lUth

MEXICAN BIBLE SEMINARY

YEAR OF SERVICE FOR AN INDIGENOUS MEXICAN CHURCH

Western Mexico Cliristian ,Mission

MAIL: APARTADO

POSTAL No.

350

OFFICE: CALLE TLAXCALA 109 PTE.

HERMOSILLO. SO^ORA. MEXICO.

GERALD D. BOWLIN, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

MRS. GENEVA S. BOWLIN. DISPENSARY-CLINIC

'

ALEJANDRO JULIAN. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

1 96 U

^^THER M. JULIAN. BIBLE SCHOOLS

YSAH'S a time for an inventory of ones-nelf end a time for needed resolutions.

In

Mexico it is also a tine to give all your friends rnd acquaintances an "aliraso", Ca "bearhug) and '.rish them a happy and prosperous Hevr Year, That you do in Feh, or !Iarch if you
have not seen them since the year '"began. Me have lived in Mexico over S. years, and.in

that length of time one adopts some of the customs of the-country.

So

our "a"brazo",

hand shake, healthy pat on the "back and a v/ish for a prosperous Hev; Year is coming to
you v.'ith this year-end letter and foto of the Bowlin Family, ^'/e hp.ve not grovm, in number
this year"but in s-i-z-el

iTev; Year I963 found m^'" mother, step-dad.and aunt visiting us and joining in on the tamale
eating, the fire cracker popping, and the "abrazos". Vfe' spent the next day talcing them
to Guaymas. Mother had been to Hermo^illo twice before, but didn't "loiow" Guayraas. Me
hear they are peeved at themselves for not mailing the same trip again this past Chrictnasi
The.Bob Winters (Hin.Sierra Vista, Ariz) also cane by viith their three youngsters. Months
later they "sheepishly" asked me if v/e got measles in Jan,no, no measles. Said their

youngsters broke out the next d^ after they left here.

We. have no such luck with our

kids, Bob and Kathy waited until they were 10 and 8 years old to get measles!

Ho doubt

the little ones v/ill too!

Ben and Maudie Singletary have had their trailer parked in our back y.rd for some time,
and came and went throughout the.year. Ben shov/s film on the Life of Christ and encour

ages students to sign, up for a Bible Correspondeiice course. He and "Gerry showed his film
in the Churches and preaching points near Kermosillo, A, wonderful viay to get the x^eople
to read the Scriptures.

Other "ev; Year visitors viere Bob Robertson and his daughter from Palmdale, Calif, Bob
came several times throughout the year. Les Foote came viith him, they go to Alamos,
about 200 miles south of here, a famous mining town! . Sam and Sonia Swinford v/ere here

a number of v/eek-ehds.

The "winter" in Tucson and Guaymas (fishinrg) escape the cold,

vret, and doctor bills of I-ilinois.

FnDRUARY

brought confusion at its best (or v;orse).

I had promised to mal:e and decorate

a wedding calce for a neighbor girl to be ready for the v/edding on Sun, Feb. 3* So-o-o
plenty ahead of time I ctart making butter-cream frosting to store in the referigerator
to be ready to use v/hen the 3^ boxes of calce mix were balced. Thursda;;.'" noon I v/as happily

ma.king frosting when the nevrs arrived; "Bsther (Julian) just v;ent to the ho^ital, her
baby is coming e'arly! "

I drop everything, even forgot to cover the nearly finished

frosting, grab a uniform and dash a.cross tovm. to "ilaternidad del Perpetuo Soccoro"
(Maternity of perpetual Help) oxmed and operated by our friend, Dr. Brnesto Galindo,
spent the rest of the day and all nite vdth her "waiting". Fri. morning I dash home,
balre more cakes, and a U P.M. ds.sh back to the hospital. The baby girl was.born about
dark, lived about an hour. Her lungs v/ere not strong enough to do tHeir job. Burial
v/as immediate, even tho it was nite. We go back to see Bsther for e, fev; minutes, then
home and start baking calces again.

Midnite, and I am just getting into "bed, when I hear the Doctor at the door.

siirgeryi

EilSRGMCY

Esther^'s sister iiad "been hrovight up from l}er home 1200 miles .^o.utli witfc a ruptured

appendix. (Soriie/sort of a fiesta in their yillage'^d rto, surgery was Ije-in^ dohe.)
again and into "bed at U A.II.

Home

at 9 to'finish "baJcing cakes, finisli 'malcing frosting and

start putting it together in time to allov;- everyone time to enjoy it "before the vredding.
l/edding cakes in Mexico are something to see, they "are put together on separators made of

ply v;ood, the "bottom "plate" ahout 6 inches off the floor is U to 5
are 12 to IS inches high, and the final height is 5
the cake,

more.

across. The deviders

All sorts-of things "adorn"

Svrans, horns of plenty, sprays of flovrers, cupids, church "buildings as v/ell as

the traditional "bride and groom. All this made out of "gum paste" tliat dries rock-liard.
The calce v/as "beautiful v/hen it was' finished, the v;edding v:as nice, and the reception vras
almost

as fabulous as the cake.

