Dear Friends,

We ask for your prayers for our upcoming travel and events in Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán. These states are from 8 to 16 hours away, southeast from where we live near Mexico City. We will be on the road for over a month visiting various AMO Programs and carrying out refresher workshops for those who have trained with us in the past. We will also hold one AMO Apprenticeship (for two weeks) in Mérida, Yucatán. In addition, we’ve been invited by the Presbyterian church in Paraíso, Tabasco, to share the vision of AMO there. Pray that our time with the teachers and parents will be a blessing to the children they disciple.

Also, we ask for your continued prayers for the AMO Trainer of Teachers (TOT) course, which includes four women from Mexico – Ely, Elizabeth, Gloria, and Esther. We are excited about having these additional trainers to help meet the great demand for inspired wholistic biblical Christian education here in Mexico.

Thank you, for your prayers.

In Christ,

Chris and Francelia

AMO Program in Villahermosa, Tabasco

AMO group in Campeche

Francelia with students at San Pablo Seminary, Mérida, Yucatán, June 2014

We had an amazing week in Mexico City, this week, training a wonderful group of parents and church leaders representing four key churches in the area and one Children’s Home ministry in Baja California. We thoroughly enjoyed the group and look forward to walking with them as they begin AMO Programs for children in their churches, schools, youth groups and other contexts.

Our daily commute took us past the beautiful Palacio de Bellas Artes building in historic downtown. Art and literature are important elements of a wholistic biblical Christian education (e.g. AMO). You can see, below, class participant and school director, Sara Forcada, treating us to her favorite poem during a break in our eight hour days.

Mexico City is a mass of humanity! Streets so crowded with pedestrians that they choke-off the traffic. In such an environment we are awed by God’s creation and mankind’s reflexion and imitation of His creativity through art, architecture and human ingenuity. But amidst the greatness is a lot of pain and many broken lives.

One nurse, who we met this week, lamented the number of teens that she sees who seek abortions, some repeatedly. There is so much we can do and still need to do as the Church to impact our society through education that is inspired by God’s truth, beauty and goodness! Pray for the growing number of children receiving such an education through AMO.

Also, please, continue to pray for our students who are being discipled to become AMO trainers in Mexico. The number of our Mexican students has dropped from five to four. Pray for Ely, Elizabeth, Gloria and Esther and their success in handling their daily lives plus in-depth studies through AMO. Our prayer is for these four to join us in training even more parents and church leaders beginning in 2016.

Thank you, all, for your prayers and wonderful support!

Sara treating us to her favorite poem

Francelia with the many AMO materials available for children’s education

Chris driving in our commute past Bellas Artes!

In Mexico, an important new chapter began in 2014 for parents and church leaders desiring to raise their families on biblical, Christian principles that transform individuals, families, and the nation. The AMO® Program had been used on a limited basis in México since 2006. However, with no certified Mexican AMO Trainers, growth was limited. Now there is AMO México™. We are dedicated to working alongside churches in México and the United States, and Chrysalis International – publisher of AMO®, to raise up Mexican teachers for permanent and sustainable AMO® Programs for children in México.

In 2014, the five-day apprenticeship, Principles of Christian Education for Discipling Nations and AMO® Program, was taught through AMO México to 230 adults representing ministries in 10 Mexican states. The number of children being served with AMO® through various ministries increased sixty percent to nearly 1,000.

Francelia Chávez McReynolds, the first and only certified Mexican AMO Trainer, was very busy last year, to say the least! The feed-back from those trained in México was overwhelmingly positive. “I’ve been to a lot of trainings on education, but, none like this,” commended Thelma Martinez, long-time Christian educator in Villahermosa, Tabasco. Now, Francelia and others are excited to be on the verge of helping, perhaps, 3-5 additional Mexican candidates to begin their year-long apprenticeships to become certified AMO Trainers.

