Pam Akihiro’s Blog

Hi Friends,

The past 2 weeks have been incredible!  I love being busy and God has provided incredible times with Mexicans, missionaries, my team, and friends from First Christian Church of Florissant.

On Friday evenings, I have been attending a jewelry class to practice Spanish.  In addition to learning how to make some really neat jewelry, I have made some Mexican friends and it is helping my Spanish.  I hope  to make some jewelry for gifts.  I’ll take some pictures next Friday and post them.  Sorry, I was so involved with learning, I forgot to take pictures.  Please pray that God will bless this time with Mexican women.

The wall of the bedroom upstairs has been slowly crumbling away, I guess from a leak on the roof (although I have never seen any leak when it rained).  I got it repaired two weeks ago.  It still needs to be painted, but I was happy to find a man who could do the work and he was very reasonable.  I learned some vocabulary specific to that trade.  Who knows when I might  have to use it again (hope not-at least on this house).  Please praise God for his provision.

Friday, Feb 17 we had another fellowship of English-speaking missionary women.  It was at another woman’s house.  There were 5 of us.  We shared lunch, girl talk, and prayer for each other and those who could not come.  I am praying that at least 4 others can come next time.  We agreed to meet every three weeks.  I hope it is a blessing for each of us to be able to share concerns, experiences, and joys with each other.  Please pray that God blesses this fellowship and that He will use us to minister to each other.

Sunday, Feb 19 we had a “Cena Romantica” (Romantic dinner) in relation to Valentine’s Day.  We had about 40 people there, mostly couples.  The most exciting thing was that Steve and Janet Ross, from my church in Florissant were the guest speakers.  They had a program on marriage.  It was really good.  We also had a “newlywed game”, 2 women sang to their husbands–one was my friend Lola, other great music, and wonderful food, which I got to help prepare earlier that day.   It was a lot of fun and  I was so glad to see Steve and Janet and was honored that they could stay at my house that night.  (was so glad I was able to get the wall fixed before they got there).  God even gave us a beautiful sunset.  Please pray that God will work in the marriages of the people in our church.  There are a number of them in crisis now.

preparing the meal

Exhausted Vicenta (main cook)

table decorations

Waiters--youth directed by Gaby and her husband

people at the dinner

Lola singing to her husband Ramondo

Ramondo enjoying her song

Steve and Janet

Steve and Janet sharing a song

Monday, Kay and Steve Carpenter came to join others on our team in a forum. Kay and Steve stayed at my house Monday and Tuesday night.  It was so good to be able to share my home.  The forum was about an exciting method for evangelism and starting a church planting movement called T4T (Training for Trainers).     We had all read the book and expressed interest in discussing it and finding ways to implement it into our ministries.  David Giles, CMF director of Church Catalyst Ministries, came from the US to show us what he had learned in a training session.  I believe God has given us all His vision for each of our areas in Mexico and how He want people to come to him in great numbers.  I can see many ways that we can incorporate this model into CHE.  I am really excited about it.  If you are interested in learning more about it, the website is http://t4tonline.org.  God is doing some amazing, exciting things all over the world–including America!  Please pray that God will use this method to bring a huge revival to Mexico.

I’m so glad that I was able to enjoy all those activities.  Thursday and Friday I was sick and wasn’t able to go to our cell group (even though I made a dessert for it)  PTL, I’m back to normal now.  Please pray that God would continue giving me good health for the things that He wants me to accomplish here.

Our TIC (CHE) trainers are getting ready to do their mapping and surveys–hopefully this week.  Some of the young adults from YWAM (Youth With A Mission), who are based here in Pachuca are going to help do these.  It will be a great model for CHE.   Please pray for our 4 trainers and for the young people to do good work and make people aware of TIC and God’s love in LaRaza.

More exciting things are coming up in March.  I will post them as soon as I can.  I love you all and depend on your prayers and support.  Thank you!  You are in my prayers as always.

Buenos Dias, mis Amigos (Good Day, my Friends)

Hope your week was as blessed and fulfilling as mine!

I think I forgot to mention one of the blessings I had on Jan 27.  There are a number of English-speaking women missionaries in Pachuca.  Some of us got together at my house for a luncheon and decided to meet regularly to minister to each other in prayer, encourage each other, enjoy fellowship, play games, anything that gives us some respite from the stress and strain of ministry.  There were 5 of us that day and there are at least 5 more.  We decided to meet in a different woman’s house every 3 weeks.  I know it will be a blessing for me, especially helpful with loneliness.  There is one other who is single.  She wasn’t able to come this time, but will come in the future.  Please pray for our fellowship, that God will use us to help meet the needs of each other and will give us strong friendships while we are serving Him here in Pachuca.