Eeb, 17 v;as Missionary Day at Valley Cliristian Church, Tucson, Gerry spoke, the tv/o little

girls "entertained" the nursery, Zenaida Galindo (our Doctor's v;ife) and I 'supervised a
Mexican dinner.

It was her first time to visit an American Church,

She came av/ay very

muclily impressed. Was tiirilled that "They introducedlier before the v/hole Church." She
does not spealc English, but everyone loved her just to meet her, she is a v/onderful person.
On the v;ay home my Kombi motor decided to burn up,

Gerry caught a ride into Hermosillo,

v/oke Alex and they came in his pick up and pulled us home.
thought v;e would freeze to death waiting in the car-;
kids at 6 A,M, for 7 A. M. classes.

Vfe v/ere about SO niies-out,

""Got home in time to v/alce the school

I vras glad to see i-iAROK

come.

One afternoon v;e looked out the vrindov; to see a nam getting out of a'taxi at our gate.

other tlian Wilbur Mulcaliey from Arcata, Calif,

Hone

We found him (about 7 years ago) vrith a

"frozen" motor-cycle about UO miles from ITogales, Arizona, on the Mexican side. We picked
himand motor up and hauled him to "Tinkers", he has visited us and them several times
since.

On March 17 v;e. had the pleasure of seeing our neighbors, Begnino and Erancisca Anaya accept

Christ and foliov; His command of baptism. (They are'Vicki's parents, she became a Christian
about a year ago). Two others were baptized with them. When we arrivedfor the baptism

we were suprised to see Fna. Lolita (iTana) from Benjamin Hill, (Church property care-taker
there).

She had come to Hermosillo to be excuniiied in the State Hospital.

Our friend Al Moray arrived from Pacoima,-Cali-f, -Mexican passport in hand, on his .way to
Guadalajara to start a v;ork among the retired English speaking people there. He and Gerry

go to llogales to get the final stamps, seals- and ribbons

on his "little book" and see

his furniture thru customs and on its v/ay'soutli. In S months Al and Billie liad proven to
themselves that it v;ould take at the very least 20 years to establish a self-Supporting'"

v;ork in Guadalajara.

The Americans seem to retire to Mexico from everything, Cliristianity

first Of alll

iiaryvale Christian Church,' Phoenix, Ariz,

did things differentthey invited a Mexican,

Alex Julian, to preach their pre-Easter meeting and Gerry went along to interpret, V/e
had -planned to gothe'v/hole family, but the little ones chose tliat time to-get sick-and

Mama" had to stay-home. Bob-went to-; Sierra Vista to v/ork for Bob, Winters,. (Ken Gaff Trailer
Sales), Kathy v/ent with Ifeddy to Phoen'i-x and Oscar decided-to go to ilogales, Sonora.

Alex,

Esther and their tv/d boys enjoyed the v/eek in the Phoenix area very much.

You remember, last s'ummer Gerry had an argument v/ith a cow coming home from Summer Camp?

The covj v/alked away, the insurance company paid for the YJ sedan. (Gerry got a peeled

shoulder, Oscar had a cut Icnee) Gerry finally found another Y\I he liked and used the
insurance check (plus) in time to make the trip to Phoenix and to find out it needed main

bearings and crank shaft,

A.bout nov/ v/e v/ere readv*- to trade all cars for iiexico's most

faithful mode of travel, "the burro".

-3-

A-oril 26th and Gerry left for the Hational Cliristian Convention, Long Beach,. Calif. via

Cincinnati, Oliio. heft me his uork, pins all of mine v;hile he vra's on vacation (?). :Yacation means a "change" doesn't it? He traveled, loresented the v;ork of Hestem-liexico. to .

nev; "olaces as well as telling "old" friends of the ^TOgress.

Hay 1st. is Lahor Bay in Ilexico and a holiday. That's the day we chose to find out what

ws "inside" liana. She liad heen told at the State Hospital that she had a tumor and it
Imd to come out "tomorrow". She was afraid she could not live tliru surgery, {she is more
or less 70 years old). I took her to have Dr. Galindo .give us his opinion. After -many,

ouestions, he finally asked me "Vihy does she want to he operated in jthe State Hospital? |

f told him she nor I had money for an operation.

His answer was: Sehora, that is the. -md

of people it is our duty to help, we-vrill operate herei" V/e spent^5 1/2 hours cleaning
her outi

As for standing the operation, she didn't go into the slightest shock, nor o.id

she have any temoerature. Five days later I brought her horae, Br. sayst "Uhat a J-Jdna.
Clinically speaking it is in^jossihle, hut there she is!" liana sayfi: 'Hell, its sinmle;
The Lord v;asn't ready for me up there yet!"

In JUITE Gerry va'ote that he would like to liave Katiiy meet him in Phoenix and go to^the

Convention and . visit his folks with him. So to Phoenix we went, nuLu, the tv;o hahies,
and I. 'Said good-hye to ICatliy and Daddy; they went/one direction and v;e the otnor.

llien thev iktus they said "See you on your birthday (July lO)," Says I, "Oh yeah, you
won't even he home for our ISth wedding anniversary (July 20)"* They arrived in Kermosillo
just before midnite July 27thj

Hhile Gerry was gone, the ovmer of the house we live in (and* have lived in since we moyea
to Hexico) sent to tell me he had to sell the house and did we^want to buy it? ..ant to
yes, at least v;e didn't v/ant to move, hut nothing to buy it v^ithj

AUGUST came, hot as usual, not much rain, so we were" glad it was camp time ^in Southern
Arizona. Dsther Julian, LuLu, Becky, Veva and I v;ent to do our part at Senior Camp.