These wonderful new candidates begin weekly online classes, this March, with Dr. Elizabeth Youmans and other excellent teachers of Biblical Worldview and Christian education, including Jose Gonzalez, Luis Sena and Dr. Jill Thrift. After successful completion of classwork, the candidates will continue to be discipled through AMO México and then evaluated. The expenses for the entire process will be approximately $5,000 (U.S.) per candidate. Each candidate can apply for up to $4,500 in scholarship funds. Help is needed in order to offer these funds. If you feel called to provide some of these funds, please phone Chris McReynolds at (830) 719-5812 for more information. We look forward to reporting on the progress and asking for your prayers.

Please, pray for these candidates and their funding, for the families in México working to transform their nation, and for AMO México.

Learning God’s Word for transformed lives.

AMO® Apprenticeships are lined up, in Mexico, for the cities of Xalapa, Mexico D.F., Puebla, and Mérida with another one or two possibilities still in-the-works. We are excited about these plans and the partners we are working with in the local churches that host us. With their help, we invite their community’s churches and parents to take part in the 5-day courses (apprenticeships). We also announce these apprenticeships to our growing network of churches and individuals throughout Mexico who are interested in Biblical Christian education for transforming their families, communities, and nation.

In addition to this year’s apprenticeships, we are planning AMO Workshops and a few Vision Casting events. The workshops will help those who have already undertaken the AMO Apprenticeship to review and continue learning for improving their children’s education. The Vision Casting events are for introducing AMO into new cities. In these presentations we will share some of what we can learn through the Bible about education and how AMO can help.

We ask for your prayers for God to prepare and protect the participants He has planned for this year’s events and safety for Francelia and I (Chris) as we travel. Please, also pray for the many children in current AMO Programs and for many more to be served through this Biblical Christian education that nurtures God’s purpose and potential in each child.

We ask for special prayers for the family of one young boy, Josmar, who was shot and killed in El Moro de Matazan, Oaxaca. The details of the shooting are not known to us, but this young boy attended the new AMO Program that began in that small town last December. Pray for the teacher, Guadalupe Melchor. Guadalupe trained with us in Juchitán, Oaxaca. She and her husband have wonderful hearts for children and need your prayers as they disciple their group of forty-plus children.

Guadalupe with children in El Moro

The week before Christmas, we conducted the last AMO® apprenticeship of the year in Cunduacán, Tabasco, making a total of nine carried out in various parts of México in 2014. We’ve received overwhelming affirmations of God working through these five-day courses and the children’s programs that are resulting.

At least, 800 children are being served, families are being blessed, and churches are gaining new vision for education and discipleship. We are thankful to God for the work He is doing through this ministry.

The following are unsolicited comments, about AMO®, that we’ve had the privilege of receiving this year:

“I’ve been to a lot of trainings about education but none like this,”

~ commended Thelma Martinez, grandmother and long-time Christian educator, Villahermosa, Tabasco, México

“I came (to the apprenticeship) thinking I was just going to learn a children’s program, but my life has been changed!”

~  Chevy Cruz, father of one, missionary, Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México

“We are accustomed to being led and leading others…it takes time and effort for us to develop a habit of reflecting and reasoning in Christ to make sound decisions.”  

~  Abimael Borbolla, father of two, Pastor at Nueva Vida Church, Oaxaca, Oaxaca, México

“We can’t adequately lead our children to places we’ve never been. This is a beautiful time for us as teachers to experience renewal and follow the Spirit and Word of God into areas we haven’t been before.”

~  Alejandro Melgoza Sanchez, father of three, Pastor at Casa de Gloria Church, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México

“In the beginning, the children’s lessons seemed to end up everywhere, except in their notebooks. Now, the children are placing their work in its proper place and they are relating prior lessons with the one they just learned.” 

~  Veronica Bedolla Garcia, mother of three, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán

“We began working with the children using AMO and the parents… seeing transformation and joy…asked ‘what is going on?’ We then started a class for the parents.”

~ Arturo Rodriguez, father of three, México City

“AMO has served me tremendously, not just with my classes, but in my personal life as well.”

