| HOME SCHOOLING / INTERNATIONAL |  |
| Mexico |
Homeschool Conference Broadcast Around the World
By Mike Richardson
I find it interesting that Luke 9:51 tells us that Jesus “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” In spite of the circumstances—he set his face to go. In order to get a more complete understanding we must first ask why? Why did he set his face to go to Jerusalem?
Jesus determined in his heart to go to Jerusalem because he knew that there was a great victory to be won there—at great personal sacrifice. Yet he unwaveringly marched forward into the greatest battle. He was resolute and single-minded. He set his face to go and go he did.
A few months ago, internationally known radio host and conference speaker Kevin Swanson received a call from a friend asking him to come for a weeklong visit. But not just any visit! His friend asked him if he would travel throughout northern Mexico with him. After doing an internet search for Ciudad Mier and understanding the risks, Kevin set his face to go! While many thought he had lost his mind and most warned him, Kevin had set his face to go and go he must. Within what seemed like moments, two friends, Chad Roach and Daniel Swanson, stepped up as well. Kevin’s unwavering march forward had caused these two young men to step out of the comfort of the known and to walk with conviction beside him!
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Mothers shopping for homeschool resources |
On August 8, 2011, Kevin, Chad and Daniel were met at the Monterrey airport by Samuel and Isaac Richardson as well as the friend who had invited Kevin. Together the six of them set their faces to go to Ciudad Mier and Miguel Aleman, two war-torn cities in the heart of the recent unrest caused by drug cartels. Following two intense days, they began to make their way south again only to be detained by government officials and then turned back. Having seen the Lord’s hand in every aspect of the trip and believing that it was the Lord’s will to continue, the men traveled back through Ciudad Mier, Miguel Aleman and then through Camargo and Monterrey and finally arrived at a peaceful village nestled high in the Sierra Madre mountains.
After resting for a day, Kevin along with the other men made their way to Saltillo, the capital of the state of Coahuila, for a homeschool conference hosted by Spanish homeschool support group El Hogar Educador, one of six conferences to be held this year in Mexico. After the earlier adventures, a homeschool conference seemed like it had the potential to be a pretty tame event, but it wasn’t! Men from all over the world were crying out to God—asking him to touch families and make a difference for eternity. God heard their cry.
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The homeschool orchestra performed during the Saltillo conference |
Nearly 1,200 people came together for two full days of teaching in Saltillo. They, like Kevin and his team, traveled a long, tough road, but they had set their faces to go. They arrived from nineteen Mexican states, the US states of Texas, Maryland, and Montana, as well as the country of Guatemala. Kevin and others had set their faces to go—to show the world that men must step up and be men, not just by teaching, but through their example of facing the giants and not turning back.
But what about the others—those who could not go? Who would tell them? How would they learn the truth about raising godly men in an ungodly world? Who would stand in the gap for them?
Just as Kevin had set his face to go, many months earlier, Zabdiel Torres had set his face to stand in the gap for men and women all over the world! Since March 2011, he had been planning and working to make 100% of the conference teaching available live, over the internet, to anyone who desired to listen. Not only did 556 unique viewers from many different parts of the world tune in and attend the live broadcasts—along with the 1,200 people who attended locally—but one church gathered 34 families around a computer to attend the meeting and learn about God’s vision for the family!
Sometimes we wonder where God is when life is difficult. Yet there are great victories to be won! Set your face to go.
Be strong. Be of good courage. Fear not. Do not be afraid. It is the Lord God who will go with you. He will not fail you. He will not forsake you.
Set your face to go.
The victor fellowships with people full of faith—people who have set their face to go.
Don’t become companions of those who steal your faith and suck the joy out of your life. Fellowship with people full of faith—men who dream big—people who give you courage to believe in the impossible—people who believe in the power of God—people like Kevin, Zabdiel, Chad, Daniel, Samuel, Isaac, and others who have shown us the way.
Richardson is founder of El Hogar Educador, an organization that ministers to the booming homeschool population in Mexico.