:3sther helped in the kitchen, Lulu kept an eye on the hahies; the little s.cu)ri:s would
oorve up to the garhage cans at nite, and Eeclcy wanted to catch a Kitty , ojid Xserred
as iiission teacher. LuLu had never heen to a Cliristian, Service Gamp hefore. .and enjoyed
it very much. Boh was in camp too; Katliy was working for Doctor Galmdo; Osc^ was visit
ing in Calif,, Gerry was doing his work and nine toofor a cliajige. The mydie o tog.
it started raining and in one hour four inches-fell on Hermosillo, some 7 to 10 inches
east of Hermosillo and almost filled the lake! It had heen so dry that y^was dry enough
to clow hefore the rains started, even in the lowest spot! Ray ana Carol oorqng and ag..
Uncle came dovm to go fishing at Guajcnas. Gerry alv/ays likes an excuse to be an

interpreter on a fishing trip!

alv/ays brings the beginning of "school end the trips that, one has to make to
get'everv pacer signed and everything in order is trying! Ue heve three of our o\in in
secondarv school, plus another three neighborhood kids we try to help. The oose ends

tied u-D,"and Gerry and Xatliy go to Tucson. Gerry's birthday is Sept. 5 and he had to re
new hi's Arizona driver's license. He v/as to be home 7:or his birthday party, (I adv^ced
the day one day to be sure, and even then thought we would have to liave his partj. without
him') They returned "just in tine" for the party. Tacos, salad,cake and sodas, inat
has become an annual neighborhood event! LuLu's birthday was the gth, so I managed to
Euprise her with a "heart-cake". She was IS, spends more time v;ith us than any where.
Bob and Gretchen 'Jintens brought Bobby hone in time to start to school, (thqy
^
excuse to go fishing too). Seminary classes began too. nite classes tnis year to allov
working men to attend, hathy began teaching a "reading and writing class .for_adults.
Hana had a cliance to visit "home" (Benjamin Hill)," returned saying: "You Imow, B. Hill is
not nearly as pretty as ,I thought it was!" She. returned in time for our Jestern aexico
Christian Convention held the first few days of 0CT0B5E.

0CT03jiH aiid. Ka.tliy "begins thinicing about her birthday. (She v/as 1^- on the 27th).

oil a "back-yard" party similar to her dadd;j/'s.

Ue decided

Her's resulted in about 100 people, (youth,

parents" and children) and

vjould liave been a shortage of tortilla's for tacos, but there
liad been a v/edding across the street the nite before and they had left over tortillas^
saved, by left over tortillasi

I had promised to make the v/edding cake for -the v;edding, just a little one, only 10 packe.ges
of prepared miz v/ere used.

Sight in the middle of it all a telephone call came from our

Forv/arding Agent, Mrs. Fran Tinker.

Her husband had suffered pneumonia again (the third

time since his "heart attack a year ago) she "v/as exhausted, could I come up and help a fev;
days?

I finish decorating the v/edding calce, balce ICatliy's birthday cake, leave our friend

Slsa Bermtidez (our lav/yer's v/ife) to decorate ICathy's cake and to supervise her birthday

party, Ifeifanio Chairez to do the"biria" (taco filling) and off I go to the border to take
care of "Pappy Tinker". I hear the party v/as qydie a success, someone said "ICathy got more
gifts than the bride didj"

Katliy v/as happy.

"Papiy" had been planning to cone to Hermosillo as soon as the v/eather cooled a bit, so as
soon as he v/as able to be moved (the 11th) Fran and I loaded him into my Kombi and brought
him to lov/er, v/armer Hermosillo, He arrived about S P.il, and as soon, as Dr. Galihdo v/as
notified he carne to check him. T\-/o da.ys later v/e move him to Dr. G's hospital v/here he

seemed to steadily improve, but on Hov, 19th at 12:20 (noon)

Pappy peacefully v/eiit to

sleep. 'Hien Fraav had me ask the Doctor for his bill for S days care, he said: "For me to
present her v/ith a bill at this time v/ould only serve to make her heavy burden liarder to
bear.

There will be no billj"

Arrangements v/ere made to move the body back to ITogales, and Fran and I leave early the
next morning to return to the border, Alex and Dsther Julian and E^ifanio Cliairez come
v/ith Gerry on the day of the funeral. Gerry left the three girls v/ith the lav/yer and- his
v/ife, laiov/ing he v/ould be late getting back. He load planned to return the same daybut.,
k'liile v/e v/ere v/aiting to go to the ceraetary v/e hear the horrible nev/s of our President,
kexico v/as as shocked as the U.S. over the presidents death and as a sympathy measure

closed the border crossing completely for about 6 hours and dt v/as sometime the next ds.y
before traffic v/as back to normal. One can hardly describe the effects of the "closing"
of the border. Like v/ar or natural disaster, Red Cross set up soup kitchens]

Ray Strong, his father-in-lav/, Floyd DeForrest and his Uncle

ca/ne dov/n to g.o fishing.

