Dave & Dawn enjoying some coffee and tea with Mario and Silvia Silva
Mario and Silvia Silva along with their three children, Silvia, Cesia and Daniel just left on Sunday. They visited us for 10 wonderful days. They were exhausting days, but great all the same.
Our family loves the Silvas. The Lord has done a good work in their lives, and in their family.
Dawn and I were involved in a church plant with Mario and Silvia in Mexico City in the late 90′s. We became good friends during those days. The Lord used that time to give Mario and Silvia a heart to plant churches.
After we left Mexico City we didn’t stay in close contact with Mario and Silvia. The Lord used the Silva’s daughter, Silvia or “Chivis” to reconnect us. Mario reminded me of how Chivis was going to have a big Quinciañera party (when a girl turns 15 in Mexico they throw a fiesta). Then Chivis changed her mind, and decided she wanted to reconnect with us, and come live with us for six months. She lived with us in 2010.
God used that reconnection to spark something new. It rekindled our friendship. We began to dream about the possibility of working together on the border.
Mario and Silvia have worked as bi-vocational church planters in Mexico City. They call their ministry Vida Abundante or Abundant Life. Mario gets very passionate when he explains how most Christians are not experiencing the Abundant Life that Christ came to give us.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.“
–John 10:10 (ESV)
They teach the Bible in such a way that those that are learning begin to understand how they might experience the abundant life. Their heart is to see that ministry expanded on the border. Dawn and I love their passion. When we were together they shared about some of their dreams. What they hope to see the Lord do here on the border. We came away inspired and hopeful about what God might do!
In order for them to be involved with us here, they’ve got to get a visa. Join us in prayer as we work with them on figuring out how to get the correct visa. We are learning it’s not an easy thing. God is the God of the impossible, so we will trust that he will bring it to pass. We just have to wait on his perfect timing.
If any of you have experience with a religious workers visa or another type of visa please send me a note.
In His Grip, Dave
