I just got back from a week down in Mexico and let me tell you this, if I were to make a list of the best weeks of my life, this last week would take the number 1 spot. Let me explain.

I arrived on Monday the 15th with one goal in mind, find somewhere to live offsite for when I move down in May. The biggest hang up with this transition has been where I am going to live so that was my top priority and what I thought I'd be spending my whole week doing. I thought my week would be spent talking to people in town who may have a room for rent, looking at apartments in la mision and meeting with realtors but oh how wrong was I, God had other things in mind. It's amazing how quickly and clearly He made it know to me that this week was to be used for something else. There I was, mind set on spending a week in Mexico looking for somewhere to live and I kid you not within 2 hours of arriving on Monday a friend of mine at the orphanage came up to me and said "did you hear what Pastora (pastor's wife) said?" "no" I said, "I haven't." "I guess someone mentioned your name at the church and she said she would LOVE for Neto (me) to come live with us!" There it was, an entire week of work finished in 2 hours. Believe me I was so excited but puzzled at the same time. I went up to my room and sat on the bed and started praying. "LORD God, why am I here? 1 week of being here is me losing out on a weeks income. I thought you brought me down here this week to find somewhere to live. What do you have for me? Show me what you want to show me this week, show me why I'm here." Let's just say this, God's timing is nothing but perfect and there was a precise reason he had me at DOFO that week.



I went on with business as usual. Another volunteer and I made a run to a girl's house who used to live at the orphanage to say hi, then of course stopped by the panadaria for some scrumptious pastries and then up to pick one of the older girls up from school but still, no answer. Nothing had happened, things were just "normal" and as much as I was enjoying myself I started thinking I could be at Olive Garden right now working since I still have plenty of debt to pay off in 2 months. The next day however, God got the ball rolling.



I don't know exactly how to explain everything that happened in the next 5 days but my eyes were opened. Through testimonies and through God's word He made one thing very evident to me. Satan is real, the devil is real and he is doing and will continue to do everything he possibly can to pull me away from my walk with Christ and the closer I get, the harder he's going to pull. My entire Christian walk if you had asked me about Satan, demons or hell if you had asked if they existed I wouldn't have hesitated to say yes, of course they do the bible says so. But it was made real to me. Now I'm not saying I saw the devil or any demons or angles for that matter but God brought to my attention the severity of the spiritual warfare that goes on everyday all over the world. At first I was terrified, scared out of my mind then a friend came to me and said this "Ernesto, you can't give Satan that power that's exactly what he wants. The devils biggest tool is fear and in you being scared of Satan, you're giving him the glory. You must NOT fear anything but God. Take comfort in this, we win and Satan knows that." My friend was right what do I have to be afraid of? "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38, 39 At my old college group in Santa Clarita we used to play a song that were those exact words from Romans 8 and believe me that song rang through my head for the entire week and continues to play over and over everyday. It's not that the Satan that roams Mexico like a prowling lion is any different than the devil I've fought my entire life here in the States but his methods are different there. Here we are so vulnerable to Satan's subtle attacks whereas in the part of Mexico I'll be moving to Satan doesn't have the tools he has in the states to deceive us so he is forced to take a more direct approach, an approach I'd heard rumors of but never truly acknowledged existed. Here in the states those subtle attacks can be through something as seemingly innocent as a "hello kity" doll or through the media, dirty humor or even through politics. Here in the sates we've surrounded ourselves with earthly riches to the point where we've almost invited Satan to come and live next door to us ultimately resulting in a nation of sin corrupt people or "lukewarm" Christians. "So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 8:16 My heart is broken. I look around my fellow Christian friends and realize how many of them are "lukewarm" just going through the motions. I'VE BEEN THERE, I know the feeling and I know the comfort and security that the "lukewarm" lifestyle brings. But I desire that nobody would be spit out of the mouth of God. I am on my knees in anguish everyday thanking God for bringing me up out of the miry clay and setting me on fire for Him and pleading for the same to happen in my loved one's lives. I would love to sit her and expound on exact incidents and share with you specific stories but I feel that it would take me pages upon pages to fully explain everything that happen those last 5 days.I now know why God had me down there last week He was letting me know "this fight, isn't a joke and must be taken seriously." If I expect to fight as a warrior of Christ I must strive everyday to be pure and holy before the throne of God that no fault may be found within me. The first step of that process is cutting out the subtle tools of Satan that I've let corrupt my character for the last 20 years.



On a lighter note... I'm still here in P-ville and still trying to get financially ready for Mexico. Working the 2 jobs still at Denny's and Olive Garden but the income is not enough on it's own to get me down by my goal of May 1st. I know that for some of you even sending 1 dollar is impossible and that's ok. Be still and listen to the voice of God in your hearts if the holy spirit puts it on your heart to bless me financially, do it if not please lift me up in your prayers! It will be through God's provision alone that I raise the money needed by May 1st and it'll be through servants like yourselves through whom He works.