Ray vov/s he v/ould come once a month if he could afford the insurance for his car]

(Costs

about a.-dollar a day),. .They enjoy the fish and sha.re it with their many friends in Tucson.
DSCDIiBER and the usual Christmas rush, I promised myself that I v/as going to get everything

done "ea.rly" this year, I did, early-Christmas-eveJ Park Avenue Christian Church,
k'ontebello, Calif, chose Western kexico Christian Ilission personnel to receive their
"Clvristmao for Others" project, and wanted fotos, letters, anything to create interest.

He kept our cameras v/orking for "days to "catch" everyone.

What a programi

How happy

they made everyone dov/n here

Cliristmas dinner, (?,s usual v/as at our house.

1/e enjoyed "^rc, Turkey" a gift from Bob

and Gretchen '.'inters v/hen they brouglit_ Bobby home in September. She had been in the deep
freeze-just v/aiting. Gerrj"" got out of bed to"eat", he liad the flu and iiad a hard time
getting over it,

December 26th is Alex Julian's birthday.

close to Christmas.

He insists no one remembers it, as it is so

I malce a special effort to see that someone does remember.

him a "Ilonogram Cake" and dscdrate it.

So made

Has quite nice...and as usual, (so it seems)

dashed for the border as soon as I finished the cake!

Desti nation, Maryvale Christian

Church, Phoenix, Jack Boal minister (on vacation) for the annual Ilexico Day.

Gerry v/as

to have gone but v/asn't over the flu, so v/e took Fpifanio Chairez ( v/e being all the kids
and l).

Everyone enjoyed "Glis.irez" and he chatters constantly about the trip, the size

"5-

01 the church, the size of Phoenix, nnd ahove all the friendliness and fellov;ship of the
people. Gerry had conpojiy v;hile v^e v;ere gone, the Asa I-Iurrov/s, Tucson, finally made good
their promise aiid came to hexico; sorry the kids and I v/eren't around to enjoy them, hut
thenone can't he everywhere!

BOB nov; l6 is just a fraction under 6 ft. tall, and is beginning to give his da.ddy "clothes
trouhle". He is still about as big around as a match sticky if he ever fills out he v/ill
be a good size man! He has been a Jr. Traffic Policeman this past year; says they don't
argue v/ith him v;hen he stops a carthey think he is a regular policeman! Fills in v;here
needed in the Churches here and even gives sermonnets once in a v/hile. Placed in sermonnet
contests in tv/o summer camps, one against first year Seminary Student, He finishes

secondary school here this spring and hopes to attend high school in Tucson next year and
earn a

high school diploma.

Very concerned about getting a job

worked for Bob '^'inters last suramer.

his sister to go soraev/here with

for the summer. He

He lias a reversed opinion of girls, even to ASJCIiTG

him novr and then.

OSCAR now IS, is not much shorter than Bob.

Hov; opinions BO cliangel

He grew taller than v;s expected. Spent the.

summer v;ith the Jolinny Williams Family in Bedlflov/er, Calif, and is making much better
grades in Fnglish. He still plays base ball, but spends more time on his studies than

he did,
school,

Talces his "church duties" quite serious, still ha,s one more year of secondary
-^hinks he v/ould like to. study engineering.

ICATJ-T is quite groim up for her ik years, in actions, (at times at least) is very capable
v;hat she WAISTS to do,

Worked for Dr. Galindo some this past summer, still teaches

Bible School and has taken on an adult "reading and writing"

class this year.

Thinks

she v/ants to be a nurse, but really she is a natural teacher.

The Bj\BII:SLittle' Geneva (VBVA) will be 3 on iiarch 25th.

are seldom apart,

BFCICY v;as 2 the 6th of ITov.

When they are apart for half an hour or more, you should see the kissing

and hugrging that goes onand such chattering telling each other v;hat they saw and did!

Veva is more serious, more loveable, but stands back and v;aits for you, is extremely
stubborn at times, and somevdiat pouty, but v/hen she gets over her "mad" she comes and

'makes up' by climbing up in your lap or asking to be picked up. Becky is

cyclone, turns tears on and off like a. faucet, does things she loiov/s merit
but does them just the same! i/ith her big black olive eyes, gets what she
tliat do not loiow them v;ill talce one look at the tv/o of them and say"tliat

a little
punishment,
v/ants. People
one is the one

tliat gives you grey-hairs! "

he (GFiTEVA) the usual hectic routine (constant confusion); I'd be bored to death with
anything less.
couldn't help.

I help in surgery, (Dr. Galindo has been Imov/n to refuse to operate if I

.Makes me feel important, at least!) Office v/ork still tal:es much of my

time and to keep a closer eye on the little ones, I have moved my office back to our
crov/ded bedroom. House, kids, meal plauining, back yard clinic, treating burns, and since
I had nothing else to do, decided to enroll in an adult education program sponsored by
Social Security and learn how to decorate cakes! Class meets three days a week, 4 to 6 Ph^
I've missed more classes than I ha.ve attended, but have learned a lot, and have enjoyed it
immensely. Calce malcing and decora.ting in liexico is like everything else, extreme: the
most fabulous things you ha.ve ever seen. There are tv/o expositions each year, one in
December and one in IIa.y, you should come aovd see one of them.