Last Friday through Sunday we had our bi-annual Mexican Field Team meeting in Puebla.  The last one was in September 2011.  There are 11 of us–Todd and Tonja from Puebla (they have 3 children), Kay (our team leader) and Steve Carpenter from Mexico City, Pam and Vic deLeon from Mexico City, Casey and Teri Hancock (Casey is Todd’s brother and they have 3 children) from a different area in Mexico City, Greg and Vicki Syverson–they have 2 children (and me) from Pachuca.  On Friday, we  got together at the home of Todd and Tonja Hancock and ate dinner, fellowshipped, played games, and did Wii dances (even me, though I am miserably uncoordinated).  It was a great time to get to know each other and families.  Since we don’t live in the same area, it is hard to get to know each other and be able to function effectively as a team.  I am so blessed to have such godly and committed team mates.  Please pray for each of my teammates and their families to continues being obedient to His call.

Casey, me, Mitchell, and Todd Wii dancing (I only attempted)

Kay and Todd Wii dancing

Our meeting lasted all day Saturday and it was quite intense, but, with the help of God, we made some good decisions regarding our ministries.  It is so good to see God working in each area of our ministries and working  and blessing the lives of our teammates.  Saturday night we ate dinner at Todd and Tonja’s again and then on Sunday we went to the new church that  T & T have recently planted in conjunction with Global Scope (CMF campus ministry) in Puebla. The name of the church is Comunidad Cristiana Mosaico. (Mosaic Christian Community)  A Mosaic is made up of several pieces of broken glass, clay, pottery etc put together to make a work of art.  All of us are broken people, some with sharp edges and so on, but God is making us into His beautiful work of art.  Because the focus was university  with the diversity of Mexico, Germany, USA,  Australia, etc. (the university is an international university) and since they are targeting all age groups, it seemed to fit well.  It was a wonderful experience and I was amazed at the gifts God has given those young college students and the older people he has sent there to be a part of that body.  It was great to be able to hear Todd preach and see the positive reaction from the people there.  Please pray for El Pozo Christian Church, that God will grow them and bless them. 

worship team warming up

Todd preaching

After church we all went to lunch together along with people from Global Scope.  What a great time for fellowship!  Then Greg, Vicki, their 2 sons and I came back to Pachuca.
Please pray that God will continue to bless our team to do His ministry for His glory.

Our TIC (CHE) trainers are busy working on their projects.  They still have a lot to accomplish, but are enthusiastic about evangelizing and helping the people of LaRaza.  Please pray for Adriana, Lola, Vicenta, and Norma for strength, wisdom and courage to complete projects and share His love.
Today we had test for our team meeting together for short meetings on the internet (Go To Meeting and Skype)  It was different, but I think when we get used to it, it will be good for short meetings and emergency meetings.   I was much more impressed with Skype, as we could use video to see each other.  For some reason, the audio and video with Go To Meeting was less than desirable.  This  will be much cheaper than meeting together at some place in Mexico and even people who are on furlough can join in.  We will still meet together 2 x a year and on other occasions, but this will be a good option.  Please pray that we will be able to conduct team business in the most economical way.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that God will bless you greatly.  Thank you for your interest in my ministry.  Thank you for your prayers–they have been extremely effective!!  Remember that I am praying for you as well.

Hi Folks,

Hope you all are starting out with a blessed 2012!

After Christmas, we had a period of time with not much going on.  It always takes time to get back in the rhythm of ministry after 1 month of vacation (I didn’t take a month , but that is what most people do here in December).  Then, all of a sudden, we got busy–PTL!

