copy of their newly released CD "The Story of a Man." I felt like a proud papa after working with them over the last couple of years.

It's nice to see the fruit of our labor. Sometimes we don't and that's when we have to really trust God. After all, we just plant the seed. He does all the rest.

Thank you for praying for our ministry. Keep our March 15-20 trip in your prayers as we take down several high school seniors to Navojoa, Mexico and the surrounding villages.

Our trio, Reflection, sang at a Valentine's Banquet at First Southern Baptist in Thatcher, AZ last night. The church's pastor, Gene Barnett has been there for 18 years. The people were all very nice and we were able to share with some about the work we are doing in Mexico. They also presented us with a check that should buy enough bricks to do one of the walls on the church in Jitonhueca. Praise the Lord!

Well, as long as I'm sharing needs I might as well pass this one along. We got word from the plumber in Navojoa that it's going to cost $735 (U.S.) to repair the showers (essentially there are only stalls with no pipes), fix the bathrooms, put in a sink and install a hot water heater at the Mission Station, which by the way, has tremendous potential for an orphanage (interest in this has been expressed by outside sources).

Pastor Lan's house needs to be connected to the city water, fix a shower, install an existing hot water heater (gift) to the tune of $232.82 (U.S.)

And my God will supply all your needs
according to His riches in glory
in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

Pastor David Rey has shared with me the need for 15 copies of "A Traves de la Biblia" or "Through the Bible." This is a book he has used in the past to train the pastors in Mexico. Pastor Isaias, in San Pedro, has now started teaching from this book as well and is using it to train new "ministers" for the Lord. The books cost about $10 each. Praise God!