Okay, that title might be a bit of an exaggeration, but perhaps to Mike, who was anxious to get home to Faith, it might seem like a reality. I have never written an article for a blog before, so forgive me if I seem out of my element. I'm not even sure where to start, so I suppose I will start from the beginning. John 1:1...okay, maybe not that far back.
I was asked in late December if I would be interested in flying to Mexico, working on Mike’s house for a few days, and then driving from Mexico City back to Ohio. I was skeptical at first that this would be something that the Lord would have me do, but I told Pastor Brown that I would pray about it. With much prayer and the details all seeming to come together, by late January, it was a go.
The Lord worked it out that the Zartmans (Reuben and Heidi, the furlough replacements) and I would be on the same plane from Houston to Mexico City. Just one of the many ways the Lord showed His sovereignty and blessing during this trip. This saved Mike from making two trips to the airport that week. While on the plane from Houston to Mexico City, an interesting thing happened. I saw a rough looking Latino man with a spider tattooed to his neck. I could only see him from the shoulders up at first as he was inching forward down the aisle of people. As he got closer I noticed a book in his hand; Rick Warren’s "The Purpose Driven Life." While I in no way support that book, it did get me thinking that this man could have just as easily had a Bible in his hand. It was a reminder not to prejudge the Mexicans based on their appearance.
I am not crazy about flying, but that also was something that the Lord used to teach me. As I had much time to think on the plane, two thoughts kept echoing in my mind. The first is that Christ endured three hours of having the sin of the world (including my own) placed upon Him on the cross, so it is silly for me not to be willing to endure something unpleasant for Him for less than three hours. The second thought was that the Lord often uses unpleasant circumstances to fit us for a particular task. If we can endure that unpleasantness (flying in this case), God can put us in a great place of service, such as Mexico City.
Upon arrival in Mexico City, immediately after kissing the ground (I didn’t actually kiss the ground, but I could have), I found Reuben and Heidi. I was happy to have them to follow since I knew nothing of the procedure in the airport. Another blessing was that we all received green lights as we went through customs, and therefore we did not need to have our things more closely scrutinized.
When we left the airport in the van, and I got my first look at Mexico City, what struck me most was the sensuality that is paraded throughout the city. I couldn’t help thinking that this was either as openly immoral or even more so than the typical U.S. City. There are sinners that need the Lord everywhere. I did not have a lot of time to dwell on that thought fortunately, because the driving in Mexico City is enough to keep your mind off of these things. There seems to be no laws, and it was every man or woman for themselves. And I thought driving in Philadelphia was dangerous. Makes me want to pray more often for safety for our missionaries on the field (especially in Mexico).
I was blessed to attend two services at Iglesia Biblica de Padierna. Since I know very little Spanish, I wasn’t expecting to get much out of the preaching, however, God worked it out that Mike would be preaching two passages of which I am very familiar. On Wednesday night, he spoke on John 17 (Christ’s high-priestly prayer) and on Sunday he spoke on II Corinthians 4 (a chapter I have adopted as my life chapter). Because of the familiarity of the text, I was able to follow along and get something out of the Word. The Lord is good.
Another huge blessing was the hymns. It’s an encouragement to think of these folks singing the same hymns that we sing. The tie that binds Christians truly transcends language. Yes, the songs used words like El Salvador and Christo and Padre, but the message came through loud and clear. We all love the same Savior. I was especially thrilled to hear the brothers and sisters in Christ sing "I Gave My Life for Thee," one of my favorites.
I was also thinking about how when we meet in the air, our bond together will be so much more fully realized because there will no longer be a language barrier, or a sin barrier for that matter. What a day that will be. I often thought that I can be closer to someone from halfway around the world that knows Christ, than to those in my own family that do not. It’s a totally different relationship with a believer (Luke 8:19-21).