Pam deLeon and I went to 2 places in another city–Puebla (about 2 hours from Mexico City) to talk with people there about CHE.  Chere, a woman who used to work at Niños de Mexico, and her husband, Luis, live in a little town outside Puebla called Nazarín (not sure of the spelling because I couldn’t find it on the map).  It is a rural area with farming as the main activity.  We met with about 9 people, whom Luis and Chere meet with for Bible study.  We read the Bible together to discover that Jesus ministered to both physical and spiritual needs, then we showed a video of CHE working in rural areas in Mexico and Africa.  They seemed to receive the information very well, though it would be unusual for them not to receive information from North Americans well.   After our presentation, they fed us tamales and olla (absolutely delicious Mexican coffee).  They will contact us if they want to pursue the program with a community wide vision seminar.  please pray for God to show them His vision for that area.

people in the study

Pam de Leon, Chere and Luis

We stayed the night with Chere and Luis.  Then Luis drove us about an hour to their church in Puebla.  We talked with the pastor there about CHE and starting a program there.  About 30-35 people attend their church.  CHE would be a way to help the people in that area of Puebla and increase their membeship.  He will also contact us if he wants to start a TIC (CHE) program there. (Sorry, I didn’t get any pictures of that church).  please pray for this pastor to discern God’s will for his church.

Then Pam and I came back to Pachuca on the bus so we could meet with our TIC trainers to encourage them to pursue their projects that need to be completed before we can start the next phase of the training.  Not much has been done since our first phase (we finished in October and one of the trainers has had major family problems and then there was — December!)  They have to do a school screening, a base survey, a detained map of the area, and what we call a “seed project”, which is a small project to call the community’s attention to TIC.  They are planning a praise concert, involving all the churches in LaRaza in April.  After that, we will start phase 2 of the training, which will prepare them to have a vision seminar for the community, train a committee and TIC volunteers.  They have complied the survey and some of the youth will help them conduct it and also help them make the maps.  Please pray for the 4 trainers, that they will not lose the vision they had and will be committed to implementing TIC and continuing their training.

Saturday we had a women’s breakfast.  We hadn’t had one in quite a while.  There were a number of women who do not attend our church there, so it was a great outreach.  Vicki gave the program on “Who are you in God’s eyes”?  It was very good.  The breakfast was good too!

women at the breakfast

Vicki teaching

Monday, Pam d and I went to an area in the north of Mexico City called Huehuetoca (waywaytoka) where Casey and Teri, 2 of our teammates, have planted a church called Rey de Reyes (King of Kings).  We spoke to 5 women at their Bible study.  They seemed very enthusiastic about TIC.  They will pray about it and let us know also.  One woman wants to plant a church in a poor area nearby and is interested in using TIC for that purpose. (Sorry, didn’t get pictures there)  As you can see, God is blessing our ministry and giving us opportunities to reach more and more people in Mexico.  Please pray for us, our strength, wisdom, and guidance in staying in His will.

Yesterday, Vicki called to ask me if I wanted to go with Greg and 3 other church members, Claudia and Lazaro, and Aurelia who brought her granddaughter, Jessica (Aurelia is the mother of Serenia, who died of cancer last year and Jessica is her daughter) who were going to visit Marina, one of our members, who is staying with her daughter in El Chico, a national forest area near Pachuca (about 45 minutes drive). It is an amazingly beautiful area.  If you come visit me, we will go there! Marina has had many health problems, especially recently, and was staying with her daughter, Brenda, so Brenda could take care of her.  I have visited Marina in her home in LaRaza and talked with her frequently at church.  She has had major surgery on her pancreas, so therefore has blood sugar problems. Of course I wanted to go.  Evidently Marina  had an urinary tract infection and was very ill.  She is on medication now and is physically better, but has lost a lot of weight and is very depressed.  We prayed for her and tried to encourage her.  Brenda and her husband are not Christians, so I pray that they will see the love of God working in her mother and through us.  Please pray for Marina, that God will comfort and lift her spirits and for Brenda and her husband and 3 children to find the love of Jesus for themselves.

path from Brenda's house

Greg and Lazaro walking to the house

Beautiful view from El Chico

beautiful area of El Chico

Aurelia, Jessica, and Claudia

Yesterday afternoon, I went to buy propane gas for my heater.  I stopped at the supermarket and just as I was leaving, we had a huge hail storm.  I had to wait until most of the storm was finished.  It does not snow here, but it sure looked like snow on the ground.  It was the longest hail storm I have ever experienced.  I passed 3 major accidents as I was going home.  PTL that I was in the store and not on the road when the storm hit!   Thank you all for your prayers for me.  I can see how God is answering them every day!  Without your back up in prayer and support, I could not be here.  You all all such blessings to me!  God bless you all real good.  More to come next week after our team meeting in Puebla.

outside the supermarket, the sky very dark

hail on the parking lot

hail on the streets