You have been reading about Seminario Teologico Seguidores de Cristo
(STSDC)and perhaps are asking what is it and how did it come about?
This is how the Lord placed in our heart to start STSDC. It is
wonderful to go down memory lane and see the marvelous things the Lord
has done through the years! We have also asked our Brother Bill Mayk to share his view and memories.
After we moved to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas Mexico in 1987. I had the
desire to start a technical school to teach teenagers technical skills
such as tool making, carpentry, electrical aside from the main goal
Bible knowledge. Why a technical school? Because it is my profession.
Why teach the Bible? Because God is my passion.
Every time I would set out to start this program I was invited to preach at
various churches. Many of them located in the mountains and the La
Candona Jungle. This of course would postpone my plans! I remember on
our first Christmas in Mexico my family and I were invited to visit 11
churches in 12 days! It was a marathon, since we had to drive, ride on
horses and even walk in order to arrive on time for the evening
services in various mountain villages.
The pastor of one of these mountain village congregations invited me
to share again. After the service I found out that he had invited six
pastors from the other mountain villages located five, seven and even
twelve hours walking distance from the one I was visiting. Each pastor
asked me for my notes with the permission to share the message to
their congregations, and would also invite me to their church. Which
again all seven pastors would attend and ask for my notes to share
with the congregations! I realized that they were eager to learn how
to teach the Word verse by verse. It was then that I started praying
for someone with the ability to teach and the desire to serve along
side us.
On one of our trips to visit our family in Albuquerque. A good friend
of ours, Bill Mayk, who had just graduated from Bible Collage,
expressed the desire to teach others what he had learned in Bible
Collage. That to me was an answer to prayer! At the time we had plans
to go to Guatemala with a group from Athletes in Action. We were
scheduled to be in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala in seven days from the
day I spoke with Bill. So I gave Bill the telephone number of where we
were going to be in the event he had any questions as he prayed about
joining us.
We left for Guatemala and as we were arriving to the church where we
were going to stay, the pastor of the church came out to greet us and
told us that someone was on the telephone for Carlos Casco. I was
surprised to learn that Bill Mayk was on the telephone to let me know
that his prayer time concerning this matter was over! The Lord had
confirmed that he should join us and pledged one year in Mexico.
At the end of our time in Guatemala we drove back to Albuquerque and then back to Chiapas with our new family member!
At our arrival in Chiapas the local pastors from different
denominations greeted us and enthusiastically announced that their
were nineteen young men that had expressed the desire to attend the
new Bible Seminary. The Seminary was designed to be attended every
Saturday from 8am to 3pm. With a break around 12 for lunch, which my beautiful wife prepared every week (delicious food)! Bill would prepare the weekly teachings from Monday to Wednesday in English, I would translate them, and our daughter Angela would type
them on a Word processor (the dinosaur of computer technology), that
would loose memory and Angela would have to retype the work that was
already done! Fridays my daughters Angela and Yolee would make copies
adding pages to the student’s books on a weekly basis. On Saturday
Bill would teach in English and I would translate to Spanish on
occasions I would have Angela translate. We also had two other pastors
teaching.
Monday through Wednesday I would travel to the mountain villages to
visit the seven pastors that I shared about above. I would teach them and others
what I had translated for Bill the previous Saturday. So we had nineteen students at home and 15 students in the mountains from various locations.
After the year Bill returned to the United States and I was left on my
own to continue STSDC for two more years.
This past year the sons of the pastors that had attended the STSDC have e-mailed and shared that their fathers have taught them all they learned with us and they are now the new generation of pastors! Some of these pastors have continued to teach through out the years!
In coming to Spain our direction in ministry changed somewhat being
that we started a church, yet our desire has always been to disciple
and prepare people to serve in ministry, the Lord has and continues to
confirm that we pursue in the direction of preparing men and women for
ministry. It has been a blessing to see the fruit of the ministry done
in Mexico and now Bolivia.
Please keep us in your prayers that the Lord would give us wisdom,
strength, and boldness to continue in His work in the three countries
He has graciously lead us to serve.
May the Lord bless you!