While working on Mike’s house, I learned what a cistern is. This will help me when I read Jeremiah (2:13) in that I will know what the purpose of a cistern is (although, I doubt it would be the exact same thing as the underground cisterns that we filled with water). We are blessed to have a cistern of living water that never runs dry (John 4:10). We then got to clean out the underground septic tank. It was just rain water, or so Mike tells me (wink). Mike filled up buckets and I dumped them on him while pulling them up from underground with a rope. By the end, I was almost brown enough to pass for a Mexican. Good thing there are no pictures.
From Mike’s roof, you can see out over Mexico City. It is very beautiful at night. There are more lights than anyone could possibly count. It seems somewhat ironic that with all of these lights throughout Mexico City that there is so little Gospel light there. Mexico City could sure use prayer for laborers as most places could (Matthew 9:37-38).
The final day of our stay in Mexico City included the Sunday School and church service hours and a comida (meal) afterwards. It was really great to see all of the people in the church (50+) getting along well and serving one another. As Mike and his family are on furlough, we really need to pray for the Lord’s protection of this work and His work in the people's hearts. Reuben and Heidi Zartman would covet your prayers as well.
The Lord had a few more things to teach me on the way home. I was introduced to an incredible preacher (Albert Martin) as we listened to a sermon series on the Contemporary Gospel. While I don't agree with his eschatological position (last things), I believe his soteriology (doctrine of salvation) is very respectable. I also learned that Mike is serious about a literal interpretation of Scripture. Hebrews 11:6 "But without Faith it is impossible to please him." So he married Faith. It shouldn’t have surprised me since he has spent some time with Pastor Perry, who I have often wondered if he took Exodus 38:26 "A bekah for every man..." literally too. I'm kidding of course.
As we were driving home, I mentioned to Mike that the Lord has been good on this trip and that everything has gone well. He responded "So if things went wrong the Lord wouldn’t be good?" It was a short answer and he may not even remember saying this, but it really got me thinking. The truth is the Lord is good no matter what. That is one of the great things about serving the God that we serve. He is always good. He always does what is right. It was a rebuke to me, but a well needed one.
Okay I have rambled long enough. It is my prayer that something that I have learned on this trip, might help someone else. That is the whole point in sharing these things. We all have different experiences. We need to learn from one another. The Lord was good in allowing me to have this opportunity, and the Lord would be good if He did not as well. Praise His holy name.
Aaron Jaffee
Friday, February 24
Wednesday, February 1
Goldfuss Update (February 1, 2005)
Dear Praying friends,
I (Mike) am still in Mexico City for the rest of this week. I have been very busy with ministry and house work. That’s why I didn’t have the opportunity to write this past weekend.
Last week was spent in much work on the house. Faith was here from Thursday, January 19 until Friday, January 27. It was wonderful to have her here with me and work along side her. Juana and Reme took Matthew and Cherith for about three whole days and it was quite a help to just be able to get lots of work done. Faith and I boxed up many things and got a good bit moved from the cabin to the house. The carpet was laid, two of the four closet/drawer/chests were delivered (they were due here on the 27th of December) and some more woodwork was done. Last week was the first time that Faith and I have been alone together in 3 ½ years and it was fun to work and be with just her for a change.
This week, the work goes on—it goes quite a bit slower without any help. We had a good Lord’s Day. Thirteen different people from our Ajusco neighborhood accompanied me down the mountain to our church. It seems as if the Lord is opening the doors for a church here also. We had our three-hour Bible study on Saturday night and then another one on Sunday night after our church services. On the way to take the three teens home, they asked if I would come one night and counsel their parents. I said that there was no night like the present. They invited me in—dirt floor, very cold, no hot water heater—they heat their water with a wood fire to take their baths. The man (Benjamin) has been drinking a lot and coming home abusive. The amazing power of the sinful heart to blind people to the seriousness of their sin is astounding. Please pray for him and for Matilde his wife to be saved—as well as the teens (Janet, Vanessa and Jain.) I was finally able to get home on Sunday night around 11:00 PM.
