|
Celebrating the Life of a Dear STM Friend
 | |
Steve, Gesa, and Aaron at the 2010 WetNWild5K |
If you have made any trips into Baja or volunteered a Saturday in Santa Ana over the last 4 years, chances are you have run into the Hibler family. Steve and Gesa connected to STM in 2006 when God laid it on their hearts to build a Nursery facility at the Door of Faith Nurse in La Mision, Baja Mexico. As a result of that calling, a pre-mature and newborn infant facility stands today at DOF. But Steve didn't stop there. He continued to be a conduit to Saddleback Church men's groups and families to various Mexico and Santa Ana serving projects. Just recently, he left corporate America to pursue full time work with the newly established Serve the People. On February 2nd, while in the midst of serving, Steve suffered a major stroke and on February 8th went home to be with the Lord. For service times and ways to actively serve his wife and son, please go
to:
Caring Bridge
Steve leaves a legacy as a loving husband, father, and servant. Steve accomplished what all of our goal should be in life....finishing well. You, my friend, will be deeply missed. We all look forward to the day we meet again.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms...If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ..."
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)
The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but it's donation
- C.S.Lewis |
|
Wanna See More Pics??
For those of you wanting to post pictures of your most recent STM trip or see photos of other trips you can now add this SMUGMUG link to your web browser:
|
BE SURE TO CONNECT AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH STM ON:  FACEBOOK
TWITTER |
|
AN EASY WAY TO GIVE BACK
STM and Ralphs have teamed up through their Community Contribution Program to allow you to give a percentage of your shopping dollars towards Strong Tower Ministries. All you have to do is register at
www.ralphs.com
and use your Ralphs REWARDS card so you can designate STM as your direct giving organization. It takes a few moments to register, as you may have to activate your online awards account. Once enrolled, up to 4% of the total amount you spend at Ralphs during any given yearly quarter will be donated back to Strong Tower Ministries. To enroll now, just click on the link below:
|
|
|
|
We would like to start this months newsletter off with a note from Isabel and John Monje,founders of Tranformacion Mundial and future administrators of MY FATHER'S HOUSE / La Casa De Mi Padre.We invite you to be a part of this and other serving opportunities as we continue to change the world one child at a time......
The year 2010 was truly a year of God's provision and blessing! We were able to acquire all of the legal documents to start building La Casa de Mi Padre (My Father's House) Community Center in Rosarito, Baja California. God's favor and presence was evident in every meeting and connection that we made with the government officials of Rosarito in order to receive the approvals for the building.
We also had the privilege of having the new Mayor of Rosarito attend our Christmas event in December. During that event, we had a ground breaking ceremony with the mayor and his staff. They also assisted our team in distributing toys, bags of food and household supplies to over 200 children and their families.
 | |
Rosarito City Council and Mayor at MFH |
Thanks to the partnerships with local churches in the Baja regionand various other volunteers, we were able to provide these families with lunch, dessert and snacks. We also collaborated with a local church's worship team to minister to these families. Four local pastors attended the event and prayed over the families. We are abundantly grateful to the group of volunteers from the States that helped us wrap the presents, organize donations, and distribute them to the families in Rosarito. God's hand was on this entire event because we had more than enough donations for every family to receive a gift!
Thank you so much to those people that donated throughout the year! Thank you so much to Strong Tower Ministries for connecting us with various ministries and individuals. Thank you to Tim Ruder who drew up all of the architectural plans for this project! It was only through all these partnerships and blessings that we were able to finish 2010 with such great success.
As we work toward organizing and building teams, we hope that you would consider praying about being a part of this project. With God's favor and provision, we hope to start construction on La Casa de Mi Padre in a couple of months. We are confident, and have faith, that the vision and the call that God has put on our hearts will come to flourish in His PerfectTiming. We hold on to His promise found in Habakkuk 2:3 "For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; itwill certainly come and will not delay."
John & Isabel Monje
Founders |
|
Rancho Sordo Mudo Project Updates
 | |
Marantha HS Students from Pasedena in action |
Construction is well underway on the Rancho Sordo Mudo Missionary Training Center/Auditorium. Over this past weekend, a couple dozen students from Maranatha H.S. in Pasedena rolled up their sleeves and got dirty helping our onsite Mexican crew work on the buildings foundation. When not hard at work, they got to play soccer with the students, spend the night in the "bunkhouse", learn some sign language, and get some hiking or disc golf in. This is just one of the many groups making weekend trips down to help. If you are interested in being a part of one of these serving weekend trips or bringing your own group down, please contact Steve at 562 619-0352.
|
|
A Student Becomes a Teacher
 Some of you may remember Marisol from the documentary film Hearing Everett. For those of who don't, Marisol is a student in her final year at Rancho Sordo Mudo. Marisol came to the Ranch when she was 11 years old. Over the years, she has traveled many miles by plane and car, arriving at the start of each school year, then returning to her home in La Purisma each summer. Countless supporters over the years have seen to it that Marisol received a language, an education, and a sense of purpose by attending Rancho Sordo Mudo. But this story is only beginning. On February 20th, there is going to be a "send off" celebration for Marisol at RSM. But instead of returning home,
Marisol will be boarding a plane to Los Mochis where she will began a full time commitment of serving on staff at a Christian school for deaf children. Rancho Sordo Mudo hopes that many more students like Marisol will follow, thus completing its mission with these children of rescuing, healing, equipping, and sending out. Marisol is living proof that YOU can and continue to make a difference. |
|
|
|
