Visit to Vine and Branches Ministries, Piedras Negras, Mexic

October 2025 Newsletter

Last week, I had the honor of traveling to Piedras Negras, Mexico, with Charlie Morgan, Heidi Hayslip, and Bruce McCloud to visit with Vine and Branches Ministries. They have been so faithful to the Lord. Alex and Diana Aburto had a vision 25 years ago to plant a mission in a rural area in Piedras Negras. The beauty of that vision is that Vine and Branches Ministries is now surrounded by homes. The Lord truly brought the people there. They are reaching both children and families with the Good News of Christ and taking the next step to disciple and equip them. Three generations of children and students are now serving in their ministry and the community.

We Found Our International Training Model in Piedras Negras

One of the reasons for our trip to Piedras Negras was to allow Heidi Hayslip (Heidi works with our Africa teams) to see the ministry of Vine and Branches. While we were there, we sat down and talked with Anna and Abby. This past summer, they traveled to Honduras to lead a training there. When they were invited, they were asked to train leaders how to do L.I.T. (Leaders In Training). They spent months in prayer and seeking the Lord. Anna said that she was praying and asking the Lord, “How can we teach like Dr. Clint?” The Lord made it clear that He was calling them and that it was His ministry, not Dr. Clint’s.

The beauty of this trip is that the Lord showed them a simple way to train leaders there. The churches are now taking the model that they showed them and are discipling children in four churches in Honduras. One of our major challenges in training leaders internationally is the amount of information and training we offer. It forces them to pick and choose what to do with the training and how to apply it in their setting. We found that most leaders will focus only on evangelism. Anna and Abby found a way through the Lord’s leadership to break through and specifically equip leaders to disciple children. They took the model from Vine and Branches, which has three generations of disciples, and trained leaders there in Honduras. 

Hold On, The Lord is on The Move Dr. Clint May

This past year has been like stepping on to a high-speed train. Our feet went straight out, and I am holding on for dear life. There have been so many good things that have happened that it is hard to count. Russ Zacek joined our team in April, and we are expanding our growth in the U.S. and internationally. I just returned from Piedras Negras with a new excitement to train leaders worldwide. Next month, we are hosting our L.I.T. Kingdom Impact Conference in Hudson Oaks, Texas, November 10-12. We don’t expect a large number of attendees, but we will have leaders from Zambia, Liberia, Burundi, Brazil, Mexico, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, and other states joining us. This training is for leaders in the United States, but it will also equip trainers to train trainers worldwide.

It is hard to wrap my mind around what the Lord is doing, but the ministry is being positioned to go to even greater heights. The Lord is assembling incredible leaders and ministers who have a passion for reaching and discipling kids. They are ready and willing to go in Jesus’ name to the great international harvest field—children from four to fourteen years of age. (Seventy percent of those who trust Christ internationally do so between the ages of four and fourteen.)

With Expanded Ministry Comes Unexpected Costs

In 2024, we set our budget for 2025. We have now realized that many things are hard to budget for, and they are necessary for the ministry to grow and function, especially when you bring on new staff. It increases the need for software, training, and many other unanticipated needs. We are grateful for where the Lord has taken us, but we have come to a stopping point of waiting on the Lord. Due to the large number of needs that exceed our budget, we have experienced a financial shortfall. By God’s grace, we have expanded the ministry worldwide with a small budget—not by careless spending, but through an effort to expand the Lord’s work here in the U.S. and worldwide. We have made every effort to be faithful in what the Lord has given us. We are having to put some international trips on hold until we can catch up. We have a shortfall of about $12,000. It doesn’t seem like much, but it is when we don't have a large budget. Please pray for the Lord’s provision, and if you would like to help us catch up, please go to www.leadersintraining.com/donate. Please leave a note for additional ministry needs.

Praises, Needs, and Prayer Requests:

• PRAISE – For an incredible trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico

• PRAISE – For Vine and Branches Ministries and their faithfulness to reach and disciple children

• PRAISE – For a new training model developed by Anna and Abby from V&B Ministries

• NEED – Pray for Russ as he continues to connect with churches in the U.S.

• NEED – $12,000 for the L.I.T. general fund to close out the year. Please pray about giving a special Fall Gift.

• NEED – To raise a Travel budget for 2026 of $10,360. As we add in more church visits and mission trips, we need funds so that Russ can get to where God is sending him.

As God has blessed you and speaks to you, please consider partnering with us in even greater measure to accomplish His mission.