TTSPY still does the grocery buying once a v/eek, but he nov/ has an assistantBeclcy, He
ca.ys she chatters constantly to the girls in the market, and they v/ere shocked to learn
she v;a,s onlj'' 2 years old; they thought she v/a.s at least 4! Veva doesn't like going with
. ..Tunless ICathy v/ill go to:! Gerry still spends many hours at his desk, our days some
times start late in the morning, but they keep on until very late at nite , He has talcen
on the job of preaching in Colonia Olivares until they can locate a minister.

He teaches

-6-

Bi"ble School in the morning uid preaches at nite.

v/as to hold dovm a regular preaching johl

Says he had forgotten hov/ much v/ork it

I. said earlier'iv.'e have not grov/n in number this year

" but v/e have added

"ilAlTA".

Ho

hexican household is complete v;i,thout a "Hana".

(Hana means grandmother, but is used

for a loveable elderly person,' relative or not).

Hana is very much a j^art of the family.

Sees to the needs of everyone, especially that their" coffee cup is alv/aj'^s full.

"putters" has all the, animals, as v;ell as the kids spoiledi

She

Becky v/ent thru a stage

of blaming Hana for 'everything, but shadovjs her]

He are still, living in the same house, but faced v;ith the possibility of having to move
"any-day". Over S years in the sane spot--v/hat a horrid thought]
The v/ork is grov;ing, the natives are talcing more responsibility all the time, v;hich makes

us very iiappy: v/e a.re stillshort of native v/orkers ,

all the places \-iho have asked that "someone bb sent",
and come ta see us.

'le never have enough to send to

Hemember us daily in your prayers,

Vfe enjoy having visitors, v/ill try to shov; you an enjoyable time

as V7ell as vdiat a mission field is really like.

"

Love 'n prayers.

Uu,
Us

/vt/3^
BQULINS

MEXICAN-BIBLE SEMINARY

J4-TH YEAR OFSERVICE FOR AN INDIGENOUS MEXICAN CHURCH

Western Mexico Christian Mission

MAIL: APARTADO

POSTAL No.

350

OFFICE: CALLE TLAXCALA 109 PTE.

HERMOSILLO. SONORA. MEXICO.

GERALD D. BOWLIN, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

ALEJANDRO JULIAN. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

MRS. GENEVA S. BOWLIN. DISPENSARY-CLINIC

MRS. ESTHER M.

JUUAN, BIBLE SCHOOLS

Hay, 1964.
Dear Friends

of Western

riexico?

This month we feature our other missionary family,

ALFX JULIAJTS.
Brother ALFX has been with the ''ission since the founding of the original

Hexican Bible Seminary in Arizona, in 1950, and serves as its President;

Hrs. FSTT-IBR Julian joined the staff shortly thereafter.
ALBX is

cestory.

second

generation Jfexican Christian of Arab-Spanish-Indian

He was born and raised in a American mining "company

town"

an-

in

the Hexican state of Coahuila, about 1,000 miles east of here. and thus
understands the peculiarities of his American fellow-missionaries better
than most Hexicans.
His father was a zinc dept. foreman for the American
Smelting Co. of
and thus ALEX grew up in a middle class home, unu
sual in his generation. His father was a leader in the local Chrislian
church.

EST^TER, also a second generation Christian, comes from the next state
south of Sonora, Sinaloa, of Spanish-German-Indian ancestcry(Regional

music is provided by a "German oom-pah band with a Hexican accenti").

Ue

call her

"The white

Indian"

because of her light complexion.

Her fa-

ther, Hacario !Iartlnez, an old time, self-trained evan'^elist (church planter), is still associated with Hestem Hexico Christian Mission.
ALEX, Director or President of T'Texican Bible Seminary, loves to teach
young people but hates the details of administration that take so much
of his time(who doesn't?). For several ^rears he has also served as Hi-

nister of the Villa de Seris congregation (Hermoslllo, southside).

iiiVhenever it is possible to get away, he checks on his student ministers.
He has actively supervised all of our church and Seminary construction.
His hobby is collecting artifacts from old Spanish mines(Anyone have
and extra metal detector?).

ESTHER is a homebody, but always manages to have a large children's Bi

ble school wherever her husband ministers.

S^e also supervises most ef

the area DBVS. Her hobby is sewing, and after completing a government
sponsored sewing course, she now cuts her ovm patterns I
PEDRO 11, ESAU 9, and MERCEDES 2(a niece), complete the family,
Over

weight PEDRO is trying to run off the extra pounds playing baseball;
ESAU is the diplomat of the family; and MERCEDES, the overindulged queen
as might be expected.

If you are not already supporting some project of V/ESTERH r.ffiXICO CHRIS
TIAN MISSION, we suggest you prayerfully consider a pledge to the - - JQLIAN

FA'TILY.