As the busyness of life goes on around each day, we often forget that people are dying. Margarita, (the store-owner in front of our house) just lost her mother to a sudden two-day illness last Friday. I went to pick up two 4x4’s today and the man who has delivered much of our building material during the last two years looked terrible. He informed me that his wife (33 years old) just died last week of an apparent heart attack in the night. Please pray for Juan that I would have more opportunity to speak with him before I leave this weekend after church to drive to Ohio.
Ruben and Heidi Zartman are arriving tomorrow to take over the work here for our time in the States. A young man from New Lexington Bible Church in Ohio (Aaron Jaffee) is arriving tomorrow also to work with me for three days and then accompany me on the 50 hour trip home. The best news of the day is that they all three arrive in Mexico City on the exact same flight. I don’t have to fight traffic to get to the airport two times—only once.
Another man, Vicente, has said that he would like to accompany me to Texas and just talk about many problems in his life. Pray that the Lord’s will would be done there and that he will be saved.
Pray for Faith and the children in Ohio at Mentor Christian School and Cristiana’s therapies. We have been getting very good reports on her. Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
I (Mike) am still in Mexico City for the rest of this week. I have been very busy with ministry and house work. That’s why I didn’t have the opportunity to write this past weekend.
Last week was spent in much work on the house. Faith was here from Thursday, January 19 until Friday, January 27. It was wonderful to have her here with me and work along side her. Juana and Reme took Matthew and Cherith for about three whole days and it was quite a help to just be able to get lots of work done. Faith and I boxed up many things and got a good bit moved from the cabin to the house. The carpet was laid, two of the four closet/drawer/chests were delivered (they were due here on the 27th of December) and some more woodwork was done. Last week was the first time that Faith and I have been alone together in 3 ½ years and it was fun to work and be with just her for a change.
This week, the work goes on—it goes quite a bit slower without any help. We had a good Lord’s Day. Thirteen different people from our Ajusco neighborhood accompanied me down the mountain to our church. It seems as if the Lord is opening the doors for a church here also. We had our three-hour Bible study on Saturday night and then another one on Sunday night after our church services. On the way to take the three teens home, they asked if I would come one night and counsel their parents. I said that there was no night like the present. They invited me in—dirt floor, very cold, no hot water heater—they heat their water with a wood fire to take their baths. The man (Benjamin) has been drinking a lot and coming home abusive. The amazing power of the sinful heart to blind people to the seriousness of their sin is astounding. Please pray for him and for Matilde his wife to be saved—as well as the teens (Janet, Vanessa and Jain.) I was finally able to get home on Sunday night around 11:00 PM.
As the busyness of life goes on around each day, we often forget that people are dying. Margarita, (the store-owner in front of our house) just lost her mother to a sudden two-day illness last Friday. I went to pick up two 4x4’s today and the man who has delivered much of our building material during the last two years looked terrible. He informed me that his wife (33 years old) just died last week of an apparent heart attack in the night. Please pray for Juan that I would have more opportunity to speak with him before I leave this weekend after church to drive to Ohio.
Ruben and Heidi Zartman are arriving tomorrow to take over the work here for our time in the States. A young man from New Lexington Bible Church in Ohio (Aaron Jaffee) is arriving tomorrow also to work with me for three days and then accompany me on the 50 hour trip home. The best news of the day is that they all three arrive in Mexico City on the exact same flight. I don’t have to fight traffic to get to the airport two times—only once.
Another man, Vicente, has said that he would like to accompany me to Texas and just talk about many problems in his life. Pray that the Lord’s will would be done there and that he will be saved.
Pray for Faith and the children in Ohio at Mentor Christian School and Cristiana’s therapies. We have been getting very good reports on her. Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Saturday, January 21
Changes, Changes! But All a Part of God’s Plan
Dear cherished prayer supporters,
Mike and Faith are ALONE right now in Mexico. What???? You say. That’s what we have said too. The Lord has made drastic changes. Even though life has been spinning, we know that every change and hectic day has been a part of God’s plan to draw us closer to Him and to be more effective in our service to Him in the future.
