Keeping families together this month means.... No Images? Click here
 
   
 

Keeping families together this week means having our first-ever service at our campus in Camalu and sharing our vision with the 300 in attendance...

 
 

Hard Ground?

One year ago, we purchased the five-acre property in Camalu and #thecamaluproject began.  Before we even got there, the ministries and people in the area told us not to go to Camalu. In Camalu, the ground is hard. The people are not very accepting of the Gospel message; they are stuck in their ways. They come from all over Mexico, bringing their own beliefs, idols, and religions.  Daniel and I (Heidi) looked at each other and said:

"Then that is exactly where we need to be. They need Jesus."

And so the journey began. 100k was raised in less than 100 days, we broke ground,  the first foundation was poured, the walls started going up, up, up, we began to raise the roof, and one year after we laid the first foundation we had our very first outreach service on the property! (If you could hear my voice right now, it is full of so much excitement! I am beaming with the joy of the Lord!) 

Some of the same people from The Church of God, Exeter CA who came just one year ago to lay the first foundation were here again to witness the first service on the very same cement they poured. I get a little teary-eyed thinking about it. The mission teams that come and serve never really know what their hard work can do. The same roof that was raised by New Life Church, Alamo CA now housed our first-ever evangelical service for an audience of over 300.

Hard ground? Quite the opposite. These people were hungry. These people were excited for this building. These people are ready for what God has for them. 

We showed this video to them and the whole crowd erupted with yelling and shouts of joy when they saw pictures of Camalu. They are excited that Open Arms is coming to Camalu! It was truly amazing! 

Additionally, some of our High Voltage youth also went on this missions trip. This included SEVEN of our OA kids who have grown up in the daycare in La Mision who went to serve in Camalu. It is so exciting to see the seeds that were planted in them begin to bloom as they are now giving back, helping to build and serve the people at our second site. God is so good! This new cycle of paying it forward, of giving back, is taking form as the old cycles of poverty, of only receiving and not giving, are breaking right in front of our eyes.  These kids are becoming leaders and missionaries as I type. 

We are so excited and flabbergasted about what God is doing, not only in our kids but also in Camalu. There is still so much to do, but our faith is so strong; we know there is nothing impossible for Him. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer, in sponsoring a child, or in giving a one-time gift towards the building of The Camalu Project. There is still so much to do before we open our doors to the public, but God is making a way when many said there was no way. God is good all the time. Come and experience the happenings of Open Arms for yourself!

Thank you for all you do!