Yours in His Service,

Gerald D. Bowlin, Director,

THE WESTERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN

Vul. XVI-2

Including Mexican Bible Seminary News

Sinnnier, 19()4

We

Saw It"

All along the way we marvelled at iiow

much the missionaries did with so little. But

many things are not yet being done simply

becau.se of lack of funds and personnel. The
myth that living is cheaper on the mission
field evaporated ciuickly when we saw the
l)rices in the stores and heard how much it
costs to rent a house or apartment. .As a
woman I especially marvelled at how un
complainingly and naturally the missionary
wives accepted inconveniences that would
cause most of us at home to write a "letter
to the editor". Even in the more modern

places there is always the fight against

tropical diseases. Too. the parcels that we

send are often taxed with as much as 100%

duty. We learned that gifts of money are
far better.

"Upon

this Rock..."

In many places there arc no other North

.Americans. In even fewer are tiicre Nortii
.American Christians. To us the absence of
.such friends would leave an awful void.

"Confirming the Souls

of the Disciples"

(Continued on page 3)

By Gerald D. BowHn
As we missionaries go beyond the "Go
into all the world, and preach the Gospel"
phase of the Great Commission, little seems
to be understood by the U.S. churches con
cerning our activities. I have attempted to
break tlie mission work down into phases.
Phase one I call the ideological phase,
of perhaps a generation or two in length.
This is the era of the Bible seller, the
colporteur, the Bible women, the wholesale
tract distributor, the real pioneer who

])rcparcs people's minds and hearts for the

Gospel.
Phase two I call the "preach" phase
pcrliaps another generation. This is the
phase of the itinerant evangelist, who goes
from place to place sowing the precious
seed of the Gospel. This is perhaps the
best known phase.
Phase three, the phase we are working
in liere in our Western Mexico Churches,
is the "confirming the souls of the disci
ples", stage. We estimate this to last another
generation yet. It is at this time that the
converts are formed into congregations and
"confirmed" in the Faithtaught their
rcsj)onsibilities in the Lord's church.
Phase three is the slow phase, and per
haps the least romantic of the three. It's
(Continued on page 2)

jR

'^

Missionary Nurse Mrs. Geneva S. Sowlin

BURNS

FOR

CHRIST

.A strange title? Missionary nurse Mrs.

Geneva

S.

Bowlin

has

become

famous

in

the state of Sonora for her burn therapy.

I'wen had her name in the newspaper in
this city of 115.1)01) the other day! .A and
D ointment for the i)iiysical burns, and J.
C ointment for the burned soul!

Summer, 1964

THE WESTERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN

DIRECTOR'S COLUMN

(5) Men of great vision, who generations

before tlie surging movement of "national
ism" showed its head, began to train native
leaders to take the responsibility of the work
of Christ in tiieir own land? (During World
War II the Philippine Christian churches,
trained by Leslie Wolfe, family, and others,

not only survived Japanese occupation, but

grew!)
(6) Men who not only speak several lan
guages, but who have minds which act

like ta])e recorders and computers of types

yet to be invented, who listen in one lan
guage. record what they hear, then later
speak the same thoughts in another lan
guage? (One Mexican missionary interpreted a 15 minute message by Oren
Hardenbrook, with only 3 breaks. 5 minutes
of speech recorded and translated each
time!)
(7) Men who are highly respected and
accepted in the government circles of the
foreign countries where tliey reside? (Max
Ward Randall. So. .Africa, has been a con

Gerald

D.

Bowlin, Doctor
Theology

of

.Sacred

MISSIONARIES OUTSTANDING

CITIi^ENS OF THE WORLD.

We often

wonder if our readers

with

the

accomplishments

of

our

lunnblc Christian missionaries who serve for

I.ove? How many have...

(1) Men who not only live among, but
with the natives, and are highly resi)ected

in tlie native community? (Mark Maxey.

Japan, who like other veteran missionarie.s,
spends many hours per week counseling
native neighbors, friends and fellow-workers,
once

said.

"We

also

serve

who

sit

and

listen.")
(2) Men who speak the language so
perfectly the natives believe them to be a
native also? (Charles Phipps. Italy, was
asked a number of years ago by an Italian
government t)fticial. "Sir. which province
are you from?")
(.1) Men who are scholars, musicians and
composers as well ? (E.T. Westrup. Me.xico.
has over a hundred published hymns and
recently completed a modern Spanish trans
lation

of

the

New

Testament

of government officials

for

many

Christian Missionaries
outstanding
citizens of the world, we salute you. GDB

realize

what outstanding people many of our mis

sionaries are? How many .American com
panies. with liiglily trained personnel en
gaged in worldwide commerce, can boast of
men

fidant
years.)

from

"CONFIRMIN^G"
(from ])age 1)
just hard work, blood, sweat and tears, and
the results are not immediately visible as
in the case of phases one and two! Not
many baptisms as the changeover is made

from missionary and preacher evangelism

to lay evangelism. No attacks by the
fanatics with machetes and rocks, nor
spectacular conversions at the preaching
of the Gospel. I repeat, just hard work.
This is not to say that we here in
Western Mexico are laboring only in phase
threea

whole state, much

field, cannot be

less a

whole

lumped into one single

category. Tracts. New Testaments and

Bibles are still being distributed, and the
(jospel preached and men and women and
boys and girls baptized of course. Rather

it is that the major emphasis is being

placed on phase threeconfirming the souls
of the disciplesand ordaining eldersand
committing the believers unto the Lord on

whom they have believed. (Acts 15:21-23).

the

original Greek!)
(4) Men whose children, rather than
attetuling private, .-\mcrican colony. English
speaking schools, attend native public
schools and are outstanding among their
native schoolmates? (The Bowlin chihlren,
Mexico, have already won so many scholar
ship. sportsmanship, and popularity awards,
one wall of the livingroom is covered with
pictures and certificates.)