In early December, Mike’s sisters and mother headed up an incredible week of family fun at a family reunion on the beach in Charleston, SC. Mike is one of seven and there were 20 grandchildren! We even went to see Christmas lights in the church BUS! The special time there will not soon be forgotten.
We then headed up to Mentor, Ohio to our home church. We wanted to take the opportunity to see our home church and to have Faith’s second grade teacher evaluate our daughter Cristiana. The past year has been very difficult home schooling her. Some days Cristi seemed to read well. Other days, she could not. We had actually considered dyslexia; but then we knew that at times Cristi read well. It was Mrs. McCulloch that gave us the missing puzzle piece. She said that –"some days fine, some days not," could be the actual sign of some learning disabilities. Friends Tim and Rhonda Potter encouraged us to have her tested. So we continued with our plans to spend Christmas with Faith’s parents and had her tested in PA. The learning center in PA recommended a specialist called a clinical neurological psychologist. But their doctors had a 3 month waiting list. We then turned all of our attention to getting back to Mentor. There we could put the children in Mentor Christian School where we both grew up and have the help of our own church people. The learning center in Cleveland suggested a neurologist who would have just put Cristi on Ritalin. Wanting someone to deal with the whole problem, we called the PA specialist who verified that just neurology was not the way to go. He then found us a doctor in Cleveland who specialized in Cristi’s problems. Praise the Lord it is only 45 minutes away from us! The learning center also determined that Cristi had failed the hearing test. Cristi told us, "I can hear fine. It is just that sometimes I can’t get it." We chuckled inside because-- wasn’t that a hearing problem? Well, it turns out that Cristi was right. She was determined by the specialist to have dyslexia as well as an AUDITORY PERCEPTION problem which explained that sometimes she could hear well, but what she was hearing just sounded like ---blah, blah, blah. This also explained problems with immediate since she was two. The Lord was very gracious to reveal this to us at an early age, 8, before her condition became irreversible.
Words cannot explain all that has gone on since then. Mike traveled to Cleveland with Cristi for a week of testing while the rest of us stayed in PA, then he came back, got us, took us to his mom’s house, and left the next day. Kent Hobi drove down to Greenville with him while Mike’s brother, John Goldfuss met Mike in Atlanta. They both flew to Mexico City and waited while Mark Perry from Westerville Bible Church met them at the airport. The three of them spent over one week working feverishly on the house. Meanwhile, Faith was in Mentor trying the help the children get adjusted to a new home, church, school, and climate. We had little appropriate clothing, but the people of Bible Community have provided clothing, meals, and themselves to help us move into Mike’s mom’s home. Some have gone to the doctor’s appointments with Faith to help watch the children. Their help has been overwhelming. The people of Grace Church of Mentor have also helped by providing their van and taking the children to school. The Lord’s people are so gracious. It brings tears to our eyes when we think of all of the love that has been shown to us.
Grandma Goldfuss arrived from SC just in time as Mike had asked Faith to come to Mexico to help move things from the cabin to the new house. This will now free the cabin for Ruben and Heidi Zartman to come and fill in for us during furlough. Grandma is taking care of Cristi and Carissa, and the Houke family has Mikey. Faith brought Matthew and Cherith with her, but Juana and Reme quickly stole them away so that we could get more work done here. So we are alone!!! We have not been alone for even 1 hour in over 3 ½ years!
All three older children are at Mentor Christian School. Mrs. McCulloch (our 2nd grade teacher) has been invaluable to us in helping with Cristi. Cristi is presently involved in four different therapies tackling the auditory perception problem and beginning to deal with the dyslexia. Faith will return to Mentor on January 27th when she will have a big meeting with all of Cristi’s doctors to determine how to more intensely deal with the dyslexia. A dear friend, Susie Phillips, is taking over all of Cristi’s home exercises, and Cristi seems to be progressing well.