Seeking His Kingdom,
Carlos and Yolanda
BILL MAYK'S SUMMARY
I wish to thank Carlos and Yolee Annette for inviting me to participate in this blog.
From my recollection Carlos and his family had been working on the mission field in Mexico while I was attending Bible College. He returned to Albuquerque around the same time that I graduated. We discussed the idea of working together to organize a school that would train indigenous pastors and missionaries in Mexico. Many men were already preaching and pastoring churches but had never finished high school and were therefore unable to acquire traditional seminary education. They very much wished to enhance their abilities to teach and pastor through furthering their education.
We decided to give some time to prayer concerning God’s leading in such an endeavor. As Carlos noted in his post, he returned to Mexico/Guatemala and I remained in Albuquerque working in IT and waiting upon the Lord. Through prayer and circumstances I felt as though this was an open door of opportunity to further the gospel and use the education I had recently received. After contacting Carlos he returned to Albuquerque to pick up his refugee.
On his return trip to New Mexico the school bus that Carlos used lost its transmission about 30 miles south of Albuquerque. With the help of a brother from Calvary Chapel we replaced the transmission and prepared to leave for Tuxtla, the capital of the state of Chiapas. (This was an example of things to come – Having no idea how to replace a transmission in a bus we just jumped in with both feet. It was that same spirit that kept us going forward as we planted a school – having no idea of what we were doing. Looking back one can only say – To God be the glory, great things He has done!)
Prior to leaving Albuquerque Carlos was ordained for the work through Calvary Chapel, we acquired Spanish textbooks for the courses, equipment to bind books and even got hold of a rather large x-ray machine to take to a clinic in Chiapas. We loaded the bus and Carlos, Yolanda, Angela, Yolee and I headed for Mexico.
For the first few months we stayed in Tuxtla until Carlos found a house in San Cristobal de las Casas. These months enabled us to make further contacts, grow together as a team and seek God’s direction for the ministry to come. We began classes in a church until we were able to rent a home and transfer the classes to that location.
As we began our courses it became evident quickly that theological jargon was unsuitable for our students. We had to begin at ground level and take them slowly through the Bible without trying to impress them with great sounding terminology. The enthusiasm and desire to learn that these students exhibited was a witness to the love of God they had already come to experience in their own lives.
Many (most) of our students had been persecuted for their faith in Christ. On a personal level they were more capable of teaching me about the power of God. By the time I left I realized that their studies were actually only enabling them to communicate the truths of Christ’ faithfulness that they had already lived.
As Carlos noted in his blog, everyone in the family had their share of work to do. As we taught our courses the local ministers were very supportive and grateful for the work among the indigenous pastors. We learned to work together to develop ministers that would glorify God by blessing their churches.
Besides our weekly routines we all seemed to find other ministries in which to be involved. Carlos was much sought after as a teacher in local churches. He also had much to do maintaining the vehicles and coordinating campaigns (evangelistic meetings) with other pastors. He was often requested to speak at ordination services in remote villages and to preach at worship services for the Alliance of pastors. He maintained a close relationship and was an encouragement to other missionaries.
Looking back I am amazed at all that Yolanda did each and every day. As a clueless bachelor I don’t believe I ever realized how much effort it took Yolanda to maintain the practical side of the school, care for her family, counsel pastor’s wives, reach out to neighbors and accompany Carlos on his engagements in the villages. – Thanks Yolanda!
Angela was not only the editor of all our work but she ensured that it was printed and bound each week for each student. She was also the primary instructor as Yolee continued her home schooling education.
I did a lot of my study and preparation in coffee shops. Since San Cristobal was a popular destination for tourists I was able to witness Christ to people from Canada, Holland, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland and Australia. A local pastor began inviting me to preach with him as my interpreter because, “More people will come to hear a gringo!”
It is humbling to know that the work, which was started almost 20 years ago, is still producing fruit for the Kingdom of God. I am happy to see the Lord continuing to use the Cascos as they seek to equip others and bring the gospel to bear in the lives of those that have yet to know our precious Savior.
In Christ’ service,
Bill Mayk
Pastor, Grace & Peace Presbyterian Church (PCA)
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