THE WESTERN

MEXICO

CHRISTIAN

Published four times each year, funds

permitting, by the Missionaries as
sociated with Western Mexico Christian
Mission. ."Kpdo. Postal 350 (Office:
Tlaxcala 109 Pte.). Herniosillo. Sonora.

Mexico.

Gerald D. Bowlin

Editor

Summer, 1%4
NEWS

OF

THK WESTERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN

THE

CHURCHES

Here in Hermosillo the various congre

gationsSan

Bcnito.

Villa

de

Seris,

La

Triguera and Ranchito average about the

same in attendance Sunday evening30
persons, with morning Bible School a little
heavier due to the smaller children.

The village church of La Mesa averages

15-20 in attendance with much opposition
from the Catholic seminary studentsas
many as 6 each Sunday! Benjamin Hill
and Nogales are on a "visit when possible"
basis,

but

number

of

families

remain

faithful to His Church ("Pray ye therefore

the Lord of the Harvest...."

Mrs. Martinez is busy with Bible School

in Bacobainpo and brother ilartinez divides
his time between the new work in Ciudad
Obregon and Los Mochis, Sinaloa.
SEMINARY

GRADUATION

Kathryn Ann Bowlin

Due to a very busy schedule of construc

tion by brother Julian, the recruiting of
students for Mexican Bible Seminary among
the youth of the Sonora churches has been

somewhat curtailed the last couple of years.

.Mso. we have had only a very limited
number of scholarships to offer (S3(J per
month). However, two young men received

certificates the evening of May 24. 1963

.Alfonso Carrillo of Nogales and Humbcrto
Portugal of Hermosillo.
Brother Harland Cary, president of our
sister school, Colegio Biblico of Eagle Pass,
Texas, gave the graduation address. .At the
close of the program bro. Cary was
])resentcd with a special Diploma honor
ing him for his many years of service
in behalf of the churches of Me.xico.

Two of our students c.xpect to receive

Diplomas this June, a three year and a

classes

the

have

remember that in I95S. at the age of 8,

she. in her second year of public gram
mar school in Hermosillo. was elected
Spring Queen, the first foreigner to be

so honored, according to one U.S. press

service.

Now she has been elected Spring Queen

of her high school! She is in her second
year in this school of 1,000 plus students.

RISING

Central

school
been

year

held

to

1963-64
benefit

nite
those

who wish to preach but whose family

obligations compel them to work at secular

COST

OF

LIVING

Mission, with mis

sionaries in Me.xico also, has announced:
"Due to the rising cost of living on the
field, the C.AM Executive Committee has
raised the basic support level."'
CHOIR

two year one.

During

QUEEN KATHY
Kathy Bowlin did it again! Readers may

.American

ROBES

Mexican Bible Seminary is in need of

black choir robes to use as academic gowns
in its graduation ceremonies.

cmi>ioyment during the day. .Among the

AUTOMOBILE

subjects taught was Spanish Grammar I.

by Kathy Bowlin. age 14. One of the nite
school students is already preaching.

INSURANCE

insurancepity the poor missionary, he

l)ays double! Once for the Mexican policy

.All know the high cost of automobile

for each auto and once for the .American

policy. .At the present time brother Bowlin

owes the .American agent about $ .300. Could

AS WE SAW IT
(from page 1)
you please help?
But this is commonplace on the field. .Added
to the loneliness is the difficulty of living
OFFICE RENT
in a totally different culture. These adjust-Rental for the Mission office is $36.00
ments coupled with Satan's opposition to
per month. The last two months bro. Bowlin
the spread of the Gospel made us realize has -paid it out of his Living-Link fund,
even more how very much the missionaries
l^erhaps some class or group would care
dejiend on our prayers.
to underwrite the rental of the nerve center
The

Central American

Bulletin. .April. 1962.

of the work of Western Me.xico Christian

M ission ?

Summer. 1964

THE WESTERN MEXICO CHRISTIAN

MEXICAN

"Jtist: a Dime"
Wliat will a dime buy? Not very niudi,
but a thousand will buy quite a bit. If

every evangelical believer in America (it

is estimated that there might be twenty
million o! them) were to give just one
cent a day, or three dimes a month, into
a

common bank account it would amount

to .$20(),UOy a day or $73,000,000 a year!