~ Priscila Zeda Ceja, Sunday school teacher, Rios de Agua Viva Church, México City

“AMO has been a wonderful help to me, foremost, with my family…it concerns me when I hear the way my nieces and nephews speak.”

~ Veronica Garcia, aunt and Sunday school teacher, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

“This program has helped me in being a better teacher and, since I love literature, it has confirmed my desire to be a writer!”

~ Yediael Borbolla, 16 years old, Nueva Vida Church, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

“I began working with children simply because I loved them. Now I have good foundations to work with them from.”

~ Ruth Pérez Silvestre, teenage teacher at Nueva Vida Church, Oaxaca, Oaxaca

God bless each of you and your families in 2015. Please, contact us anytime for more information about what God is doing in México through AMO® México. We also invite your prayers and financial support in this New Year.

In Christ,

Chris and Francelia

Last week we had the privilege of serving four churches with the AMO® Program in the southern part of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, in the city of Juchitán. Very uniquely – in Mexico, the land of machismo – Juchitán has a culture of matriarchy among the Zapotec people here. Many of the indigenous women rule their families and the commerce in local markets. Both machismo and matriarchy are distortions of God’s plan for families, so families suffer under both schemes. Many boys here are raised to “become women.” These men, who dress and act like women, are called ‘muxes’ and are prized by the matriarchs. Many here are oppressed and enslaved by Satan’s corrupting work. Some estimate that about one-third of the men in the area are homosexual. The churches here are equipping themselves with AMO to reach out to these families with God’s truth and liberty in Christ.

Another tragedy that we witnessed first-hand, is “La Bestia” or “The Beast.” These are freight trains used by thousands of people each month to travel through Mexico from Central America to the United States. These trains derail almost monthly resulting in death or injury to the people clinging to it. We saw six children, approximately 4-15 years of age, with two adults climbing to the top of one train (see photo). A local resident explained that the adults were human traffickers and that the authorities were prohibited from removing people from the train. We pray for the safety of the children and long to reach the families of such children with AMO in their hometowns.

After the five-day AMO apprenticeship, we assisted one of our students, Guadalupe, as she began her first AMO Program in El Morro, a community near Juchitán. She expected 20-25 children but almost 50 arrived! Guadalupe explained that the churches in the community have nothing for the children. Confirming this, we saw churches with sanctuaries but no space for classrooms. We are confident the AMO apprenticeship week served to plant seeds for a new vision for Christian education in this area where discipleship is, sorely, lacking.

Francelia teaching on local radio in Juchitán

Guadalupe signing the AMO Compact with her students (top photos) and children atop the “The Beast” for an uncertain journey north.

On Wednesday night, we were invited to teach on a local Christian radio show. Francelia taught for an hour on the Christian View of the Child, which is one of the key lessons in AMO. She also emphasized, to the estimated audience of 8000, the importance for parents to teach their children God’s Word in the home.

We ask you to pray for Juchitán, and for the many families in disarray throughout Latin America who feel compelled to risk their lives and leave their homes in search of a better life. Pray for the ongoing expansion of AMO throughout Latin America. We know that money doesn’t bring liberty…Jesus Christ and His way of life does. Please, pray for this ministry which is helping families flourish in God’s plan right where they live.

We pray for God’s blessings upon each of you and wish you a Merry Christmas!  We thank each of you who prays for us and we thank those of you who send financial support which makes this ministry possible. Let’s work together in 2015 to help more families find what they are searching for…Christ’s Advent!

~ Chris and Francelia McReynolds

We are very thankful for time in Xalapa, Veracruz, this weekend teaching at El Divino Salvador church. We also planned with leaders there to return in February to hold an AMO Apprenticeship for churches in the area. Please, pray for the citizens and institutions in Veracruz as they, like many others in Mexico, struggle against the drug cartels and corruption.

The week before last, we held an AMO Apprenticeship in Villahermosa for 30 church leaders representing 14 churches in Tabasco. Thelma Martinez, a long-time Christian educator commended the course by remarking, “I’ve been to a lot of conferences and trainings, but none like this!” Erik Sanchez said “I learned more in these five days than I have in years!” We were humbled and thankful to God for the biblical principles and for the work that Dr. Elizabeth Youmans has done in preparing such a course.