So what are our plans for 2006?
Mike and Faith are ALONE right now in Mexico. What???? You say. That’s what we have said too. The Lord has made drastic changes. Even though life has been spinning, we know that every change and hectic day has been a part of God’s plan to draw us closer to Him and to be more effective in our service to Him in the future.
In early December, Mike’s sisters and mother headed up an incredible week of family fun at a family reunion on the beach in Charleston, SC. Mike is one of seven and there were 20 grandchildren! We even went to see Christmas lights in the church BUS! The special time there will not soon be forgotten.
We then headed up to Mentor, Ohio to our home church. We wanted to take the opportunity to see our home church and to have Faith’s second grade teacher evaluate our daughter Cristiana. The past year has been very difficult home schooling her. Some days Cristi seemed to read well. Other days, she could not. We had actually considered dyslexia; but then we knew that at times Cristi read well. It was Mrs. McCulloch that gave us the missing puzzle piece. She said that –"some days fine, some days not," could be the actual sign of some learning disabilities. Friends Tim and Rhonda Potter encouraged us to have her tested. So we continued with our plans to spend Christmas with Faith’s parents and had her tested in PA. The learning center in PA recommended a specialist called a clinical neurological psychologist. But their doctors had a 3 month waiting list. We then turned all of our attention to getting back to Mentor. There we could put the children in Mentor Christian School where we both grew up and have the help of our own church people. The learning center in Cleveland suggested a neurologist who would have just put Cristi on Ritalin. Wanting someone to deal with the whole problem, we called the PA specialist who verified that just neurology was not the way to go. He then found us a doctor in Cleveland who specialized in Cristi’s problems. Praise the Lord it is only 45 minutes away from us! The learning center also determined that Cristi had failed the hearing test. Cristi told us, "I can hear fine. It is just that sometimes I can’t get it." We chuckled inside because-- wasn’t that a hearing problem? Well, it turns out that Cristi was right. She was determined by the specialist to have dyslexia as well as an AUDITORY PERCEPTION problem which explained that sometimes she could hear well, but what she was hearing just sounded like ---blah, blah, blah. This also explained problems with immediate since she was two. The Lord was very gracious to reveal this to us at an early age, 8, before her condition became irreversible.
Words cannot explain all that has gone on since then. Mike traveled to Cleveland with Cristi for a week of testing while the rest of us stayed in PA, then he came back, got us, took us to his mom’s house, and left the next day. Kent Hobi drove down to Greenville with him while Mike’s brother, John Goldfuss met Mike in Atlanta. They both flew to Mexico City and waited while Mark Perry from Westerville Bible Church met them at the airport. The three of them spent over one week working feverishly on the house. Meanwhile, Faith was in Mentor trying the help the children get adjusted to a new home, church, school, and climate. We had little appropriate clothing, but the people of Bible Community have provided clothing, meals, and themselves to help us move into Mike’s mom’s home. Some have gone to the doctor’s appointments with Faith to help watch the children. Their help has been overwhelming. The people of Grace Church of Mentor have also helped by providing their van and taking the children to school. The Lord’s people are so gracious. It brings tears to our eyes when we think of all of the love that has been shown to us.
Grandma Goldfuss arrived from SC just in time as Mike had asked Faith to come to Mexico to help move things from the cabin to the new house. This will now free the cabin for Ruben and Heidi Zartman to come and fill in for us during furlough. Grandma is taking care of Cristi and Carissa, and the Houke family has Mikey. Faith brought Matthew and Cherith with her, but Juana and Reme quickly stole them away so that we could get more work done here. So we are alone!!! We have not been alone for even 1 hour in over 3 ½ years!