That would support 48,666 more missionaries
at S1.500 per year each! Just skipping that
cup of 10 a.m. coffee for one day out of
ten would do the job. We haven't really
.schooled ourselves in self-denial, in doing
without, and it doesn't dawn on us to give

up things for Christ's sake. Before we were

born again some of us .spent far more on
tobacco, the tiieatcr, drinking, dancing and
gadding about than we would ever give to
the Lord if we tithed regularly. Money
for everything else and scarcely a dime
tor God. So for want of a dime opportunities
are lost, precious souls die without Christ,
Christians go unnurtured, the work of God
suffers, and much is lost.

Let us. by the grace of God, put values

in their proper place and perspective and
realize that only as we store our goods on
the bank of heaven will they be ours

throughout all eternity. .And not really ours

fur we will place our all at the nail-pierced
feet of our blessed Saviour.

The I. F. M. A. News, October, 1963.

BIBLE

SEMINARY

In an attempt to further the indigenous

work in Mexico, bro. .Alex Julian, Director
of Me.xican Bible Seminary, is spending
a large part of the summer visiting the
established

Christian

churches

in

all

of

ilexico recruiting students. The indigenous

part? Each congregation is asked to pay

the food bill for her students!

Scholarships

will

students from the

M'estern Mexico.
BOB

BOWLIN

still
newer

be

needed

fields

for

such

as

GRADUATES

Bob will have graduated from his Me.x

ican high school by the time you read

this._ His plans call for a diploma from
a U.S. high school in Tucson, .Arizona,
then Pacific Christian College, Long Beach,
Calif.

BOWLIN FAMILY ALL IMMIGRATED

^Missionary Gerald D. Bowlin completed

his 5 years probation in 1960 and is now a
l)ermanent resident of Mexico. Mrs. Geneva

S., Bob and Kathy are in their third year

of the 5 year period. Note that this does

not mean the Bowlins lose their American

citizenship, but it docs mean they have all

the rights and privileges of the Mexican

citizen (including ireedom of worship and

participation in worship activities) with the

e.xccption of political activities and military

service.

OFFERINGSChurch Checks

Living-Link and Service-Link sent via

church check may he made payable to the
individual missionary. Project checksSeminary, Benevolence. Evangelism. Con
struction. and GENERAL FUNDshould
be made payable to tiie .Mi.ssion. Mail to
.Mission address.

OFFERINGSPersonal Checks
Income Tax

f a -

Make all your personal checks pavahle

to MEXIC.AN BIBLE SEMINARY," our
Federally Tax-Excmpt con)oration.

.-

MAILING ADDRESSLETTERS

Veva and Becky Bowlin

Mestern Me.xico Christian Mission

-Apdo.

BOWLINS'

ADOPTED

GIRLS

The two babies the Bowlins adopted in

1959-60 are no longer babies. Little Geneva
(Veva) has had her third birthday and
Elizabeth (Becky) her second. Veva is
partially supported by the Palestine, Texas
church. Becky does not have Living-link
as yet.

Postal

350

Hcrmosillo. .Sonora, Mexico

=lll=illEIII=IJI=[llE||l=lllEIII=lll=lllsNl=IMEIil=lll=
FORWARDING AGENTPACKAGES
Western
P.O.

Box

Nogalcs,

Mexico

Christian

153U

-Arizona.

U.S..A.

Mission

MEXICAN BIBLE SEMINARY

I 4 th year of service for an indigenous MEXICAN CHURCH

Western Mexico Chiistian Mission

MAIL: APARTADO

POSTAL No.

350

OFFICE: CALLE TLAXCALA 109 PTE.

HERMOSILLO. SONORA. MEXICO.

GERALD D. BOWLIN. FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

MRS. GENEVA S. BOWLIN, DISPENSAKY-CLINIC

NOVEMBER, 1964

^
#

ALEJANDRO JULIAN. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

MRS. ESTHER M. JULIAN. BIBLE SCHOOLS

Dear Eellow~Ch.ristians

Mere it is fall already

there's even a snap in the
early-morniny air here on the Sonera "Hesert.
It seeras that the sumner just evaporated
4 weeks of
camp in the ^Tnited States
thousands of miles of travel
my
^father's death in August
and of course the D.V. B- Schools here
on the field, not to mention the routine.
I spent September and most of October in bed (a fev/ days

in the hospital) with an impacted colon and liver damage

long-

ran'-e results of amoebic dysentery contracted here in Mexico 20

7/ears ago in 1944'. Am slowly recovering my strength.
No pictures during the hot summer months (and not even

a letter during ray illness), but 7fou were faithful and I much
appreciate i t .

fhls month I enclose a picture of our fine freshman

class at Mexican nihle Seminary.

These, without exception, are

second generation Christians, known to us as children in our

Bible Schools here in Sonora and Lower California. Me are proud

of them and we hope you are too. They are vlsable fruit of oui>
15 years on this field for Christ.

Only tivo scholarships have been made available, so you

guessed it, the president, bro. Alex Julian is digging down in
his pocket to help feed the students. And even with a boost pov/
and then from the ^-eneral "^und and some tithes and. offerings from
us, his fellow-workers, he is hardpressed.
GOULD YOU help VITK A SPECIAL LOVE ^^lET?

Thank you for your help and your prayers.

bless and keep you.

T-Ta7r m-od

Your servant and His,

Herald D.

Bowlin, Director.