Send checks to:

603 canal street

Placerville, ca 95667

if you have a paypal account you can also financially bless by by clicking on the "donate" button on the top of my blog.

En Su manos

Ernesto

The adventure begins... before it starts

Let me start by saying this.... I really don't like blogging, love writing but don't like blogging and even though I do love writing, I'm no English professional so forgive me for my incomplete sentences and improper use of the English language. However, I feel this is the easiest and most effective way for you to know what's going on in my life and how you can be praying for me. So because your prayers are far more valuable than my dislike for blogging, here we are. I will try and blog no less than monthly while I'm still here in the States and no less than bi-weekly while I'm in Mexico.

As many of you know I still am not 100% sure that I will be moving to Mexico and volunteering at Door of Faith. While this is and has been my desire for the last 1.5 years there are still some little details that are being worked out and I have yet to get a definite answer from the orphanage director but I've started the "process" regardless. In December of '09 I moved back to my hometown of Placerville, CA to live with a couple named Mike and Kate Logan from Green Valley Community Church (GVCC) who graciously opened their doors to me and are providing me with a place to live and to save money while I work towards my goal of moving to Mexico. I'm still working as a server at Olive Garden just now I'm in Folsom and God has crazily blessed me with a second gig at Denny's working the GRAVEYARD shifts 2-3 times nights a week so needless to say, I'm exhausted. God has really been testing my patience and my desire to be a good witness to those I work with in the secular world. With the two jobs and being involved in youth and worship ministry at GVCC I haven't had a full day off in the last month, I've always got something scheduled but it's good and I am really thankful for the relationships I've been building at Green Valley and will be sad to leave them when I do. The enemy has definitely been trying to use my weakness when I'm tired to cause me to not want to do my daily devotions or maybe to not be a very good Christ-like example at work.... I'm not perfect and it's been hard, so pray if you would.



As far as my Mexico plans are concerned... I am currently at $-6,000.00 :( Because of a series of unfortunate and somewhat foolish events when I lived in so-cal I have that 6k dollar debt. 6k alone really isn't that large of a debt paid off over a year or even 6 months for that matter. The problem is my goal is to move to Mexico on May 1st, 2010. That means I have to make 2k dollar payments at the end of February, March, and April for this to be possible. The problem is my new Olive Garden in Folsom is much slower and I'm only bringing in around $1,000 per month compared to the $1,800-$2,000 I was making per month in so-cal, thus the need for a 2nd job.

I still have no clue how I'm going to make $6k in the next 3 months and maybe I won't. Maybe I won't move to Mexico until June 1st, or even July 1st, or never. I am a firm believer that my life is not my own. I am in His hands now and always have been. You know, little side note for you here. I've been doing a 365 study with my friend Brendan from DOFO and we just finished Genesis and just started Exodus.... It is AMAZING to see God's ultimate control and His pure faithfulness in fulfilling His promises for His people. At the same time we've been reading through Psalms, Matthew and Acts. To step back and see the unrelenting faith of the early believers in Acts, the faithfulness of David in Psalms, and to watch the life and ministry of my Savior unfold in Matthew, I have been extremely encouraged and convicted in this last month and a new meaning has come to the words "all scripture is inspired by God..." 1 Tim 3:16 Our God is powerful, wonderful, loving, just, kind, sovereign, and has me right in His arms, I need not worry. All that just to say that I know who am I, and am excited to watch God's wonderful plan for my life unfold. I know that God makes us passionate to serve Him and God has instilled in me a passion to serve at DOFO I cannot explain. It's like nothing I've ever felt before and when I'm there I have this unexplainable joy. There is no feeling like serving the God of the universe where He has made you passionate. I have a yearning desire to be in Mexico and everyday my heart aches for the kids at DOFO. I long to be with them and to serve them; I cannot thank you enough for your prayers in this journey.

Things to be praying for

-Focus. that throughout the chaos of my schedule that I would continue to focus on devoting the necessary time alone one on one with Jesus.

-Money issues. I know He will provide, but just that I would continue to trust that He will. Too often I find myself thinking I should have gotten a better tip or more tables in a shift and asking Him "why didn't You have them tip me more? every cent counts ya know?" So that I would continue again, to focus.

-Witnessing opportunities. Living up here and seeing old friends and talking to customers at work I'm constantly asked "so, why'd you move back?" This brings an EXCELLENT opportunity to share my testimony and how God's working in my life. So pray that I would have the courage and not only courage, but that I'd be excited and unashamed to share what God is doing in my life.

I do appreciate your prayers and if you feel God has put it on your hear to support me financially with a one time donation or are interested in being a monthly supporter (honestly, no donation is too small)

send 1 time donations to (while I still live in the U.S.)

603 Canal Street Placerville, CA 95667... checks made out to Ernest Duke




or for information on becoming a monthly supporter please contact me at 530.651.4469 or through email at ernesto42189@yahoo.com