In addition to the apprenticeship, Francelia and I were able to assist in the start-up of the first two AMO Programs in Villahermosa (see photos). Marlene and Isela are two AMO teachers who apprenticed with us in Mexico City back in April. We ask for your prayers for them and their students as they model, for many others, the AMO Program.

We ask you to pray, also, for peace and wisdom around the nation of Mexico for authorities and students as students riot and protest against the government regarding the slaying of 43 students in the state of Guerrero last month. Local government authorities and a drug cartel collaborated on the murders, according to reports.

Pray for the new generations of children and youth in Mexico to be enlightened by God’s Spirit and Word for transformation and discipleship of their nation for Christ. We truly see a bright future as we go about in these dark days. We are very thankful and blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!

Student riots Mexico City

Isela teaching children about Christian Self-government in the new AMO Program in Tabasco

Marlene discussing with children the Christian literature classics they will be reading in their new AMO Program in Villahermosa

Rocío Carmona, Christian education leader in Oaxaca, speaking at MeXED 2014

We are happy to report that his year’s MeXED conference, held in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, was a great success for the almost one hundred leaders who gathered. The theme for this year’s conference was Christian Education in a Post-modern Context.

This larger-than-normal gathering (the usual goal is to have 50-70 attendees in order to facilitate relationship-building) was especially tailored to help meet the expressed needs of our partners in Christian education in Oaxaca. Oaxaca faces some of the highest hurdles in providing quality education to children in the state, according to the Secretary of Public Education in México. Millions of children lose out each year due to teacher’s strikes, corruption, low standards for education, and inadequate outreach to the large population of indigenous peoples in rural areas.

Some of the MeXED participants are seeking to supplement children’s education with the AMO® Program that we teach. A few of the churches represented are using it in their own schools along with their regular curriculum. Other churches are using the program in family groups and community outreach programs. Approximately, 250 children have enrolled in AMO® in Oaxaca since the first of the year. By the end of the year, with God’s help, we will have completed three AMO® trainings in the state.

Each year the gathering is meant to help leaders from various parts of México and the United States to build relationships for the development of wholistic Biblical-Christian education and discipleship in México. Participants include parents, pastors, teachers, Children’s Home staff, publishers and teens-who-teach. This year’s conference was organized by volunteers from host church, Centro Familiar Christiana Nueva Vida of Oaxaca, Semilla, Walk With Mexico™, and AMO® México. Tentative plans are for MeXED 2015 to take place in Tabasco, a state in southeastern México that is poised to impact the nation for Christ.

This year’s conference speakers included, Rev. José Luis Montecillos Chipres (author and historian), Rev. Rocío Carmona (Assemblies of God District Director of Christian Education in Oaxaca), Esteban Cortes Solís (Christian educator and professor of Pedagogy at UNAM), D.Min. Francelia Chávez de McReynolds (Co-director and National Trainer for AMO® México), and Lic. José de Jesús Lucero Ramírez (Christian educator and professor of Law at UNAM). In addition, representatives from several ministries from both the U.S. and México gave their testimonies and shared about the work that God is doing in their midst. One of those is Foundation For His Ministry children’s home of Tlacolula, Oaxaca.

The home for approximately 60 children is developing their own school and expanding their campus. The MeXED and AMO® trainings have proved useful for the home for contacting new teachers for the school that have God’s vision for the children’s great potential and individuality in Jesus Christ.

Points for Prayer: 

Pray that vision for wholistic Biblical-Christian education, for all vocations and every part of life, will continue to spread throughout Oaxaca and all of México.

Pray for strength and encouragement for the teachers and parents that we train using AMO®. Pray that those around them would understand and support them in their calling.

Pray for the children at Foundation For His Ministry, and for children throughout Oaxaca and all of México and the America’s to know God’s love, potential, and purpose for each of their lives.