All three older children are at Mentor Christian School. Mrs. McCulloch (our 2nd grade teacher) has been invaluable to us in helping with Cristi. Cristi is presently involved in four different therapies tackling the auditory perception problem and beginning to deal with the dyslexia. Faith will return to Mentor on January 27th when she will have a big meeting with all of Cristi’s doctors to determine how to more intensely deal with the dyslexia. A dear friend, Susie Phillips, is taking over all of Cristi’s home exercises, and Cristi seems to be progressing well.
So what are our plans for 2006?
- (Mike) Helping Ruben and Heidi Zartman get adjusted to Mexico. They are coming on February 1st and Mike will drive the van up and hope to be in Mentor, Ohio by February 10th.
- Going on furlough to our 25 supporting churches on the weekends. We want to also encourage the Lord’s people with the fact that trials are allowed by the Lord for His glory and our good. They may not be the easiest, but they are the best. We also want to present the need for more workers and share the blessings of dedicating yourself entirely to serving the Lord.
- Helping at our home church during the week. Mike will tend to our missions responsibilities primarily each day, and then he would like to make himself available to the church and the school as he is needed. This may give us a chance to give back a little of all that Bible Community has given to us.
- Going on a twelve-day trip as team leaders of high school students to Puerto Rico in July with the purpose of helping the Pfaunmillers who are also supported by Bible Community. We are thrilled to be able to help these young people in their Christian growth.
- Continuing Cristi’s intensive therapies.
- Visiting family and friends that we haven’t seen in almost six years.
- Giving our children the big picture of our ministry and encouraging them in their part of the ministry.
- And finally, getting back to Mexico as soon as possible after reaching all of the above goals.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you soon! Please continue to pray.
With much love, The Goldfusses
Monday, January 16
Check Out the Latest
For more pictures of the work in progress, check out http://www.obf.net/~obf.goldfuss/constr.htm.
Sunday, January 15
Prayer Update (January 15)
Dear Praying friends,
I (Mike) had a very good week here in Mexico City. My brother John and Mark Perry were here helping me do a lot of work on the house. They were a tremendous help and encouragement. The work that they got 
done in one week was substantial and much appreciated. Thank you John and Mark.
Faith and the kids still need much grace and prayer as they are getting settled into the routines of Mentor Christian School and a new culture. To make things just a little more interesting, Faith is going to be coming back probably on Thursday to get some things done here in Mexico City that need to be done before we go on our furlough. I am still planning on staying here until around February 5, and then driving all the way to Ohio with our van. Pray for these details. I will be very glad to see Faith.
We had a good Lord’s Day today. We were a little lower in attendance but there was a good spirit. We had two visitors—one, Raul, came from a city quite a ways from here. He is looking for a church but the logistics of our church are against him—he is about 2 1/2 hours from us. Another lady, Maria Elena, came because she found a tract just thrown on the bicycle path by her house that someone else had thrown there. The Lord works in His ways. Pray that she will become part of our church.
We continue to need your prayers. Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Mike for the family
I (Mike) had a very good week here in Mexico City. My brother John and Mark Perry were here helping me do a lot of work on the house. They were a tremendous help and encouragement. The work that they got 
done in one week was substantial and much appreciated. Thank you John and Mark.Faith and the kids still need much grace and prayer as they are getting settled into the routines of Mentor Christian School and a new culture. To make things just a little more interesting, Faith is going to be coming back probably on Thursday to get some things done here in Mexico City that need to be done before we go on our furlough. I am still planning on staying here until around February 5, and then driving all the way to Ohio with our van. Pray for these details. I will be very glad to see Faith.
We had a good Lord’s Day today. We were a little lower in attendance but there was a good spirit. We had two visitors—one, Raul, came from a city quite a ways from here. He is looking for a church but the logistics of our church are against him—he is about 2 1/2 hours from us. Another lady, Maria Elena, came because she found a tract just thrown on the bicycle path by her house that someone else had thrown there. The Lord works in His ways. Pray that she will become part of our church.We continue to need your prayers. Thank you for praying.
In Christ,
Mike for the family
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)